“In October 1755, Morgan was promoted to lead a fifteen-man Mounted Ranger Patrol with the mission of building stockades and blockhouses, protecting settlers on the frontier, and escorting wagon trains loaded with supplies through hostile territory.

“The winter of 1755–56 was fierce, forcing the Indians and the Rangers to hunker down and find shelter from the snow and cold. Apparently, Ashby, Morgan, and their comrades used the weather as an opportunity to consume prodigious quantities of rum and to gamble. If the stories I have heard from others are true, Captain Morgan finished the winter’s card games owing a considerable sum—at least on paper.

“With the spring thaw, fighting season resumed. On the 16th of April 1756, Morgan and a fellow Ranger were heading on horseback to one of their outposts when seven Indians, armed with French muskets and tomahawks, ambushed them.

“Morgan’s comrade was killed instantly and a musket ball struck Daniel’s neck from behind, passed through his mouth and out through his cheek, removing several of his teeth on the way. Though badly wounded, and bleeding profusely, Morgan somehow managed to stay mounted and spur his horse to outrun the savages before they could remove his scalp.

“He spent several weeks recovering his strength in a remote blockhouse before he was strong enough to resume full duties, albeit many pounds lighter, from inability to eat solid food. Some of those who were with him say he convalesced on ‘cornmeal soup’ and rum.

“The Ranger companies were disbanded in October ’56 because Colonel Washington deemed them to be less effective than expected. Morgan returned to ‘waggoning,’ hauling cargoes of wheat, flax, hemp, and tobacco from ‘The Valley,’ over the Blue Ridge to Alexandria, Fredericksburg, and Richmond. On return trips he loaded his wagon with lead, gunpowder, imported grindstones, salt, rum and when he couldn’t find a more valuable cargo, ‘ballast bricks’ for construction.1

“In January 1758, acting Governor Dinwiddie returned to England and Francis Fauquier was appointed Lieutenant Governor by the Crown. Fauquier immediately urged London to deal ­forcibly with ‘the French threat’ and in the autumn of 1758, a British Army and Colonial Militia force of 7,000 men commanded by General John Forbes with Colonel Washington as his appointed deputy, finally captured Fort Duquesne. The Indians, denied access to their French patrons and safe-haven, temporarily ceased their raids into Virginia. By then, Daniel owned two sturdy wagons and employed two drivers.

“Unfortunately, attaining a degree of financial success didn’t change Morgan’s behavior much. He was still a ‘rowdy’ who drank too much rum, engaged in frequent pugilistic altercations at Tavern in Battletown2 and at the Shenandoah Store, where we’re heading now. On numerous occasions between 1759 and ’62 he was remanded to appear before Frederick County magistrates for charges such as ‘brawling,’ and ‘drunken, disorderly conduct,’ and ‘disturbing the peace.’ It was after one of those misadventures when he began to mend his ways.”

“What changed him? Was it one of your sermons?”