“He’s willing to earn his promotion, which some 225 of ’em wouldn’t if they knew how. He’s earned it ten times over. The men who can do things are the ones we’ve got to have to win. One thing, this army isn’t goin’ to lack fer men, such as they are, by the way the farmers are comin’ in with their old guns and hay hooks.”
“Such as they are! Zeb, you’re a dyed-in-the-wool Virginian. These New Englanders and New Yorkers coming into camp are of the same mettle as those under Stark and those who died with Herkimer. There are no better men in the world.”
“Reckon ye better make an exception o’ the Rangers. They sent us down here, when we ought to be with Washington, specially to save you people from the Indians.”
“Yes, and the day you started, Stark and his New Hampshire and Massachusetts men, with the help of Seth Warner’s men, won a victory which will result in the defeat of Burgoyne. You Virginians are all right; you have your Washington and Morgan and the Rangers, but don’t cry down the Northern farmers in their homespun. They’ve had to fight for a living from the beginning, and, from Lexington right down through till now, they’ve fought for their country.”
“Except when they’ve left to go home and gather their crops. Soldiers who stay in the field till the war’s over are the kind that is needed.”
“Excuse me,” interrupted Rodney, for the conversation had waxed warm, “but, from what Zeb told 226 me, both Virginia and Massachusetts were needed to pull through the wilderness on the way to Quebec.”
Zeb laughed and said, “I reckon Virginia and Massachusetts will have to hang together if we get the job done.”
“And if we don’t,” added Donald, with a laugh, “they’ll hang separately, as Dr. Franklin said of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.”