 dearest father, the distress of your last letters is all too clear to me and I fully understand your need for greater clarity on the situation here in the colonies. Your years managing our London office have detached you from events in the land of our birth. Thus I have taken your advice and devoted much of this past 12 months in traveling throughout the colonies gathering information. I'm delighted that you have booked passage to Boston and eagerly await the 31st of December when we shall again be together. I remain your affectionate son James Edward. Father your home James. Oh it's good to see you son. Seat of the baggage and here a chilling for your trouble. Thank you sir and blessings on you in the new year. Blessings on all of us. Some of these confounded troubles. Just a map father to show you the military situation at present. Yes exactly as I've heard in London. The heavy British garrisons in New York and New Jersey have poised to reassert the Crown's authority. Within months we'll see this rebellion dealt with. Not months father, if at all. Well if that be true these troubles could last too long. Better to abide by my original inclination. You don't mean to close the American office? Yes. We lie on our trade with the Canadians with India until the rebels are dealt with and our fellow countrymen regain their sanity. Are you ready to turn your back on this country? Until the people support the King James. Accept authority. The risk is too great. Well I'm not sure. I travel the length of the colonies and one thing I know. The people and the land will decide this conflict and the people. Their choices are over James. We are merchants. All concerned. Reason to buy time until the outcome can be better predicted. The choices of the people better known. All the evidence that I've. Is this your evidence? A massive drawings. Is this proof that I should continue to trade with the people who cannot decide what they want? Something you've not seen in the London papers. A portrait of the people and the loss of your portraits boy. I can predict the outcome for you. When faced with a real red coat the people will choose the King soon enough. Some will. Get others. It takes a special read to settle a land like this father. And that's. A farm girl in Connecticut. Nothing out of the ordinary I suppose. So it turns by name. What do you stop me? George is ma'am. Oh you are a man. He says. Mary a whisker. It's a she all right. If you're done with me. I'm never done with a pretty lady. All right Christopher get back to the fire. It's a couple sure she's got this fire we're looking for. Sorry miss orders you know could you open your sack now just for the form of it like you were a gentleman. He'd offer me some of your dinner before you searched the sack please if you don't mind I'll answer only to an officer. For the best I'm sure. But I've got to see you piece of the but I'll not submit to a search not with a man like him nearby. You're going on here mate I don't think I'm going anywhere take my share of the bird I'll get her to bill it this way miss but when Captain Andrews is done inspecting the line well miss carrying a dispatch for Mr Washington you better destroy it you know why give me a second chance on my warmness well Captain Andrews don't think like me if you find his papers on you miss he'll throw you in the nearest prison soon as you look at you if you try to escape now well eat on you miss think hard on it Mr Washington won't see those papers now anyway so take them on the whole British army and you're not more me by years miss that's a little young for prison nurse Sarah delivered the papers to Washington personally and he was right happy to have them my god sir it's a strange race of women were breeding can't say I approve such affairs as these are men's business women will be in trade next and the slaves will seek to be freedmen overnight which is just what Lord Dunmore has proposed to the slaves of Virginia the British governor has offered freedom to the slaves precisely freedom to any slave who will fight for the king is that what the empire is coming to and what say the slaves difficult to tell in Virginia on a great plantation I met a certain Erica terror now this piece of paper I brought it's important I want to tell you about it what you mean being true oh what should mean it means that if you leave the master then Lord Dunmore who's he well he worked for the king who the master of us all but our master he don't want no more to do with the king so Lord Dunmore he said to you I can make you free if you fight for the king again your master I'm gonna put you in the king's army I'm gonna manumit you I ain't never heard about no manumit around here Lord Dunmore he figured that if enough of us are gonna be his soldiers he gonna have himself a mighty army and things gonna be just like always sepping you gonna be free how do you know maybe did you just go so far to the fields I'm asking say yes sir to the king maybe soon as well back how do you know I don't you were a house servant Tara if you like the field hands hold so much we'll put you here for good otherwise get back to the matter house now I should have you quit boy that pleases you master damn it man it's not a question of what pleases me it's a matter of how they found out about Dunmore's meddling and what they'll do they learned of it as you did we also have ears master and as to what they might do I have no way of knowing have I ever mistreated you didn't I see to it that you learn how to read and write have I ever given you calls to even think of becoming a runaway no had I ever considered it until I heard of the great declaration at Philadelphia a Virginia gentleman he spoke of all men having rights and whatever else master I do consider myself a man no meaning is clear Dunmore doesn't give a whip if he bankrupts the whole of Virginia he knows right and where we need you the country can only expand this way this is no Europe of cities or indeed they do anything to keep us in line you too could offer freedom if you choose I promise I can't keep no more than you can trust Dunmore should he destroy our cause you'll have you all back in chains perhaps but the smallest taste of freedom for my people I can't change you up Tara nor is it in me to have you whipped but no will you offer me freedom the English will you will be free one day Tara it needs patience what will you do then can I trust you to stay here again with respect master it is I who must decide whom I can trust trust me or will you trust the British curious master in my entire life the first opportunity to make a decision about myself by myself and beyond master trust us Eric we mean this to be a free nation one day truly free what's to become of us smarter early father the outcome is still in the balance will be for months the people have not yet decided but did you meet no one loyal to the mother country surely father there are many Tories even families are divided by this crisis I remember the Jameson's of Charleston I've done it me love found a purchaser for the shop what are the war looming and a naval blockade almost certain I thought I'd be a rice exporter forever still if Jacobson wants the business the more fool he and of the full price to hope for a little more joy you know what this means that we're bound for somewhere else not just somewhere else to London you read my father's letter my ex I'm over with the success of the business well I'm the black sheep no more you'll have me back we can be done with exporting rice we're free to go home Joe away from all this confounded trouble after London civilization home Peter this is our home I'm an Englishman not a columnist I thought he would be serious I'm very serious we're a couple Joe we've proven my worth here just as the world is turning upside down we can leave for London on the next packet both my friends neighbors know the trail girl you go with me your husband to our home I think not you've taken up with these rebels no such thing I have no mind for politics but I'm not returned to England what madam lady such as yourself always obeys the the point you're already behaving like a London gentleman assuming that his wife will obey as though she would chattel and be treated as a lady should I'll say one thing for the colonies I'm of use here I needed I can work by your side as things are remain but it's people who understand us no Peter lost my taste for the role of a refined English lady talk about rebel and you a Tory politics have nothing to do with my choice I do what's reasonable oh it serves you best I'm not moved around like a piece of inventory and hardly leave you defend for yourself I have friends not one of them was too far things to rub together to call a hate me and that's another thing being for is no crime here who can work for the future together will you forsake all that England is and will be the greatest nation on earth for a city with streets of mind that all you see Peter how English now husband I am English no longer I am an American out here no more it so help me I will leave you behind as much as it would give me I am not stay here so be it he did in fact leave and she stayed in Charleston foolish woman probably it can follow to Washington's army by now on the contrary father she wants a business and remains uncommitted for the meantime many people prefer neutrality and if you find no one who preferred loyalty I met a Tory Charles Chamberlain a vast landholder north of New York a wealthy man and much given to entertaining officers as a local British garrison young witty razor sharp all night it can only be my favorite work the colonel's glass oh thank you it's fine is it not none better between fair and London now off with your head went dead he was a quiet one my indentured servant Irish and Catholic wouldn't have anything to say anywhere well I will say this gentlemen you have turned this wilderness into a place that has made us all feel too bad well as different as it is it's still part of Britain after all that's unfortunately some of your neighbors are not a similar mind tempesture key part colonel a mob of illiterate black hands so here's to you and your men without you the rebels committee would be all over the place probably expropriate my land gentlemen what is it can can I not toast your health of course but I'm afraid you're living but my accepting it would be in rather poor taste gentlemen you really must go jimmy then I I have that news for you you see my entire command is preparing to withdraw you don't mean it oh but I do friend see the rebel army could be upon us at any moment and the orders came this morning because of a shabby mob of riff-rack a mob they may be where they act like an army and we must give them the respect due to an enemy at war but me what of me oh oh I have permission to take you with us sir under our safety and then let you can go to London but my land my house we'll give it a thought friend wealth is a small sacrifice to make for loyalty to the crown and all it stands for a bit uncomfortable mr chamberlain waiting in the bushes for your guests to leave and perhaps a bit of clarity would help by by all means sir look the cat oh sergeant Burke of the westchester militia has other duties carry on sergeant your visit is an unexpected pleasure to freedom by all means to freedom then you are one of us I I beg you my freedom and no doubt your left hand we have little time to waste sir your property forms a natural line of defense against the regrouping British if you're with us well and good if not then I appropriate your deeds in the name of the continental Congress of the United States I'm a patriot naturally you have my word on it your word isn't good enough chamberlain but if you're with us you'll have to prove it I'm tired is all sure I'm not about to hit anyone that's why I came to this land because I heard it was a place where there wouldn't be hidden people simply because they're less important or speak to God differently a man's a man no matter his birth or religion bless you for that back better be saving your blessing for washington said you need some better than me he does no doubt back no doubt get back to work when last I heard charles chamberlain was with the patriot cause heart and soul a rebellion built by rebel and threatened confiscation it's hardly something to be proud of is it might as well close the businesses have it seems perhaps think of the king's army boy the mightiest ever no one can be a farmer's hope to do against such power perhaps you're right father yet many american soldiers in pennsylvania have tasted the might of george the third's army I spoke with a man from a village on the frontier called york a veteran he'd tasted retreat yeah the cook's asking after you says to me he says where's that dutchman the horse don't my cook and taste good enough to him no more no more never did moldy meat and hard-tackings fit for the cows and the farm I know what I do how's the mrs alyn what's wrong can't hardly pioneer the farm and look after the kid alone well you're done your share your enlistment's up no one gonna fault you for leaving us hair with no proper boots and tents full of lice and food turning green with mold you with a wife and young'un if you throw it all up no one's gonna say you may you need it on the frontier anyway where you're going for a walk or to come attach a home would be nice that's for sure takes a lot of believing to follow washington the way things are and all it ain't him so much is it it's the whole idea suppose every one of us what's done is time ups and leaves him where we're all gonna be then the loot in the english I guess well that's it ain't it then I mean it's up to us what happens here it's the privates what wins the wars not the generals the likes of me whether gonna make it work or not what's up nothing just give me back my bag well I figured I'd grab it what with you leaving and all we'll set anything about leaving come on let's go find cook see what poison is worked up for supper so there they are father he stops along the route of my journey the choices of ordinary people choices that may well create a new nation 1777 and the years beyond to think of a world where British and American are different peoples James am I right in going back to London that's not for me to say father I have no answers other than my own it is as I feared you are a rebel aren't you I'm an American you know how much your choice distresses me son still I I suppose it will be good for our trade perhaps in time but for now there's something else I must do general Washington's call for more men if this is something you must do then Godspeed my son and you father