To My Magnificent Agents, Staff and Friends:
It’s not uncommon that sometimes we can feel insignificant and powerless. Perhaps it is because we face challenges or obstacles that appear insurmountable or that the odds against our success seem too great. At other times, we may feel that the deck is too stacked against us. But, if you ever doubted that the tenacity of just one or two people can make a difference, then consider the amazing story of the “American Army of Two.”
One day Rebecca and Abigail were up in the tower, polishing the great glass that sent the light far over the sea. Their father and mother had rowed across the bay to the village, leaving the lighthouse in their daughters care. As she diligently polished the glass, Abigail paused for a moment to catch her breath. In doing so, she glanced up and noticed a strange ship creeping around the point of the bay. The ship was stopped and it’s anchors deployed. Abigail also saw that there were two crew boats being lowered from the ship. As they reached the water, the smaller boats turned and started moving toward the shoreline.
At that time people feared every ship they did not know for the year was 1814 and the young United States was at war with mighty England. British ships often sailed right into harbors and sent their soldiers ashore to sack defenseless villages. There had already been one raid on Scituate’s harbor. When that happened, the British had looted several warehouses and burned ten of the villager’s boats before escaping back to sea. The result had been hardship suffered by all of Abigail and Rebecca’s fellow residents.
As the sisters stood frozen in the lighthouse, peering down and holding their breath in the anticipated horror of who the occupants of these boats were and what was their motive, closer and closer they crept. Finally, they entered the harbor and Rebecca and Abigail’s worst fears were confirmed. The boats were full of British soldiers.
The terrified girls looked along the shore, but no help was to be seen. What could they do? If only there was some way to warn the townspeople of the approaching attack perhaps some defense could be raised. But the sisters had no boat, and there was certainly not enough time to run to the village, for it was located way on the other side of the bay.
Rebecca grabbed her sister by her sleeve.
“Listen, Abigail,” she cried, “Here’s what we are going to do…” And she began whispering in her sister’s ear, as if the British soldiers in their still faraway boats might overhear her.
The sisters then ran down the winding staircase and bolted across the lawn to their house. Abigail snatched up a drum, which her father had recently brought home from the local militia to mend. Rebecca grabbed her father’s musket off the wall above the fireplace. Then, they slipped out of the house and made their way toward the beach, crouching behind sandhills and bushes to keep out of sight.
The British boats were now very close to the shore, and the soldiers were preparing to leap ashore. Suddenly an order to halt rang out. The soldiers paused and listened alertly.
From behind a clump of cedar trees came the beating of a drum, and then the squeak of a fife. While it was not skillful, it was loud, clear and recognizable by the soldiers. It was the strains of “Yankee Doodle” that floated over the sands.
“The militia has seen us coming!” cried the leader of the British soldiers. “They will most certainly attack us before we can land and establish a defensive position!” He then ordered the boats to turn back and return to their ship.
A moment later, several villagers spotted the British boats. They raised a great alarm, and all hurried toward the lighthouse.
When they reached the point, they saw little Rebecca and Abigail Bates sitting on a rock, watching the mighty British warship putting out to sea. A drum, fife and musket lay beside them.
The “American Army of Two” had won the day.
Have a powerful and AWE-full weekend!
Bill