Forge

Curzon walks through the battlefield following the British defeat, toward the Colonial encampment. Around him are the horrors of war - soldiers are dead and ruined; women tend to the wounded and loot needed materials from the fallen Redcoats. Curzon describes one woman wailing in anguish after finding the body of a man she knew, possibly her husband.

Curzon awakes in camp the next morning to discover he’s lost his hat. He confesses that this hurts him more than the devastation he’d witnessed the day before. The hat had belonged to his father; Curzon had worn it since the day his father was killed by the British. He rises and sets off to find something to eat, describing the bustle and motley collection of rebels along the way.

Curzon comes across the gap-toothed boy he rescued the previous day. The boy introduces himself as Ebenezer Woodruff—Eben, for short—and insists they find his uncle Caleb, a sergeant in the Colonial army, who wishes to thank Curzon personally. They’re discovered by Trumbull, who recognizes Curzon immediately. Curzon runs, but is caught immediately. He, Eben, and Trumbull are brought to Caleb, who listens to each person speak. Trumbull accuses Curzon of stealing from him, which Curzon denies. Eben hurries off to find Curzon’s bag, in order to prove his innocence. When he returns, Caleb empties his goods onto the table, finding none of the things Trumbull described. Trumbull insults Curzon, insisting him to be a cheat and a thief. Realizing that Trumbull is baiting him, Curzon remains quiet.

Caleb finds in Curzon’s favor, thanks him for saving his nephew, and bows to him. This gesture moves Curzon considerably – gentlemen bow to each other. No one bows to a slave. He bows back, deeper, as a show of mutual respect and thanks. He then agrees to enlist in the Continental Army, electing to serve until the war ends. Curzon and Eben leave, and Eben admits to hiding Trumbull’s stolen goods to protect Curzon.

Curzon describes the significance of the ribbon and the satchel of seeds he carries in his bag. Both belong to Isabella, who wore the ribbon around her wrist, and had collected seeds from every place she’d been during her adventures. Curzon confesses that while their relationship had started as one of friendship, he’d developed romantic feelings for her, but never confessed them.

Curzon and Eben are ordered to guard the riverand keep lookout for British ships. What they find instead are British deserters. The winter and wild have been hard on the Redcoats, so much so they eventually force the surrender of a British general and his entire army – the first time in history this has happened. Curzon and the Colonials assemble to honor the surrendering British. He recalls how one year ago, the British had treated himand the rebel force he was serving with poorly, after they had surrendered. He plans to hurl acorns at the soldiers in reprisal.

What he sees is a shabby, defeated army of older men, stripped of their arms,buttons missing from their clothes. Flags barely waving. Curzon compares their relative uniformity to the motley diversity of the Colonial militia – a patchwork of young, old, black, white, colonial, and native men and boys –each onetall with honor. No one jeers. No one throws a stone. They show honor to the British.

After the procession ends, Curzon returns to the river and hurls his acorns into the water.