The Rangers Are Coming (17 page)

              The next morning, following breakfast, the drill instructors went into the rooms of the recruits and demonstrated the proper way to make a bed, and how to keep the rest of the room clean.  They were introduced to mops and strong cleaners with pungent smells that were to scrub the floors.  Rags with another kind of cleaner were for the furniture and fixtures in the bedroom and bathroom.  The standards were very exacting and over the next week, many beds were torn apart, by the drill sergeants, and many floors and fixtures were done over.  Always, the penalty for not passing the inspection was to run the half mile round trip from the barracks and across the Parade Ground, around the pole that held the big flag, and back.  There was a time limit for that and the penalty for not coming back within that limit was to run the course again.

              Every morning, the men exercised, ran the obstacle course, and gradually learned to march in unison.  Every afternoon was spent in the classroom, learning more and more advanced reading, writing, and mathematics.  The students had long since learned how to operate the computers and type their papers on the subject that was assigned.  They learned that a complete encyclopedia was contained in the computer and all they had to do to research a topic was to type in keywords about it.  Ronny was amazed at how much he had learned and was astonished at how fast Willis had learned.  He was now almost as good at reading and writing as Ronny.

              The social structure of the Brigade changed as well.  By Christmas of 1770, the ranks were nearly filled with men recruited in the same way as Ronny and Willis.  There were more than 3000 men at Fort Independence.  There were also 50 women, 200 blacks, and 100 Native Americans.

              For months, the educational system was not only teaching men to be literate, but also educating them in the concept that all men…including women were to be treated equally under God in the new nation.  Racial and sex discrimination was absolutely not tolerated and the first of a handful of men who could not accept that rang the bell and were escorted away from Fort Independence.

              As Sergeant Boswell told them, “Only the best from the past.”

              Six men left the platoon, four had quit, and two others were found to have medical issues that allowed them to stay in the Brigade in various non-combat positions.  The six replacements were four black men and two Cherokee Indians. 

              After a few weeks, it was amazing to see that the newcomers no longer were seen as different, just fellow sufferers under the relentless barking of orders and endless physical exercise.  The women in the ranks proved to be every bit as tough as the men. 

The modern computer system being used by the students brought the illiterate blacks and Indians up to speed in short order.  In fact, one of the black men proved to be so good at numbers he was given special training in advanced mathematics and was soon tutoring his fellow recruits who were struggling at the lower levels.

              Sundays were always special.  It was a day off in which all sorts of sporting events were held with teams who represented their platoons competing for week long bragging rights in soccer, basketball, track and field, and martial arts.  This last competition was an extension of the basic martial arts all recruits were learning.

              But, Sunday was also a time for Church and was conducted in a non-denominational manner.  Actually, it was a mixture of Evangelical and Pentecostal with a weekly communion thrown in.  That was not the reason why the Brigade, who crowded into the big assembly hall that served as a church on Sunday, liked it.  It was the Pastor of the church who held them spellbound each week with tremendous sermons on a variety of subjects, especially stories of Jesus and why he did the things he did and how those teachings were just as true today as they were 1800 years before.

              Secretly, every man in the Brigade was in love with their Pastor.  She was a tall,  beautiful woman, about their age, with long flowing blond hair and the most amazing blue eyes.  Her name was never far from the lips of the Brigade…Arcadia.  She always wore a long, flowing white dress that looked almost like a robe with a silver belt.  She was clad in this shining, shimmering dress from her neck to the floor and had long sleeves.

              She was often seen walking through the Fort, watching the training, and was always on hand for the sporting events where she passed out the traveling trophies to each winning platoon.  The men always bowed when they passed her, but spoke to her only when she spoke to them.  In many ways, Arcadia became the symbol of the new America they were all training to achieve.

16

Mount Vernon, Virginia

In the summer of 1771, Arcadia determined that the time was right to begin turning Virginia into a non-slave state.  Her first experiment with Jefferson at Monticello and with Washington at Mount Vernon had proved to be unqualified successes.  Both Jefferson and Washington believed the plan was, not only sound philosophically, but a very practical method for reorganizing labor.

              Washington organized a lavish party and invited nearly every large landowner in the colony.  Since Washington was held in highest esteem by all of Virginia, everyone came early and stayed late.  Since it was Washington’s party, he was expected to establish the agenda of events and topics. He crafted the discussion with care.  In the morning, the men discussed the current state of affairs with England and what should be done about it.  Washington suggested that it might be possible for the 13 colonies, acting in unison to establish an American nation.  Since this was a popular belief among many of the wealthy landlords, it was fairly easy for Washington to move the conversation to the character of such a country, the concepts of government by the consent of governed, equality for all, the principle of every man being created equally, were all equally popular.

              Then Washington, joined by Jefferson, revealed what they had done to both carry out the principle of equality among men and remain profitable at the same time.  They told about their selling all their salves to a company called the Foundation, who emancipated them all, and then offered them jobs as employees at the plantations.  They talked about their successes in educating their former slaves, how much money they were making with the new system, the Emporiums for the purchase of a wide variety of products and food, and how much more productive the workers were when they were free and had a solid future for their families.

              The landowners were fascinated with the revolutionary new idea and were especially intrigued with the idea of making more money while shedding the veneer of guilt that came with the concept of slavery and treating people as property.  They asked if it would be possible to speak to the head of this company, the Foundation and get further details.

              Washington smiled, his new teeth glistening in the sun, “As a matter of fact, the President and the owner of The Foundation is present at the party.  The reason you have not met this remarkable person, whose insight and intelligence I admire  greatly, is because she is a woman.”

              “A women, in a position of such authority?” said on the members of the numerous Lee families, “That seems rather unlikely.”

              “Elizabeth ruled England for over 50 years and turned it into the greatest power on Earth.  Nobody there thought it was strange or unlikely,” answered Washington.

              “Would it be possible for us to meet this remarkable woman, “said Henry Lee?

              “Absolutely,” said Washington.  He sent one of the servants, to fetch Arcadia.  Jefferson winked at Washington, knowing that the trap had closed and it was unlikely many would be able to escape Arcadia’s charm, and brilliant logic.

              A few moments later, the servant returned with Arcadia on his arm.  As she approached the group of men, they all stood.  Many of them had seen Arcadia at the party, wondered who she was and secretly believed that this was, by far, the most beautiful woman at the Mount Vernon Mansion.

              Arcadia glided up in her white gown, with her long blond hair and crystal blue eyes.  Her smile sparkled through the group of grinning men.  “I gather,” she said, “that Mr. Washington and Mr. Jefferson have been gloating to you about their fat purses and the relief of their consciences?”

              That got a loud laugh from all the men.  Someone set a chair for Arcadia and she began the process of altering the lives of all who lived in Virginia.  She spoke for nearly an hour, answering questions and overcoming objections.  When the debate was over, Arcadia had spent over $3 million, but had purchased the lives of 200,000 human beings.

              The movement began to catch on in other southern states and Arcadia corresponded with many large slaveholders regarding the possibility of them doing what was done in Virginia.  With a fine sense of timing, Arcadia had her agents, find a man named Eli Whitney, and found out he was only six years old.  She decided that they couldn’t wait until he grew up and invented the cotton gin.  She knew that the introduction of the cotton gin caused a huge increase in cotton production and the resulting importation of 600,000 more slaves from Africa.  The work force could come from elsewhere, there were plenty of people in Mexico to fill the jobs, and the new technology would only help her in her providing labor from the Foundation.  This new tool gave Arcadia a powerful weapon to use to convince southern slaveholders to switch to the better work system.  

              Between 1770 and 1775, Arcadia would emancipate nearly half the slaves in America.  The alternative method of using labor in this fashion would ultimately take the heat out of the debate on slavery when the Second Continental Congress introduced the revised constitution in 1776.

          Her Emporium empire blossomed with the increase in the number of stores.  Arcadia had been right.  Using the Wal-Mart concept of buying in large bulk, she reduced the costs in all the stores, sold her products to “employees” cheaper and still made money.

              On this day, since all of the Colonial leaders had come to the party and because they had not been together for a while, Washington had them stay after the party and the next day they all gathered in the dining room at Mount Vernon.

              “We have all been busy with our projects,” said Arcadia, “I know that some of you have a lot of news to tell, so let’s go around the table and get caught up.”

              Franklin seemed the most eager, so he went first.  “Using the example of the small steel mill at the Fort, and with Arcadia’s money, we are building a much bigger plant in Philadelphia.  It will be powered by building a bigger generator that is driven by a bypass we dug off the river and run through pipes to dynamos.  Using the plans of the steam locomotive we have, the plant is turning out the main parts of the machine.  They’re shipping the parts to Philadelphia.  It is now nearly complete.  Within a year, we will have both our steel plant and the means to build a rail line out of Philadelphia toward New York and on to Boston.  We have managed to do all this right under the British noses.  They have no idea what we are doing.”

              Jefferson spoke next, “Yesterday, Arcadia convinced all the slave holders in Virginia to use her plan for emancipating slaves.  The system at both Monticello and here, have proven it’s a way of increasing profits and freeing slaves.  I’m going to introduce a bill in the House of Burgesses to forbid any slave ships to enter any Virginia ports.  That will reduce the importation of slaves considerably.

              John Adams and James Madison reported they were working with the delegates they knew would be coming to the Second Continental Congress in 1775.  “We have decided that the First Congress should go ahead without any interference since they do solve some problems regarding western territories and the establishment of new states.  However, the Second Congress needs to pass the Declaration of Independence as well as pass the real constitution.  We are lobbying these delegates to have a positive view of our plan,” finished Madison.

              Hamilton was next.  “I’ve read modern economic theory and banking practices, and with the use of Arcadia’s rather wonderful computers, I’ve been able to formulate budgets for the country over the next 50 years.  I’m certain that the institution of the income tax was and is a mistake.  A flat tax on all income regardless of the entity, be it individual or company with no exceptions is the most fair and profitable system.”

              “Where do you intend to set the tax rate,” asked Arcadia?

              “Well, we can get along very nicely for the foreseeable future at 10 percent, the same as a church tithe.  I estimate that this rate will produce surpluses every year.”

              “And now, Mr. Washington,” smiled Arcadia.

              “Arcadia is giving me entirely too much credit for the work at Fort Independence.  However, we achieved a full complement of soldiers last year, which topped out at 3,879.  Of those 337 are black, 146 are Native Americans and we have 63 women.  After nearly a year of conditioning and education, we had 116 recruits quit, 37 of which were medicals and were reassigned to other duties.  The rest are being held in our holding facility.  They are reasonably happy.  We treat them well, and even though they all say they would never tell anyone our secrets, they understand our hesitancy to take a chance.”

              “We have 100% literacy in both reading and writing.  Most of our recruits are at levels near the same as ours.  They are now studying history, science, and government.  I have to say they are the best soldiers I’ve ever seen, and they haven’t done one minute’s worth of training with weapons.  They’ve done so well, we are planning to give them all a three-week furlough for the Christmas season at the end of their second year.  We don’t see any problems with that.  They’ve all been writing home with various cover stories about how they’ve been spending their time.  I doubt we have a security problem.  The men are paid so well, they have all been able to substantially help most of their families since they have nothing of importance to buy at the Fort.”