The Young Scots

By Xlibris US

In a small town in Imperial, Pennsylvania. Graduated from High School. Attended Penn State University and was interrupted by the Second World War. Served 2 years in the 3rd Army. Went back to school at the University of Georgia in Industrial Engineering and finished at the University of Colorado. Went to work for the Martin Company and spent time at Lambert Field in St. Louis, Missouri, on the F101 and F101A then moved to Denver. Traveled as chief industrial engineer on missile silos throughout the US.

After 21 years in aircraft and missiles, I retired and wrote several books, ''The Young Scots" and the "Shooting Star." One is bibliographical and the other is a Russian spy story about a famous woman who is known little of today but then saved our bacon.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jun 12, 2014
• ISBN: 9781499011739

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Copyright © 2014 by Tom Burns and Dorothy Burns.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Rev. date: 06/04/2014

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Contents

OBTAINING A BROKER

THE EARL OF DUNSBOROUGH

A CREW FOR THE LASSY

A TIME FOR TRAINING

OFF TO THE COLONIES

LAND-HO

CUMBERLAND VALLEY

TO JOIN THE HIGHLANDERS

BATTLE OF FORT PITT

RETURN TO ZACKERY

SMUGGLING

COUNCIL MEETING

INDIANS TAKE A STAND

RELIEVED OF DUTY

TALK OF REVOLUTION

RECALLED TO DUTY

LOYALTY VERSUS HIGH TAXES

RACCOON CREEK

CONTINENTAL CONGRESS

REVOLUTIONARY WAR STARTS

CRACKDOWN ON ROBBERY

ALEX GETS MARRIED

FIGHTING THE RENEGADES

CONTINENTAL CURRENCY

PEACE AND REUNION

THE YOUNG SCOTS were almost inseparable, except that Robert lived on the Isle of Arran several miles from Alex, who lived in Ayr, Scotland. They were both 17 years old and had talked of what they wished to do for the last three years. They wanted to go to the Colonies in America.

It was a beautiful day in June, 1753. The weather was perfect for Alex and Robert to go fishing out on the Bay of Firth. Alex had a brother named James, a fisherman who was married to Helen and they had two children, Jack (John) and Peggy. James owned a skiff that was ideal for their fishing venture and he let the lads use it on this day. Little did Robert and Alex know that their lives were about to change.

Alexander Burns and Robert McMinn were school chums from first grade and now they were graduating from the same class in Ayr, Scotland.

As Robert dropped his line near a sandbar at the eastern point of the bay, it caught on something. Robert pulled and pulled, but to no avail. Knowing the waters were safe from sharks and ells, Robert, who was a good swimmer, dove into the bay and followed his line to the bottom where it bad caught on something. Robert had not brought extra line and he wasn’t about to break his line because it would stop his fishing for the day. He didn’t want that. Neither he nor Alex could afford extra fishing lines. A pole and line and cork, along with some hooks, always served the purpose.

As he reached the point where his cork had remained stationary, he dropped down and realized his line was caught on something metal. The metal object started to give way. Robert tugged gently at the object, careful not to break his line. Soon, Robert felt the whatever it was pull loose, and he realized it was an old sword His line bad snagged the handle.

As he surfaced, the moss began to pull away from the sword He wiped it off after getting back on board and saw that it was a gilded sword with jewels on the handle. As he continued to wipe the mud and sand off, he saw that it also contained rubies and pearls. This was a grand sword, which had obviously belonged to a nobleman of some wealth.

There was no telling how old this sword was. It had been buried in the sand, which had kept the blade from rusting. This find tempted Robert and Alex. They wanted to continue searching the area for other treasures.

The water was calm, the white caps were few and far between, and it was almost clear along the sandbar. Robert and Alex, who were both excellent swimmers, anchored in their skiff and decided to go overboard to see what they could find.

Alex came up on a hardened surface. He decided that it had been the deck of a ship. Robert also identified a broken mast. It was growing dark, so the boys decided to mark the area and return in the morning.

Alex remembered there was an old man in town by the name of Chris, who told old tales of the sea and of sunken treasures. The whole town had whispered about these treasures for years. The old man had been a stalwart fellow, but now the years were taking their toll. He had a head full of gray, wavy hair, and he was always prepared to go fishing. The boys decided that when they arrived back at Ayr, they would confront Chris to see what he had to say.

It was hoped that if they asked some questions, without giving away their find, they could be enlightened as to what they might expect to find. This matter must be kept to themselves. They had heard of many people who had found treasure, and it had been claimed by the noblemen. Some people who made finds had even been charged with robbery.

James Burns was astounded when the lads showed him the sword. He tried to translate the Gaelic on the blade, but he was not well versed. The boys put the skiff away and went in search of Chris. It had been said, according to Chris, the royal ships came into the Firth to try to block the smugglers when they slipped into the bay. There was a story that on one occasion a royal ship had captured treasures from a pirate ship. In another encounter, the royal ship removed smuggled goods from another pirate ship and sank it. Unfortunately, the royal ship was damaged and sank as well because neither of the ships was ever heard from again.

The story had almost become a reality in the minds of Robert and Alex. It fit with everything that they had surmised when they had found the hard surface under water that seemed to be a ship’s deck.

They bought Chris a rum and were on their way, without listening as he continued to tell of other strange happenings in the Bay of Firth to any of his drinking friends who would listen. The boys recalled that Chris had told of a pirate ship that had gone out to sea from the bay. The Royal Navy had captured it as it had been shelled because it could not navigate fast enough to escape. There had been no contraband found on the ship, and the crew had abandoned it. On board there were several dead seamen who were described and recognized as known pirates. It was Chris’ opinion that this was one of the lost ships from the battle in the Bay of Firth. He said that the Royal Navy had searched for months for their ship in the battle, the HMS Imperial, but to no avail.

After James had been told what had been said, he made a decision; he was going with the lads to the location where they had found the sword, using his fishing boat with its large and small block and tackles used in his fishing profession. As for the people who might wonder why he was going out, he would say he was going to teach his nephew Alex and Alex’s friend Robert McMinn how to go about professional fishing for a career.

That night James, Robert, and Alex made a decision not to discuss the sword with even their families until they could determine the truth about their find in the bay.

After a tossing and turning night of anxiety, the three of them left the slip in James’ boat. It was still foggy, about 5 bells, so very few people would notice their leaving the shore. As they came out on the bay, the sky cleared and the sea became perfectly calm. It was a beautiful, bright, blue morning with the sun just rising from the East.

As they arrived at the well-marked spot where the boys had found the sword, James explained his thinking to the lads. It was in his mind that two of them would take the ends of his large block and tackle and lower themselves in the water to the point of what they thought was a ship.

James said, Try to find anything to hitch on to. After both ends are hooked in, we will come back on board and try to get the object lifted a little. James stayed on board and Alex and Robert each took one of the lines. Alex went the way he believed was the fore of the ship, and Robert went the way they thought the aft of the ship lay. In very little time, both had attached their lines and come back on board.

Robert had found an old locking pin on the deck, so there was some hope that they could be successful in their attempt to lift the object After tightening up the lines as much as he dared, James began the process of seeing how much his block and tackle could lift. There seemed to be some give, but the more James turned the pulleys, the more it was evident they had latched onto something firm.

Soon a broken mast rose above the water, and a little later what appeared to be a forecastle emerged from the water. As soon as the forecastle came into full view, James locked the block and tackle in place. James and Alex went over the side to climb on the deck of the newly revealed ship. It was apparent that the craft was still quite sturdy. There was no indication of damage except for the broken mast. It looked as though the mast had cracked, probably from water rot and the action of strong waves against it over the years.

Anything that had been lying on the deck had long since washed overboard, and the surface of the deck was covered with sand, while mud caked around various articles on the ship.

James was a mariner and had studied ships and the sea for years. From his studies, he was sure that this was the HMS Imperial. The insignia at the top of the forecastle indicated the same. It looked as though the ship had just been put to rest on the sandbar as there seemed at this time to be no damage, other than from the water.

James asked Robert to go back on board his ship to see if he could lift the forward pulleys to be able to get the forward hold above the water. Robert went to work again on the pulleys. The forward area slowly rose. Again came the cracking sound. Robert stopped the pulleys from lifting any higher. James came back on board and found a rope to put around his waist. He was skeptical of the cracking sound. If just one of them stayed at the block and tackle, the other two could work their way towards the fore. Alex could stand on the deck and maintain a hold on James as he searched through the hold if they could get it open.

Robert, James, and Alex had really been concerned that everything on the ship would be ruined by the water, but so far there was no indication of where the leaks would be. James proceeded onto the deck with Alex and worked his way to the forward hold.

James climbed down into the hold with Alex waiting behind him as James had instructed. The handle to the hold was still intact. With the help of Alex, James moved the handle enough to open the hold. James went down into the hold. To his surprise, the hold was completely dry and only an aged musty smell prevailed. James asked Robert if he could raise the forward deck farther to allow more light to penetrate the hold opening so that with the aid of his lantern, he could see more of the space around him. Robert was able to raise the end of the ship a little more, but once again they heard the ominous cracking noise.

James called to the young lads, Lower the small block and tackle to the deck and come down to the hold. Alex, help me move this merchandise as quick as we can. I don’t like that cracking sound,

The two of them worked feverishly while Robert stood above lowering and lifting the net as fast as it was loaded. There were many different types of goods being pulled from the hold-Ink in barrels, materials wrapped in heavy rugs, and many different types of containers. There were spices, barrels of rum, and merchandise from all over the world. It was evident that these goods had been on different ships before being consolidated on this ship. No one ship could have picked up this variety of cargo on one trip. There had definitely been some piracy between ships.

Soon they had gotten as much from the holds as was available. James noticed an inside door with a barred access. After careful assessment of the situation, he felt that if he opened this door, it would immediately flood and he would be in danger. James called, Alex, bring me the wrench with the clamp and the gripping teeth that the blacksmith made for me. I want to open this barred door. I wasn’t going to try the door, but it seems a way into the officers’ quarters that could still be dry if the seals have held

Alex brought the wrench, and James went about taking the bolts loose that barred the inner door. There was no rush of water when he opened the door. Apparently this door had been used to provide an airlock between holds, as when he opened the door, James found another door that was also barred.

James was now at the point of getting the second inner door open. Now came the question; should they leave the inner door bolted and see what was behind it in the morning? James said,

It’s getting rather late, and by the time we lower the ship back into its resting place it will be dark. That door may keep the inner areas dry. We can raise the ship again in the morning. Are we agreed?

Alex and Robert hated the thought of lowering the boat back into the water and having to wait until morning to see what was behind the door, but daylight would soon be gone, and their lanterns would not provide enough light for the job. They agreed to lower the ship and wait till morning.

The block and tackle was lowered and all the goods they had found were packed onto James’s boat. The ship held on the sandbar and slowly slipped back into its undersea mooring. They hoped that it would remain intact and hidden until they returned.

James had told Helen that he would probably spend the night at Robert’s and go out with the lads again in the morning, so they headed for the Isle of Arran. When they arrived, Robert mentioned that his father John had emptied out his barn for the summer and the sheep were on the higher plain; therefore, they had the ideal place to store the goods they had retrieved from the ship.

By evening most of the cargo had been transferred to the bam. That night the three of them ate a basket meal Hannah had prepared for Robert and his friends. Robert mentioned that they were working on a project, and no one questioned them. John had cleaned the bam thoroughly after the sheep were moved out, and now Robert placed newly mown hay in the areas they were placing their cargo.

They began to empty the barrels of their loads to determine what they had discovered. A tightly wrapped bundle, long and heavy, contained oriental rugs. There were barrels of the blackest ink; another contained beautiful porcelain vases and urns, hand crafted in pairs, and beautifully designed earthenware, items with the aura of the Far East, probably India.

The last watertight container held bolts of material, shimmering and glistening in the light as they pulled it from the barrel. James said it was silk from the Orient-ladies’ neckwear, scarves, dress lengths-material fit for any queen.

There were too many rich items to count. James said that the best way to handle the goods would be to find a broker to act for them. They had no idea what their treasure was worth, but it didn’t take a lawyer to know that what they had found would make the three of them quite well off.

James, Alex, and Robert entered into a pact. James, because he had provided the ship and the means to recover this treasure, would be paid separately for the use of his vessel. Otherwise, they would split the returns equally. They buried their goods in the hay and were ready for a goodnight’s rest. It had been a long day.

People thereabouts were very skeptical concerning found treasures. Many noblemen would accuse the lower classes of robbery of their estate if some farmer happened to find something on his land and try to collect on it. It was not an easy task to unload new-found goods, unless you could find an honest broker, one who knew how to get around the problems of selling what had been hidden treasure.

James noticed that some of the cargo was addressed to Sir William Courteen. James had read of him, and from his knowledge of the man, he put the date of the cargo around 1630—1635. It was far too old for anyone to hold a legitimate shipping or salvage claim.

James lay back and rested, sure in his mind, now, of how he would handle this cargo. In a time when noblemen could accuse people of stealing and have them put in lock-up for finding and trying to sell old coins and other items they had found, handling new found salvage could be very difficult. James knew he had to find a reputable broker to handle their wares. He thought he knew just the man. James had heard of an individual who had processed some foreign coins that a farmer had found in his fields while plowing. The broker had handled the coins and had seen to it the farmer was handsomely reimbursed. The broker’s name was Jeremy McComber.

McComber was a director and had close ties with the East India Company. Sir William Wall pole initiated the handling of goods for the company, and his broker was a respected man by the name of Mark Evans. James was well aware of their dealings, and this was indeed a good connection for them to pursue after their unloading of the HMS Imperial.

After a good night’s sleep and a breakfast prepared by Hannah, they proceeded to James’s ship. Although the sea had become a little rougher and the caps more plentiful, the early morning fog had lifted, and it was still cool. They headed out to the Bay of Firth and their ship, the HMS Imperial.

James and the boys now had no doubt that the ship had been purposely grounded into the sandbar. They began their hook-ups and laid over the small block and tackle for purposes of pulling any other cargo out as quickly as possible. As they were raising the ship, they again heard that cracking sound.

They repeated the same exercise they had the previous day, and everything fell into place. Soon the ship was partially out of the water, and James was preparing to board her and lower himself into the hold. James had reached the inner door of the hold with lantern in hand and a rope around his waist, just in case the water rushed out and James was caught below. Alex was above holding on to the rope, which was secure around the broken mast.

James was very meticulous in what he encountered. As he approached the inner door with his trusty wrench and a lantern, he started to unbolt the inner door. Surprisingly, the bolts gave quite easily and soon the door was ready to open. There was nothing there, but an inner-lock door made to secure the hold. James came up from the hold and headed for the forecastle. He approached the double doors, which had the appearance of design and quality for one of the Royal fleet. These doors led to the officers’ quarters.

In the Commandants quarters, there was hardly any indication of water damage, except for the oriental rugs on the floor. They seemed rather rotted. At this point, James couldn’t see a hole or any other damage to the ship’s wall. However, there were two skeletons. They had been tied down and shot in the head. They were still in their uniforms. These uniforms contained an insignia of which James was not familiar with. This was not unusual, for many of the officers in those days had their uniforms tailored to their own liking.

The rooms had been preserved and James picked up item after item and had the lads there to load them in the net. James circled around the Commandant’s desk and reached an extravagant container on the desk. It contained a beautiful set of dueling pistols. James handed the container to Alex and proceeded towards a door that was directly behind the desk. James took his wrench to unhook the brass fittings and after a short struggle, he was able to open the door.

James and the boys found themselves looking at a sight that they would never forget. There were bags of gold and crown sterling and foreign coins that they had never seen. Jewels in a chest, overflowing with rubies and pearls, along with gold wrist bands and gems of all kinds. It was a sight to behold. Then came a large cracking sound and James and the young lads filled their hands and took the sacks from the premises as fast as they could.

The chest of jewelry and gems was so heavy that it required all three of them to carry it to the net. Soon they had emptied the vault. On the shelf inside was the ship’s log. James didn’t take time to read. It was on his mind that the ship was straining and about to crack in half and they should be out of there.

Just as they were unloading the cargo onto My Dream (James had named his ship sometime ago. Until now it wasn’t mentioned—Now the name was a fact of life; their fondest dreams had been answered), James heard the cracking sound. He rushed from one side to the other, quickly took his very sharp fishing knife he had in a leather holster wrapped at his waist, and cut the lines from his block and tackle and went to the wheel. Alex lifted the anchor and they pulled away from the HMS Imperial. Just then the Imperial cracked in half and began to slip down off the sandbar into the water. It made a large sucking sound as the fore nose went up in the air and down into the depths.

It was as though the vessel had waited to be found and then, once discovered, had disappeared into the sea Fortunately James had foreseen the destruction of the ship, and My Dream was out far enough to miss any of the undertow.

Not one sign showed where the vessel had sunk; there was no debris above the water. You would expect some parts of the breaking ship would float to the surface, but it had been so tight at the cracking point it was a clean break, and there was no debris. James, Robert, and Alex had seen the last of the HMS Imperial.

As they drifted out unto the bay, James picked up the container, which had the two dueling pistols. He had never seen pistols of such quality. He handed one pistol to each of the lads.

James said, These are yours. They will make good protection for you. I have pistols, and you both will need one soon. In a short time you should learn to handle your pistol, working with this treasure might be dangerous.

The excitement of the morning was almost more than the three of them could take. Now, to figure exactly what they had and also to secure their cargo until they were in touch with the brokers. As they carried the coins and chest into the barn, each of them was suddenly realizing the impact of what they had found. In just a short time, they had become wealthy-very wealthy. The lads could now take their journey to the colonies.

OBTAINING A BROKER

James, being the senior of the three, decided it was time for them to talk while they put the coins in the right order to determine exactly what they had. James identified the Crown Sterling and gave each of them their share.

These coins are still in use. Such a find can be traded without suspicion, except in large output. They will give us some working capital to get the individuals here to help us move our cargo.

The Captains log, although found in the vault, was water soaked and quite illegible from previous handling years ago. However, it definitely identified the ship as the HMS Imperial. Other than some scribbled notes, the inks had run together. The last entry looked to be September 14, 1634 planned seizure of pirate ship was in progress was the notation, as well as James could decipher.

James went to his home. He discussed the situation with the lads and was going to see Mark Evans, the broker. He took several samples with him to give an indication of what they needed the broker for.

James located Mark’s home in the village of Bokshire. James went to the door and knocked. A woman, who appeared to be in her early fifties, James thought, asked him his business and then led him to the study where Mark Evans was going over some papers.

Mark Evans rose from his chair as James entered the room. He was a stalwart looking individual, about 6'3" tall. He rose from his chair. James could see Mark was starting to show that middle aged spread. His hair was grizzled with gray, but he was a rather good-looking individual and well groomed Mark invited James to sit down in the chair provided in front of the desk.

James pulled out some of the material from his bag he carried for this occasion and also some of the coins.

James said, "Before