The Story
In the early 1770s, Henry Felder lives a life of quiet contentment with his wife Catherine and a large brood of children on their back country farm in the British colony of South Carolina. Felder was a “Switzer” - a German-Swiss son of a mercenary brought to America in 1735 to be a buffer against the Cherokee for the South Carolina planters in Charlestown. Orphaned in his teens, Felder stayed on to keep the two-hundred acres on the frontier given by the planters. Over the three decades he helped push the tribes back to the mountains and became a respected local leader. Known for his fairness, Felder tried hard to work with the British courts but massive taxation and unpunished crimes against his [CUT-own family] neighbors became more than he could take. Urged on by the new patriot governor of the colony, John Rutledge, Felder writes the Articles of Separation from the English King, in 1776, months before Thomas Jefferson will write his renowned Declaration of Independence.Many colonists greet the news of independence with celebration but others, Tory loyalists, bitterly resent what they consider treason. Among these is Felder’s old Indian fighting comrade, Bill Jenkins who forms a Tory militia to assist the Crown in the coming struggle for power. Soon after Felder writes his Articles he is tapped by Rutledge to raise a militia to help defend the capital city, Charlestowne, against an impending attack from the vengeful British and their Tory allies. Felder rallies his sons, resourceful Henry Junior and his hotheaded younger brother, John. Felder’s friends and neighbors also rally to the cause, including a tavern owner, Alice Golightly, who gathers a patriot spy ring.
The Americans’ prospects turn deadly with the British invasion and conquest of Charlestown. The British commander, Lord Cornwallis plans to head north to annihilate Washington’s starving army at Valley Forge, far to the north. But pestered by Felder’s militia and other backcountry fighters, the British decide to take care of him first. They send fresh provisions and ammunition to Jenkins and the Tory backcountry leaders, giving them permission to destroy and plunder. Jenkins burns Felder out - house, barns and all. Felder rebuilds and continues to fight, using every weapon possible. In the ensuing struggles Felder finds out what the cost of liberty will be for him and his community.