Captain America 1# (cover date March, 1941) not only introduced Steve Rogers/Captain America, but many other characters including Bucky Barnes, Red Skull, General Philips, Betty Ross, General Ellsworth, Major Fields, Agent X-13, and Professor Reinstein. They were created by Joe Simon, Jack Kirby, and Ed Herron. ("Meet Captain America", "Case No. 2", "Captain America and the Soldier's Soup", "The Chess Board of Death", "The Riddle of the Red Skull", "Muder, LTD", "Stories From the Dark Age", Captain America 1#, Comic, Event)
Believing Richmond defenceless, the British crossed the James River to attack on the morning of April 30 - only to run into an all-enveloping rain of fire and musket balls from the heights above. Lafayette had spread his troops across a wide swath on the embankment before the city and ordered a staccato of rapid fire that Phillips interpreted as a defensive force far greater than it actually was. As he had done at Barren Hill, Lafayette kept his men scampering from one position to another between shots, so that every two shots each soldier fired seemed to come from two soldiers.
A) by the way, there’s no Grant in 616 Steve’s name. (The real takeaway)
B) I still don’t understand this logic, seeing as Steve’s family had died by the time he entered the army, and of all the things to rewrite in his memories to confuse the Germans, his childhood seems ... kind of pointless? So instead of telling them about his dead family, the government would rather lead them to a living US diplomat? I honestly am confused.
Lafayette's concern for his men and his enormous personal investment in their welfare cemented their unquestioning loyalty and allowed him to lead them on a series of forced marches to Virginia, where he hopes to surprise Arnold and Phillips - to hang the first for treason and shoot the second to avenge his father's death. What Lafayette could not know as he left Baltimore was that he was initiating an historic campaign that would crown him, Washington, and Rochambeau with glory and create a new, independent nation.
On May 8, Lafayette crossed the James and marched to Petersburg to lay partial siege to the city and harass the British. To exact revenge from the officer who had fired the cannon shot that killed his father, Lafayette sent a cannonball crashing through General Phillips’s headquarters, but it was too late. Phillips had died of a fever before Lafayette could claim his blood.
Imagine a medieval au, where Peggy marries a foreign king in a political marriage. She is unhappy, and is in a secret affair with Steve, the captain of the King's guards.
His Majesty, King ChesterPhillips of the United South, was not a cruel man. Before he won his throne, hehad been a General, well respected and admired. In his career he had never beena propionate of peace above all, but he had no taste for bloodshed. His men andsubjects found him thorough, resolute and efficient. The engagement had notbeen his idea.
But he agreed without protest.The Lady Margaret’s family had been instrumental to his victory and he wasgetting on in years. The contracts were signed and sealed, and Margaret Peggywas shipped across the sea like traded cargo.
She tried ceaselessly to appreciateher fate. She was to be a queen, with power enough to change her people’s livesfor the better. What did it matter that she would have no say in what happened inher own life from the wedding on, or that she was to be locked in a gilded cageuntil she was old and grey. Or that she had never said a word to her husbanduntil he took her hand before the alter.
Chester, for his all aloofness,understood his young wife’s restlessness. He allowed her more freedom than sheanticipated, able to walk the palace unescorted or the streets with companionsof her own choosing. In return, Peggy played demure in the company of theking’s comrades and held her tongue where she would otherwise use it to wound.
Despite their efforts, theirmarriage was an isolating one. Chester involved himself in the possible battlesand strategies of his allies more than in the running of his own kingdom, andoften left Peggy alone for weeks on end.
It was during one such absence,that she became acquainted with Captain Steven Rogers of the King’s guard. Shehad seen him countless times, trailing dutifully behind her husband, conversingon the way to the war room, but she had never spoken to him until thatmoment.
Built like a mountain, broad ofchest and shoulder, fine featured and strong jawed. He was…pleasing to her eyeto say the least.
A handmaiden of hers, a red headwith a smile fashioned entirely out of secrets, once told her that he had beenborn sickly and was supposed to pass away long before reaching manhood. Thestory of how he became a veritable Adonis changes from teller to teller, butshe holds with the theory that he apprenticed under Stark, the legendary wizardand in return for his devotion, he was granted the health and body of a God.
He was out of uniform now, offduty while the King was away. Many formalities fell to the wayside whenever hisMajesty left. The Captain was lounging on the trunk of willow tree, idlingsketching something in the distance.
Or so she thought. As Peggy drewcloser, still unnoticed by the captain, she realized he was making nolandscape, and his expression was anything but idle. His pencil ran swiftlyacross the page, halting to sketch a perfectly detailed shadow or angle. Withhis incredible accuracy and the closeness of her proximity, it didn’t take longfor the queen to realize what the man was working on.
He was drawing her.
She had posed for countlessportraits, even before she took her kingdom, but never had she loved an imagemore. Not only was it impeccably well done, there was a softness to it, atenderness that she had never seen in any other picture of her. Something inthe way he drew her eyes, the curve of her lip. But still, it was imperfect.
“Is my nose really so sharp?”
Perhaps she made misjudged hercaptain’s fortitude. At the sound of her voice, the man jumped to his feet andspun on his heel. There was a half second between his startled rise and thesinking realization of who was standing before him.
The Captain bowed low to hisqueen, eyes firmly set on the ground at her feet. The humiliation rolled offhim in waves. “Your Majesty, forgive me. I was only- only practicing. I meantno offence.”
“You’ve given none.” With a waveof her hand, she summoned him to stand. Her eyes lingered on the way his hair,like spun and polished gold, caught the light and held it. She didn’t care muchfor fairytales but in that moment, she was willing to believe that the Captainwas somehow enchanted.
Peggy walked around him, retrieving his discardedpaper. While making a guise of brushing off dirt, she continued to admire theimage, or more specifically, the care that had gone into making it. “You’reexceptionally talented, Captain. Should you ever tire of war, a career in thearts would suit you.”
The Captain smiled, politelyextending a hand for his drawing. “My second in command says the same.”
“The dark haired one? With theeven darker eyes?”
“James. Yes.” The Captain’spolite smile turned to fondness. “He is not so humorless when you’ve known himall your life.”
“James,” Peggy said quietly. Sheknew so few of the men in her husband’s service. “And you are…Steven, correct?”
The Captain stood ever soslightly taller. “I was not aware that her Majesty knew my name.”
“And I was not aware that thecaptain of the king’s guard sketches my profile in his off hours. It would seemthat despite proximity, there is a great deal I do not know about the peoplewho reside here. Not just in the castle, but-“ She gestured to the walls enclosingthe garden, the walls that blocked them from the surrounding city. “Everyonehere.”
Steven fell silent for a moment,watching his queen, waiting for a sign. When none came, he spoke up. “I’velived here all my life. I was born in the outskirts of the city, in dust andsqualor. But there is a comradery that comes with facing demons day in and dayout. Perhaps-“ Steven took an awkward step that could have been towards her butdiverted to the side. “If her Majesty wishes, I could- inform her of the waysof her new people.”
And for the first time since sheset sail to wed, Peggy was hopeful.
