Outlander Book Club: A Breath of Snow and Ashes Chapter 113 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter opens with Jamie stood with the militia. The Highland regiment is across the bridge, ready to fight. They think that they will win, but the militia has weapons on their side this time. The whole situation reminds Jamie of Culloden.

We cut between two different battles throughout the chapter. There is a focus on the battle at hand. There has to be considering everything that happens. At one point, Colonel Alexander Lillington questions Jamie’s loyalties. After all, he’s able to translate the Gaelic shouts from the Highlanders across the bridge.

Jamie makes it clear that while he is a Highlander, he is also a father and grandfather of Americans. If only Colonel Lillington understood what that really meant. It’s enough for the colonel, though.

There’s another important part for Jamie. Major MacDonald is mortally wounded. Jamie mercifully kills him, but it certainly weighs heavily on his heart. This man was a friend, once.

In the end, the Highlanders are defeated. The militia is also able to chase down escaping survivors. This is known as the last Highlander battle in the Revolutionary War.

After the battle, Jamie is pulled to a memory of Culloden. He remembers fighting Jack Randall and then Murtagh showing up to save him. Jamie can’t see the weapon in his own hand, which frustrates him. We don’t get to see how it all ends as Roger wakes Jamie and offers him absolution for the things he did in battle. Jamie is then able to head to the creek to tend to the dying and offer a blessing over the dead.

It’s important for us to see the warrior that Jamie is. At the same time, we’re reminded that he does suffer from PTSD, and he also isn’t a soulless man by offering blessings over the dead.