Outlander Book Club: Written in My Own Heart’s Blood Chapter 81 breakdown

Just the Outlander chapter

The chapter starts with Claire and a new patient. At first, she is indifferent to the battle, and then Corporal Joshua Greenhow approaches with a head wound. Greenhow explains that he saw Jamie alive about 10 minutes ago, but that Ian hasn’t been seen dead or alive since around noon. We know what happened to Ian, but nobody else does.

Claire just hopes that Jamie is okay.

Greenhow also shares that General Lee has been relieved of his command. Claire is shocked by this news, and she wonders what it means for the direction of the battle. Considering how big this battle was, you would have thought Claire would remember that Lee made a big mistake and was relieved of his command. It was only this that helped turn the tide for the Patriots.

We get back to Jamie, who is leading his men as the British retreat. He’s shocked to see some men fighting over a dead British soldier, but he ends up with a punch to the jaw as he tries to break up that fight. Lieutenant Judah Bixby tries to get Jamie to a safer place, which is when Jamie sees the wound on Bixby’s head. He realizes that they are in the Tennent Creek churchyard, which is where the battlefield hospital is set up.

Jamie thinks about Claire, and then he sees her in the open. He is surprised to see her in the open, but that surprise turns to fear as she grabs her side and collapses.

Back with Claire, she doesn’t initially realize what’s happened. It’s only as she clutches her abdomen that she realizes she has been shot. Jamie is terrified that he’s going to lose her, but she can’t remain conscious any longer.