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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/11506-0.txt b/11506-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1c803e --- /dev/null +++ b/11506-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4604 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11506 *** + +[Illustration: The Old State House Bell] + + + +THE YOUNG AMERICAN'S LIBRARY. + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE; + +OR, + +PHILADELPHIA IN 1776. + +BY HENRY C. WATSON, + +AUTHOR OF "THE CAMP-FIRES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION," "THE YANKEE +TEA-PARTY, OR BOSTON IN 1773," ETC. ETC. + +With Illustrations. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by LINDSAY AND +BLAKISTON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United +States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. + + + +PREFACE. + +To awaken in the minds of all Americans that veneration of the patriots +and heroes of the War of Independence, and that emulation of their noble +example which is so necessary to the maintenance of our liberties, are +the objects of this little work. Every day's developments illustrate +the importance of these objects. In the enjoyment of the freedom and +prosperity of our country, we are apt to under-rate the means by which +that enjoyment was secured to us, and to forget the men who worked for +that end. A knowledge of the toils and sufferings of the noble-hearted +fathers of the Revolution is the best preventative, or curative, for +this "falling off." War, clothed as it is, with horrors, is to be +condemned, and the spirit which leads to it should be driven from the +breasts of men. But generous devotion, strength of resolution, and +far-reaching skill, are things to be commended and imitated wherever +displayed. In these pages, will be found stories of the chief men of the +Revolution, so connected, by the manner in which they are narrated, as +to give a general interest to them--"The Old Bell of Independence" being +the rallying point of the veteran story-tellers. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON + +THE SPY'S FATE + +STORY OF THE SERMON + +STORY OF THE PRAYER + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE + +THE HALF-BREED + +DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE + +MURDER OF MISS McCREA + +DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE + +BATES'S REVENGE + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION + +THE TIMELY RESCUE + +THE BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN + +THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS + +ARNOLD'S TREASON + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY + +MASSACRE OF WYOMING + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY + + + + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +It was a season of unparalleled enthusiasm and rejoicing, when General +Lafayette, the friend and supporter of American Independence, responded +to the wishes of the people of the United States, and came to see their +prosperity, and to hear their expressions of gratitude. The national +heart beat joyfully in anticipation; and one long, loud, and free shout +of welcome was heard throughout the land. + +Arriving at New York in August, 1824, General Lafayette journeyed +through the Eastern States, receiving such tokens of affection as the +people had extended to no other man except Washington, and then returned +southward. On the 28th of September, he entered Philadelphia, the +birth-place of the Declaration of Independence, the greater part of the +population coming out to receive and welcome him. A large procession was +formed, and thirteen triumphal arches erected in the principal streets +through which the procession passed. + +After General Lafayette himself, the most remarkable objects in the +procession were four large open cars, resembling tents, each containing +forty veterans of the struggle for independence. No one could, without +emotion, behold these winter-locked patriots, whose eyes, dimmed by age, +poured forth tears of joy at their unexpected happiness in once more +meeting an old commander, and joining in the expressions of gratitude to +him. + +After passing through the principal streets, General Lafayette was +conducted into the hall of the State-House, where the old Continental +Congress had assembled, and where the immortal Declaration of +Independence was signed. Here the nation's guest was received formally +on behalf of the citizens by the mayor, and then the people were +admitted to take him by the hand. At night there was a splendid +illumination; and crowds of people traversed the streets, singing and +celebrating the exploits of the champion of liberty and the friend of +America. + +On one of the days succeeding Lafayette's grand entry into the city, +he received, in the Hall of Independence, the veteran soldiers of the +Revolution who had come to the city, and those who were residents. One +by one these feeble old men came up and took the General by the hand, +and to each he had some reminiscence to recall, or some congratulation +to offer. Heroes of Brandy wine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, +Monmouth, and other fields, were there; some with scars to show, and all +much suffering to relate. The old patriotic fire was kindled in their +breasts, and beamed from their furrowed countenances, as memory flew +back to the time that proved their truth and love of liberty. One had +been under the command of the fiery Wayne, and shared his dangers with +a spirit as dauntless; another had served with the cool and skilful +Greene, and loved to recall some exploit in which the Quaker general +had displayed his genius; another had followed the lead of Lafayette +himself, when a mere youth, at Brandywine: everything conspired to +render this interview of the General and the veteran soldiers as +touching and as interesting as any recorded by history, or invented by +fiction. + +After the reception of the veterans, one of them proposed to go up into +the belfry, and see the old bell which proclaimed liberty "to all the +land, and to all the nations thereof." Lafayette and a few others +accompanied the proposal by expressing a wish to see that interesting +relic. With great difficulty, some of the old men were conducted up to +the belfry, and there they beheld the bell still swinging. Lafayette was +much gratified at the sight, as it awakened his old enthusiasm to think +of the period when John Adams and his bold brother patriots dared to +assert the principles of civil liberty, and to proclaim the independence +of their country. Old John Harmar, one of the veteran soldiers who had +been in Philadelphia when the Declaration was proclaimed, and who again +shook hands with his old brothers in arms, gave vent to his thoughts and +feelings as he stood looking at the bell. + +"Ah! that's the trumpet that told the Britishers a tale of vengeance! My +memory's not so bad but I can recollect the day that old bell was rung +for independence! This city presented a very different appearance in +those days. It was a small town. Every body was expectin' that the +king's troops would be comin' here soon, and would sack and burn the +place: but the largest number of us were patriots, and knew the king was +a tyrant; and so we didn't care much whether they came or not. How the +people did crowd around this State-House on the day the Declaration was +proclaimed! Bells were ringing all over town, and guns were fired; but +above 'em all could be heard the heavy, deep sound of this old bell, +that rang as if it meant something! Ah! them was great times." + +As old Harmar concluded these remarks, the old men standing near the +bell nodded approvingly, and some echoed, "Them _was_ great times!" in +a tone which indicated that memory was endeavoring to conjure back the +time of which they spoke. They then slowly turned to descend. Lafayette +had preceded them with his few friends. "Stop!" said old Harmar; +"Wilson, Morton, Smith, and you, Higgins, my son wants you to come home +with me, and take dinner at his house. Come; I want to have some chat +with you over old doings. I may never see you again after you leave +Philadelphia." + +The invitation, cordially given, was cordially accepted, and the party +of old friends descended the stairs, and, arriving at the door, were +assisted by the cheering crowd to get into their carriage, which then +drove towards the residence of old Harmar's son. At that place we shall +consider them as having arrived, and, after much welcoming, introducing, +and other preparatory ceremonies, as seated at a long, well-supplied +table, set in a large and pleasant dining-hall. Young Harmar, his wife, +and the four children, were also accommodated at the same table, and a +scene of conviviality and pleasure was presented such as is not often +witnessed. The old men were very communicative and good-humored; and +young Harmar and his family were free of questions concerning the great +scenes through which they had passed. But we will let the company speak +for themselves. + + + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON. + +"GRANDFATHER," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "won't you tell us +something about General Washington?" + +"I could tell you many a thing about that man, my child," replied old +Harmar, "but I suppose people know everything concerning him by this +time. You see, these history writers go about hunting up every incident +relating to the war, now, and after a while they'll know more about +it--or say they do--than the men who were actors in it." + +"That's not improbable," said young Harmar. "These historians may not +know as much of the real spirit of the people at that period, but that +they should be better acquainted with the mass of facts relating to +battles and to political affairs is perfectly natural." The old man +demurred, however, and mumbled over, that nobody could know the real +state of things who was not living among them at the time. + +"But the little boy wants to hear a story about Washington," said +Wilson. "Can't you tell him something about _the_ man? I think I could. +Any one who wants to appreciate the character of Washington, and the +extent of his services during the Revolution, should know the history of +the campaign of 1776, when every body was desponding, and thinking +of giving up the good cause. I tell you, if Washington had not been +superior to all other men, that cause must have sunk into darkness." + +"You say well," said Smith. "We, who were at Valley Forge, know +something of his character." + +"I remember an incident," said Wilson, "that will give you some idea, +Mrs. Harmar, of the heart George Washington had in his bosom. I suppose +Mr. Harmar has told you something of the sufferings of our men during +the winter we lay at Valley Forge. It was a terrible season. It's hard +to give a faint idea of it in words; but you may imagine a party of +men, with ragged clothes and no shoes, huddled around a fire in a log +hut--the snow about two feet deep on the ground, and the wind driving +fierce and bitter through the chinks of the rude hovel. Many of the men +had their feet frost-bitten, and there were no remedies to be had, like +there is now-a-days. The sentinels suffered terribly, and looked more +like ghosts than men, as they paced up and down before the lines of +huts." + +"I wonder the men didn't all desert," remarked Mrs. Harmar. "They must +have been uncommon men." + +"They were uncommon men, or, at least, they suffered in an uncommon +cause," replied Wilson. "But about General Washington. He saw how the +men were situated, and, I really believe, his heart bled for them. He +would write to Congress of the state of affairs, and entreat that body +to procure supplies; but, you see, Congress hadn't the power to comply. +All it could do was to call on the States, and await the action of their +Assemblies. + +"Washington's head-quarters was near the camp, and he often came over to +see the poor fellows, and to try to soothe and comfort them; and, I tell +you, the men loved that man as if he had been their father, and would +rather have died with him than have lived in luxury with the red-coat +general. + +"I recollect a scene I beheld in the next hut to the one in which I +messed. An old friend, named Josiah Jones, was dying. He was lying on a +scant straw bed, with nothing but rags to cover him. He had been sick +for several days, but wouldn't go under the doctor's hands, as he always +said it was like going into battle, certain of being killed. One day, +when we had no notion of anything of the kind, Josiah called out to us, +as we sat talking near his bed, that he was dying, and wanted us to pray +for him. We were all anxious to do anything for the man, for we loved +him as a brother; but as for praying, we didn't exactly know how to go +about it. To get clear of the service, I ran to obtain the poor fellow a +drink of water to moisten his parched lips. + +"While the rest were standing about, not knowing what to do, some one +heard the voice of General Washington in the next hut, where he was +comforting some poor wretches who had their feet almost frozen off. +Directly, he came to our door, and one of the men went and told him the +state of things. Now, you see, a commander-in-chief might have been +justified in being angry that the regulations for the sick had been +disobeyed, and have turned away; but he was a nobler sort of man than +could do that. He entered the hut, and went up to poor Josiah, and asked +him how he was. Josiah told him that he felt as if he was dying, and +wanted some one to pray for him. Washington saw that a doctor could do +the man no good, and he knelt on the ground by him and prayed. We all +knelt down too; we couldn't help it. An old comrade was dying, away from +his home and friends, and there was our general kneeling by him, with +his face turned towards heaven, looking, I thought, like an angel's. +Well, he prayed for Heaven to have mercy on the dying man's soul; to +pardon his sins; and to take him to Himself: and then he prayed for us +all. Before the prayer was concluded, Josiah's spirit had fled, and his +body was cold and stiff. Washington felt the brow of the poor fellow, +and, seeing that his life was out, gave the men directions how to +dispose of the corpse, and then left us to visit the other parts of the +camp." + +"That was, indeed, noble conduct," said young Harmar. "Did he ever speak +to you afterwards about violating the regulations of the army?" + +"No," replied Wilson. "He knew that strict discipline could not be, and +should not have been maintained in that camp. He was satisfied if we +were true to the cause amid all our sufferings." + +[ Illustration: WASHINGTON'S PRAYER +FOR THE DYING SOLDIER.] + +"Praying at the death-bed of a private," mused Smith aloud. "Well, I +might have conjectured what he would do in such a case, from what I saw +of him. I wonder if history ever spoke of a greater and better man?" + +Young Mr. Harmar here felt inclined to launch out into an elaborate +panegyric on the character of Washington, but reflected that it might be +out of place, and therefore contented himself with remarking, "We shall +ne'er look upon his like again." + +"He was a dear, good man," remarked Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes," said old Harmar, "General Washington was the main pillar of the +Revolution. As a general, he was vigilant and skilful; but if he had +not been anything more, we might have been defeated and crushed by the +enemy. He had the love and confidence of the men, on account of his +character as a man, and that enabled him to remain firm and full of hope +when his countrymen saw nothing but a gloomy prospect." + + +THE SPY'S FATE + +"Now I'll tell you a story that I have just called to mind," said old +Harmar. "It's of a very different character, though, from the story of +Washington. It's about a spy's fate." + +"Where was the scene of it?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Out here on the Schuylkill's banks, just after the British took +possession of this city," replied old Harmar. "There was a man named +James Sykes, who had a lime-kiln on the east bank of the river, and was +manufacturing lime pretty extensively when the enemy came to this city. +While Congress was sitting here, Sykes always professed to be a warm +friend to the colonial cause; but there was always something suspicious +about his movements, and his friends and neighbours did not put much +faith in his professions. He would occasionally be out very late at +night, and sometimes be gone from home for a week, and give very vague +accounts of the business which had occupied him during his absence. Some +of his neighbours suspected that he was acting as one of Sir William +Howe's spies, but they could never get any positive proof of their +suspicions. + +"At length the enemy took possession of this city, and then Sykes began +to show that he was not such a very warm friend of the right side. He +went to the head-quarters of the British general frequently, and seemed +to be on the best terms with the enemy. Well, it happened that one of +his old neighbors, named Jones, was the captain of one of the companies +of our line; and he, somehow or other, obtained proof that Sykes was +acting as a spy for the enemy. He informed General Wayne of the fact, +and immediately proposed that he should be allowed to attempt his +capture. Wayne consented, and Captain Jones set about preparing for the +enterprise. Sykes was usually out at his lime-kiln, with some of his +men, during the morning, and, as the guilty are ever suspicious, he +increased the number of his assistants, to ensure himself against +attack. Captain Jones took only twenty men from his company, and left +our camp just before dark. The business was full of danger. The place +where Jones expected to capture the spy was within a mile of a British +out-post; and the greatest secrecy and rapidity of movement was +necessary to prevent surprise by the enemy's scouting parties. + +"About daylight, Jones and his party reached the wood near Sykes' +lime-kiln, and halted to reconnoitre. Sykes and four of his men were at +work at that early hour. The lime was burning, and some of the men were +engaged in loading and unloading two carts which stood near the kiln. +Captain Jones' plan was quickly formed. He sent one half his party +around to cut off the escape of Sykes towards the city, and when he +thought they had reached a favorable position sallied out towards the +kiln. When he was about half-way to it, Sykes discovered the party, +and, shouting to his men to follow, ran along the bank of the river +to escape; but the other party cut off retreat, and Jones coming up +rapidly, Sykes and his men were taken. Jones did not intend to detain +the workmen any longer than till he got out of the reach of the British, +when he would not have cared for their giving the alarm. Sykes seemed to +be very anxious to know why he was arrested in that manner; but Jones +simply told him he would know when they got him to the American camp; +and that, if Sykes had not thought of a reason for his arrest, he +would not have attempted to run away. Well, the Americans hurried the +prisoners towards the wood, but Jones soon descried a large party of +British coming over a neighboring hill, and knew that his chance was +a desperate one. Sykes also discovered the party of red-coats, and +struggled hard to make his escape from the Americans. Jones wanted to +bring him alive to the American camp, or he would have shot him down at +once. Suddenly, Sykes broke away from his captors, and ran towards the +lime-kiln. Several muskets were discharged, but all missed him. Then +one of the privates, named Janvers, a daring fellow, rushed after the +prisoner, and caught him just as he reached the kiln. There a fierce +struggle ensued; but Sykes was cut in the shoulder, and, in attempting +to throw his antagonist into the hot lime and fire, was hurled into it +himself. Then Janvers hurried to the woods after his brave comrades. The +British party was near enough to see the struggle at the limekiln, and +came on rapidly in pursuit of our men. A few of the red-coats were +ordered to examine the lime-kiln, to see if Sykes was alive and +concealed; and they found his body burned almost to a crisp." + +"Horrible!" exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. + +"Well," continued Old Harmar, "there was a long and doubtful race +between the two parties; but Jones succeeded in getting within the lines +of the Americans without losing a man, and with his four prisoners in +safe custody. These fellows were examined, but no evidence of their +being spies and confidants of Sykes could be produced, and they were +discharged with the promise of a terrible punishment if they were +detected tampering with the enemy." + +"Captain Jones was a daring fellow to venture so near the British lines, +and with such a small party," observed Morton. + +"In such an attempt, a small party was preferable. Its success depended +upon secrecy and quickness of movements," said Wilson. + +"It was a horrible death," remarked young Harmar. "Sykes, however, +courted it by treachery to his countrymen." + + +STORY OF THE SERMON. + +"I believe this is the first time I've seen you since the disbanding of +the army, Morton," said Wilson. "Time has been rather severe on us both +since that time." + +"Oh, we can't complain," replied Morton. "We can't complain. I never +grumble at my age." + +"Some men would have considered themselves fortunate to have seen what +you have seen," said young Harmar. "I think I could bear your years, to +have your experience." + +"So do I," added Mrs. Harmar. She always agreed with her husband in +whatever he asserted. + +"Let me see," said old Harmar; "where did I first meet you, Higgins? +Oh! wasn't it just before the battle of Brandywine you joined the +Pennsylvania line?" + +"No," answered Smith for Higgins, who, just then, was endeavoring to +make up for his want of teeth by the vigorous exertions of his jaws. "He +joined at the same time I did, before the battle of Germantown." + +"Yes, just before the battle of Germantown," added Higgins. "I was not +at Brandywine." + +"You wasn't? Then you missed seeing us retreat," said old Harraar. "But +we did considerable fightin', howsomever. Mad Anthony was there, and he +used to fight, you know--at least the enemy thought so. I shall never +forget the night before that battle." + +"Why?" asked Higgins. "Was you on the watch?" + +"No, not on that account; something very different. There was a sermon +preached on the evenin' before that battle, such as can only be heard +once." + +"A sermon?" enquired Wilson. + +"Yes; a sermon preached for our side by the Rev. Joab Prout. I told my +son there about it, and he wrote it into a beautiful sketch for one of +the papers. He's got a knack of words, and can tell about it much better +than I can. Tell them about it, Jackson, just as you wrote it," said old +Harmar. + +"Certainly," replied young Harmar. "If I can recall it." + +"Do," said Mrs. Harmer; and "Oh! do," added the children; and Mr. +Jackson Harmar did--as follows:--"All day long, on the tenth of +September, 1777, both armies were in the vicinity of each other, and +frequent and desperate skirmishes took place between advanced parties, +without bringing on a general action. At length, as the day closed, +both armies encamped within sight of each other, anxiously awaiting the +morrow, to decide the fate of the devoted city. + +"The Americans lay behind Chadd's Ford, with the shallow waters of the +Brandywine between them and their opponents; the line extending two +miles along that stream. + +"The sun was just sinking behind the dark hills of the west, gilding the +fading heavens with an autumnal brightness, and shedding a lurid glare +upon the already drooping and discolored foliage of the surrounding +forests. It was an hour of solemn calm. The cool evening breezes stole +softly through the air, as if unwilling to disturb the repose of all +around. The crystal waters of the creek murmured gently in their narrow +bed, and the national standard flapped lazily from the tall flag-staff +on its banks. + +"In the American camp, interspersed between groups of tents and stacks +of arms, might be seen little knots of weary soldiers seated on the +ground, resting from the fatigues of the day, and talking in a low but +animated tone of the coming contest. + +"Suddenly the tattoo sounded,--not loud and shrill, as on ordinary +occasions, but in a subdued and cautious manner, as if fearful of being +heard by the British, whose white tents might be seen in the distance. +Obedient to the signal, the greater part of the soldiers assembled +in front of the marquee of the commander, near the centre of the +encampment. + +"All was hushed in expectation: soon the tall form of Washington, +wrapped in his military cloak, and attended by a large body of officers, +was seen advancing in their midst. All present respectfully saluted +them, to which they bowed courteously, and then took their seats upon +camp-stools set for them by a servant. The venerable Joab Prout, +chaplain of the Pennsylvania line, then stood upon the stump of a tree, +and commanded silence--for it was the hour of prayer. + +"Here was a scene of moral grandeur unsurpassed by anything in the +annals of war. There, on that still, cool evening, when the sky was +darkening into night, were assembled some eight thousand men; very many +of whom would never look upon the glorious sunset again. From the humble +cottages in the quiet valley of the Connecticut--from the statelier +mansions of the sunny South--at the call of liberty, they had rushed to +the tented field; and now, on the eve of battle, as brethren in heart +and deed, had met together to implore the God of battles to smile upon +their noble cause. + +"Oh! it was a thrilling and an august sight! The mild and dignified +Washington looked around him with proud emotion, and turned enquiringly +to the fair young stranger, Lafayette, beside him, as if to ask, 'Can +such men as these be vanquished?' + +"The bold and fearless Wayne was there; the undaunted Pulaski, and the +whole-hearted Kosciusko; and they bowed their heads in reverence to Him +in whose presence they were worshipping. + +"Never beneath the vaulted dome of the stately temple--never from the +lips of the eloquent divine--was seen such a congregation, or was heard +such a discourse, as on that September evening, from that humble old +man, with his grey locks streaming in the wind. + +"With a firm, clear voice, that re-echoed to the distant hills, he +announced his text:-- + +_'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + +Then, straightening himself to his full height, and his eye beaming with +a holy feeling inspired by the time and place, he commenced:-- + + "'_They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + 'Soldiers and Countrymen: + +We have met this evening perhaps for the last time. We have shared +the toil of the march, the peril of the fight, the dismay of the +retreat--alike we have endured cold and hunger, the contumely of the +internal foe, and outrage of the foreign oppressor. We have sat, night +after, night, beside the same camp-fire, shared the same rough soldiers' +fare; we have together heard the roll of the reveille, which called us +to duty, or the beat of the tattoo, which gave the signal for the hardy +sleep of the soldier, with the earth for his bed, the knapsack for his +pillow. + +'And now, soldiers and brethren, we have met in a peaceful valley, +on the eve of battle, while the sunlight is dying away behind yonder +heights--the sunlight that, to-morrow morn, will glimmer on scenes of +blood. We have met, amid the whitening tents of our encampment,--in +times of terror and of gloom have we gathered together--God grant it may +not be for the last time! + +'It is a solemn moment. Brethren, does not the solemn voice of nature +seem to echo the sympathies of the hour? The flag of our country droops +heavily from yonder staff; the breeze has died away along the green +plain of Chadd's Ford--the plain that spreads before us, glistening +in the sunlight; the heights of the Brandywine arise gloomy and grand +beyond the waters of yonder stream, and all nature holds a pause of +solemn silence, on the eve of the uproar and bloodshed and strife of +to-morrow.' + +"The propriety of this language was manifest. Breathless attention was +pictured upon every countenance, and the smallest whisper could be +distinctly heard. Pausing a moment, as if running back, in his mind's +eye, over the eventful past, he again repeated his text:-- + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'And have they not taken the sword? + +'Let the desolated plain, the blood-soddened valley, the burnt +farm-house, blackening in the sun, the sacked village, and the ravaged +town, answer; let the whitening bones of the butchered farmer, strewn +along the fields of his homestead, answer; let the starving mother, with +the babe clinging to the withered breast, that can afford no sustenance, +let her answer; with the death-rattle mingling with the murmuring tones +that mark the last struggle for life--let the dying mother and her babe +answer! + +'It was but a day past and our land slept in peace. War was not +here--wrong was not here. Fraud, and woe, and misery, and want, dwelt not +among us. From the eternal solitude of the green woods arose the blue +smoke of the settler's cabin, and golden fields of corn looked forth +from amid the waste of the wilderness, and the glad music of human +voices awoke the silence of the forest. + +'Now! God of mercy, behold the change! Under the shadow of a +pretext--under the sanctity of the name of God--invoking the Redeemer to +their aid, do these foreign hirelings slay our people! They throng our +towns; they darken our plains; and now they encompass our posts on the +lonely plain of Chadd's Ford. + +"The effect was electric. The keen eye of the in-trepid Wayne flashed +fire. The neighboring sentinels, who had paused to listen, quickened +their pace, with a proud tread and a nervous feeling, impatient for +vengeance on the vandal foe. + +"Gathering strength once more, he checked the choking sensations his own +recital had caused, and continued: + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +"Brethren, think me not unworthy of belief, when I tell you that the +doom of the Britisher is near! Think me not vain, when I tell you that +beyond the cloud that now enshrouds us, I see gathering, thick and fast, +the darker cloud and the blacker storm of a Divine retribution! + +'They may conquer us on the morrow! Might and wrong may prevail, and we +may be driven from this field--but the hour of God's own vengeance will +surely come! + +'Ay, if in the vast solitudes of eternal space, if in the heart of the +boundless universe, there throbs the being of an awful God, quick +to avenge, and sure to punish guilt, then will the man, George of +Brunswick, called king, feel in his brain and in his heart the vengeance +of the Eternal Jehovah! A blight will be upon his life--a withered +brain, an accurst intellect; a blight will be upon his children, and on +his people. Great God! how dread the punishment! + +'A crowded populace, peopling the dense towns where the man of money +thrives, while the labourer starves; want striding among the people +in all its forms of terror; an ignorant and God-defying priesthood +chuckling over the miseries of millions; a proud and merciless nobility +adding wrong to wrong, and heaping insult upon robbery and fraud; +royalty corrupt to the very heart; aristocracy rotten to the core; crime +and want linked hand in hand, and tempting men to deeds of woe and +death--these are a part of the doom and the retribution that shall come +upon the English throne and the English people!' + +"This was pronounced with a voice of such power, that its tones might +have reached almost to the Briton's camp, and struck upon the ear of +Howe as the prophetic inspiration of one whose keen eye had read from +the dark tablets of futurity. + +"Looking around upon the officers, he perceived that Washington and +Lafayette had half risen from their seats, and were gazing spell-bound +at him, as if to drink in every word he uttered. + +"Taking advantage of the pervading feeling, he went on:-- + +"'Soldiers--I look around upon your familiar faces with a strange +interest! To-morrow morning we will all go forth to battle--for need I +tell you that your unworthy minister will march with you, invoking God's +aid in the fight?--we will march forth to battle! Need I exhort you to +fight the good fight, to fight for your homesteads, and for your wives +and children? + +'My friends, I might urge you to fight, by the galling memories of +British wrong! Walton--I might tell you of your father butchered in the +silence of midnight on the plains of Trenton; I might picture his grey +hairs dabbled in blood; I might ring his death-shriek in your ears. +Shelmire--I might tell you of a mother butchered, and a sister +outraged--the lonely farm-house, the night assault, the roof in flames, +the shouts of the troopers, as they despatch their victim, the cries +for mercy, the pleadings of innocence for pity. I might paint this all +again, in the terrible colors of the vivid reality, if I thought your +courage needed such wild excitement. + +'But I know you are strong in the might of the Lord. You will forth to +battle on the morrow with light hearts and determined spirits, though +the solemn duty--the duty of avenging the dead--may rest heavy on your +souls. + +'And in the hour of battle, when all around is darkness, lit by the +lurid cannon glare and the piercing musket flash--when the wounded strew +the ground, and the dead litter your path--then remember, soldiers, that +God is with you. The eternal God fights for you--He rides on the battle +cloud, He sweeps onward with the march of the hurricane charge--God, the +Awful and the Infinite, fights for you, and you will triumph.' + +"Roused by this manly and pathetic appeal, a low murmur ran from man +to man, as a heartfelt response; and the chieftains who were near the +speaker, felt proud and happy in the command of such true hearts and +tried blades. But darkness was enveloping all, and he hastened to +conclude. + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'You have taken the sword, but not in the spirit of wrong and ravage. +You have taken the sword for your homes, for your wives, for your little +ones. You have taken the sword for truth, for justice and right, and to +you the promise is, Be of good cheer, for your foes have taken the sword +in defiance of all that man holds dear, in blasphemy of God--they shall +_perish by the sword_. + +'And now, brethren and soldiers, I bid you all farewell. Many of us may +fall in the fight of to-morrow--God rest the souls of the fallen; many +of us may live to tell the story of the fight of to-morrow; and, in +the memory of all, will ever rest and linger the quiet scene of this +autumnal night. + +'Solemn twilight advances over the valley; the woods on the opposite +heights fling their long shadows over the green of the meadow; around +us are the tents of the continental host, the suppressed bustle of the +camp, the hurried tramp of the soldiers to and fro among the tents, the +stillness and silence that marks the eve of battle. + +'When we meet again, may the long shadows of twilight be flung over a +peaceful land. + +'God in heaven grant it.' + +"And now the last ray of lingering light had departed, and they were +left in darkness. Presuming it proper to dismiss his auditors, he +proposed a parting prayer, and immediately every head was uncovered and +bowed in reverence, while, with outstretched hands, that sincere old man +in the homespun garb thus addressed the throne of grace. + +"'Great Father, we bow before thee. We invoke thy blessing, we deprecate +thy wrath, we return thee thanks for the past, we ask thy aid for the +future. For we are in times of trouble, oh, Lord! and sore beset by +foes, merciless and unpitying; the sword gleams over our land, and +the dust of the soil is dampened with the blood of our neighbors and +friends. + +'Oh! God of mercy, we pray thy blessing on the American arms. Make the +man of our hearts strong in thy wisdom; bless, we beseech, with renewed +life and strength, our hope and thy instrument, even GEORGE WASHINGTON. +Shower thy counsels on the honorable, the Continental Congress. +Visit the tents of our host; comfort the soldier in his wounds and +afflictions; nerve him for the hour of fight; prepare him for the hour +of death. + +'And in the hour of defeat, oh, God of Hosts, do thou be our stay; and +in the hour of triumph be thou our guide. + +'Teach us to be merciful. Though the memory of galling wrongs be at our +hearts, knocking for admittance, that they may fill us with desires for +revenge, yet let us, oh, Lord, spare the vanquished, though they never +spared us in their hour of butchery and bloodshed. And, in the hour of +death, do thou guide us into the abode prepared for the blest; so shall +we return thanks unto thee, through Christ, our Redeemer.--GOD PROSPER +THE CAUSE.--_Amen_" + +During the recital of this interesting and thrilling incident of the +Revolution, the veterans--even Higgins, too--laid down their knives +and forks, and listened as if carried back to the memorable eve of the +battle of Brandywine, and filled with the hopes and fears of the period. +At its conclusion, they expressed their approbation of the manner of the +recital, and the beauty of the sermon. + +"That minister was one of the kind that I like," said Wilson. "He could +preach peace as long as peace was wise, and buckle on his armor and +fight when it became his duty." + +"Mr. Harmer handles his pen well," remarked Morton, "but such an +incident would make any pen write well of itself. There's fire in it." + +"Yes, a whole heap of fire," put in Mrs. Harmar, who thought she must +make a remark, as she had been quieting the children while the latter +part of the sermon and the remarks upon it were listened to by the +others. + +"But the Lord didn't assist us much in that next day's battle," said old +Harmar. "We had hard fighting, and then were compelled to retreat." + +"It was all for the best," said Wilson. "We shouldn't have known our +enemies nor ourselves without losing that battle. The harder the +struggle for liberty, the more we enjoy it when won." + +"That's true," said young Harmar, "The freedom dearest bought is highest +prized, and Americans have learned the value of that inestimable gem." + +The dinner was, by this time, pretty well disposed of, and the party +adjourned to the large parlor, where they were soon comfortable seated. +Mrs. Harmar would make one of the company, and the children would force +their way in to see and hear the "sogers." The windows were up, and the +gentle breeze of summer blew softly through the parlor, thus relieving +the otherwise oppressive atmosphere. + +But we must introduce the company to the reader. Old Hannar was seated +on one end of the sofa, with one of the small children on his knee. He +was a stout, hearty-looking man of about seventy, with silvery hair, +and a face much embrowned by exposure and furrowed by time. The general +expression of his features was a hearty good humor, as if perfectly +satisfied with things around. On the other end of the sofa sat Mr. +Higgins, a thin, small-featured, bald-headed man, looking much older +than old Mr. Harmar. On the opposite sofa sat Mr. Morton and Mr. Wilson. +The first was a large-bodied, full-faced man, slightly bald, with a scar +across his forehead, from the right eye to the left side of his head. +His appearance bespoke an active life, and a strong constitution; and +his eye yet beamed with intelligence. Mr. Wilson was evidently about +seventy-five, with a long, lank face, tall figure, and head scantily +covered with grey hair. Mr. Smith sat in an easy arm-chair. His +appearance was much the same as that of Mr. Higgins, though his face +expressed more intelligence. He had a troublesome cough, and was +evidently very weak. Mr. Jackson Harmar sat on a chair next to his +father. He was about thirty-five, rather short and thin, with long brown +hair, wild, blue eyes, in a "fine frenzy rolling," and a very literary +appearance generally. Mrs. Harraar sat near her husband, with two very +mischievous little boys, apparently about six and eight years of age, by +her side. She had a childish face, but might have been thought pretty by +a loving and indulgent husband. + + +STORY OF THE PRAYER. + +"There is only one other scene during the struggle for our country's +right," said young Harmar, "which I would compare with the one I have +just narrated; and that is the scene in Congress--the old Continental +Congress--during the first prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duche." + +"I've heard something of that prayer," said Morton, "since the +Revolution, but nothing that I could depend on." + +"An account of the scene is given by John Adams, who was a chief actor +in it," said young Harmar. + +"Old John Adams?" enquired Higgins. "He was the man! He was the +Washington of our politics during the war. He was the man!" and Higgins +rubbed his hands together. + +"Thomas Jefferson, take your foot off your brother's, and quit pinching +him," interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I have Mr. Adams' account of that first prayer and its effects," said +young Harmar, "and here it is." So saying, he pulled from his pocket a +paper into which the account had been copied, and read:-- + +"'When the Congress met, Mr. Gushing made a motion that it should be +opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay, of New York, and Mr. +Rutledge, of South Carolina, because we were so divided in our religious +sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some +Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in +the same act of worship. Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said, 'that he was +no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety, and who +was, at the same time, a friend of his country. He was a stranger in +Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duche (Dushay they pronounced it) +deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an +Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to the Congress +to-morrow morning.' The motion was seconded, and passed in the +affirmative.--Mr. Randolph, our President, waited on Mr. Duche, and +received for answer, that if his health would permit he certainly would. +Accordingly, next morning he appeared with his clerk, and, in his +pontificals, read several prayers in the established form, and then read +the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the thirty-fifth +psalm. You must remember, this was the next morning after we had heard +the rumor of the horrible cannonade of Boston. _It seemed as if Heaven +had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning_. + +"'After this, Mr. Duche, unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an +extemporary prayer which filled the bosom of every man present. I must +confess I never heard a better prayer, or one so well pronounced. +Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper himself never prayed with such fervor, +such correctness and pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, for +America, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, especially +the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon every body here. +I must beg you to read that psalm. If there is any faith in the sortes +Virgilianæ, or sortes Homericæ, or especially the sortes Biblicæ, it +would be thought providential.' + +"The thirty-fifth psalm was indeed appropriate to the news received, and +the exigencies of the times. It commences:-- + +"'Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that fight against me. + +'Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. + +'Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute +me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' + +"What a subject for contemplation does this picture present. The +forty-four members of the first Congress, in their Hall, all bent before +the mercy-seat, and asking Him that their enemies 'might be as chaff +before the wind.' WASHINGTON was kneeling there; and Henry and Randolph, +and Rutledge, and Lee, and Jay; and by their side there stood, bowed in +reverence, the Puritan patriots of New England, who, at that moment, +had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble +households. It was believed that Boston had been bombarded and +destroyed. They prayed fervently 'for America, for the Congress, for the +province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston;' +and who can realize the emotion with which they turned imploringly to +Heaven for divine interposition and aid? 'It was enough to melt a heart +of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave Quakers +of Philadelphia.'" + +"Yes," said Wilson, when young Harmar had concluded, "that was a scene +equal, at least, to the one on the eve of Brandywine: how finely old +John Adams speaks about it!" + +"That Dr. Duche forgot his connexion with the Church of England, and +only thought of his country," remarked Morton. "He was a good man." + +"Yes; and he prayed in the presence of as good a set of men as was ever +assembled together," added Smith. "Them was men--those Congressmen. They +didn't get eight dollars a day for making speeches." + +"No," put in Higgins, "but they earned a great deal more. Some of 'em +lost all the property they had, during the war." + +"The spirit which animated our countrymen at that period was the noblest +which could prompt the deeds of men," said young Harmar, growing quite +eloquent. "From the men who emptied the tea into Boston harbor, to the +statesman of the Continental Congress, all were filled with patriotism, +and that's the most unselfish of human motives." + + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH. + +"Mrs. Harmar, your sex nobly maintained their reputation for devotion +and patriotism during the Revolution," said Wilson. "Did you ever hear +how a Quaker lady, named Lydia Darragh, saved the army under Washington +from being surprised?" + +"No, never," replied Mrs. Harmar. + +"No! Then, as a Philadelphia lady, you should know about it," said +Wilson. + +"The superior officers of the British army were accustomed to hold their +consultations on all subjects of importance at the house of William and +Lydia Darragh, members of the Society of Friends, immediately opposite +to the quarters of the commander-in-chief, in Second street. It was +in December, in the year that they occupied the city, that the +adjutant-general of the army desired Lydia to have an apartment prepared +for himself and friends, and to order her family early to bed; adding, +when ready to depart, 'Notice shall be given to you to let us out, and +to extinguish the fire and candles.' The manner of delivering this +order, especially that part of it which commanded the early retirement +of her family, strongly excited Lydia's curiosity, and determined her, +if possible, to discover the mystery of their meeting. Approaching +without shoes the room in which the conference was held, and placing her +ear to the keyhole, she heard the order read for the troops to quit the +city on the night of the 4th, to attack the American army encamped at +White Marsh. Returning immediately to her room, she laid herself down, +but, in a little while, a loud knocking at the door, which for some time +she pretended not to hear, proclaimed the intention of the party to +retire. Having let them out, she again sought her bed, but not to sleep; +the agitation of her mind prevented it. She thought only of the dangers +that threatened the lives of thousands of her countrymen, and believing +it to be in her power to avert the evil, determined, at all hazards, to +apprize General Washington of his danger. Telling her husband, at early +dawn, that flour was wanting for domestic purposes, and that she should +go to Frankford to obtain it, she repaired to headquarters, got access +to General Howe, and obtained permission to pass the British lines. +Leaving her bag at the mill, Lydia now pressed forward towards the +American army, and meeting Captain Allen M'Lean, an officer, from his +superior intelligence and activity, selected by General Washington to +gain intelligence, discovered to him the important secret, obtaining +his promise not to jeopardize her safety by telling from whom he +had obtained it. Captain M'Lean, with all speed, informed the +commander-in-chief of his danger, who, of course, took every necessary +step to baffle the contemplated enterprize, and to show the enemy that +he was prepared to receive them. Lydia returned home with her flour, +secretly watched the movements of the British, and saw them depart. Her +anxiety during their absence was excessive, nor was it lessened when, on +their return, the adjutant-general, summoning her to his apartment and +locking the door with an air of mystery, demanded 'Whether any of the +family were up on the night that he had received company at her house?' +She told him, that, without an exception, they had all retired at eight +o'clock. 'You, I know, Lydia, were asleep, for I knocked at your door +three times before you heard me, yet, although I am at a loss to +conceive who gave the information of our intended attack to General +Washington, it is certain we were betrayed; for, on arriving near his +encampment, we found his cannon mounted, his troops under arms, and at +every point so perfectly prepared to receive us, that we were compelled, +like fools, to make a retrograde movement, without inflicting on our +enemy any manner of injury whatever.'" + +"Ha! ha! a neat stratagem, and a patriotic woman," exclaimed young +Harmar. + +"Talking of the services of the women during the war," said Higgins, +"reminds me of Molly Macauly, or Sergeant Macauly, as we knew her while +in the army. She was a Pennsylvanian, and was so enthusiastic in her +patriotism, that she donned a man's dress, and joined the army, when she +became a sergeant, and fought bravely in several battles and skirmishes. +Nobody suspected that she was not what she seemed to be; for she was +tall, stout, and rough-looking, and associated with men very freely. +Molly had a custom of swinging her sabre over her head, and hurraing for +Mad Anthony, as she called General Wayne. She was wounded at Brandywine, +and, her sex being discovered, returned home." + +"She was not the only woman in disguise in the army," said old Harmar. +"There was Elizabeth Canning, who was at Fort Washington, and, when her +husband was killed, took his place at the gun, loading, priming, and +firing with good effect, till she was wounded in the breast by a +grape-shot. While our army lay at Valley Forge, several Pennsylvania +women were detected in disguise, enduring all kinds of want, and with +less murmuring than the men themselves. Oh, yes! the women were all +right in those days, however they may have degenerated since." + +"Come, no slander on the women of the present day," said Mrs. Harmar. +"I've no doubt, take them all in all; they will not suffer in comparison +with those of any age." + +"Bravo! Mrs. Harmar," exclaimed Wilson. + +"Women, now, are ready enough with disguises," remarked young Harmar. + +"To be sure!" replied his wife, "and always were." + + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE. + +"Mr. Smith, can't we have a leaf from your experience in those trying +times?" said old Harmar. + +"Ah! sir, I would have much to tell if I had time to collect my +memory--much to tell, sir. But though I saw a great deal in the +Revolution, I heard much more." + +"Tell us anything to pass time," said young Harmar. "I've heard my +father speak of some bold exploits up in the vicinity of New York. The +history of the Cowboys and Skinners always interested me." + +"Ah! I've heard many a story of them," replied Smith. "I'll tell you of +one old Jack Hanson told me--you recollect old Jack, don't you, Harmar? +He was with us at Valley Forge." + +"That I do," replied old Harmer. "He gave me a piece of his blanket, and +an old shoe, when I believe I was freezing to death." + +"Yes, he was ever a good-hearted fellow--Jack Hanson was. He's been dead +now about ten years. Well, as I was saying, he told me a story about +those Cowboys and Skinners which will bear telling again." + +"It happened when the British were in possession of the city of New +York. Many brave men did all that could be done to destroy the power and +comfort of the king's representatives, and alarm them for their personal +safety; and, to the greater part of them, the neighboring county of West +Chester furnished both the home, and a theatre of action. Their system +of warfare partook of the semi-savage and partisan predatory character, +and many fierce and desperate encounters took place between them and the +outlawed hordes of desperadoes in the pay of the British. + +"The refugees, banded together for the purpose of preying upon +the patriots, and then retreating behind the shelter of the royal +fortifications, were composed of the vilest miscreants that could be +gathered from the dregs of any community, and were generally known by +the slang name of 'Skinners.' + +"To oppose these desperadoes, and protect their lives and property from +insult, many of the whigs had united in small parties, and were styled +by the Skinners, in derision, the 'Cow-boys.' One of the most active and +energetic of these bands, ever ready for any species of patriotic duty, +was led by Nicholas Odell. Nick, as he was familiarly termed, though +entirely uneducated, was one of the shrewdest men to be found; for +Nature had gifted him where cultivation was wanting, and he became, in +consequence, a most formidable and dangerous enemy in the service he had +chosen. But fifty men composed his entire force, and with these he did +his country much service, and the enemy no little mischief. + +"The line of the Bronx River was the route always kept in view by Nick +and his men; and, at six several points, places of rendezvous were +established, at which they were generally to be found when off duty, +which was, indeed, seldom the case. + +"One of these places was on the banks of that stream, where the water +was so wide and deep as to render it perilous for any but an expert and +experienced swimmer to attempt its passage, and always placid, with a +sort of oily surface looking like the backed waters of a mill-pond. The +banks were covered with a thick undergrowth of vines, saplings, and +trees in abundance, so that autumn did not, by taking away the leaves, +expose the spot to the observation of the passer-by. Here a rude board +shanty had been knocked up in a hurry, and was used to shelter the men +from the intense cold of the winter nights. This episode in the stream +Nick had named 'Dead Man's Lake,' in consequence of finding on its +banks the body of a man who had been murdered and mutilated by his old +enemies, the Skinners. + +"One evening, in the depth of winter, Nick, who had been a long distance +above White Plains, hastened back to the lake in order to intercept +a body of Skinners, on their way from Connecticut to the city, with +considerable booty taken from the inhabitants in the vicinity of the +Sound. They numbered about eighty, under the control of a petty Scotch +officer named McPherson. Nick had contrived to gain intelligence of +their movements and access to their party, by means of John Valentine, +one of his own scouts, who, by his direction, had met and joined the +tories with a specious tale, and promised to lead them through the +country so securely that none of the prowling rebels should encounter +them. + +"Previous to John's starting on his perilous adventure, it was agreed +that Nick, with all his men, should remain the whole night in question +concealed at the lake, without entering the hut. John was then to bring +the refugees to the spot, shelter them in the hut, and, at a favorable +moment, he would sing out, 'Hurrah for Gin'ral Washington, and down with +the red-coats!' when the Cow-boys were to rush in, and take them by +surprise. + +"Having reached the lake about nine o'clock in the evening, Nick +proceeded to devise a plan for concealment, for he expected to wait +several hours. The cold was intense, and, like all the servants +of Congress, Nick and his men were but ill prepared to resist the +inclemency of the weather. + +"Nick was in perplexity; no plan could be devised with satisfaction to +the majority, and they stood in absolute danger of perishing with cold. +The debate on the subject was still in progress, when heavy flakes +of snow began to fall briskly, with promising appearances of a long +continuance. 'Good!' said Nick, half in soliloquy, as he viewed the +feathery element, and a new idea seemed to strike him, 'I have hit it at +last. Boys, no grumblin' or skulkin' now, for I won't have it. You must +do as I am goin' to order, or we part company.' + +"So saying, he directed the whole of his men to enter a swamp meadow +which was behind the shanty, and had been rendered hard and porous by +the weather. Here he directed them to spread their blankets, and lie +down with the locks of their muskets between their knees, and the muzzle +protected by a wooden stopper kept for the purpose. Nick enforced this +command with an explanation of its advantages: the snow being dry, and +not subject to drift, would soon cover them, keeping them quite warm, +and would also conceal them at their ease. The porous quality of the +ground would enable them to distinguish the distant approach of the +enemy, and therefore they could snatch a few moments sleep in the snow. +To prevent its being fatal or injurious, he made each man, previous to +lying down, drink freely of rye whiskey. Four long hours elapsed, by +which time the hardy patriots were completely under the snow, being +covered with nearly eight inches of it. + +"The keenest eye, or acutest cunning, could not have detected in those +undulating hillocks aught but the natural irregularities of swampy +ground. + +"At length, about two o'clock in the morning, John arrived with his +_devoted_ followers. They were right thankful for the shelter of the +shanty, and McPherson swore he would report John's generous conduct at +head-quarters, and procure him a deserved reward. + +"'Wait,' said John; '_I have not done the half that I intend to do for +you_.' + +"Nick, whose _bed_ was nearest the hovel, now arose, and placed himself +against it, that he might be ready to act when John's signal was given. +He first, however, awoke his men, without permitting them to rise, by +the summary process of slightly pricking each one with the sharp point +of a bayonet. + +"The tories, stowed like sheep in the little hut, soon began to drink, +and, as they did so, became very valorous and boastful. McPherson, +singularly communicative to John, detailed his atrocities on the route +with savage exultation. He feared no assault--not he! He was strong +enough to repel any handful of half-starved, skulking outlaws. If he +caught any of the Cow-boys he would hang them to their own trees, and +manure the soil with the blood of their women. + +"John had crept to the door by degrees, and now stood with his hand upon +the raised latchet. He applauded the officer's remarks, and was willing, +he said, to aid him in the deed he contemplated. He then proposed +a toast, and, filling a tin-cup with liquor, said in a loud voice, +'_Hurrah for Ginral Washington, and down with the red-coats_!' The +liquor was dashed in McPherson's face, and John vanished from the hut. +Nick immediately summoned his men by a repetition of the toast, and the +fifty hillocks of snow were suddenly changed, as if by magic, into as +many armed and furious 'rebels.' Before the Skinners could recover from +the momentary surprise into which this curious incident had thrown them, +a volley of powder and shot had been fired into their midst. Dashing +like a frightened hare through the open door, McPherson beheld his +assailants. His fears magnified their numbers, and, conceiving there was +no hope in _fight_, he summoned his men to follow him in _flight_. + +"They madly rushed after him, and forcing their way through the dry +limbs of brush that stuck up on the banks of the lake, gained the frozen +surface. More than one half their number had taken this course, while +the rest had either fallen victims to the first fire, or taken to their +heels towards the main road. Suddenly a terrible crash was heard, +accompanied by a splash, and a hubbub of unearthly screams. The ice +had broken, and 'Dead Man's Lake' was accomplishing a victory for the +handful of American patriots who stood upon its banks. + +"The result was, that over twenty of the Skinners were taken prisoners. +Only half-a-dozen were killed by fire-arms. The lake was examined at +sunrise, and fifteen bodies were drawn from its remorseless bosom. The +remainder, McPherson among them, escaped." + +"That Nick Odell was nearly equal to old Nick himself in stratagems," +said Wilson, when Smith had concluded. + +"It's a wonder the men didn't freeze to death under the snow," said +Morton. "I think I should have been opposed to trying such a way of +disposing of myself." + +"Oh! there 's no doubt about its keeping you warm," said old Harmar. + +"How can cold snow keep men warm?" enquired Thomas Jefferson Harmar. + +"I suppose," answered Higgins, "that it's much like blowing your warm +breath on anything hot to cool it." + +As nobody seemed disposed to contradict this explanation, old Higgins +took it for granted that he was correct; and Thomas Jefferson was +satisfied. + +[Illustration: DEFEAT OF THE SKINNERS AT DEADMAN'S LAKE.] + + +[Illustration: THE STORY OF THE HALF-BREED.] + +STORY OF THE HALF-BREED. + +"Now," said young Harmar, who, as a literary gentleman, was anxious to +collect as many incidents of the Revolution as he could from these old +men; "now, Mr. Higgins, you must oblige us by recalling something of +your experience." + +"Ah!" replied Higgins, "if I could tell in words a small part of what I +know of the war, I'm sure I could interest you." + +"We are not critical," said old Harmar. "Jackson may think of his +bookish notions sometimes; but he knows what kind of old men we are. +Narrate anything that comes uppermost." + +"Well," commenced Higgins, "I'll tell you about an adventure of a +friend of mine, named Humphries, with a half-breed--that's horribly +interesting--if I can only recollect it." And, after a short pause, to +let his old memory bring up the incidents from the far past, Higgins +told the following story of revenge. + +"In the country around Saratoga, when General Gates lay encamped there, +lived a half-breed Indian, called Blonay. He was well known in the +neighborhood as a fierce and outlawed character, who wandered and +skulked from place to place, sometimes pretending to be for the +Americans, and, at others, for the tories. He went anywhere, and did +everything to serve his own ends; but his whole life, and all his +actions, seemed centred in one darling object, and that was revenge. +He had deeply and fearfully sworn never to rest until he had drawn the +heart's blood of Humphries, a member of Morgan's corps, and his greatest +enemy. They had been mortal foes from boyhood, and a blow Humphries had +given Blonay had fixed their hatred for life. He had pursued him from +place to place with untiring vigilance, and had watched, day after day, +and month after month, for an opportunity to glut his revenge, but none +offered. + +"One morning, Humphries and a comrade named Davis, with a negro servant +belonging to Marion's band, were standing on a small hill near the +encampment, when a strange dog suddenly appeared through the bushes, at +the sight of which Humphries seized his rifle, and raised it to his eye, +as if about to fire. The black was about to express his surprise at this +sudden ferocity of manner, when, noticing that the dog was quiet, he +lowered the weapon, and, pointing to the animal, asked Davis if he knew +it. 'I do; but can't say where I've seen him,' replied the other. 'And +what do you say, Tom?' he asked of the black, in tones that startled +him. 'Don't _you_ know that dog?' 'He face berry familiar, massa, but I +loss to recollect.' 'That's the cur of Blonay, and the bear-eyed rascal +must be in the neighborhood.' 'Do you think so?' inquired Davis. 'Think +so! I know so; and why should he be here if his master was not?' 'Tom,' +he continued, 'hit the critter a smart blow with your stick--hard enough +to scare him off, but not to hurt him; and do you move to the edge of +the creek, Davis, as soon as the dog runs off, for his master must be in +that direction, and I want to see him.' + +"Thus ordering, he called two of the riflemen that were near, and sent +them on the path directly opposite to that taken by Davis. He himself +prepared to strike the creek at a point between these two. He then made +a signal, and Tom gave the dog a heavy blow, which sent him howling into +the swamp, taking, as they had expected, the very path he came. Blonay, +however, was not to be caught napping. He left the point from which +he was watching the camp, and running in a line for some fifty yards, +turned suddenly about for the point at which he had entered the swamp. +But he could not but have some doubts as to the adequacy of his +concealment. He cursed the keen scent of the dog, which he feared would +too quickly discover him to his pursuers. He hurried on, therefore, +taking the water at every chance, to leave as small a trail as possible; +but, from place to place, the cur kept after him, giving forth an +occasional yelp. 'Aroint the pup! there's no losin' him. If I had my +hand on him, I should knife him as my best caution,' exclaimed the +half-breed, as the bark of the dog, in making a new trail, showed the +success with which he pursued him. Exasperated, he rose upon a stump, +and saw the head of Humphries, who was still pressing on, led by the +cries of the dog. + +"'I can hit him now,' muttered Blonay. 'It's not two hundred yards, and +I've hit a smaller mark than that at a greater distance, before now.' + +"He raised the rifle and brought the sight to his eye, and would have +fired, but the next minute Humphries was covered by a tree. The dog came +on, and Blonay heard the voices of his pursuers behind; and just then +the dog reached him. + +"The faithful animal, little knowing the danger into which he had +brought his master, leaped fondly upon him, testifying his joy by +yelping with his greatest vocal powers. + +"With a hearty curse, Blonay grasped the dog by the back of the neck, +and, drawing the skin tightly across the throat, quickly passed the keen +edge of his knife but once over it, and then thrust the body from him. +Sheathing the knife and seizing his rifle, he again set forward, and did +not stop till he gained a small but thick under-brush. His pursuers +now came up to the dead body of the dog; seeing which, they considered +further pursuit hopeless. + +"At this moment, sounds of a trumpet came from the camp, as the signal +to return. Humphries told the others to obey its summons, but avowed his +determination of pursuing Blonay until he or the other had fallen. After +they had left him, he again set forward, and walked very fast in the +direction he supposed his enemy had taken, and had not proceeded far ere +he saw his track in the mud, which he followed until it was lost among +the leaves. Darkness coming on, he gave up the chase until the next +morning. That night both slept in the swamp, not more than two hundred +yards apart, but unconscious of each other's locality. In the morning, +Humphries was the first to awake. Descending from the tree where he had +slept, he carefully looked around, thinking what he should do next. +While he thus stood, a slight noise reached his ears, sounding like +the friction of bark; a repetition of it showed where it came from. He +glanced at an old cypress which stood in the water near him, and saw +that its trunk was hollow, but did not look as if it would hold a man. +On a sudden, something prompted him to look upward, and, in the quick +glance he gave, the glare of a wild and well-known eye, peeping out upon +him from its woody retreat, met his gaze. With a howl of delight, he +raised his rifle, and the drop of the deadly instrument fell upon the +aperture; but before he could draw the trigger the object was gone. It +was Blonay, who, the moment he perceived the aim of Humphries' piece, +sank into the body of the tree. + +"'Come out and meet your enemy like a man!' exclaimed Humphries, 'and +don't crawl, like a snake, into a hollow tree, and wait for his heel. +Come out, you skunk! You shall have fair fight, and your own distance. +It shall be the quickest fire that shall make the difference of chances +between us. Come out, if you're a man!' Thus he raved at him; but a +fiendish laugh was the only answer he got. He next tried to cut his legs +with his knife, by piercing the bark; but a bend of the tree, on which +Blonay rested, prevented him. He then selected from some fallen limbs +one of the largest, which he carried to the tree and thrust into the +hollow, trying to wedge it between the inner knobs on which the feet of +the half-breed evidently were placed. But Blonay soon became aware of +his design, and opposed it with a desperate effort. Baffled for a long +time by his enemy, Humphries became enraged, and, seizing upon a jagged +knot of light wood, he thrust it against one of the legs of Blonay. +Using another heavy knot as a mallet, he drove the wedge forward against +the yielding flesh, which became awfully torn and lacerated by the sharp +edges of the wood. Under the severe pain, the feet were drawn up, and +Humphries was suffered to proceed with his original design. The poor +wretch, thus doomed to be buried alive, was now willing to come to any +terms, and agreed to accept the offer to fight; but Humphries refused +him, exclaiming, 'No, you don't, you cowardly skunk! you shall die in +your hole, like a varmint as you are; and the tree which has been your +house shall be your coffin. There you shall stay, if hard chunks and +solid wood can keep you, until your yellow flesh rots away from your +bones. You shall stay there until the lightning rips open your coffin, +or the autumn winds tumble you into the swamp.' So saying, he left him, +and went back to the camp--left him to die in the old woods, where +no help could ever come; and in this wild and awful manner--buried +alive--perished the savage half-breed." + +"That was an awful death, indeed," exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. "That +Humphries must have been a very disagreeable fellow." + +"And why so?" enquired Higgins. "The men in those parts of the country +were forced to be as fierce as their foes. Humphries was one of the +cleverest fellows I ever knew." + +"A man after your own heart," remarked Smith. "A warm friend and a warm +foe. I know you, Higgins." + +"You should know me, Smith, or no man should," replied Higgins, +evidently profoundly satisfied with himself. + +"Many a time have we messed together," added Smith; "ay, and many a time +have we hunted in company for the food we made a mess of." + +"Those times are gone," said old Harmar mournfully. "Those times are +gone." + +"I wonder where?" put in Mrs. Harmar's youngest, looking up in her face +for an answer. She smoothed his hair, and shook her head. + + +STORY OF THE DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE. + +"Speaking of awful deaths," said Morton, "reminds me of a scene I +witnessed at Saratoga, which I may as well tell you about, as young +Mr. Harmar seems anxious to hear anything relating to the war of +independence. You know there was an unconscionable number of tories up +there in New York State about the time of Burgoyne's invasion. Some of +them were honest, good sort of men, who didn't happen to think just as +we did: they kept at home, and did not lift their arms against us during +the war, though some of them were pretty hardly used by their whig +neighbors. Another set of the tories, however, acted upon the maxim that +'might makes right.' They were whigs when the royal power was weak, and +tories when they found it strong. Though raised in the same neighborhood +with the staunch whigs, these men turned robbers and murderers, and lost +all virtuous and manly feelings. Colonel Tom Lovelace was one of this +class: He was born and raised in the Saratoga district, and yet his old +neighbors dreaded him almost as much as if he had been one of the fierce +Senecas. When the war commenced, Lovelace went to Canada, and there +confederated with five men from his own district, to come down to +Saratoga, and kill, rob, or betray his old neighbors and friends. +There's no denying Lovelace was a bold, wary, and cunning fellow, and +he made the worst use of his qualities. He fixed his quarters in a +large swamp, about five miles from the residence of Colonel Van Vechten, +at Dovegat, and very cunningly concealed them. + +"Soon after, the robberies and captures around that neighborhood became +frequent. General Schuyler's house was robbed, and an attempt was made, +by Lovelace and his companions, to carry off Colonel Van Vechten. But +General Stark, who was in command of the barracks north of Fish Creek, +was too wide awake for him. He got wind of the scheme, and gave the +Colonel a strong guard, and so Lovelace was balked, and compelled to +give up his design. Captain Dunham, who commanded a company of militia +in the neighborhood, found out the tory colonel's place of concealment, +and he determined to attempt his capture. Accordingly, he summoned his +lieutenant, ensign, orderly, and one private, to his house; and, about +dusk, they started for the swamp, which was two miles distant. Having +separated to reconnoitre, two of them, named Green and Guiles, got lost; +but the other three kept together, and, about dawn, discovered Lovelace +and his party, in a hut covered over with boughs, just drawing on their +stockings. The three men crawled cautiously forward till near the hut, +when they sprang up with a shout, levelled their muskets, and Captain +Dunham sang out, 'Surrender, or you are all dead men!' There was no time +for parley; and the tory rascals, believing that our men were down on +them in force, came out one by one, without arms, and Dunham and his men +marched them off to General Stark's quarters. The rascals were all tried +by court-martial, as spies, traitors, and robbers; and Lovelace was +sentenced to be hung, as he was considered too dangerous to be allowed +to get loose again. He made complaint of injustice, and said he ought to +be treated as a prisoner of war; but our general could not consent to +look upon such a villain as an honorable soldier, and his sentence was +ordered to be carried into effect three days afterwards. I was then with +a company of New York volunteers, sent to reinforce General Stark, and +I was enabled to gratify my desire to witness the execution of a man I +detested. The gallows was put up on the high bluff a few miles south of +Fish Creek, near our barracks. When the day arrived, I found that our +company was on the guard to be posted near the gallows. It was a gloomy +morning, and about the time the tory colonel was marched out to the +gallows, and we were placed in position at the foot of the bluff, a +tremendous storm of wind and rain came on. It was an awful scene. +The sky seemed as black as midnight, except when the vivid sheets of +lightning glared and shot across it; and the peals of thunder were loud +and long. Lovelace knelt upon the scaffold, and the chaplain prayed with +him. I think if there was anything could change a man's heart, it must +have been the thought of dying at such a time, when God himself seemed +wrathful at the deeds of men. + +"I expected to be delighted with seeing such a man hung; but I tell you, +my friends, I felt very differently when the time came, and I saw the +cruel tory kneeling on the scaffold, while the lightning seemed to be +quivering over the gallows. I turned away my head a moment, and when I +looked again, the body of Lovelace was suspended in the air, and his +spirit had gone to give its account to its God." + +The account of this terrible scene had deeply interested the company; +and the animated manner of Morton impressed even the children with a +feeling of awe. + +"Why didn't they postpone the hanging of the man until there was a clear +day?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Executions are never postponed on account of the weather, my dear," +replied her husband. "It would be rather cruel than otherwise thus to +delay them." + +"I've heard of that Lovelace before," remarked old Harmar. "I judged +that he was a bold villain from some of his outrages, and I think he +deserved his death." + +"For my part," said Higgins, "I hated the very name of a tory so much, +during the war, that I believe I could have killed any man who dared to +speak in their defence. All that I knew or heard of were blood-thirsty +scoundrels." + + +STORY OF THE MURDER OF MISS M'CREA. + +"If you were at Saratoga, Mr. Morton, perhaps you know something about +the murder of Miss M'Crea," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Oh, yes! I know the real facts of the case," replied Morton. "I got +them from one who was acquainted with her family. The real story is +quite different from the one we find in the histories of the war, and +which General Gates received as true." + +"Then set us right upon the matter," remarked young Harmar. + +"Do," added Wilson. "I've heard the story through two or three +twistings, and I'm only satisfied that the lady was killed." + +"Well," commenced Morton, "what I now tell you may depend on as the +truest account you can receive. No one but Heaven and the Indians +themselves witnessed the death of the young girl; and our only evidence +of a positive nature is the declaration of those who were supposed to be +her murderers. But to the story. + +"Jane M'Crea, or Jenny M'Crea, as she is more generally known, was the +daughter of a Scotch clergyman, who resided in Jersey City, opposite +New York. While living with her father, an intimacy grew up between the +daughter of a Mrs. M'Niel and Jenny. Mrs. M'Niel's husband dying, she +went to live on an estate near Fort Edward. Soon after, Mr. M'Crea died, +and Jenny went to live with her brother near the same place. There the +intimacy of former years was renewed, and Jenny spent much of her time +at the house of Mrs. M'Niel and her daughter. Near the M'Niel's lived a +family named Jones, consisting of a widow and six sons. David Jones, one +of the sons, became acquainted with Jenny, and at length this friendship +deepened into love. When the war broke out, the Jones's took the royal +side of the question; and, in the fall of 1776, David and Jonathan Jones +went to Canada, raised a company, and joined the British garrison at +Crown Point. They both afterwards attached themselves to Burgoyne's +army; David being made a lieutenant in Frazer's division. The brother +of Jenny M'Crea was a whig, and, as the British army advanced, they +prepared to set out for Albany. Mrs. M'Niel was a loyalist, and, as she +remained, Jenny remained with her, perhaps with the hope of seeing David +Jones. + +"At length Jenny's brother sent her a peremptory order to join him, and +she promised to comply the next day after receiving it. On the morning +of that day, (I believe it was the 27th of July,) a black servant boy +belonging to Mrs. M'Niel discovered some Indians approaching the house, +and, giving the alarm, he ran to the fort, which was but a short +distance off. Mrs. M'Niel, Jenny, a black woman, and two children, were +in the house when the alarm was given. Mrs. M'Niel's eldest daughter was +at Argyle. The black woman seized the two children, fled through the +back door into the kitchen, and down into the cellar. Jenny and Mrs. +M'Niel followed; but the old woman was corpulent, and before they could +descend, a powerful Indian seized Mrs. M'Niel by the hair and dragged +her up. Another brought Jenny out of the cellar. But the black woman and +the children remained undiscovered. The Indians started off with the two +women on the road towards Burgoyne's camp. Having caught two horses that +were grazing, they attempted to place their prisoners upon them. Mrs. +M'Niel being too heavy to ride, two stout Indians took her by the arms, +and hurried her along, while the others, with Jenny on horseback, +proceeded by another path through the woods. The negro boy having +alarmed the garrison at the fort, a detachment was sent out to effect +a rescue. They fired several volleys at the party of Indians; and the +Indians said that a bullet intended for them mortally wounded Jenny, and +she fell from her horse; and that they then stripped her of her clothing +and scalped her, that they might obtain the reward offered for those +things by Burgoyne. + +"Mrs. M'Niel said that the Indians who were hurrying her along seemed to +watch the flash of the guns, and fell down upon their faces, dragging +her down with them. When they got beyond the reach of the firing, the +Indians stript the old lady of everything except her chemise, and +in that plight carried her into the British camp. There she met her +kinsman, General Frazer, who endeavored to make her due reparation +for what she had endured. Soon after, the Indians who had been left +to bring Jenny arrived with some scalps, and Mrs. M'Niel immediately +recognised the long bright hair of the poor girl who had been murdered. +She charged the savages with the crime, but they denied it, and +explained the manner of her death. Mrs. M'Niel was compelled to believe +their story, as she knew it was more to the interest of the Indians to +bring in a prisoner than a scalp. + +"It being known in camp that Lieutenant Jones was betrothed to Jenny, +some lively imagination invented the story that he had sent the Indians +to bring her to camp, and that they quarrelled, and one of them scalped +her. This story seemed to be confirmed by General Gates' letter to +Burgoyne, and soon spread all over the country, making the people +more exasperated against the British than ever. Young Jones was +horror-stricken by the death of his betrothed, and immediately offered +to resign his commission, but they would not allow him. He bought +Jenny's scalp, and then, with his brother, deserted, and fled to +Canada." + +"Did you ever hear what became of him?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he was living in Canada the last time I heard of him," replied +Morton. "He never married; and, from being a lively, talkative fellow, +he became silent and melancholy." + +"Poor fellow! It was enough to make a man silent and melancholy," +remarked young Harmar. "I can imagine how I would have felt if deprived +of her I loved, in as tragical a manner." "Don't--don't mention it, my +dear!" exclaimed his wife, sensibly affected at the thought of her being +scalped. + +"It was a horrible transaction," remarked Wilson; "and it had a stirring +effect upon our people. I can recollect when I first heard the story +with all its embellishments; I felt as if I could have eaten up all the +red varmints I should chance to meet." + +"General Gates's version of the affair answered a good purpose," said +Higgins. "It roused our people to great exertions to defeat the designs +of a government which employed those savages." + +"King George's government thought it had a right to make use of every +body--rascals and honest men--to effect its design of enslaving us; but +we taught 'em a thing or two," added Morton, with a gratified smile. + + +STORY OF THE DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE. + +"I suppose," said young Harmar, "that, while you were up in New York, +you heard of many bloody affairs with the Indians and tories." + +"Many a one," replied Morton. "Many a one, sir. I could interest you for +days in recounting all I saw and heard. The poor whigs suffered a great +deal from the rascals--they did. Those in Tryon county, especially, were +always exposed to the attacks of the savages. I recollect an affair that +occurred at a settlement called Shell's Bush, about five miles from +Herkimer village. + +"A wealthy German, named John Shell, had built a block-house of his +own. It was two stories high, and built so as to let those inside fire +straight down on the assailants. One afternoon in August, while the +people of the settlement were generally in the fields at work, a +Scotchman named M'Donald, with about sixty Indians and tories, made an +attack on Shell's Bush. Most of the people fled to Fort Dayton, but +Shell and his family took refuge in the block-house. The father and two +sons were at work in the field when the alarm was given. The sons were +captured, but the father succeeded in reaching the block-house, which +was then besieged. Old Shell had six sons with him, and his wife loaded +the muskets, which were discharged with sure aim. This little garrison +kept their foes at a distance. M'Donald tried to burn the block-house, +but did not succeed. Furious at the prospect of being disappointed +of his expected prey, he seized a crowbar, ran up to the door, and +attempted to force it; but old Shell fired and shot him in the leg, and +then instantly opened the door and made him a prisoner. M'Donald was +well supplied with cartridges, and these he was compelled to surrender +to the garrison. The battle was now hushed for a time; and Shell, +knowing that the enemy would not attempt to burn the house while their +captain was in it, went into the second story, and began to sing the +favorite hymn of Martin Luther, when surrounded with the perils he +encountered in his controversy with the Pope." + +"That was cool," remarked Higgins. + +"Bravely cool," added old Harmar. + +"Oh, it was necessary to be cool and brave in those times," said Morton. +"But to go on with my story; the respite was very short. The tories and +Indians were exasperated at the successful resistance of the garrison, +and rushed up to the block-house. Five of them thrust the muzzles of +their pieces through the loop-holes; but Mrs. Shell seized an axe, and, +with well-directed blows, ruined every musket by bending the barrels. At +the same time, Shell and his sons kept up a brisk fire, and drove the +enemy off. About twilight, the old man went up stairs, and called out in +a loud voice to his wife, that Captain Small was approaching from Fort +Dayton, with succor. In a few minutes, he exclaimed, 'Captain Small, +march your company round on this side of the house. Captain Getman, you +had better wheel your men off to the left, and come up on that side.' +This, you see, was a stratagem. The enemy were deceived, took to their +heels, and fled through the woods, leaving eleven men killed and six +wounded. M'Donald was taken to Fort Dayton the next day, where his leg +was amputated; but the blood flowed so freely that he died in a few +hours. On his person was found a silver-mounted tomahawk, which had +thirty-two scalp notches on the handle, to show how he had imitated the +savages." + +"But what became of the two sons who were captured by the tories and +Indians?" inquired young Harmar. + +"They were carried to Canada," replied Morton. "They afterwards asserted +that nine of the wounded tories died on the way. But some of the Indians +were resolved to have revenge for their defeat, and they lurked in the +woods near Shell's house. One day they found the wished-for opportunity, +and fired upon Shell and his boys while they were at work in the field. +One of the boys was killed, and Shell so badly wounded that he died soon +after, at Fort Dayton." + +"Revenge seems a part of an Indian's nature," remarked young Harmar. + +"Yes," said Higgins, "they will pursue one who has injured them in any +way until he has paid for it." + +"Our people suffered much from them during the Revolution," added +Higgins, "and they want no instruction in regard to their character." + + +STORY OF BATE'S BEVENGE. + +"I recollect," said old Harmar, "after our line went south, under +General Wayne, just after the surrender of Cornwallis, I met some of the +men who had passed through Green's campaign. They were the bitterest +kind of whigs--men who had seen their houses burnt over their heads, and +who could have killed and eaten all the tories they should meet. They +told me many wild stories of the black doings of those traitorous +rascals." + +"Tell us one of them, won't you?" entreated Mrs. Harmar. + +"Come, father, spin us one of those yarns, as the sailors say," added +her husband. The children also became clamorous for 'a story,' and the +old veteran was compelled to comply. + +"Well, you shall hear. A man named Joe Bates told me how he had been +used by the enemy, and how he had been revenged. He joined the southern +army when Greene first took command of it, leaving his wife and two +children at his farm on the banks of the Santee River. His brother, John +Bates, promised to take care of the family and the farm. You see, John +used to help Marion's band whenever he could spare the time--he was so +anxious to do something for the good of his country, and he didn't know +how else he could do it than by going off on an occasional expedition +with Marion. Well, some how or other, Major Wernyss, the commander of +the royalists in the neighborhood, got wind of John's freaks, and also +of those of some other whig farmers, and he said he would put a stop +to them. So he sent a detachment of about twenty-five men to burn the +houses of the people who were suspected of being the friends of Marion. +John Bates heard of their coming, and collected about ten or a dozen +whigs to defend his house. He hadn't time to send the wife of Joe and +his children away to a safer place, or else he thought there was no +better place. However it was, they remained there. The house was barred +up, and everything fixed to give the red-coats a warm reception, should +they attempt to carry out their intention. The time they chose for it +was a moonlight night. The neighbors could see their houses burning +from the upper windows of the one where they were posted, and they kept +muttering curses and threats of vengeance all the time." + +"Why didn't each man stay at home, and take care of his own house?" +enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Of what use would that have been?" returned old Harmar. "By so doing, +they could not have saved any house, and would have lost the chance +of punishing the red-coats for their outrages. I forgot to tell you, +though, that some of the farmers had brought their wives and children +to Bates', and these were all put up-stairs out of the way. The little +garrison had made loop-holes on all sides of the house, and each man had +his rifle and knife ready to guard the post at which he was stationed. +John Bates was the captain, because he knew most about such fightin' +matters; he learned it of Marion. Well, at last the garrison caught +sight of the Britishers coming up steadily, the leader a little in +advance. They didn't seem to suspect that any body was in the house, for +they had found all the rest deserted. Still they thought it wise to be +careful. They surrounded the house at their leader's command, and were +getting their things ready to set fire to it, when the garrison, who had +kept still as death all the time, blazed away at them from all sides. +This staggered the whole party; four or five of their number were shot +dead, and as many more wounded. They rallied, however, and poured a +volley into the house. The garrison, under John's command, returned the +fire, and seemed to have decidedly the best of the matter. Joe's wife +couldn't content herself up-stairs with the women and children. She +wanted to be of some use in defending her own house. She would come down +and load the guns for John, while he kept a look-out on the movements of +the British party. Well, she had just loaded the gun, and was handing it +to John, when a bullet whizzed past him, struck her in the breast, and +she fell dead. John Bates looked through the loop-hole, and caught sight +of one of the red-coats running back from the house, and fired at him +but missed. He saw the man's face, though, and remembered it. John then +bore the corpse up-stairs. The women and children shrieked at the sight, +and thus discovered to the cowardly foe where they were placed. A volley +was sent through the upper part of the house, which killed one of Joe's +children and wounded the wife of a neighbor. But the enemy were losing +men too fast to continue the attack. I think Joe said they had lost half +their party in killed and wounded, while in the house only one man was +wounded. The red-coats that were left began to move off, dragging some +of their wounded with them. Then the farmers threw open the doors and +windows, and, giving a shout of triumph, sent a volley after them that +must have done some damage." + +"Didn't they start a pursuit?" inquired Higgins. + +"No: John thought his party was not strong enough, and that the glory of +defeating such a party of regulars was enough for once. But several of +the wounded red-coats were taken. Some of the farmers wanted to kill +them right off, but John wouldn't let them. He said there had been blood +enough shed already, and set them at work to bury the dead. Soon after, +John went to the army, and told Joe of the attack, and of the death +of his wife and child. Joe swore, by the most sacred oaths, to have +revenge; and made John describe the appearance of the man whom he had +seen running away from the house after firing the shot that had killed +Mrs. Bates. The man had peculiar features, and could not be mistaken. + +"At the great Battle of Eutaw Springs, Joe was among the troops +who charged with trailed arms. He came upon a man who answered the +description given by John, and rushed upon him with such force that he +pinned him to the ground with his bayonet, and he then drew a knife +across his throat to make sure work of it. He told me that he stopped, +amid a tremendous storm of grape and musketry, to take a look at the +Britisher, and to be sure that he had no life in him." + +"What bloody creatures war can make men," remarked young Harmar. "That +man was not sure he had killed the murderer of his wife." + +"It made no difference to him," replied old Harmar. "He hated the +whole set, and he had no mercy on any of them. Joe Bates was a clever +fellow--as warm a friend and as quiet a companion as you would wish to +meet in time of peace; but he hated like he loved--with all his heart, +and would go through fire and death to get at a foe." + +"I believe Joe Bates' conduct was a fair specimen of that of the whole +people of those parts, at that time," said Wilson. "I've been told that +the whigs and tories had no mercy on each other." + +"Not a bit," added old Harmar. "It seems to me that the fighting up here +in the North was child's play in comparison with that in the South. +Every man on the American side that went into the battle of Eutaw +Springs, was so full of courage and the desire of revenge that he was +equal to two common men. Greene had difficulty in restraining their +ardor within the limits of prudence. I heard of Colonel Henry Lee and +his legion coming up with a body of tories who were assembled to +march to the British camp, and his men would slaughter them without +mercy, in spite of his efforts to restrain them." + +"It was a bloody time," remarked Smith. + +"God grant that we may never see its like again," added Morton. + +"Up this way," said Wilson, "the tories were quite peaceable and +respectable; and some of them were badly treated without any reason for +it. They were honest men, and differed in opinion with those who judged +the Declaration of Independence and the assumption of arms, necessary +measures." + +"Yes," replied Higgins; "its all very well for men to differ in +opinion--nobody finds fault with that; its taking up arms against their +own countrymen, and opposing their country's cause, that we grumble at. +We should all adopt Commodore Decatur's motto; 'Our country--right or +wrong.' If she be right, our support cannot be refused; if wrong, we +should endeavor to set her right, and not, by refusing our support, or +by taking up arms against her, see her fall." + +"Bravo!" cried Mr. Jackson Harmar. "There's the true patriotic sentiment +for you. Allow me, Mr. Higgins, to shake hands with you over that +sentiment." + +The veteran patriot extended his hand, and received the hearty shake of +the patriot of another generation. + + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +"Grandfather," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "wont you tell us something +about Mad Anthony Wayne?" + +"Who learnt you to call him Mad Anthony Wayne?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's what grandfather calls him," replied the boy. + +"Yes," said old Harmar; "we always called him Mad Anthony--he was such +a dare-devil. I don't believe, if that man, when alone, had been +surrounded by foes, they could really have made him afraid." + +"He was a bold and skilful general," remarked Morton. "He was equal to +Arnold in those qualities, and superior to him in all others." + +"I think I can see him now, at Morristown, in the midst of the +mutineers, with his cocked pistol in his hand, attempting to enforce +orders--an action that no other man would have thought of doing under +such circumstances." "He did his duty," said Wilson; "but the men cannot +be censured for their conduct. They had received no pay for many months, +were without sufficient clothing to protect them from the weather, and +sometimes without food. If they had not been fighting for freedom and +their country's rights, they never could have stood it out." + +"One of the best things Wayne ever did," said Smith, "was that manoeuvre +of his in Virginia, where the British thought they had him surely in a +net." + +"What manoeuvre was that?" inquired Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Why, you see, General Lafayette was endeavoring to avoid a general +action with Cornwallis, and yet to harass him. Early in July, 1781, the +British army marched from Williamsburg, and encamped on the banks of the +James River, so as to cover a ford leading to the island of Jamestown. +Soon after, the baggage and some of the troops passed the ford, but the +main army kept its ground. Lafayette then moved from his encampment, +crossed the Chichahominy, pushed his light troops near the British +position, and advanced with the continentals to make an attempt on the +British rear, after the main body had passed the river. The next day, +the Marquis was told that the main body of the British had crossed the +ford, and that a rear-guard only remained behind. This was what the +British general wanted him to believe, and he posted his troops ready to +receive our men. Well, General Wayne, with eight hundred men, chiefly of +the Pennsylvania line, (including Mr. Harmar, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Wilson, +and myself,) was ordered to advance against the enemy. Now, Wayne +thought he had to fight a rear-guard only, and so he moved forward +boldly and rapidly; but, in a short time, he found himself directly in +front of the whole British army, drawn up to receive him. Retreat was +impracticable, as the enemy then might have had a fair chance to kill or +capture the whole detachment. Wayne thought that the best plan was to +put on a bold face, and so he commenced the attack at once. A fierce +and bloody struggle followed, and I'm not sure but we were gaining the +advantage, when General Lafayette discovered the mistake and ordered a +retreat, and we were compelled to fall back, leaving two cannon in the +hands of the enemy. By General Wayne's presence of mind and courage, you +see, we got off with but the loss of one hundred men. The British lost +the same number." + +"The Marquis was, of course, right in ordering a retreat," remarked +young Harmar. + +"I suppose so," replied Smith. "Our detachment might have made +considerable havoc among the British, and, perhaps, if promptly +supported, have maintained a long and doubtful battle. But General +Lafayette wanted to save his men until a more certain contest could be +brought about. He was a very young general--younger than Napoleon when +he took command of the army of Italy; but all his movements about that +time indicated that he was as skilful and vigilant as he was brave." + +"Americans should ever be grateful to the memory of such a man as +Lafayette," said old Harmar. "He was a true lover of liberty, and a +staunch friend to this land when it most needed friends." + +"And that reminds me," added young Harmar, "that I've a song here, which +I wrote for one of the papers, in relation to Lafayette. It is arranged +in the measure of the feeling melody of 'Auld Lang Syne.'" + +"Sing it," said Mr. Smith; and the request was echoed by the rest. +Mr. Jackson Harmar, therefore, after sundry excuses in the usual +routine--that he had a cold, &c.--sang the following words in a very +emphatic manner, with an occasional break in the high notes, and +huskiness in the low ones. + + Should auld acquaintance be forgot + And never brought to mind? + The friend that's true, remember'd not, + And days of auld lang syne? + For auld lang syne, my dear, + We never can forget; + When dangers press'd, and foes drew near, + Our friend was Lafayette. + + When first our fathers bravely drew + 'Gainst tyrants and their laws, + On wings of generous zeal he flew + To aid the holy cause. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + He stemm'd the broad Atlantic wave; + He vow'd they should be free; + He led the bravest of the brave + To death or victory. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + Let Brandywine his glory tell, + And Monmouth loud proclaim; + Let York in triumph proudly swell + The measure of his fame. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + Shall sons of freedom e'er forget, + Till time shall cease to move, + The debt they owe to Lafayette + Of gratitude and love? + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + +The song was listened to with considerable pleasure by the company, and +there was an occasional attempt, on the part of the veterans, to join in +the chorus, which, however, ended in a slight cough and shaking of the +head, as if the attempt was hopeless. + +"There's good sentiment in that song," remarked Smith. "It stirs the +heart." + +"Mr. Harmar, did you say the piece was your own composition?" inquired +Morton. + +"It is one of my humble efforts," modestly replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I'm very glad there are some young men left who can write something +else besides the love trash that's so popular," said Mr. Higgins. Old +men generally have a strong aversion or lofty contempt for everything +relating to the love matters of youth. + +"Everything has its time," was the sage remark of Mr. Jackson Harmar; +"or, in the more popular phrase of Mr. Shakespeare, 'Every dog will have +his day!'" + +"I should like to see patriotic songs more popular," remarked Morton; +and it is highly probable the conversation would have continued on +this subject, but Mrs. Harmar and the children kept up a constant clamor +for more stories, and old Harmar consented to amuse them and the rest of +the company with a story which, he said, he had seen in several papers, +and told in several different ways, none of which were correct. The true +circumstances he would then relate in order that his son might make a +story of it for his forthcoming work,--"Legends of the Times that tried +Men's Souls." + + +STORY OF THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES. + +"In the fall and winter of 1776," began Mr. Harmar, "the people of New +Jersey experienced their full share of the miseries of civil war. During +no period of the Revolutionary contest did the enemy's troops act more +cruelly or more unlike civilized men. As they marched through the +Jerseys, driving our poor 'rebel' army before them, they committed all +kinds of outrages on helpless women and old men; but this conduct was +destined to recoil upon the heads of the foe. The people were roused +to resist the invaders, and the militia was organised throughout the +State--silently but surely. Our victories at Trenton and Princeton were +received as the signals for action. As the enemy retired on Brunswick, +they were followed by the exasperated farmers, and harassed terribly. +But, at the time when my story commences, the red-coats were in +quiet possession of New Jersey, from Burlington to New York. General +Washington had come over on this side of the Delaware. + +"It was late in December. The weather was bitter cold, and the enemy +seldom stirred from their quarters to visit the interior of the State. +This respite would have been refreshing to the harassed farmer, if the +withdrawal of the regular troops had not left free play for the more +desperate servants of King George, or others who pretended to be such. +One of these pretenders was named Fagan. He was the leader of about +twenty ruffians as free from any particle of human feeling as himself. +There was no romance about the black character of Fagan; he was a +perfect wretch; he robbed for gain, and murdered to conceal the robbery. +The hiding-place of the band was in the pine barrens of New Jersey, and +they thence received the name of 'the pine robbers' from the people of +the country. Their violence and cruelty towards women and even children +had made them the terror of all classes. The whigs charged their doings +on the tories and refugees; but the robbers were against both parties. +They plundered a tory in the name of the continentals, and were true to +the Crown when a whig chanced to be in their power. + +"Well, I'm going to tell you about one of their exploits. Not many miles +from Trenton, on the road to Bordentown, was the farm-house of Nathaniel +Collins, a Quaker, but who was not strict enough for his sect. He was +disowned by them on account of encouraging his two sons to join the +continental army, and for showing a disposition to do the same himself. +He was about sixty years old at the time of which I speak, but still +a large, powerful man, with the glow of health on his cheek and +intelligence in his eye. Though disowned by the Quaker sect, Nathaniel +Collins retained their dress, manners, and habits, and always defended +them from the attacks of their enemies. + +"One night, the old Quaker, his wife Hannah, cousin Rachel, and daughter +Amy, were sitting up till a very late hour. They expected Nathan's sons +home from the Continental army. These sons had chosen the night to cross +the river, to avoid the notice of the Hessians at Trenton. Well, the +family waited till the clock struck one, but the sons did not appear, +and Nathan was getting impatient. At last footsteps were heard on the +road. + +"'There they are at last!' eagerly exclaimed Amy. + +"'Let me see,' said Nathan, as, with the placid manner characteristic +of a Friend, he moved to a window which commanded a view of the kitchen +door, at which a knocking had commenced. He could distinguish six men, +armed and equipped like militia, and another, whose pinioned arms +proclaimed him a prisoner. His sons were not of the party; and as the +persons of the strangers were unknown, and the guise of a militia-man +was often assumed by Fagan, our friend was not 'easy in his mind how to +act.' His first idea was to feign deafness; but a second knock, loud +enough to wake all but the dead, changed his intention--he raised the +window and hailed the men: + +"'Friends, what's your will?' + +'A little refreshment of fire and food, if you please; we have been far +on duty, and are half frozen and quite starved.' 'We don't entertain +them who go to war.' + +'Yes; but you will not refuse a little refreshment to poor fellows like +us, this cold night; that would be as much against the principles of +your society as war.' + +'Thee's from Trenton?' + +'No, I thank you; Nathaniel Collins is too well known as a friend to the +country, and an honest man, to aid a refugee--we know that.' + +'Soap the old fox well,' whispered one of the band. + +'Come, friend, make haste and let us in, we are almost perished, and +have far to go before sunrise, or we may change places with our prisoner +here before sunset.' + +'But what does the party here, this side of the river, right under the +Hessians' nose, if--' + +'Oh, we are minute-men, sent from within by Captain Smallcross, to seize +this deserter--don't you mean to let us in?' + +"Nathaniel closed the window and said, 'I don't know what to make of +these men. Amy, call the boys; tell them to make haste and bring their +guns, but keep them out of sight, where they will be handy.' + +"As the command was obeyed, and the three young men, laborers on the +farm, appeared and placed their guns behind the inner, their master +unbolted the outer door and admitted five of the armed men--the prisoner +and one of his captors remaining without. Nathaniel thought this +unnecessary of so cold a night, and a little suspicious--'Will not thy +companions enter also?' + +"'No, thank you; he guards the prisoner.' + +'But why may not the prisoner, too?' 'Pshaw! he's nothing but a +deserter. The cold will be good for _him_.' + +"'I must say,' quote Nathan, 'exercised,' as he afterwards owned, past +endurance, 'thy conduct neither becomes thy nature as a man, or thy +calling, which should teach thee more feeling--I'll take the poor fellow +something to eat myself.' + +"The old man had reached the door on his merciful errand, meaning it is +true, to satisfy his curiosity at the same time, when he who had acted +as leader of the party sprang from his chair, and, placing his hand on +his host's breast, pushed him rudely back. 'Stand back--back, I say, and +mind your own business, if you _are_ a Quaker.' + +"There was a momentary struggle in Nathan's mind, whether to knock +the fellow down, as from appearances he easily might, or to yield, +in obedience to his _principles._ 'It was strongly on his mind,' he +confessed, to pursue the former course, but prudence conquered, and +he quietly withdrew to the upper end of the apartment, where his men +lounged on a bench, apparently half asleep, and indistinctly visible +in the light of the fire and one small candle, which burned near the +strangers. In the interim, the old cook had been summoned, and had +arranged some cold provisions on the table. 'Old Annie,' the cook, was +the child of Indian and mulatto parents, but possessed none of the +features of her darker relation, except a capacious mouth and lips +to match. She refused to associate with either negroes or Indians, +considering herself as belonging to neither, and indulging a +sovereign contempt for both. Her favorite term of reproach was 'Injin' +and 'nigger,' and when they failed _separately_ to express her feelings, +she put the two together, a compliment always paid the Hessians, when +she had occasion to mention them. A party of these marauders had, on +a visit to her master's house, stolen her fall's store of sausages; +thenceforth she vowed eternal hatred to the race--a vow she never forgot +to the day of her death. + +"The strangers ate their repast, showing anything but confidence in +their entertainer, and ate, each man with his gun resting on his +shoulder. During the whole meal, he who called himself their captain was +uneasy and restless. For some time, he appeared to be engaged in a very +close scrutiny of the household, who occupied the other end of the +kitchen--a scrutiny which, owing to the darkness, could not yield him +much satisfaction. He then whispered anxiously and angrily with his men, +who answered in a dogged, obstinate fashion, that evidently displeased +him; till, finally, rising from his seat, he bade them follow, and +scarcely taking time to thank Nathan for his food and fire, passed out +of the door and made from the house. + +"'Well, now, that beats me!' said Elnathan, as he and his comrades +looked at each other in astonishment at the abrupt departure and +singular conduct of their guests. + +"'That are a queer lark, any how!' responded John; 'it beats all +natur'.' + +''The Injins,' said Ann. 'If that is not Fagan or some of his gang, +never trust me!--why did you not give them a shot, the 'tarnal thieves?' + +"But our household troop were too glad to get rid of their visitors to +interrupt their retreat. The house was secured again, the men had thrown +themselves down, and some of them were already asleep, when another +knock at the same door brought them as one man to their feet. On opening +the door, a laborer attached to a neighboring farm presented himself, +breathless from haste, and almost dead with fear. When he so far +recovered his speech as to be able to tell his story, he proved to +be the man whom the pretended militia-men had brought with them as a +prisoner, and his captors were found to be no less than Fagan and a +portion of his band. They had that night robbed five different houses +before they attempted our Friend's. Aware that his sons were from +home, they expected to find the old man unsupported, but having gained +admission into the house, they were surprised at the appearance of three +additional men. Fagan, however, was bent upon completing his enterprise +in spite of all opposition; but his followers obstinately refused. At +the foot of the avenue a bitter quarrel ensued, Fagan taxing his men +with cowardice; but the fear of pursuit silenced them at length. The +next question was, how to dispose of their prisoner, whom they had +seized in one of their 'affairs,' and, for want of some means of +securing him, brought with them. Fagan, as the shortest way, proposed, +as he had before, to cut his throat; but the proposal was overruled as +unnecessary. He was unbound, and, upon his solemn promise to return +without giving the alarm, one of the band returned him his silver and +a little money they had abstracted from his chest. In consideration +whereof he made to the nearest house and gave the alarm, impelled by +instinct more than anything else. + +"Suddenly, the man's narrative was interrupted by an explosion of +fire-arms, which broke upon the clear, frosty night, and startled even +Nathan. Another and another followed before a word was uttered. + +"'What can that be? It must be at Trenton.' + +"'By jingo,' exclaimed Elnathan, forgetting, in his excitement, that +his master was present, 'if I don't believe our men ain't giving the +Hessians a salute this morning with ball _cartridges_--there it goes +again!--I say, John, it's a piert scrimmage.' + +"In his own anxiety, Nathan forgot to correct his servant's profanity. +'It must be--but how they got over through the ice without wings--' + +"'No matter 'zackly how, marster, it's them. I'll warrant them's hard +plums for a Christmas pudding. Ha! ha! they get it this morning,--them +tarnation Hessian niggers!' + +"'Ann, thee'll never forgive the Hessians thy sausages and pork.' + +"'Forgive--not I. All my nice sausages and buckwheat cakes, ready +buttered--and all for them 'are yaller varments.' + +"The firing having continued some minutes, though less in volleys +than at first, gradually ceased, and all was quiet, as if nothing had +happened to disturb the deathlike stillness of the night. Yet, in +that brief hall hour, the fate of a continent was decided--the almost +desperate cause of the colonies had been retrieved. The victory of +Trenton had been achieved. + +"The attention of Nathan was diverted, by this first incident, from the +other events of the night, but was soon recalled to the pursuit of +the robbers, and the relief of their victims, who, from their late +prisoner's account, had been left in an unpleasant condition. His men +being dispatched to collect aid, Nathan now remained with old Anne; the +sole efficient defender of the house. He was not doomed to wait their +return undisturbed--the indistinct sound, as of many feet, was heard +advancing along the road to Bordentown. + +"'It's them Hessians,' said Anne. But Nathan thought not--it was not +the tread of regular troops, but the confused rush of a multitude. He +hastened to an upper window to reconnoitre. The day had begun to break, +and he easily distinguished a large body of men in Hessian uniform, +hurrying along the road in broken ranks. As they came nearer, he +perceived many individuals half clad and imperfectly equipped. The whole +consisted of about six hundred men. Before their rear was lost behind a +turn in the road another body appeared in rapid pursuit. They marched in +closer order and more regular array. In the stillness of the morning the +voice of an officer could be distinctly heard urging on the men. They +bore the well-known standard of the colonies. It all flashed on Nathan's +mind--Washington _had_ crossed the river, and was in pursuit of the +routed foe. The excited old man forgot his years, as he almost sprang +down stairs to the open air, proclaiming the tidings as he went. Even +the correct Hannah, who had preserved her faith unbroken, in spite of +her husband's and sons' contumacy, and the, if possible, still _more_ +particular Rachel, were startled from their usual composure, and gave +vent to their joy. + +"'Well, now, _does_ thee say so?' said the latter, eagerly following the +others to the door. 'I hope it is not unfriendly to rejoice for such a +cause.' + +"'I hope not, cousin Rachel,' said Amy; 'nor to be proud that _our_ boys +had a share in the glorious deed.' + +"Amy was left to herself, and broke loose upon this occasion from the +bonds of Quaker propriety; but no one observed the transgression--except +old Anne. + +"'That's right, Amy Collins; I like to hear you say so. How them +Hessians can run--the 'tarnal niggers; they steal sausages better than +they stand bullets. I told 'em it would be so, when they was here +beguzzlen my buckwheat cakes, in plain English; only the outlandish +Injins couldn't understand their mother tongue. They're got enough +swallowen without chawen, this morning. I wish them nothen but Jineral +Maxwell at their tails, tickling 'em with continental bagonets.' + +"'That friend speaks my mind,' said Elnathan, with a half-sanctimonious, +half-waggish look, and slight nasal twang. + +"'Mine too,' as devoutly responded a companion, whom he had just brought +to assist in the pursuit of the robbers. + +"The whole family had assembled at the door to watch the motions of the +troops. The front ranks had already passed down the road, when a +horseman, at full speed, galloped along the line of march to the extreme +right, and commanded a halt. After a few minutes delay, two or three +officers, followed by a party carrying a wounded man, emerged from the +ranks and approached the house. This was too much for the composure of +our late overjoyed family; all hastened to meet their wounded or dead +relation, but were disappointed agreeably--the brothers were indeed of +the party, but unhurt. + +"'Charles--boys--what means--' + +'Nothing, father, except that we paid the Hessians a friendly visit this +morning. You saw them?' + +'A part--where are the rest?' + +'Oh, we could not consent to turn them out of their comfortable quarters +this cold night, so we insisted on their remaining, having first gone +through the trifling ceremony of grounding their arms.' + +"The greeting between the young soldiers and their more peaceful +relations could not have been more cordial if their hands had been +unstained with blood. Nathaniel proffered refreshments to the whole +detachment; old Anne trembled for her diminished stock of sausages, and +remarked to Elnathan, that it would take a ''tarnal griddle' to bake +cakes for 'all that posse cotatus.' But the offer was declined by the +officer in command, who only desired our friends to take charge of the +wounded Hessian, whom his own men had deserted in the road. + +[Illustration: THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES.] + +"In the meanwhile, about forty men had assembled at Nathan's summons to +pursue the robbers, some of them having first visited those who had +suffered from the previous night's depredations. In one instance, they +found a farmer tied in his own stable, with his horse gear, and his wife, +with the bed-cord, to some of the furniture in her own apartment. In +another place, the whole household was quietly disposed down a shallow +well, up to their knees in water, and half frozen. In a third, a +solitary man, who was the only inmate at the time, having fled, in his +fright, to the house-top, was left there by the unfeeling thieves, who +secured the trap-door within. But the last party who arrived had a +bloody tale to tell: they had been to the house of Joseph Farr, the +sexton to a neighboring Baptist church; a reputation for the possession +of concealed gold proved fatal to him. On entering his house, the door +of which stood open, the party sent to his relief stumbled over his +body. After having most cruelly beaten him, in the hope of extorting +the gold he was said to possess, the murderers, upon his positive +denial, pierced him in twenty places with their bayonets. The old +bedridden wife was still alive in her bed, though the blood had soaked +through the miserable pallet and run in a stream into the fire-place. +Their daughter, a woman of fifty years, fled from the house as the +murderers entered, and was pursued by one of them, nearly overtaken, +and even wounded in the arm by his bayonet; but his foot slipped in +making the thrust, and she escaped slightly hurt. + +"This bloody business aroused the whole country; a persevering and +active pursuit was commenced. The murderers had many miles to traverse +before they could reach a safe retreat, and were obliged to lighten +themselves of their heavier plunder in the chase. Four were shot down +in the pursuit; the knapsack of a fifth was found partly concealed in a +thicket, and pierced with a ball, which had also penetrated a large mass +of continental money in sheets, and, by the blood on the inner covering, +had done good service on the wearer. It was believed that he contrived +to conceal himself in a thicket, and died there; as he was never heard +of after. Fagan alone escaped unhurt to the pines, and for days defied +all the exertions of the whig farmers. By this time, the pursuing party +had increased to nearly two hundred men. The part of the wood in which +he was known to be concealed, was surrounded and fired, till the wretch +was literally burnt from his den, and, in an attempt to escape from one +flaming thicket to another, taken alive, although not unwounded. One of +the gang, who had not participated in the deeds I have mentioned, was +secured at the same time. + +"There appeared to be no difference of opinion about the mode of +disposing of the prisoners--indeed, an opinion was scarcely asked or +given. It seemed taken for granted--a thing of course; and the culprits +were led in silence to the selected place of execution. There was +neither judge nor jury--no delay--no prayer for mercy; a large oak then +stood at the forks of two roads, one of which leads to Freehold; from +the body of the tree a horizontal branch extended over the latter road, +to which two ropes were attached. One of them having been fixed to the +minor villain's neck, _his_ sufferings were soon over; but a horrible +and lingering death was reserved for Fagan. The iron hoops were taken +off a meat cask, and by a blacksmith in the company fitted round his +ankles, knees, and arms, pinioning the latter to his body, so that, +excepting his head, which was 'left free to enjoy the prospect,' he +could not move a muscle. In this condition he hung for days beside his +stiffened companion; dying by inches of famine and cold, which had +moderated so as, without ending, to aggravate his misery. Before he +died, he had gnawed his shoulder from very hunger. On the fifth night, +as it approached twelve o'clock, having been motionless for hours, +his guards believed him to be dead, and, tired of their horrid duty, +proposed to return home. In order, however, to be sure, they sent one of +the party up the ladder to feel if his heart still beat. He had ascended +into the tree, when a shriek, unlike anything human, broke upon the +stillness of the night, and echoed from the neighboring wood with +redoubled power. The poor fellow dropped from the tree like a dead man, +and his companions fled in terror from the spot. When day encouraged +them to return, their victim was swinging stiffly in the north wind--now +lifeless as the companion of his crime and its punishment. It is +believed, to this day, that no mortal power, operating upon the lungs of +the dead murderer, produced that awful, unearthly, and startling scream; +but that it was the voice of the Evil One, warning the intrusive guard +not to disturb the fiend in the possession of his lawful victim; a belief +materially strengthened by a fact that could not be disputed--the limb +upon which the robbers hung, after suffering double pollution from +them and their master's touch, never budded again; it died from that +hour; the poison gradually communicated to the remaining branches, till, +from a flourishing tree, it became a sapless and blasted trunk, and so +stood for years, at once an emblem and a monument of the murderers' fate. + +"Fagan was never buried; his body hung upon its gibbet till the winds +picked the flesh from off his bones, and they fell asunder by their own +weight. A friend of mine has seen his horrid countenance, as it +hung festering and blackening in the wind, and remembers, by way of +amusement, between schools, pelting the body with stones. The old trunk +has disappeared, but the spot is still haunted in the belief of the +people of the neighborhood, and he is a bold man who dare risk a +nocturnal encounter with the bloody Fagan, instead of avoiding the +direct road, at the expense of half a mile's additional walk. No +persuasion or force will induce a horse _raised in the neighborhood_ to +pass the fated spot at _night_, although he will express no uneasiness +by daylight. The inference is, that the animals, as we know animals +_do_, and Balaam's certainly _did_, see more than their masters. A +skeptical gentleman, near, thinks this only the force of habit, and that +the innocent creatures have been so taught by the cowards who drive +them, and would saddle the horses with their own folly. + +"I am at the close of my story, and not a lover or a tender scene in the +whole tedious relation--alas! what a defect, but it is too late to mind +it now; it only remains to take leave of our friends. Nathan and +Hannah have mingled with dust, and their spirits with that society +whose only business is love, and where sighing and contention can never +intrude. Nathan was permitted, on his expressing his sorrow that he +had 'disobliged Friends,' to rejoin his society, and he died an elder. +Rachel departed at a great age, as she had lived, a spotless maiden. The +blooming, the warm-hearted, mischievous Amy lives, a still comely old +lady, the mother of ten sons, and the grandparent of three times as many +more. She adheres strictly to all the rules of her society, and bears +her testimony in the capacity of a public Friend. Still, she is +evidently not a little proud of her father's and brothers' share in the +perils and honors of the revolutionary contest, though she affects to +condemn their contumacy and unfriendly conformity to the world's ways, +and their violation of 'Friends' testimony concerning war.' Old Annie +died four years since, at an almost incredible age, though she was not +able to name the exact number of the days of her pilgrimage. From the +deep furrows on her cheeks, and the strong lines of her naturally +striking countenance, which, as she advanced in years, assumed more and +more the character of her Indian parentage, and the leather-like +appearance of her skin, she might have passed for an antediluvian. +While other less important matters lost their impression on her memory, +the Hessian inroads upon her sausages and buckwheat cakes were neither +forgotten nor _entirely_ forgiven to the last. She sent for a friend +when on her death-bed, to make arrangement of her little affairs. He +found her strength of body exhausted, but her powers of mind unimpaired. +After disposing her stock of personalities among some of her friends, +she turned to him. 'That's all, Mr. Charles, except the old sash you +used to play with, which I sp'iled from the Hessian officer, the +Injin--keep that to mind old Anne by,' + +"'Thank you, Anne--I'll keep it carefully. But you must not bear malice +_now_, Anne; you must forgive even the Hessians,' said Charles. + +"'What, them Hessians, the bloody thieves?' and the old woman's eyes +lighted up, and she almost arose in her bed with astonishment, as she +asked the question. + +'Yes; even _them_: you are about to need forgiveness as much as +they--they _were_ your enemies and persecutors, whom you are especially +enjoined to pardon, as you would expect to be pardoned.' + +'So it is, Mr. Charles; you say the truth,--poor ignorant, sinful mortal +that I am! Well, then, I do--I _hope_ I _do_--forgive 'em; I'll try--the +bloody _creeters_.' + +"There; will that do for a story, Thomas Jefferson?" asked the old +grandfather, when he had concluded. The old man had a straight-forward, +natural way of telling a story that showed he had practised it +frequently. The boy seemed much gratified by the horrible narration. +Mrs. Harmar said she was interested, but didn't like it much; her +husband remarked, however, that it would make a thrilling sketch. + +"I suppose that Nathaniel Collins was very much the same sort of a +Quaker as General Green," said Morton. "They were peaceable men, as +long as peace and quiet were not inconsistent with self-defence. To +be peaceable when a foe is wasting your fields and slaughtering your +brethren, is cowardly and against nature." + +"That's truth," replied Higgins. "We must look upon a merciless invader +in the same light as upon a cruel beast, whom it is saving life to +slay." + +"Fagan was well punished for his outrages," remarked Wilson. + +"It was the only way for the inhabitants to ensure their safety," said +Smith. + + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION. + +"By the bye," said Mr. Morton, "some events have just recurred to my +mind, which interested me very much when I first heard of them, and +which I think may strike you as being wonderful. I knew of many strange +and unaccountable things that happened during the Revolution, but the +conversion of Gil Lester from toryism capped the climax." + +"Enlighten us upon the subject, by all means," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes, that was a strange affair, Morton; tell 'em about it," added +Higgins. + +"There's a little love stuff mixed up with the story," said Morton, +"but you will have to excuse that. I obtained the incidents from Lester +himself, and I know he was always true to his word, whether that was +right or wrong. Gilbert Lester, Vincent Murray, and their ladye-loves, +lived up here in Pennsylvania, in the neighborhood of the Lehigh. One +night a harvest ball was given at the house of farmer Williams. Vincent +Murray and Mary Williams, the farmer's daughter, joined in the +festivities, and, becoming tired of dancing in a hot room, they went out +to walk along the banks of the Lehigh, and, of course, to talk over love +matters. + +"They had seated themselves on a fallen tree, and continued for a few +moments to gaze in the mirrored Lehigh, as if their very thoughts might +be reflected on its glassy surface. Visions of war and bloodshed were +passing before the fancy of the excited girl, and she breathed an inward +prayer to heaven to protect her lover; when, casting her eyes upward, +she suddenly exclaimed with startling energy: + +"'Vincent, look at the sky!' Murray raised his head, and sprang +instantly on his feet. 'Tell me,' continued Mary, 'am I dreaming, or am +I mad! or do I actually see armies marching through the clouds?' + +"Murray gazed steadfastly for a moment, and then exclaimed, 'It is the +British, Mary--I see the red coats as plainly as I see you.' + +"The young girl seemed transfixed to the spot, without the power of +moving. 'Look there,' said she, pointing her finger upward--'there are +horses, with officers on them, and a whole regiment of dragoons! Oh, are +you not frightened?' + +"'No,' replied her companion--but before he had time to proceed, she +again exclaimed: + +'There, there, Vincent! See the colors flying, and the drums, and +trumpets, and cannon, I can almost hear them! What can it mean?' + +'Don't be so terrified, Mary. It is my belief, that what we see is an +intimation from God of the approaching war. The 'Lord of Hosts' has +set his sign in the heavens. But come, let us run to the house. This is +no time to dance--and they will not believe us, unless their own eyes +behold the vision!' + +"Before he had finished speaking, they were hastily retracing their +steps to the scene of merriment; and in another moment the sound of the +violin was hushed, and the feet of the dancers were still. With one +accord, they all stood in the open air, and gazed with straining glances +at the pageant in the heavens; and marked it with awe and wonder. A +broad streak of light spread itself gradually over the sky, till the +whole wide expanse was in one brilliant blaze of splendor. The clouds, +decked in the richest and most gorgeous colors, presented a spectacle of +grandeur and glory, as they continued to shape themselves into various +forms of men, and horses, and armor, till a warlike and supernatural +host was distinctly presented to the view. The dragoons, on their +prancing horses; the riflemen and artillery, with their military ensigns +and accoutrements; the infantry, and even the baggage-wagons in the +rear, were all there to complete the imposing array. _It is no fiction_; +many were eye-witnesses of that remarkable vision, which passed on from +the east, and disappeared in the west--and, from that evening, the sound +of the violin was heard no more in those places, until the end of the +Revolution. + +"Mary Tracy hung upon the arm of her lover, and listened anxiously to +his words, as he spoke to her in a low but decided tone." "That's very +strange; but you have not told us how the young tory was converted," +interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I am coming to that," replied Morton. "Vincent Murray and Mary Williams +conversed together for some time. He told her he was going to leave his +friends and join the American army. He said he thought the signs in the +clouds were warning to all the friends of liberty to rush to the aid of +our little struggling band; and that he intended to go to New York, +and then seek out the best plan for enlistment. Before he bade his +sweetheart farewell, he also told her he was resolved to do his best to +convert Gilbert Lester from his tory principles. Now this was no easy +task, as the two young men had often argued the question of rights, and +Lester had shown that he was as firmly fixed to his creed as Murray was +to his. Mary told him that she thought that the frowns or the smiles of +Jane Hatfield alone could change his way of thinking. But, nevertheless, +Murray resolved to try what he could do. + +"The little group of dancers were all scattered in different directions. +Murray sought among the number for Gilbert Lester, and found him, at +length, leaning in a thoughtful attitude against the trunk of a huge +sycamore tree, whose broad shadow fell upon the waters of the Lehigh. So +profound was his reverie, that Murray touched his arm before he stirred +from his position, or was aware of approaching footsteps. + +"'Gilbert, shall I divine your thoughts?' + +"'You, perhaps, think you could do so, but I doubt whether you would +guess right.' "'Why, there can be but one subject, I should suppose, +which could occupy the mind of any one who has seen what we have seen +this evening.' + +"'True; but there may be different interpretations put upon what is +equally a mystery to us all.' + +"'Well, I will not dispute that point with you,--but there is a _right_ +and a _wrong_, notwithstanding. Now, tell me, what is your opinion?' + +"'It will hardly coincide with yours, Vincent; for I fear we shall never +agree in our ideas of the propriety and expediency of taking up arms +against our sovereign. As to this pantomime of the clouds, I must +confess it is beyond my comprehension; so, if your understanding has +been enlightened by the exhibition, I beg you will have charity to +extend the benefit.' + +"'You are always for ridiculing my impressions, Gilbert; but you cannot +change my belief that our cause is a rightful one, and that it will, +with the help of the Almighty, ultimately prevail.' + +"'What, against such a host as we have just seen imaged out in the sky?' + +"'The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,' replied +Murray. + +"'But,' continued his friend, 'if a real army, coming over the sea to +do battle for the king, has been represented by that ghostly multitude +which passed before our view, you will find the number too strong for +this fanciful faith of yours, in the help of an invisible arm.' + +"'It is a faith, however, which I am not yet disposed to yield,--the +race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.' "'I will +acknowledge,' said Lester, interrupting him, 'that you have the +advantage of me in quoting Scripture--but depend upon it, the +_practical_ advantages of the British over the rebel army will soon +overturn your theory.' + +"'No such thing, Gilbert. I tell you that the zeal, fortitude, undaunted +courage, and invincible resolution, which encompass our little band of +patriots, will prove a shield of strength that will make every single +man of them equal to at least a dozen British soldiers. And having once +risen up in defence of their rights, they will persevere to the last +extremity before they will submit to the disgraceful terms of a despotic +government. It grieves me that _you_ should be among the tories. Come, I +entreat you, and share in the glory of the triumph which I am persuaded +will eventually be ours.' + +"'Then you really do believe, Murray, that God will work a modern +miracle in favor of America! My dear friend, I wish you would abandon +this vain chimera of your imagination, and let common sense and reason +convince you of the folly of this mad rebellion.' + +"'And what then? Should I sit down in cowardly inaction, while others +are sacrificing their lives in the struggle? No--that shall never be +said of Vincent Murray! My resolution is taken; I will rise or fall with +my country!' + +"'And perhaps the next time we meet,' said Lester, 'it may be on the +field of battle.' + +"'God forbid! But should it even be the case, Gilbert, I should know no +friend among my country's enemies. Farewell--you will think better of +this subject; and remember, that no one but a _Republican_ will ever win +Jane Hatfield,' said Murray. + +"The young men wrung each other's hands, and each went his way." + +"Murray thought he would put in the last remark by way of strengthening +the effect of the vision in the clouds, I suppose," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes; the promise of the hand of a lovely girl has a great influence on +the opinions of a young man," replied Morton. "But in this case, if you +will wait till my story is through, you will see that Jane Hatfield had +but little to do with Lester's conversion. The next morning after the +occurrence of the wonderful phantom in the clouds, Murray left his home, +and soon after enlisted in the army under General Montgomery. He was in +the unlucky expedition against Québec. + +"After the death of Montgomery, and the uniting of the different +detachments under Arnold, as their head, Murray, to his marvellous +astonishment, encountered his friend Gilbert Lester among the +Pennsylvania riflemen, under Captain Morgan. By some strange accident, +and each being ignorant of the proximity of the other, they had not met +before the attack on Québec. Great, therefore, was Murray's surprise and +pleasure; for, since the evening of their last conversation on the banks +of the Lehigh, he had no opportunity of learning whether there had been +any change in the political sentiments of his friend. With the utmost +fervor of delight he grasped his hand as he exclaimed: "'I rejoice to +see you,--but, my dear friend, what is the meaning of this meeting? And +how, in the name of wonder, came you here?' + +"'Why, it is truly a wonder to myself, Murray,' replied Lester, 'that +I ever got here; or that any of us, who passed through that frightful +wilderness, are now alive to tell the story.' + +"'The wilderness! I should like to know how you contrived to get into +the wilderness from the place where I last saw you?' said Murray. + +"'I remember,' said Gilbert, laughing; 'you left me looking at the +clouds on the banks of the Lehigh; and, perhaps, you imagine that I +was taken up into them, and dropped down in that horrible place as a +punishment for my _toryism!_' + +"'And if that was not the case, pray throw a little light on the +mystery.' + +"'Have patience, then, and let me tell my story my own way. The getting +into the labyrinth was a trifle in comparison to the getting out. +Believe me, the tales of romance are nothing to the tremendous horrors +of that march. Why do you look incredulous?' + +"'You know your love of the marvellous, Gilbert--but go on; only don't +out-Herod Herod in your description.' + +"'There is no danger of that--no description can come up to the truth. I +looked upon that whole army in the desert as destined to make their +next general parade in the heavens--and fancied you would see our poor, +unhappy apparitions gliding through the sky; and, perhaps, exclaim, +'Poor Gilbert; he died in the good cause at last. It seems, however, that +the necessity is spared of my making so pathetic an apostrophe. You had +the good fortune to escape.' + +'It was little less than a miracle that we did so, I assure you,' +replied Gilbert. + +'Your preservation, then, should be a more convincing proof to your +mind, that the Lord is on our side, and will not forsake us in this +unequal strife.' + +'Ah,' replied Lester, 'you may beat me in _faith_, Vincent, but I will +contend that I have beaten you in _works_. Had you waded, as we did, +through those hideous bogs, which a poor Irishman, whose bones we left +on the way, declared, 'bate all the bogs of Ireland!' you would have +said the Israelites in the wilderness had a happy time of it, compared +to us. Why, we were drowned, and starved, and frozen, till we had nearly +given up all hope of the honor of being shot.' + +'But you forget that I am still in ignorance of the preceding causes, +which produced the revolution in your sentiments, and consequently +influenced your actions after I left the farm,' said Murray, +interrupting him. + +"'You are right,' replied Gilbert; 'I am before my story. My head was +so completely filled with the images on the way, that I was obliged +to dispose of them first, ere I could clear a passage in my memory to +relate what came before. It would, however, require too much time, at +this moment, to enter into all the detail of argument and persuasion +that gradually undermined my first principles. My imagination was a +little excited by the whole scene at our last harvest festival. The +sudden interruption in the dancing by the singular phenomena in the +heavens, and the termination, from that evening, of all our accustomed +mirth and gaiety, made a strong impression, which led me to inquire +and reflect on passing events, connected with the disturbances in the +country, much more closely and anxiously than I had done before. The +result was a determination, in my own mind, to follow you. Knowing your +admiration of General Washington, I instantly jumped at the conclusion +that you had proceeded to Cambridge, in order to be guided in your +future movements by the commander-in-chief; and so, without the least +hesitation, I straightway decided on pursuing the same course. You are +well aware, Vincent, that I am a creature of impulse. My arrival at +head-quarters happened to be at the moment when Colonel Arnold was +fitting out his troops for this unhappy expedition; and meeting +accidentally with an acquaintance among the Pennsylvania riflemen, I +enlisted in the same regiment, under Captain Morgan. A spice of romance, +which I believe nature infused into my disposition, and which was +increased among the mountain passes and wild fastnesses of our native +scenery, induced me to look forward with a kind of adventurous pleasure, +to the projected passage through the unexplored wilderness. The probable +hazard and difficulty of the exploit presented only a spur to my newly +awakened ardor; and thus, with my usual impetuosity of feeling, I +pushed on among the most enthusiastic followers of Colonel Arnold. The +concluding part of the history is written in the blood of our brave and +gallant general; and now, in the closing scene of the drama, I find +myself, by a singular freak of fortune, thrown again in your company, in +a place where I had little dreamed of such a meeting.' + +"In the meanwhile, an interesting event happened on the banks of the +Lehigh. The usual business in that part of the country was suspended. +The men congregated to talk over the causes and events of the war, and +the signs of the times. The appearance of the army in the heavens was +still fresh in the minds of all; and it was but a few weeks after the +departure of Murray and Lester that another spectacle was seen, even +more astonishing than the first. + +"It was on a September evening that the _Aurora Borealis_ was discovered +in the sky. It grew brighter and brighter, and soon drew together a +large number of the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The distance was +short to the highest ground on the ridge of the Lehigh Mountains, and +the whole party ascended to the summit, near the old road between Easton +and Philadelphia. There they paused, to view the surrounding scenery in +the broad, clear light. The Kittating Mountain, enveloped in its blue +shade of mist, lay far away to the north and west; while, on the Jersey +side, to the east, the high Musconetcong rose darkly in the distance. +Suddenly, a cloud appeared on the blue sky above, and immediately, +quick, successive sounds, as of the firing of cannon, broke on the ear. +The cloud dispersed with the noise, and flying troops were seen rushing +on from the west. Men and horses were mingled in one indiscriminate mass +of confusion. The soldiers wore the uniform of the British; but +there was no order, as in the former vision. Ranks were cut up and +destroyed--plumes were bent down and broken--horses fled without +riders--and the fallen were trampled on by their companions. Terror +seemed to move in their midst, as they hurried onward. The pillar of a +cloud rose again behind them. It was like a thick smoke from the fire +of the enemy. It curled and wreathed itself away in the heavens, and +disappeared, as with another sound of guns. Then came the Continental +Army. Soldiers marching in triumph--officers mounted, and flags of +victory streaming on the sky. On and on, they followed in the pursuit, +till the singular phantasm melted away in the east. + +"The sight was hailed with joy, as an omen of success to the American +cause. Numerous were the spectators to that second vision--and some are +yet alive in the part of the country where it was seen. + +"An account of this phenomenon was sent to Murray and Lester, and the +latter became confirmed, heart and soul, in the cause to which he had +attached himself. Now, I know, you may look upon these things with a +smile of credulity, and say it was all the result of imagination; but a +mere fancy cannot mislead hundreds of people, and make them believe +that their eyes are traitors. I have told you nothing but what is well +attested. I don't pretend to know anything of the causes of such events, +but I do know that these visions changed many a heart from toryism to +patriotism." "I am very much obliged to you for your interesting +story, Mr. Morton," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "I like your plain, +straight-forward style, and your matter excites my wonder. It is a fact, +that General Washington was known to observe and mention the remarkable +apparitions in the heavens, at many different periods of the Revolution. +They were not without their influence on his mind. I firmly believe +that such things occurred; and can look for no cause but that of God's +providence, to explain them." + +Of course Mrs. Harmar believed the story of the apparitions to be +perfectly true, and did not look for any other cause except the direct +order of the Almighty; but Wilson said he was always suspicious of such +stories. He even ventured to offer an explanation of the phenomenon, +which amounted to this:--A thunder-storm came up while the people were +gathered together, very much excited upon the subject of the war, and +feeling very anxious for the success of the cause of the colonies; one +man thought he saw an army in the clouds driven before the winds, and +heard the roar of the artillery; this he communicated in an excited +manner to the others, and they, disposed to believe, also thought the +clouds looked "very like a whale." But Morton, old Harmar, Mr. Jackson +Harmar, Smith, and Higgins, brought their argumentative batteries to +bear upon the explanation and incredulity of Wilson, and silenced, +if they did not convince him. He admitted that a man of General +Washington's strength of mind could not easily be deceived, and said, +that if it was a fact that he had seen and mentioned the phenomenon, +he could think it true; but no one was prepared to prove what had been +asserted. Mr. Morton was again thanked for the manner in which he had +told the story, and Mr. Jackson Harmar said that some of the writers of +the day might learn from him. + +"Of course, Murray and Lester lived through the war, went home to the +banks of the Lehigh, and married the girls they loved," remarked Wilson. + +"They did; and two very happy couples they made. Jane Hatfield had +always been a republican in sentiment, and she loved Lester more than +ever when she heard he had dropped toryism as something that would have +burnt his fingers if he had held on to it," replied Morton. + + +THE TIMELY RESCUE. + +"When Mr. Morton commenced his story," said old Harmar, "he said +there was considerable love-stuff mixed up with it, as if that was an +objection to his telling it. Now I can tell you a story of which love +and fighting are the elements. The events occurred up here in New +Jersey, and are true to the time and the people that acted in it." + +"No matter if it was all made up of love, if it illustrated the +character of the time, I should like to hear it," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"And so should I," added his wife. + +"Is it that story about Captain Edwards and Miss Williams, that Bill +Moore used to tell?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's the affair; and, supposing you folks will wish to hear about it, +I shall proceed. Shortly after the surrender of Burgoyne, two horsemen +were riding along the road which leads to the town of Ridgefield. One +was Captain Edwards, and the other Lieutenant Brown. Their conversation +partook of the spirit of the period. They were discussing the relative +merits of General Gates and General Washington. Brown thought that +Washington was deficient in energy, while Edwards thought him a model +general, and Gates deficient in both energy and skill. They could not +agree, and so they dropped the subject. + +"As the colloquy ended, the horsemen spurred onward, and soon arrived in +view of the residence of Mrs. Williams, which was situated on a gentle +acclivity, accessible by a long avenue, skirted on either side with +tall poplars, and entered at the extremity by a slight wooden gate. On +entering this avenue, old Pompey came running towards them with a brow +darkened a number of shades by his agitation, and grasping the bridle of +Captain Edward's horse, exclaimed: + +"'Oh! for Heaven's sake, good master Edwards, don't go to the house!' + +"'What the devil's the matter?' ejaculated the captain, as he endeavored +to disengage the hold of the negro. + +"'Mistress has gone clean 'stracted,' began the African, 'because young +Miss Caroline--' + +"'What of her?--speak out, in the fiend's name!' exclaimed Captain +Edwards, evincing much greater emotion than he had hitherto betrayed. + +"'You stop me, sir; I must tell my story in my own way,' replied Pompey. + +"'Proceed with it, then, with a murrain to you,' said Lieutenant Brown, +impatiently, 'or, by heaven, I'll beat it out of you with the flat of my +sword.' "'Well, then,' cried the negro, angrily, 'the tory Captain Lewis +came to our house last night with some sodgers, and carried off Miss +Caroline.' + +"'The unhung villain!' muttered Captain Edwards, from between his +clenched teeth; and then, compelling himself to speak more calmly, he +said, 'Brown, my dear fellow, return directly to the camp, and meet me +at Stophel's tavern, with Sergeant Watkins and a dozen trusty soldiers. +The scoundrel cannot escape me--I know every tory haunt between here +and the Hudson; I must go to the house, and console the afflicted Mrs. +Williams.' + +"The subaltern struck his spurs into the flank of his steed, and +hastened to execute the orders of his superior. The captain rode up the +lane, and having reached the house, threw his bridle to a servant, and +entered without ceremony. As he had anticipated, he found Mrs. Williams +in an indescribable state of grief; her health was delicate, and this +unexpected calamity had prostrated her. After offering a few encouraging +words, which produced but a very slight effect, he remounted his horse +and rode to the place of rendezvous. Here he met Lieutenant Brown, a +sergeant, corporal, and ten privates, all finely armed and equipped, and +prepared to brave any danger and incur any hazard, in the service of a +commander in whom they had the most unbounded confidence. He instantly +placed himself at their head, and proceeded on his expedition. + +"It was now dark. Their road lay along the margin of a small stream, +bounded on the one side by half cultivated fields, and on the other by +a thick gloomy forest, in which the death-like stillness of its dark +bosom was only broken by the occasional howl of wild beasts. + +"After pursuing their course for some distance along the bank of this +rivulet, now traversing the ground on its very margin, and then again +carried by the windings of the path miles from the stream, they came to +a sharp angle in the road, on turning which, the captain, being a short +distance in advance of his troops, discovered a figure slightly defined, +but yet bearing some resemblance to the human species, stealing along +the side of the path, apparently wishing to avoid observation. + +"Striking his spurs into his horse, and drawing his sword at the same +time, the captain had the person completely in his power before the +other had time to offer either flight or resistance. + +"'For whom are you?' was demanded by Captain Edwards, in no gentle +accents. + +"'I'm nae just free to say,' replied the stranger, thus rudely +interrogated, with the true Scotch evasion. + +"'Answer me at once,' returned the captain; 'which party do you favor?' + +"'Ye might have the civility to give me a gentle hint which side ye +belang to,' said Sawney. + +"'No circumlocution,' rejoined the soldier, sternly. 'Inform me +immediately: Are you a mercenary of the tyrant of England, or a friend +to liberty? your life depends on your answer.' + +"'Aweel, then,' said the Scotchman firmly, 'sin ye will have it, by +my saul, I won't go to heaven with a lie in my mouth--I'm whig to the +back-bone, ye carline; now do your warst, and be hanged till ye!'" + +"He might still have been a foe," remarked Wilson. "He might have seen, +from Edwards' language, that to be a whig was to ensure his safety." + +"I cannot say whether the Scotchman was sincere or not," replied old +Harmar. "The American captain was well pleased to discover a friend, +when he had every reason to expect an enemy; and, after furnishing him +with a pistol, and advising him to avoid the scouting parties of the +enemy, by keeping in the wood, he again proceeded on his expedition. +They soon reached a fork in the road: one branch led into the recesses +of the wood, and the other lay still farther along the banks of the +stream. On arriving at this spot, the captain, calling Lieutenant Brown +a little distance from the troop, said, 'A few miles' ride will carry us +to an encampment of a party of these tories. I wish to reconnoitre the +position of the enemy, and shall take the road which leads into the +wood, for that purpose, while you with the soldiers will ride on the +other road, till you will arrive within sight of the enemy, and then +return to this point, which shall be our place of rendezvous. In the +meantime, I wish you to avoid coming to any engagement with the tories; +but, in case you hear me fire two pistol shots, you may believe me to be +in danger, and hasten to my relief.' + +"To command was to be obeyed with Captain Edwards, and soon no sound +was heard save the slow and regular tread of the horses of the soldiers +under command of Lieutenant Brown "Captain Lewis, the partisan tory who +had carried off Miss Williams, was an officer of some fame. Of English +extraction, and bred in the principles of entire acquiescence in the +orders of the British ministry, he beheld the struggles of the colonists +with contempt. He saw the inhabitants rising about him in various parts +of the country, with feelings of bitter hatred, and he determined +to crush these evidences of rebellion in the outset. He accepted a +captain's commission in the English army, and fought for a time under +the banners of General Clinton, with success worthy of a better cause. +But taking offence at some imperious order of his commander, he threw up +his commission in disgust, and retired to his native village near the +river Hudson. Here, collecting about him a few choice spirits like +himself, he kept the inhabitants in a continual state of alarm by his +plundering and rapacious conduct. Acting, as he pretended, under the +orders of the king, the tories durst not oppose him, and the whigs were +too few in numbers to resist his foraging excursions with any prospect +of success. + +"In his youth he had been a school companion of Captain Edwards, but +their principles were widely dissimilar, and little intercourse had +taken place between them. In after life they embraced different sides, +and the tory disliked the whig for his virtues, and envied his good +name. In one of his marauding expeditions he became acquainted with +Miss Williams, and discovering the interest the republican had in her +affections, he determined to get her into his power, for the purpose of +holding a check on the whig officer, whom he equally feared and hated. A +libertine in principle, and a profligate in practice, he scrupled at +no means to attain his object, and a violent attack on the peaceful +dwelling of a defenceless woman was as consonant with his views as +robbing a hen-roost. + +"The dwelling of this renegade was situated on a small hill on the bank +of the river Hudson. His peculiar occupation, and the state of affairs +in the country, had rendered it necessary for him to fortify and +strengthen his house, and, at the time referred to, it resembled, what +in fact it was, the rendezvous of a band of lawless desperadoes. + +"In the principal room of the building was the villain captain, with +three of his officers, seated round a decayed table, playing cards; on +one end of the table stood a dirty decanter, partly filled with apple +brandy; three or four cracked, dingy tumblers were scattered over the +table, and the rest of the furniture of the apartment was in keeping. +In one corner of the room sat Miss Williams, apparently in the depth of +wretchedness. She occasionally cast furtive glances at the captain, and +then toward a small window, which was firmly barricaded; but seeing no +prospect of escape, she relapsed again into hopeless sorrow. Groups of +blackguard soldiers were seated on stools in different parts of the +room, many of them following the example of their officers, and others +amusing themselves with burnishing their muskets and equipments. After +numerous potations from his bottle, the captain started up, reeling +under the influence of the liquor, and addressing a ruffian-looking +officer, one of his boon companions, said: "'Lieutenant Jocelyn, have +the drum beat to arms, and take these lazy knaves and scour the woods +for a few miles around, and cut down or make prisoner every rebel rascal +you meet; leave soldiers enough, however, to guard the old castle; +quick--blast me, no hesitation.' + +"'Humph!' muttered the old soldier; 'ready enough to run his comrades +into the noose, but devilish careful to keep his own delicate person out +of danger.' + +"'Ha! what say you, old grumbler? You shall stay here and guard the +lady, if you are so much afraid of your beautiful self; and I will take +command of the men.' + +"The lieutenant liked this proposition still worse than the former, but +seeing no alternative, obeyed in silence. In a short time, the captain, +accompanied by about twenty men, including a sergeant and two corporals, +left their camp and proceeded toward the wood. It was night-fall when +they reached the forest, through which the road was very narrow and +circuitous. They were travelling along the path in double files, when +the sergeant in front ordered a halt. + +"'Why do we stop here,' roared the captain, 'when it is as dark as +Egypt?' + +"'I hear a noise like the trampling of horses,' replied the sergeant. + +"'Hist, then,' said Captain Lewis; 'draw up the men into a body, and +await their arrival in silence.' + +"'The horse's footsteps were now distinctly heard, but it was a solitary +horseman whom these worthy soldiers were to encounter. When he +arrived within speaking distance, the sergeant advanced a few paces in +front of the soldiers, and exclaimed: + +"'Stand! stand! or you are a dead man!' + +"The horseman evinced no disposition to comply with this arbitrary +requisition, but deliberately drew pistol from his holsters and +endeavored to urge his horse through the ranks of his opponents. Captain +Lewis now came to the front of his men, and ordered: "'Seize the bridle, +and down with the rebel!' + +"'Let no man lay a hand on me or my horse, as he values his life,' said +the horseman in a determined tone, at the same time cocking his pistol. + +"'The sergeant drew back a few yards, and discharged his carbine, but +without effect; two soldiers grasped the horse by the head at the same +instant. The horseman, seeing a struggle inevitable, literally blew out +the brains of one of his assailants, and, plucking his other pistol from +its holster with his left hand, he fired at and slightly wounded his +second antagonist; he now threw aside his pistols, &c., and then +drew his heavy broadsword, and essayed to cut his way through his +opponents--but giant strength, combined with the most desperate courage, +could not compete with such vast disparity of numbers; some of his +enemies fastened themselves on his horse, while others thrust at him +with their bayonets, and, after a protracted contest, during which the +tories lost five men, the horseman was disarmed and brought to the +ground. + +"'Bind the rebel dog,' shouted the infuriated captain; 'he shall die +the death of a felon, were he George Washington. By Heaven!' continued +he, as he viewed the prostrate horseman, 'it is Captain Edwards! Are +then my dearest wishes gratified? I will be doubly revenged! Bind him +hand and foot, boys, and throw him across his own horse, if the beast +can bear him; if not, drive a bullet through the horse's brains, and +carry the soldier in your arms.' + +"The whig officer was firmly bound and placed on his own charger, while +a soldier marched on either side of him, and another led the horse. +After prosecuting their route homeward near a mile, they were startled +with 'No quarter to the cowardly tories! cut them down root and branch!' +followed by the discharge of near a dozen pistols, which killed four +men, and wounded two or three others; and in a moment they were nearly +surrounded by the dragoons under command of Lieutenant Brown. For a +short time the contest was maintained with vigor; the bonds of Captain +Edwards were soon cut; he attacked the tory captain, sword in hand, and, +after a short conflict, succeeded in wounding him in the sword-arm and +hurling him to the ground, and placing his foot on his breast, he said: + +"'Now, you dastardly ruffian, avow your villanies, and inform me where I +shall find Miss Howard, or, by heaven, I will send you where the tenor +of your life will be hard to account for.' + +"The fierceness of the whig soldier's manner, and the consciousness of +being wholly in his power, completely humbled the tory, and he begged +his life, and promised to conduct the troops to his encampment, where +they would find the lady in safety. + +"The tories were now effectually routed; some were killed, some wounded, +others captured, and some had escaped. A few miles' travel, and Captain +Edwards and the men under his command arrived at the habitation of the +tories. A coarse slovenly soldier was pacing the ground in front of the +building, and, on the advance of the continental troops, presented his +musket, and ordered them to halt. Captain Edwards briefly informed him +of the reverse that had taken place in the fortunes of his commander, +and concluded by telling him that 'Submission was safety--resistance +death.' + +"The door was now burst open, and in a moment Miss Williams was folded +in the arms of her lover. + +"Little more remains to be told. No entreaties of Captain Edwards, or +persuasions of her aunt, could induce Miss Williams to give her hand to +her admirer till the close of the war. On the establishment of peace, +Colonel Edwards, (for he had received that rank,) was made happy in the +possession of his long-tried affection. Lieutenant Brown served under +his captain during the war, and, on the promotion of Captain Edwards, +succeeded to his command. The tory Lewis, and the remainder of his +guilty accomplices, were captured shortly after the occurrence of the +events I have related, and executed for desertion." + +"The tories generally received the worst of every encounter," remarked +Higgins; "at least, so all our love-story tellers say." "What I have +told you I know to be true--just as Bill Moore, who was one of Captain +Edwards' men, used to tell it," replied old Harmar. + +"I believe it to be a fact that the tories did get the worst of most +of the encounters in which they had an equal number of our men to deal +with. The reason was plain. They had not the same great motives to spur +them to daring and noble effort; and the whigs fought against them with +more ardor than they would against the British," said Wilson. + +"Captain Edwards was a host. Just think of one man daring to resist the +attack of twenty men, and killing five of them before he was taken. It +seems like the deed of a fabulous hero," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"The case was a desperate one, and demanded desperate conduct. A +surrender would not have saved his life, and might have secured Miss +Williams in the hands of Lewis. By a bold attack, Edwards won new +reputation and alarmed his men, who then saved his life and the honor of +his beloved," said old Harmar, in defence of his hero. + +"I expect they would have murdered the poor man, and then Lewis would +have forced Miss Williams to become his wife--the wretch!" put in Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Nothing would have been too black for his heart, when he had an end in +view. Such men are the most dangerous foes to their fellows, and we +must rejoice when a just punishment overtakes them in their headstrong +career. Many of those who are glorified as great men have possessed the +same unscrupulous disposition. The only difference between them and +Lewis lies in this--they fixed their minds on greater objects," said old +Harmar. + +"What's that for?" inquired Higgins, starting up as the sound of drum +and fife broke on his ear. Mrs. Harmar went to the front window, and +reported that a Volunteer company of soldiers was coming down the +street. The old men instantly crowded round the window, and expressed +their gratification at the sight that presented itself. The volunteers +were neatly uniformed and very precisely drilled. They marched with +the firm and uniform tread of regulars. The "ear-piercing fife and +spirit-stirring drum" discoursed the music sweetest to the ears of the +old warriors, and their eyes brightened and they made an effort to +straighten themselves, as if "the old time came o'er them." They +lingered at the window as long as they could catch the sound, and long +after the volunteers had turned the corner of the street. Perhaps, if we +had possessed sufficient mental insight, we might have been with those +old men in the scenes that came back to their minds like a tide that had +seemed to have ebbed away for ever. We might have been with them where +the drum and fife were as strong drink to the warriors, firing their +hearts and steeling their nerves for the bloody struggle. But we are +left to conjecture what was present to their imaginations by what they +express in conversation. + + +BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. + +"Those fellows look very neat and prim; they march well, and their +muskets are polished very bright. I wonder how they would stand fire," +said Higgins, after the party had seated themselves. + +"I doubt if they would like it as well as parading the streets; but +there may be some stout hearts among them," replied old Harmar. + +"They should have been at Brandywine or Germantown. At either place they +would have had a chance to prove their stuff. Fife and drum would have +been necessary, I think, to stir them up," said Wilson. + +"I paid a visit to Germantown, the other day," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. +"I passed over the chief portion of the battle-ground, and examined +Chew's house, where some of the British took refuge and managed to turn +the fortunes of the day. The house is in a good state of preservation, +and bears many marks of the conflict." + +"I have seen it since the day of the battle, and have also walked over +the neighboring grounds," said Smith "You are wrong in stating that the +troops that threw themselves into that house turned the fortune of the +day. Our defeat was the result of many unlooked-for circumstances, which +no general could have been prepared to meet." + +"I have always understood that the check received by our troops +at Chew's house gave the enemy time to rally, and thus defeated +Washington's plan," replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If it was otherwise, I +should like to be informed of the circumstances." + +"Oh, tell us about the battle of Germantown, Mr. Smith!" exclaimed Mrs. +Harmar. She had some acquaintances at Germantown, and she wished to +astound them by the extent of her information. "Father says he was not +in the battle, being sick at the time. Besides, if he knew, he would +never condescend to tell me about it, when he could find Jackson to talk +to." + +"Why, I'm sure, my child, you never seemed very anxious to know," +replied old Harmar; "but if you will listen to Mr. Smith, you will know +all about it. He was present during the whole battle." + +"Ay; and did my share of the fighting, too," added Smith. "But I'll tell +you how it was; and you, Mr. Harmar, may judge whether our defeat was +owing in any degree to the exertions of the enemy. After General Howe +took possession of Philadelphia, the main body of the British was +encamped at Germantown. Our army lay at Skippack Creek, about sixteen +miles from Germantown. Well, General Washington having received all +the reinforcements he expected, and knowing that the enemy had been +considerably weakened by sending detachments to take possession of the +city and the ports on the river, determined to attempt to surprise them +in their camp. The plan was formed with all the judgment and foresight +we might expect in Washington. We were to march at night for Germantown. +Wayne and Sullivan were to attack the left wing of the enemy in front, +whilst Armstrong, with a body of militia, attacked it in the rear. +Greene and Stephens were to attack the right wing in front, while +Smallwood fell upon its rear. Then there was a strong reserve. Of +course, I was with the Pennsylvania line, under Wayne's command. We +started on the evening of the third of October. I shall never forget +that night's march. It was very dark. We could scarcely see three feet +from us; and, as we wished to move on so as not to be discovered by any +of those who usually gave the enemy information, we carried very few +lanthorns. The road, however, was well known, and we marched rapidly and +surely. As we approached Germantown, we found an evidence that the enemy +were aware of our vicinity, and Wayne determined to attack at once. Just +at dawn of day, a party of Sullivan's troops attacked the picket at the +end of the village, and our whole division rushed on as the picket was +driven in. The surprise was complete. The enemy could not make a stand. +They were broken and routed, and their tents and marquees burnt. We +pushed on, took some prisoners, and drove the British from behind fences +and houses where they had taken shelter. + +"Six companies of a British regiment, under their lieutenant-colonel, +being hard pressed by an advancing column, threw themselves into Chew's +house, and, barricading the lower windows, opened a destructive fire +from the cellars and upper windows. Our troops, finding their musketry +made no impression, were in the act of dragging up their cannon to +batter the walls, when a stratagem was attempted, which, however, failed +of success. An officer galloped up from the house, and cried out, 'What +are you about? You will fire on your own people.' The artillery opened, +but, after fifteen or twenty rounds, the pieces were found to be of too +small calibre to make a serious impression, and were withdrawn. + +"A most daring attempt was then made to fire the building. +Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens, aid-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, with +a few volunteers, rushed up to the house under cover of the smoke, +and applied a burning brand to the principal door, at the same time +exchanging passes with his sword with the enemy on the inside. By almost +a miracle, this gallant officer escaped unharmed, although his clothes +were repeatedly torn by the enemy's shot. Another and equally daring +attempt was made by Major White, aide-de-camp to General Sullivan, but +without as fortunate a result. The major, while in the act of firing one +of the cellar windows, was mortally wounded, and died soon after. + +"Washington accompanied the leading division under Major-General +Sullivan, and cheered his soldiers in their brilliant onset, as they +drove the enemy from point to point. Arriving in the vicinity of Chew's +house, the commander-in-chief halted to consult his officers as to the +best course to be pursued towards this fortress that had so suddenly +and unexpectedly sprung up in the way. The younger officers who were +immediately attached to the person of the chief, and among the choicest +spirits of the Revolution, including Hamilton, Reed, Pinckney, Laurens, +and Lee, were for leaving Chew's house to itself, or of turning the +siege into a blockade, by stationing in its vicinity a body of troops to +watch the movements of the garrison, and pressing on with the column in +pursuit of the flying enemy. But the sages of the army, at the head of +whom was Major-General Knox, repulsed at once the idea of leaving a +fortified enemy in the rear, as contrary to the usages of war and the +most approved military authorities. + +"At this period of the action the fog had become so dense that objects +could scarcely be distinguished at a few yards' distance. We had +penetrated the enemy's camp even to their second line, which was drawn +up to receive us about the centre of Germantown. The ammunition of the +right wing, including the Maryland brigades, became exhausted, the +soldiers holding up their empty cartridge boxes, when their officers +called on them to rally and face the enemy. The extended line of +operations, which embraced nearly two miles, the unfavorable nature +of the ground in the environs of Germantown for the operations of the +troops, a large portion of whom were undisciplined, the ground being +much cut up, and intersected by stone fences and enclosures of various +sorts, the delay of the left wing under Greene in getting into +action--all these causes, combined with an atmosphere so dense from +fog and smoke as to make it impossible to distinguish friend from foe, +produced a retreat in our army at the moment when victory seemed to be +within its grasp. + +"Washington was among the foremost in his endeavors to restore the +fallen fortunes of the day, and, while exerting himself to rally his +broken columns, the exposure of his person became so imminent, that his +officers, after affectionately remonstrating with him in vain, seized +the bridle of his horse. The retreat, under all circumstances, was quite +as favorable as could be expected. The whole of the artillery was saved, +and as many of the wounded as could be removed. The ninth Virginia +regiment, under Colonel Mathews, having penetrated so far as to be +without support, after a desperate resistance, surrendered its remnant +of a hundred men, including its colonel, who had received several +bayonet wounds. The British pursued but two or three miles, making +prisoners of the worn-out soldiers, who, after a night-march of fifteen +miles and an action of three hours, were found exhausted and asleep in +the fields and along the road. + +"I made a narrow escape from being taken by a party of dragoons. They +were nearly upon a small body of us that had got separated from our +division, before we perceived them. I gave the alarm, and we ran on, as +we thought, toward our troops; but the fog was so thick that we mistook +the way, and wandered about for some time in constant risk of being +surrounded by the enemy. At length we stumbled on the main body of +our line, and retreated with them. I never saw a more irritated and +disappointed set of men than our officers on that day. Every one had a +different cause for the repulse. Some said that Greene did not come up +in time to aid Wayne and Sullivan; while others said that Greene had +performed the most effective service during the engagement, and that the +loss of the day was owing to the military prejudices of Knox and some +others, who would halt to attack Chew's house, instead of following up +the advantages already gained. Then the fog was blamed for the confusion +it caused. The fact was, the defeat was owing to many causes combined, +some of which I have mentioned." + +"The attack was certainly skilfully planned and truly executed, in spite +of its want of success," remarked old Harmar. "Your opinion of the +causes of the defeat, Mr. Smith, is that which is now generally adopted. +The halt at Chew's house did not give rise to the retreat of Sullivan's +division. The ammunition of the troops was exhausted, and they were not +aware of Greene's approach until they had begun to fall back. By the +way, did you hear how General Nash was killed?" + +"He was killed by a cannon-ball, I believe," replied Smith. + +"Yes," said old Harmar. "A round-shot from the British artillery +striking a sign-post in Germantown, glanced therefrom, and, passing +through his horse, shattered the general's thigh on the opposite side. +The fall of the animal hurled its unfortunate rider with +considerable force to the ground. With surprising courage and +presence of mind, General Nash, covering his wound with both +of his hands, called to his men, 'Never mind me, I have had a +devil of a tumble; rush on, my boys, rush on the enemy--I'll +be after you presently.' He could do no more. + +Faint from loss of blood and the intense agony of his wound, the +sufferer was borne to a house hard by, and attended by Dr. Craik, by +special order of the commander-in-chief. The doctor gave his patient but +feeble hopes of recovery, even with the chances of amputation, when Nash +observed, 'It may be considered unmanly to complain, but my agony is too +great for human nature to bear. I am aware that my days, perhaps hours, +are numbered, but I do not repine at my fate. I have fallen on the field +of honor, while leading my brave Carolinians to the assault of +the enemy. I have a last request to make of his Excellency, the +commander-in-chief, that he will permit you, my dear doctor, to remain +with me, to protect me while I live, and my remains from insult.' Dr. +Craik assured the general that he had nothing to fear from the enemy; it +was impossible that they would harm him while living, or offer insult +to his remains; that Lord Cornwallis was by this time in the field, +and that, under his auspices, a wounded soldier would be treated with +humanity and respect. The dying patriot and hero then uttered these +memorable words: 'I have no favors to expect from the enemy. I have been +consistent in my principles and conduct since the commencement of the +troubles. From the very first dawn of the Revolution I have ever been +on the side of liberty and my country.' "He lingered in extreme torture +between two and three days, and died admired by his enemies, admired and +lamented by his companions in arms. On Thursday, the ninth of October, +the whole American army was paraded by order of the commander-in-chief, +to perform the funeral obsequies of General Nash." + +"I have heard those who knew him best speak of him as a brave soldier +and a noble-hearted man; and your account of his death assures me of the +truth of their eulogy," remarked Smith. + +"It is said that Washington, seeing that his well-arranged plan was +about to be defeated, could not control his anger and disappointment," +said Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"It is true. Washington, like all very great men, was naturally strongly +passionate. His usual self-command was the more wonderful because it had +been acquired by stern practice. The battle of Germantown was one of +those few occasions in his life when his feelings burst through all +restraint; and then, it is said by those who should know, that his wrath +was fierce and terrible. The officers were compelled, by considerations +of his safety, to lead his horse from the field. He did all that a man +could do to rally his broken troops, and exposed himself as fearlessly +as the bravest soldier. All his exertions were vain, however, and he +became much irritated in consequence." + +"The retreat just when victory was within his grasp was enough to +irritate any commander who valued his aim and plan," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar, agreeing with Smith in the remarks which he had just +made. "I suppose, if Washington had been completely successful at +Germantown, the British would have been driven from Philadelphia," said +Higgins. + +"Ay; and from the vicinity of Philadelphia," replied Smith. "They could +not have recovered from such a defeat." + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE KEGS.] + + +BATTLE OF THE KEGS. + +"Father," said Mr. Jackson Harmar, "I have a song in my portfolio, +written by Francis Hopkinson while the British were in Philadelphia; +perhaps you can tell us something about the event which is the subject +of it. Here it is. It is called 'The Battle of the Kegs.'" + +"The Battle of the Kegs! That I can, my boy. But read the song," replied +old Harmar. His son then read the following facetious ditty: + + + "Gallants, attend, and hear a friend + Trill forth harmonious ditty: + Strange things I'll tell, which late befell + In Philadelphia city. + + Twas early day, as poets say, + Just when the sun was rising, + A soldier stood on log of wood, + And saw a sight surprising. + + As, in amaze, he stood to gaze,-- + The truth can't be denied, sirs,-- + He spied a score--of kegs, or more, + Come floating down the tide, sirs. + A sailor, too, in jerkin blue, + The strange appearance viewing, + First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise, + Then said, 'Some mischief's brewing. + + These kegs now hold the rebels bold, + Pack'd up like pickled herrings + And they're come down to attack the town, + In this new way of ferrying.' + + The soldier flew, the sailor, too, + And, scared almost to death, sirs, + Wore out their shoes to spread the news, + And ran till out of breath, sirs. + + Now up and down, throughout the town, + Most frantic scenes were acted; + And some ran here, and some ran there, + Like men almost distracted. + + Some fire cried, which some denied, + But said the earth had quakèd; + And girls and boys, with hideous noise, + Ran through the town half-naked. + + Sir William he, snug as a flea, + Lay all this time a snoring, + Nor dream'd of harm, as he lay warm, + While all without was roaring. + + Now, in affright, he starts upright, + Awaked by such a clatter: + He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries, + 'For God's sake, what's the matter?' + At his bedside he then espied + Sir Erskine at command, sirs; + Upon one foot he had one boot, + And t'other in his hand, sirs. + + 'Arise! arise!' Sir Erskine cries: + 'The rebels--more's the pity-- + Without a boat, are all afloat, + And ranged before the city. + + 'The motley crew, in vessels new, + With Satan for their guide, sir, + Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs, + Come driving down the tide, sir. + + 'Therefore prepare for bloody war! + These kegs must all be routed; + Or surely we despised shall be, + And British courage doubted.' + + The royal band now ready stand, + All ranged in dread array, sirs; + With stomach stout, to see it out, + And make a bloody day, sirs. + + The cannons roar from shore to shore, + The small arms make a rattle; + Since wars began, I'm sure no man + E'er saw so strange a battle. + + The rebel vales, the rebel dales, + With rebel trees surrounded, + The distant woods, the hills and floods, + With rebel echoes sounded. + The fish below swam to and fro, + Attack'd from every quarter: + Why, sure, thought they, the devil's to pay + 'Mongst folks above the water. + + The kegs, 'tis said, though strongly made, + Of rebel staves and hoops, sirs, + Could not oppose their powerful foes, + The conquering British troops, sirs. + + From morn to night, these men of might + Display'd amazing courage; + And when the sun was fairly down, + Retired to sup their porridge. + + A hundred men, with each a pen, + Or more--upon my word, sirs, + It is most true--would be too few + Their valor to record, sirs. + + Such feats did they perform that day + Upon these wicked kegs, sirs, + That years to come, if they get home, + They'll make their boasts and brags, sirs." + + +"Ha! ha! that's a good thing. The enemy used to be so fond of the word +'rebel' that they would attach it to the most trifling things, when +speaking of our people. Judge Hopkinson ridicules that in fine style," +remarked old Harmar. + +"It ought to be sung to the tune of the 'Hoosier's Ghost,'" said Wilson. + +"Who is the Sir Erskine alluded to in the song?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. +"Sir William Erskine, one of Sir William Howe's officers," replied old +Harmar. "This song created much merriment among the whigs at the time +it was written, so that, however much the enemy were right, we had the +laugh on our side." + +"But what were the circumstances which gave rise to it?" inquired Mr. +Jackson Harmar, impatiently. + +"I was about to tell you," replied his father. "A Mr. David Bushnell +had invented several ingenious articles of submarine machinery, for the +purpose of destroying the British vessels stationed in the Delaware. +Among these was the American torpedo, a machine shaped like a water +tortoise, and managed by a single person. It contained sufficient air to +support respiration thirty minutes without being replenished, valves to +admit or reject water for the purpose of rising or sinking, ballast to +keep it upright, and a seat for the operator. Above the rudder was a +place for carrying a large powder magazine, constructed from two pieces +of oak timber, and capable of carrying one hundred and fifty pounds of +powder, with the apparatus for firing it. Within the magazine was an +apparatus constructed to run any proposed length of time under twelve +hours, after which it sprung a strong lock similar to that of a gun, +which gave fire to the powder. This apparatus was so secured that it +could be set in motion only by the casting off of the magazine from the +vessel. + +"With this machine a skilful operator could swim so low on the surface +of the water, as to approach at night very near to a ship without being +discovered. After sinking quickly, he could keep at any necessary depth, +and row to a great distance in any direction, without coming to the +surface. Bushnell found, however, that much trial and instruction were +required for a man of common ingenuity to become a skilful manager. It +was first tried by his brother, who, unfortunately, was taken ill at the +time when he had become an able operator. Another person was procured, +and the first experiment tried upon the Eagle, a sixty-four, which Lord +Howe commanded in person. He went under the ship, and attempted to fix +the wooden screw into her bottom, but struck, as was supposed, a bar +of iron running from the rudder-hinge. Not being well skilled in the +management of the machine, he lost the ship in attempting to move to +another place; and, after seeking her in vain for some time, rowed a +little distance and rose to the surface. Daylight had now advanced so +that the attempt could not be renewed, and, fearing he was discovered, +he detached the magazine from his vessel and escaped. In an hour the +powder exploded, throwing a vast column of water to an amazing height, +and leaving the enemy to conjecture whether it was caused by a bomb, a +water-spout, or an earthquake. Want of resources obliged Mr. Bushnell to +abandon his schemes for that time; but, in 1777, he made an attempt from +a whale-boat against the Cerberus frigate, by drawing a machine against +her side with a line. It accidentally became attached to a schooner and +exploded, tearing the vessel in pieces. Three men were killed, and one +dangerously wounded. + +"In December, 1777, Mr. Bushnell contrived another ingenious expedient +for accomplishing his favorite object. He charged a number of kegs +with powder, arranging them so as to explode on coming in contact with +anything while floating along the tide. This squadron was launched +at night on the Delaware river, above the English shipping; but, +unfortunately, the proper distance could not be well ascertained, and +they were set adrift too far from the vessels, so that they became +obstructed and dispersed by the floating ice. On the following day, +however, one of them blew up a boat, and others exploded, occasioning +the greatest consternation among the British seamen. The troops were +aroused, and, with the sailors, manned the wharves and shipping at +Philadelphia, discharging their cannon and small-arms at everything they +could see floating in the river during the ebb tide. + +"The scene must have been a very ridiculous one, and we cannot wonder +at Judge Hopkinson making such comic use of it. The British must have +imagined that every keg was the visible part of a torpedo, intended for +their destruction." + +"We cannot wonder at their consternation, while in constant danger of +being blown into the air," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Just place yourself +in their position; and, knowing that several attempts had been made to +blow up the ships, how would you have acted?" + +"I should have made quite as much noise, I suppose," replied old Harmar; +"but then it was so laughable. I don't think the folks aboard of those +ships slept for a week after finding that there was powder in the kegs. +That, I believe, was Bushnell's last attempt to destroy the fleet." + +"For my part," remarked Wilson, "I never liked such contrivances; and it +is a very pregnant fact that in most cases they have failed, when, from +the skill and science displayed in their construction, success was +anticipated. It's my opinion, God works against such things. As much +as I hated the enemy, I could not sanction such wholesale murder--for +murder it would have been, to have sent hundreds of men into eternity, +without giving them an inch of fair fighting ground. I would not have +minded blowing up the British government--that I could have done myself +without any more sting of conscience than the hangman feels; but +soldiers and seamen fight fairly and openly for their country's honor +and rights, as they understand those things, and they should be met in +the same manner." + +"You're right, Mr. Wilson. Torpedoes, catamarans, and such inventions, +might be employed by both parties in war, and with destructive effect. +But wars ought to be conducted in such a manner as to gain the desired +end with as little loss of life as possible; besides, in the eyes of all +really brave men, these things must seem cowardly," said Morton. + +"You must permit me to differ with you, gentlemen," put in Mr. Jackson +Harmar; and, in a very dignified, Congressional style, he delivered +himself of the following defence of the innovations of modern warfare: +"I view all such contrivances as the triumph of the genius and skill of +man over mere brute force, and as tending to the great ends of the peace +and happiness of mankind. They place the weak upon a level with the +strong, and make it evident to every one that the best course would be +to submit all questions of right to the arbitration of the mind instead +of the arm and sword. Suppose I, being a small, weak man, should quarrel +with a man of great physical strength, and a hatred to the death should +be declared between us. Now, upon whichever side the bone of right lay, +the strong man would have the power to destroy me; but if I set my brain +to work, and contrive an 'infernal machine,' I shall be superior to him, +and drive him to the same resource. Now, we both see by this, that we +stand an even chance of being destroyed, and reason resumes her reign. +We see that the wisest and safest course for both would be to submit +the question involved in the quarrel to the judgment of a mutual and +impartial friend. Even so these inventions operate among nations, +which, by the way, should be ruled by the same general principles as +individuals." + +"That's all very true," remarked Wilson. "But if I was about to fight +a duel with a man, and I stood up, pistol in hand, while he stood off +beyond my reach, and with some infernal invention endeavored to kill me, +I should call him a coward." + +"That would not settle the dispute," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Your +wisest course would be to equal his invention, and compel him to fight +fairly or make peace." + + +ARNOLD'S TREASON. + +"Many strange and many laughable public events occurred in Philadelphia +during the Revolution," said old Harmar. "I was with the army during the +greater part of the time, but our family remained in the city, and kept +me advised of everything that was going on. I was engaged to be married +to your mother, Jackson, before the war commenced, and I had to leave +her in Philadelphia also, until the war was over. She used to write me +letters, telling me about everything that passed in the city that was +interesting. I recollect in one letter she gave me an account of how the +news of Arnold's treason was received among the people." + +"With blessings on the traitor's head, of course," remarked Wilson, +ironically. + +"I could imagine how it was received," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "The +people were indignant and cursed the traitor." + +"The people of Philadelphia knew Arnold's real character," replied old +Harmar. "They knew, from his residence among them, that he was capable +of selling his soul for gold, glory, and pleasure; but they did not +suspect him of any intention of leaving our cause entirely. They thought +he would see that it was for his interest to stand by his country's +rights. While in command in this city, Arnold had been very intimate +with several wealthy tory families, and I believe had married a lady +who was connected with them. But such an intimacy was not sufficient to +justify suspicions of his patriotism, if it had not been joined with +other circumstances. He gave great entertainments at his house, and +lived as if he was worth a mint of money. Then he was always in trouble +with the committees of Congress about money matters, which made +people generally believe that he cared more for gold than he did for +principles. Well, when the news of his discovered treachery reached +Philadelphia, the men with whom he had been wrangling about money said +they knew it would turn out just so, and they never expected anything +else; and the citizens generally were very indignant. They chose some +laughable ways of showing the state of their feelings. An artist +constructed a stuffed figure of the traitor, as large as life, and +seated him in a cart, with a figure of the devil alongside of him, +holding a lantern so as to show his face to the people. The words, +'Benedict Arnold, the Traitor,' were placed on a board over the head +of the first figure. An evening was appointed for the display, and the +hanging and burning of the effigy. A vast procession was formed, with +the cart at the head, and drums and fife playing the Rogues' March. This +paraded the streets of the city during the whole evening. The people +groaned and hissed, and pelted the figures as they passed. At length the +procession reached a common which had been selected for the purpose, and +on which a gallows had been erected. There the effigy was hung, and then +taken down and burnt. In the fire, the figure of old Nick was arranged +with one hand upon Arnold's head, and the other pointing below, while he +grinned as if over a triumph." + +"An appropriate ceremony," said Wilson. + +"It must have been a great sight," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"They should have caught the man himself, and burnt him instead of a +stuffed figure," said Higgins. + +"It would have saved Andre," remarked Smith. + +"The scoundrel!" exclaimed Morton. "He ought to have been put to death +with all the torture the Indians use with their captives." + +These slight remarks indicated the peculiar manner in which each of +these individuals viewed a subject. + +"The British generals expected that Arnold's example would be followed +by numbers of the Americans; but I think they soon saw the character of +the people, and the way they regarded Arnold," said old Harmar. + +"It's my opinion that Arnold's going over to the enemy was a benefit to +our cause," remarked Smith. "Such men are stains upon the character of +the people with whom they associate; and if a selfish, sensual traitor +was fit company for Sir Henry Clinton and his officers, he was not for +Washington and the other generals of our army." "Some of our people +thought that he would prove a dangerous foe; but, after the attack on +New London, all his activity and bravery seem to have fallen asleep. We +had many men who could have met and defeated him, with anything like +equal force. We did not lose much by his treachery, and the British lost +Andre, who would have outweighed many Arnolds," said Morton. + +"But treason found its reward," observed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If Arnold +had an atom of conscience or sensibility to shame, the curses of a whole +people, whom he had turned from admiring friends to bitter foes, and +the jeers and scorn of those whom he wished to make friends, must have +planted many a thorn in his bosom, to rankle and poison his life." + +"If he had any conscience?" remarked Morton, with an unbelieving smile. + +"The people of Philadelphia showed that they had the true patriotic +spirit in them, in burning that effigy of Arnold," said Mr. Jackson +Harmar; "and taught the enemy that, though they might buy one man, they +could not hire a people to follow wrong example." + + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. + +"Well, leaving Arnold to the execration of all patriotic and pure-souled +men," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar, assuming the post of pilot to the +conversation, "there is an exploit of the Revolution which always struck +me as being one of the most daring and perilous to be found in the +annals of war. I mean the capture of Major-General Prescott by Major +Barton. If either of you, gentlemen, know the circumstances of that +affair, I would be obliged to you for your information." + +"I don't know as much about it as you may obtain from history," +replied old Harmar, speaking for himself. "Our line was in another +neighborhood." + +"I should suppose Mr. Morton was acquainted with the facts, as he was up +in that part of the country about that time," observed Wilson. + +"I was; and do know all that one engaged in the expedition might tell +me," replied Morton. "Furthermore, I have no objection to communicating +my information.--I would thank you for a glass of water, Mrs. Harmar." +The water was handed to the old man, and, after a refreshing draught, he +proceeded with his narrative. + +"You must know, that in the latter part of 1771 General Charles Lee was +surprised and taken prisoner by a detachment of British troops. This +was the result of his own carelessness. The British chuckled over his +capture, saying that they had caught the American palladium, as if Lee +was at all necessary to the success of our cause. However, the Americans +considered him a valuable officer, and Major William Barton, of the +Rhode Island line, resolved upon retaking him or procuring his exchange. + +"Some months elapsed, after the capture of General Lee, before an +opportunity offered of effecting the object which Major Barton had +in view. In the month following that of the capture, the enemy took +possession of the islands of Rhode-Island, Canonicut, and Prudence. +Major Barton was then stationed at Tiverton, and for some months +anxiously watched the motions of the enemy, with but feeble prospect of +obtaining the opportunity he desired. + +"At length, on the 20th June, 1777, a man by the name of Coffin, who +made his escape from the British, was seized by some of the American +troops, and carried to Major Barton's quarters. Major Barton availed +himself of the opportunity to inquire respecting the disposition of the +British forces. Coffin on examination, stated that Major-General +Richard Prescott had established his head-quarters on the west side of +Rhode-Island, and described minutely the situation of the house in which +he resided, which he said was owned by a Mr. Pering. His account was +a few days after confirmed by a deserter from the ranks of the enemy. +Major Barton was now confirmed in his belief of the practicability of +effecting his favorite object:--but serious obstacles were first to be +encountered and removed. Neither his troops, nor their commander, had +been long inured to service; and the intended enterprise was of a nature +as novel as it was hazardous. Besides, Major Barton was aware that the +undertaking, should it prove unsuccessful, would be pronounced rash and +unadvised, and, in its consequences, though his life might be preserved, +be followed by degradation and disgrace. Moreover, to involve in the +consequences of an enterprise, devised and undertaken without previous +consultation with his superiors in rank, the interest and perhaps the +lives of a portion of his brave countrymen, was a subject that excited +reflections calculated to damp the ardor and appall the courage of the +bravest minds. Still, however, upon mature reflection, aided by a +consciousness that its only motive was the interest of his country, he +resolved to hazard his reputation and his life in the attempt. + +"The regiment to which Major Barton was attached, was commanded by +Colonel Stanton, a respectable and wealthy farmer in Rhode-Island, who, +in the spirit of the times, had abandoned the culture of his farm and +the care of his family, and put at hazard his property and his life in +defence of his country. To this gentleman Major Barton communicated his +plan, and solicited permission to carry it into execution. Colonel +Stanton readily authorized him 'to attack the enemy when and where he +pleased.' Several officers in the confidence of Major Barton were +then selected from the regiment for the intended expedition, on whose +abilities and bravery he could rely:--these were, Captain Samuel +Phillips, Lieutenant Joshua Babcock, Ensign Andrew Stanton, and John +Wilcock. (Captain Adams subsequently volunteered his services, and took +an active part in the enterprise.) These gentlemen were informed by +Major Barton, that he had in contemplation an enterprise which would be +attended with great personal hazard to himself and his associates; but +which, if success attended it, would be productive of much advantage +to the country. Its particular object, he stated, would be seasonably +disclosed to them. It was at their option to accept or decline his +invitation to share with him in the dangers, and, as he trusted, in the +glory that would attend the undertaking. The personal bravery of Major +Barton had been previously tested; and such was the confidence and +esteem which he had acquired among the officers under his command, +that, without insisting upon a previous developement of his plans, +his proposal was immediately accepted. Major Barton experienced more +difficulty in obtaining the necessary number of boats, as there were but +two in the vicinity. But this difficulty, though it caused a few days' +delay, was at length obviated, and five whale-boats were procured and +fitted for service. Major Barton had purposely postponed procuring the +necessary number of men until the last moment, from an apprehension that +their earlier selection might excite suspicion, and defeat the object +of their enterprise. Desirous that this little band might be composed +entirely of volunteers, the whole regiment was now ordered upon parade. +In a short, but animated address, Major Barton informed the soldiers +that he projected an expedition against the enemy, which could be +effected only by the heroism and bravery of those who should attend him; +that he desired the voluntary assistance of about forty of their number, +and directed those 'who would hazard their lives in the enterprise, +to advance two paces in front.' Without one exception, or a moment's +hesitation, the whole regiment advanced. Major Barton, after bestowing +upon the troops the applause they merited, and stating that he required +the aid of but a small portion of their number, commenced upon the +right, and, passing along the lines, selected from the regiment, to +the number of thirty-six, those who united to bravery and discipline +a competent knowledge of seamanship, for the management of the boats. +Having thus obtained an adequate number of officers and men, and +everything being ready, the party, on the 4th of July, 1777, embarked +from Tiverton for Bristol. While crossing Mount Hope Bay, there arose a +severe storm of thunder and rain, which separated three boats from that +of their commander. The boat containing Major Barton, and one other, +arrived at Bristol soon after midnight. Major Barton proceeded to the +quarters of the commanding officer, where he found a deserter who had +just made his escape from the enemy at Rhode-Island. From this man he +learned that there had been no alteration for the last few days in the +position of the British. On the morning of the fifth, the remaining +boats having arrived, Major Barton, with his officers, went to Hog +Island, not far distant from Bristol, and within view of the British +encampment and shipping. It was at this place that he disclosed to +his officers the particular object of the enterprise, his reasons for +attempting it, and the part each was to perform. Upon reconnoitring +the position of the enemy, it was thought impracticable, without great +hazard of capture, to proceed directly from Bristol to the head-quarters +of the British general. It was determined, therefore, to make Warwick +Neck, a place opposite to the British encampment, but at a greater +distance than Bristol, the point from which they should depart +immediately for Rhode-Island. The closest secrecy was enjoined upon his +officers by Major Barton, and they returned to Bristol. + +"On the evening of the sixth, about nine o'clock, the little squadron +again sailed, and crossing Narragansett Bay, landed on Warwick Neck. +On the seventh, the wind changing to E.N.E. brought on a storm, and +retarded their plan. On the ninth, the weather being pleasant, it was +determined to embark for the island. The boats were now numbered, and +the place of every officer and soldier assigned. About nine o'clock in +the evening, Major Barton assembled his little party around him, and in +a short but spirited address, in which were mingled the feelings of the +soldier and the man, he disclosed to them the object of the enterprise. +He did not attempt to conceal the danger and difficulties that would +inevitably attend the undertaking; nor did he forget to remind them, +that should their efforts be followed by success, they would be entitled +to, and would receive, the grateful acknowledgments of their country. +'It is probable,' said he, 'that some of us may not survive the daring +attempt; but I ask you to hazard no dangers which will not be shared +with you by your commander; and I pledge to you my honor, that in every +difficulty and danger I will take the lead.' He received the immediate +and unanimous assurance of the whole party, that they would follow +wherever their commander should lead them. Major Barton then, reminding +them how much the success of the enterprise depended upon their strict +attention to orders, directed that each individual should confine +himself to his particular seat in the boat assigned him, and that not +a syllable should be uttered by any one. He instructed them, as they +regarded their character as patriots and soldiers, that in the hour +of danger they should be firm, collected, and resolved fearlessly to +encounter the dangers and difficulties that might assail them. He +concluded by offering his earnest petition to the Great King of Armies, +that he would smile upon their intended enterprise, and crown it with +success. The whole party now proceeded to the shore. Major Barton had +reason to apprehend that he might be discovered in his passage from the +main to Rhode-Island, by some of the ships of war that lay at a small +distance from shore. He therefore directed the commanding officer at +Warwick Neck, that if he heard the report of three distinct muskets, to +send boats to the north end of Prudence Island to his aid. The whole +party now took possession of the boats in the manner directed. That +which contained Major Barton was posted in front, with a pole about +ten feet long fixed in her stern, to the end of which was attached a +handkerchief, in order that his boat might be distinguished from the +others, and that none might go before it. In this manner they proceeded +between the islands of Prudence and Patience, in order that they might +not be seen by the shipping of the enemy that lay off Hope Island. While +passing the north end of Prudence Island, they heard from the sentinels +on board the shipping of the enemy, the cry of 'All's well!' As they +approached the shore of Rhode-Island, a noise like the running of horses +was heard, which threw a momentary consternation over the minds of the +whole party; but, in strict conformity to the orders issued, not a word +was spoken by any one. A moment's reflection satisfied Major Barton of +the utter impossibility that his designs could be known by the enemy, +and he pushed boldly for the shore. Apprehensive that, if discovered, +the enemy might attempt to cut off his retreat, Major Barton ordered +one man to remain in each boat, and be prepared to depart at a +moment's warning. The remainder of the party landed without delay. The +reflections of Major Barton at this interesting moment, were of a +nature the most painful. The lapse of a few hours would place him in a +situation in the highest degree gratifying to his ambition, or overwhelm +him in the ruin in which his rashness would involve him. In the solemn +silence of night, and on the shores of the enemy, he paused a moment to +consider a plan which had been projected and matured amidst the bustle +of a camp and in a place of safety. The night was excessively dark, and, +a stranger to the country, his sole reliance upon a direct and rapid +movement to the head-quarters of a British general, so essential to +success, rested upon the imperfect information he had acquired from +deserters from the enemy. Should he surprise and secure General +Prescott, he was aware of the difficulties that would attend his +conveyance to the boat; the probability of an early and fatal discovery +of his design by the troops upon the island; and, even if he should +succeed in reaching the boats, it was by no means improbable that the +alarm might be seasonably given to the shipping, to prevent his retreat +to the main. But regardless of circumstances, which even then would have +afforded an apology for a hasty retreat, he resolved at all hazards to +attempt the accomplishment of his designs. + +"To the head-quarters of General Prescott, about a mile from the shore, +a party in five divisions now proceeded in silence. There were doors on +the south, the east and west sides of the house in which he resided. The +first division was ordered to advance upon the south door, the second +the west, and the third the east, the fourth to guard the road, and the +fifth to act in emergencies. In their march they passed the guard-house +of the enemy on their left, and on their right a house occupied by a +company of cavalry, for the purpose of carrying with expedition the +orders of the general to remote parts of the island. On arriving +at the head-quarters of the enemy, as the gate of the front yard was +opened, they were challenged by a sentinel on guard. The party was at +the distance of twenty-five yards from the sentinel, but a row of +trees partially concealed them from his view, and prevented him from +determining their number. No reply was made to the challenge of the +sentinel, and the party proceeded on in silence. The sentinel again +demanded, 'Who comes there?' 'Friends,' replied Barton. 'Friends,' says +the sentinel, 'advance and give the countersign.' + +"Major Barton, affecting to be angry, said to the sentinel, who was now +near him, 'Damn you, we have no countersign--have you seen any rascals +to-night?' and, before the sentinel could determine the character of +those who approached him, Major Barton had seized his musket, told him +he was a prisoner, and threatened, in case of noise or resistance, to +put him to instant death. The poor fellow was so terrified, that upon +being asked whether his general was in the house, he was for some time +unable to give any answer. At length, in a faltering voice, he replied +that he was. By this time each division having taken its station, the +south door was burst open by the direction of Major Barton, and the +division there stationed, with their commander at their head, rushed +into the head-quarters of the general. At this critical moment, one of +the British soldiers effected his escape, and fled to the quarters of +the main guard. This man had no article of clothing upon him but a +shirt; and having given the alarm to the sentinel on duty, passed on +to the quarters of the cavalry, which was more remote from the +head-quarters of the general. The sentinel roused the main guard, who +were instantly in arms, and demanded the cause of alarm. He stated the +information which had been given him by the soldier, which appeared so +incredible to the sergeant of the guard that he insisted that he had +seen a ghost. The sentinel, to whom the account of the general's capture +appeared quite as incredible as to his commanding officer, admitted that +the messenger was clothed in white; and after submitting to the jokes +of his companions, as a punishment for his credulity, he was ordered to +resume his station, while the remainder of the guard retired to their +quarters. It was fortunate for Major Barton and his brave followers, +that the alarm given by the soldier was considered groundless. Had the +main guard proceeded without delay to the relief of their commanding +general, his rescue certainly, and probably the destruction of the +party, would have been the consequence. + +"The first room Major Barton entered was occupied by Mr. Pering, who +positively denied that General Prescott was in the house. He next +entered the room of his son, who was equally obstinate with his father +in denying that the general was there. Major Barton then proceeded +to other apartments, but was still disappointed in the object of +his search. Aware that longer delay might defeat the object of his +enterprise, Major Barton resorted to stratagem to facilitate his +search. Placing himself at the head of the stairway, and declaring +his resolution to secure the general dead or alive, he ordered +[Illustration: CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT.] his soldiers to set fire +to the house. The soldiers were preparing to execute his orders, when +a voice, which Major Barton at once suspected to be the general's, +demanded 'What's the matter?' Major Barton rushed to the apartment from +whence the voice proceeded, and discovered an elderly man just rising +from his bed, and clapping his hand upon his shoulder, demanded of +him if he was General Prescott. He answered 'Yes, sir.' 'You are my +prisoner, then,' said Major Barton. 'I acknowledge that I am,' replied +the general. In a moment, General Prescott found himself, half dressed, +in the arms of the soldiers, who hurried him from the house. In the +meantime, Major Barrington, the aid to General Prescott, discovering +that the house was attacked by the rebels, as he termed them, leaped +from the window of his bed-chamber, and was immediately secured a +prisoner. General Prescott, supported by Major Barton and one of his +officers, and attended by Major Barrington and the sentinel, proceeded, +surrounded by the soldiery, to the shore. Upon seeing the five little +boats, General Prescott, who knew the position of the British shipping, +appeared much confused, and, turning to Major Barton, inquired if he +commanded the party. On being informed that he did, he expressed a hope +that no personal injury was intended him; and Major Barton assured the +general of his protection, while he remained under his control. + +"The general had travelled from head-quarters to the shore in his +waistcoat, small-clothes, and slippers. A moment was now allowed him to +complete his dress, while the party were taking possession of the boats. +The general was placed in the boat with Major Barton, and they proceeded +for the main. + +"They had not got far from the island, when the discharge of cannon and +three sky-rockets gave the signal of alarm. It was fortunate for the +party that the enemy on board the shipping were ignorant of the cause +of it, for they might easily have cut off their retreat. The signal +of alarm excited the apprehensions of Major Barton and his brave +associates, and redoubled their exertions to reach the point of their +destination before they could be discovered. They succeeded, and +soon after day-break landed at Warwick Neck, near the point of their +departure, after an absence of six hours and a half. + +"General Prescott turned towards the island, and, observing the ships +of war, remarked to Major Barton, 'Sir, you have made a bold push +to-night.' 'We have been fortunate,' replied the hero. An express was +immediately sent forward to Major-General Spencer, at Providence, +communicating the success which had attended the enterprise. Not long +afterwards, a coach arrived, which had been despatched by General +Spencer to convey General Prescott and his aide-de-camp prisoners to +Providence. They were accompanied by Major Barton, who related to +General Spencer, on their arrival, the particulars of the enterprise, +and received from that officer the most grateful acknowledgments for the +signal services he had rendered to his country." + +"I suppose Prescott paid for Lee soon afterwards?" said young Harmar. +"Yes; he was an officer of equal rank with Lee. The enemy had refused to +exchange Lee for two or three officers of an inferior grade, but they +were ready enough to take Prescott for him," replied Morton. + +"It was as complete an enterprise as was ever carried through," remarked +old Harmar. + +"The poor general must have been surprised to find he was a prisoner, +when he thought himself safe among an army and fleet," observed Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Major Barton was every inch a hero. See his skill and daring in +planning and executing the capture, and then his modesty when Prescott +said he had made a bold push--'We have been fortunate.' The reply was +worthy of the noblest of the Athenians," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Circumstances did certainly favor the enterprise," said Smith. "In +fact, we may say its success turned upon chances, and if it had failed +and the whole party been made prisoners, Major Barton would have been +called a rash and inconsiderate officer. Success works wonders in our +estimate of deeds." + +"You are harsh. Barton calculated the chances before he entered into the +expedition--saw that they were in his favor, and then formed his plan. +I am persuaded that, had he failed, his countrymen would have done him +justice," said Wilson. + +"Perhaps," replied Higgins. + + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY. + +"I say, Mr. Higgins," said old Harmar, wishing to change the subject, +"do you recollect Jonathan Riley and Frank Lilly, that were in our +company?" + +"I do. I shall never forget the death of either of them," replied +Higgins. "Poor Frank used to be the butt of the regiment." + +"And why shall you always remember the death of those two men?" inquired +Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Well, from peculiar circumstances connected with them," replied +Higgins. "However, your father knew them most intimately, and he can +tell you more about them than I can." + +"Come, father, we call on you for the story," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"You shall have what I can recollect of it, my child. My memory won't +pass muster any more; but if there's one event that will never escape +its grasp, it is the singular death of Jonathan Riley. He was a sergeant +in our regiment. + +[Illustration: RILEY GOING TO THE PLACE OF EXECUTION.] + +He had served in the old French war, and, being a man of tried +courage and presence of mind, he was usually selected for dangerous and +trying situations. He was at length placed on a recruiting station, and +in a short period he enlisted a great number of men. Among his recruits +was Frank Lilly, a boy about sixteen years old, who was so weak and +small that he would not have passed muster if the array had not been +greatly in want of men. The soldiers made this boy the butt of their +ridicule, and many a joke was perpetrated at his expense. Yet there was +a spirit in the boy beyond his years. Riley was greatly attached to him; +and it was reported, on good authority, that he was the fruit of one of +Riley's love affairs with a beautiful and unfortunate girl. + +"Often on our long and fatiguing marches, dying almost from want, +harassed incessantly by the enemy, did Riley carry the boy's knapsack +for miles, and many a crust for the poor wretch was saved from his +scanty allowance. But Frank Lilly's resolution was once the cause +of saving the whole detachment. The American army was encamped at +Elizabethtown. The soldiers stationed about four miles from the main +body, near the bay that separated the continent from Staten-Island, +forming an advance picket-guard, were chosen from a southern regiment, +and were continually deserting. It was a post of some danger, as the +young ambitious British officers, or experienced sergeants, often headed +parties that approached the shore in silence, during the night, and +attacked our outposts. Once they succeeded in surprising and capturing +an officer and twenty men, without the loss of a man on their part. +General Washington determined to relieve the forces near the bay, +and our regiment was the one from which the selection was made. The +arrangement of our guard, as near as I can recollect, was as follows: + +"A body of two hundred and fifty men was stationed a short distance +inland. In advance of these were several outposts, consisting of an +officer and thirty men each. The sentinels were so near as to meet in +their rounds, and were relieved every two hours. It chanced one dark and +windy night, that Lilly and myself were sentinels on adjoining posts. +All the sentinels were directed to fire on the least alarm, and retreat +to the guard, where we were to make the best defence we could, until +supported by the detachment in our rear. In front of me was a strip of +woods, and the bay was so near that I could hear the dashing of the +waves. It was near midnight, and occasionally a star was to be seen +through the flying clouds. The hours passed heavily and cheerlessly +away. The wind at times roared through the adjoining woods with +astonishing violence. In a pause of the storm, as the wind died suddenly +away, and was heard only moaning at a distance, I was startled by an +unusual noise in the woods before me. Again I listened attentively, and +imagined that I heard the heavy tread of a body of men, and the rattling +of cartridge boxes. As I met Lilly, I informed him of my suspicions. All +had been quiet in the rounds, but he promised to keep a good watch, and +fire on the least alarm. We separated, and I had marched but a few rods, +when I heard the following conversation. 'Stand.' The answer was from +a speaker rapidly approaching, and in a low constrained voice. 'Stand +yourself, and you shall not be injured. If you fire, you are a dead man. +If you remain where you are, you shall not be harmed. If you move, I +will run you through.' + +"Scarcely had he spoken, when I saw the flash, and heard the report of +Lilly's gun. I saw a black mass rapidly advancing, at which I fired, and +with all the sentinels retreated to the guard, consisting of thirty men, +commanded by an ensign. An old barn had served them for a guard-house, +and they barely had time to turn out, and parade in the road, as the +British were getting over a fence within six rods of us, to the number +of eighty, as we supposed. We fired upon them, and retreated in good +order towards the detachment in the rear. The enemy, disappointed of +their expected prey, pushed us hard, but we were soon reinforced, and +they, in their turn, were compelled to retreat, and we followed them +at their heels to the boats. We found the next morning that poor Frank +Lilly, after discharging his musket, was followed so close by the enemy +that he was unable to get over a fence, and he was run through with +a bayonet. It was apparent, however, that there had been a violent +struggle; for in front of his post was a British non-commissioned +officer, one of the best formed men I ever saw, shot directly through +the body. He died in great agonies, as the ground was torn up with his +hands, and he had literally bitten the dust. We discovered long traces +of blood, but never knew the extent of the enemy's loss. Poor Riley +took Lilly's death so much to heart that he never afterwards was the man +he previously had been. He became indifferent, and neglected his duty. +There was something remarkable in the manner of his death. He was +tried for his life, and sentenced to be shot. During the trial and +subsequently, he discovered an indifference truly astonishing. On the +day of his execution, the fatal cap was drawn over his eyes, and he was +caused to kneel in front of the whole army. Twelve men were detailed for +the purpose of executing him, but a pardon had been granted, unknown to +Riley, in consequence of his age and services; they had no cartridges. +The word 'ready' was given, and the cocking of guns could be distinctly +heard. At the word 'fire,' Riley fell dead upon his face, when not a gun +had been discharged." + +"That was a remarkable death; but there have been many instances of +a similar kind. The dread of death has been sufficient to produce it +without a mortal blow," remarked Wilson. + +"But I cannot believe that Riley ever felt a dread of death. He was +always as reckless of his own life as if it was not of the value of a +pin's head. No; it was not the dread of death," replied old Harmar. + +"It may have been the belief that death was certainly about to visit +him. Imagination may produce effects quite as wonderful," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar. + +"It's a waste of time and thought to speculate on such things," said +Smith. "But I'm inclined to believe, with young Mr. Harmar, that it was +the result of imagination. A man hearing the word 'fire,' in such a +case, would feel sure of death, and then his faculties would sink into +the expected state." + +"I guess Riley's heart must have been almost broken at the death of poor +Frank Lilly," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he felt it deeper than most of us thought, and as I said, became +perfectly indifferent whether his duty was performed or not," replied +old Harmar. "The whole story of Riley and Lilly, including the account +of the love affair, was a sad bit of romance." + + +THE MASSACRE OF WYOMING. + +"The people of Pennsylvania," observed Morton, "suffered more from the +tories and Indians than they did from the British. Philadelphia and +its vicinity were the only parts which any considerable British force +visited; but look at the depredations of the tories and Indians on +the northern and western frontiers, and at the massacre at Wyoming +particularly." + +"Ay, there were suffering and horror enough experienced in that valley +alone, to match those of any other event in our history. It was a time +of blood and desolation," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I was intimately acquainted with several families residing in the +valley at the time of the massacre," said Morton; "and one man, who +was taken prisoner after seeing his whole family slaughtered, and who +afterwards escaped from the bloody band, narrated the whole affair to +me." + +"There is considerable dispute in regard to the circumstances attending +the massacre. It seems impossible to get at the precise truth," observed +Mrs. Harmar. "It's my opinion, the horrors of the event have been +greatly exaggerated," added Smith. + +"I do not think they could be exaggerated," replied Morton. "If you +desire it, I will relate the circumstances as they were narrated to me. +I can vouch for the strict regard to truth that has ever distinguished +my friend." + +Of course, the company signified their desire to hear the account, and +thereupon Morton began as follows. + +"Wyoming, besides being a frontier settlement during the course of the +Revolutionary war, and therefore constantly exposed to the inroads of +the savages, had furnished two full companies, and about sixty recruits +more, for the main army--all which were annexed to the Connecticut line, +and armed at their own expense. They amounted, in the whole, to two +hundred and thirty men. While thus weakened and unguarded, they were +invaded by an army from Niagara, in the British service, composed of +regulars, tories, and Indians; of which the Indians composed the greater +part. + +"The Indians, in the spring of 1777, began to be troublesome. Their +numbers were frequently augmented by the arrival of new parties; and it +was from the cattle, hogs, and other plunder taken from the inhabitants, +that they furnished themselves with provisions. Some of the inhabitants +were killed by them, and others captured; and they destroyed much +property. At length they became very formidable. + +"The inhabitants had erected several small forts, but the principal one +was Forty Fort, in Kingston, on the west side of the river, a small +distance above Wyoming Falls. To this the settlers had chiefly resorted. +They had sent agents to the continental army to acquaint them with their +distressed situation; in consequence of which, Captain Spaulding, with +about sixty or seventy men, was dispatched to their assistance. This +detachment was, at the time of the massacre, about forty miles distant. +The garrison had been apprised of their march from Lancaster, but not of +their proximity. + +"The people in the garrison grew uneasy, under the insults of the +invaders. The militia were placed under officers taken from themselves, +and the whole body was commanded by Colonel Zebulon Butler, of the +continental army. Colonel Dennison, of the militia, was second in +command. There was a fortification about three miles above Forty Fort, +called Wintermoot's Fort. This was in the possession of tories. They +surrendered at the approach of the enemy, without opposition, and gave +them aid; some of them entering fully into their interests. Wintermoot's +Fort instantly became the headquarters of the expedition from Canada; +and was commanded by Colonel John Butler, a British officer, and +commander of a party of rangers. The second in command was Colonel +Brandt, a natural son of Sir William Johnson, by an Indian woman. Some +communications by flag had taken place between the hostile parties +previous to the battle, with propositions of compromise. The Canadians +insisted on an unqualified submission to Great Britain; but this the +garrison peremptorily refused, and nothing was effected. The reciprocal +bearers of flags represented the army of the invaders as double the +garrison in number, and still more superior in the quality of their +arms. + +"It was debated in the garrison, whether it would be a point of prudence +to hazard a sally. An officer, who had been at the enemy's camp with a +flag, opposed it, as did also Colonel Dennison and several others, and +Colonel Butler rather declined it; but, among others who were in favor +of it, a certain captain, (who never lived to lament his temerity,) +urged it with so much vehemence, that the commandant consented. A Mr. +Ingersol, then in the garrison with a flag from the enemy, had been some +time their captive, and was intimately acquainted with their strength. +He did his utmost to deter them from the rash attempt, but all in vain; +and, when he saw them turn out and parade, could no longer refrain from +tears. + +"The third day of July, in the year 1778, was the fatal day that deluged +in blood the plains of Wyoming! The garrison marched off in a solid +column, and met with no material obstruction till they reached the +enemy's camp, about three miles above Forty Fort. Here they had the +Susquehanna on the right, and a thick swamp on the left; and, perceiving +that the enemy extended from the one to the other, ready to receive +them, they displayed column, which threw them into a similar position. +Colonel Zebulon Butler commanded the right, and was opposed by Colonel +John Butler, on the enemy's left. Colonel Dennison commanded on the +left, and was opposed by Colonel Brandt, on the enemy's right. The +action commenced at about forty rods distance. The air being heavy, the +smoke obstructed their sight; and, after the first discharge, they could +only direct their aim by the flash of the enemy's guns. Little execution +was done till after several discharges. Brandt marched a party into the +swamp, and flanked the militia. The enemy, now firing from under cover +of the thicket, greatly annoyed that wing. The militia dropped down +very fast, and at length began to give way, one after another, in rapid +succession, till the rout became general. The fugitives were closely +pursued by the Indians, who, besides their rifles and tomahawks, were +provided with long spears, which they threw with great dexterity, and +seldom missed their object--the practice of throwing the tomahawk and +spear, and of taking aim, being the principal exercises to which an +Indian warrior is trained. + +"It was impossible for men thus flying and thus pursued to rally, nor +had they a moment's time even to load their pieces, while death was +close upon every man's heel. And, besides, many of them had no other +weapon but a rusty musket. Flight was their only hope; and the Indians, +being most accustomed to running, if they could not run the fastest, +could, however, out-wind them. The carnage at once became general, and +three-fourths of the militia were killed. + +"According to the account of some who were present, the number +that sallied out was five hundred, and of those who escaped the +scalping-knife two hundred. Others assert that the sortie consisted of +but three hundred, and those who escaped were less than one hundred. +The probability is that, between the confusion, carnage, and panic of +the day, the accounts are all incorrect. But, by every account, about +three hundred able-bodied men, amounting to more than half the +settlement, were slain on that dismal day. + +"The fugitives fled in every direction. Some saved themselves by fair +running; some, by hiding till the darkness covered their retreat; and +many by swimming the river, &c. Particular details of all individual +escapes cannot be given; nor would they, perhaps, be entertaining, and I +shall, therefore, pass them over. Some few of the enemy were killed +in the pursuit; their total loss was never ascertained, but we are to +presume that it was small. + +"Forty Fort was immediately evacuated. Some few of the inhabitants took +British protections, and remained on their premises. The signal for a +house under protection was a white cloth hung up near the door, and for +a man, a white rag round the crown of his hat. + +"Those of the militia who escaped from the battle, hastened toward the +Delaware, and, on their way through the swamp, met Captain Spaulding's +detachment, who, on being informed of the strength of the enemy and +deplorable condition of the settlement, judged it prudent to turn about +and retire to the settlement on the Delaware. + +"The road through the swamp was thronged with women and children, +heavy-hearted and panic-struck; destitute of all the comforts of life, +travelling day and night, and in continual dread of the tomahawk and +scalping-knife! The whole country, and all the property in it, was +abandoned to the savages, save only by the few who had taken British +protections. + +"Colonel Nathan Dennison, who succeeded to the command after Butler +escaped, seeing the impossibility of an effectual defence, went with +a flag to Colonel John Butler, to know what terms he would grant on a +surrender; to which application Butler answered, with more than savage +phlegm, in two short words, '_The hatchet_.' Dennison, having defended +the fort till most of the garrison were killed or disabled, was +compelled to surrender at discretion. Some of the unhappy persons in the +fort were carried away alive; but the barbarous conquerors, to save +the trouble of murder in detail, shut up the rest promiscuously in +the houses and barracks, which they set on fire, enjoying the savage +pleasure of beholding the whole consumed in one general blaze. + +"They then crossed the river to the only remaining fort, Wilkesborough, +which, in hopes of mercy, surrendered without demanding any conditions. +They found about seventy continental soldiers, who had been engaged +merely for the defence of the frontiers, whom they butchered with every +circumstance of horrid cruelty. The remainder of the men, with the women +and children, were shut up, as before, in the houses, which being set on +fire, they perished altogether in the flames. + +"A general scene of devastation was now spread through all the +townships. Fire, sword, and the other different instruments of +destruction, alternately triumphed. The settlements of the tories +alone generally escaped, and appeared as islands in the midst of the +surrounding ruin. The merciless ravagers, having destroyed the main +objects of their cruelty, directed their animosity to every part of +living nature belonging to them--shooting and destroying some of their +cattle, and cutting out the tongues of others, leaving them still alive +to prolong their agonies. + +"The following are a few of the more singular circumstances of the +barbarity practised in the attack upon Wyoming. Captain Bedlock, who had +been taken prisoner, being stripped naked, had his body stuck full of +splinters of pine-knots, and then a heap of the same piled around him; +the whole was then set on fire, and his two companions, Captains Ranson +and Durgee, thrown alive into the flames and held down with pitchforks. +The returned tories, who had at different times abandoned the +settlement in order to join in those savage expeditions, were the most +distinguished for their cruelty: in this they resembled the tories that +joined the British forces. One of these Wyoming tories, whose mother had +married a second husband, butchered with his own hands both her, his +father-in-law, his own sisters, and their infant children. Another, who +during his absence had sent home several threats against the life of his +father, now not only realized them in person, but was himself, with his +own hands, the exterminator of his whole family, mothers, brothers, and +sisters, and mingled their blood in one common carnage with that of +the aged husband and father. The broken parts and scattered relics of +families, consisting mostly of women and children who had escaped to the +woods during the different scenes of this devastation, suffered little +less than their friends, who had perished in the ruins of their houses. +Dispersed, and wandering in the forests as chance and fear directed, +without provision or covering, they had a long tract of country to +traverse, and many, without doubt, perished in the woods." + +"Such deeds make the blood curdle in my veins," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"It is said that the cruelty of Colonel John Butler at Wyoming has been +greatly exaggerated," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. "His son, Walter +Butler, was certainly a savage, and the bloody deeds he committed have +been frequently attributed to his father. But I think history should +set the matter right, nor found its assertions upon the stories of the +exasperated whigs." + +"That's well thought of you, Mr. Harmar, but it's my opinion that +historians cannot find any evidence of the humanity of John Butler. As I +said before, I firmly believe the story of my friend. If John Butler did +not butcher the men who asked for quarter, he looked quietly on while +the red men did it, and therefore he is just as criminal, in my eyes, as +if he had handled the tomahawk," said Morton, emphatically. + +"Colonel Zebulon Butler, with his family, escaped from the fort before +the massacre, I believe?" observed Higgins, inquisitively. + +"Yes; and in that I think he betrayed his trust. A commander should +either conquer or die with his men," replied Morton. + +"But when slaughter is certain, I think every man is justified in doing +all that he can to save himself," said old Harmar. + +"That is selfish. If slaughter was certain, would it not have been more +honorable to remain, and make the enemy pay life for life, than it would +be to steal away and leave women and children to fall without revenge?" +observed Wilson. + +"But would it be wise?" asked old Harmar, interrogatively. + +"Whatever is honorable is wise," replied Wilson. + + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY. + +"Mr. Mortan, what do you think was the most interesting scene you saw +during the war?" enquired Mr. Jackson Harraar. + +"Well, that's a question it requires some thinking to answer," replied +Morton. "Leaving battle scenes out of view, I think the celebration of +the Dauphin's birth-day, in May, 1782, was one of the most interesting +events I have ever witnessed." + +"It was a great celebration," observed Higgins. + +"You see," began Morton, "our army was then encamped on the high grounds +on both sides of the Hudson. The camp on the west side of the river was +called New Boston, because the huts had been put up by the Massachusetts +troops. The head-quarters of General Washington were at West Point. +As our Congress had entered into an alliance with the king of France, +General Washington thought it proper to seize every occasion of doing +honor to our allies; and when the French were thrown into all sorts of +rejoicing by the birth of an heir to the throne, he decided that we +should celebrate the same event. The thirty-first of May was fixed upon +for the celebration. Great preparations were made for the festival. In +General Washington's orders, invitations were given to all the +officers in the army, and they were requested to invite any friend or +acquaintance they might have in the country to join them. A romantic, +open plain near West Point was chosen for the building of the great +bower under which the company were to meet and partake of a grand feast. +A French engineer, named Villefranche, was employed, with one thousand +men, ten days in completing it, and, when completed, it was one of the +most beautiful edifices I have ever seen. It was composed entirely of +the material which the trees in the neighborhood afforded, and was about +six hundred feet long and thirty wide. The roof was supported by a grand +colonnade of one hundred and eighteen pillars made of the trunks of +trees. The roof and walls were made of the boughs and branches of trees, +curiously interwoven, while the ends were left open. On the inside, +every pillar was enriched with muskets and bayonets, which were arranged +in a fanciful manner; and the whole interior was decorated with +evergreens, French and American colors, and various emblems and mottoes. + +"On the day of the festival, the whole army was paraded on the hills +on both side of the river, and it was a grand view. For several miles +around, as far as the eye could reach, lines of men, glittering in their +accoutrements, appeared. The officers were in front, or among their +respective commands, and their waving plumes seemed like floating +foam on the waves. At the signal--the firing of three cannon--all the +regimental officers left their commands and proceeded to the building +to join in the festivities there prepared by order of the +commander-in-chief. + +"At five o'clock, dinner being on the table, an interesting procession +moved from the quarters of Major-General M'Dougall, through a line +formed by Colonel Grain's regiment of artillery. In front, walked +the noble commander-in-chief, his countenance expressive of unusual +cheerfulness, and his stately form moving with characteristic grace and +dignity. He was accompanied by his lady, and his suite followed him. +Then came all the principal officers of the army with their ladies, +Governor Clinton and lady, and various distinguished characters from +the States of New York and New Jersey. The procession moved to the vast +bower, where more than five hundred guests were assembled. The banquet +was magnificently prepared, and bands of music added melody to the other +charms of the scene--thus feasting and satisfying the eye, the ear, and +the palate. The cloth being removed, thirteen appropriate toasts were +drank, each being announced by the firing of thirteen cannon and the +playing of appropriate music by the bands in attendance. The company +retired from the table at seven o'clock, and the regimental officers +rejoined their respective commands. In the evening, the arbor was +brilliantly illuminated. The numerous lights, gleaming among the boughs +and leaves of the trees that composed the roof and the walls, presented +the appearance of myriads of glowworms or of thousands of stars +glittering in the night. When the officers had rejoined their different +regiments, thirteen cannon were again fired, as a prelude to the general +feu-de-joie which immediately succeeded. Three times was it repeated, +and the reverberations sounded among the hills with tremendous effect, +darkness adding grandeur to the scene, as the flashing of the musketry +of the army broke upon it like sheeted lightning. The feu-de-joie was +immediately followed by three shouts of acclamation and benediction for +the dauphin, given by the whole army as with one voice. At half-past +eleven o'clock the celebration was concluded by an exhibition of +fireworks, ingeniously constructed of various figures. There was a ball +given during the evening in the arbor, at which General Washington, +with Mrs. Knox for a partner, led the dance. Thus ended the general +festivity." + +"There," remarked Mrs. Harmar, "that has interested me much more than +all the horrible stories that have been told to-day. How I should have +liked to be there!" + +"It was a sight such as all men are not permitted to see," said Morton. + +"It was grand--it was sublime!" exclaimed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "A scene +worthy of any pen or any pencil!" As Mr. Jackson Harmar seized all such +opportunities for exercising his literary propensities, it was most +probable that he considered that the pen alone could do justice to the +scene, and that _his_ pen was destined to immortalize it. + +The bell now rang for tea, and the party adjourned to the tea-table, +where, however, the conversation turned upon matters foreign to the +Revolution. Mrs. Harmar would introduce household concerns when her +husband began to allude to the war, and the children, especially Thomas +Jefferson Harmar, would play around the old veterans, asking them +trifling questions, until the meal was finished, and then Morton, +Higgins, Smith, and Wilson prepared to return to their respective +residences. Morton lived in the interior of Pennsylvania, and was +stopping with a near relative during his visit to the city. The other +three resided in New Jersey, and were putting up at the same house--that +of a friend of Higgins'. Old Harmar shook hands with his old camp +associates, wishing them many days of health and happiness to come, and +trusting that they might meet again before death should claim them. The +veterans kissed the children, and Morton gave Thomas Jefferson Harmar a +bullet from Bunker's Hill, telling him to learn what his countrymen had +fought and bled for, and to act like them on a like occasion, if any +such should ever occur, which he earnestly hoped would never be the +case. Mr. Jackson Harmar procured a carriage, and the veterans being +soon comfortably seated, he accompanied them to their respective +residences. On bidding him farewell, the aged patriots thanked him +for his kindness, which Mr. Jackson Harmar returned with an elaborate +panegyric on the men of the Revolution, and the duty of his generation +to treat them with the highest veneration and respect. The public either +suffered from or were benefited by the interview between Mr. Jackson +Harmar and the veteran patriots, for the press soon teemed with stirring +poetical appeals to the people to hold their liberties dearer than +life, on account of the blood that they had cost. A large volume also +appeared, entitled "Legends of the Times that tried Men's Souls," +beginning with the history of the "Old State-House Bell." + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, +Philadelphia In 1776, by Henry C. Watson + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11506 *** diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1d19d7 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #11506 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11506) diff --git a/old/11506-8.txt b/old/11506-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..0e42f46 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/11506-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5027 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, +Philadelphia In 1776, by Henry C. Watson + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, Philadelphia In 1776 + +Author: Henry C. Watson + +Release Date: March 7, 2004 [EBook #11506] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE *** + + + + +Produced by Internet Archive; University of Florida, jayam and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +[Illustration: The Old State House Bell] + + + +THE YOUNG AMERICAN'S LIBRARY. + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE; + +OR, + +PHILADELPHIA IN 1776. + +BY HENRY C. WATSON, + +AUTHOR OF "THE CAMP-FIRES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION," "THE YANKEE +TEA-PARTY, OR BOSTON IN 1773," ETC. ETC. + +With Illustrations. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by LINDSAY AND +BLAKISTON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United +States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. + + + +PREFACE. + +To awaken in the minds of all Americans that veneration of the patriots +and heroes of the War of Independence, and that emulation of their noble +example which is so necessary to the maintenance of our liberties, are +the objects of this little work. Every day's developments illustrate +the importance of these objects. In the enjoyment of the freedom and +prosperity of our country, we are apt to under-rate the means by which +that enjoyment was secured to us, and to forget the men who worked for +that end. A knowledge of the toils and sufferings of the noble-hearted +fathers of the Revolution is the best preventative, or curative, for +this "falling off." War, clothed as it is, with horrors, is to be +condemned, and the spirit which leads to it should be driven from the +breasts of men. But generous devotion, strength of resolution, and +far-reaching skill, are things to be commended and imitated wherever +displayed. In these pages, will be found stories of the chief men of the +Revolution, so connected, by the manner in which they are narrated, as +to give a general interest to them--"The Old Bell of Independence" being +the rallying point of the veteran story-tellers. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON + +THE SPY'S FATE + +STORY OF THE SERMON + +STORY OF THE PRAYER + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE + +THE HALF-BREED + +DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE + +MURDER OF MISS McCREA + +DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE + +BATES'S REVENGE + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION + +THE TIMELY RESCUE + +THE BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN + +THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS + +ARNOLD'S TREASON + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY + +MASSACRE OF WYOMING + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY + + + + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +It was a season of unparalleled enthusiasm and rejoicing, when General +Lafayette, the friend and supporter of American Independence, responded +to the wishes of the people of the United States, and came to see their +prosperity, and to hear their expressions of gratitude. The national +heart beat joyfully in anticipation; and one long, loud, and free shout +of welcome was heard throughout the land. + +Arriving at New York in August, 1824, General Lafayette journeyed +through the Eastern States, receiving such tokens of affection as the +people had extended to no other man except Washington, and then returned +southward. On the 28th of September, he entered Philadelphia, the +birth-place of the Declaration of Independence, the greater part of the +population coming out to receive and welcome him. A large procession was +formed, and thirteen triumphal arches erected in the principal streets +through which the procession passed. + +After General Lafayette himself, the most remarkable objects in the +procession were four large open cars, resembling tents, each containing +forty veterans of the struggle for independence. No one could, without +emotion, behold these winter-locked patriots, whose eyes, dimmed by age, +poured forth tears of joy at their unexpected happiness in once more +meeting an old commander, and joining in the expressions of gratitude to +him. + +After passing through the principal streets, General Lafayette was +conducted into the hall of the State-House, where the old Continental +Congress had assembled, and where the immortal Declaration of +Independence was signed. Here the nation's guest was received formally +on behalf of the citizens by the mayor, and then the people were +admitted to take him by the hand. At night there was a splendid +illumination; and crowds of people traversed the streets, singing and +celebrating the exploits of the champion of liberty and the friend of +America. + +On one of the days succeeding Lafayette's grand entry into the city, +he received, in the Hall of Independence, the veteran soldiers of the +Revolution who had come to the city, and those who were residents. One +by one these feeble old men came up and took the General by the hand, +and to each he had some reminiscence to recall, or some congratulation +to offer. Heroes of Brandy wine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, +Monmouth, and other fields, were there; some with scars to show, and all +much suffering to relate. The old patriotic fire was kindled in their +breasts, and beamed from their furrowed countenances, as memory flew +back to the time that proved their truth and love of liberty. One had +been under the command of the fiery Wayne, and shared his dangers with +a spirit as dauntless; another had served with the cool and skilful +Greene, and loved to recall some exploit in which the Quaker general +had displayed his genius; another had followed the lead of Lafayette +himself, when a mere youth, at Brandywine: everything conspired to +render this interview of the General and the veteran soldiers as +touching and as interesting as any recorded by history, or invented by +fiction. + +After the reception of the veterans, one of them proposed to go up into +the belfry, and see the old bell which proclaimed liberty "to all the +land, and to all the nations thereof." Lafayette and a few others +accompanied the proposal by expressing a wish to see that interesting +relic. With great difficulty, some of the old men were conducted up to +the belfry, and there they beheld the bell still swinging. Lafayette was +much gratified at the sight, as it awakened his old enthusiasm to think +of the period when John Adams and his bold brother patriots dared to +assert the principles of civil liberty, and to proclaim the independence +of their country. Old John Harmar, one of the veteran soldiers who had +been in Philadelphia when the Declaration was proclaimed, and who again +shook hands with his old brothers in arms, gave vent to his thoughts and +feelings as he stood looking at the bell. + +"Ah! that's the trumpet that told the Britishers a tale of vengeance! My +memory's not so bad but I can recollect the day that old bell was rung +for independence! This city presented a very different appearance in +those days. It was a small town. Every body was expectin' that the +king's troops would be comin' here soon, and would sack and burn the +place: but the largest number of us were patriots, and knew the king was +a tyrant; and so we didn't care much whether they came or not. How the +people did crowd around this State-House on the day the Declaration was +proclaimed! Bells were ringing all over town, and guns were fired; but +above 'em all could be heard the heavy, deep sound of this old bell, +that rang as if it meant something! Ah! them was great times." + +As old Harmar concluded these remarks, the old men standing near the +bell nodded approvingly, and some echoed, "Them _was_ great times!" in +a tone which indicated that memory was endeavoring to conjure back the +time of which they spoke. They then slowly turned to descend. Lafayette +had preceded them with his few friends. "Stop!" said old Harmar; +"Wilson, Morton, Smith, and you, Higgins, my son wants you to come home +with me, and take dinner at his house. Come; I want to have some chat +with you over old doings. I may never see you again after you leave +Philadelphia." + +The invitation, cordially given, was cordially accepted, and the party +of old friends descended the stairs, and, arriving at the door, were +assisted by the cheering crowd to get into their carriage, which then +drove towards the residence of old Harmar's son. At that place we shall +consider them as having arrived, and, after much welcoming, introducing, +and other preparatory ceremonies, as seated at a long, well-supplied +table, set in a large and pleasant dining-hall. Young Harmar, his wife, +and the four children, were also accommodated at the same table, and a +scene of conviviality and pleasure was presented such as is not often +witnessed. The old men were very communicative and good-humored; and +young Harmar and his family were free of questions concerning the great +scenes through which they had passed. But we will let the company speak +for themselves. + + + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON. + +"GRANDFATHER," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "won't you tell us +something about General Washington?" + +"I could tell you many a thing about that man, my child," replied old +Harmar, "but I suppose people know everything concerning him by this +time. You see, these history writers go about hunting up every incident +relating to the war, now, and after a while they'll know more about +it--or say they do--than the men who were actors in it." + +"That's not improbable," said young Harmar. "These historians may not +know as much of the real spirit of the people at that period, but that +they should be better acquainted with the mass of facts relating to +battles and to political affairs is perfectly natural." The old man +demurred, however, and mumbled over, that nobody could know the real +state of things who was not living among them at the time. + +"But the little boy wants to hear a story about Washington," said +Wilson. "Can't you tell him something about _the_ man? I think I could. +Any one who wants to appreciate the character of Washington, and the +extent of his services during the Revolution, should know the history of +the campaign of 1776, when every body was desponding, and thinking +of giving up the good cause. I tell you, if Washington had not been +superior to all other men, that cause must have sunk into darkness." + +"You say well," said Smith. "We, who were at Valley Forge, know +something of his character." + +"I remember an incident," said Wilson, "that will give you some idea, +Mrs. Harmar, of the heart George Washington had in his bosom. I suppose +Mr. Harmar has told you something of the sufferings of our men during +the winter we lay at Valley Forge. It was a terrible season. It's hard +to give a faint idea of it in words; but you may imagine a party of +men, with ragged clothes and no shoes, huddled around a fire in a log +hut--the snow about two feet deep on the ground, and the wind driving +fierce and bitter through the chinks of the rude hovel. Many of the men +had their feet frost-bitten, and there were no remedies to be had, like +there is now-a-days. The sentinels suffered terribly, and looked more +like ghosts than men, as they paced up and down before the lines of +huts." + +"I wonder the men didn't all desert," remarked Mrs. Harmar. "They must +have been uncommon men." + +"They were uncommon men, or, at least, they suffered in an uncommon +cause," replied Wilson. "But about General Washington. He saw how the +men were situated, and, I really believe, his heart bled for them. He +would write to Congress of the state of affairs, and entreat that body +to procure supplies; but, you see, Congress hadn't the power to comply. +All it could do was to call on the States, and await the action of their +Assemblies. + +"Washington's head-quarters was near the camp, and he often came over to +see the poor fellows, and to try to soothe and comfort them; and, I tell +you, the men loved that man as if he had been their father, and would +rather have died with him than have lived in luxury with the red-coat +general. + +"I recollect a scene I beheld in the next hut to the one in which I +messed. An old friend, named Josiah Jones, was dying. He was lying on a +scant straw bed, with nothing but rags to cover him. He had been sick +for several days, but wouldn't go under the doctor's hands, as he always +said it was like going into battle, certain of being killed. One day, +when we had no notion of anything of the kind, Josiah called out to us, +as we sat talking near his bed, that he was dying, and wanted us to pray +for him. We were all anxious to do anything for the man, for we loved +him as a brother; but as for praying, we didn't exactly know how to go +about it. To get clear of the service, I ran to obtain the poor fellow a +drink of water to moisten his parched lips. + +"While the rest were standing about, not knowing what to do, some one +heard the voice of General Washington in the next hut, where he was +comforting some poor wretches who had their feet almost frozen off. +Directly, he came to our door, and one of the men went and told him the +state of things. Now, you see, a commander-in-chief might have been +justified in being angry that the regulations for the sick had been +disobeyed, and have turned away; but he was a nobler sort of man than +could do that. He entered the hut, and went up to poor Josiah, and asked +him how he was. Josiah told him that he felt as if he was dying, and +wanted some one to pray for him. Washington saw that a doctor could do +the man no good, and he knelt on the ground by him and prayed. We all +knelt down too; we couldn't help it. An old comrade was dying, away from +his home and friends, and there was our general kneeling by him, with +his face turned towards heaven, looking, I thought, like an angel's. +Well, he prayed for Heaven to have mercy on the dying man's soul; to +pardon his sins; and to take him to Himself: and then he prayed for us +all. Before the prayer was concluded, Josiah's spirit had fled, and his +body was cold and stiff. Washington felt the brow of the poor fellow, +and, seeing that his life was out, gave the men directions how to +dispose of the corpse, and then left us to visit the other parts of the +camp." + +"That was, indeed, noble conduct," said young Harmar. "Did he ever speak +to you afterwards about violating the regulations of the army?" + +"No," replied Wilson. "He knew that strict discipline could not be, and +should not have been maintained in that camp. He was satisfied if we +were true to the cause amid all our sufferings." + +[ Illustration: WASHINGTON'S PRAYER +FOR THE DYING SOLDIER.] + +"Praying at the death-bed of a private," mused Smith aloud. "Well, I +might have conjectured what he would do in such a case, from what I saw +of him. I wonder if history ever spoke of a greater and better man?" + +Young Mr. Harmar here felt inclined to launch out into an elaborate +panegyric on the character of Washington, but reflected that it might be +out of place, and therefore contented himself with remarking, "We shall +ne'er look upon his like again." + +"He was a dear, good man," remarked Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes," said old Harmar, "General Washington was the main pillar of the +Revolution. As a general, he was vigilant and skilful; but if he had +not been anything more, we might have been defeated and crushed by the +enemy. He had the love and confidence of the men, on account of his +character as a man, and that enabled him to remain firm and full of hope +when his countrymen saw nothing but a gloomy prospect." + + +THE SPY'S FATE + +"Now I'll tell you a story that I have just called to mind," said old +Harmar. "It's of a very different character, though, from the story of +Washington. It's about a spy's fate." + +"Where was the scene of it?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Out here on the Schuylkill's banks, just after the British took +possession of this city," replied old Harmar. "There was a man named +James Sykes, who had a lime-kiln on the east bank of the river, and was +manufacturing lime pretty extensively when the enemy came to this city. +While Congress was sitting here, Sykes always professed to be a warm +friend to the colonial cause; but there was always something suspicious +about his movements, and his friends and neighbours did not put much +faith in his professions. He would occasionally be out very late at +night, and sometimes be gone from home for a week, and give very vague +accounts of the business which had occupied him during his absence. Some +of his neighbours suspected that he was acting as one of Sir William +Howe's spies, but they could never get any positive proof of their +suspicions. + +"At length the enemy took possession of this city, and then Sykes began +to show that he was not such a very warm friend of the right side. He +went to the head-quarters of the British general frequently, and seemed +to be on the best terms with the enemy. Well, it happened that one of +his old neighbors, named Jones, was the captain of one of the companies +of our line; and he, somehow or other, obtained proof that Sykes was +acting as a spy for the enemy. He informed General Wayne of the fact, +and immediately proposed that he should be allowed to attempt his +capture. Wayne consented, and Captain Jones set about preparing for the +enterprise. Sykes was usually out at his lime-kiln, with some of his +men, during the morning, and, as the guilty are ever suspicious, he +increased the number of his assistants, to ensure himself against +attack. Captain Jones took only twenty men from his company, and left +our camp just before dark. The business was full of danger. The place +where Jones expected to capture the spy was within a mile of a British +out-post; and the greatest secrecy and rapidity of movement was +necessary to prevent surprise by the enemy's scouting parties. + +"About daylight, Jones and his party reached the wood near Sykes' +lime-kiln, and halted to reconnoitre. Sykes and four of his men were at +work at that early hour. The lime was burning, and some of the men were +engaged in loading and unloading two carts which stood near the kiln. +Captain Jones' plan was quickly formed. He sent one half his party +around to cut off the escape of Sykes towards the city, and when he +thought they had reached a favorable position sallied out towards the +kiln. When he was about half-way to it, Sykes discovered the party, +and, shouting to his men to follow, ran along the bank of the river +to escape; but the other party cut off retreat, and Jones coming up +rapidly, Sykes and his men were taken. Jones did not intend to detain +the workmen any longer than till he got out of the reach of the British, +when he would not have cared for their giving the alarm. Sykes seemed to +be very anxious to know why he was arrested in that manner; but Jones +simply told him he would know when they got him to the American camp; +and that, if Sykes had not thought of a reason for his arrest, he +would not have attempted to run away. Well, the Americans hurried the +prisoners towards the wood, but Jones soon descried a large party of +British coming over a neighboring hill, and knew that his chance was +a desperate one. Sykes also discovered the party of red-coats, and +struggled hard to make his escape from the Americans. Jones wanted to +bring him alive to the American camp, or he would have shot him down at +once. Suddenly, Sykes broke away from his captors, and ran towards the +lime-kiln. Several muskets were discharged, but all missed him. Then +one of the privates, named Janvers, a daring fellow, rushed after the +prisoner, and caught him just as he reached the kiln. There a fierce +struggle ensued; but Sykes was cut in the shoulder, and, in attempting +to throw his antagonist into the hot lime and fire, was hurled into it +himself. Then Janvers hurried to the woods after his brave comrades. The +British party was near enough to see the struggle at the limekiln, and +came on rapidly in pursuit of our men. A few of the red-coats were +ordered to examine the lime-kiln, to see if Sykes was alive and +concealed; and they found his body burned almost to a crisp." + +"Horrible!" exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. + +"Well," continued Old Harmar, "there was a long and doubtful race +between the two parties; but Jones succeeded in getting within the lines +of the Americans without losing a man, and with his four prisoners in +safe custody. These fellows were examined, but no evidence of their +being spies and confidants of Sykes could be produced, and they were +discharged with the promise of a terrible punishment if they were +detected tampering with the enemy." + +"Captain Jones was a daring fellow to venture so near the British lines, +and with such a small party," observed Morton. + +"In such an attempt, a small party was preferable. Its success depended +upon secrecy and quickness of movements," said Wilson. + +"It was a horrible death," remarked young Harmar. "Sykes, however, +courted it by treachery to his countrymen." + + +STORY OF THE SERMON. + +"I believe this is the first time I've seen you since the disbanding of +the army, Morton," said Wilson. "Time has been rather severe on us both +since that time." + +"Oh, we can't complain," replied Morton. "We can't complain. I never +grumble at my age." + +"Some men would have considered themselves fortunate to have seen what +you have seen," said young Harmar. "I think I could bear your years, to +have your experience." + +"So do I," added Mrs. Harmar. She always agreed with her husband in +whatever he asserted. + +"Let me see," said old Harmar; "where did I first meet you, Higgins? +Oh! wasn't it just before the battle of Brandywine you joined the +Pennsylvania line?" + +"No," answered Smith for Higgins, who, just then, was endeavoring to +make up for his want of teeth by the vigorous exertions of his jaws. "He +joined at the same time I did, before the battle of Germantown." + +"Yes, just before the battle of Germantown," added Higgins. "I was not +at Brandywine." + +"You wasn't? Then you missed seeing us retreat," said old Harraar. "But +we did considerable fightin', howsomever. Mad Anthony was there, and he +used to fight, you know--at least the enemy thought so. I shall never +forget the night before that battle." + +"Why?" asked Higgins. "Was you on the watch?" + +"No, not on that account; something very different. There was a sermon +preached on the evenin' before that battle, such as can only be heard +once." + +"A sermon?" enquired Wilson. + +"Yes; a sermon preached for our side by the Rev. Joab Prout. I told my +son there about it, and he wrote it into a beautiful sketch for one of +the papers. He's got a knack of words, and can tell about it much better +than I can. Tell them about it, Jackson, just as you wrote it," said old +Harmar. + +"Certainly," replied young Harmar. "If I can recall it." + +"Do," said Mrs. Harmer; and "Oh! do," added the children; and Mr. +Jackson Harmar did--as follows:--"All day long, on the tenth of +September, 1777, both armies were in the vicinity of each other, and +frequent and desperate skirmishes took place between advanced parties, +without bringing on a general action. At length, as the day closed, +both armies encamped within sight of each other, anxiously awaiting the +morrow, to decide the fate of the devoted city. + +"The Americans lay behind Chadd's Ford, with the shallow waters of the +Brandywine between them and their opponents; the line extending two +miles along that stream. + +"The sun was just sinking behind the dark hills of the west, gilding the +fading heavens with an autumnal brightness, and shedding a lurid glare +upon the already drooping and discolored foliage of the surrounding +forests. It was an hour of solemn calm. The cool evening breezes stole +softly through the air, as if unwilling to disturb the repose of all +around. The crystal waters of the creek murmured gently in their narrow +bed, and the national standard flapped lazily from the tall flag-staff +on its banks. + +"In the American camp, interspersed between groups of tents and stacks +of arms, might be seen little knots of weary soldiers seated on the +ground, resting from the fatigues of the day, and talking in a low but +animated tone of the coming contest. + +"Suddenly the tattoo sounded,--not loud and shrill, as on ordinary +occasions, but in a subdued and cautious manner, as if fearful of being +heard by the British, whose white tents might be seen in the distance. +Obedient to the signal, the greater part of the soldiers assembled +in front of the marquee of the commander, near the centre of the +encampment. + +"All was hushed in expectation: soon the tall form of Washington, +wrapped in his military cloak, and attended by a large body of officers, +was seen advancing in their midst. All present respectfully saluted +them, to which they bowed courteously, and then took their seats upon +camp-stools set for them by a servant. The venerable Joab Prout, +chaplain of the Pennsylvania line, then stood upon the stump of a tree, +and commanded silence--for it was the hour of prayer. + +"Here was a scene of moral grandeur unsurpassed by anything in the +annals of war. There, on that still, cool evening, when the sky was +darkening into night, were assembled some eight thousand men; very many +of whom would never look upon the glorious sunset again. From the humble +cottages in the quiet valley of the Connecticut--from the statelier +mansions of the sunny South--at the call of liberty, they had rushed to +the tented field; and now, on the eve of battle, as brethren in heart +and deed, had met together to implore the God of battles to smile upon +their noble cause. + +"Oh! it was a thrilling and an august sight! The mild and dignified +Washington looked around him with proud emotion, and turned enquiringly +to the fair young stranger, Lafayette, beside him, as if to ask, 'Can +such men as these be vanquished?' + +"The bold and fearless Wayne was there; the undaunted Pulaski, and the +whole-hearted Kosciusko; and they bowed their heads in reverence to Him +in whose presence they were worshipping. + +"Never beneath the vaulted dome of the stately temple--never from the +lips of the eloquent divine--was seen such a congregation, or was heard +such a discourse, as on that September evening, from that humble old +man, with his grey locks streaming in the wind. + +"With a firm, clear voice, that re-echoed to the distant hills, he +announced his text:-- + +_'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + +Then, straightening himself to his full height, and his eye beaming with +a holy feeling inspired by the time and place, he commenced:-- + + "'_They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + 'Soldiers and Countrymen: + +We have met this evening perhaps for the last time. We have shared +the toil of the march, the peril of the fight, the dismay of the +retreat--alike we have endured cold and hunger, the contumely of the +internal foe, and outrage of the foreign oppressor. We have sat, night +after, night, beside the same camp-fire, shared the same rough soldiers' +fare; we have together heard the roll of the reveille, which called us +to duty, or the beat of the tattoo, which gave the signal for the hardy +sleep of the soldier, with the earth for his bed, the knapsack for his +pillow. + +'And now, soldiers and brethren, we have met in a peaceful valley, +on the eve of battle, while the sunlight is dying away behind yonder +heights--the sunlight that, to-morrow morn, will glimmer on scenes of +blood. We have met, amid the whitening tents of our encampment,--in +times of terror and of gloom have we gathered together--God grant it may +not be for the last time! + +'It is a solemn moment. Brethren, does not the solemn voice of nature +seem to echo the sympathies of the hour? The flag of our country droops +heavily from yonder staff; the breeze has died away along the green +plain of Chadd's Ford--the plain that spreads before us, glistening +in the sunlight; the heights of the Brandywine arise gloomy and grand +beyond the waters of yonder stream, and all nature holds a pause of +solemn silence, on the eve of the uproar and bloodshed and strife of +to-morrow.' + +"The propriety of this language was manifest. Breathless attention was +pictured upon every countenance, and the smallest whisper could be +distinctly heard. Pausing a moment, as if running back, in his mind's +eye, over the eventful past, he again repeated his text:-- + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'And have they not taken the sword? + +'Let the desolated plain, the blood-soddened valley, the burnt +farm-house, blackening in the sun, the sacked village, and the ravaged +town, answer; let the whitening bones of the butchered farmer, strewn +along the fields of his homestead, answer; let the starving mother, with +the babe clinging to the withered breast, that can afford no sustenance, +let her answer; with the death-rattle mingling with the murmuring tones +that mark the last struggle for life--let the dying mother and her babe +answer! + +'It was but a day past and our land slept in peace. War was not +here--wrong was not here. Fraud, and woe, and misery, and want, dwelt not +among us. From the eternal solitude of the green woods arose the blue +smoke of the settler's cabin, and golden fields of corn looked forth +from amid the waste of the wilderness, and the glad music of human +voices awoke the silence of the forest. + +'Now! God of mercy, behold the change! Under the shadow of a +pretext--under the sanctity of the name of God--invoking the Redeemer to +their aid, do these foreign hirelings slay our people! They throng our +towns; they darken our plains; and now they encompass our posts on the +lonely plain of Chadd's Ford. + +"The effect was electric. The keen eye of the in-trepid Wayne flashed +fire. The neighboring sentinels, who had paused to listen, quickened +their pace, with a proud tread and a nervous feeling, impatient for +vengeance on the vandal foe. + +"Gathering strength once more, he checked the choking sensations his own +recital had caused, and continued: + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +"Brethren, think me not unworthy of belief, when I tell you that the +doom of the Britisher is near! Think me not vain, when I tell you that +beyond the cloud that now enshrouds us, I see gathering, thick and fast, +the darker cloud and the blacker storm of a Divine retribution! + +'They may conquer us on the morrow! Might and wrong may prevail, and we +may be driven from this field--but the hour of God's own vengeance will +surely come! + +'Ay, if in the vast solitudes of eternal space, if in the heart of the +boundless universe, there throbs the being of an awful God, quick +to avenge, and sure to punish guilt, then will the man, George of +Brunswick, called king, feel in his brain and in his heart the vengeance +of the Eternal Jehovah! A blight will be upon his life--a withered +brain, an accurst intellect; a blight will be upon his children, and on +his people. Great God! how dread the punishment! + +'A crowded populace, peopling the dense towns where the man of money +thrives, while the labourer starves; want striding among the people +in all its forms of terror; an ignorant and God-defying priesthood +chuckling over the miseries of millions; a proud and merciless nobility +adding wrong to wrong, and heaping insult upon robbery and fraud; +royalty corrupt to the very heart; aristocracy rotten to the core; crime +and want linked hand in hand, and tempting men to deeds of woe and +death--these are a part of the doom and the retribution that shall come +upon the English throne and the English people!' + +"This was pronounced with a voice of such power, that its tones might +have reached almost to the Briton's camp, and struck upon the ear of +Howe as the prophetic inspiration of one whose keen eye had read from +the dark tablets of futurity. + +"Looking around upon the officers, he perceived that Washington and +Lafayette had half risen from their seats, and were gazing spell-bound +at him, as if to drink in every word he uttered. + +"Taking advantage of the pervading feeling, he went on:-- + +"'Soldiers--I look around upon your familiar faces with a strange +interest! To-morrow morning we will all go forth to battle--for need I +tell you that your unworthy minister will march with you, invoking God's +aid in the fight?--we will march forth to battle! Need I exhort you to +fight the good fight, to fight for your homesteads, and for your wives +and children? + +'My friends, I might urge you to fight, by the galling memories of +British wrong! Walton--I might tell you of your father butchered in the +silence of midnight on the plains of Trenton; I might picture his grey +hairs dabbled in blood; I might ring his death-shriek in your ears. +Shelmire--I might tell you of a mother butchered, and a sister +outraged--the lonely farm-house, the night assault, the roof in flames, +the shouts of the troopers, as they despatch their victim, the cries +for mercy, the pleadings of innocence for pity. I might paint this all +again, in the terrible colors of the vivid reality, if I thought your +courage needed such wild excitement. + +'But I know you are strong in the might of the Lord. You will forth to +battle on the morrow with light hearts and determined spirits, though +the solemn duty--the duty of avenging the dead--may rest heavy on your +souls. + +'And in the hour of battle, when all around is darkness, lit by the +lurid cannon glare and the piercing musket flash--when the wounded strew +the ground, and the dead litter your path--then remember, soldiers, that +God is with you. The eternal God fights for you--He rides on the battle +cloud, He sweeps onward with the march of the hurricane charge--God, the +Awful and the Infinite, fights for you, and you will triumph.' + +"Roused by this manly and pathetic appeal, a low murmur ran from man +to man, as a heartfelt response; and the chieftains who were near the +speaker, felt proud and happy in the command of such true hearts and +tried blades. But darkness was enveloping all, and he hastened to +conclude. + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'You have taken the sword, but not in the spirit of wrong and ravage. +You have taken the sword for your homes, for your wives, for your little +ones. You have taken the sword for truth, for justice and right, and to +you the promise is, Be of good cheer, for your foes have taken the sword +in defiance of all that man holds dear, in blasphemy of God--they shall +_perish by the sword_. + +'And now, brethren and soldiers, I bid you all farewell. Many of us may +fall in the fight of to-morrow--God rest the souls of the fallen; many +of us may live to tell the story of the fight of to-morrow; and, in +the memory of all, will ever rest and linger the quiet scene of this +autumnal night. + +'Solemn twilight advances over the valley; the woods on the opposite +heights fling their long shadows over the green of the meadow; around +us are the tents of the continental host, the suppressed bustle of the +camp, the hurried tramp of the soldiers to and fro among the tents, the +stillness and silence that marks the eve of battle. + +'When we meet again, may the long shadows of twilight be flung over a +peaceful land. + +'God in heaven grant it.' + +"And now the last ray of lingering light had departed, and they were +left in darkness. Presuming it proper to dismiss his auditors, he +proposed a parting prayer, and immediately every head was uncovered and +bowed in reverence, while, with outstretched hands, that sincere old man +in the homespun garb thus addressed the throne of grace. + +"'Great Father, we bow before thee. We invoke thy blessing, we deprecate +thy wrath, we return thee thanks for the past, we ask thy aid for the +future. For we are in times of trouble, oh, Lord! and sore beset by +foes, merciless and unpitying; the sword gleams over our land, and +the dust of the soil is dampened with the blood of our neighbors and +friends. + +'Oh! God of mercy, we pray thy blessing on the American arms. Make the +man of our hearts strong in thy wisdom; bless, we beseech, with renewed +life and strength, our hope and thy instrument, even GEORGE WASHINGTON. +Shower thy counsels on the honorable, the Continental Congress. +Visit the tents of our host; comfort the soldier in his wounds and +afflictions; nerve him for the hour of fight; prepare him for the hour +of death. + +'And in the hour of defeat, oh, God of Hosts, do thou be our stay; and +in the hour of triumph be thou our guide. + +'Teach us to be merciful. Though the memory of galling wrongs be at our +hearts, knocking for admittance, that they may fill us with desires for +revenge, yet let us, oh, Lord, spare the vanquished, though they never +spared us in their hour of butchery and bloodshed. And, in the hour of +death, do thou guide us into the abode prepared for the blest; so shall +we return thanks unto thee, through Christ, our Redeemer.--GOD PROSPER +THE CAUSE.--_Amen_" + +During the recital of this interesting and thrilling incident of the +Revolution, the veterans--even Higgins, too--laid down their knives +and forks, and listened as if carried back to the memorable eve of the +battle of Brandywine, and filled with the hopes and fears of the period. +At its conclusion, they expressed their approbation of the manner of the +recital, and the beauty of the sermon. + +"That minister was one of the kind that I like," said Wilson. "He could +preach peace as long as peace was wise, and buckle on his armor and +fight when it became his duty." + +"Mr. Harmer handles his pen well," remarked Morton, "but such an +incident would make any pen write well of itself. There's fire in it." + +"Yes, a whole heap of fire," put in Mrs. Harmar, who thought she must +make a remark, as she had been quieting the children while the latter +part of the sermon and the remarks upon it were listened to by the +others. + +"But the Lord didn't assist us much in that next day's battle," said old +Harmar. "We had hard fighting, and then were compelled to retreat." + +"It was all for the best," said Wilson. "We shouldn't have known our +enemies nor ourselves without losing that battle. The harder the +struggle for liberty, the more we enjoy it when won." + +"That's true," said young Harmar, "The freedom dearest bought is highest +prized, and Americans have learned the value of that inestimable gem." + +The dinner was, by this time, pretty well disposed of, and the party +adjourned to the large parlor, where they were soon comfortable seated. +Mrs. Harmar would make one of the company, and the children would force +their way in to see and hear the "sogers." The windows were up, and the +gentle breeze of summer blew softly through the parlor, thus relieving +the otherwise oppressive atmosphere. + +But we must introduce the company to the reader. Old Hannar was seated +on one end of the sofa, with one of the small children on his knee. He +was a stout, hearty-looking man of about seventy, with silvery hair, +and a face much embrowned by exposure and furrowed by time. The general +expression of his features was a hearty good humor, as if perfectly +satisfied with things around. On the other end of the sofa sat Mr. +Higgins, a thin, small-featured, bald-headed man, looking much older +than old Mr. Harmar. On the opposite sofa sat Mr. Morton and Mr. Wilson. +The first was a large-bodied, full-faced man, slightly bald, with a scar +across his forehead, from the right eye to the left side of his head. +His appearance bespoke an active life, and a strong constitution; and +his eye yet beamed with intelligence. Mr. Wilson was evidently about +seventy-five, with a long, lank face, tall figure, and head scantily +covered with grey hair. Mr. Smith sat in an easy arm-chair. His +appearance was much the same as that of Mr. Higgins, though his face +expressed more intelligence. He had a troublesome cough, and was +evidently very weak. Mr. Jackson Harmar sat on a chair next to his +father. He was about thirty-five, rather short and thin, with long brown +hair, wild, blue eyes, in a "fine frenzy rolling," and a very literary +appearance generally. Mrs. Harraar sat near her husband, with two very +mischievous little boys, apparently about six and eight years of age, by +her side. She had a childish face, but might have been thought pretty by +a loving and indulgent husband. + + +STORY OF THE PRAYER. + +"There is only one other scene during the struggle for our country's +right," said young Harmar, "which I would compare with the one I have +just narrated; and that is the scene in Congress--the old Continental +Congress--during the first prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duche." + +"I've heard something of that prayer," said Morton, "since the +Revolution, but nothing that I could depend on." + +"An account of the scene is given by John Adams, who was a chief actor +in it," said young Harmar. + +"Old John Adams?" enquired Higgins. "He was the man! He was the +Washington of our politics during the war. He was the man!" and Higgins +rubbed his hands together. + +"Thomas Jefferson, take your foot off your brother's, and quit pinching +him," interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I have Mr. Adams' account of that first prayer and its effects," said +young Harmar, "and here it is." So saying, he pulled from his pocket a +paper into which the account had been copied, and read:-- + +"'When the Congress met, Mr. Gushing made a motion that it should be +opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay, of New York, and Mr. +Rutledge, of South Carolina, because we were so divided in our religious +sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some +Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in +the same act of worship. Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said, 'that he was +no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety, and who +was, at the same time, a friend of his country. He was a stranger in +Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duche (Dushay they pronounced it) +deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an +Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to the Congress +to-morrow morning.' The motion was seconded, and passed in the +affirmative.--Mr. Randolph, our President, waited on Mr. Duche, and +received for answer, that if his health would permit he certainly would. +Accordingly, next morning he appeared with his clerk, and, in his +pontificals, read several prayers in the established form, and then read +the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the thirty-fifth +psalm. You must remember, this was the next morning after we had heard +the rumor of the horrible cannonade of Boston. _It seemed as if Heaven +had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning_. + +"'After this, Mr. Duche, unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an +extemporary prayer which filled the bosom of every man present. I must +confess I never heard a better prayer, or one so well pronounced. +Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper himself never prayed with such fervor, +such correctness and pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, for +America, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, especially +the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon every body here. +I must beg you to read that psalm. If there is any faith in the sortes +Virgilianæ, or sortes Homericæ, or especially the sortes Biblicæ, it +would be thought providential.' + +"The thirty-fifth psalm was indeed appropriate to the news received, and +the exigencies of the times. It commences:-- + +"'Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that fight against me. + +'Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. + +'Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute +me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' + +"What a subject for contemplation does this picture present. The +forty-four members of the first Congress, in their Hall, all bent before +the mercy-seat, and asking Him that their enemies 'might be as chaff +before the wind.' WASHINGTON was kneeling there; and Henry and Randolph, +and Rutledge, and Lee, and Jay; and by their side there stood, bowed in +reverence, the Puritan patriots of New England, who, at that moment, +had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble +households. It was believed that Boston had been bombarded and +destroyed. They prayed fervently 'for America, for the Congress, for the +province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston;' +and who can realize the emotion with which they turned imploringly to +Heaven for divine interposition and aid? 'It was enough to melt a heart +of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave Quakers +of Philadelphia.'" + +"Yes," said Wilson, when young Harmar had concluded, "that was a scene +equal, at least, to the one on the eve of Brandywine: how finely old +John Adams speaks about it!" + +"That Dr. Duche forgot his connexion with the Church of England, and +only thought of his country," remarked Morton. "He was a good man." + +"Yes; and he prayed in the presence of as good a set of men as was ever +assembled together," added Smith. "Them was men--those Congressmen. They +didn't get eight dollars a day for making speeches." + +"No," put in Higgins, "but they earned a great deal more. Some of 'em +lost all the property they had, during the war." + +"The spirit which animated our countrymen at that period was the noblest +which could prompt the deeds of men," said young Harmar, growing quite +eloquent. "From the men who emptied the tea into Boston harbor, to the +statesman of the Continental Congress, all were filled with patriotism, +and that's the most unselfish of human motives." + + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH. + +"Mrs. Harmar, your sex nobly maintained their reputation for devotion +and patriotism during the Revolution," said Wilson. "Did you ever hear +how a Quaker lady, named Lydia Darragh, saved the army under Washington +from being surprised?" + +"No, never," replied Mrs. Harmar. + +"No! Then, as a Philadelphia lady, you should know about it," said +Wilson. + +"The superior officers of the British army were accustomed to hold their +consultations on all subjects of importance at the house of William and +Lydia Darragh, members of the Society of Friends, immediately opposite +to the quarters of the commander-in-chief, in Second street. It was +in December, in the year that they occupied the city, that the +adjutant-general of the army desired Lydia to have an apartment prepared +for himself and friends, and to order her family early to bed; adding, +when ready to depart, 'Notice shall be given to you to let us out, and +to extinguish the fire and candles.' The manner of delivering this +order, especially that part of it which commanded the early retirement +of her family, strongly excited Lydia's curiosity, and determined her, +if possible, to discover the mystery of their meeting. Approaching +without shoes the room in which the conference was held, and placing her +ear to the keyhole, she heard the order read for the troops to quit the +city on the night of the 4th, to attack the American army encamped at +White Marsh. Returning immediately to her room, she laid herself down, +but, in a little while, a loud knocking at the door, which for some time +she pretended not to hear, proclaimed the intention of the party to +retire. Having let them out, she again sought her bed, but not to sleep; +the agitation of her mind prevented it. She thought only of the dangers +that threatened the lives of thousands of her countrymen, and believing +it to be in her power to avert the evil, determined, at all hazards, to +apprize General Washington of his danger. Telling her husband, at early +dawn, that flour was wanting for domestic purposes, and that she should +go to Frankford to obtain it, she repaired to headquarters, got access +to General Howe, and obtained permission to pass the British lines. +Leaving her bag at the mill, Lydia now pressed forward towards the +American army, and meeting Captain Allen M'Lean, an officer, from his +superior intelligence and activity, selected by General Washington to +gain intelligence, discovered to him the important secret, obtaining +his promise not to jeopardize her safety by telling from whom he +had obtained it. Captain M'Lean, with all speed, informed the +commander-in-chief of his danger, who, of course, took every necessary +step to baffle the contemplated enterprize, and to show the enemy that +he was prepared to receive them. Lydia returned home with her flour, +secretly watched the movements of the British, and saw them depart. Her +anxiety during their absence was excessive, nor was it lessened when, on +their return, the adjutant-general, summoning her to his apartment and +locking the door with an air of mystery, demanded 'Whether any of the +family were up on the night that he had received company at her house?' +She told him, that, without an exception, they had all retired at eight +o'clock. 'You, I know, Lydia, were asleep, for I knocked at your door +three times before you heard me, yet, although I am at a loss to +conceive who gave the information of our intended attack to General +Washington, it is certain we were betrayed; for, on arriving near his +encampment, we found his cannon mounted, his troops under arms, and at +every point so perfectly prepared to receive us, that we were compelled, +like fools, to make a retrograde movement, without inflicting on our +enemy any manner of injury whatever.'" + +"Ha! ha! a neat stratagem, and a patriotic woman," exclaimed young +Harmar. + +"Talking of the services of the women during the war," said Higgins, +"reminds me of Molly Macauly, or Sergeant Macauly, as we knew her while +in the army. She was a Pennsylvanian, and was so enthusiastic in her +patriotism, that she donned a man's dress, and joined the army, when she +became a sergeant, and fought bravely in several battles and skirmishes. +Nobody suspected that she was not what she seemed to be; for she was +tall, stout, and rough-looking, and associated with men very freely. +Molly had a custom of swinging her sabre over her head, and hurraing for +Mad Anthony, as she called General Wayne. She was wounded at Brandywine, +and, her sex being discovered, returned home." + +"She was not the only woman in disguise in the army," said old Harmar. +"There was Elizabeth Canning, who was at Fort Washington, and, when her +husband was killed, took his place at the gun, loading, priming, and +firing with good effect, till she was wounded in the breast by a +grape-shot. While our army lay at Valley Forge, several Pennsylvania +women were detected in disguise, enduring all kinds of want, and with +less murmuring than the men themselves. Oh, yes! the women were all +right in those days, however they may have degenerated since." + +"Come, no slander on the women of the present day," said Mrs. Harmar. +"I've no doubt, take them all in all; they will not suffer in comparison +with those of any age." + +"Bravo! Mrs. Harmar," exclaimed Wilson. + +"Women, now, are ready enough with disguises," remarked young Harmar. + +"To be sure!" replied his wife, "and always were." + + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE. + +"Mr. Smith, can't we have a leaf from your experience in those trying +times?" said old Harmar. + +"Ah! sir, I would have much to tell if I had time to collect my +memory--much to tell, sir. But though I saw a great deal in the +Revolution, I heard much more." + +"Tell us anything to pass time," said young Harmar. "I've heard my +father speak of some bold exploits up in the vicinity of New York. The +history of the Cowboys and Skinners always interested me." + +"Ah! I've heard many a story of them," replied Smith. "I'll tell you of +one old Jack Hanson told me--you recollect old Jack, don't you, Harmar? +He was with us at Valley Forge." + +"That I do," replied old Harmer. "He gave me a piece of his blanket, and +an old shoe, when I believe I was freezing to death." + +"Yes, he was ever a good-hearted fellow--Jack Hanson was. He's been dead +now about ten years. Well, as I was saying, he told me a story about +those Cowboys and Skinners which will bear telling again." + +"It happened when the British were in possession of the city of New +York. Many brave men did all that could be done to destroy the power and +comfort of the king's representatives, and alarm them for their personal +safety; and, to the greater part of them, the neighboring county of West +Chester furnished both the home, and a theatre of action. Their system +of warfare partook of the semi-savage and partisan predatory character, +and many fierce and desperate encounters took place between them and the +outlawed hordes of desperadoes in the pay of the British. + +"The refugees, banded together for the purpose of preying upon +the patriots, and then retreating behind the shelter of the royal +fortifications, were composed of the vilest miscreants that could be +gathered from the dregs of any community, and were generally known by +the slang name of 'Skinners.' + +"To oppose these desperadoes, and protect their lives and property from +insult, many of the whigs had united in small parties, and were styled +by the Skinners, in derision, the 'Cow-boys.' One of the most active and +energetic of these bands, ever ready for any species of patriotic duty, +was led by Nicholas Odell. Nick, as he was familiarly termed, though +entirely uneducated, was one of the shrewdest men to be found; for +Nature had gifted him where cultivation was wanting, and he became, in +consequence, a most formidable and dangerous enemy in the service he had +chosen. But fifty men composed his entire force, and with these he did +his country much service, and the enemy no little mischief. + +"The line of the Bronx River was the route always kept in view by Nick +and his men; and, at six several points, places of rendezvous were +established, at which they were generally to be found when off duty, +which was, indeed, seldom the case. + +"One of these places was on the banks of that stream, where the water +was so wide and deep as to render it perilous for any but an expert and +experienced swimmer to attempt its passage, and always placid, with a +sort of oily surface looking like the backed waters of a mill-pond. The +banks were covered with a thick undergrowth of vines, saplings, and +trees in abundance, so that autumn did not, by taking away the leaves, +expose the spot to the observation of the passer-by. Here a rude board +shanty had been knocked up in a hurry, and was used to shelter the men +from the intense cold of the winter nights. This episode in the stream +Nick had named 'Dead Man's Lake,' in consequence of finding on its +banks the body of a man who had been murdered and mutilated by his old +enemies, the Skinners. + +"One evening, in the depth of winter, Nick, who had been a long distance +above White Plains, hastened back to the lake in order to intercept +a body of Skinners, on their way from Connecticut to the city, with +considerable booty taken from the inhabitants in the vicinity of the +Sound. They numbered about eighty, under the control of a petty Scotch +officer named McPherson. Nick had contrived to gain intelligence of +their movements and access to their party, by means of John Valentine, +one of his own scouts, who, by his direction, had met and joined the +tories with a specious tale, and promised to lead them through the +country so securely that none of the prowling rebels should encounter +them. + +"Previous to John's starting on his perilous adventure, it was agreed +that Nick, with all his men, should remain the whole night in question +concealed at the lake, without entering the hut. John was then to bring +the refugees to the spot, shelter them in the hut, and, at a favorable +moment, he would sing out, 'Hurrah for Gin'ral Washington, and down with +the red-coats!' when the Cow-boys were to rush in, and take them by +surprise. + +"Having reached the lake about nine o'clock in the evening, Nick +proceeded to devise a plan for concealment, for he expected to wait +several hours. The cold was intense, and, like all the servants +of Congress, Nick and his men were but ill prepared to resist the +inclemency of the weather. + +"Nick was in perplexity; no plan could be devised with satisfaction to +the majority, and they stood in absolute danger of perishing with cold. +The debate on the subject was still in progress, when heavy flakes +of snow began to fall briskly, with promising appearances of a long +continuance. 'Good!' said Nick, half in soliloquy, as he viewed the +feathery element, and a new idea seemed to strike him, 'I have hit it at +last. Boys, no grumblin' or skulkin' now, for I won't have it. You must +do as I am goin' to order, or we part company.' + +"So saying, he directed the whole of his men to enter a swamp meadow +which was behind the shanty, and had been rendered hard and porous by +the weather. Here he directed them to spread their blankets, and lie +down with the locks of their muskets between their knees, and the muzzle +protected by a wooden stopper kept for the purpose. Nick enforced this +command with an explanation of its advantages: the snow being dry, and +not subject to drift, would soon cover them, keeping them quite warm, +and would also conceal them at their ease. The porous quality of the +ground would enable them to distinguish the distant approach of the +enemy, and therefore they could snatch a few moments sleep in the snow. +To prevent its being fatal or injurious, he made each man, previous to +lying down, drink freely of rye whiskey. Four long hours elapsed, by +which time the hardy patriots were completely under the snow, being +covered with nearly eight inches of it. + +"The keenest eye, or acutest cunning, could not have detected in those +undulating hillocks aught but the natural irregularities of swampy +ground. + +"At length, about two o'clock in the morning, John arrived with his +_devoted_ followers. They were right thankful for the shelter of the +shanty, and McPherson swore he would report John's generous conduct at +head-quarters, and procure him a deserved reward. + +"'Wait,' said John; '_I have not done the half that I intend to do for +you_.' + +"Nick, whose _bed_ was nearest the hovel, now arose, and placed himself +against it, that he might be ready to act when John's signal was given. +He first, however, awoke his men, without permitting them to rise, by +the summary process of slightly pricking each one with the sharp point +of a bayonet. + +"The tories, stowed like sheep in the little hut, soon began to drink, +and, as they did so, became very valorous and boastful. McPherson, +singularly communicative to John, detailed his atrocities on the route +with savage exultation. He feared no assault--not he! He was strong +enough to repel any handful of half-starved, skulking outlaws. If he +caught any of the Cow-boys he would hang them to their own trees, and +manure the soil with the blood of their women. + +"John had crept to the door by degrees, and now stood with his hand upon +the raised latchet. He applauded the officer's remarks, and was willing, +he said, to aid him in the deed he contemplated. He then proposed +a toast, and, filling a tin-cup with liquor, said in a loud voice, +'_Hurrah for Ginral Washington, and down with the red-coats_!' The +liquor was dashed in McPherson's face, and John vanished from the hut. +Nick immediately summoned his men by a repetition of the toast, and the +fifty hillocks of snow were suddenly changed, as if by magic, into as +many armed and furious 'rebels.' Before the Skinners could recover from +the momentary surprise into which this curious incident had thrown them, +a volley of powder and shot had been fired into their midst. Dashing +like a frightened hare through the open door, McPherson beheld his +assailants. His fears magnified their numbers, and, conceiving there was +no hope in _fight_, he summoned his men to follow him in _flight_. + +"They madly rushed after him, and forcing their way through the dry +limbs of brush that stuck up on the banks of the lake, gained the frozen +surface. More than one half their number had taken this course, while +the rest had either fallen victims to the first fire, or taken to their +heels towards the main road. Suddenly a terrible crash was heard, +accompanied by a splash, and a hubbub of unearthly screams. The ice +had broken, and 'Dead Man's Lake' was accomplishing a victory for the +handful of American patriots who stood upon its banks. + +"The result was, that over twenty of the Skinners were taken prisoners. +Only half-a-dozen were killed by fire-arms. The lake was examined at +sunrise, and fifteen bodies were drawn from its remorseless bosom. The +remainder, McPherson among them, escaped." + +"That Nick Odell was nearly equal to old Nick himself in stratagems," +said Wilson, when Smith had concluded. + +"It's a wonder the men didn't freeze to death under the snow," said +Morton. "I think I should have been opposed to trying such a way of +disposing of myself." + +"Oh! there 's no doubt about its keeping you warm," said old Harmar. + +"How can cold snow keep men warm?" enquired Thomas Jefferson Harmar. + +"I suppose," answered Higgins, "that it's much like blowing your warm +breath on anything hot to cool it." + +As nobody seemed disposed to contradict this explanation, old Higgins +took it for granted that he was correct; and Thomas Jefferson was +satisfied. + +[Illustration: DEFEAT OF THE SKINNERS AT DEADMAN'S LAKE.] + + +[Illustration: THE STORY OF THE HALF-BREED.] + +STORY OF THE HALF-BREED. + +"Now," said young Harmar, who, as a literary gentleman, was anxious to +collect as many incidents of the Revolution as he could from these old +men; "now, Mr. Higgins, you must oblige us by recalling something of +your experience." + +"Ah!" replied Higgins, "if I could tell in words a small part of what I +know of the war, I'm sure I could interest you." + +"We are not critical," said old Harmar. "Jackson may think of his +bookish notions sometimes; but he knows what kind of old men we are. +Narrate anything that comes uppermost." + +"Well," commenced Higgins, "I'll tell you about an adventure of a +friend of mine, named Humphries, with a half-breed--that's horribly +interesting--if I can only recollect it." And, after a short pause, to +let his old memory bring up the incidents from the far past, Higgins +told the following story of revenge. + +"In the country around Saratoga, when General Gates lay encamped there, +lived a half-breed Indian, called Blonay. He was well known in the +neighborhood as a fierce and outlawed character, who wandered and +skulked from place to place, sometimes pretending to be for the +Americans, and, at others, for the tories. He went anywhere, and did +everything to serve his own ends; but his whole life, and all his +actions, seemed centred in one darling object, and that was revenge. +He had deeply and fearfully sworn never to rest until he had drawn the +heart's blood of Humphries, a member of Morgan's corps, and his greatest +enemy. They had been mortal foes from boyhood, and a blow Humphries had +given Blonay had fixed their hatred for life. He had pursued him from +place to place with untiring vigilance, and had watched, day after day, +and month after month, for an opportunity to glut his revenge, but none +offered. + +"One morning, Humphries and a comrade named Davis, with a negro servant +belonging to Marion's band, were standing on a small hill near the +encampment, when a strange dog suddenly appeared through the bushes, at +the sight of which Humphries seized his rifle, and raised it to his eye, +as if about to fire. The black was about to express his surprise at this +sudden ferocity of manner, when, noticing that the dog was quiet, he +lowered the weapon, and, pointing to the animal, asked Davis if he knew +it. 'I do; but can't say where I've seen him,' replied the other. 'And +what do you say, Tom?' he asked of the black, in tones that startled +him. 'Don't _you_ know that dog?' 'He face berry familiar, massa, but I +loss to recollect.' 'That's the cur of Blonay, and the bear-eyed rascal +must be in the neighborhood.' 'Do you think so?' inquired Davis. 'Think +so! I know so; and why should he be here if his master was not?' 'Tom,' +he continued, 'hit the critter a smart blow with your stick--hard enough +to scare him off, but not to hurt him; and do you move to the edge of +the creek, Davis, as soon as the dog runs off, for his master must be in +that direction, and I want to see him.' + +"Thus ordering, he called two of the riflemen that were near, and sent +them on the path directly opposite to that taken by Davis. He himself +prepared to strike the creek at a point between these two. He then made +a signal, and Tom gave the dog a heavy blow, which sent him howling into +the swamp, taking, as they had expected, the very path he came. Blonay, +however, was not to be caught napping. He left the point from which +he was watching the camp, and running in a line for some fifty yards, +turned suddenly about for the point at which he had entered the swamp. +But he could not but have some doubts as to the adequacy of his +concealment. He cursed the keen scent of the dog, which he feared would +too quickly discover him to his pursuers. He hurried on, therefore, +taking the water at every chance, to leave as small a trail as possible; +but, from place to place, the cur kept after him, giving forth an +occasional yelp. 'Aroint the pup! there's no losin' him. If I had my +hand on him, I should knife him as my best caution,' exclaimed the +half-breed, as the bark of the dog, in making a new trail, showed the +success with which he pursued him. Exasperated, he rose upon a stump, +and saw the head of Humphries, who was still pressing on, led by the +cries of the dog. + +"'I can hit him now,' muttered Blonay. 'It's not two hundred yards, and +I've hit a smaller mark than that at a greater distance, before now.' + +"He raised the rifle and brought the sight to his eye, and would have +fired, but the next minute Humphries was covered by a tree. The dog came +on, and Blonay heard the voices of his pursuers behind; and just then +the dog reached him. + +"The faithful animal, little knowing the danger into which he had +brought his master, leaped fondly upon him, testifying his joy by +yelping with his greatest vocal powers. + +"With a hearty curse, Blonay grasped the dog by the back of the neck, +and, drawing the skin tightly across the throat, quickly passed the keen +edge of his knife but once over it, and then thrust the body from him. +Sheathing the knife and seizing his rifle, he again set forward, and did +not stop till he gained a small but thick under-brush. His pursuers +now came up to the dead body of the dog; seeing which, they considered +further pursuit hopeless. + +"At this moment, sounds of a trumpet came from the camp, as the signal +to return. Humphries told the others to obey its summons, but avowed his +determination of pursuing Blonay until he or the other had fallen. After +they had left him, he again set forward, and walked very fast in the +direction he supposed his enemy had taken, and had not proceeded far ere +he saw his track in the mud, which he followed until it was lost among +the leaves. Darkness coming on, he gave up the chase until the next +morning. That night both slept in the swamp, not more than two hundred +yards apart, but unconscious of each other's locality. In the morning, +Humphries was the first to awake. Descending from the tree where he had +slept, he carefully looked around, thinking what he should do next. +While he thus stood, a slight noise reached his ears, sounding like +the friction of bark; a repetition of it showed where it came from. He +glanced at an old cypress which stood in the water near him, and saw +that its trunk was hollow, but did not look as if it would hold a man. +On a sudden, something prompted him to look upward, and, in the quick +glance he gave, the glare of a wild and well-known eye, peeping out upon +him from its woody retreat, met his gaze. With a howl of delight, he +raised his rifle, and the drop of the deadly instrument fell upon the +aperture; but before he could draw the trigger the object was gone. It +was Blonay, who, the moment he perceived the aim of Humphries' piece, +sank into the body of the tree. + +"'Come out and meet your enemy like a man!' exclaimed Humphries, 'and +don't crawl, like a snake, into a hollow tree, and wait for his heel. +Come out, you skunk! You shall have fair fight, and your own distance. +It shall be the quickest fire that shall make the difference of chances +between us. Come out, if you're a man!' Thus he raved at him; but a +fiendish laugh was the only answer he got. He next tried to cut his legs +with his knife, by piercing the bark; but a bend of the tree, on which +Blonay rested, prevented him. He then selected from some fallen limbs +one of the largest, which he carried to the tree and thrust into the +hollow, trying to wedge it between the inner knobs on which the feet of +the half-breed evidently were placed. But Blonay soon became aware of +his design, and opposed it with a desperate effort. Baffled for a long +time by his enemy, Humphries became enraged, and, seizing upon a jagged +knot of light wood, he thrust it against one of the legs of Blonay. +Using another heavy knot as a mallet, he drove the wedge forward against +the yielding flesh, which became awfully torn and lacerated by the sharp +edges of the wood. Under the severe pain, the feet were drawn up, and +Humphries was suffered to proceed with his original design. The poor +wretch, thus doomed to be buried alive, was now willing to come to any +terms, and agreed to accept the offer to fight; but Humphries refused +him, exclaiming, 'No, you don't, you cowardly skunk! you shall die in +your hole, like a varmint as you are; and the tree which has been your +house shall be your coffin. There you shall stay, if hard chunks and +solid wood can keep you, until your yellow flesh rots away from your +bones. You shall stay there until the lightning rips open your coffin, +or the autumn winds tumble you into the swamp.' So saying, he left him, +and went back to the camp--left him to die in the old woods, where +no help could ever come; and in this wild and awful manner--buried +alive--perished the savage half-breed." + +"That was an awful death, indeed," exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. "That +Humphries must have been a very disagreeable fellow." + +"And why so?" enquired Higgins. "The men in those parts of the country +were forced to be as fierce as their foes. Humphries was one of the +cleverest fellows I ever knew." + +"A man after your own heart," remarked Smith. "A warm friend and a warm +foe. I know you, Higgins." + +"You should know me, Smith, or no man should," replied Higgins, +evidently profoundly satisfied with himself. + +"Many a time have we messed together," added Smith; "ay, and many a time +have we hunted in company for the food we made a mess of." + +"Those times are gone," said old Harmar mournfully. "Those times are +gone." + +"I wonder where?" put in Mrs. Harmar's youngest, looking up in her face +for an answer. She smoothed his hair, and shook her head. + + +STORY OF THE DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE. + +"Speaking of awful deaths," said Morton, "reminds me of a scene I +witnessed at Saratoga, which I may as well tell you about, as young +Mr. Harmar seems anxious to hear anything relating to the war of +independence. You know there was an unconscionable number of tories up +there in New York State about the time of Burgoyne's invasion. Some of +them were honest, good sort of men, who didn't happen to think just as +we did: they kept at home, and did not lift their arms against us during +the war, though some of them were pretty hardly used by their whig +neighbors. Another set of the tories, however, acted upon the maxim that +'might makes right.' They were whigs when the royal power was weak, and +tories when they found it strong. Though raised in the same neighborhood +with the staunch whigs, these men turned robbers and murderers, and lost +all virtuous and manly feelings. Colonel Tom Lovelace was one of this +class: He was born and raised in the Saratoga district, and yet his old +neighbors dreaded him almost as much as if he had been one of the fierce +Senecas. When the war commenced, Lovelace went to Canada, and there +confederated with five men from his own district, to come down to +Saratoga, and kill, rob, or betray his old neighbors and friends. +There's no denying Lovelace was a bold, wary, and cunning fellow, and +he made the worst use of his qualities. He fixed his quarters in a +large swamp, about five miles from the residence of Colonel Van Vechten, +at Dovegat, and very cunningly concealed them. + +"Soon after, the robberies and captures around that neighborhood became +frequent. General Schuyler's house was robbed, and an attempt was made, +by Lovelace and his companions, to carry off Colonel Van Vechten. But +General Stark, who was in command of the barracks north of Fish Creek, +was too wide awake for him. He got wind of the scheme, and gave the +Colonel a strong guard, and so Lovelace was balked, and compelled to +give up his design. Captain Dunham, who commanded a company of militia +in the neighborhood, found out the tory colonel's place of concealment, +and he determined to attempt his capture. Accordingly, he summoned his +lieutenant, ensign, orderly, and one private, to his house; and, about +dusk, they started for the swamp, which was two miles distant. Having +separated to reconnoitre, two of them, named Green and Guiles, got lost; +but the other three kept together, and, about dawn, discovered Lovelace +and his party, in a hut covered over with boughs, just drawing on their +stockings. The three men crawled cautiously forward till near the hut, +when they sprang up with a shout, levelled their muskets, and Captain +Dunham sang out, 'Surrender, or you are all dead men!' There was no time +for parley; and the tory rascals, believing that our men were down on +them in force, came out one by one, without arms, and Dunham and his men +marched them off to General Stark's quarters. The rascals were all tried +by court-martial, as spies, traitors, and robbers; and Lovelace was +sentenced to be hung, as he was considered too dangerous to be allowed +to get loose again. He made complaint of injustice, and said he ought to +be treated as a prisoner of war; but our general could not consent to +look upon such a villain as an honorable soldier, and his sentence was +ordered to be carried into effect three days afterwards. I was then with +a company of New York volunteers, sent to reinforce General Stark, and +I was enabled to gratify my desire to witness the execution of a man I +detested. The gallows was put up on the high bluff a few miles south of +Fish Creek, near our barracks. When the day arrived, I found that our +company was on the guard to be posted near the gallows. It was a gloomy +morning, and about the time the tory colonel was marched out to the +gallows, and we were placed in position at the foot of the bluff, a +tremendous storm of wind and rain came on. It was an awful scene. +The sky seemed as black as midnight, except when the vivid sheets of +lightning glared and shot across it; and the peals of thunder were loud +and long. Lovelace knelt upon the scaffold, and the chaplain prayed with +him. I think if there was anything could change a man's heart, it must +have been the thought of dying at such a time, when God himself seemed +wrathful at the deeds of men. + +"I expected to be delighted with seeing such a man hung; but I tell you, +my friends, I felt very differently when the time came, and I saw the +cruel tory kneeling on the scaffold, while the lightning seemed to be +quivering over the gallows. I turned away my head a moment, and when I +looked again, the body of Lovelace was suspended in the air, and his +spirit had gone to give its account to its God." + +The account of this terrible scene had deeply interested the company; +and the animated manner of Morton impressed even the children with a +feeling of awe. + +"Why didn't they postpone the hanging of the man until there was a clear +day?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Executions are never postponed on account of the weather, my dear," +replied her husband. "It would be rather cruel than otherwise thus to +delay them." + +"I've heard of that Lovelace before," remarked old Harmar. "I judged +that he was a bold villain from some of his outrages, and I think he +deserved his death." + +"For my part," said Higgins, "I hated the very name of a tory so much, +during the war, that I believe I could have killed any man who dared to +speak in their defence. All that I knew or heard of were blood-thirsty +scoundrels." + + +STORY OF THE MURDER OF MISS M'CREA. + +"If you were at Saratoga, Mr. Morton, perhaps you know something about +the murder of Miss M'Crea," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Oh, yes! I know the real facts of the case," replied Morton. "I got +them from one who was acquainted with her family. The real story is +quite different from the one we find in the histories of the war, and +which General Gates received as true." + +"Then set us right upon the matter," remarked young Harmar. + +"Do," added Wilson. "I've heard the story through two or three +twistings, and I'm only satisfied that the lady was killed." + +"Well," commenced Morton, "what I now tell you may depend on as the +truest account you can receive. No one but Heaven and the Indians +themselves witnessed the death of the young girl; and our only evidence +of a positive nature is the declaration of those who were supposed to be +her murderers. But to the story. + +"Jane M'Crea, or Jenny M'Crea, as she is more generally known, was the +daughter of a Scotch clergyman, who resided in Jersey City, opposite +New York. While living with her father, an intimacy grew up between the +daughter of a Mrs. M'Niel and Jenny. Mrs. M'Niel's husband dying, she +went to live on an estate near Fort Edward. Soon after, Mr. M'Crea died, +and Jenny went to live with her brother near the same place. There the +intimacy of former years was renewed, and Jenny spent much of her time +at the house of Mrs. M'Niel and her daughter. Near the M'Niel's lived a +family named Jones, consisting of a widow and six sons. David Jones, one +of the sons, became acquainted with Jenny, and at length this friendship +deepened into love. When the war broke out, the Jones's took the royal +side of the question; and, in the fall of 1776, David and Jonathan Jones +went to Canada, raised a company, and joined the British garrison at +Crown Point. They both afterwards attached themselves to Burgoyne's +army; David being made a lieutenant in Frazer's division. The brother +of Jenny M'Crea was a whig, and, as the British army advanced, they +prepared to set out for Albany. Mrs. M'Niel was a loyalist, and, as she +remained, Jenny remained with her, perhaps with the hope of seeing David +Jones. + +"At length Jenny's brother sent her a peremptory order to join him, and +she promised to comply the next day after receiving it. On the morning +of that day, (I believe it was the 27th of July,) a black servant boy +belonging to Mrs. M'Niel discovered some Indians approaching the house, +and, giving the alarm, he ran to the fort, which was but a short +distance off. Mrs. M'Niel, Jenny, a black woman, and two children, were +in the house when the alarm was given. Mrs. M'Niel's eldest daughter was +at Argyle. The black woman seized the two children, fled through the +back door into the kitchen, and down into the cellar. Jenny and Mrs. +M'Niel followed; but the old woman was corpulent, and before they could +descend, a powerful Indian seized Mrs. M'Niel by the hair and dragged +her up. Another brought Jenny out of the cellar. But the black woman and +the children remained undiscovered. The Indians started off with the two +women on the road towards Burgoyne's camp. Having caught two horses that +were grazing, they attempted to place their prisoners upon them. Mrs. +M'Niel being too heavy to ride, two stout Indians took her by the arms, +and hurried her along, while the others, with Jenny on horseback, +proceeded by another path through the woods. The negro boy having +alarmed the garrison at the fort, a detachment was sent out to effect +a rescue. They fired several volleys at the party of Indians; and the +Indians said that a bullet intended for them mortally wounded Jenny, and +she fell from her horse; and that they then stripped her of her clothing +and scalped her, that they might obtain the reward offered for those +things by Burgoyne. + +"Mrs. M'Niel said that the Indians who were hurrying her along seemed to +watch the flash of the guns, and fell down upon their faces, dragging +her down with them. When they got beyond the reach of the firing, the +Indians stript the old lady of everything except her chemise, and +in that plight carried her into the British camp. There she met her +kinsman, General Frazer, who endeavored to make her due reparation +for what she had endured. Soon after, the Indians who had been left +to bring Jenny arrived with some scalps, and Mrs. M'Niel immediately +recognised the long bright hair of the poor girl who had been murdered. +She charged the savages with the crime, but they denied it, and +explained the manner of her death. Mrs. M'Niel was compelled to believe +their story, as she knew it was more to the interest of the Indians to +bring in a prisoner than a scalp. + +"It being known in camp that Lieutenant Jones was betrothed to Jenny, +some lively imagination invented the story that he had sent the Indians +to bring her to camp, and that they quarrelled, and one of them scalped +her. This story seemed to be confirmed by General Gates' letter to +Burgoyne, and soon spread all over the country, making the people +more exasperated against the British than ever. Young Jones was +horror-stricken by the death of his betrothed, and immediately offered +to resign his commission, but they would not allow him. He bought +Jenny's scalp, and then, with his brother, deserted, and fled to +Canada." + +"Did you ever hear what became of him?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he was living in Canada the last time I heard of him," replied +Morton. "He never married; and, from being a lively, talkative fellow, +he became silent and melancholy." + +"Poor fellow! It was enough to make a man silent and melancholy," +remarked young Harmar. "I can imagine how I would have felt if deprived +of her I loved, in as tragical a manner." "Don't--don't mention it, my +dear!" exclaimed his wife, sensibly affected at the thought of her being +scalped. + +"It was a horrible transaction," remarked Wilson; "and it had a stirring +effect upon our people. I can recollect when I first heard the story +with all its embellishments; I felt as if I could have eaten up all the +red varmints I should chance to meet." + +"General Gates's version of the affair answered a good purpose," said +Higgins. "It roused our people to great exertions to defeat the designs +of a government which employed those savages." + +"King George's government thought it had a right to make use of every +body--rascals and honest men--to effect its design of enslaving us; but +we taught 'em a thing or two," added Morton, with a gratified smile. + + +STORY OF THE DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE. + +"I suppose," said young Harmar, "that, while you were up in New York, +you heard of many bloody affairs with the Indians and tories." + +"Many a one," replied Morton. "Many a one, sir. I could interest you for +days in recounting all I saw and heard. The poor whigs suffered a great +deal from the rascals--they did. Those in Tryon county, especially, were +always exposed to the attacks of the savages. I recollect an affair that +occurred at a settlement called Shell's Bush, about five miles from +Herkimer village. + +"A wealthy German, named John Shell, had built a block-house of his +own. It was two stories high, and built so as to let those inside fire +straight down on the assailants. One afternoon in August, while the +people of the settlement were generally in the fields at work, a +Scotchman named M'Donald, with about sixty Indians and tories, made an +attack on Shell's Bush. Most of the people fled to Fort Dayton, but +Shell and his family took refuge in the block-house. The father and two +sons were at work in the field when the alarm was given. The sons were +captured, but the father succeeded in reaching the block-house, which +was then besieged. Old Shell had six sons with him, and his wife loaded +the muskets, which were discharged with sure aim. This little garrison +kept their foes at a distance. M'Donald tried to burn the block-house, +but did not succeed. Furious at the prospect of being disappointed +of his expected prey, he seized a crowbar, ran up to the door, and +attempted to force it; but old Shell fired and shot him in the leg, and +then instantly opened the door and made him a prisoner. M'Donald was +well supplied with cartridges, and these he was compelled to surrender +to the garrison. The battle was now hushed for a time; and Shell, +knowing that the enemy would not attempt to burn the house while their +captain was in it, went into the second story, and began to sing the +favorite hymn of Martin Luther, when surrounded with the perils he +encountered in his controversy with the Pope." + +"That was cool," remarked Higgins. + +"Bravely cool," added old Harmar. + +"Oh, it was necessary to be cool and brave in those times," said Morton. +"But to go on with my story; the respite was very short. The tories and +Indians were exasperated at the successful resistance of the garrison, +and rushed up to the block-house. Five of them thrust the muzzles of +their pieces through the loop-holes; but Mrs. Shell seized an axe, and, +with well-directed blows, ruined every musket by bending the barrels. At +the same time, Shell and his sons kept up a brisk fire, and drove the +enemy off. About twilight, the old man went up stairs, and called out in +a loud voice to his wife, that Captain Small was approaching from Fort +Dayton, with succor. In a few minutes, he exclaimed, 'Captain Small, +march your company round on this side of the house. Captain Getman, you +had better wheel your men off to the left, and come up on that side.' +This, you see, was a stratagem. The enemy were deceived, took to their +heels, and fled through the woods, leaving eleven men killed and six +wounded. M'Donald was taken to Fort Dayton the next day, where his leg +was amputated; but the blood flowed so freely that he died in a few +hours. On his person was found a silver-mounted tomahawk, which had +thirty-two scalp notches on the handle, to show how he had imitated the +savages." + +"But what became of the two sons who were captured by the tories and +Indians?" inquired young Harmar. + +"They were carried to Canada," replied Morton. "They afterwards asserted +that nine of the wounded tories died on the way. But some of the Indians +were resolved to have revenge for their defeat, and they lurked in the +woods near Shell's house. One day they found the wished-for opportunity, +and fired upon Shell and his boys while they were at work in the field. +One of the boys was killed, and Shell so badly wounded that he died soon +after, at Fort Dayton." + +"Revenge seems a part of an Indian's nature," remarked young Harmar. + +"Yes," said Higgins, "they will pursue one who has injured them in any +way until he has paid for it." + +"Our people suffered much from them during the Revolution," added +Higgins, "and they want no instruction in regard to their character." + + +STORY OF BATE'S BEVENGE. + +"I recollect," said old Harmar, "after our line went south, under +General Wayne, just after the surrender of Cornwallis, I met some of the +men who had passed through Green's campaign. They were the bitterest +kind of whigs--men who had seen their houses burnt over their heads, and +who could have killed and eaten all the tories they should meet. They +told me many wild stories of the black doings of those traitorous +rascals." + +"Tell us one of them, won't you?" entreated Mrs. Harmar. + +"Come, father, spin us one of those yarns, as the sailors say," added +her husband. The children also became clamorous for 'a story,' and the +old veteran was compelled to comply. + +"Well, you shall hear. A man named Joe Bates told me how he had been +used by the enemy, and how he had been revenged. He joined the southern +army when Greene first took command of it, leaving his wife and two +children at his farm on the banks of the Santee River. His brother, John +Bates, promised to take care of the family and the farm. You see, John +used to help Marion's band whenever he could spare the time--he was so +anxious to do something for the good of his country, and he didn't know +how else he could do it than by going off on an occasional expedition +with Marion. Well, some how or other, Major Wernyss, the commander of +the royalists in the neighborhood, got wind of John's freaks, and also +of those of some other whig farmers, and he said he would put a stop +to them. So he sent a detachment of about twenty-five men to burn the +houses of the people who were suspected of being the friends of Marion. +John Bates heard of their coming, and collected about ten or a dozen +whigs to defend his house. He hadn't time to send the wife of Joe and +his children away to a safer place, or else he thought there was no +better place. However it was, they remained there. The house was barred +up, and everything fixed to give the red-coats a warm reception, should +they attempt to carry out their intention. The time they chose for it +was a moonlight night. The neighbors could see their houses burning +from the upper windows of the one where they were posted, and they kept +muttering curses and threats of vengeance all the time." + +"Why didn't each man stay at home, and take care of his own house?" +enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Of what use would that have been?" returned old Harmar. "By so doing, +they could not have saved any house, and would have lost the chance +of punishing the red-coats for their outrages. I forgot to tell you, +though, that some of the farmers had brought their wives and children +to Bates', and these were all put up-stairs out of the way. The little +garrison had made loop-holes on all sides of the house, and each man had +his rifle and knife ready to guard the post at which he was stationed. +John Bates was the captain, because he knew most about such fightin' +matters; he learned it of Marion. Well, at last the garrison caught +sight of the Britishers coming up steadily, the leader a little in +advance. They didn't seem to suspect that any body was in the house, for +they had found all the rest deserted. Still they thought it wise to be +careful. They surrounded the house at their leader's command, and were +getting their things ready to set fire to it, when the garrison, who had +kept still as death all the time, blazed away at them from all sides. +This staggered the whole party; four or five of their number were shot +dead, and as many more wounded. They rallied, however, and poured a +volley into the house. The garrison, under John's command, returned the +fire, and seemed to have decidedly the best of the matter. Joe's wife +couldn't content herself up-stairs with the women and children. She +wanted to be of some use in defending her own house. She would come down +and load the guns for John, while he kept a look-out on the movements of +the British party. Well, she had just loaded the gun, and was handing it +to John, when a bullet whizzed past him, struck her in the breast, and +she fell dead. John Bates looked through the loop-hole, and caught sight +of one of the red-coats running back from the house, and fired at him +but missed. He saw the man's face, though, and remembered it. John then +bore the corpse up-stairs. The women and children shrieked at the sight, +and thus discovered to the cowardly foe where they were placed. A volley +was sent through the upper part of the house, which killed one of Joe's +children and wounded the wife of a neighbor. But the enemy were losing +men too fast to continue the attack. I think Joe said they had lost half +their party in killed and wounded, while in the house only one man was +wounded. The red-coats that were left began to move off, dragging some +of their wounded with them. Then the farmers threw open the doors and +windows, and, giving a shout of triumph, sent a volley after them that +must have done some damage." + +"Didn't they start a pursuit?" inquired Higgins. + +"No: John thought his party was not strong enough, and that the glory of +defeating such a party of regulars was enough for once. But several of +the wounded red-coats were taken. Some of the farmers wanted to kill +them right off, but John wouldn't let them. He said there had been blood +enough shed already, and set them at work to bury the dead. Soon after, +John went to the army, and told Joe of the attack, and of the death +of his wife and child. Joe swore, by the most sacred oaths, to have +revenge; and made John describe the appearance of the man whom he had +seen running away from the house after firing the shot that had killed +Mrs. Bates. The man had peculiar features, and could not be mistaken. + +"At the great Battle of Eutaw Springs, Joe was among the troops +who charged with trailed arms. He came upon a man who answered the +description given by John, and rushed upon him with such force that he +pinned him to the ground with his bayonet, and he then drew a knife +across his throat to make sure work of it. He told me that he stopped, +amid a tremendous storm of grape and musketry, to take a look at the +Britisher, and to be sure that he had no life in him." + +"What bloody creatures war can make men," remarked young Harmar. "That +man was not sure he had killed the murderer of his wife." + +"It made no difference to him," replied old Harmar. "He hated the +whole set, and he had no mercy on any of them. Joe Bates was a clever +fellow--as warm a friend and as quiet a companion as you would wish to +meet in time of peace; but he hated like he loved--with all his heart, +and would go through fire and death to get at a foe." + +"I believe Joe Bates' conduct was a fair specimen of that of the whole +people of those parts, at that time," said Wilson. "I've been told that +the whigs and tories had no mercy on each other." + +"Not a bit," added old Harmar. "It seems to me that the fighting up here +in the North was child's play in comparison with that in the South. +Every man on the American side that went into the battle of Eutaw +Springs, was so full of courage and the desire of revenge that he was +equal to two common men. Greene had difficulty in restraining their +ardor within the limits of prudence. I heard of Colonel Henry Lee and +his legion coming up with a body of tories who were assembled to +march to the British camp, and his men would slaughter them without +mercy, in spite of his efforts to restrain them." + +"It was a bloody time," remarked Smith. + +"God grant that we may never see its like again," added Morton. + +"Up this way," said Wilson, "the tories were quite peaceable and +respectable; and some of them were badly treated without any reason for +it. They were honest men, and differed in opinion with those who judged +the Declaration of Independence and the assumption of arms, necessary +measures." + +"Yes," replied Higgins; "its all very well for men to differ in +opinion--nobody finds fault with that; its taking up arms against their +own countrymen, and opposing their country's cause, that we grumble at. +We should all adopt Commodore Decatur's motto; 'Our country--right or +wrong.' If she be right, our support cannot be refused; if wrong, we +should endeavor to set her right, and not, by refusing our support, or +by taking up arms against her, see her fall." + +"Bravo!" cried Mr. Jackson Harmar. "There's the true patriotic sentiment +for you. Allow me, Mr. Higgins, to shake hands with you over that +sentiment." + +The veteran patriot extended his hand, and received the hearty shake of +the patriot of another generation. + + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +"Grandfather," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "wont you tell us something +about Mad Anthony Wayne?" + +"Who learnt you to call him Mad Anthony Wayne?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's what grandfather calls him," replied the boy. + +"Yes," said old Harmar; "we always called him Mad Anthony--he was such +a dare-devil. I don't believe, if that man, when alone, had been +surrounded by foes, they could really have made him afraid." + +"He was a bold and skilful general," remarked Morton. "He was equal to +Arnold in those qualities, and superior to him in all others." + +"I think I can see him now, at Morristown, in the midst of the +mutineers, with his cocked pistol in his hand, attempting to enforce +orders--an action that no other man would have thought of doing under +such circumstances." "He did his duty," said Wilson; "but the men cannot +be censured for their conduct. They had received no pay for many months, +were without sufficient clothing to protect them from the weather, and +sometimes without food. If they had not been fighting for freedom and +their country's rights, they never could have stood it out." + +"One of the best things Wayne ever did," said Smith, "was that manoeuvre +of his in Virginia, where the British thought they had him surely in a +net." + +"What manoeuvre was that?" inquired Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Why, you see, General Lafayette was endeavoring to avoid a general +action with Cornwallis, and yet to harass him. Early in July, 1781, the +British army marched from Williamsburg, and encamped on the banks of the +James River, so as to cover a ford leading to the island of Jamestown. +Soon after, the baggage and some of the troops passed the ford, but the +main army kept its ground. Lafayette then moved from his encampment, +crossed the Chichahominy, pushed his light troops near the British +position, and advanced with the continentals to make an attempt on the +British rear, after the main body had passed the river. The next day, +the Marquis was told that the main body of the British had crossed the +ford, and that a rear-guard only remained behind. This was what the +British general wanted him to believe, and he posted his troops ready to +receive our men. Well, General Wayne, with eight hundred men, chiefly of +the Pennsylvania line, (including Mr. Harmar, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Wilson, +and myself,) was ordered to advance against the enemy. Now, Wayne +thought he had to fight a rear-guard only, and so he moved forward +boldly and rapidly; but, in a short time, he found himself directly in +front of the whole British army, drawn up to receive him. Retreat was +impracticable, as the enemy then might have had a fair chance to kill or +capture the whole detachment. Wayne thought that the best plan was to +put on a bold face, and so he commenced the attack at once. A fierce +and bloody struggle followed, and I'm not sure but we were gaining the +advantage, when General Lafayette discovered the mistake and ordered a +retreat, and we were compelled to fall back, leaving two cannon in the +hands of the enemy. By General Wayne's presence of mind and courage, you +see, we got off with but the loss of one hundred men. The British lost +the same number." + +"The Marquis was, of course, right in ordering a retreat," remarked +young Harmar. + +"I suppose so," replied Smith. "Our detachment might have made +considerable havoc among the British, and, perhaps, if promptly +supported, have maintained a long and doubtful battle. But General +Lafayette wanted to save his men until a more certain contest could be +brought about. He was a very young general--younger than Napoleon when +he took command of the army of Italy; but all his movements about that +time indicated that he was as skilful and vigilant as he was brave." + +"Americans should ever be grateful to the memory of such a man as +Lafayette," said old Harmar. "He was a true lover of liberty, and a +staunch friend to this land when it most needed friends." + +"And that reminds me," added young Harmar, "that I've a song here, which +I wrote for one of the papers, in relation to Lafayette. It is arranged +in the measure of the feeling melody of 'Auld Lang Syne.'" + +"Sing it," said Mr. Smith; and the request was echoed by the rest. +Mr. Jackson Harmar, therefore, after sundry excuses in the usual +routine--that he had a cold, &c.--sang the following words in a very +emphatic manner, with an occasional break in the high notes, and +huskiness in the low ones. + + Should auld acquaintance be forgot + And never brought to mind? + The friend that's true, remember'd not, + And days of auld lang syne? + For auld lang syne, my dear, + We never can forget; + When dangers press'd, and foes drew near, + Our friend was Lafayette. + + When first our fathers bravely drew + 'Gainst tyrants and their laws, + On wings of generous zeal he flew + To aid the holy cause. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + He stemm'd the broad Atlantic wave; + He vow'd they should be free; + He led the bravest of the brave + To death or victory. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + Let Brandywine his glory tell, + And Monmouth loud proclaim; + Let York in triumph proudly swell + The measure of his fame. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + Shall sons of freedom e'er forget, + Till time shall cease to move, + The debt they owe to Lafayette + Of gratitude and love? + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + +The song was listened to with considerable pleasure by the company, and +there was an occasional attempt, on the part of the veterans, to join in +the chorus, which, however, ended in a slight cough and shaking of the +head, as if the attempt was hopeless. + +"There's good sentiment in that song," remarked Smith. "It stirs the +heart." + +"Mr. Harmar, did you say the piece was your own composition?" inquired +Morton. + +"It is one of my humble efforts," modestly replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I'm very glad there are some young men left who can write something +else besides the love trash that's so popular," said Mr. Higgins. Old +men generally have a strong aversion or lofty contempt for everything +relating to the love matters of youth. + +"Everything has its time," was the sage remark of Mr. Jackson Harmar; +"or, in the more popular phrase of Mr. Shakespeare, 'Every dog will have +his day!'" + +"I should like to see patriotic songs more popular," remarked Morton; +and it is highly probable the conversation would have continued on +this subject, but Mrs. Harmar and the children kept up a constant clamor +for more stories, and old Harmar consented to amuse them and the rest of +the company with a story which, he said, he had seen in several papers, +and told in several different ways, none of which were correct. The true +circumstances he would then relate in order that his son might make a +story of it for his forthcoming work,--"Legends of the Times that tried +Men's Souls." + + +STORY OF THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES. + +"In the fall and winter of 1776," began Mr. Harmar, "the people of New +Jersey experienced their full share of the miseries of civil war. During +no period of the Revolutionary contest did the enemy's troops act more +cruelly or more unlike civilized men. As they marched through the +Jerseys, driving our poor 'rebel' army before them, they committed all +kinds of outrages on helpless women and old men; but this conduct was +destined to recoil upon the heads of the foe. The people were roused +to resist the invaders, and the militia was organised throughout the +State--silently but surely. Our victories at Trenton and Princeton were +received as the signals for action. As the enemy retired on Brunswick, +they were followed by the exasperated farmers, and harassed terribly. +But, at the time when my story commences, the red-coats were in +quiet possession of New Jersey, from Burlington to New York. General +Washington had come over on this side of the Delaware. + +"It was late in December. The weather was bitter cold, and the enemy +seldom stirred from their quarters to visit the interior of the State. +This respite would have been refreshing to the harassed farmer, if the +withdrawal of the regular troops had not left free play for the more +desperate servants of King George, or others who pretended to be such. +One of these pretenders was named Fagan. He was the leader of about +twenty ruffians as free from any particle of human feeling as himself. +There was no romance about the black character of Fagan; he was a +perfect wretch; he robbed for gain, and murdered to conceal the robbery. +The hiding-place of the band was in the pine barrens of New Jersey, and +they thence received the name of 'the pine robbers' from the people of +the country. Their violence and cruelty towards women and even children +had made them the terror of all classes. The whigs charged their doings +on the tories and refugees; but the robbers were against both parties. +They plundered a tory in the name of the continentals, and were true to +the Crown when a whig chanced to be in their power. + +"Well, I'm going to tell you about one of their exploits. Not many miles +from Trenton, on the road to Bordentown, was the farm-house of Nathaniel +Collins, a Quaker, but who was not strict enough for his sect. He was +disowned by them on account of encouraging his two sons to join the +continental army, and for showing a disposition to do the same himself. +He was about sixty years old at the time of which I speak, but still +a large, powerful man, with the glow of health on his cheek and +intelligence in his eye. Though disowned by the Quaker sect, Nathaniel +Collins retained their dress, manners, and habits, and always defended +them from the attacks of their enemies. + +"One night, the old Quaker, his wife Hannah, cousin Rachel, and daughter +Amy, were sitting up till a very late hour. They expected Nathan's sons +home from the Continental army. These sons had chosen the night to cross +the river, to avoid the notice of the Hessians at Trenton. Well, the +family waited till the clock struck one, but the sons did not appear, +and Nathan was getting impatient. At last footsteps were heard on the +road. + +"'There they are at last!' eagerly exclaimed Amy. + +"'Let me see,' said Nathan, as, with the placid manner characteristic +of a Friend, he moved to a window which commanded a view of the kitchen +door, at which a knocking had commenced. He could distinguish six men, +armed and equipped like militia, and another, whose pinioned arms +proclaimed him a prisoner. His sons were not of the party; and as the +persons of the strangers were unknown, and the guise of a militia-man +was often assumed by Fagan, our friend was not 'easy in his mind how to +act.' His first idea was to feign deafness; but a second knock, loud +enough to wake all but the dead, changed his intention--he raised the +window and hailed the men: + +"'Friends, what's your will?' + +'A little refreshment of fire and food, if you please; we have been far +on duty, and are half frozen and quite starved.' 'We don't entertain +them who go to war.' + +'Yes; but you will not refuse a little refreshment to poor fellows like +us, this cold night; that would be as much against the principles of +your society as war.' + +'Thee's from Trenton?' + +'No, I thank you; Nathaniel Collins is too well known as a friend to the +country, and an honest man, to aid a refugee--we know that.' + +'Soap the old fox well,' whispered one of the band. + +'Come, friend, make haste and let us in, we are almost perished, and +have far to go before sunrise, or we may change places with our prisoner +here before sunset.' + +'But what does the party here, this side of the river, right under the +Hessians' nose, if--' + +'Oh, we are minute-men, sent from within by Captain Smallcross, to seize +this deserter--don't you mean to let us in?' + +"Nathaniel closed the window and said, 'I don't know what to make of +these men. Amy, call the boys; tell them to make haste and bring their +guns, but keep them out of sight, where they will be handy.' + +"As the command was obeyed, and the three young men, laborers on the +farm, appeared and placed their guns behind the inner, their master +unbolted the outer door and admitted five of the armed men--the prisoner +and one of his captors remaining without. Nathaniel thought this +unnecessary of so cold a night, and a little suspicious--'Will not thy +companions enter also?' + +"'No, thank you; he guards the prisoner.' + +'But why may not the prisoner, too?' 'Pshaw! he's nothing but a +deserter. The cold will be good for _him_.' + +"'I must say,' quote Nathan, 'exercised,' as he afterwards owned, past +endurance, 'thy conduct neither becomes thy nature as a man, or thy +calling, which should teach thee more feeling--I'll take the poor fellow +something to eat myself.' + +"The old man had reached the door on his merciful errand, meaning it is +true, to satisfy his curiosity at the same time, when he who had acted +as leader of the party sprang from his chair, and, placing his hand on +his host's breast, pushed him rudely back. 'Stand back--back, I say, and +mind your own business, if you _are_ a Quaker.' + +"There was a momentary struggle in Nathan's mind, whether to knock +the fellow down, as from appearances he easily might, or to yield, +in obedience to his _principles._ 'It was strongly on his mind,' he +confessed, to pursue the former course, but prudence conquered, and +he quietly withdrew to the upper end of the apartment, where his men +lounged on a bench, apparently half asleep, and indistinctly visible +in the light of the fire and one small candle, which burned near the +strangers. In the interim, the old cook had been summoned, and had +arranged some cold provisions on the table. 'Old Annie,' the cook, was +the child of Indian and mulatto parents, but possessed none of the +features of her darker relation, except a capacious mouth and lips +to match. She refused to associate with either negroes or Indians, +considering herself as belonging to neither, and indulging a +sovereign contempt for both. Her favorite term of reproach was 'Injin' +and 'nigger,' and when they failed _separately_ to express her feelings, +she put the two together, a compliment always paid the Hessians, when +she had occasion to mention them. A party of these marauders had, on +a visit to her master's house, stolen her fall's store of sausages; +thenceforth she vowed eternal hatred to the race--a vow she never forgot +to the day of her death. + +"The strangers ate their repast, showing anything but confidence in +their entertainer, and ate, each man with his gun resting on his +shoulder. During the whole meal, he who called himself their captain was +uneasy and restless. For some time, he appeared to be engaged in a very +close scrutiny of the household, who occupied the other end of the +kitchen--a scrutiny which, owing to the darkness, could not yield him +much satisfaction. He then whispered anxiously and angrily with his men, +who answered in a dogged, obstinate fashion, that evidently displeased +him; till, finally, rising from his seat, he bade them follow, and +scarcely taking time to thank Nathan for his food and fire, passed out +of the door and made from the house. + +"'Well, now, that beats me!' said Elnathan, as he and his comrades +looked at each other in astonishment at the abrupt departure and +singular conduct of their guests. + +"'That are a queer lark, any how!' responded John; 'it beats all +natur'.' + +''The Injins,' said Ann. 'If that is not Fagan or some of his gang, +never trust me!--why did you not give them a shot, the 'tarnal thieves?' + +"But our household troop were too glad to get rid of their visitors to +interrupt their retreat. The house was secured again, the men had thrown +themselves down, and some of them were already asleep, when another +knock at the same door brought them as one man to their feet. On opening +the door, a laborer attached to a neighboring farm presented himself, +breathless from haste, and almost dead with fear. When he so far +recovered his speech as to be able to tell his story, he proved to +be the man whom the pretended militia-men had brought with them as a +prisoner, and his captors were found to be no less than Fagan and a +portion of his band. They had that night robbed five different houses +before they attempted our Friend's. Aware that his sons were from +home, they expected to find the old man unsupported, but having gained +admission into the house, they were surprised at the appearance of three +additional men. Fagan, however, was bent upon completing his enterprise +in spite of all opposition; but his followers obstinately refused. At +the foot of the avenue a bitter quarrel ensued, Fagan taxing his men +with cowardice; but the fear of pursuit silenced them at length. The +next question was, how to dispose of their prisoner, whom they had +seized in one of their 'affairs,' and, for want of some means of +securing him, brought with them. Fagan, as the shortest way, proposed, +as he had before, to cut his throat; but the proposal was overruled as +unnecessary. He was unbound, and, upon his solemn promise to return +without giving the alarm, one of the band returned him his silver and +a little money they had abstracted from his chest. In consideration +whereof he made to the nearest house and gave the alarm, impelled by +instinct more than anything else. + +"Suddenly, the man's narrative was interrupted by an explosion of +fire-arms, which broke upon the clear, frosty night, and startled even +Nathan. Another and another followed before a word was uttered. + +"'What can that be? It must be at Trenton.' + +"'By jingo,' exclaimed Elnathan, forgetting, in his excitement, that +his master was present, 'if I don't believe our men ain't giving the +Hessians a salute this morning with ball _cartridges_--there it goes +again!--I say, John, it's a piert scrimmage.' + +"In his own anxiety, Nathan forgot to correct his servant's profanity. +'It must be--but how they got over through the ice without wings--' + +"'No matter 'zackly how, marster, it's them. I'll warrant them's hard +plums for a Christmas pudding. Ha! ha! they get it this morning,--them +tarnation Hessian niggers!' + +"'Ann, thee'll never forgive the Hessians thy sausages and pork.' + +"'Forgive--not I. All my nice sausages and buckwheat cakes, ready +buttered--and all for them 'are yaller varments.' + +"The firing having continued some minutes, though less in volleys +than at first, gradually ceased, and all was quiet, as if nothing had +happened to disturb the deathlike stillness of the night. Yet, in +that brief hall hour, the fate of a continent was decided--the almost +desperate cause of the colonies had been retrieved. The victory of +Trenton had been achieved. + +"The attention of Nathan was diverted, by this first incident, from the +other events of the night, but was soon recalled to the pursuit of +the robbers, and the relief of their victims, who, from their late +prisoner's account, had been left in an unpleasant condition. His men +being dispatched to collect aid, Nathan now remained with old Anne; the +sole efficient defender of the house. He was not doomed to wait their +return undisturbed--the indistinct sound, as of many feet, was heard +advancing along the road to Bordentown. + +"'It's them Hessians,' said Anne. But Nathan thought not--it was not +the tread of regular troops, but the confused rush of a multitude. He +hastened to an upper window to reconnoitre. The day had begun to break, +and he easily distinguished a large body of men in Hessian uniform, +hurrying along the road in broken ranks. As they came nearer, he +perceived many individuals half clad and imperfectly equipped. The whole +consisted of about six hundred men. Before their rear was lost behind a +turn in the road another body appeared in rapid pursuit. They marched in +closer order and more regular array. In the stillness of the morning the +voice of an officer could be distinctly heard urging on the men. They +bore the well-known standard of the colonies. It all flashed on Nathan's +mind--Washington _had_ crossed the river, and was in pursuit of the +routed foe. The excited old man forgot his years, as he almost sprang +down stairs to the open air, proclaiming the tidings as he went. Even +the correct Hannah, who had preserved her faith unbroken, in spite of +her husband's and sons' contumacy, and the, if possible, still _more_ +particular Rachel, were startled from their usual composure, and gave +vent to their joy. + +"'Well, now, _does_ thee say so?' said the latter, eagerly following the +others to the door. 'I hope it is not unfriendly to rejoice for such a +cause.' + +"'I hope not, cousin Rachel,' said Amy; 'nor to be proud that _our_ boys +had a share in the glorious deed.' + +"Amy was left to herself, and broke loose upon this occasion from the +bonds of Quaker propriety; but no one observed the transgression--except +old Anne. + +"'That's right, Amy Collins; I like to hear you say so. How them +Hessians can run--the 'tarnal niggers; they steal sausages better than +they stand bullets. I told 'em it would be so, when they was here +beguzzlen my buckwheat cakes, in plain English; only the outlandish +Injins couldn't understand their mother tongue. They're got enough +swallowen without chawen, this morning. I wish them nothen but Jineral +Maxwell at their tails, tickling 'em with continental bagonets.' + +"'That friend speaks my mind,' said Elnathan, with a half-sanctimonious, +half-waggish look, and slight nasal twang. + +"'Mine too,' as devoutly responded a companion, whom he had just brought +to assist in the pursuit of the robbers. + +"The whole family had assembled at the door to watch the motions of the +troops. The front ranks had already passed down the road, when a +horseman, at full speed, galloped along the line of march to the extreme +right, and commanded a halt. After a few minutes delay, two or three +officers, followed by a party carrying a wounded man, emerged from the +ranks and approached the house. This was too much for the composure of +our late overjoyed family; all hastened to meet their wounded or dead +relation, but were disappointed agreeably--the brothers were indeed of +the party, but unhurt. + +"'Charles--boys--what means--' + +'Nothing, father, except that we paid the Hessians a friendly visit this +morning. You saw them?' + +'A part--where are the rest?' + +'Oh, we could not consent to turn them out of their comfortable quarters +this cold night, so we insisted on their remaining, having first gone +through the trifling ceremony of grounding their arms.' + +"The greeting between the young soldiers and their more peaceful +relations could not have been more cordial if their hands had been +unstained with blood. Nathaniel proffered refreshments to the whole +detachment; old Anne trembled for her diminished stock of sausages, and +remarked to Elnathan, that it would take a ''tarnal griddle' to bake +cakes for 'all that posse cotatus.' But the offer was declined by the +officer in command, who only desired our friends to take charge of the +wounded Hessian, whom his own men had deserted in the road. + +[Illustration: THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES.] + +"In the meanwhile, about forty men had assembled at Nathan's summons to +pursue the robbers, some of them having first visited those who had +suffered from the previous night's depredations. In one instance, they +found a farmer tied in his own stable, with his horse gear, and his wife, +with the bed-cord, to some of the furniture in her own apartment. In +another place, the whole household was quietly disposed down a shallow +well, up to their knees in water, and half frozen. In a third, a +solitary man, who was the only inmate at the time, having fled, in his +fright, to the house-top, was left there by the unfeeling thieves, who +secured the trap-door within. But the last party who arrived had a +bloody tale to tell: they had been to the house of Joseph Farr, the +sexton to a neighboring Baptist church; a reputation for the possession +of concealed gold proved fatal to him. On entering his house, the door +of which stood open, the party sent to his relief stumbled over his +body. After having most cruelly beaten him, in the hope of extorting +the gold he was said to possess, the murderers, upon his positive +denial, pierced him in twenty places with their bayonets. The old +bedridden wife was still alive in her bed, though the blood had soaked +through the miserable pallet and run in a stream into the fire-place. +Their daughter, a woman of fifty years, fled from the house as the +murderers entered, and was pursued by one of them, nearly overtaken, +and even wounded in the arm by his bayonet; but his foot slipped in +making the thrust, and she escaped slightly hurt. + +"This bloody business aroused the whole country; a persevering and +active pursuit was commenced. The murderers had many miles to traverse +before they could reach a safe retreat, and were obliged to lighten +themselves of their heavier plunder in the chase. Four were shot down +in the pursuit; the knapsack of a fifth was found partly concealed in a +thicket, and pierced with a ball, which had also penetrated a large mass +of continental money in sheets, and, by the blood on the inner covering, +had done good service on the wearer. It was believed that he contrived +to conceal himself in a thicket, and died there; as he was never heard +of after. Fagan alone escaped unhurt to the pines, and for days defied +all the exertions of the whig farmers. By this time, the pursuing party +had increased to nearly two hundred men. The part of the wood in which +he was known to be concealed, was surrounded and fired, till the wretch +was literally burnt from his den, and, in an attempt to escape from one +flaming thicket to another, taken alive, although not unwounded. One of +the gang, who had not participated in the deeds I have mentioned, was +secured at the same time. + +"There appeared to be no difference of opinion about the mode of +disposing of the prisoners--indeed, an opinion was scarcely asked or +given. It seemed taken for granted--a thing of course; and the culprits +were led in silence to the selected place of execution. There was +neither judge nor jury--no delay--no prayer for mercy; a large oak then +stood at the forks of two roads, one of which leads to Freehold; from +the body of the tree a horizontal branch extended over the latter road, +to which two ropes were attached. One of them having been fixed to the +minor villain's neck, _his_ sufferings were soon over; but a horrible +and lingering death was reserved for Fagan. The iron hoops were taken +off a meat cask, and by a blacksmith in the company fitted round his +ankles, knees, and arms, pinioning the latter to his body, so that, +excepting his head, which was 'left free to enjoy the prospect,' he +could not move a muscle. In this condition he hung for days beside his +stiffened companion; dying by inches of famine and cold, which had +moderated so as, without ending, to aggravate his misery. Before he +died, he had gnawed his shoulder from very hunger. On the fifth night, +as it approached twelve o'clock, having been motionless for hours, +his guards believed him to be dead, and, tired of their horrid duty, +proposed to return home. In order, however, to be sure, they sent one of +the party up the ladder to feel if his heart still beat. He had ascended +into the tree, when a shriek, unlike anything human, broke upon the +stillness of the night, and echoed from the neighboring wood with +redoubled power. The poor fellow dropped from the tree like a dead man, +and his companions fled in terror from the spot. When day encouraged +them to return, their victim was swinging stiffly in the north wind--now +lifeless as the companion of his crime and its punishment. It is +believed, to this day, that no mortal power, operating upon the lungs of +the dead murderer, produced that awful, unearthly, and startling scream; +but that it was the voice of the Evil One, warning the intrusive guard +not to disturb the fiend in the possession of his lawful victim; a belief +materially strengthened by a fact that could not be disputed--the limb +upon which the robbers hung, after suffering double pollution from +them and their master's touch, never budded again; it died from that +hour; the poison gradually communicated to the remaining branches, till, +from a flourishing tree, it became a sapless and blasted trunk, and so +stood for years, at once an emblem and a monument of the murderers' fate. + +"Fagan was never buried; his body hung upon its gibbet till the winds +picked the flesh from off his bones, and they fell asunder by their own +weight. A friend of mine has seen his horrid countenance, as it +hung festering and blackening in the wind, and remembers, by way of +amusement, between schools, pelting the body with stones. The old trunk +has disappeared, but the spot is still haunted in the belief of the +people of the neighborhood, and he is a bold man who dare risk a +nocturnal encounter with the bloody Fagan, instead of avoiding the +direct road, at the expense of half a mile's additional walk. No +persuasion or force will induce a horse _raised in the neighborhood_ to +pass the fated spot at _night_, although he will express no uneasiness +by daylight. The inference is, that the animals, as we know animals +_do_, and Balaam's certainly _did_, see more than their masters. A +skeptical gentleman, near, thinks this only the force of habit, and that +the innocent creatures have been so taught by the cowards who drive +them, and would saddle the horses with their own folly. + +"I am at the close of my story, and not a lover or a tender scene in the +whole tedious relation--alas! what a defect, but it is too late to mind +it now; it only remains to take leave of our friends. Nathan and +Hannah have mingled with dust, and their spirits with that society +whose only business is love, and where sighing and contention can never +intrude. Nathan was permitted, on his expressing his sorrow that he +had 'disobliged Friends,' to rejoin his society, and he died an elder. +Rachel departed at a great age, as she had lived, a spotless maiden. The +blooming, the warm-hearted, mischievous Amy lives, a still comely old +lady, the mother of ten sons, and the grandparent of three times as many +more. She adheres strictly to all the rules of her society, and bears +her testimony in the capacity of a public Friend. Still, she is +evidently not a little proud of her father's and brothers' share in the +perils and honors of the revolutionary contest, though she affects to +condemn their contumacy and unfriendly conformity to the world's ways, +and their violation of 'Friends' testimony concerning war.' Old Annie +died four years since, at an almost incredible age, though she was not +able to name the exact number of the days of her pilgrimage. From the +deep furrows on her cheeks, and the strong lines of her naturally +striking countenance, which, as she advanced in years, assumed more and +more the character of her Indian parentage, and the leather-like +appearance of her skin, she might have passed for an antediluvian. +While other less important matters lost their impression on her memory, +the Hessian inroads upon her sausages and buckwheat cakes were neither +forgotten nor _entirely_ forgiven to the last. She sent for a friend +when on her death-bed, to make arrangement of her little affairs. He +found her strength of body exhausted, but her powers of mind unimpaired. +After disposing her stock of personalities among some of her friends, +she turned to him. 'That's all, Mr. Charles, except the old sash you +used to play with, which I sp'iled from the Hessian officer, the +Injin--keep that to mind old Anne by,' + +"'Thank you, Anne--I'll keep it carefully. But you must not bear malice +_now_, Anne; you must forgive even the Hessians,' said Charles. + +"'What, them Hessians, the bloody thieves?' and the old woman's eyes +lighted up, and she almost arose in her bed with astonishment, as she +asked the question. + +'Yes; even _them_: you are about to need forgiveness as much as +they--they _were_ your enemies and persecutors, whom you are especially +enjoined to pardon, as you would expect to be pardoned.' + +'So it is, Mr. Charles; you say the truth,--poor ignorant, sinful mortal +that I am! Well, then, I do--I _hope_ I _do_--forgive 'em; I'll try--the +bloody _creeters_.' + +"There; will that do for a story, Thomas Jefferson?" asked the old +grandfather, when he had concluded. The old man had a straight-forward, +natural way of telling a story that showed he had practised it +frequently. The boy seemed much gratified by the horrible narration. +Mrs. Harmar said she was interested, but didn't like it much; her +husband remarked, however, that it would make a thrilling sketch. + +"I suppose that Nathaniel Collins was very much the same sort of a +Quaker as General Green," said Morton. "They were peaceable men, as +long as peace and quiet were not inconsistent with self-defence. To +be peaceable when a foe is wasting your fields and slaughtering your +brethren, is cowardly and against nature." + +"That's truth," replied Higgins. "We must look upon a merciless invader +in the same light as upon a cruel beast, whom it is saving life to +slay." + +"Fagan was well punished for his outrages," remarked Wilson. + +"It was the only way for the inhabitants to ensure their safety," said +Smith. + + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION. + +"By the bye," said Mr. Morton, "some events have just recurred to my +mind, which interested me very much when I first heard of them, and +which I think may strike you as being wonderful. I knew of many strange +and unaccountable things that happened during the Revolution, but the +conversion of Gil Lester from toryism capped the climax." + +"Enlighten us upon the subject, by all means," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes, that was a strange affair, Morton; tell 'em about it," added +Higgins. + +"There's a little love stuff mixed up with the story," said Morton, +"but you will have to excuse that. I obtained the incidents from Lester +himself, and I know he was always true to his word, whether that was +right or wrong. Gilbert Lester, Vincent Murray, and their ladye-loves, +lived up here in Pennsylvania, in the neighborhood of the Lehigh. One +night a harvest ball was given at the house of farmer Williams. Vincent +Murray and Mary Williams, the farmer's daughter, joined in the +festivities, and, becoming tired of dancing in a hot room, they went out +to walk along the banks of the Lehigh, and, of course, to talk over love +matters. + +"They had seated themselves on a fallen tree, and continued for a few +moments to gaze in the mirrored Lehigh, as if their very thoughts might +be reflected on its glassy surface. Visions of war and bloodshed were +passing before the fancy of the excited girl, and she breathed an inward +prayer to heaven to protect her lover; when, casting her eyes upward, +she suddenly exclaimed with startling energy: + +"'Vincent, look at the sky!' Murray raised his head, and sprang +instantly on his feet. 'Tell me,' continued Mary, 'am I dreaming, or am +I mad! or do I actually see armies marching through the clouds?' + +"Murray gazed steadfastly for a moment, and then exclaimed, 'It is the +British, Mary--I see the red coats as plainly as I see you.' + +"The young girl seemed transfixed to the spot, without the power of +moving. 'Look there,' said she, pointing her finger upward--'there are +horses, with officers on them, and a whole regiment of dragoons! Oh, are +you not frightened?' + +"'No,' replied her companion--but before he had time to proceed, she +again exclaimed: + +'There, there, Vincent! See the colors flying, and the drums, and +trumpets, and cannon, I can almost hear them! What can it mean?' + +'Don't be so terrified, Mary. It is my belief, that what we see is an +intimation from God of the approaching war. The 'Lord of Hosts' has +set his sign in the heavens. But come, let us run to the house. This is +no time to dance--and they will not believe us, unless their own eyes +behold the vision!' + +"Before he had finished speaking, they were hastily retracing their +steps to the scene of merriment; and in another moment the sound of the +violin was hushed, and the feet of the dancers were still. With one +accord, they all stood in the open air, and gazed with straining glances +at the pageant in the heavens; and marked it with awe and wonder. A +broad streak of light spread itself gradually over the sky, till the +whole wide expanse was in one brilliant blaze of splendor. The clouds, +decked in the richest and most gorgeous colors, presented a spectacle of +grandeur and glory, as they continued to shape themselves into various +forms of men, and horses, and armor, till a warlike and supernatural +host was distinctly presented to the view. The dragoons, on their +prancing horses; the riflemen and artillery, with their military ensigns +and accoutrements; the infantry, and even the baggage-wagons in the +rear, were all there to complete the imposing array. _It is no fiction_; +many were eye-witnesses of that remarkable vision, which passed on from +the east, and disappeared in the west--and, from that evening, the sound +of the violin was heard no more in those places, until the end of the +Revolution. + +"Mary Tracy hung upon the arm of her lover, and listened anxiously to +his words, as he spoke to her in a low but decided tone." "That's very +strange; but you have not told us how the young tory was converted," +interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I am coming to that," replied Morton. "Vincent Murray and Mary Williams +conversed together for some time. He told her he was going to leave his +friends and join the American army. He said he thought the signs in the +clouds were warning to all the friends of liberty to rush to the aid of +our little struggling band; and that he intended to go to New York, +and then seek out the best plan for enlistment. Before he bade his +sweetheart farewell, he also told her he was resolved to do his best to +convert Gilbert Lester from his tory principles. Now this was no easy +task, as the two young men had often argued the question of rights, and +Lester had shown that he was as firmly fixed to his creed as Murray was +to his. Mary told him that she thought that the frowns or the smiles of +Jane Hatfield alone could change his way of thinking. But, nevertheless, +Murray resolved to try what he could do. + +"The little group of dancers were all scattered in different directions. +Murray sought among the number for Gilbert Lester, and found him, at +length, leaning in a thoughtful attitude against the trunk of a huge +sycamore tree, whose broad shadow fell upon the waters of the Lehigh. So +profound was his reverie, that Murray touched his arm before he stirred +from his position, or was aware of approaching footsteps. + +"'Gilbert, shall I divine your thoughts?' + +"'You, perhaps, think you could do so, but I doubt whether you would +guess right.' "'Why, there can be but one subject, I should suppose, +which could occupy the mind of any one who has seen what we have seen +this evening.' + +"'True; but there may be different interpretations put upon what is +equally a mystery to us all.' + +"'Well, I will not dispute that point with you,--but there is a _right_ +and a _wrong_, notwithstanding. Now, tell me, what is your opinion?' + +"'It will hardly coincide with yours, Vincent; for I fear we shall never +agree in our ideas of the propriety and expediency of taking up arms +against our sovereign. As to this pantomime of the clouds, I must +confess it is beyond my comprehension; so, if your understanding has +been enlightened by the exhibition, I beg you will have charity to +extend the benefit.' + +"'You are always for ridiculing my impressions, Gilbert; but you cannot +change my belief that our cause is a rightful one, and that it will, +with the help of the Almighty, ultimately prevail.' + +"'What, against such a host as we have just seen imaged out in the sky?' + +"'The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,' replied +Murray. + +"'But,' continued his friend, 'if a real army, coming over the sea to +do battle for the king, has been represented by that ghostly multitude +which passed before our view, you will find the number too strong for +this fanciful faith of yours, in the help of an invisible arm.' + +"'It is a faith, however, which I am not yet disposed to yield,--the +race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.' "'I will +acknowledge,' said Lester, interrupting him, 'that you have the +advantage of me in quoting Scripture--but depend upon it, the +_practical_ advantages of the British over the rebel army will soon +overturn your theory.' + +"'No such thing, Gilbert. I tell you that the zeal, fortitude, undaunted +courage, and invincible resolution, which encompass our little band of +patriots, will prove a shield of strength that will make every single +man of them equal to at least a dozen British soldiers. And having once +risen up in defence of their rights, they will persevere to the last +extremity before they will submit to the disgraceful terms of a despotic +government. It grieves me that _you_ should be among the tories. Come, I +entreat you, and share in the glory of the triumph which I am persuaded +will eventually be ours.' + +"'Then you really do believe, Murray, that God will work a modern +miracle in favor of America! My dear friend, I wish you would abandon +this vain chimera of your imagination, and let common sense and reason +convince you of the folly of this mad rebellion.' + +"'And what then? Should I sit down in cowardly inaction, while others +are sacrificing their lives in the struggle? No--that shall never be +said of Vincent Murray! My resolution is taken; I will rise or fall with +my country!' + +"'And perhaps the next time we meet,' said Lester, 'it may be on the +field of battle.' + +"'God forbid! But should it even be the case, Gilbert, I should know no +friend among my country's enemies. Farewell--you will think better of +this subject; and remember, that no one but a _Republican_ will ever win +Jane Hatfield,' said Murray. + +"The young men wrung each other's hands, and each went his way." + +"Murray thought he would put in the last remark by way of strengthening +the effect of the vision in the clouds, I suppose," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes; the promise of the hand of a lovely girl has a great influence on +the opinions of a young man," replied Morton. "But in this case, if you +will wait till my story is through, you will see that Jane Hatfield had +but little to do with Lester's conversion. The next morning after the +occurrence of the wonderful phantom in the clouds, Murray left his home, +and soon after enlisted in the army under General Montgomery. He was in +the unlucky expedition against Québec. + +"After the death of Montgomery, and the uniting of the different +detachments under Arnold, as their head, Murray, to his marvellous +astonishment, encountered his friend Gilbert Lester among the +Pennsylvania riflemen, under Captain Morgan. By some strange accident, +and each being ignorant of the proximity of the other, they had not met +before the attack on Québec. Great, therefore, was Murray's surprise and +pleasure; for, since the evening of their last conversation on the banks +of the Lehigh, he had no opportunity of learning whether there had been +any change in the political sentiments of his friend. With the utmost +fervor of delight he grasped his hand as he exclaimed: "'I rejoice to +see you,--but, my dear friend, what is the meaning of this meeting? And +how, in the name of wonder, came you here?' + +"'Why, it is truly a wonder to myself, Murray,' replied Lester, 'that +I ever got here; or that any of us, who passed through that frightful +wilderness, are now alive to tell the story.' + +"'The wilderness! I should like to know how you contrived to get into +the wilderness from the place where I last saw you?' said Murray. + +"'I remember,' said Gilbert, laughing; 'you left me looking at the +clouds on the banks of the Lehigh; and, perhaps, you imagine that I +was taken up into them, and dropped down in that horrible place as a +punishment for my _toryism!_' + +"'And if that was not the case, pray throw a little light on the +mystery.' + +"'Have patience, then, and let me tell my story my own way. The getting +into the labyrinth was a trifle in comparison to the getting out. +Believe me, the tales of romance are nothing to the tremendous horrors +of that march. Why do you look incredulous?' + +"'You know your love of the marvellous, Gilbert--but go on; only don't +out-Herod Herod in your description.' + +"'There is no danger of that--no description can come up to the truth. I +looked upon that whole army in the desert as destined to make their +next general parade in the heavens--and fancied you would see our poor, +unhappy apparitions gliding through the sky; and, perhaps, exclaim, +'Poor Gilbert; he died in the good cause at last. It seems, however, that +the necessity is spared of my making so pathetic an apostrophe. You had +the good fortune to escape.' + +'It was little less than a miracle that we did so, I assure you,' +replied Gilbert. + +'Your preservation, then, should be a more convincing proof to your +mind, that the Lord is on our side, and will not forsake us in this +unequal strife.' + +'Ah,' replied Lester, 'you may beat me in _faith_, Vincent, but I will +contend that I have beaten you in _works_. Had you waded, as we did, +through those hideous bogs, which a poor Irishman, whose bones we left +on the way, declared, 'bate all the bogs of Ireland!' you would have +said the Israelites in the wilderness had a happy time of it, compared +to us. Why, we were drowned, and starved, and frozen, till we had nearly +given up all hope of the honor of being shot.' + +'But you forget that I am still in ignorance of the preceding causes, +which produced the revolution in your sentiments, and consequently +influenced your actions after I left the farm,' said Murray, +interrupting him. + +"'You are right,' replied Gilbert; 'I am before my story. My head was +so completely filled with the images on the way, that I was obliged +to dispose of them first, ere I could clear a passage in my memory to +relate what came before. It would, however, require too much time, at +this moment, to enter into all the detail of argument and persuasion +that gradually undermined my first principles. My imagination was a +little excited by the whole scene at our last harvest festival. The +sudden interruption in the dancing by the singular phenomena in the +heavens, and the termination, from that evening, of all our accustomed +mirth and gaiety, made a strong impression, which led me to inquire +and reflect on passing events, connected with the disturbances in the +country, much more closely and anxiously than I had done before. The +result was a determination, in my own mind, to follow you. Knowing your +admiration of General Washington, I instantly jumped at the conclusion +that you had proceeded to Cambridge, in order to be guided in your +future movements by the commander-in-chief; and so, without the least +hesitation, I straightway decided on pursuing the same course. You are +well aware, Vincent, that I am a creature of impulse. My arrival at +head-quarters happened to be at the moment when Colonel Arnold was +fitting out his troops for this unhappy expedition; and meeting +accidentally with an acquaintance among the Pennsylvania riflemen, I +enlisted in the same regiment, under Captain Morgan. A spice of romance, +which I believe nature infused into my disposition, and which was +increased among the mountain passes and wild fastnesses of our native +scenery, induced me to look forward with a kind of adventurous pleasure, +to the projected passage through the unexplored wilderness. The probable +hazard and difficulty of the exploit presented only a spur to my newly +awakened ardor; and thus, with my usual impetuosity of feeling, I +pushed on among the most enthusiastic followers of Colonel Arnold. The +concluding part of the history is written in the blood of our brave and +gallant general; and now, in the closing scene of the drama, I find +myself, by a singular freak of fortune, thrown again in your company, in +a place where I had little dreamed of such a meeting.' + +"In the meanwhile, an interesting event happened on the banks of the +Lehigh. The usual business in that part of the country was suspended. +The men congregated to talk over the causes and events of the war, and +the signs of the times. The appearance of the army in the heavens was +still fresh in the minds of all; and it was but a few weeks after the +departure of Murray and Lester that another spectacle was seen, even +more astonishing than the first. + +"It was on a September evening that the _Aurora Borealis_ was discovered +in the sky. It grew brighter and brighter, and soon drew together a +large number of the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The distance was +short to the highest ground on the ridge of the Lehigh Mountains, and +the whole party ascended to the summit, near the old road between Easton +and Philadelphia. There they paused, to view the surrounding scenery in +the broad, clear light. The Kittating Mountain, enveloped in its blue +shade of mist, lay far away to the north and west; while, on the Jersey +side, to the east, the high Musconetcong rose darkly in the distance. +Suddenly, a cloud appeared on the blue sky above, and immediately, +quick, successive sounds, as of the firing of cannon, broke on the ear. +The cloud dispersed with the noise, and flying troops were seen rushing +on from the west. Men and horses were mingled in one indiscriminate mass +of confusion. The soldiers wore the uniform of the British; but +there was no order, as in the former vision. Ranks were cut up and +destroyed--plumes were bent down and broken--horses fled without +riders--and the fallen were trampled on by their companions. Terror +seemed to move in their midst, as they hurried onward. The pillar of a +cloud rose again behind them. It was like a thick smoke from the fire +of the enemy. It curled and wreathed itself away in the heavens, and +disappeared, as with another sound of guns. Then came the Continental +Army. Soldiers marching in triumph--officers mounted, and flags of +victory streaming on the sky. On and on, they followed in the pursuit, +till the singular phantasm melted away in the east. + +"The sight was hailed with joy, as an omen of success to the American +cause. Numerous were the spectators to that second vision--and some are +yet alive in the part of the country where it was seen. + +"An account of this phenomenon was sent to Murray and Lester, and the +latter became confirmed, heart and soul, in the cause to which he had +attached himself. Now, I know, you may look upon these things with a +smile of credulity, and say it was all the result of imagination; but a +mere fancy cannot mislead hundreds of people, and make them believe +that their eyes are traitors. I have told you nothing but what is well +attested. I don't pretend to know anything of the causes of such events, +but I do know that these visions changed many a heart from toryism to +patriotism." "I am very much obliged to you for your interesting +story, Mr. Morton," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "I like your plain, +straight-forward style, and your matter excites my wonder. It is a fact, +that General Washington was known to observe and mention the remarkable +apparitions in the heavens, at many different periods of the Revolution. +They were not without their influence on his mind. I firmly believe +that such things occurred; and can look for no cause but that of God's +providence, to explain them." + +Of course Mrs. Harmar believed the story of the apparitions to be +perfectly true, and did not look for any other cause except the direct +order of the Almighty; but Wilson said he was always suspicious of such +stories. He even ventured to offer an explanation of the phenomenon, +which amounted to this:--A thunder-storm came up while the people were +gathered together, very much excited upon the subject of the war, and +feeling very anxious for the success of the cause of the colonies; one +man thought he saw an army in the clouds driven before the winds, and +heard the roar of the artillery; this he communicated in an excited +manner to the others, and they, disposed to believe, also thought the +clouds looked "very like a whale." But Morton, old Harmar, Mr. Jackson +Harmar, Smith, and Higgins, brought their argumentative batteries to +bear upon the explanation and incredulity of Wilson, and silenced, +if they did not convince him. He admitted that a man of General +Washington's strength of mind could not easily be deceived, and said, +that if it was a fact that he had seen and mentioned the phenomenon, +he could think it true; but no one was prepared to prove what had been +asserted. Mr. Morton was again thanked for the manner in which he had +told the story, and Mr. Jackson Harmar said that some of the writers of +the day might learn from him. + +"Of course, Murray and Lester lived through the war, went home to the +banks of the Lehigh, and married the girls they loved," remarked Wilson. + +"They did; and two very happy couples they made. Jane Hatfield had +always been a republican in sentiment, and she loved Lester more than +ever when she heard he had dropped toryism as something that would have +burnt his fingers if he had held on to it," replied Morton. + + +THE TIMELY RESCUE. + +"When Mr. Morton commenced his story," said old Harmar, "he said +there was considerable love-stuff mixed up with it, as if that was an +objection to his telling it. Now I can tell you a story of which love +and fighting are the elements. The events occurred up here in New +Jersey, and are true to the time and the people that acted in it." + +"No matter if it was all made up of love, if it illustrated the +character of the time, I should like to hear it," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"And so should I," added his wife. + +"Is it that story about Captain Edwards and Miss Williams, that Bill +Moore used to tell?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's the affair; and, supposing you folks will wish to hear about it, +I shall proceed. Shortly after the surrender of Burgoyne, two horsemen +were riding along the road which leads to the town of Ridgefield. One +was Captain Edwards, and the other Lieutenant Brown. Their conversation +partook of the spirit of the period. They were discussing the relative +merits of General Gates and General Washington. Brown thought that +Washington was deficient in energy, while Edwards thought him a model +general, and Gates deficient in both energy and skill. They could not +agree, and so they dropped the subject. + +"As the colloquy ended, the horsemen spurred onward, and soon arrived in +view of the residence of Mrs. Williams, which was situated on a gentle +acclivity, accessible by a long avenue, skirted on either side with +tall poplars, and entered at the extremity by a slight wooden gate. On +entering this avenue, old Pompey came running towards them with a brow +darkened a number of shades by his agitation, and grasping the bridle of +Captain Edward's horse, exclaimed: + +"'Oh! for Heaven's sake, good master Edwards, don't go to the house!' + +"'What the devil's the matter?' ejaculated the captain, as he endeavored +to disengage the hold of the negro. + +"'Mistress has gone clean 'stracted,' began the African, 'because young +Miss Caroline--' + +"'What of her?--speak out, in the fiend's name!' exclaimed Captain +Edwards, evincing much greater emotion than he had hitherto betrayed. + +"'You stop me, sir; I must tell my story in my own way,' replied Pompey. + +"'Proceed with it, then, with a murrain to you,' said Lieutenant Brown, +impatiently, 'or, by heaven, I'll beat it out of you with the flat of my +sword.' "'Well, then,' cried the negro, angrily, 'the tory Captain Lewis +came to our house last night with some sodgers, and carried off Miss +Caroline.' + +"'The unhung villain!' muttered Captain Edwards, from between his +clenched teeth; and then, compelling himself to speak more calmly, he +said, 'Brown, my dear fellow, return directly to the camp, and meet me +at Stophel's tavern, with Sergeant Watkins and a dozen trusty soldiers. +The scoundrel cannot escape me--I know every tory haunt between here +and the Hudson; I must go to the house, and console the afflicted Mrs. +Williams.' + +"The subaltern struck his spurs into the flank of his steed, and +hastened to execute the orders of his superior. The captain rode up the +lane, and having reached the house, threw his bridle to a servant, and +entered without ceremony. As he had anticipated, he found Mrs. Williams +in an indescribable state of grief; her health was delicate, and this +unexpected calamity had prostrated her. After offering a few encouraging +words, which produced but a very slight effect, he remounted his horse +and rode to the place of rendezvous. Here he met Lieutenant Brown, a +sergeant, corporal, and ten privates, all finely armed and equipped, and +prepared to brave any danger and incur any hazard, in the service of a +commander in whom they had the most unbounded confidence. He instantly +placed himself at their head, and proceeded on his expedition. + +"It was now dark. Their road lay along the margin of a small stream, +bounded on the one side by half cultivated fields, and on the other by +a thick gloomy forest, in which the death-like stillness of its dark +bosom was only broken by the occasional howl of wild beasts. + +"After pursuing their course for some distance along the bank of this +rivulet, now traversing the ground on its very margin, and then again +carried by the windings of the path miles from the stream, they came to +a sharp angle in the road, on turning which, the captain, being a short +distance in advance of his troops, discovered a figure slightly defined, +but yet bearing some resemblance to the human species, stealing along +the side of the path, apparently wishing to avoid observation. + +"Striking his spurs into his horse, and drawing his sword at the same +time, the captain had the person completely in his power before the +other had time to offer either flight or resistance. + +"'For whom are you?' was demanded by Captain Edwards, in no gentle +accents. + +"'I'm nae just free to say,' replied the stranger, thus rudely +interrogated, with the true Scotch evasion. + +"'Answer me at once,' returned the captain; 'which party do you favor?' + +"'Ye might have the civility to give me a gentle hint which side ye +belang to,' said Sawney. + +"'No circumlocution,' rejoined the soldier, sternly. 'Inform me +immediately: Are you a mercenary of the tyrant of England, or a friend +to liberty? your life depends on your answer.' + +"'Aweel, then,' said the Scotchman firmly, 'sin ye will have it, by +my saul, I won't go to heaven with a lie in my mouth--I'm whig to the +back-bone, ye carline; now do your warst, and be hanged till ye!'" + +"He might still have been a foe," remarked Wilson. "He might have seen, +from Edwards' language, that to be a whig was to ensure his safety." + +"I cannot say whether the Scotchman was sincere or not," replied old +Harmar. "The American captain was well pleased to discover a friend, +when he had every reason to expect an enemy; and, after furnishing him +with a pistol, and advising him to avoid the scouting parties of the +enemy, by keeping in the wood, he again proceeded on his expedition. +They soon reached a fork in the road: one branch led into the recesses +of the wood, and the other lay still farther along the banks of the +stream. On arriving at this spot, the captain, calling Lieutenant Brown +a little distance from the troop, said, 'A few miles' ride will carry us +to an encampment of a party of these tories. I wish to reconnoitre the +position of the enemy, and shall take the road which leads into the +wood, for that purpose, while you with the soldiers will ride on the +other road, till you will arrive within sight of the enemy, and then +return to this point, which shall be our place of rendezvous. In the +meantime, I wish you to avoid coming to any engagement with the tories; +but, in case you hear me fire two pistol shots, you may believe me to be +in danger, and hasten to my relief.' + +"To command was to be obeyed with Captain Edwards, and soon no sound +was heard save the slow and regular tread of the horses of the soldiers +under command of Lieutenant Brown "Captain Lewis, the partisan tory who +had carried off Miss Williams, was an officer of some fame. Of English +extraction, and bred in the principles of entire acquiescence in the +orders of the British ministry, he beheld the struggles of the colonists +with contempt. He saw the inhabitants rising about him in various parts +of the country, with feelings of bitter hatred, and he determined +to crush these evidences of rebellion in the outset. He accepted a +captain's commission in the English army, and fought for a time under +the banners of General Clinton, with success worthy of a better cause. +But taking offence at some imperious order of his commander, he threw up +his commission in disgust, and retired to his native village near the +river Hudson. Here, collecting about him a few choice spirits like +himself, he kept the inhabitants in a continual state of alarm by his +plundering and rapacious conduct. Acting, as he pretended, under the +orders of the king, the tories durst not oppose him, and the whigs were +too few in numbers to resist his foraging excursions with any prospect +of success. + +"In his youth he had been a school companion of Captain Edwards, but +their principles were widely dissimilar, and little intercourse had +taken place between them. In after life they embraced different sides, +and the tory disliked the whig for his virtues, and envied his good +name. In one of his marauding expeditions he became acquainted with +Miss Williams, and discovering the interest the republican had in her +affections, he determined to get her into his power, for the purpose of +holding a check on the whig officer, whom he equally feared and hated. A +libertine in principle, and a profligate in practice, he scrupled at +no means to attain his object, and a violent attack on the peaceful +dwelling of a defenceless woman was as consonant with his views as +robbing a hen-roost. + +"The dwelling of this renegade was situated on a small hill on the bank +of the river Hudson. His peculiar occupation, and the state of affairs +in the country, had rendered it necessary for him to fortify and +strengthen his house, and, at the time referred to, it resembled, what +in fact it was, the rendezvous of a band of lawless desperadoes. + +"In the principal room of the building was the villain captain, with +three of his officers, seated round a decayed table, playing cards; on +one end of the table stood a dirty decanter, partly filled with apple +brandy; three or four cracked, dingy tumblers were scattered over the +table, and the rest of the furniture of the apartment was in keeping. +In one corner of the room sat Miss Williams, apparently in the depth of +wretchedness. She occasionally cast furtive glances at the captain, and +then toward a small window, which was firmly barricaded; but seeing no +prospect of escape, she relapsed again into hopeless sorrow. Groups of +blackguard soldiers were seated on stools in different parts of the +room, many of them following the example of their officers, and others +amusing themselves with burnishing their muskets and equipments. After +numerous potations from his bottle, the captain started up, reeling +under the influence of the liquor, and addressing a ruffian-looking +officer, one of his boon companions, said: "'Lieutenant Jocelyn, have +the drum beat to arms, and take these lazy knaves and scour the woods +for a few miles around, and cut down or make prisoner every rebel rascal +you meet; leave soldiers enough, however, to guard the old castle; +quick--blast me, no hesitation.' + +"'Humph!' muttered the old soldier; 'ready enough to run his comrades +into the noose, but devilish careful to keep his own delicate person out +of danger.' + +"'Ha! what say you, old grumbler? You shall stay here and guard the +lady, if you are so much afraid of your beautiful self; and I will take +command of the men.' + +"The lieutenant liked this proposition still worse than the former, but +seeing no alternative, obeyed in silence. In a short time, the captain, +accompanied by about twenty men, including a sergeant and two corporals, +left their camp and proceeded toward the wood. It was night-fall when +they reached the forest, through which the road was very narrow and +circuitous. They were travelling along the path in double files, when +the sergeant in front ordered a halt. + +"'Why do we stop here,' roared the captain, 'when it is as dark as +Egypt?' + +"'I hear a noise like the trampling of horses,' replied the sergeant. + +"'Hist, then,' said Captain Lewis; 'draw up the men into a body, and +await their arrival in silence.' + +"'The horse's footsteps were now distinctly heard, but it was a solitary +horseman whom these worthy soldiers were to encounter. When he +arrived within speaking distance, the sergeant advanced a few paces in +front of the soldiers, and exclaimed: + +"'Stand! stand! or you are a dead man!' + +"The horseman evinced no disposition to comply with this arbitrary +requisition, but deliberately drew pistol from his holsters and +endeavored to urge his horse through the ranks of his opponents. Captain +Lewis now came to the front of his men, and ordered: "'Seize the bridle, +and down with the rebel!' + +"'Let no man lay a hand on me or my horse, as he values his life,' said +the horseman in a determined tone, at the same time cocking his pistol. + +"'The sergeant drew back a few yards, and discharged his carbine, but +without effect; two soldiers grasped the horse by the head at the same +instant. The horseman, seeing a struggle inevitable, literally blew out +the brains of one of his assailants, and, plucking his other pistol from +its holster with his left hand, he fired at and slightly wounded his +second antagonist; he now threw aside his pistols, &c., and then +drew his heavy broadsword, and essayed to cut his way through his +opponents--but giant strength, combined with the most desperate courage, +could not compete with such vast disparity of numbers; some of his +enemies fastened themselves on his horse, while others thrust at him +with their bayonets, and, after a protracted contest, during which the +tories lost five men, the horseman was disarmed and brought to the +ground. + +"'Bind the rebel dog,' shouted the infuriated captain; 'he shall die +the death of a felon, were he George Washington. By Heaven!' continued +he, as he viewed the prostrate horseman, 'it is Captain Edwards! Are +then my dearest wishes gratified? I will be doubly revenged! Bind him +hand and foot, boys, and throw him across his own horse, if the beast +can bear him; if not, drive a bullet through the horse's brains, and +carry the soldier in your arms.' + +"The whig officer was firmly bound and placed on his own charger, while +a soldier marched on either side of him, and another led the horse. +After prosecuting their route homeward near a mile, they were startled +with 'No quarter to the cowardly tories! cut them down root and branch!' +followed by the discharge of near a dozen pistols, which killed four +men, and wounded two or three others; and in a moment they were nearly +surrounded by the dragoons under command of Lieutenant Brown. For a +short time the contest was maintained with vigor; the bonds of Captain +Edwards were soon cut; he attacked the tory captain, sword in hand, and, +after a short conflict, succeeded in wounding him in the sword-arm and +hurling him to the ground, and placing his foot on his breast, he said: + +"'Now, you dastardly ruffian, avow your villanies, and inform me where I +shall find Miss Howard, or, by heaven, I will send you where the tenor +of your life will be hard to account for.' + +"The fierceness of the whig soldier's manner, and the consciousness of +being wholly in his power, completely humbled the tory, and he begged +his life, and promised to conduct the troops to his encampment, where +they would find the lady in safety. + +"The tories were now effectually routed; some were killed, some wounded, +others captured, and some had escaped. A few miles' travel, and Captain +Edwards and the men under his command arrived at the habitation of the +tories. A coarse slovenly soldier was pacing the ground in front of the +building, and, on the advance of the continental troops, presented his +musket, and ordered them to halt. Captain Edwards briefly informed him +of the reverse that had taken place in the fortunes of his commander, +and concluded by telling him that 'Submission was safety--resistance +death.' + +"The door was now burst open, and in a moment Miss Williams was folded +in the arms of her lover. + +"Little more remains to be told. No entreaties of Captain Edwards, or +persuasions of her aunt, could induce Miss Williams to give her hand to +her admirer till the close of the war. On the establishment of peace, +Colonel Edwards, (for he had received that rank,) was made happy in the +possession of his long-tried affection. Lieutenant Brown served under +his captain during the war, and, on the promotion of Captain Edwards, +succeeded to his command. The tory Lewis, and the remainder of his +guilty accomplices, were captured shortly after the occurrence of the +events I have related, and executed for desertion." + +"The tories generally received the worst of every encounter," remarked +Higgins; "at least, so all our love-story tellers say." "What I have +told you I know to be true--just as Bill Moore, who was one of Captain +Edwards' men, used to tell it," replied old Harmar. + +"I believe it to be a fact that the tories did get the worst of most +of the encounters in which they had an equal number of our men to deal +with. The reason was plain. They had not the same great motives to spur +them to daring and noble effort; and the whigs fought against them with +more ardor than they would against the British," said Wilson. + +"Captain Edwards was a host. Just think of one man daring to resist the +attack of twenty men, and killing five of them before he was taken. It +seems like the deed of a fabulous hero," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"The case was a desperate one, and demanded desperate conduct. A +surrender would not have saved his life, and might have secured Miss +Williams in the hands of Lewis. By a bold attack, Edwards won new +reputation and alarmed his men, who then saved his life and the honor of +his beloved," said old Harmar, in defence of his hero. + +"I expect they would have murdered the poor man, and then Lewis would +have forced Miss Williams to become his wife--the wretch!" put in Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Nothing would have been too black for his heart, when he had an end in +view. Such men are the most dangerous foes to their fellows, and we +must rejoice when a just punishment overtakes them in their headstrong +career. Many of those who are glorified as great men have possessed the +same unscrupulous disposition. The only difference between them and +Lewis lies in this--they fixed their minds on greater objects," said old +Harmar. + +"What's that for?" inquired Higgins, starting up as the sound of drum +and fife broke on his ear. Mrs. Harmar went to the front window, and +reported that a Volunteer company of soldiers was coming down the +street. The old men instantly crowded round the window, and expressed +their gratification at the sight that presented itself. The volunteers +were neatly uniformed and very precisely drilled. They marched with +the firm and uniform tread of regulars. The "ear-piercing fife and +spirit-stirring drum" discoursed the music sweetest to the ears of the +old warriors, and their eyes brightened and they made an effort to +straighten themselves, as if "the old time came o'er them." They +lingered at the window as long as they could catch the sound, and long +after the volunteers had turned the corner of the street. Perhaps, if we +had possessed sufficient mental insight, we might have been with those +old men in the scenes that came back to their minds like a tide that had +seemed to have ebbed away for ever. We might have been with them where +the drum and fife were as strong drink to the warriors, firing their +hearts and steeling their nerves for the bloody struggle. But we are +left to conjecture what was present to their imaginations by what they +express in conversation. + + +BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. + +"Those fellows look very neat and prim; they march well, and their +muskets are polished very bright. I wonder how they would stand fire," +said Higgins, after the party had seated themselves. + +"I doubt if they would like it as well as parading the streets; but +there may be some stout hearts among them," replied old Harmar. + +"They should have been at Brandywine or Germantown. At either place they +would have had a chance to prove their stuff. Fife and drum would have +been necessary, I think, to stir them up," said Wilson. + +"I paid a visit to Germantown, the other day," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. +"I passed over the chief portion of the battle-ground, and examined +Chew's house, where some of the British took refuge and managed to turn +the fortunes of the day. The house is in a good state of preservation, +and bears many marks of the conflict." + +"I have seen it since the day of the battle, and have also walked over +the neighboring grounds," said Smith "You are wrong in stating that the +troops that threw themselves into that house turned the fortune of the +day. Our defeat was the result of many unlooked-for circumstances, which +no general could have been prepared to meet." + +"I have always understood that the check received by our troops +at Chew's house gave the enemy time to rally, and thus defeated +Washington's plan," replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If it was otherwise, I +should like to be informed of the circumstances." + +"Oh, tell us about the battle of Germantown, Mr. Smith!" exclaimed Mrs. +Harmar. She had some acquaintances at Germantown, and she wished to +astound them by the extent of her information. "Father says he was not +in the battle, being sick at the time. Besides, if he knew, he would +never condescend to tell me about it, when he could find Jackson to talk +to." + +"Why, I'm sure, my child, you never seemed very anxious to know," +replied old Harmar; "but if you will listen to Mr. Smith, you will know +all about it. He was present during the whole battle." + +"Ay; and did my share of the fighting, too," added Smith. "But I'll tell +you how it was; and you, Mr. Harmar, may judge whether our defeat was +owing in any degree to the exertions of the enemy. After General Howe +took possession of Philadelphia, the main body of the British was +encamped at Germantown. Our army lay at Skippack Creek, about sixteen +miles from Germantown. Well, General Washington having received all +the reinforcements he expected, and knowing that the enemy had been +considerably weakened by sending detachments to take possession of the +city and the ports on the river, determined to attempt to surprise them +in their camp. The plan was formed with all the judgment and foresight +we might expect in Washington. We were to march at night for Germantown. +Wayne and Sullivan were to attack the left wing of the enemy in front, +whilst Armstrong, with a body of militia, attacked it in the rear. +Greene and Stephens were to attack the right wing in front, while +Smallwood fell upon its rear. Then there was a strong reserve. Of +course, I was with the Pennsylvania line, under Wayne's command. We +started on the evening of the third of October. I shall never forget +that night's march. It was very dark. We could scarcely see three feet +from us; and, as we wished to move on so as not to be discovered by any +of those who usually gave the enemy information, we carried very few +lanthorns. The road, however, was well known, and we marched rapidly and +surely. As we approached Germantown, we found an evidence that the enemy +were aware of our vicinity, and Wayne determined to attack at once. Just +at dawn of day, a party of Sullivan's troops attacked the picket at the +end of the village, and our whole division rushed on as the picket was +driven in. The surprise was complete. The enemy could not make a stand. +They were broken and routed, and their tents and marquees burnt. We +pushed on, took some prisoners, and drove the British from behind fences +and houses where they had taken shelter. + +"Six companies of a British regiment, under their lieutenant-colonel, +being hard pressed by an advancing column, threw themselves into Chew's +house, and, barricading the lower windows, opened a destructive fire +from the cellars and upper windows. Our troops, finding their musketry +made no impression, were in the act of dragging up their cannon to +batter the walls, when a stratagem was attempted, which, however, failed +of success. An officer galloped up from the house, and cried out, 'What +are you about? You will fire on your own people.' The artillery opened, +but, after fifteen or twenty rounds, the pieces were found to be of too +small calibre to make a serious impression, and were withdrawn. + +"A most daring attempt was then made to fire the building. +Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens, aid-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, with +a few volunteers, rushed up to the house under cover of the smoke, +and applied a burning brand to the principal door, at the same time +exchanging passes with his sword with the enemy on the inside. By almost +a miracle, this gallant officer escaped unharmed, although his clothes +were repeatedly torn by the enemy's shot. Another and equally daring +attempt was made by Major White, aide-de-camp to General Sullivan, but +without as fortunate a result. The major, while in the act of firing one +of the cellar windows, was mortally wounded, and died soon after. + +"Washington accompanied the leading division under Major-General +Sullivan, and cheered his soldiers in their brilliant onset, as they +drove the enemy from point to point. Arriving in the vicinity of Chew's +house, the commander-in-chief halted to consult his officers as to the +best course to be pursued towards this fortress that had so suddenly +and unexpectedly sprung up in the way. The younger officers who were +immediately attached to the person of the chief, and among the choicest +spirits of the Revolution, including Hamilton, Reed, Pinckney, Laurens, +and Lee, were for leaving Chew's house to itself, or of turning the +siege into a blockade, by stationing in its vicinity a body of troops to +watch the movements of the garrison, and pressing on with the column in +pursuit of the flying enemy. But the sages of the army, at the head of +whom was Major-General Knox, repulsed at once the idea of leaving a +fortified enemy in the rear, as contrary to the usages of war and the +most approved military authorities. + +"At this period of the action the fog had become so dense that objects +could scarcely be distinguished at a few yards' distance. We had +penetrated the enemy's camp even to their second line, which was drawn +up to receive us about the centre of Germantown. The ammunition of the +right wing, including the Maryland brigades, became exhausted, the +soldiers holding up their empty cartridge boxes, when their officers +called on them to rally and face the enemy. The extended line of +operations, which embraced nearly two miles, the unfavorable nature +of the ground in the environs of Germantown for the operations of the +troops, a large portion of whom were undisciplined, the ground being +much cut up, and intersected by stone fences and enclosures of various +sorts, the delay of the left wing under Greene in getting into +action--all these causes, combined with an atmosphere so dense from +fog and smoke as to make it impossible to distinguish friend from foe, +produced a retreat in our army at the moment when victory seemed to be +within its grasp. + +"Washington was among the foremost in his endeavors to restore the +fallen fortunes of the day, and, while exerting himself to rally his +broken columns, the exposure of his person became so imminent, that his +officers, after affectionately remonstrating with him in vain, seized +the bridle of his horse. The retreat, under all circumstances, was quite +as favorable as could be expected. The whole of the artillery was saved, +and as many of the wounded as could be removed. The ninth Virginia +regiment, under Colonel Mathews, having penetrated so far as to be +without support, after a desperate resistance, surrendered its remnant +of a hundred men, including its colonel, who had received several +bayonet wounds. The British pursued but two or three miles, making +prisoners of the worn-out soldiers, who, after a night-march of fifteen +miles and an action of three hours, were found exhausted and asleep in +the fields and along the road. + +"I made a narrow escape from being taken by a party of dragoons. They +were nearly upon a small body of us that had got separated from our +division, before we perceived them. I gave the alarm, and we ran on, as +we thought, toward our troops; but the fog was so thick that we mistook +the way, and wandered about for some time in constant risk of being +surrounded by the enemy. At length we stumbled on the main body of +our line, and retreated with them. I never saw a more irritated and +disappointed set of men than our officers on that day. Every one had a +different cause for the repulse. Some said that Greene did not come up +in time to aid Wayne and Sullivan; while others said that Greene had +performed the most effective service during the engagement, and that the +loss of the day was owing to the military prejudices of Knox and some +others, who would halt to attack Chew's house, instead of following up +the advantages already gained. Then the fog was blamed for the confusion +it caused. The fact was, the defeat was owing to many causes combined, +some of which I have mentioned." + +"The attack was certainly skilfully planned and truly executed, in spite +of its want of success," remarked old Harmar. "Your opinion of the +causes of the defeat, Mr. Smith, is that which is now generally adopted. +The halt at Chew's house did not give rise to the retreat of Sullivan's +division. The ammunition of the troops was exhausted, and they were not +aware of Greene's approach until they had begun to fall back. By the +way, did you hear how General Nash was killed?" + +"He was killed by a cannon-ball, I believe," replied Smith. + +"Yes," said old Harmar. "A round-shot from the British artillery +striking a sign-post in Germantown, glanced therefrom, and, passing +through his horse, shattered the general's thigh on the opposite side. +The fall of the animal hurled its unfortunate rider with +considerable force to the ground. With surprising courage and +presence of mind, General Nash, covering his wound with both +of his hands, called to his men, 'Never mind me, I have had a +devil of a tumble; rush on, my boys, rush on the enemy--I'll +be after you presently.' He could do no more. + +Faint from loss of blood and the intense agony of his wound, the +sufferer was borne to a house hard by, and attended by Dr. Craik, by +special order of the commander-in-chief. The doctor gave his patient but +feeble hopes of recovery, even with the chances of amputation, when Nash +observed, 'It may be considered unmanly to complain, but my agony is too +great for human nature to bear. I am aware that my days, perhaps hours, +are numbered, but I do not repine at my fate. I have fallen on the field +of honor, while leading my brave Carolinians to the assault of +the enemy. I have a last request to make of his Excellency, the +commander-in-chief, that he will permit you, my dear doctor, to remain +with me, to protect me while I live, and my remains from insult.' Dr. +Craik assured the general that he had nothing to fear from the enemy; it +was impossible that they would harm him while living, or offer insult +to his remains; that Lord Cornwallis was by this time in the field, +and that, under his auspices, a wounded soldier would be treated with +humanity and respect. The dying patriot and hero then uttered these +memorable words: 'I have no favors to expect from the enemy. I have been +consistent in my principles and conduct since the commencement of the +troubles. From the very first dawn of the Revolution I have ever been +on the side of liberty and my country.' "He lingered in extreme torture +between two and three days, and died admired by his enemies, admired and +lamented by his companions in arms. On Thursday, the ninth of October, +the whole American army was paraded by order of the commander-in-chief, +to perform the funeral obsequies of General Nash." + +"I have heard those who knew him best speak of him as a brave soldier +and a noble-hearted man; and your account of his death assures me of the +truth of their eulogy," remarked Smith. + +"It is said that Washington, seeing that his well-arranged plan was +about to be defeated, could not control his anger and disappointment," +said Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"It is true. Washington, like all very great men, was naturally strongly +passionate. His usual self-command was the more wonderful because it had +been acquired by stern practice. The battle of Germantown was one of +those few occasions in his life when his feelings burst through all +restraint; and then, it is said by those who should know, that his wrath +was fierce and terrible. The officers were compelled, by considerations +of his safety, to lead his horse from the field. He did all that a man +could do to rally his broken troops, and exposed himself as fearlessly +as the bravest soldier. All his exertions were vain, however, and he +became much irritated in consequence." + +"The retreat just when victory was within his grasp was enough to +irritate any commander who valued his aim and plan," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar, agreeing with Smith in the remarks which he had just +made. "I suppose, if Washington had been completely successful at +Germantown, the British would have been driven from Philadelphia," said +Higgins. + +"Ay; and from the vicinity of Philadelphia," replied Smith. "They could +not have recovered from such a defeat." + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE KEGS.] + + +BATTLE OF THE KEGS. + +"Father," said Mr. Jackson Harmar, "I have a song in my portfolio, +written by Francis Hopkinson while the British were in Philadelphia; +perhaps you can tell us something about the event which is the subject +of it. Here it is. It is called 'The Battle of the Kegs.'" + +"The Battle of the Kegs! That I can, my boy. But read the song," replied +old Harmar. His son then read the following facetious ditty: + + + "Gallants, attend, and hear a friend + Trill forth harmonious ditty: + Strange things I'll tell, which late befell + In Philadelphia city. + + Twas early day, as poets say, + Just when the sun was rising, + A soldier stood on log of wood, + And saw a sight surprising. + + As, in amaze, he stood to gaze,-- + The truth can't be denied, sirs,-- + He spied a score--of kegs, or more, + Come floating down the tide, sirs. + A sailor, too, in jerkin blue, + The strange appearance viewing, + First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise, + Then said, 'Some mischief's brewing. + + These kegs now hold the rebels bold, + Pack'd up like pickled herrings + And they're come down to attack the town, + In this new way of ferrying.' + + The soldier flew, the sailor, too, + And, scared almost to death, sirs, + Wore out their shoes to spread the news, + And ran till out of breath, sirs. + + Now up and down, throughout the town, + Most frantic scenes were acted; + And some ran here, and some ran there, + Like men almost distracted. + + Some fire cried, which some denied, + But said the earth had quakèd; + And girls and boys, with hideous noise, + Ran through the town half-naked. + + Sir William he, snug as a flea, + Lay all this time a snoring, + Nor dream'd of harm, as he lay warm, + While all without was roaring. + + Now, in affright, he starts upright, + Awaked by such a clatter: + He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries, + 'For God's sake, what's the matter?' + At his bedside he then espied + Sir Erskine at command, sirs; + Upon one foot he had one boot, + And t'other in his hand, sirs. + + 'Arise! arise!' Sir Erskine cries: + 'The rebels--more's the pity-- + Without a boat, are all afloat, + And ranged before the city. + + 'The motley crew, in vessels new, + With Satan for their guide, sir, + Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs, + Come driving down the tide, sir. + + 'Therefore prepare for bloody war! + These kegs must all be routed; + Or surely we despised shall be, + And British courage doubted.' + + The royal band now ready stand, + All ranged in dread array, sirs; + With stomach stout, to see it out, + And make a bloody day, sirs. + + The cannons roar from shore to shore, + The small arms make a rattle; + Since wars began, I'm sure no man + E'er saw so strange a battle. + + The rebel vales, the rebel dales, + With rebel trees surrounded, + The distant woods, the hills and floods, + With rebel echoes sounded. + The fish below swam to and fro, + Attack'd from every quarter: + Why, sure, thought they, the devil's to pay + 'Mongst folks above the water. + + The kegs, 'tis said, though strongly made, + Of rebel staves and hoops, sirs, + Could not oppose their powerful foes, + The conquering British troops, sirs. + + From morn to night, these men of might + Display'd amazing courage; + And when the sun was fairly down, + Retired to sup their porridge. + + A hundred men, with each a pen, + Or more--upon my word, sirs, + It is most true--would be too few + Their valor to record, sirs. + + Such feats did they perform that day + Upon these wicked kegs, sirs, + That years to come, if they get home, + They'll make their boasts and brags, sirs." + + +"Ha! ha! that's a good thing. The enemy used to be so fond of the word +'rebel' that they would attach it to the most trifling things, when +speaking of our people. Judge Hopkinson ridicules that in fine style," +remarked old Harmar. + +"It ought to be sung to the tune of the 'Hoosier's Ghost,'" said Wilson. + +"Who is the Sir Erskine alluded to in the song?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. +"Sir William Erskine, one of Sir William Howe's officers," replied old +Harmar. "This song created much merriment among the whigs at the time +it was written, so that, however much the enemy were right, we had the +laugh on our side." + +"But what were the circumstances which gave rise to it?" inquired Mr. +Jackson Harmar, impatiently. + +"I was about to tell you," replied his father. "A Mr. David Bushnell +had invented several ingenious articles of submarine machinery, for the +purpose of destroying the British vessels stationed in the Delaware. +Among these was the American torpedo, a machine shaped like a water +tortoise, and managed by a single person. It contained sufficient air to +support respiration thirty minutes without being replenished, valves to +admit or reject water for the purpose of rising or sinking, ballast to +keep it upright, and a seat for the operator. Above the rudder was a +place for carrying a large powder magazine, constructed from two pieces +of oak timber, and capable of carrying one hundred and fifty pounds of +powder, with the apparatus for firing it. Within the magazine was an +apparatus constructed to run any proposed length of time under twelve +hours, after which it sprung a strong lock similar to that of a gun, +which gave fire to the powder. This apparatus was so secured that it +could be set in motion only by the casting off of the magazine from the +vessel. + +"With this machine a skilful operator could swim so low on the surface +of the water, as to approach at night very near to a ship without being +discovered. After sinking quickly, he could keep at any necessary depth, +and row to a great distance in any direction, without coming to the +surface. Bushnell found, however, that much trial and instruction were +required for a man of common ingenuity to become a skilful manager. It +was first tried by his brother, who, unfortunately, was taken ill at the +time when he had become an able operator. Another person was procured, +and the first experiment tried upon the Eagle, a sixty-four, which Lord +Howe commanded in person. He went under the ship, and attempted to fix +the wooden screw into her bottom, but struck, as was supposed, a bar +of iron running from the rudder-hinge. Not being well skilled in the +management of the machine, he lost the ship in attempting to move to +another place; and, after seeking her in vain for some time, rowed a +little distance and rose to the surface. Daylight had now advanced so +that the attempt could not be renewed, and, fearing he was discovered, +he detached the magazine from his vessel and escaped. In an hour the +powder exploded, throwing a vast column of water to an amazing height, +and leaving the enemy to conjecture whether it was caused by a bomb, a +water-spout, or an earthquake. Want of resources obliged Mr. Bushnell to +abandon his schemes for that time; but, in 1777, he made an attempt from +a whale-boat against the Cerberus frigate, by drawing a machine against +her side with a line. It accidentally became attached to a schooner and +exploded, tearing the vessel in pieces. Three men were killed, and one +dangerously wounded. + +"In December, 1777, Mr. Bushnell contrived another ingenious expedient +for accomplishing his favorite object. He charged a number of kegs +with powder, arranging them so as to explode on coming in contact with +anything while floating along the tide. This squadron was launched +at night on the Delaware river, above the English shipping; but, +unfortunately, the proper distance could not be well ascertained, and +they were set adrift too far from the vessels, so that they became +obstructed and dispersed by the floating ice. On the following day, +however, one of them blew up a boat, and others exploded, occasioning +the greatest consternation among the British seamen. The troops were +aroused, and, with the sailors, manned the wharves and shipping at +Philadelphia, discharging their cannon and small-arms at everything they +could see floating in the river during the ebb tide. + +"The scene must have been a very ridiculous one, and we cannot wonder +at Judge Hopkinson making such comic use of it. The British must have +imagined that every keg was the visible part of a torpedo, intended for +their destruction." + +"We cannot wonder at their consternation, while in constant danger of +being blown into the air," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Just place yourself +in their position; and, knowing that several attempts had been made to +blow up the ships, how would you have acted?" + +"I should have made quite as much noise, I suppose," replied old Harmar; +"but then it was so laughable. I don't think the folks aboard of those +ships slept for a week after finding that there was powder in the kegs. +That, I believe, was Bushnell's last attempt to destroy the fleet." + +"For my part," remarked Wilson, "I never liked such contrivances; and it +is a very pregnant fact that in most cases they have failed, when, from +the skill and science displayed in their construction, success was +anticipated. It's my opinion, God works against such things. As much +as I hated the enemy, I could not sanction such wholesale murder--for +murder it would have been, to have sent hundreds of men into eternity, +without giving them an inch of fair fighting ground. I would not have +minded blowing up the British government--that I could have done myself +without any more sting of conscience than the hangman feels; but +soldiers and seamen fight fairly and openly for their country's honor +and rights, as they understand those things, and they should be met in +the same manner." + +"You're right, Mr. Wilson. Torpedoes, catamarans, and such inventions, +might be employed by both parties in war, and with destructive effect. +But wars ought to be conducted in such a manner as to gain the desired +end with as little loss of life as possible; besides, in the eyes of all +really brave men, these things must seem cowardly," said Morton. + +"You must permit me to differ with you, gentlemen," put in Mr. Jackson +Harmar; and, in a very dignified, Congressional style, he delivered +himself of the following defence of the innovations of modern warfare: +"I view all such contrivances as the triumph of the genius and skill of +man over mere brute force, and as tending to the great ends of the peace +and happiness of mankind. They place the weak upon a level with the +strong, and make it evident to every one that the best course would be +to submit all questions of right to the arbitration of the mind instead +of the arm and sword. Suppose I, being a small, weak man, should quarrel +with a man of great physical strength, and a hatred to the death should +be declared between us. Now, upon whichever side the bone of right lay, +the strong man would have the power to destroy me; but if I set my brain +to work, and contrive an 'infernal machine,' I shall be superior to him, +and drive him to the same resource. Now, we both see by this, that we +stand an even chance of being destroyed, and reason resumes her reign. +We see that the wisest and safest course for both would be to submit +the question involved in the quarrel to the judgment of a mutual and +impartial friend. Even so these inventions operate among nations, +which, by the way, should be ruled by the same general principles as +individuals." + +"That's all very true," remarked Wilson. "But if I was about to fight +a duel with a man, and I stood up, pistol in hand, while he stood off +beyond my reach, and with some infernal invention endeavored to kill me, +I should call him a coward." + +"That would not settle the dispute," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Your +wisest course would be to equal his invention, and compel him to fight +fairly or make peace." + + +ARNOLD'S TREASON. + +"Many strange and many laughable public events occurred in Philadelphia +during the Revolution," said old Harmar. "I was with the army during the +greater part of the time, but our family remained in the city, and kept +me advised of everything that was going on. I was engaged to be married +to your mother, Jackson, before the war commenced, and I had to leave +her in Philadelphia also, until the war was over. She used to write me +letters, telling me about everything that passed in the city that was +interesting. I recollect in one letter she gave me an account of how the +news of Arnold's treason was received among the people." + +"With blessings on the traitor's head, of course," remarked Wilson, +ironically. + +"I could imagine how it was received," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "The +people were indignant and cursed the traitor." + +"The people of Philadelphia knew Arnold's real character," replied old +Harmar. "They knew, from his residence among them, that he was capable +of selling his soul for gold, glory, and pleasure; but they did not +suspect him of any intention of leaving our cause entirely. They thought +he would see that it was for his interest to stand by his country's +rights. While in command in this city, Arnold had been very intimate +with several wealthy tory families, and I believe had married a lady +who was connected with them. But such an intimacy was not sufficient to +justify suspicions of his patriotism, if it had not been joined with +other circumstances. He gave great entertainments at his house, and +lived as if he was worth a mint of money. Then he was always in trouble +with the committees of Congress about money matters, which made +people generally believe that he cared more for gold than he did for +principles. Well, when the news of his discovered treachery reached +Philadelphia, the men with whom he had been wrangling about money said +they knew it would turn out just so, and they never expected anything +else; and the citizens generally were very indignant. They chose some +laughable ways of showing the state of their feelings. An artist +constructed a stuffed figure of the traitor, as large as life, and +seated him in a cart, with a figure of the devil alongside of him, +holding a lantern so as to show his face to the people. The words, +'Benedict Arnold, the Traitor,' were placed on a board over the head +of the first figure. An evening was appointed for the display, and the +hanging and burning of the effigy. A vast procession was formed, with +the cart at the head, and drums and fife playing the Rogues' March. This +paraded the streets of the city during the whole evening. The people +groaned and hissed, and pelted the figures as they passed. At length the +procession reached a common which had been selected for the purpose, and +on which a gallows had been erected. There the effigy was hung, and then +taken down and burnt. In the fire, the figure of old Nick was arranged +with one hand upon Arnold's head, and the other pointing below, while he +grinned as if over a triumph." + +"An appropriate ceremony," said Wilson. + +"It must have been a great sight," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"They should have caught the man himself, and burnt him instead of a +stuffed figure," said Higgins. + +"It would have saved Andre," remarked Smith. + +"The scoundrel!" exclaimed Morton. "He ought to have been put to death +with all the torture the Indians use with their captives." + +These slight remarks indicated the peculiar manner in which each of +these individuals viewed a subject. + +"The British generals expected that Arnold's example would be followed +by numbers of the Americans; but I think they soon saw the character of +the people, and the way they regarded Arnold," said old Harmar. + +"It's my opinion that Arnold's going over to the enemy was a benefit to +our cause," remarked Smith. "Such men are stains upon the character of +the people with whom they associate; and if a selfish, sensual traitor +was fit company for Sir Henry Clinton and his officers, he was not for +Washington and the other generals of our army." "Some of our people +thought that he would prove a dangerous foe; but, after the attack on +New London, all his activity and bravery seem to have fallen asleep. We +had many men who could have met and defeated him, with anything like +equal force. We did not lose much by his treachery, and the British lost +Andre, who would have outweighed many Arnolds," said Morton. + +"But treason found its reward," observed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If Arnold +had an atom of conscience or sensibility to shame, the curses of a whole +people, whom he had turned from admiring friends to bitter foes, and +the jeers and scorn of those whom he wished to make friends, must have +planted many a thorn in his bosom, to rankle and poison his life." + +"If he had any conscience?" remarked Morton, with an unbelieving smile. + +"The people of Philadelphia showed that they had the true patriotic +spirit in them, in burning that effigy of Arnold," said Mr. Jackson +Harmar; "and taught the enemy that, though they might buy one man, they +could not hire a people to follow wrong example." + + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. + +"Well, leaving Arnold to the execration of all patriotic and pure-souled +men," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar, assuming the post of pilot to the +conversation, "there is an exploit of the Revolution which always struck +me as being one of the most daring and perilous to be found in the +annals of war. I mean the capture of Major-General Prescott by Major +Barton. If either of you, gentlemen, know the circumstances of that +affair, I would be obliged to you for your information." + +"I don't know as much about it as you may obtain from history," +replied old Harmar, speaking for himself. "Our line was in another +neighborhood." + +"I should suppose Mr. Morton was acquainted with the facts, as he was up +in that part of the country about that time," observed Wilson. + +"I was; and do know all that one engaged in the expedition might tell +me," replied Morton. "Furthermore, I have no objection to communicating +my information.--I would thank you for a glass of water, Mrs. Harmar." +The water was handed to the old man, and, after a refreshing draught, he +proceeded with his narrative. + +"You must know, that in the latter part of 1771 General Charles Lee was +surprised and taken prisoner by a detachment of British troops. This +was the result of his own carelessness. The British chuckled over his +capture, saying that they had caught the American palladium, as if Lee +was at all necessary to the success of our cause. However, the Americans +considered him a valuable officer, and Major William Barton, of the +Rhode Island line, resolved upon retaking him or procuring his exchange. + +"Some months elapsed, after the capture of General Lee, before an +opportunity offered of effecting the object which Major Barton had +in view. In the month following that of the capture, the enemy took +possession of the islands of Rhode-Island, Canonicut, and Prudence. +Major Barton was then stationed at Tiverton, and for some months +anxiously watched the motions of the enemy, with but feeble prospect of +obtaining the opportunity he desired. + +"At length, on the 20th June, 1777, a man by the name of Coffin, who +made his escape from the British, was seized by some of the American +troops, and carried to Major Barton's quarters. Major Barton availed +himself of the opportunity to inquire respecting the disposition of the +British forces. Coffin on examination, stated that Major-General +Richard Prescott had established his head-quarters on the west side of +Rhode-Island, and described minutely the situation of the house in which +he resided, which he said was owned by a Mr. Pering. His account was +a few days after confirmed by a deserter from the ranks of the enemy. +Major Barton was now confirmed in his belief of the practicability of +effecting his favorite object:--but serious obstacles were first to be +encountered and removed. Neither his troops, nor their commander, had +been long inured to service; and the intended enterprise was of a nature +as novel as it was hazardous. Besides, Major Barton was aware that the +undertaking, should it prove unsuccessful, would be pronounced rash and +unadvised, and, in its consequences, though his life might be preserved, +be followed by degradation and disgrace. Moreover, to involve in the +consequences of an enterprise, devised and undertaken without previous +consultation with his superiors in rank, the interest and perhaps the +lives of a portion of his brave countrymen, was a subject that excited +reflections calculated to damp the ardor and appall the courage of the +bravest minds. Still, however, upon mature reflection, aided by a +consciousness that its only motive was the interest of his country, he +resolved to hazard his reputation and his life in the attempt. + +"The regiment to which Major Barton was attached, was commanded by +Colonel Stanton, a respectable and wealthy farmer in Rhode-Island, who, +in the spirit of the times, had abandoned the culture of his farm and +the care of his family, and put at hazard his property and his life in +defence of his country. To this gentleman Major Barton communicated his +plan, and solicited permission to carry it into execution. Colonel +Stanton readily authorized him 'to attack the enemy when and where he +pleased.' Several officers in the confidence of Major Barton were +then selected from the regiment for the intended expedition, on whose +abilities and bravery he could rely:--these were, Captain Samuel +Phillips, Lieutenant Joshua Babcock, Ensign Andrew Stanton, and John +Wilcock. (Captain Adams subsequently volunteered his services, and took +an active part in the enterprise.) These gentlemen were informed by +Major Barton, that he had in contemplation an enterprise which would be +attended with great personal hazard to himself and his associates; but +which, if success attended it, would be productive of much advantage +to the country. Its particular object, he stated, would be seasonably +disclosed to them. It was at their option to accept or decline his +invitation to share with him in the dangers, and, as he trusted, in the +glory that would attend the undertaking. The personal bravery of Major +Barton had been previously tested; and such was the confidence and +esteem which he had acquired among the officers under his command, +that, without insisting upon a previous developement of his plans, +his proposal was immediately accepted. Major Barton experienced more +difficulty in obtaining the necessary number of boats, as there were but +two in the vicinity. But this difficulty, though it caused a few days' +delay, was at length obviated, and five whale-boats were procured and +fitted for service. Major Barton had purposely postponed procuring the +necessary number of men until the last moment, from an apprehension that +their earlier selection might excite suspicion, and defeat the object +of their enterprise. Desirous that this little band might be composed +entirely of volunteers, the whole regiment was now ordered upon parade. +In a short, but animated address, Major Barton informed the soldiers +that he projected an expedition against the enemy, which could be +effected only by the heroism and bravery of those who should attend him; +that he desired the voluntary assistance of about forty of their number, +and directed those 'who would hazard their lives in the enterprise, +to advance two paces in front.' Without one exception, or a moment's +hesitation, the whole regiment advanced. Major Barton, after bestowing +upon the troops the applause they merited, and stating that he required +the aid of but a small portion of their number, commenced upon the +right, and, passing along the lines, selected from the regiment, to +the number of thirty-six, those who united to bravery and discipline +a competent knowledge of seamanship, for the management of the boats. +Having thus obtained an adequate number of officers and men, and +everything being ready, the party, on the 4th of July, 1777, embarked +from Tiverton for Bristol. While crossing Mount Hope Bay, there arose a +severe storm of thunder and rain, which separated three boats from that +of their commander. The boat containing Major Barton, and one other, +arrived at Bristol soon after midnight. Major Barton proceeded to the +quarters of the commanding officer, where he found a deserter who had +just made his escape from the enemy at Rhode-Island. From this man he +learned that there had been no alteration for the last few days in the +position of the British. On the morning of the fifth, the remaining +boats having arrived, Major Barton, with his officers, went to Hog +Island, not far distant from Bristol, and within view of the British +encampment and shipping. It was at this place that he disclosed to +his officers the particular object of the enterprise, his reasons for +attempting it, and the part each was to perform. Upon reconnoitring +the position of the enemy, it was thought impracticable, without great +hazard of capture, to proceed directly from Bristol to the head-quarters +of the British general. It was determined, therefore, to make Warwick +Neck, a place opposite to the British encampment, but at a greater +distance than Bristol, the point from which they should depart +immediately for Rhode-Island. The closest secrecy was enjoined upon his +officers by Major Barton, and they returned to Bristol. + +"On the evening of the sixth, about nine o'clock, the little squadron +again sailed, and crossing Narragansett Bay, landed on Warwick Neck. +On the seventh, the wind changing to E.N.E. brought on a storm, and +retarded their plan. On the ninth, the weather being pleasant, it was +determined to embark for the island. The boats were now numbered, and +the place of every officer and soldier assigned. About nine o'clock in +the evening, Major Barton assembled his little party around him, and in +a short but spirited address, in which were mingled the feelings of the +soldier and the man, he disclosed to them the object of the enterprise. +He did not attempt to conceal the danger and difficulties that would +inevitably attend the undertaking; nor did he forget to remind them, +that should their efforts be followed by success, they would be entitled +to, and would receive, the grateful acknowledgments of their country. +'It is probable,' said he, 'that some of us may not survive the daring +attempt; but I ask you to hazard no dangers which will not be shared +with you by your commander; and I pledge to you my honor, that in every +difficulty and danger I will take the lead.' He received the immediate +and unanimous assurance of the whole party, that they would follow +wherever their commander should lead them. Major Barton then, reminding +them how much the success of the enterprise depended upon their strict +attention to orders, directed that each individual should confine +himself to his particular seat in the boat assigned him, and that not +a syllable should be uttered by any one. He instructed them, as they +regarded their character as patriots and soldiers, that in the hour +of danger they should be firm, collected, and resolved fearlessly to +encounter the dangers and difficulties that might assail them. He +concluded by offering his earnest petition to the Great King of Armies, +that he would smile upon their intended enterprise, and crown it with +success. The whole party now proceeded to the shore. Major Barton had +reason to apprehend that he might be discovered in his passage from the +main to Rhode-Island, by some of the ships of war that lay at a small +distance from shore. He therefore directed the commanding officer at +Warwick Neck, that if he heard the report of three distinct muskets, to +send boats to the north end of Prudence Island to his aid. The whole +party now took possession of the boats in the manner directed. That +which contained Major Barton was posted in front, with a pole about +ten feet long fixed in her stern, to the end of which was attached a +handkerchief, in order that his boat might be distinguished from the +others, and that none might go before it. In this manner they proceeded +between the islands of Prudence and Patience, in order that they might +not be seen by the shipping of the enemy that lay off Hope Island. While +passing the north end of Prudence Island, they heard from the sentinels +on board the shipping of the enemy, the cry of 'All's well!' As they +approached the shore of Rhode-Island, a noise like the running of horses +was heard, which threw a momentary consternation over the minds of the +whole party; but, in strict conformity to the orders issued, not a word +was spoken by any one. A moment's reflection satisfied Major Barton of +the utter impossibility that his designs could be known by the enemy, +and he pushed boldly for the shore. Apprehensive that, if discovered, +the enemy might attempt to cut off his retreat, Major Barton ordered +one man to remain in each boat, and be prepared to depart at a +moment's warning. The remainder of the party landed without delay. The +reflections of Major Barton at this interesting moment, were of a +nature the most painful. The lapse of a few hours would place him in a +situation in the highest degree gratifying to his ambition, or overwhelm +him in the ruin in which his rashness would involve him. In the solemn +silence of night, and on the shores of the enemy, he paused a moment to +consider a plan which had been projected and matured amidst the bustle +of a camp and in a place of safety. The night was excessively dark, and, +a stranger to the country, his sole reliance upon a direct and rapid +movement to the head-quarters of a British general, so essential to +success, rested upon the imperfect information he had acquired from +deserters from the enemy. Should he surprise and secure General +Prescott, he was aware of the difficulties that would attend his +conveyance to the boat; the probability of an early and fatal discovery +of his design by the troops upon the island; and, even if he should +succeed in reaching the boats, it was by no means improbable that the +alarm might be seasonably given to the shipping, to prevent his retreat +to the main. But regardless of circumstances, which even then would have +afforded an apology for a hasty retreat, he resolved at all hazards to +attempt the accomplishment of his designs. + +"To the head-quarters of General Prescott, about a mile from the shore, +a party in five divisions now proceeded in silence. There were doors on +the south, the east and west sides of the house in which he resided. The +first division was ordered to advance upon the south door, the second +the west, and the third the east, the fourth to guard the road, and the +fifth to act in emergencies. In their march they passed the guard-house +of the enemy on their left, and on their right a house occupied by a +company of cavalry, for the purpose of carrying with expedition the +orders of the general to remote parts of the island. On arriving +at the head-quarters of the enemy, as the gate of the front yard was +opened, they were challenged by a sentinel on guard. The party was at +the distance of twenty-five yards from the sentinel, but a row of +trees partially concealed them from his view, and prevented him from +determining their number. No reply was made to the challenge of the +sentinel, and the party proceeded on in silence. The sentinel again +demanded, 'Who comes there?' 'Friends,' replied Barton. 'Friends,' says +the sentinel, 'advance and give the countersign.' + +"Major Barton, affecting to be angry, said to the sentinel, who was now +near him, 'Damn you, we have no countersign--have you seen any rascals +to-night?' and, before the sentinel could determine the character of +those who approached him, Major Barton had seized his musket, told him +he was a prisoner, and threatened, in case of noise or resistance, to +put him to instant death. The poor fellow was so terrified, that upon +being asked whether his general was in the house, he was for some time +unable to give any answer. At length, in a faltering voice, he replied +that he was. By this time each division having taken its station, the +south door was burst open by the direction of Major Barton, and the +division there stationed, with their commander at their head, rushed +into the head-quarters of the general. At this critical moment, one of +the British soldiers effected his escape, and fled to the quarters of +the main guard. This man had no article of clothing upon him but a +shirt; and having given the alarm to the sentinel on duty, passed on +to the quarters of the cavalry, which was more remote from the +head-quarters of the general. The sentinel roused the main guard, who +were instantly in arms, and demanded the cause of alarm. He stated the +information which had been given him by the soldier, which appeared so +incredible to the sergeant of the guard that he insisted that he had +seen a ghost. The sentinel, to whom the account of the general's capture +appeared quite as incredible as to his commanding officer, admitted that +the messenger was clothed in white; and after submitting to the jokes +of his companions, as a punishment for his credulity, he was ordered to +resume his station, while the remainder of the guard retired to their +quarters. It was fortunate for Major Barton and his brave followers, +that the alarm given by the soldier was considered groundless. Had the +main guard proceeded without delay to the relief of their commanding +general, his rescue certainly, and probably the destruction of the +party, would have been the consequence. + +"The first room Major Barton entered was occupied by Mr. Pering, who +positively denied that General Prescott was in the house. He next +entered the room of his son, who was equally obstinate with his father +in denying that the general was there. Major Barton then proceeded +to other apartments, but was still disappointed in the object of +his search. Aware that longer delay might defeat the object of his +enterprise, Major Barton resorted to stratagem to facilitate his +search. Placing himself at the head of the stairway, and declaring +his resolution to secure the general dead or alive, he ordered +[Illustration: CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT.] his soldiers to set fire +to the house. The soldiers were preparing to execute his orders, when +a voice, which Major Barton at once suspected to be the general's, +demanded 'What's the matter?' Major Barton rushed to the apartment from +whence the voice proceeded, and discovered an elderly man just rising +from his bed, and clapping his hand upon his shoulder, demanded of +him if he was General Prescott. He answered 'Yes, sir.' 'You are my +prisoner, then,' said Major Barton. 'I acknowledge that I am,' replied +the general. In a moment, General Prescott found himself, half dressed, +in the arms of the soldiers, who hurried him from the house. In the +meantime, Major Barrington, the aid to General Prescott, discovering +that the house was attacked by the rebels, as he termed them, leaped +from the window of his bed-chamber, and was immediately secured a +prisoner. General Prescott, supported by Major Barton and one of his +officers, and attended by Major Barrington and the sentinel, proceeded, +surrounded by the soldiery, to the shore. Upon seeing the five little +boats, General Prescott, who knew the position of the British shipping, +appeared much confused, and, turning to Major Barton, inquired if he +commanded the party. On being informed that he did, he expressed a hope +that no personal injury was intended him; and Major Barton assured the +general of his protection, while he remained under his control. + +"The general had travelled from head-quarters to the shore in his +waistcoat, small-clothes, and slippers. A moment was now allowed him to +complete his dress, while the party were taking possession of the boats. +The general was placed in the boat with Major Barton, and they proceeded +for the main. + +"They had not got far from the island, when the discharge of cannon and +three sky-rockets gave the signal of alarm. It was fortunate for the +party that the enemy on board the shipping were ignorant of the cause +of it, for they might easily have cut off their retreat. The signal +of alarm excited the apprehensions of Major Barton and his brave +associates, and redoubled their exertions to reach the point of their +destination before they could be discovered. They succeeded, and +soon after day-break landed at Warwick Neck, near the point of their +departure, after an absence of six hours and a half. + +"General Prescott turned towards the island, and, observing the ships +of war, remarked to Major Barton, 'Sir, you have made a bold push +to-night.' 'We have been fortunate,' replied the hero. An express was +immediately sent forward to Major-General Spencer, at Providence, +communicating the success which had attended the enterprise. Not long +afterwards, a coach arrived, which had been despatched by General +Spencer to convey General Prescott and his aide-de-camp prisoners to +Providence. They were accompanied by Major Barton, who related to +General Spencer, on their arrival, the particulars of the enterprise, +and received from that officer the most grateful acknowledgments for the +signal services he had rendered to his country." + +"I suppose Prescott paid for Lee soon afterwards?" said young Harmar. +"Yes; he was an officer of equal rank with Lee. The enemy had refused to +exchange Lee for two or three officers of an inferior grade, but they +were ready enough to take Prescott for him," replied Morton. + +"It was as complete an enterprise as was ever carried through," remarked +old Harmar. + +"The poor general must have been surprised to find he was a prisoner, +when he thought himself safe among an army and fleet," observed Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Major Barton was every inch a hero. See his skill and daring in +planning and executing the capture, and then his modesty when Prescott +said he had made a bold push--'We have been fortunate.' The reply was +worthy of the noblest of the Athenians," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Circumstances did certainly favor the enterprise," said Smith. "In +fact, we may say its success turned upon chances, and if it had failed +and the whole party been made prisoners, Major Barton would have been +called a rash and inconsiderate officer. Success works wonders in our +estimate of deeds." + +"You are harsh. Barton calculated the chances before he entered into the +expedition--saw that they were in his favor, and then formed his plan. +I am persuaded that, had he failed, his countrymen would have done him +justice," said Wilson. + +"Perhaps," replied Higgins. + + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY. + +"I say, Mr. Higgins," said old Harmar, wishing to change the subject, +"do you recollect Jonathan Riley and Frank Lilly, that were in our +company?" + +"I do. I shall never forget the death of either of them," replied +Higgins. "Poor Frank used to be the butt of the regiment." + +"And why shall you always remember the death of those two men?" inquired +Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Well, from peculiar circumstances connected with them," replied +Higgins. "However, your father knew them most intimately, and he can +tell you more about them than I can." + +"Come, father, we call on you for the story," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"You shall have what I can recollect of it, my child. My memory won't +pass muster any more; but if there's one event that will never escape +its grasp, it is the singular death of Jonathan Riley. He was a sergeant +in our regiment. + +[Illustration: RILEY GOING TO THE PLACE OF EXECUTION.] + +He had served in the old French war, and, being a man of tried +courage and presence of mind, he was usually selected for dangerous and +trying situations. He was at length placed on a recruiting station, and +in a short period he enlisted a great number of men. Among his recruits +was Frank Lilly, a boy about sixteen years old, who was so weak and +small that he would not have passed muster if the array had not been +greatly in want of men. The soldiers made this boy the butt of their +ridicule, and many a joke was perpetrated at his expense. Yet there was +a spirit in the boy beyond his years. Riley was greatly attached to him; +and it was reported, on good authority, that he was the fruit of one of +Riley's love affairs with a beautiful and unfortunate girl. + +"Often on our long and fatiguing marches, dying almost from want, +harassed incessantly by the enemy, did Riley carry the boy's knapsack +for miles, and many a crust for the poor wretch was saved from his +scanty allowance. But Frank Lilly's resolution was once the cause +of saving the whole detachment. The American army was encamped at +Elizabethtown. The soldiers stationed about four miles from the main +body, near the bay that separated the continent from Staten-Island, +forming an advance picket-guard, were chosen from a southern regiment, +and were continually deserting. It was a post of some danger, as the +young ambitious British officers, or experienced sergeants, often headed +parties that approached the shore in silence, during the night, and +attacked our outposts. Once they succeeded in surprising and capturing +an officer and twenty men, without the loss of a man on their part. +General Washington determined to relieve the forces near the bay, +and our regiment was the one from which the selection was made. The +arrangement of our guard, as near as I can recollect, was as follows: + +"A body of two hundred and fifty men was stationed a short distance +inland. In advance of these were several outposts, consisting of an +officer and thirty men each. The sentinels were so near as to meet in +their rounds, and were relieved every two hours. It chanced one dark and +windy night, that Lilly and myself were sentinels on adjoining posts. +All the sentinels were directed to fire on the least alarm, and retreat +to the guard, where we were to make the best defence we could, until +supported by the detachment in our rear. In front of me was a strip of +woods, and the bay was so near that I could hear the dashing of the +waves. It was near midnight, and occasionally a star was to be seen +through the flying clouds. The hours passed heavily and cheerlessly +away. The wind at times roared through the adjoining woods with +astonishing violence. In a pause of the storm, as the wind died suddenly +away, and was heard only moaning at a distance, I was startled by an +unusual noise in the woods before me. Again I listened attentively, and +imagined that I heard the heavy tread of a body of men, and the rattling +of cartridge boxes. As I met Lilly, I informed him of my suspicions. All +had been quiet in the rounds, but he promised to keep a good watch, and +fire on the least alarm. We separated, and I had marched but a few rods, +when I heard the following conversation. 'Stand.' The answer was from +a speaker rapidly approaching, and in a low constrained voice. 'Stand +yourself, and you shall not be injured. If you fire, you are a dead man. +If you remain where you are, you shall not be harmed. If you move, I +will run you through.' + +"Scarcely had he spoken, when I saw the flash, and heard the report of +Lilly's gun. I saw a black mass rapidly advancing, at which I fired, and +with all the sentinels retreated to the guard, consisting of thirty men, +commanded by an ensign. An old barn had served them for a guard-house, +and they barely had time to turn out, and parade in the road, as the +British were getting over a fence within six rods of us, to the number +of eighty, as we supposed. We fired upon them, and retreated in good +order towards the detachment in the rear. The enemy, disappointed of +their expected prey, pushed us hard, but we were soon reinforced, and +they, in their turn, were compelled to retreat, and we followed them +at their heels to the boats. We found the next morning that poor Frank +Lilly, after discharging his musket, was followed so close by the enemy +that he was unable to get over a fence, and he was run through with +a bayonet. It was apparent, however, that there had been a violent +struggle; for in front of his post was a British non-commissioned +officer, one of the best formed men I ever saw, shot directly through +the body. He died in great agonies, as the ground was torn up with his +hands, and he had literally bitten the dust. We discovered long traces +of blood, but never knew the extent of the enemy's loss. Poor Riley +took Lilly's death so much to heart that he never afterwards was the man +he previously had been. He became indifferent, and neglected his duty. +There was something remarkable in the manner of his death. He was +tried for his life, and sentenced to be shot. During the trial and +subsequently, he discovered an indifference truly astonishing. On the +day of his execution, the fatal cap was drawn over his eyes, and he was +caused to kneel in front of the whole army. Twelve men were detailed for +the purpose of executing him, but a pardon had been granted, unknown to +Riley, in consequence of his age and services; they had no cartridges. +The word 'ready' was given, and the cocking of guns could be distinctly +heard. At the word 'fire,' Riley fell dead upon his face, when not a gun +had been discharged." + +"That was a remarkable death; but there have been many instances of +a similar kind. The dread of death has been sufficient to produce it +without a mortal blow," remarked Wilson. + +"But I cannot believe that Riley ever felt a dread of death. He was +always as reckless of his own life as if it was not of the value of a +pin's head. No; it was not the dread of death," replied old Harmar. + +"It may have been the belief that death was certainly about to visit +him. Imagination may produce effects quite as wonderful," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar. + +"It's a waste of time and thought to speculate on such things," said +Smith. "But I'm inclined to believe, with young Mr. Harmar, that it was +the result of imagination. A man hearing the word 'fire,' in such a +case, would feel sure of death, and then his faculties would sink into +the expected state." + +"I guess Riley's heart must have been almost broken at the death of poor +Frank Lilly," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he felt it deeper than most of us thought, and as I said, became +perfectly indifferent whether his duty was performed or not," replied +old Harmar. "The whole story of Riley and Lilly, including the account +of the love affair, was a sad bit of romance." + + +THE MASSACRE OF WYOMING. + +"The people of Pennsylvania," observed Morton, "suffered more from the +tories and Indians than they did from the British. Philadelphia and +its vicinity were the only parts which any considerable British force +visited; but look at the depredations of the tories and Indians on +the northern and western frontiers, and at the massacre at Wyoming +particularly." + +"Ay, there were suffering and horror enough experienced in that valley +alone, to match those of any other event in our history. It was a time +of blood and desolation," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I was intimately acquainted with several families residing in the +valley at the time of the massacre," said Morton; "and one man, who +was taken prisoner after seeing his whole family slaughtered, and who +afterwards escaped from the bloody band, narrated the whole affair to +me." + +"There is considerable dispute in regard to the circumstances attending +the massacre. It seems impossible to get at the precise truth," observed +Mrs. Harmar. "It's my opinion, the horrors of the event have been +greatly exaggerated," added Smith. + +"I do not think they could be exaggerated," replied Morton. "If you +desire it, I will relate the circumstances as they were narrated to me. +I can vouch for the strict regard to truth that has ever distinguished +my friend." + +Of course, the company signified their desire to hear the account, and +thereupon Morton began as follows. + +"Wyoming, besides being a frontier settlement during the course of the +Revolutionary war, and therefore constantly exposed to the inroads of +the savages, had furnished two full companies, and about sixty recruits +more, for the main army--all which were annexed to the Connecticut line, +and armed at their own expense. They amounted, in the whole, to two +hundred and thirty men. While thus weakened and unguarded, they were +invaded by an army from Niagara, in the British service, composed of +regulars, tories, and Indians; of which the Indians composed the greater +part. + +"The Indians, in the spring of 1777, began to be troublesome. Their +numbers were frequently augmented by the arrival of new parties; and it +was from the cattle, hogs, and other plunder taken from the inhabitants, +that they furnished themselves with provisions. Some of the inhabitants +were killed by them, and others captured; and they destroyed much +property. At length they became very formidable. + +"The inhabitants had erected several small forts, but the principal one +was Forty Fort, in Kingston, on the west side of the river, a small +distance above Wyoming Falls. To this the settlers had chiefly resorted. +They had sent agents to the continental army to acquaint them with their +distressed situation; in consequence of which, Captain Spaulding, with +about sixty or seventy men, was dispatched to their assistance. This +detachment was, at the time of the massacre, about forty miles distant. +The garrison had been apprised of their march from Lancaster, but not of +their proximity. + +"The people in the garrison grew uneasy, under the insults of the +invaders. The militia were placed under officers taken from themselves, +and the whole body was commanded by Colonel Zebulon Butler, of the +continental army. Colonel Dennison, of the militia, was second in +command. There was a fortification about three miles above Forty Fort, +called Wintermoot's Fort. This was in the possession of tories. They +surrendered at the approach of the enemy, without opposition, and gave +them aid; some of them entering fully into their interests. Wintermoot's +Fort instantly became the headquarters of the expedition from Canada; +and was commanded by Colonel John Butler, a British officer, and +commander of a party of rangers. The second in command was Colonel +Brandt, a natural son of Sir William Johnson, by an Indian woman. Some +communications by flag had taken place between the hostile parties +previous to the battle, with propositions of compromise. The Canadians +insisted on an unqualified submission to Great Britain; but this the +garrison peremptorily refused, and nothing was effected. The reciprocal +bearers of flags represented the army of the invaders as double the +garrison in number, and still more superior in the quality of their +arms. + +"It was debated in the garrison, whether it would be a point of prudence +to hazard a sally. An officer, who had been at the enemy's camp with a +flag, opposed it, as did also Colonel Dennison and several others, and +Colonel Butler rather declined it; but, among others who were in favor +of it, a certain captain, (who never lived to lament his temerity,) +urged it with so much vehemence, that the commandant consented. A Mr. +Ingersol, then in the garrison with a flag from the enemy, had been some +time their captive, and was intimately acquainted with their strength. +He did his utmost to deter them from the rash attempt, but all in vain; +and, when he saw them turn out and parade, could no longer refrain from +tears. + +"The third day of July, in the year 1778, was the fatal day that deluged +in blood the plains of Wyoming! The garrison marched off in a solid +column, and met with no material obstruction till they reached the +enemy's camp, about three miles above Forty Fort. Here they had the +Susquehanna on the right, and a thick swamp on the left; and, perceiving +that the enemy extended from the one to the other, ready to receive +them, they displayed column, which threw them into a similar position. +Colonel Zebulon Butler commanded the right, and was opposed by Colonel +John Butler, on the enemy's left. Colonel Dennison commanded on the +left, and was opposed by Colonel Brandt, on the enemy's right. The +action commenced at about forty rods distance. The air being heavy, the +smoke obstructed their sight; and, after the first discharge, they could +only direct their aim by the flash of the enemy's guns. Little execution +was done till after several discharges. Brandt marched a party into the +swamp, and flanked the militia. The enemy, now firing from under cover +of the thicket, greatly annoyed that wing. The militia dropped down +very fast, and at length began to give way, one after another, in rapid +succession, till the rout became general. The fugitives were closely +pursued by the Indians, who, besides their rifles and tomahawks, were +provided with long spears, which they threw with great dexterity, and +seldom missed their object--the practice of throwing the tomahawk and +spear, and of taking aim, being the principal exercises to which an +Indian warrior is trained. + +"It was impossible for men thus flying and thus pursued to rally, nor +had they a moment's time even to load their pieces, while death was +close upon every man's heel. And, besides, many of them had no other +weapon but a rusty musket. Flight was their only hope; and the Indians, +being most accustomed to running, if they could not run the fastest, +could, however, out-wind them. The carnage at once became general, and +three-fourths of the militia were killed. + +"According to the account of some who were present, the number +that sallied out was five hundred, and of those who escaped the +scalping-knife two hundred. Others assert that the sortie consisted of +but three hundred, and those who escaped were less than one hundred. +The probability is that, between the confusion, carnage, and panic of +the day, the accounts are all incorrect. But, by every account, about +three hundred able-bodied men, amounting to more than half the +settlement, were slain on that dismal day. + +"The fugitives fled in every direction. Some saved themselves by fair +running; some, by hiding till the darkness covered their retreat; and +many by swimming the river, &c. Particular details of all individual +escapes cannot be given; nor would they, perhaps, be entertaining, and I +shall, therefore, pass them over. Some few of the enemy were killed +in the pursuit; their total loss was never ascertained, but we are to +presume that it was small. + +"Forty Fort was immediately evacuated. Some few of the inhabitants took +British protections, and remained on their premises. The signal for a +house under protection was a white cloth hung up near the door, and for +a man, a white rag round the crown of his hat. + +"Those of the militia who escaped from the battle, hastened toward the +Delaware, and, on their way through the swamp, met Captain Spaulding's +detachment, who, on being informed of the strength of the enemy and +deplorable condition of the settlement, judged it prudent to turn about +and retire to the settlement on the Delaware. + +"The road through the swamp was thronged with women and children, +heavy-hearted and panic-struck; destitute of all the comforts of life, +travelling day and night, and in continual dread of the tomahawk and +scalping-knife! The whole country, and all the property in it, was +abandoned to the savages, save only by the few who had taken British +protections. + +"Colonel Nathan Dennison, who succeeded to the command after Butler +escaped, seeing the impossibility of an effectual defence, went with +a flag to Colonel John Butler, to know what terms he would grant on a +surrender; to which application Butler answered, with more than savage +phlegm, in two short words, '_The hatchet_.' Dennison, having defended +the fort till most of the garrison were killed or disabled, was +compelled to surrender at discretion. Some of the unhappy persons in the +fort were carried away alive; but the barbarous conquerors, to save +the trouble of murder in detail, shut up the rest promiscuously in +the houses and barracks, which they set on fire, enjoying the savage +pleasure of beholding the whole consumed in one general blaze. + +"They then crossed the river to the only remaining fort, Wilkesborough, +which, in hopes of mercy, surrendered without demanding any conditions. +They found about seventy continental soldiers, who had been engaged +merely for the defence of the frontiers, whom they butchered with every +circumstance of horrid cruelty. The remainder of the men, with the women +and children, were shut up, as before, in the houses, which being set on +fire, they perished altogether in the flames. + +"A general scene of devastation was now spread through all the +townships. Fire, sword, and the other different instruments of +destruction, alternately triumphed. The settlements of the tories +alone generally escaped, and appeared as islands in the midst of the +surrounding ruin. The merciless ravagers, having destroyed the main +objects of their cruelty, directed their animosity to every part of +living nature belonging to them--shooting and destroying some of their +cattle, and cutting out the tongues of others, leaving them still alive +to prolong their agonies. + +"The following are a few of the more singular circumstances of the +barbarity practised in the attack upon Wyoming. Captain Bedlock, who had +been taken prisoner, being stripped naked, had his body stuck full of +splinters of pine-knots, and then a heap of the same piled around him; +the whole was then set on fire, and his two companions, Captains Ranson +and Durgee, thrown alive into the flames and held down with pitchforks. +The returned tories, who had at different times abandoned the +settlement in order to join in those savage expeditions, were the most +distinguished for their cruelty: in this they resembled the tories that +joined the British forces. One of these Wyoming tories, whose mother had +married a second husband, butchered with his own hands both her, his +father-in-law, his own sisters, and their infant children. Another, who +during his absence had sent home several threats against the life of his +father, now not only realized them in person, but was himself, with his +own hands, the exterminator of his whole family, mothers, brothers, and +sisters, and mingled their blood in one common carnage with that of +the aged husband and father. The broken parts and scattered relics of +families, consisting mostly of women and children who had escaped to the +woods during the different scenes of this devastation, suffered little +less than their friends, who had perished in the ruins of their houses. +Dispersed, and wandering in the forests as chance and fear directed, +without provision or covering, they had a long tract of country to +traverse, and many, without doubt, perished in the woods." + +"Such deeds make the blood curdle in my veins," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"It is said that the cruelty of Colonel John Butler at Wyoming has been +greatly exaggerated," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. "His son, Walter +Butler, was certainly a savage, and the bloody deeds he committed have +been frequently attributed to his father. But I think history should +set the matter right, nor found its assertions upon the stories of the +exasperated whigs." + +"That's well thought of you, Mr. Harmar, but it's my opinion that +historians cannot find any evidence of the humanity of John Butler. As I +said before, I firmly believe the story of my friend. If John Butler did +not butcher the men who asked for quarter, he looked quietly on while +the red men did it, and therefore he is just as criminal, in my eyes, as +if he had handled the tomahawk," said Morton, emphatically. + +"Colonel Zebulon Butler, with his family, escaped from the fort before +the massacre, I believe?" observed Higgins, inquisitively. + +"Yes; and in that I think he betrayed his trust. A commander should +either conquer or die with his men," replied Morton. + +"But when slaughter is certain, I think every man is justified in doing +all that he can to save himself," said old Harmar. + +"That is selfish. If slaughter was certain, would it not have been more +honorable to remain, and make the enemy pay life for life, than it would +be to steal away and leave women and children to fall without revenge?" +observed Wilson. + +"But would it be wise?" asked old Harmar, interrogatively. + +"Whatever is honorable is wise," replied Wilson. + + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY. + +"Mr. Mortan, what do you think was the most interesting scene you saw +during the war?" enquired Mr. Jackson Harraar. + +"Well, that's a question it requires some thinking to answer," replied +Morton. "Leaving battle scenes out of view, I think the celebration of +the Dauphin's birth-day, in May, 1782, was one of the most interesting +events I have ever witnessed." + +"It was a great celebration," observed Higgins. + +"You see," began Morton, "our army was then encamped on the high grounds +on both sides of the Hudson. The camp on the west side of the river was +called New Boston, because the huts had been put up by the Massachusetts +troops. The head-quarters of General Washington were at West Point. +As our Congress had entered into an alliance with the king of France, +General Washington thought it proper to seize every occasion of doing +honor to our allies; and when the French were thrown into all sorts of +rejoicing by the birth of an heir to the throne, he decided that we +should celebrate the same event. The thirty-first of May was fixed upon +for the celebration. Great preparations were made for the festival. In +General Washington's orders, invitations were given to all the +officers in the army, and they were requested to invite any friend or +acquaintance they might have in the country to join them. A romantic, +open plain near West Point was chosen for the building of the great +bower under which the company were to meet and partake of a grand feast. +A French engineer, named Villefranche, was employed, with one thousand +men, ten days in completing it, and, when completed, it was one of the +most beautiful edifices I have ever seen. It was composed entirely of +the material which the trees in the neighborhood afforded, and was about +six hundred feet long and thirty wide. The roof was supported by a grand +colonnade of one hundred and eighteen pillars made of the trunks of +trees. The roof and walls were made of the boughs and branches of trees, +curiously interwoven, while the ends were left open. On the inside, +every pillar was enriched with muskets and bayonets, which were arranged +in a fanciful manner; and the whole interior was decorated with +evergreens, French and American colors, and various emblems and mottoes. + +"On the day of the festival, the whole army was paraded on the hills +on both side of the river, and it was a grand view. For several miles +around, as far as the eye could reach, lines of men, glittering in their +accoutrements, appeared. The officers were in front, or among their +respective commands, and their waving plumes seemed like floating +foam on the waves. At the signal--the firing of three cannon--all the +regimental officers left their commands and proceeded to the building +to join in the festivities there prepared by order of the +commander-in-chief. + +"At five o'clock, dinner being on the table, an interesting procession +moved from the quarters of Major-General M'Dougall, through a line +formed by Colonel Grain's regiment of artillery. In front, walked +the noble commander-in-chief, his countenance expressive of unusual +cheerfulness, and his stately form moving with characteristic grace and +dignity. He was accompanied by his lady, and his suite followed him. +Then came all the principal officers of the army with their ladies, +Governor Clinton and lady, and various distinguished characters from +the States of New York and New Jersey. The procession moved to the vast +bower, where more than five hundred guests were assembled. The banquet +was magnificently prepared, and bands of music added melody to the other +charms of the scene--thus feasting and satisfying the eye, the ear, and +the palate. The cloth being removed, thirteen appropriate toasts were +drank, each being announced by the firing of thirteen cannon and the +playing of appropriate music by the bands in attendance. The company +retired from the table at seven o'clock, and the regimental officers +rejoined their respective commands. In the evening, the arbor was +brilliantly illuminated. The numerous lights, gleaming among the boughs +and leaves of the trees that composed the roof and the walls, presented +the appearance of myriads of glowworms or of thousands of stars +glittering in the night. When the officers had rejoined their different +regiments, thirteen cannon were again fired, as a prelude to the general +feu-de-joie which immediately succeeded. Three times was it repeated, +and the reverberations sounded among the hills with tremendous effect, +darkness adding grandeur to the scene, as the flashing of the musketry +of the army broke upon it like sheeted lightning. The feu-de-joie was +immediately followed by three shouts of acclamation and benediction for +the dauphin, given by the whole army as with one voice. At half-past +eleven o'clock the celebration was concluded by an exhibition of +fireworks, ingeniously constructed of various figures. There was a ball +given during the evening in the arbor, at which General Washington, +with Mrs. Knox for a partner, led the dance. Thus ended the general +festivity." + +"There," remarked Mrs. Harmar, "that has interested me much more than +all the horrible stories that have been told to-day. How I should have +liked to be there!" + +"It was a sight such as all men are not permitted to see," said Morton. + +"It was grand--it was sublime!" exclaimed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "A scene +worthy of any pen or any pencil!" As Mr. Jackson Harmar seized all such +opportunities for exercising his literary propensities, it was most +probable that he considered that the pen alone could do justice to the +scene, and that _his_ pen was destined to immortalize it. + +The bell now rang for tea, and the party adjourned to the tea-table, +where, however, the conversation turned upon matters foreign to the +Revolution. Mrs. Harmar would introduce household concerns when her +husband began to allude to the war, and the children, especially Thomas +Jefferson Harmar, would play around the old veterans, asking them +trifling questions, until the meal was finished, and then Morton, +Higgins, Smith, and Wilson prepared to return to their respective +residences. Morton lived in the interior of Pennsylvania, and was +stopping with a near relative during his visit to the city. The other +three resided in New Jersey, and were putting up at the same house--that +of a friend of Higgins'. Old Harmar shook hands with his old camp +associates, wishing them many days of health and happiness to come, and +trusting that they might meet again before death should claim them. The +veterans kissed the children, and Morton gave Thomas Jefferson Harmar a +bullet from Bunker's Hill, telling him to learn what his countrymen had +fought and bled for, and to act like them on a like occasion, if any +such should ever occur, which he earnestly hoped would never be the +case. Mr. Jackson Harmar procured a carriage, and the veterans being +soon comfortably seated, he accompanied them to their respective +residences. On bidding him farewell, the aged patriots thanked him +for his kindness, which Mr. Jackson Harmar returned with an elaborate +panegyric on the men of the Revolution, and the duty of his generation +to treat them with the highest veneration and respect. The public either +suffered from or were benefited by the interview between Mr. Jackson +Harmar and the veteran patriots, for the press soon teemed with stirring +poetical appeals to the people to hold their liberties dearer than +life, on account of the blood that they had cost. A large volume also +appeared, entitled "Legends of the Times that tried Men's Souls," +beginning with the history of the "Old State-House Bell." + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, +Philadelphia In 1776, by Henry C. Watson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE *** + +***** This file should be named 11506-8.txt or 11506-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/0/11506/ + +Produced by Internet Archive; University of Florida, jayam and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, Philadelphia In 1776 + +Author: Henry C. Watson + +Release Date: March 7, 2004 [EBook #11506] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE *** + + + + +Produced by Internet Archive; University of Florida, jayam and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + + + + +[Illustration: The Old State House Bell] + + + +THE YOUNG AMERICAN'S LIBRARY. + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE; + +OR, + +PHILADELPHIA IN 1776. + +BY HENRY C. WATSON, + +AUTHOR OF "THE CAMP-FIRES OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION," "THE YANKEE +TEA-PARTY, OR BOSTON IN 1773," ETC. ETC. + +With Illustrations. + + + + +Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1851, by LINDSAY AND +BLAKISTON, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United +States for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. + + + +PREFACE. + +To awaken in the minds of all Americans that veneration of the patriots +and heroes of the War of Independence, and that emulation of their noble +example which is so necessary to the maintenance of our liberties, are +the objects of this little work. Every day's developments illustrate +the importance of these objects. In the enjoyment of the freedom and +prosperity of our country, we are apt to under-rate the means by which +that enjoyment was secured to us, and to forget the men who worked for +that end. A knowledge of the toils and sufferings of the noble-hearted +fathers of the Revolution is the best preventative, or curative, for +this "falling off." War, clothed as it is, with horrors, is to be +condemned, and the spirit which leads to it should be driven from the +breasts of men. But generous devotion, strength of resolution, and +far-reaching skill, are things to be commended and imitated wherever +displayed. In these pages, will be found stories of the chief men of the +Revolution, so connected, by the manner in which they are narrated, as +to give a general interest to them--"The Old Bell of Independence" being +the rallying point of the veteran story-tellers. + + + +CONTENTS. + + +INTRODUCTION + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON + +THE SPY'S FATE + +STORY OF THE SERMON + +STORY OF THE PRAYER + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE + +THE HALF-BREED + +DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE + +MURDER OF MISS McCREA + +DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE + +BATES'S REVENGE + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION + +THE TIMELY RESCUE + +THE BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN + +THE BATTLE OF THE KEGS + +ARNOLD'S TREASON + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY + +MASSACRE OF WYOMING + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY + + + + +THE OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE. + + +INTRODUCTION. + +It was a season of unparalleled enthusiasm and rejoicing, when General +Lafayette, the friend and supporter of American Independence, responded +to the wishes of the people of the United States, and came to see their +prosperity, and to hear their expressions of gratitude. The national +heart beat joyfully in anticipation; and one long, loud, and free shout +of welcome was heard throughout the land. + +Arriving at New York in August, 1824, General Lafayette journeyed +through the Eastern States, receiving such tokens of affection as the +people had extended to no other man except Washington, and then returned +southward. On the 28th of September, he entered Philadelphia, the +birth-place of the Declaration of Independence, the greater part of the +population coming out to receive and welcome him. A large procession was +formed, and thirteen triumphal arches erected in the principal streets +through which the procession passed. + +After General Lafayette himself, the most remarkable objects in the +procession were four large open cars, resembling tents, each containing +forty veterans of the struggle for independence. No one could, without +emotion, behold these winter-locked patriots, whose eyes, dimmed by age, +poured forth tears of joy at their unexpected happiness in once more +meeting an old commander, and joining in the expressions of gratitude to +him. + +After passing through the principal streets, General Lafayette was +conducted into the hall of the State-House, where the old Continental +Congress had assembled, and where the immortal Declaration of +Independence was signed. Here the nation's guest was received formally +on behalf of the citizens by the mayor, and then the people were +admitted to take him by the hand. At night there was a splendid +illumination; and crowds of people traversed the streets, singing and +celebrating the exploits of the champion of liberty and the friend of +America. + +On one of the days succeeding Lafayette's grand entry into the city, +he received, in the Hall of Independence, the veteran soldiers of the +Revolution who had come to the city, and those who were residents. One +by one these feeble old men came up and took the General by the hand, +and to each he had some reminiscence to recall, or some congratulation +to offer. Heroes of Brandy wine, Germantown, Trenton, Princeton, +Monmouth, and other fields, were there; some with scars to show, and all +much suffering to relate. The old patriotic fire was kindled in their +breasts, and beamed from their furrowed countenances, as memory flew +back to the time that proved their truth and love of liberty. One had +been under the command of the fiery Wayne, and shared his dangers with +a spirit as dauntless; another had served with the cool and skilful +Greene, and loved to recall some exploit in which the Quaker general +had displayed his genius; another had followed the lead of Lafayette +himself, when a mere youth, at Brandywine: everything conspired to +render this interview of the General and the veteran soldiers as +touching and as interesting as any recorded by history, or invented by +fiction. + +After the reception of the veterans, one of them proposed to go up into +the belfry, and see the old bell which proclaimed liberty "to all the +land, and to all the nations thereof." Lafayette and a few others +accompanied the proposal by expressing a wish to see that interesting +relic. With great difficulty, some of the old men were conducted up to +the belfry, and there they beheld the bell still swinging. Lafayette was +much gratified at the sight, as it awakened his old enthusiasm to think +of the period when John Adams and his bold brother patriots dared to +assert the principles of civil liberty, and to proclaim the independence +of their country. Old John Harmar, one of the veteran soldiers who had +been in Philadelphia when the Declaration was proclaimed, and who again +shook hands with his old brothers in arms, gave vent to his thoughts and +feelings as he stood looking at the bell. + +"Ah! that's the trumpet that told the Britishers a tale of vengeance! My +memory's not so bad but I can recollect the day that old bell was rung +for independence! This city presented a very different appearance in +those days. It was a small town. Every body was expectin' that the +king's troops would be comin' here soon, and would sack and burn the +place: but the largest number of us were patriots, and knew the king was +a tyrant; and so we didn't care much whether they came or not. How the +people did crowd around this State-House on the day the Declaration was +proclaimed! Bells were ringing all over town, and guns were fired; but +above 'em all could be heard the heavy, deep sound of this old bell, +that rang as if it meant something! Ah! them was great times." + +As old Harmar concluded these remarks, the old men standing near the +bell nodded approvingly, and some echoed, "Them _was_ great times!" in +a tone which indicated that memory was endeavoring to conjure back the +time of which they spoke. They then slowly turned to descend. Lafayette +had preceded them with his few friends. "Stop!" said old Harmar; +"Wilson, Morton, Smith, and you, Higgins, my son wants you to come home +with me, and take dinner at his house. Come; I want to have some chat +with you over old doings. I may never see you again after you leave +Philadelphia." + +The invitation, cordially given, was cordially accepted, and the party +of old friends descended the stairs, and, arriving at the door, were +assisted by the cheering crowd to get into their carriage, which then +drove towards the residence of old Harmar's son. At that place we shall +consider them as having arrived, and, after much welcoming, introducing, +and other preparatory ceremonies, as seated at a long, well-supplied +table, set in a large and pleasant dining-hall. Young Harmar, his wife, +and the four children, were also accommodated at the same table, and a +scene of conviviality and pleasure was presented such as is not often +witnessed. The old men were very communicative and good-humored; and +young Harmar and his family were free of questions concerning the great +scenes through which they had passed. But we will let the company speak +for themselves. + + + +STORY OF GENERAL WASHINGTON. + +"GRANDFATHER," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "won't you tell us +something about General Washington?" + +"I could tell you many a thing about that man, my child," replied old +Harmar, "but I suppose people know everything concerning him by this +time. You see, these history writers go about hunting up every incident +relating to the war, now, and after a while they'll know more about +it--or say they do--than the men who were actors in it." + +"That's not improbable," said young Harmar. "These historians may not +know as much of the real spirit of the people at that period, but that +they should be better acquainted with the mass of facts relating to +battles and to political affairs is perfectly natural." The old man +demurred, however, and mumbled over, that nobody could know the real +state of things who was not living among them at the time. + +"But the little boy wants to hear a story about Washington," said +Wilson. "Can't you tell him something about _the_ man? I think I could. +Any one who wants to appreciate the character of Washington, and the +extent of his services during the Revolution, should know the history of +the campaign of 1776, when every body was desponding, and thinking +of giving up the good cause. I tell you, if Washington had not been +superior to all other men, that cause must have sunk into darkness." + +"You say well," said Smith. "We, who were at Valley Forge, know +something of his character." + +"I remember an incident," said Wilson, "that will give you some idea, +Mrs. Harmar, of the heart George Washington had in his bosom. I suppose +Mr. Harmar has told you something of the sufferings of our men during +the winter we lay at Valley Forge. It was a terrible season. It's hard +to give a faint idea of it in words; but you may imagine a party of +men, with ragged clothes and no shoes, huddled around a fire in a log +hut--the snow about two feet deep on the ground, and the wind driving +fierce and bitter through the chinks of the rude hovel. Many of the men +had their feet frost-bitten, and there were no remedies to be had, like +there is now-a-days. The sentinels suffered terribly, and looked more +like ghosts than men, as they paced up and down before the lines of +huts." + +"I wonder the men didn't all desert," remarked Mrs. Harmar. "They must +have been uncommon men." + +"They were uncommon men, or, at least, they suffered in an uncommon +cause," replied Wilson. "But about General Washington. He saw how the +men were situated, and, I really believe, his heart bled for them. He +would write to Congress of the state of affairs, and entreat that body +to procure supplies; but, you see, Congress hadn't the power to comply. +All it could do was to call on the States, and await the action of their +Assemblies. + +"Washington's head-quarters was near the camp, and he often came over to +see the poor fellows, and to try to soothe and comfort them; and, I tell +you, the men loved that man as if he had been their father, and would +rather have died with him than have lived in luxury with the red-coat +general. + +"I recollect a scene I beheld in the next hut to the one in which I +messed. An old friend, named Josiah Jones, was dying. He was lying on a +scant straw bed, with nothing but rags to cover him. He had been sick +for several days, but wouldn't go under the doctor's hands, as he always +said it was like going into battle, certain of being killed. One day, +when we had no notion of anything of the kind, Josiah called out to us, +as we sat talking near his bed, that he was dying, and wanted us to pray +for him. We were all anxious to do anything for the man, for we loved +him as a brother; but as for praying, we didn't exactly know how to go +about it. To get clear of the service, I ran to obtain the poor fellow a +drink of water to moisten his parched lips. + +"While the rest were standing about, not knowing what to do, some one +heard the voice of General Washington in the next hut, where he was +comforting some poor wretches who had their feet almost frozen off. +Directly, he came to our door, and one of the men went and told him the +state of things. Now, you see, a commander-in-chief might have been +justified in being angry that the regulations for the sick had been +disobeyed, and have turned away; but he was a nobler sort of man than +could do that. He entered the hut, and went up to poor Josiah, and asked +him how he was. Josiah told him that he felt as if he was dying, and +wanted some one to pray for him. Washington saw that a doctor could do +the man no good, and he knelt on the ground by him and prayed. We all +knelt down too; we couldn't help it. An old comrade was dying, away from +his home and friends, and there was our general kneeling by him, with +his face turned towards heaven, looking, I thought, like an angel's. +Well, he prayed for Heaven to have mercy on the dying man's soul; to +pardon his sins; and to take him to Himself: and then he prayed for us +all. Before the prayer was concluded, Josiah's spirit had fled, and his +body was cold and stiff. Washington felt the brow of the poor fellow, +and, seeing that his life was out, gave the men directions how to +dispose of the corpse, and then left us to visit the other parts of the +camp." + +"That was, indeed, noble conduct," said young Harmar. "Did he ever speak +to you afterwards about violating the regulations of the army?" + +"No," replied Wilson. "He knew that strict discipline could not be, and +should not have been maintained in that camp. He was satisfied if we +were true to the cause amid all our sufferings." + +[ Illustration: WASHINGTON'S PRAYER +FOR THE DYING SOLDIER.] + +"Praying at the death-bed of a private," mused Smith aloud. "Well, I +might have conjectured what he would do in such a case, from what I saw +of him. I wonder if history ever spoke of a greater and better man?" + +Young Mr. Harmar here felt inclined to launch out into an elaborate +panegyric on the character of Washington, but reflected that it might be +out of place, and therefore contented himself with remarking, "We shall +ne'er look upon his like again." + +"He was a dear, good man," remarked Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes," said old Harmar, "General Washington was the main pillar of the +Revolution. As a general, he was vigilant and skilful; but if he had +not been anything more, we might have been defeated and crushed by the +enemy. He had the love and confidence of the men, on account of his +character as a man, and that enabled him to remain firm and full of hope +when his countrymen saw nothing but a gloomy prospect." + + +THE SPY'S FATE + +"Now I'll tell you a story that I have just called to mind," said old +Harmar. "It's of a very different character, though, from the story of +Washington. It's about a spy's fate." + +"Where was the scene of it?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Out here on the Schuylkill's banks, just after the British took +possession of this city," replied old Harmar. "There was a man named +James Sykes, who had a lime-kiln on the east bank of the river, and was +manufacturing lime pretty extensively when the enemy came to this city. +While Congress was sitting here, Sykes always professed to be a warm +friend to the colonial cause; but there was always something suspicious +about his movements, and his friends and neighbours did not put much +faith in his professions. He would occasionally be out very late at +night, and sometimes be gone from home for a week, and give very vague +accounts of the business which had occupied him during his absence. Some +of his neighbours suspected that he was acting as one of Sir William +Howe's spies, but they could never get any positive proof of their +suspicions. + +"At length the enemy took possession of this city, and then Sykes began +to show that he was not such a very warm friend of the right side. He +went to the head-quarters of the British general frequently, and seemed +to be on the best terms with the enemy. Well, it happened that one of +his old neighbors, named Jones, was the captain of one of the companies +of our line; and he, somehow or other, obtained proof that Sykes was +acting as a spy for the enemy. He informed General Wayne of the fact, +and immediately proposed that he should be allowed to attempt his +capture. Wayne consented, and Captain Jones set about preparing for the +enterprise. Sykes was usually out at his lime-kiln, with some of his +men, during the morning, and, as the guilty are ever suspicious, he +increased the number of his assistants, to ensure himself against +attack. Captain Jones took only twenty men from his company, and left +our camp just before dark. The business was full of danger. The place +where Jones expected to capture the spy was within a mile of a British +out-post; and the greatest secrecy and rapidity of movement was +necessary to prevent surprise by the enemy's scouting parties. + +"About daylight, Jones and his party reached the wood near Sykes' +lime-kiln, and halted to reconnoitre. Sykes and four of his men were at +work at that early hour. The lime was burning, and some of the men were +engaged in loading and unloading two carts which stood near the kiln. +Captain Jones' plan was quickly formed. He sent one half his party +around to cut off the escape of Sykes towards the city, and when he +thought they had reached a favorable position sallied out towards the +kiln. When he was about half-way to it, Sykes discovered the party, +and, shouting to his men to follow, ran along the bank of the river +to escape; but the other party cut off retreat, and Jones coming up +rapidly, Sykes and his men were taken. Jones did not intend to detain +the workmen any longer than till he got out of the reach of the British, +when he would not have cared for their giving the alarm. Sykes seemed to +be very anxious to know why he was arrested in that manner; but Jones +simply told him he would know when they got him to the American camp; +and that, if Sykes had not thought of a reason for his arrest, he +would not have attempted to run away. Well, the Americans hurried the +prisoners towards the wood, but Jones soon descried a large party of +British coming over a neighboring hill, and knew that his chance was +a desperate one. Sykes also discovered the party of red-coats, and +struggled hard to make his escape from the Americans. Jones wanted to +bring him alive to the American camp, or he would have shot him down at +once. Suddenly, Sykes broke away from his captors, and ran towards the +lime-kiln. Several muskets were discharged, but all missed him. Then +one of the privates, named Janvers, a daring fellow, rushed after the +prisoner, and caught him just as he reached the kiln. There a fierce +struggle ensued; but Sykes was cut in the shoulder, and, in attempting +to throw his antagonist into the hot lime and fire, was hurled into it +himself. Then Janvers hurried to the woods after his brave comrades. The +British party was near enough to see the struggle at the limekiln, and +came on rapidly in pursuit of our men. A few of the red-coats were +ordered to examine the lime-kiln, to see if Sykes was alive and +concealed; and they found his body burned almost to a crisp." + +"Horrible!" exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. + +"Well," continued Old Harmar, "there was a long and doubtful race +between the two parties; but Jones succeeded in getting within the lines +of the Americans without losing a man, and with his four prisoners in +safe custody. These fellows were examined, but no evidence of their +being spies and confidants of Sykes could be produced, and they were +discharged with the promise of a terrible punishment if they were +detected tampering with the enemy." + +"Captain Jones was a daring fellow to venture so near the British lines, +and with such a small party," observed Morton. + +"In such an attempt, a small party was preferable. Its success depended +upon secrecy and quickness of movements," said Wilson. + +"It was a horrible death," remarked young Harmar. "Sykes, however, +courted it by treachery to his countrymen." + + +STORY OF THE SERMON. + +"I believe this is the first time I've seen you since the disbanding of +the army, Morton," said Wilson. "Time has been rather severe on us both +since that time." + +"Oh, we can't complain," replied Morton. "We can't complain. I never +grumble at my age." + +"Some men would have considered themselves fortunate to have seen what +you have seen," said young Harmar. "I think I could bear your years, to +have your experience." + +"So do I," added Mrs. Harmar. She always agreed with her husband in +whatever he asserted. + +"Let me see," said old Harmar; "where did I first meet you, Higgins? +Oh! wasn't it just before the battle of Brandywine you joined the +Pennsylvania line?" + +"No," answered Smith for Higgins, who, just then, was endeavoring to +make up for his want of teeth by the vigorous exertions of his jaws. "He +joined at the same time I did, before the battle of Germantown." + +"Yes, just before the battle of Germantown," added Higgins. "I was not +at Brandywine." + +"You wasn't? Then you missed seeing us retreat," said old Harraar. "But +we did considerable fightin', howsomever. Mad Anthony was there, and he +used to fight, you know--at least the enemy thought so. I shall never +forget the night before that battle." + +"Why?" asked Higgins. "Was you on the watch?" + +"No, not on that account; something very different. There was a sermon +preached on the evenin' before that battle, such as can only be heard +once." + +"A sermon?" enquired Wilson. + +"Yes; a sermon preached for our side by the Rev. Joab Prout. I told my +son there about it, and he wrote it into a beautiful sketch for one of +the papers. He's got a knack of words, and can tell about it much better +than I can. Tell them about it, Jackson, just as you wrote it," said old +Harmar. + +"Certainly," replied young Harmar. "If I can recall it." + +"Do," said Mrs. Harmer; and "Oh! do," added the children; and Mr. +Jackson Harmar did--as follows:--"All day long, on the tenth of +September, 1777, both armies were in the vicinity of each other, and +frequent and desperate skirmishes took place between advanced parties, +without bringing on a general action. At length, as the day closed, +both armies encamped within sight of each other, anxiously awaiting the +morrow, to decide the fate of the devoted city. + +"The Americans lay behind Chadd's Ford, with the shallow waters of the +Brandywine between them and their opponents; the line extending two +miles along that stream. + +"The sun was just sinking behind the dark hills of the west, gilding the +fading heavens with an autumnal brightness, and shedding a lurid glare +upon the already drooping and discolored foliage of the surrounding +forests. It was an hour of solemn calm. The cool evening breezes stole +softly through the air, as if unwilling to disturb the repose of all +around. The crystal waters of the creek murmured gently in their narrow +bed, and the national standard flapped lazily from the tall flag-staff +on its banks. + +"In the American camp, interspersed between groups of tents and stacks +of arms, might be seen little knots of weary soldiers seated on the +ground, resting from the fatigues of the day, and talking in a low but +animated tone of the coming contest. + +"Suddenly the tattoo sounded,--not loud and shrill, as on ordinary +occasions, but in a subdued and cautious manner, as if fearful of being +heard by the British, whose white tents might be seen in the distance. +Obedient to the signal, the greater part of the soldiers assembled +in front of the marquee of the commander, near the centre of the +encampment. + +"All was hushed in expectation: soon the tall form of Washington, +wrapped in his military cloak, and attended by a large body of officers, +was seen advancing in their midst. All present respectfully saluted +them, to which they bowed courteously, and then took their seats upon +camp-stools set for them by a servant. The venerable Joab Prout, +chaplain of the Pennsylvania line, then stood upon the stump of a tree, +and commanded silence--for it was the hour of prayer. + +"Here was a scene of moral grandeur unsurpassed by anything in the +annals of war. There, on that still, cool evening, when the sky was +darkening into night, were assembled some eight thousand men; very many +of whom would never look upon the glorious sunset again. From the humble +cottages in the quiet valley of the Connecticut--from the statelier +mansions of the sunny South--at the call of liberty, they had rushed to +the tented field; and now, on the eve of battle, as brethren in heart +and deed, had met together to implore the God of battles to smile upon +their noble cause. + +"Oh! it was a thrilling and an august sight! The mild and dignified +Washington looked around him with proud emotion, and turned enquiringly +to the fair young stranger, Lafayette, beside him, as if to ask, 'Can +such men as these be vanquished?' + +"The bold and fearless Wayne was there; the undaunted Pulaski, and the +whole-hearted Kosciusko; and they bowed their heads in reverence to Him +in whose presence they were worshipping. + +"Never beneath the vaulted dome of the stately temple--never from the +lips of the eloquent divine--was seen such a congregation, or was heard +such a discourse, as on that September evening, from that humble old +man, with his grey locks streaming in the wind. + +"With a firm, clear voice, that re-echoed to the distant hills, he +announced his text:-- + +_'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + +Then, straightening himself to his full height, and his eye beaming with +a holy feeling inspired by the time and place, he commenced:-- + + "'_They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.'_ + 'Soldiers and Countrymen: + +We have met this evening perhaps for the last time. We have shared +the toil of the march, the peril of the fight, the dismay of the +retreat--alike we have endured cold and hunger, the contumely of the +internal foe, and outrage of the foreign oppressor. We have sat, night +after, night, beside the same camp-fire, shared the same rough soldiers' +fare; we have together heard the roll of the reveille, which called us +to duty, or the beat of the tattoo, which gave the signal for the hardy +sleep of the soldier, with the earth for his bed, the knapsack for his +pillow. + +'And now, soldiers and brethren, we have met in a peaceful valley, +on the eve of battle, while the sunlight is dying away behind yonder +heights--the sunlight that, to-morrow morn, will glimmer on scenes of +blood. We have met, amid the whitening tents of our encampment,--in +times of terror and of gloom have we gathered together--God grant it may +not be for the last time! + +'It is a solemn moment. Brethren, does not the solemn voice of nature +seem to echo the sympathies of the hour? The flag of our country droops +heavily from yonder staff; the breeze has died away along the green +plain of Chadd's Ford--the plain that spreads before us, glistening +in the sunlight; the heights of the Brandywine arise gloomy and grand +beyond the waters of yonder stream, and all nature holds a pause of +solemn silence, on the eve of the uproar and bloodshed and strife of +to-morrow.' + +"The propriety of this language was manifest. Breathless attention was +pictured upon every countenance, and the smallest whisper could be +distinctly heard. Pausing a moment, as if running back, in his mind's +eye, over the eventful past, he again repeated his text:-- + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'And have they not taken the sword? + +'Let the desolated plain, the blood-soddened valley, the burnt +farm-house, blackening in the sun, the sacked village, and the ravaged +town, answer; let the whitening bones of the butchered farmer, strewn +along the fields of his homestead, answer; let the starving mother, with +the babe clinging to the withered breast, that can afford no sustenance, +let her answer; with the death-rattle mingling with the murmuring tones +that mark the last struggle for life--let the dying mother and her babe +answer! + +'It was but a day past and our land slept in peace. War was not +here--wrong was not here. Fraud, and woe, and misery, and want, dwelt not +among us. From the eternal solitude of the green woods arose the blue +smoke of the settler's cabin, and golden fields of corn looked forth +from amid the waste of the wilderness, and the glad music of human +voices awoke the silence of the forest. + +'Now! God of mercy, behold the change! Under the shadow of a +pretext--under the sanctity of the name of God--invoking the Redeemer to +their aid, do these foreign hirelings slay our people! They throng our +towns; they darken our plains; and now they encompass our posts on the +lonely plain of Chadd's Ford. + +"The effect was electric. The keen eye of the in-trepid Wayne flashed +fire. The neighboring sentinels, who had paused to listen, quickened +their pace, with a proud tread and a nervous feeling, impatient for +vengeance on the vandal foe. + +"Gathering strength once more, he checked the choking sensations his own +recital had caused, and continued: + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +"Brethren, think me not unworthy of belief, when I tell you that the +doom of the Britisher is near! Think me not vain, when I tell you that +beyond the cloud that now enshrouds us, I see gathering, thick and fast, +the darker cloud and the blacker storm of a Divine retribution! + +'They may conquer us on the morrow! Might and wrong may prevail, and we +may be driven from this field--but the hour of God's own vengeance will +surely come! + +'Ay, if in the vast solitudes of eternal space, if in the heart of the +boundless universe, there throbs the being of an awful God, quick +to avenge, and sure to punish guilt, then will the man, George of +Brunswick, called king, feel in his brain and in his heart the vengeance +of the Eternal Jehovah! A blight will be upon his life--a withered +brain, an accurst intellect; a blight will be upon his children, and on +his people. Great God! how dread the punishment! + +'A crowded populace, peopling the dense towns where the man of money +thrives, while the labourer starves; want striding among the people +in all its forms of terror; an ignorant and God-defying priesthood +chuckling over the miseries of millions; a proud and merciless nobility +adding wrong to wrong, and heaping insult upon robbery and fraud; +royalty corrupt to the very heart; aristocracy rotten to the core; crime +and want linked hand in hand, and tempting men to deeds of woe and +death--these are a part of the doom and the retribution that shall come +upon the English throne and the English people!' + +"This was pronounced with a voice of such power, that its tones might +have reached almost to the Briton's camp, and struck upon the ear of +Howe as the prophetic inspiration of one whose keen eye had read from +the dark tablets of futurity. + +"Looking around upon the officers, he perceived that Washington and +Lafayette had half risen from their seats, and were gazing spell-bound +at him, as if to drink in every word he uttered. + +"Taking advantage of the pervading feeling, he went on:-- + +"'Soldiers--I look around upon your familiar faces with a strange +interest! To-morrow morning we will all go forth to battle--for need I +tell you that your unworthy minister will march with you, invoking God's +aid in the fight?--we will march forth to battle! Need I exhort you to +fight the good fight, to fight for your homesteads, and for your wives +and children? + +'My friends, I might urge you to fight, by the galling memories of +British wrong! Walton--I might tell you of your father butchered in the +silence of midnight on the plains of Trenton; I might picture his grey +hairs dabbled in blood; I might ring his death-shriek in your ears. +Shelmire--I might tell you of a mother butchered, and a sister +outraged--the lonely farm-house, the night assault, the roof in flames, +the shouts of the troopers, as they despatch their victim, the cries +for mercy, the pleadings of innocence for pity. I might paint this all +again, in the terrible colors of the vivid reality, if I thought your +courage needed such wild excitement. + +'But I know you are strong in the might of the Lord. You will forth to +battle on the morrow with light hearts and determined spirits, though +the solemn duty--the duty of avenging the dead--may rest heavy on your +souls. + +'And in the hour of battle, when all around is darkness, lit by the +lurid cannon glare and the piercing musket flash--when the wounded strew +the ground, and the dead litter your path--then remember, soldiers, that +God is with you. The eternal God fights for you--He rides on the battle +cloud, He sweeps onward with the march of the hurricane charge--God, the +Awful and the Infinite, fights for you, and you will triumph.' + +"Roused by this manly and pathetic appeal, a low murmur ran from man +to man, as a heartfelt response; and the chieftains who were near the +speaker, felt proud and happy in the command of such true hearts and +tried blades. But darkness was enveloping all, and he hastened to +conclude. + +"'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword.' + +'You have taken the sword, but not in the spirit of wrong and ravage. +You have taken the sword for your homes, for your wives, for your little +ones. You have taken the sword for truth, for justice and right, and to +you the promise is, Be of good cheer, for your foes have taken the sword +in defiance of all that man holds dear, in blasphemy of God--they shall +_perish by the sword_. + +'And now, brethren and soldiers, I bid you all farewell. Many of us may +fall in the fight of to-morrow--God rest the souls of the fallen; many +of us may live to tell the story of the fight of to-morrow; and, in +the memory of all, will ever rest and linger the quiet scene of this +autumnal night. + +'Solemn twilight advances over the valley; the woods on the opposite +heights fling their long shadows over the green of the meadow; around +us are the tents of the continental host, the suppressed bustle of the +camp, the hurried tramp of the soldiers to and fro among the tents, the +stillness and silence that marks the eve of battle. + +'When we meet again, may the long shadows of twilight be flung over a +peaceful land. + +'God in heaven grant it.' + +"And now the last ray of lingering light had departed, and they were +left in darkness. Presuming it proper to dismiss his auditors, he +proposed a parting prayer, and immediately every head was uncovered and +bowed in reverence, while, with outstretched hands, that sincere old man +in the homespun garb thus addressed the throne of grace. + +"'Great Father, we bow before thee. We invoke thy blessing, we deprecate +thy wrath, we return thee thanks for the past, we ask thy aid for the +future. For we are in times of trouble, oh, Lord! and sore beset by +foes, merciless and unpitying; the sword gleams over our land, and +the dust of the soil is dampened with the blood of our neighbors and +friends. + +'Oh! God of mercy, we pray thy blessing on the American arms. Make the +man of our hearts strong in thy wisdom; bless, we beseech, with renewed +life and strength, our hope and thy instrument, even GEORGE WASHINGTON. +Shower thy counsels on the honorable, the Continental Congress. +Visit the tents of our host; comfort the soldier in his wounds and +afflictions; nerve him for the hour of fight; prepare him for the hour +of death. + +'And in the hour of defeat, oh, God of Hosts, do thou be our stay; and +in the hour of triumph be thou our guide. + +'Teach us to be merciful. Though the memory of galling wrongs be at our +hearts, knocking for admittance, that they may fill us with desires for +revenge, yet let us, oh, Lord, spare the vanquished, though they never +spared us in their hour of butchery and bloodshed. And, in the hour of +death, do thou guide us into the abode prepared for the blest; so shall +we return thanks unto thee, through Christ, our Redeemer.--GOD PROSPER +THE CAUSE.--_Amen_" + +During the recital of this interesting and thrilling incident of the +Revolution, the veterans--even Higgins, too--laid down their knives +and forks, and listened as if carried back to the memorable eve of the +battle of Brandywine, and filled with the hopes and fears of the period. +At its conclusion, they expressed their approbation of the manner of the +recital, and the beauty of the sermon. + +"That minister was one of the kind that I like," said Wilson. "He could +preach peace as long as peace was wise, and buckle on his armor and +fight when it became his duty." + +"Mr. Harmer handles his pen well," remarked Morton, "but such an +incident would make any pen write well of itself. There's fire in it." + +"Yes, a whole heap of fire," put in Mrs. Harmar, who thought she must +make a remark, as she had been quieting the children while the latter +part of the sermon and the remarks upon it were listened to by the +others. + +"But the Lord didn't assist us much in that next day's battle," said old +Harmar. "We had hard fighting, and then were compelled to retreat." + +"It was all for the best," said Wilson. "We shouldn't have known our +enemies nor ourselves without losing that battle. The harder the +struggle for liberty, the more we enjoy it when won." + +"That's true," said young Harmar, "The freedom dearest bought is highest +prized, and Americans have learned the value of that inestimable gem." + +The dinner was, by this time, pretty well disposed of, and the party +adjourned to the large parlor, where they were soon comfortable seated. +Mrs. Harmar would make one of the company, and the children would force +their way in to see and hear the "sogers." The windows were up, and the +gentle breeze of summer blew softly through the parlor, thus relieving +the otherwise oppressive atmosphere. + +But we must introduce the company to the reader. Old Hannar was seated +on one end of the sofa, with one of the small children on his knee. He +was a stout, hearty-looking man of about seventy, with silvery hair, +and a face much embrowned by exposure and furrowed by time. The general +expression of his features was a hearty good humor, as if perfectly +satisfied with things around. On the other end of the sofa sat Mr. +Higgins, a thin, small-featured, bald-headed man, looking much older +than old Mr. Harmar. On the opposite sofa sat Mr. Morton and Mr. Wilson. +The first was a large-bodied, full-faced man, slightly bald, with a scar +across his forehead, from the right eye to the left side of his head. +His appearance bespoke an active life, and a strong constitution; and +his eye yet beamed with intelligence. Mr. Wilson was evidently about +seventy-five, with a long, lank face, tall figure, and head scantily +covered with grey hair. Mr. Smith sat in an easy arm-chair. His +appearance was much the same as that of Mr. Higgins, though his face +expressed more intelligence. He had a troublesome cough, and was +evidently very weak. Mr. Jackson Harmar sat on a chair next to his +father. He was about thirty-five, rather short and thin, with long brown +hair, wild, blue eyes, in a "fine frenzy rolling," and a very literary +appearance generally. Mrs. Harraar sat near her husband, with two very +mischievous little boys, apparently about six and eight years of age, by +her side. She had a childish face, but might have been thought pretty by +a loving and indulgent husband. + + +STORY OF THE PRAYER. + +"There is only one other scene during the struggle for our country's +right," said young Harmar, "which I would compare with the one I have +just narrated; and that is the scene in Congress--the old Continental +Congress--during the first prayer by the Rev. Mr. Duche." + +"I've heard something of that prayer," said Morton, "since the +Revolution, but nothing that I could depend on." + +"An account of the scene is given by John Adams, who was a chief actor +in it," said young Harmar. + +"Old John Adams?" enquired Higgins. "He was the man! He was the +Washington of our politics during the war. He was the man!" and Higgins +rubbed his hands together. + +"Thomas Jefferson, take your foot off your brother's, and quit pinching +him," interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I have Mr. Adams' account of that first prayer and its effects," said +young Harmar, "and here it is." So saying, he pulled from his pocket a +paper into which the account had been copied, and read:-- + +"'When the Congress met, Mr. Gushing made a motion that it should be +opened with prayer. It was opposed by Mr. Jay, of New York, and Mr. +Rutledge, of South Carolina, because we were so divided in our religious +sentiments, some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, some +Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that we could not join in +the same act of worship. Mr. Samuel Adams arose and said, 'that he was +no bigot, and could hear a prayer from any gentleman of piety, and who +was, at the same time, a friend of his country. He was a stranger in +Philadelphia, but had heard that Mr. Duche (Dushay they pronounced it) +deserved that character, and therefore he moved that Mr. Duche, an +Episcopal clergyman, might be desired to read prayers to the Congress +to-morrow morning.' The motion was seconded, and passed in the +affirmative.--Mr. Randolph, our President, waited on Mr. Duche, and +received for answer, that if his health would permit he certainly would. +Accordingly, next morning he appeared with his clerk, and, in his +pontificals, read several prayers in the established form, and then read +the collect for the seventh day of September, which was the thirty-fifth +psalm. You must remember, this was the next morning after we had heard +the rumor of the horrible cannonade of Boston. _It seemed as if Heaven +had ordained that psalm to be read on that morning_. + +"'After this, Mr. Duche, unexpectedly to every body, struck out into an +extemporary prayer which filled the bosom of every man present. I must +confess I never heard a better prayer, or one so well pronounced. +Episcopalian as he is, Dr. Cooper himself never prayed with such fervor, +such correctness and pathos, and in language so elegant and sublime, for +America, for Congress, for the province of Massachusetts Bay, especially +the town of Boston. It has had an excellent effect upon every body here. +I must beg you to read that psalm. If there is any faith in the sortes +Virgilianae, or sortes Homericae, or especially the sortes Biblicae, it +would be thought providential.' + +"The thirty-fifth psalm was indeed appropriate to the news received, and +the exigencies of the times. It commences:-- + +"'Plead my cause, O Lord, with them that fight against me. + +'Take hold of shield and buckler, and stand up for my help. + +'Draw out also the spear, and stop the way against them that persecute +me: say unto my soul, I am thy salvation.' + +"What a subject for contemplation does this picture present. The +forty-four members of the first Congress, in their Hall, all bent before +the mercy-seat, and asking Him that their enemies 'might be as chaff +before the wind.' WASHINGTON was kneeling there; and Henry and Randolph, +and Rutledge, and Lee, and Jay; and by their side there stood, bowed in +reverence, the Puritan patriots of New England, who, at that moment, +had reason to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their humble +households. It was believed that Boston had been bombarded and +destroyed. They prayed fervently 'for America, for the Congress, for the +province of Massachusetts Bay, and especially for the town of Boston;' +and who can realize the emotion with which they turned imploringly to +Heaven for divine interposition and aid? 'It was enough to melt a heart +of stone. I saw the tears gush into the eyes of the old, grave Quakers +of Philadelphia.'" + +"Yes," said Wilson, when young Harmar had concluded, "that was a scene +equal, at least, to the one on the eve of Brandywine: how finely old +John Adams speaks about it!" + +"That Dr. Duche forgot his connexion with the Church of England, and +only thought of his country," remarked Morton. "He was a good man." + +"Yes; and he prayed in the presence of as good a set of men as was ever +assembled together," added Smith. "Them was men--those Congressmen. They +didn't get eight dollars a day for making speeches." + +"No," put in Higgins, "but they earned a great deal more. Some of 'em +lost all the property they had, during the war." + +"The spirit which animated our countrymen at that period was the noblest +which could prompt the deeds of men," said young Harmar, growing quite +eloquent. "From the men who emptied the tea into Boston harbor, to the +statesman of the Continental Congress, all were filled with patriotism, +and that's the most unselfish of human motives." + + +STORY OF LYDIA DARRAGH. + +"Mrs. Harmar, your sex nobly maintained their reputation for devotion +and patriotism during the Revolution," said Wilson. "Did you ever hear +how a Quaker lady, named Lydia Darragh, saved the army under Washington +from being surprised?" + +"No, never," replied Mrs. Harmar. + +"No! Then, as a Philadelphia lady, you should know about it," said +Wilson. + +"The superior officers of the British army were accustomed to hold their +consultations on all subjects of importance at the house of William and +Lydia Darragh, members of the Society of Friends, immediately opposite +to the quarters of the commander-in-chief, in Second street. It was +in December, in the year that they occupied the city, that the +adjutant-general of the army desired Lydia to have an apartment prepared +for himself and friends, and to order her family early to bed; adding, +when ready to depart, 'Notice shall be given to you to let us out, and +to extinguish the fire and candles.' The manner of delivering this +order, especially that part of it which commanded the early retirement +of her family, strongly excited Lydia's curiosity, and determined her, +if possible, to discover the mystery of their meeting. Approaching +without shoes the room in which the conference was held, and placing her +ear to the keyhole, she heard the order read for the troops to quit the +city on the night of the 4th, to attack the American army encamped at +White Marsh. Returning immediately to her room, she laid herself down, +but, in a little while, a loud knocking at the door, which for some time +she pretended not to hear, proclaimed the intention of the party to +retire. Having let them out, she again sought her bed, but not to sleep; +the agitation of her mind prevented it. She thought only of the dangers +that threatened the lives of thousands of her countrymen, and believing +it to be in her power to avert the evil, determined, at all hazards, to +apprize General Washington of his danger. Telling her husband, at early +dawn, that flour was wanting for domestic purposes, and that she should +go to Frankford to obtain it, she repaired to headquarters, got access +to General Howe, and obtained permission to pass the British lines. +Leaving her bag at the mill, Lydia now pressed forward towards the +American army, and meeting Captain Allen M'Lean, an officer, from his +superior intelligence and activity, selected by General Washington to +gain intelligence, discovered to him the important secret, obtaining +his promise not to jeopardize her safety by telling from whom he +had obtained it. Captain M'Lean, with all speed, informed the +commander-in-chief of his danger, who, of course, took every necessary +step to baffle the contemplated enterprize, and to show the enemy that +he was prepared to receive them. Lydia returned home with her flour, +secretly watched the movements of the British, and saw them depart. Her +anxiety during their absence was excessive, nor was it lessened when, on +their return, the adjutant-general, summoning her to his apartment and +locking the door with an air of mystery, demanded 'Whether any of the +family were up on the night that he had received company at her house?' +She told him, that, without an exception, they had all retired at eight +o'clock. 'You, I know, Lydia, were asleep, for I knocked at your door +three times before you heard me, yet, although I am at a loss to +conceive who gave the information of our intended attack to General +Washington, it is certain we were betrayed; for, on arriving near his +encampment, we found his cannon mounted, his troops under arms, and at +every point so perfectly prepared to receive us, that we were compelled, +like fools, to make a retrograde movement, without inflicting on our +enemy any manner of injury whatever.'" + +"Ha! ha! a neat stratagem, and a patriotic woman," exclaimed young +Harmar. + +"Talking of the services of the women during the war," said Higgins, +"reminds me of Molly Macauly, or Sergeant Macauly, as we knew her while +in the army. She was a Pennsylvanian, and was so enthusiastic in her +patriotism, that she donned a man's dress, and joined the army, when she +became a sergeant, and fought bravely in several battles and skirmishes. +Nobody suspected that she was not what she seemed to be; for she was +tall, stout, and rough-looking, and associated with men very freely. +Molly had a custom of swinging her sabre over her head, and hurraing for +Mad Anthony, as she called General Wayne. She was wounded at Brandywine, +and, her sex being discovered, returned home." + +"She was not the only woman in disguise in the army," said old Harmar. +"There was Elizabeth Canning, who was at Fort Washington, and, when her +husband was killed, took his place at the gun, loading, priming, and +firing with good effect, till she was wounded in the breast by a +grape-shot. While our army lay at Valley Forge, several Pennsylvania +women were detected in disguise, enduring all kinds of want, and with +less murmuring than the men themselves. Oh, yes! the women were all +right in those days, however they may have degenerated since." + +"Come, no slander on the women of the present day," said Mrs. Harmar. +"I've no doubt, take them all in all; they will not suffer in comparison +with those of any age." + +"Bravo! Mrs. Harmar," exclaimed Wilson. + +"Women, now, are ready enough with disguises," remarked young Harmar. + +"To be sure!" replied his wife, "and always were." + + +THE DEAD MAN'S LAKE. + +"Mr. Smith, can't we have a leaf from your experience in those trying +times?" said old Harmar. + +"Ah! sir, I would have much to tell if I had time to collect my +memory--much to tell, sir. But though I saw a great deal in the +Revolution, I heard much more." + +"Tell us anything to pass time," said young Harmar. "I've heard my +father speak of some bold exploits up in the vicinity of New York. The +history of the Cowboys and Skinners always interested me." + +"Ah! I've heard many a story of them," replied Smith. "I'll tell you of +one old Jack Hanson told me--you recollect old Jack, don't you, Harmar? +He was with us at Valley Forge." + +"That I do," replied old Harmer. "He gave me a piece of his blanket, and +an old shoe, when I believe I was freezing to death." + +"Yes, he was ever a good-hearted fellow--Jack Hanson was. He's been dead +now about ten years. Well, as I was saying, he told me a story about +those Cowboys and Skinners which will bear telling again." + +"It happened when the British were in possession of the city of New +York. Many brave men did all that could be done to destroy the power and +comfort of the king's representatives, and alarm them for their personal +safety; and, to the greater part of them, the neighboring county of West +Chester furnished both the home, and a theatre of action. Their system +of warfare partook of the semi-savage and partisan predatory character, +and many fierce and desperate encounters took place between them and the +outlawed hordes of desperadoes in the pay of the British. + +"The refugees, banded together for the purpose of preying upon +the patriots, and then retreating behind the shelter of the royal +fortifications, were composed of the vilest miscreants that could be +gathered from the dregs of any community, and were generally known by +the slang name of 'Skinners.' + +"To oppose these desperadoes, and protect their lives and property from +insult, many of the whigs had united in small parties, and were styled +by the Skinners, in derision, the 'Cow-boys.' One of the most active and +energetic of these bands, ever ready for any species of patriotic duty, +was led by Nicholas Odell. Nick, as he was familiarly termed, though +entirely uneducated, was one of the shrewdest men to be found; for +Nature had gifted him where cultivation was wanting, and he became, in +consequence, a most formidable and dangerous enemy in the service he had +chosen. But fifty men composed his entire force, and with these he did +his country much service, and the enemy no little mischief. + +"The line of the Bronx River was the route always kept in view by Nick +and his men; and, at six several points, places of rendezvous were +established, at which they were generally to be found when off duty, +which was, indeed, seldom the case. + +"One of these places was on the banks of that stream, where the water +was so wide and deep as to render it perilous for any but an expert and +experienced swimmer to attempt its passage, and always placid, with a +sort of oily surface looking like the backed waters of a mill-pond. The +banks were covered with a thick undergrowth of vines, saplings, and +trees in abundance, so that autumn did not, by taking away the leaves, +expose the spot to the observation of the passer-by. Here a rude board +shanty had been knocked up in a hurry, and was used to shelter the men +from the intense cold of the winter nights. This episode in the stream +Nick had named 'Dead Man's Lake,' in consequence of finding on its +banks the body of a man who had been murdered and mutilated by his old +enemies, the Skinners. + +"One evening, in the depth of winter, Nick, who had been a long distance +above White Plains, hastened back to the lake in order to intercept +a body of Skinners, on their way from Connecticut to the city, with +considerable booty taken from the inhabitants in the vicinity of the +Sound. They numbered about eighty, under the control of a petty Scotch +officer named McPherson. Nick had contrived to gain intelligence of +their movements and access to their party, by means of John Valentine, +one of his own scouts, who, by his direction, had met and joined the +tories with a specious tale, and promised to lead them through the +country so securely that none of the prowling rebels should encounter +them. + +"Previous to John's starting on his perilous adventure, it was agreed +that Nick, with all his men, should remain the whole night in question +concealed at the lake, without entering the hut. John was then to bring +the refugees to the spot, shelter them in the hut, and, at a favorable +moment, he would sing out, 'Hurrah for Gin'ral Washington, and down with +the red-coats!' when the Cow-boys were to rush in, and take them by +surprise. + +"Having reached the lake about nine o'clock in the evening, Nick +proceeded to devise a plan for concealment, for he expected to wait +several hours. The cold was intense, and, like all the servants +of Congress, Nick and his men were but ill prepared to resist the +inclemency of the weather. + +"Nick was in perplexity; no plan could be devised with satisfaction to +the majority, and they stood in absolute danger of perishing with cold. +The debate on the subject was still in progress, when heavy flakes +of snow began to fall briskly, with promising appearances of a long +continuance. 'Good!' said Nick, half in soliloquy, as he viewed the +feathery element, and a new idea seemed to strike him, 'I have hit it at +last. Boys, no grumblin' or skulkin' now, for I won't have it. You must +do as I am goin' to order, or we part company.' + +"So saying, he directed the whole of his men to enter a swamp meadow +which was behind the shanty, and had been rendered hard and porous by +the weather. Here he directed them to spread their blankets, and lie +down with the locks of their muskets between their knees, and the muzzle +protected by a wooden stopper kept for the purpose. Nick enforced this +command with an explanation of its advantages: the snow being dry, and +not subject to drift, would soon cover them, keeping them quite warm, +and would also conceal them at their ease. The porous quality of the +ground would enable them to distinguish the distant approach of the +enemy, and therefore they could snatch a few moments sleep in the snow. +To prevent its being fatal or injurious, he made each man, previous to +lying down, drink freely of rye whiskey. Four long hours elapsed, by +which time the hardy patriots were completely under the snow, being +covered with nearly eight inches of it. + +"The keenest eye, or acutest cunning, could not have detected in those +undulating hillocks aught but the natural irregularities of swampy +ground. + +"At length, about two o'clock in the morning, John arrived with his +_devoted_ followers. They were right thankful for the shelter of the +shanty, and McPherson swore he would report John's generous conduct at +head-quarters, and procure him a deserved reward. + +"'Wait,' said John; '_I have not done the half that I intend to do for +you_.' + +"Nick, whose _bed_ was nearest the hovel, now arose, and placed himself +against it, that he might be ready to act when John's signal was given. +He first, however, awoke his men, without permitting them to rise, by +the summary process of slightly pricking each one with the sharp point +of a bayonet. + +"The tories, stowed like sheep in the little hut, soon began to drink, +and, as they did so, became very valorous and boastful. McPherson, +singularly communicative to John, detailed his atrocities on the route +with savage exultation. He feared no assault--not he! He was strong +enough to repel any handful of half-starved, skulking outlaws. If he +caught any of the Cow-boys he would hang them to their own trees, and +manure the soil with the blood of their women. + +"John had crept to the door by degrees, and now stood with his hand upon +the raised latchet. He applauded the officer's remarks, and was willing, +he said, to aid him in the deed he contemplated. He then proposed +a toast, and, filling a tin-cup with liquor, said in a loud voice, +'_Hurrah for Ginral Washington, and down with the red-coats_!' The +liquor was dashed in McPherson's face, and John vanished from the hut. +Nick immediately summoned his men by a repetition of the toast, and the +fifty hillocks of snow were suddenly changed, as if by magic, into as +many armed and furious 'rebels.' Before the Skinners could recover from +the momentary surprise into which this curious incident had thrown them, +a volley of powder and shot had been fired into their midst. Dashing +like a frightened hare through the open door, McPherson beheld his +assailants. His fears magnified their numbers, and, conceiving there was +no hope in _fight_, he summoned his men to follow him in _flight_. + +"They madly rushed after him, and forcing their way through the dry +limbs of brush that stuck up on the banks of the lake, gained the frozen +surface. More than one half their number had taken this course, while +the rest had either fallen victims to the first fire, or taken to their +heels towards the main road. Suddenly a terrible crash was heard, +accompanied by a splash, and a hubbub of unearthly screams. The ice +had broken, and 'Dead Man's Lake' was accomplishing a victory for the +handful of American patriots who stood upon its banks. + +"The result was, that over twenty of the Skinners were taken prisoners. +Only half-a-dozen were killed by fire-arms. The lake was examined at +sunrise, and fifteen bodies were drawn from its remorseless bosom. The +remainder, McPherson among them, escaped." + +"That Nick Odell was nearly equal to old Nick himself in stratagems," +said Wilson, when Smith had concluded. + +"It's a wonder the men didn't freeze to death under the snow," said +Morton. "I think I should have been opposed to trying such a way of +disposing of myself." + +"Oh! there 's no doubt about its keeping you warm," said old Harmar. + +"How can cold snow keep men warm?" enquired Thomas Jefferson Harmar. + +"I suppose," answered Higgins, "that it's much like blowing your warm +breath on anything hot to cool it." + +As nobody seemed disposed to contradict this explanation, old Higgins +took it for granted that he was correct; and Thomas Jefferson was +satisfied. + +[Illustration: DEFEAT OF THE SKINNERS AT DEADMAN'S LAKE.] + + +[Illustration: THE STORY OF THE HALF-BREED.] + +STORY OF THE HALF-BREED. + +"Now," said young Harmar, who, as a literary gentleman, was anxious to +collect as many incidents of the Revolution as he could from these old +men; "now, Mr. Higgins, you must oblige us by recalling something of +your experience." + +"Ah!" replied Higgins, "if I could tell in words a small part of what I +know of the war, I'm sure I could interest you." + +"We are not critical," said old Harmar. "Jackson may think of his +bookish notions sometimes; but he knows what kind of old men we are. +Narrate anything that comes uppermost." + +"Well," commenced Higgins, "I'll tell you about an adventure of a +friend of mine, named Humphries, with a half-breed--that's horribly +interesting--if I can only recollect it." And, after a short pause, to +let his old memory bring up the incidents from the far past, Higgins +told the following story of revenge. + +"In the country around Saratoga, when General Gates lay encamped there, +lived a half-breed Indian, called Blonay. He was well known in the +neighborhood as a fierce and outlawed character, who wandered and +skulked from place to place, sometimes pretending to be for the +Americans, and, at others, for the tories. He went anywhere, and did +everything to serve his own ends; but his whole life, and all his +actions, seemed centred in one darling object, and that was revenge. +He had deeply and fearfully sworn never to rest until he had drawn the +heart's blood of Humphries, a member of Morgan's corps, and his greatest +enemy. They had been mortal foes from boyhood, and a blow Humphries had +given Blonay had fixed their hatred for life. He had pursued him from +place to place with untiring vigilance, and had watched, day after day, +and month after month, for an opportunity to glut his revenge, but none +offered. + +"One morning, Humphries and a comrade named Davis, with a negro servant +belonging to Marion's band, were standing on a small hill near the +encampment, when a strange dog suddenly appeared through the bushes, at +the sight of which Humphries seized his rifle, and raised it to his eye, +as if about to fire. The black was about to express his surprise at this +sudden ferocity of manner, when, noticing that the dog was quiet, he +lowered the weapon, and, pointing to the animal, asked Davis if he knew +it. 'I do; but can't say where I've seen him,' replied the other. 'And +what do you say, Tom?' he asked of the black, in tones that startled +him. 'Don't _you_ know that dog?' 'He face berry familiar, massa, but I +loss to recollect.' 'That's the cur of Blonay, and the bear-eyed rascal +must be in the neighborhood.' 'Do you think so?' inquired Davis. 'Think +so! I know so; and why should he be here if his master was not?' 'Tom,' +he continued, 'hit the critter a smart blow with your stick--hard enough +to scare him off, but not to hurt him; and do you move to the edge of +the creek, Davis, as soon as the dog runs off, for his master must be in +that direction, and I want to see him.' + +"Thus ordering, he called two of the riflemen that were near, and sent +them on the path directly opposite to that taken by Davis. He himself +prepared to strike the creek at a point between these two. He then made +a signal, and Tom gave the dog a heavy blow, which sent him howling into +the swamp, taking, as they had expected, the very path he came. Blonay, +however, was not to be caught napping. He left the point from which +he was watching the camp, and running in a line for some fifty yards, +turned suddenly about for the point at which he had entered the swamp. +But he could not but have some doubts as to the adequacy of his +concealment. He cursed the keen scent of the dog, which he feared would +too quickly discover him to his pursuers. He hurried on, therefore, +taking the water at every chance, to leave as small a trail as possible; +but, from place to place, the cur kept after him, giving forth an +occasional yelp. 'Aroint the pup! there's no losin' him. If I had my +hand on him, I should knife him as my best caution,' exclaimed the +half-breed, as the bark of the dog, in making a new trail, showed the +success with which he pursued him. Exasperated, he rose upon a stump, +and saw the head of Humphries, who was still pressing on, led by the +cries of the dog. + +"'I can hit him now,' muttered Blonay. 'It's not two hundred yards, and +I've hit a smaller mark than that at a greater distance, before now.' + +"He raised the rifle and brought the sight to his eye, and would have +fired, but the next minute Humphries was covered by a tree. The dog came +on, and Blonay heard the voices of his pursuers behind; and just then +the dog reached him. + +"The faithful animal, little knowing the danger into which he had +brought his master, leaped fondly upon him, testifying his joy by +yelping with his greatest vocal powers. + +"With a hearty curse, Blonay grasped the dog by the back of the neck, +and, drawing the skin tightly across the throat, quickly passed the keen +edge of his knife but once over it, and then thrust the body from him. +Sheathing the knife and seizing his rifle, he again set forward, and did +not stop till he gained a small but thick under-brush. His pursuers +now came up to the dead body of the dog; seeing which, they considered +further pursuit hopeless. + +"At this moment, sounds of a trumpet came from the camp, as the signal +to return. Humphries told the others to obey its summons, but avowed his +determination of pursuing Blonay until he or the other had fallen. After +they had left him, he again set forward, and walked very fast in the +direction he supposed his enemy had taken, and had not proceeded far ere +he saw his track in the mud, which he followed until it was lost among +the leaves. Darkness coming on, he gave up the chase until the next +morning. That night both slept in the swamp, not more than two hundred +yards apart, but unconscious of each other's locality. In the morning, +Humphries was the first to awake. Descending from the tree where he had +slept, he carefully looked around, thinking what he should do next. +While he thus stood, a slight noise reached his ears, sounding like +the friction of bark; a repetition of it showed where it came from. He +glanced at an old cypress which stood in the water near him, and saw +that its trunk was hollow, but did not look as if it would hold a man. +On a sudden, something prompted him to look upward, and, in the quick +glance he gave, the glare of a wild and well-known eye, peeping out upon +him from its woody retreat, met his gaze. With a howl of delight, he +raised his rifle, and the drop of the deadly instrument fell upon the +aperture; but before he could draw the trigger the object was gone. It +was Blonay, who, the moment he perceived the aim of Humphries' piece, +sank into the body of the tree. + +"'Come out and meet your enemy like a man!' exclaimed Humphries, 'and +don't crawl, like a snake, into a hollow tree, and wait for his heel. +Come out, you skunk! You shall have fair fight, and your own distance. +It shall be the quickest fire that shall make the difference of chances +between us. Come out, if you're a man!' Thus he raved at him; but a +fiendish laugh was the only answer he got. He next tried to cut his legs +with his knife, by piercing the bark; but a bend of the tree, on which +Blonay rested, prevented him. He then selected from some fallen limbs +one of the largest, which he carried to the tree and thrust into the +hollow, trying to wedge it between the inner knobs on which the feet of +the half-breed evidently were placed. But Blonay soon became aware of +his design, and opposed it with a desperate effort. Baffled for a long +time by his enemy, Humphries became enraged, and, seizing upon a jagged +knot of light wood, he thrust it against one of the legs of Blonay. +Using another heavy knot as a mallet, he drove the wedge forward against +the yielding flesh, which became awfully torn and lacerated by the sharp +edges of the wood. Under the severe pain, the feet were drawn up, and +Humphries was suffered to proceed with his original design. The poor +wretch, thus doomed to be buried alive, was now willing to come to any +terms, and agreed to accept the offer to fight; but Humphries refused +him, exclaiming, 'No, you don't, you cowardly skunk! you shall die in +your hole, like a varmint as you are; and the tree which has been your +house shall be your coffin. There you shall stay, if hard chunks and +solid wood can keep you, until your yellow flesh rots away from your +bones. You shall stay there until the lightning rips open your coffin, +or the autumn winds tumble you into the swamp.' So saying, he left him, +and went back to the camp--left him to die in the old woods, where +no help could ever come; and in this wild and awful manner--buried +alive--perished the savage half-breed." + +"That was an awful death, indeed," exclaimed Mrs. Harmar. "That +Humphries must have been a very disagreeable fellow." + +"And why so?" enquired Higgins. "The men in those parts of the country +were forced to be as fierce as their foes. Humphries was one of the +cleverest fellows I ever knew." + +"A man after your own heart," remarked Smith. "A warm friend and a warm +foe. I know you, Higgins." + +"You should know me, Smith, or no man should," replied Higgins, +evidently profoundly satisfied with himself. + +"Many a time have we messed together," added Smith; "ay, and many a time +have we hunted in company for the food we made a mess of." + +"Those times are gone," said old Harmar mournfully. "Those times are +gone." + +"I wonder where?" put in Mrs. Harmar's youngest, looking up in her face +for an answer. She smoothed his hair, and shook her head. + + +STORY OF THE DEATH OF COLONEL LOVELACE. + +"Speaking of awful deaths," said Morton, "reminds me of a scene I +witnessed at Saratoga, which I may as well tell you about, as young +Mr. Harmar seems anxious to hear anything relating to the war of +independence. You know there was an unconscionable number of tories up +there in New York State about the time of Burgoyne's invasion. Some of +them were honest, good sort of men, who didn't happen to think just as +we did: they kept at home, and did not lift their arms against us during +the war, though some of them were pretty hardly used by their whig +neighbors. Another set of the tories, however, acted upon the maxim that +'might makes right.' They were whigs when the royal power was weak, and +tories when they found it strong. Though raised in the same neighborhood +with the staunch whigs, these men turned robbers and murderers, and lost +all virtuous and manly feelings. Colonel Tom Lovelace was one of this +class: He was born and raised in the Saratoga district, and yet his old +neighbors dreaded him almost as much as if he had been one of the fierce +Senecas. When the war commenced, Lovelace went to Canada, and there +confederated with five men from his own district, to come down to +Saratoga, and kill, rob, or betray his old neighbors and friends. +There's no denying Lovelace was a bold, wary, and cunning fellow, and +he made the worst use of his qualities. He fixed his quarters in a +large swamp, about five miles from the residence of Colonel Van Vechten, +at Dovegat, and very cunningly concealed them. + +"Soon after, the robberies and captures around that neighborhood became +frequent. General Schuyler's house was robbed, and an attempt was made, +by Lovelace and his companions, to carry off Colonel Van Vechten. But +General Stark, who was in command of the barracks north of Fish Creek, +was too wide awake for him. He got wind of the scheme, and gave the +Colonel a strong guard, and so Lovelace was balked, and compelled to +give up his design. Captain Dunham, who commanded a company of militia +in the neighborhood, found out the tory colonel's place of concealment, +and he determined to attempt his capture. Accordingly, he summoned his +lieutenant, ensign, orderly, and one private, to his house; and, about +dusk, they started for the swamp, which was two miles distant. Having +separated to reconnoitre, two of them, named Green and Guiles, got lost; +but the other three kept together, and, about dawn, discovered Lovelace +and his party, in a hut covered over with boughs, just drawing on their +stockings. The three men crawled cautiously forward till near the hut, +when they sprang up with a shout, levelled their muskets, and Captain +Dunham sang out, 'Surrender, or you are all dead men!' There was no time +for parley; and the tory rascals, believing that our men were down on +them in force, came out one by one, without arms, and Dunham and his men +marched them off to General Stark's quarters. The rascals were all tried +by court-martial, as spies, traitors, and robbers; and Lovelace was +sentenced to be hung, as he was considered too dangerous to be allowed +to get loose again. He made complaint of injustice, and said he ought to +be treated as a prisoner of war; but our general could not consent to +look upon such a villain as an honorable soldier, and his sentence was +ordered to be carried into effect three days afterwards. I was then with +a company of New York volunteers, sent to reinforce General Stark, and +I was enabled to gratify my desire to witness the execution of a man I +detested. The gallows was put up on the high bluff a few miles south of +Fish Creek, near our barracks. When the day arrived, I found that our +company was on the guard to be posted near the gallows. It was a gloomy +morning, and about the time the tory colonel was marched out to the +gallows, and we were placed in position at the foot of the bluff, a +tremendous storm of wind and rain came on. It was an awful scene. +The sky seemed as black as midnight, except when the vivid sheets of +lightning glared and shot across it; and the peals of thunder were loud +and long. Lovelace knelt upon the scaffold, and the chaplain prayed with +him. I think if there was anything could change a man's heart, it must +have been the thought of dying at such a time, when God himself seemed +wrathful at the deeds of men. + +"I expected to be delighted with seeing such a man hung; but I tell you, +my friends, I felt very differently when the time came, and I saw the +cruel tory kneeling on the scaffold, while the lightning seemed to be +quivering over the gallows. I turned away my head a moment, and when I +looked again, the body of Lovelace was suspended in the air, and his +spirit had gone to give its account to its God." + +The account of this terrible scene had deeply interested the company; +and the animated manner of Morton impressed even the children with a +feeling of awe. + +"Why didn't they postpone the hanging of the man until there was a clear +day?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Executions are never postponed on account of the weather, my dear," +replied her husband. "It would be rather cruel than otherwise thus to +delay them." + +"I've heard of that Lovelace before," remarked old Harmar. "I judged +that he was a bold villain from some of his outrages, and I think he +deserved his death." + +"For my part," said Higgins, "I hated the very name of a tory so much, +during the war, that I believe I could have killed any man who dared to +speak in their defence. All that I knew or heard of were blood-thirsty +scoundrels." + + +STORY OF THE MURDER OF MISS M'CREA. + +"If you were at Saratoga, Mr. Morton, perhaps you know something about +the murder of Miss M'Crea," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Oh, yes! I know the real facts of the case," replied Morton. "I got +them from one who was acquainted with her family. The real story is +quite different from the one we find in the histories of the war, and +which General Gates received as true." + +"Then set us right upon the matter," remarked young Harmar. + +"Do," added Wilson. "I've heard the story through two or three +twistings, and I'm only satisfied that the lady was killed." + +"Well," commenced Morton, "what I now tell you may depend on as the +truest account you can receive. No one but Heaven and the Indians +themselves witnessed the death of the young girl; and our only evidence +of a positive nature is the declaration of those who were supposed to be +her murderers. But to the story. + +"Jane M'Crea, or Jenny M'Crea, as she is more generally known, was the +daughter of a Scotch clergyman, who resided in Jersey City, opposite +New York. While living with her father, an intimacy grew up between the +daughter of a Mrs. M'Niel and Jenny. Mrs. M'Niel's husband dying, she +went to live on an estate near Fort Edward. Soon after, Mr. M'Crea died, +and Jenny went to live with her brother near the same place. There the +intimacy of former years was renewed, and Jenny spent much of her time +at the house of Mrs. M'Niel and her daughter. Near the M'Niel's lived a +family named Jones, consisting of a widow and six sons. David Jones, one +of the sons, became acquainted with Jenny, and at length this friendship +deepened into love. When the war broke out, the Jones's took the royal +side of the question; and, in the fall of 1776, David and Jonathan Jones +went to Canada, raised a company, and joined the British garrison at +Crown Point. They both afterwards attached themselves to Burgoyne's +army; David being made a lieutenant in Frazer's division. The brother +of Jenny M'Crea was a whig, and, as the British army advanced, they +prepared to set out for Albany. Mrs. M'Niel was a loyalist, and, as she +remained, Jenny remained with her, perhaps with the hope of seeing David +Jones. + +"At length Jenny's brother sent her a peremptory order to join him, and +she promised to comply the next day after receiving it. On the morning +of that day, (I believe it was the 27th of July,) a black servant boy +belonging to Mrs. M'Niel discovered some Indians approaching the house, +and, giving the alarm, he ran to the fort, which was but a short +distance off. Mrs. M'Niel, Jenny, a black woman, and two children, were +in the house when the alarm was given. Mrs. M'Niel's eldest daughter was +at Argyle. The black woman seized the two children, fled through the +back door into the kitchen, and down into the cellar. Jenny and Mrs. +M'Niel followed; but the old woman was corpulent, and before they could +descend, a powerful Indian seized Mrs. M'Niel by the hair and dragged +her up. Another brought Jenny out of the cellar. But the black woman and +the children remained undiscovered. The Indians started off with the two +women on the road towards Burgoyne's camp. Having caught two horses that +were grazing, they attempted to place their prisoners upon them. Mrs. +M'Niel being too heavy to ride, two stout Indians took her by the arms, +and hurried her along, while the others, with Jenny on horseback, +proceeded by another path through the woods. The negro boy having +alarmed the garrison at the fort, a detachment was sent out to effect +a rescue. They fired several volleys at the party of Indians; and the +Indians said that a bullet intended for them mortally wounded Jenny, and +she fell from her horse; and that they then stripped her of her clothing +and scalped her, that they might obtain the reward offered for those +things by Burgoyne. + +"Mrs. M'Niel said that the Indians who were hurrying her along seemed to +watch the flash of the guns, and fell down upon their faces, dragging +her down with them. When they got beyond the reach of the firing, the +Indians stript the old lady of everything except her chemise, and +in that plight carried her into the British camp. There she met her +kinsman, General Frazer, who endeavored to make her due reparation +for what she had endured. Soon after, the Indians who had been left +to bring Jenny arrived with some scalps, and Mrs. M'Niel immediately +recognised the long bright hair of the poor girl who had been murdered. +She charged the savages with the crime, but they denied it, and +explained the manner of her death. Mrs. M'Niel was compelled to believe +their story, as she knew it was more to the interest of the Indians to +bring in a prisoner than a scalp. + +"It being known in camp that Lieutenant Jones was betrothed to Jenny, +some lively imagination invented the story that he had sent the Indians +to bring her to camp, and that they quarrelled, and one of them scalped +her. This story seemed to be confirmed by General Gates' letter to +Burgoyne, and soon spread all over the country, making the people +more exasperated against the British than ever. Young Jones was +horror-stricken by the death of his betrothed, and immediately offered +to resign his commission, but they would not allow him. He bought +Jenny's scalp, and then, with his brother, deserted, and fled to +Canada." + +"Did you ever hear what became of him?" enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he was living in Canada the last time I heard of him," replied +Morton. "He never married; and, from being a lively, talkative fellow, +he became silent and melancholy." + +"Poor fellow! It was enough to make a man silent and melancholy," +remarked young Harmar. "I can imagine how I would have felt if deprived +of her I loved, in as tragical a manner." "Don't--don't mention it, my +dear!" exclaimed his wife, sensibly affected at the thought of her being +scalped. + +"It was a horrible transaction," remarked Wilson; "and it had a stirring +effect upon our people. I can recollect when I first heard the story +with all its embellishments; I felt as if I could have eaten up all the +red varmints I should chance to meet." + +"General Gates's version of the affair answered a good purpose," said +Higgins. "It roused our people to great exertions to defeat the designs +of a government which employed those savages." + +"King George's government thought it had a right to make use of every +body--rascals and honest men--to effect its design of enslaving us; but +we taught 'em a thing or two," added Morton, with a gratified smile. + + +STORY OF THE DEFENCE OF SHELL'S BLOCK-HOUSE. + +"I suppose," said young Harmar, "that, while you were up in New York, +you heard of many bloody affairs with the Indians and tories." + +"Many a one," replied Morton. "Many a one, sir. I could interest you for +days in recounting all I saw and heard. The poor whigs suffered a great +deal from the rascals--they did. Those in Tryon county, especially, were +always exposed to the attacks of the savages. I recollect an affair that +occurred at a settlement called Shell's Bush, about five miles from +Herkimer village. + +"A wealthy German, named John Shell, had built a block-house of his +own. It was two stories high, and built so as to let those inside fire +straight down on the assailants. One afternoon in August, while the +people of the settlement were generally in the fields at work, a +Scotchman named M'Donald, with about sixty Indians and tories, made an +attack on Shell's Bush. Most of the people fled to Fort Dayton, but +Shell and his family took refuge in the block-house. The father and two +sons were at work in the field when the alarm was given. The sons were +captured, but the father succeeded in reaching the block-house, which +was then besieged. Old Shell had six sons with him, and his wife loaded +the muskets, which were discharged with sure aim. This little garrison +kept their foes at a distance. M'Donald tried to burn the block-house, +but did not succeed. Furious at the prospect of being disappointed +of his expected prey, he seized a crowbar, ran up to the door, and +attempted to force it; but old Shell fired and shot him in the leg, and +then instantly opened the door and made him a prisoner. M'Donald was +well supplied with cartridges, and these he was compelled to surrender +to the garrison. The battle was now hushed for a time; and Shell, +knowing that the enemy would not attempt to burn the house while their +captain was in it, went into the second story, and began to sing the +favorite hymn of Martin Luther, when surrounded with the perils he +encountered in his controversy with the Pope." + +"That was cool," remarked Higgins. + +"Bravely cool," added old Harmar. + +"Oh, it was necessary to be cool and brave in those times," said Morton. +"But to go on with my story; the respite was very short. The tories and +Indians were exasperated at the successful resistance of the garrison, +and rushed up to the block-house. Five of them thrust the muzzles of +their pieces through the loop-holes; but Mrs. Shell seized an axe, and, +with well-directed blows, ruined every musket by bending the barrels. At +the same time, Shell and his sons kept up a brisk fire, and drove the +enemy off. About twilight, the old man went up stairs, and called out in +a loud voice to his wife, that Captain Small was approaching from Fort +Dayton, with succor. In a few minutes, he exclaimed, 'Captain Small, +march your company round on this side of the house. Captain Getman, you +had better wheel your men off to the left, and come up on that side.' +This, you see, was a stratagem. The enemy were deceived, took to their +heels, and fled through the woods, leaving eleven men killed and six +wounded. M'Donald was taken to Fort Dayton the next day, where his leg +was amputated; but the blood flowed so freely that he died in a few +hours. On his person was found a silver-mounted tomahawk, which had +thirty-two scalp notches on the handle, to show how he had imitated the +savages." + +"But what became of the two sons who were captured by the tories and +Indians?" inquired young Harmar. + +"They were carried to Canada," replied Morton. "They afterwards asserted +that nine of the wounded tories died on the way. But some of the Indians +were resolved to have revenge for their defeat, and they lurked in the +woods near Shell's house. One day they found the wished-for opportunity, +and fired upon Shell and his boys while they were at work in the field. +One of the boys was killed, and Shell so badly wounded that he died soon +after, at Fort Dayton." + +"Revenge seems a part of an Indian's nature," remarked young Harmar. + +"Yes," said Higgins, "they will pursue one who has injured them in any +way until he has paid for it." + +"Our people suffered much from them during the Revolution," added +Higgins, "and they want no instruction in regard to their character." + + +STORY OF BATE'S BEVENGE. + +"I recollect," said old Harmar, "after our line went south, under +General Wayne, just after the surrender of Cornwallis, I met some of the +men who had passed through Green's campaign. They were the bitterest +kind of whigs--men who had seen their houses burnt over their heads, and +who could have killed and eaten all the tories they should meet. They +told me many wild stories of the black doings of those traitorous +rascals." + +"Tell us one of them, won't you?" entreated Mrs. Harmar. + +"Come, father, spin us one of those yarns, as the sailors say," added +her husband. The children also became clamorous for 'a story,' and the +old veteran was compelled to comply. + +"Well, you shall hear. A man named Joe Bates told me how he had been +used by the enemy, and how he had been revenged. He joined the southern +army when Greene first took command of it, leaving his wife and two +children at his farm on the banks of the Santee River. His brother, John +Bates, promised to take care of the family and the farm. You see, John +used to help Marion's band whenever he could spare the time--he was so +anxious to do something for the good of his country, and he didn't know +how else he could do it than by going off on an occasional expedition +with Marion. Well, some how or other, Major Wernyss, the commander of +the royalists in the neighborhood, got wind of John's freaks, and also +of those of some other whig farmers, and he said he would put a stop +to them. So he sent a detachment of about twenty-five men to burn the +houses of the people who were suspected of being the friends of Marion. +John Bates heard of their coming, and collected about ten or a dozen +whigs to defend his house. He hadn't time to send the wife of Joe and +his children away to a safer place, or else he thought there was no +better place. However it was, they remained there. The house was barred +up, and everything fixed to give the red-coats a warm reception, should +they attempt to carry out their intention. The time they chose for it +was a moonlight night. The neighbors could see their houses burning +from the upper windows of the one where they were posted, and they kept +muttering curses and threats of vengeance all the time." + +"Why didn't each man stay at home, and take care of his own house?" +enquired Mrs. Harmar. + +"Of what use would that have been?" returned old Harmar. "By so doing, +they could not have saved any house, and would have lost the chance +of punishing the red-coats for their outrages. I forgot to tell you, +though, that some of the farmers had brought their wives and children +to Bates', and these were all put up-stairs out of the way. The little +garrison had made loop-holes on all sides of the house, and each man had +his rifle and knife ready to guard the post at which he was stationed. +John Bates was the captain, because he knew most about such fightin' +matters; he learned it of Marion. Well, at last the garrison caught +sight of the Britishers coming up steadily, the leader a little in +advance. They didn't seem to suspect that any body was in the house, for +they had found all the rest deserted. Still they thought it wise to be +careful. They surrounded the house at their leader's command, and were +getting their things ready to set fire to it, when the garrison, who had +kept still as death all the time, blazed away at them from all sides. +This staggered the whole party; four or five of their number were shot +dead, and as many more wounded. They rallied, however, and poured a +volley into the house. The garrison, under John's command, returned the +fire, and seemed to have decidedly the best of the matter. Joe's wife +couldn't content herself up-stairs with the women and children. She +wanted to be of some use in defending her own house. She would come down +and load the guns for John, while he kept a look-out on the movements of +the British party. Well, she had just loaded the gun, and was handing it +to John, when a bullet whizzed past him, struck her in the breast, and +she fell dead. John Bates looked through the loop-hole, and caught sight +of one of the red-coats running back from the house, and fired at him +but missed. He saw the man's face, though, and remembered it. John then +bore the corpse up-stairs. The women and children shrieked at the sight, +and thus discovered to the cowardly foe where they were placed. A volley +was sent through the upper part of the house, which killed one of Joe's +children and wounded the wife of a neighbor. But the enemy were losing +men too fast to continue the attack. I think Joe said they had lost half +their party in killed and wounded, while in the house only one man was +wounded. The red-coats that were left began to move off, dragging some +of their wounded with them. Then the farmers threw open the doors and +windows, and, giving a shout of triumph, sent a volley after them that +must have done some damage." + +"Didn't they start a pursuit?" inquired Higgins. + +"No: John thought his party was not strong enough, and that the glory of +defeating such a party of regulars was enough for once. But several of +the wounded red-coats were taken. Some of the farmers wanted to kill +them right off, but John wouldn't let them. He said there had been blood +enough shed already, and set them at work to bury the dead. Soon after, +John went to the army, and told Joe of the attack, and of the death +of his wife and child. Joe swore, by the most sacred oaths, to have +revenge; and made John describe the appearance of the man whom he had +seen running away from the house after firing the shot that had killed +Mrs. Bates. The man had peculiar features, and could not be mistaken. + +"At the great Battle of Eutaw Springs, Joe was among the troops +who charged with trailed arms. He came upon a man who answered the +description given by John, and rushed upon him with such force that he +pinned him to the ground with his bayonet, and he then drew a knife +across his throat to make sure work of it. He told me that he stopped, +amid a tremendous storm of grape and musketry, to take a look at the +Britisher, and to be sure that he had no life in him." + +"What bloody creatures war can make men," remarked young Harmar. "That +man was not sure he had killed the murderer of his wife." + +"It made no difference to him," replied old Harmar. "He hated the +whole set, and he had no mercy on any of them. Joe Bates was a clever +fellow--as warm a friend and as quiet a companion as you would wish to +meet in time of peace; but he hated like he loved--with all his heart, +and would go through fire and death to get at a foe." + +"I believe Joe Bates' conduct was a fair specimen of that of the whole +people of those parts, at that time," said Wilson. "I've been told that +the whigs and tories had no mercy on each other." + +"Not a bit," added old Harmar. "It seems to me that the fighting up here +in the North was child's play in comparison with that in the South. +Every man on the American side that went into the battle of Eutaw +Springs, was so full of courage and the desire of revenge that he was +equal to two common men. Greene had difficulty in restraining their +ardor within the limits of prudence. I heard of Colonel Henry Lee and +his legion coming up with a body of tories who were assembled to +march to the British camp, and his men would slaughter them without +mercy, in spite of his efforts to restrain them." + +"It was a bloody time," remarked Smith. + +"God grant that we may never see its like again," added Morton. + +"Up this way," said Wilson, "the tories were quite peaceable and +respectable; and some of them were badly treated without any reason for +it. They were honest men, and differed in opinion with those who judged +the Declaration of Independence and the assumption of arms, necessary +measures." + +"Yes," replied Higgins; "its all very well for men to differ in +opinion--nobody finds fault with that; its taking up arms against their +own countrymen, and opposing their country's cause, that we grumble at. +We should all adopt Commodore Decatur's motto; 'Our country--right or +wrong.' If she be right, our support cannot be refused; if wrong, we +should endeavor to set her right, and not, by refusing our support, or +by taking up arms against her, see her fall." + +"Bravo!" cried Mr. Jackson Harmar. "There's the true patriotic sentiment +for you. Allow me, Mr. Higgins, to shake hands with you over that +sentiment." + +The veteran patriot extended his hand, and received the hearty shake of +the patriot of another generation. + + +STORY OF GENERAL WAYNE + +"Grandfather," said Thomas Jefferson Harmar, "wont you tell us something +about Mad Anthony Wayne?" + +"Who learnt you to call him Mad Anthony Wayne?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's what grandfather calls him," replied the boy. + +"Yes," said old Harmar; "we always called him Mad Anthony--he was such +a dare-devil. I don't believe, if that man, when alone, had been +surrounded by foes, they could really have made him afraid." + +"He was a bold and skilful general," remarked Morton. "He was equal to +Arnold in those qualities, and superior to him in all others." + +"I think I can see him now, at Morristown, in the midst of the +mutineers, with his cocked pistol in his hand, attempting to enforce +orders--an action that no other man would have thought of doing under +such circumstances." "He did his duty," said Wilson; "but the men cannot +be censured for their conduct. They had received no pay for many months, +were without sufficient clothing to protect them from the weather, and +sometimes without food. If they had not been fighting for freedom and +their country's rights, they never could have stood it out." + +"One of the best things Wayne ever did," said Smith, "was that manoeuvre +of his in Virginia, where the British thought they had him surely in a +net." + +"What manoeuvre was that?" inquired Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Why, you see, General Lafayette was endeavoring to avoid a general +action with Cornwallis, and yet to harass him. Early in July, 1781, the +British army marched from Williamsburg, and encamped on the banks of the +James River, so as to cover a ford leading to the island of Jamestown. +Soon after, the baggage and some of the troops passed the ford, but the +main army kept its ground. Lafayette then moved from his encampment, +crossed the Chichahominy, pushed his light troops near the British +position, and advanced with the continentals to make an attempt on the +British rear, after the main body had passed the river. The next day, +the Marquis was told that the main body of the British had crossed the +ford, and that a rear-guard only remained behind. This was what the +British general wanted him to believe, and he posted his troops ready to +receive our men. Well, General Wayne, with eight hundred men, chiefly of +the Pennsylvania line, (including Mr. Harmar, Mr. Higgins, Mr. Wilson, +and myself,) was ordered to advance against the enemy. Now, Wayne +thought he had to fight a rear-guard only, and so he moved forward +boldly and rapidly; but, in a short time, he found himself directly in +front of the whole British army, drawn up to receive him. Retreat was +impracticable, as the enemy then might have had a fair chance to kill or +capture the whole detachment. Wayne thought that the best plan was to +put on a bold face, and so he commenced the attack at once. A fierce +and bloody struggle followed, and I'm not sure but we were gaining the +advantage, when General Lafayette discovered the mistake and ordered a +retreat, and we were compelled to fall back, leaving two cannon in the +hands of the enemy. By General Wayne's presence of mind and courage, you +see, we got off with but the loss of one hundred men. The British lost +the same number." + +"The Marquis was, of course, right in ordering a retreat," remarked +young Harmar. + +"I suppose so," replied Smith. "Our detachment might have made +considerable havoc among the British, and, perhaps, if promptly +supported, have maintained a long and doubtful battle. But General +Lafayette wanted to save his men until a more certain contest could be +brought about. He was a very young general--younger than Napoleon when +he took command of the army of Italy; but all his movements about that +time indicated that he was as skilful and vigilant as he was brave." + +"Americans should ever be grateful to the memory of such a man as +Lafayette," said old Harmar. "He was a true lover of liberty, and a +staunch friend to this land when it most needed friends." + +"And that reminds me," added young Harmar, "that I've a song here, which +I wrote for one of the papers, in relation to Lafayette. It is arranged +in the measure of the feeling melody of 'Auld Lang Syne.'" + +"Sing it," said Mr. Smith; and the request was echoed by the rest. +Mr. Jackson Harmar, therefore, after sundry excuses in the usual +routine--that he had a cold, &c.--sang the following words in a very +emphatic manner, with an occasional break in the high notes, and +huskiness in the low ones. + + Should auld acquaintance be forgot + And never brought to mind? + The friend that's true, remember'd not, + And days of auld lang syne? + For auld lang syne, my dear, + We never can forget; + When dangers press'd, and foes drew near, + Our friend was Lafayette. + + When first our fathers bravely drew + 'Gainst tyrants and their laws, + On wings of generous zeal he flew + To aid the holy cause. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + He stemm'd the broad Atlantic wave; + He vow'd they should be free; + He led the bravest of the brave + To death or victory. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + Let Brandywine his glory tell, + And Monmouth loud proclaim; + Let York in triumph proudly swell + The measure of his fame. + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + + Shall sons of freedom e'er forget, + Till time shall cease to move, + The debt they owe to Lafayette + Of gratitude and love? + For auld lang syne, my dear, &c. + +The song was listened to with considerable pleasure by the company, and +there was an occasional attempt, on the part of the veterans, to join in +the chorus, which, however, ended in a slight cough and shaking of the +head, as if the attempt was hopeless. + +"There's good sentiment in that song," remarked Smith. "It stirs the +heart." + +"Mr. Harmar, did you say the piece was your own composition?" inquired +Morton. + +"It is one of my humble efforts," modestly replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I'm very glad there are some young men left who can write something +else besides the love trash that's so popular," said Mr. Higgins. Old +men generally have a strong aversion or lofty contempt for everything +relating to the love matters of youth. + +"Everything has its time," was the sage remark of Mr. Jackson Harmar; +"or, in the more popular phrase of Mr. Shakespeare, 'Every dog will have +his day!'" + +"I should like to see patriotic songs more popular," remarked Morton; +and it is highly probable the conversation would have continued on +this subject, but Mrs. Harmar and the children kept up a constant clamor +for more stories, and old Harmar consented to amuse them and the rest of +the company with a story which, he said, he had seen in several papers, +and told in several different ways, none of which were correct. The true +circumstances he would then relate in order that his son might make a +story of it for his forthcoming work,--"Legends of the Times that tried +Men's Souls." + + +STORY OF THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES. + +"In the fall and winter of 1776," began Mr. Harmar, "the people of New +Jersey experienced their full share of the miseries of civil war. During +no period of the Revolutionary contest did the enemy's troops act more +cruelly or more unlike civilized men. As they marched through the +Jerseys, driving our poor 'rebel' army before them, they committed all +kinds of outrages on helpless women and old men; but this conduct was +destined to recoil upon the heads of the foe. The people were roused +to resist the invaders, and the militia was organised throughout the +State--silently but surely. Our victories at Trenton and Princeton were +received as the signals for action. As the enemy retired on Brunswick, +they were followed by the exasperated farmers, and harassed terribly. +But, at the time when my story commences, the red-coats were in +quiet possession of New Jersey, from Burlington to New York. General +Washington had come over on this side of the Delaware. + +"It was late in December. The weather was bitter cold, and the enemy +seldom stirred from their quarters to visit the interior of the State. +This respite would have been refreshing to the harassed farmer, if the +withdrawal of the regular troops had not left free play for the more +desperate servants of King George, or others who pretended to be such. +One of these pretenders was named Fagan. He was the leader of about +twenty ruffians as free from any particle of human feeling as himself. +There was no romance about the black character of Fagan; he was a +perfect wretch; he robbed for gain, and murdered to conceal the robbery. +The hiding-place of the band was in the pine barrens of New Jersey, and +they thence received the name of 'the pine robbers' from the people of +the country. Their violence and cruelty towards women and even children +had made them the terror of all classes. The whigs charged their doings +on the tories and refugees; but the robbers were against both parties. +They plundered a tory in the name of the continentals, and were true to +the Crown when a whig chanced to be in their power. + +"Well, I'm going to tell you about one of their exploits. Not many miles +from Trenton, on the road to Bordentown, was the farm-house of Nathaniel +Collins, a Quaker, but who was not strict enough for his sect. He was +disowned by them on account of encouraging his two sons to join the +continental army, and for showing a disposition to do the same himself. +He was about sixty years old at the time of which I speak, but still +a large, powerful man, with the glow of health on his cheek and +intelligence in his eye. Though disowned by the Quaker sect, Nathaniel +Collins retained their dress, manners, and habits, and always defended +them from the attacks of their enemies. + +"One night, the old Quaker, his wife Hannah, cousin Rachel, and daughter +Amy, were sitting up till a very late hour. They expected Nathan's sons +home from the Continental army. These sons had chosen the night to cross +the river, to avoid the notice of the Hessians at Trenton. Well, the +family waited till the clock struck one, but the sons did not appear, +and Nathan was getting impatient. At last footsteps were heard on the +road. + +"'There they are at last!' eagerly exclaimed Amy. + +"'Let me see,' said Nathan, as, with the placid manner characteristic +of a Friend, he moved to a window which commanded a view of the kitchen +door, at which a knocking had commenced. He could distinguish six men, +armed and equipped like militia, and another, whose pinioned arms +proclaimed him a prisoner. His sons were not of the party; and as the +persons of the strangers were unknown, and the guise of a militia-man +was often assumed by Fagan, our friend was not 'easy in his mind how to +act.' His first idea was to feign deafness; but a second knock, loud +enough to wake all but the dead, changed his intention--he raised the +window and hailed the men: + +"'Friends, what's your will?' + +'A little refreshment of fire and food, if you please; we have been far +on duty, and are half frozen and quite starved.' 'We don't entertain +them who go to war.' + +'Yes; but you will not refuse a little refreshment to poor fellows like +us, this cold night; that would be as much against the principles of +your society as war.' + +'Thee's from Trenton?' + +'No, I thank you; Nathaniel Collins is too well known as a friend to the +country, and an honest man, to aid a refugee--we know that.' + +'Soap the old fox well,' whispered one of the band. + +'Come, friend, make haste and let us in, we are almost perished, and +have far to go before sunrise, or we may change places with our prisoner +here before sunset.' + +'But what does the party here, this side of the river, right under the +Hessians' nose, if--' + +'Oh, we are minute-men, sent from within by Captain Smallcross, to seize +this deserter--don't you mean to let us in?' + +"Nathaniel closed the window and said, 'I don't know what to make of +these men. Amy, call the boys; tell them to make haste and bring their +guns, but keep them out of sight, where they will be handy.' + +"As the command was obeyed, and the three young men, laborers on the +farm, appeared and placed their guns behind the inner, their master +unbolted the outer door and admitted five of the armed men--the prisoner +and one of his captors remaining without. Nathaniel thought this +unnecessary of so cold a night, and a little suspicious--'Will not thy +companions enter also?' + +"'No, thank you; he guards the prisoner.' + +'But why may not the prisoner, too?' 'Pshaw! he's nothing but a +deserter. The cold will be good for _him_.' + +"'I must say,' quote Nathan, 'exercised,' as he afterwards owned, past +endurance, 'thy conduct neither becomes thy nature as a man, or thy +calling, which should teach thee more feeling--I'll take the poor fellow +something to eat myself.' + +"The old man had reached the door on his merciful errand, meaning it is +true, to satisfy his curiosity at the same time, when he who had acted +as leader of the party sprang from his chair, and, placing his hand on +his host's breast, pushed him rudely back. 'Stand back--back, I say, and +mind your own business, if you _are_ a Quaker.' + +"There was a momentary struggle in Nathan's mind, whether to knock +the fellow down, as from appearances he easily might, or to yield, +in obedience to his _principles._ 'It was strongly on his mind,' he +confessed, to pursue the former course, but prudence conquered, and +he quietly withdrew to the upper end of the apartment, where his men +lounged on a bench, apparently half asleep, and indistinctly visible +in the light of the fire and one small candle, which burned near the +strangers. In the interim, the old cook had been summoned, and had +arranged some cold provisions on the table. 'Old Annie,' the cook, was +the child of Indian and mulatto parents, but possessed none of the +features of her darker relation, except a capacious mouth and lips +to match. She refused to associate with either negroes or Indians, +considering herself as belonging to neither, and indulging a +sovereign contempt for both. Her favorite term of reproach was 'Injin' +and 'nigger,' and when they failed _separately_ to express her feelings, +she put the two together, a compliment always paid the Hessians, when +she had occasion to mention them. A party of these marauders had, on +a visit to her master's house, stolen her fall's store of sausages; +thenceforth she vowed eternal hatred to the race--a vow she never forgot +to the day of her death. + +"The strangers ate their repast, showing anything but confidence in +their entertainer, and ate, each man with his gun resting on his +shoulder. During the whole meal, he who called himself their captain was +uneasy and restless. For some time, he appeared to be engaged in a very +close scrutiny of the household, who occupied the other end of the +kitchen--a scrutiny which, owing to the darkness, could not yield him +much satisfaction. He then whispered anxiously and angrily with his men, +who answered in a dogged, obstinate fashion, that evidently displeased +him; till, finally, rising from his seat, he bade them follow, and +scarcely taking time to thank Nathan for his food and fire, passed out +of the door and made from the house. + +"'Well, now, that beats me!' said Elnathan, as he and his comrades +looked at each other in astonishment at the abrupt departure and +singular conduct of their guests. + +"'That are a queer lark, any how!' responded John; 'it beats all +natur'.' + +''The Injins,' said Ann. 'If that is not Fagan or some of his gang, +never trust me!--why did you not give them a shot, the 'tarnal thieves?' + +"But our household troop were too glad to get rid of their visitors to +interrupt their retreat. The house was secured again, the men had thrown +themselves down, and some of them were already asleep, when another +knock at the same door brought them as one man to their feet. On opening +the door, a laborer attached to a neighboring farm presented himself, +breathless from haste, and almost dead with fear. When he so far +recovered his speech as to be able to tell his story, he proved to +be the man whom the pretended militia-men had brought with them as a +prisoner, and his captors were found to be no less than Fagan and a +portion of his band. They had that night robbed five different houses +before they attempted our Friend's. Aware that his sons were from +home, they expected to find the old man unsupported, but having gained +admission into the house, they were surprised at the appearance of three +additional men. Fagan, however, was bent upon completing his enterprise +in spite of all opposition; but his followers obstinately refused. At +the foot of the avenue a bitter quarrel ensued, Fagan taxing his men +with cowardice; but the fear of pursuit silenced them at length. The +next question was, how to dispose of their prisoner, whom they had +seized in one of their 'affairs,' and, for want of some means of +securing him, brought with them. Fagan, as the shortest way, proposed, +as he had before, to cut his throat; but the proposal was overruled as +unnecessary. He was unbound, and, upon his solemn promise to return +without giving the alarm, one of the band returned him his silver and +a little money they had abstracted from his chest. In consideration +whereof he made to the nearest house and gave the alarm, impelled by +instinct more than anything else. + +"Suddenly, the man's narrative was interrupted by an explosion of +fire-arms, which broke upon the clear, frosty night, and startled even +Nathan. Another and another followed before a word was uttered. + +"'What can that be? It must be at Trenton.' + +"'By jingo,' exclaimed Elnathan, forgetting, in his excitement, that +his master was present, 'if I don't believe our men ain't giving the +Hessians a salute this morning with ball _cartridges_--there it goes +again!--I say, John, it's a piert scrimmage.' + +"In his own anxiety, Nathan forgot to correct his servant's profanity. +'It must be--but how they got over through the ice without wings--' + +"'No matter 'zackly how, marster, it's them. I'll warrant them's hard +plums for a Christmas pudding. Ha! ha! they get it this morning,--them +tarnation Hessian niggers!' + +"'Ann, thee'll never forgive the Hessians thy sausages and pork.' + +"'Forgive--not I. All my nice sausages and buckwheat cakes, ready +buttered--and all for them 'are yaller varments.' + +"The firing having continued some minutes, though less in volleys +than at first, gradually ceased, and all was quiet, as if nothing had +happened to disturb the deathlike stillness of the night. Yet, in +that brief hall hour, the fate of a continent was decided--the almost +desperate cause of the colonies had been retrieved. The victory of +Trenton had been achieved. + +"The attention of Nathan was diverted, by this first incident, from the +other events of the night, but was soon recalled to the pursuit of +the robbers, and the relief of their victims, who, from their late +prisoner's account, had been left in an unpleasant condition. His men +being dispatched to collect aid, Nathan now remained with old Anne; the +sole efficient defender of the house. He was not doomed to wait their +return undisturbed--the indistinct sound, as of many feet, was heard +advancing along the road to Bordentown. + +"'It's them Hessians,' said Anne. But Nathan thought not--it was not +the tread of regular troops, but the confused rush of a multitude. He +hastened to an upper window to reconnoitre. The day had begun to break, +and he easily distinguished a large body of men in Hessian uniform, +hurrying along the road in broken ranks. As they came nearer, he +perceived many individuals half clad and imperfectly equipped. The whole +consisted of about six hundred men. Before their rear was lost behind a +turn in the road another body appeared in rapid pursuit. They marched in +closer order and more regular array. In the stillness of the morning the +voice of an officer could be distinctly heard urging on the men. They +bore the well-known standard of the colonies. It all flashed on Nathan's +mind--Washington _had_ crossed the river, and was in pursuit of the +routed foe. The excited old man forgot his years, as he almost sprang +down stairs to the open air, proclaiming the tidings as he went. Even +the correct Hannah, who had preserved her faith unbroken, in spite of +her husband's and sons' contumacy, and the, if possible, still _more_ +particular Rachel, were startled from their usual composure, and gave +vent to their joy. + +"'Well, now, _does_ thee say so?' said the latter, eagerly following the +others to the door. 'I hope it is not unfriendly to rejoice for such a +cause.' + +"'I hope not, cousin Rachel,' said Amy; 'nor to be proud that _our_ boys +had a share in the glorious deed.' + +"Amy was left to herself, and broke loose upon this occasion from the +bonds of Quaker propriety; but no one observed the transgression--except +old Anne. + +"'That's right, Amy Collins; I like to hear you say so. How them +Hessians can run--the 'tarnal niggers; they steal sausages better than +they stand bullets. I told 'em it would be so, when they was here +beguzzlen my buckwheat cakes, in plain English; only the outlandish +Injins couldn't understand their mother tongue. They're got enough +swallowen without chawen, this morning. I wish them nothen but Jineral +Maxwell at their tails, tickling 'em with continental bagonets.' + +"'That friend speaks my mind,' said Elnathan, with a half-sanctimonious, +half-waggish look, and slight nasal twang. + +"'Mine too,' as devoutly responded a companion, whom he had just brought +to assist in the pursuit of the robbers. + +"The whole family had assembled at the door to watch the motions of the +troops. The front ranks had already passed down the road, when a +horseman, at full speed, galloped along the line of march to the extreme +right, and commanded a halt. After a few minutes delay, two or three +officers, followed by a party carrying a wounded man, emerged from the +ranks and approached the house. This was too much for the composure of +our late overjoyed family; all hastened to meet their wounded or dead +relation, but were disappointed agreeably--the brothers were indeed of +the party, but unhurt. + +"'Charles--boys--what means--' + +'Nothing, father, except that we paid the Hessians a friendly visit this +morning. You saw them?' + +'A part--where are the rest?' + +'Oh, we could not consent to turn them out of their comfortable quarters +this cold night, so we insisted on their remaining, having first gone +through the trifling ceremony of grounding their arms.' + +"The greeting between the young soldiers and their more peaceful +relations could not have been more cordial if their hands had been +unstained with blood. Nathaniel proffered refreshments to the whole +detachment; old Anne trembled for her diminished stock of sausages, and +remarked to Elnathan, that it would take a ''tarnal griddle' to bake +cakes for 'all that posse cotatus.' But the offer was declined by the +officer in command, who only desired our friends to take charge of the +wounded Hessian, whom his own men had deserted in the road. + +[Illustration: THE OUTLAW OF THE PINES.] + +"In the meanwhile, about forty men had assembled at Nathan's summons to +pursue the robbers, some of them having first visited those who had +suffered from the previous night's depredations. In one instance, they +found a farmer tied in his own stable, with his horse gear, and his wife, +with the bed-cord, to some of the furniture in her own apartment. In +another place, the whole household was quietly disposed down a shallow +well, up to their knees in water, and half frozen. In a third, a +solitary man, who was the only inmate at the time, having fled, in his +fright, to the house-top, was left there by the unfeeling thieves, who +secured the trap-door within. But the last party who arrived had a +bloody tale to tell: they had been to the house of Joseph Farr, the +sexton to a neighboring Baptist church; a reputation for the possession +of concealed gold proved fatal to him. On entering his house, the door +of which stood open, the party sent to his relief stumbled over his +body. After having most cruelly beaten him, in the hope of extorting +the gold he was said to possess, the murderers, upon his positive +denial, pierced him in twenty places with their bayonets. The old +bedridden wife was still alive in her bed, though the blood had soaked +through the miserable pallet and run in a stream into the fire-place. +Their daughter, a woman of fifty years, fled from the house as the +murderers entered, and was pursued by one of them, nearly overtaken, +and even wounded in the arm by his bayonet; but his foot slipped in +making the thrust, and she escaped slightly hurt. + +"This bloody business aroused the whole country; a persevering and +active pursuit was commenced. The murderers had many miles to traverse +before they could reach a safe retreat, and were obliged to lighten +themselves of their heavier plunder in the chase. Four were shot down +in the pursuit; the knapsack of a fifth was found partly concealed in a +thicket, and pierced with a ball, which had also penetrated a large mass +of continental money in sheets, and, by the blood on the inner covering, +had done good service on the wearer. It was believed that he contrived +to conceal himself in a thicket, and died there; as he was never heard +of after. Fagan alone escaped unhurt to the pines, and for days defied +all the exertions of the whig farmers. By this time, the pursuing party +had increased to nearly two hundred men. The part of the wood in which +he was known to be concealed, was surrounded and fired, till the wretch +was literally burnt from his den, and, in an attempt to escape from one +flaming thicket to another, taken alive, although not unwounded. One of +the gang, who had not participated in the deeds I have mentioned, was +secured at the same time. + +"There appeared to be no difference of opinion about the mode of +disposing of the prisoners--indeed, an opinion was scarcely asked or +given. It seemed taken for granted--a thing of course; and the culprits +were led in silence to the selected place of execution. There was +neither judge nor jury--no delay--no prayer for mercy; a large oak then +stood at the forks of two roads, one of which leads to Freehold; from +the body of the tree a horizontal branch extended over the latter road, +to which two ropes were attached. One of them having been fixed to the +minor villain's neck, _his_ sufferings were soon over; but a horrible +and lingering death was reserved for Fagan. The iron hoops were taken +off a meat cask, and by a blacksmith in the company fitted round his +ankles, knees, and arms, pinioning the latter to his body, so that, +excepting his head, which was 'left free to enjoy the prospect,' he +could not move a muscle. In this condition he hung for days beside his +stiffened companion; dying by inches of famine and cold, which had +moderated so as, without ending, to aggravate his misery. Before he +died, he had gnawed his shoulder from very hunger. On the fifth night, +as it approached twelve o'clock, having been motionless for hours, +his guards believed him to be dead, and, tired of their horrid duty, +proposed to return home. In order, however, to be sure, they sent one of +the party up the ladder to feel if his heart still beat. He had ascended +into the tree, when a shriek, unlike anything human, broke upon the +stillness of the night, and echoed from the neighboring wood with +redoubled power. The poor fellow dropped from the tree like a dead man, +and his companions fled in terror from the spot. When day encouraged +them to return, their victim was swinging stiffly in the north wind--now +lifeless as the companion of his crime and its punishment. It is +believed, to this day, that no mortal power, operating upon the lungs of +the dead murderer, produced that awful, unearthly, and startling scream; +but that it was the voice of the Evil One, warning the intrusive guard +not to disturb the fiend in the possession of his lawful victim; a belief +materially strengthened by a fact that could not be disputed--the limb +upon which the robbers hung, after suffering double pollution from +them and their master's touch, never budded again; it died from that +hour; the poison gradually communicated to the remaining branches, till, +from a flourishing tree, it became a sapless and blasted trunk, and so +stood for years, at once an emblem and a monument of the murderers' fate. + +"Fagan was never buried; his body hung upon its gibbet till the winds +picked the flesh from off his bones, and they fell asunder by their own +weight. A friend of mine has seen his horrid countenance, as it +hung festering and blackening in the wind, and remembers, by way of +amusement, between schools, pelting the body with stones. The old trunk +has disappeared, but the spot is still haunted in the belief of the +people of the neighborhood, and he is a bold man who dare risk a +nocturnal encounter with the bloody Fagan, instead of avoiding the +direct road, at the expense of half a mile's additional walk. No +persuasion or force will induce a horse _raised in the neighborhood_ to +pass the fated spot at _night_, although he will express no uneasiness +by daylight. The inference is, that the animals, as we know animals +_do_, and Balaam's certainly _did_, see more than their masters. A +skeptical gentleman, near, thinks this only the force of habit, and that +the innocent creatures have been so taught by the cowards who drive +them, and would saddle the horses with their own folly. + +"I am at the close of my story, and not a lover or a tender scene in the +whole tedious relation--alas! what a defect, but it is too late to mind +it now; it only remains to take leave of our friends. Nathan and +Hannah have mingled with dust, and their spirits with that society +whose only business is love, and where sighing and contention can never +intrude. Nathan was permitted, on his expressing his sorrow that he +had 'disobliged Friends,' to rejoin his society, and he died an elder. +Rachel departed at a great age, as she had lived, a spotless maiden. The +blooming, the warm-hearted, mischievous Amy lives, a still comely old +lady, the mother of ten sons, and the grandparent of three times as many +more. She adheres strictly to all the rules of her society, and bears +her testimony in the capacity of a public Friend. Still, she is +evidently not a little proud of her father's and brothers' share in the +perils and honors of the revolutionary contest, though she affects to +condemn their contumacy and unfriendly conformity to the world's ways, +and their violation of 'Friends' testimony concerning war.' Old Annie +died four years since, at an almost incredible age, though she was not +able to name the exact number of the days of her pilgrimage. From the +deep furrows on her cheeks, and the strong lines of her naturally +striking countenance, which, as she advanced in years, assumed more and +more the character of her Indian parentage, and the leather-like +appearance of her skin, she might have passed for an antediluvian. +While other less important matters lost their impression on her memory, +the Hessian inroads upon her sausages and buckwheat cakes were neither +forgotten nor _entirely_ forgiven to the last. She sent for a friend +when on her death-bed, to make arrangement of her little affairs. He +found her strength of body exhausted, but her powers of mind unimpaired. +After disposing her stock of personalities among some of her friends, +she turned to him. 'That's all, Mr. Charles, except the old sash you +used to play with, which I sp'iled from the Hessian officer, the +Injin--keep that to mind old Anne by,' + +"'Thank you, Anne--I'll keep it carefully. But you must not bear malice +_now_, Anne; you must forgive even the Hessians,' said Charles. + +"'What, them Hessians, the bloody thieves?' and the old woman's eyes +lighted up, and she almost arose in her bed with astonishment, as she +asked the question. + +'Yes; even _them_: you are about to need forgiveness as much as +they--they _were_ your enemies and persecutors, whom you are especially +enjoined to pardon, as you would expect to be pardoned.' + +'So it is, Mr. Charles; you say the truth,--poor ignorant, sinful mortal +that I am! Well, then, I do--I _hope_ I _do_--forgive 'em; I'll try--the +bloody _creeters_.' + +"There; will that do for a story, Thomas Jefferson?" asked the old +grandfather, when he had concluded. The old man had a straight-forward, +natural way of telling a story that showed he had practised it +frequently. The boy seemed much gratified by the horrible narration. +Mrs. Harmar said she was interested, but didn't like it much; her +husband remarked, however, that it would make a thrilling sketch. + +"I suppose that Nathaniel Collins was very much the same sort of a +Quaker as General Green," said Morton. "They were peaceable men, as +long as peace and quiet were not inconsistent with self-defence. To +be peaceable when a foe is wasting your fields and slaughtering your +brethren, is cowardly and against nature." + +"That's truth," replied Higgins. "We must look upon a merciless invader +in the same light as upon a cruel beast, whom it is saving life to +slay." + +"Fagan was well punished for his outrages," remarked Wilson. + +"It was the only way for the inhabitants to ensure their safety," said +Smith. + + +THE TORY'S CONVERSION. + +"By the bye," said Mr. Morton, "some events have just recurred to my +mind, which interested me very much when I first heard of them, and +which I think may strike you as being wonderful. I knew of many strange +and unaccountable things that happened during the Revolution, but the +conversion of Gil Lester from toryism capped the climax." + +"Enlighten us upon the subject, by all means," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes, that was a strange affair, Morton; tell 'em about it," added +Higgins. + +"There's a little love stuff mixed up with the story," said Morton, +"but you will have to excuse that. I obtained the incidents from Lester +himself, and I know he was always true to his word, whether that was +right or wrong. Gilbert Lester, Vincent Murray, and their ladye-loves, +lived up here in Pennsylvania, in the neighborhood of the Lehigh. One +night a harvest ball was given at the house of farmer Williams. Vincent +Murray and Mary Williams, the farmer's daughter, joined in the +festivities, and, becoming tired of dancing in a hot room, they went out +to walk along the banks of the Lehigh, and, of course, to talk over love +matters. + +"They had seated themselves on a fallen tree, and continued for a few +moments to gaze in the mirrored Lehigh, as if their very thoughts might +be reflected on its glassy surface. Visions of war and bloodshed were +passing before the fancy of the excited girl, and she breathed an inward +prayer to heaven to protect her lover; when, casting her eyes upward, +she suddenly exclaimed with startling energy: + +"'Vincent, look at the sky!' Murray raised his head, and sprang +instantly on his feet. 'Tell me,' continued Mary, 'am I dreaming, or am +I mad! or do I actually see armies marching through the clouds?' + +"Murray gazed steadfastly for a moment, and then exclaimed, 'It is the +British, Mary--I see the red coats as plainly as I see you.' + +"The young girl seemed transfixed to the spot, without the power of +moving. 'Look there,' said she, pointing her finger upward--'there are +horses, with officers on them, and a whole regiment of dragoons! Oh, are +you not frightened?' + +"'No,' replied her companion--but before he had time to proceed, she +again exclaimed: + +'There, there, Vincent! See the colors flying, and the drums, and +trumpets, and cannon, I can almost hear them! What can it mean?' + +'Don't be so terrified, Mary. It is my belief, that what we see is an +intimation from God of the approaching war. The 'Lord of Hosts' has +set his sign in the heavens. But come, let us run to the house. This is +no time to dance--and they will not believe us, unless their own eyes +behold the vision!' + +"Before he had finished speaking, they were hastily retracing their +steps to the scene of merriment; and in another moment the sound of the +violin was hushed, and the feet of the dancers were still. With one +accord, they all stood in the open air, and gazed with straining glances +at the pageant in the heavens; and marked it with awe and wonder. A +broad streak of light spread itself gradually over the sky, till the +whole wide expanse was in one brilliant blaze of splendor. The clouds, +decked in the richest and most gorgeous colors, presented a spectacle of +grandeur and glory, as they continued to shape themselves into various +forms of men, and horses, and armor, till a warlike and supernatural +host was distinctly presented to the view. The dragoons, on their +prancing horses; the riflemen and artillery, with their military ensigns +and accoutrements; the infantry, and even the baggage-wagons in the +rear, were all there to complete the imposing array. _It is no fiction_; +many were eye-witnesses of that remarkable vision, which passed on from +the east, and disappeared in the west--and, from that evening, the sound +of the violin was heard no more in those places, until the end of the +Revolution. + +"Mary Tracy hung upon the arm of her lover, and listened anxiously to +his words, as he spoke to her in a low but decided tone." "That's very +strange; but you have not told us how the young tory was converted," +interrupted Mrs. Harmar. + +"I am coming to that," replied Morton. "Vincent Murray and Mary Williams +conversed together for some time. He told her he was going to leave his +friends and join the American army. He said he thought the signs in the +clouds were warning to all the friends of liberty to rush to the aid of +our little struggling band; and that he intended to go to New York, +and then seek out the best plan for enlistment. Before he bade his +sweetheart farewell, he also told her he was resolved to do his best to +convert Gilbert Lester from his tory principles. Now this was no easy +task, as the two young men had often argued the question of rights, and +Lester had shown that he was as firmly fixed to his creed as Murray was +to his. Mary told him that she thought that the frowns or the smiles of +Jane Hatfield alone could change his way of thinking. But, nevertheless, +Murray resolved to try what he could do. + +"The little group of dancers were all scattered in different directions. +Murray sought among the number for Gilbert Lester, and found him, at +length, leaning in a thoughtful attitude against the trunk of a huge +sycamore tree, whose broad shadow fell upon the waters of the Lehigh. So +profound was his reverie, that Murray touched his arm before he stirred +from his position, or was aware of approaching footsteps. + +"'Gilbert, shall I divine your thoughts?' + +"'You, perhaps, think you could do so, but I doubt whether you would +guess right.' "'Why, there can be but one subject, I should suppose, +which could occupy the mind of any one who has seen what we have seen +this evening.' + +"'True; but there may be different interpretations put upon what is +equally a mystery to us all.' + +"'Well, I will not dispute that point with you,--but there is a _right_ +and a _wrong_, notwithstanding. Now, tell me, what is your opinion?' + +"'It will hardly coincide with yours, Vincent; for I fear we shall never +agree in our ideas of the propriety and expediency of taking up arms +against our sovereign. As to this pantomime of the clouds, I must +confess it is beyond my comprehension; so, if your understanding has +been enlightened by the exhibition, I beg you will have charity to +extend the benefit.' + +"'You are always for ridiculing my impressions, Gilbert; but you cannot +change my belief that our cause is a rightful one, and that it will, +with the help of the Almighty, ultimately prevail.' + +"'What, against such a host as we have just seen imaged out in the sky?' + +"'The Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save,' replied +Murray. + +"'But,' continued his friend, 'if a real army, coming over the sea to +do battle for the king, has been represented by that ghostly multitude +which passed before our view, you will find the number too strong for +this fanciful faith of yours, in the help of an invisible arm.' + +"'It is a faith, however, which I am not yet disposed to yield,--the +race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.' "'I will +acknowledge,' said Lester, interrupting him, 'that you have the +advantage of me in quoting Scripture--but depend upon it, the +_practical_ advantages of the British over the rebel army will soon +overturn your theory.' + +"'No such thing, Gilbert. I tell you that the zeal, fortitude, undaunted +courage, and invincible resolution, which encompass our little band of +patriots, will prove a shield of strength that will make every single +man of them equal to at least a dozen British soldiers. And having once +risen up in defence of their rights, they will persevere to the last +extremity before they will submit to the disgraceful terms of a despotic +government. It grieves me that _you_ should be among the tories. Come, I +entreat you, and share in the glory of the triumph which I am persuaded +will eventually be ours.' + +"'Then you really do believe, Murray, that God will work a modern +miracle in favor of America! My dear friend, I wish you would abandon +this vain chimera of your imagination, and let common sense and reason +convince you of the folly of this mad rebellion.' + +"'And what then? Should I sit down in cowardly inaction, while others +are sacrificing their lives in the struggle? No--that shall never be +said of Vincent Murray! My resolution is taken; I will rise or fall with +my country!' + +"'And perhaps the next time we meet,' said Lester, 'it may be on the +field of battle.' + +"'God forbid! But should it even be the case, Gilbert, I should know no +friend among my country's enemies. Farewell--you will think better of +this subject; and remember, that no one but a _Republican_ will ever win +Jane Hatfield,' said Murray. + +"The young men wrung each other's hands, and each went his way." + +"Murray thought he would put in the last remark by way of strengthening +the effect of the vision in the clouds, I suppose," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"Yes; the promise of the hand of a lovely girl has a great influence on +the opinions of a young man," replied Morton. "But in this case, if you +will wait till my story is through, you will see that Jane Hatfield had +but little to do with Lester's conversion. The next morning after the +occurrence of the wonderful phantom in the clouds, Murray left his home, +and soon after enlisted in the army under General Montgomery. He was in +the unlucky expedition against Quebec. + +"After the death of Montgomery, and the uniting of the different +detachments under Arnold, as their head, Murray, to his marvellous +astonishment, encountered his friend Gilbert Lester among the +Pennsylvania riflemen, under Captain Morgan. By some strange accident, +and each being ignorant of the proximity of the other, they had not met +before the attack on Quebec. Great, therefore, was Murray's surprise and +pleasure; for, since the evening of their last conversation on the banks +of the Lehigh, he had no opportunity of learning whether there had been +any change in the political sentiments of his friend. With the utmost +fervor of delight he grasped his hand as he exclaimed: "'I rejoice to +see you,--but, my dear friend, what is the meaning of this meeting? And +how, in the name of wonder, came you here?' + +"'Why, it is truly a wonder to myself, Murray,' replied Lester, 'that +I ever got here; or that any of us, who passed through that frightful +wilderness, are now alive to tell the story.' + +"'The wilderness! I should like to know how you contrived to get into +the wilderness from the place where I last saw you?' said Murray. + +"'I remember,' said Gilbert, laughing; 'you left me looking at the +clouds on the banks of the Lehigh; and, perhaps, you imagine that I +was taken up into them, and dropped down in that horrible place as a +punishment for my _toryism!_' + +"'And if that was not the case, pray throw a little light on the +mystery.' + +"'Have patience, then, and let me tell my story my own way. The getting +into the labyrinth was a trifle in comparison to the getting out. +Believe me, the tales of romance are nothing to the tremendous horrors +of that march. Why do you look incredulous?' + +"'You know your love of the marvellous, Gilbert--but go on; only don't +out-Herod Herod in your description.' + +"'There is no danger of that--no description can come up to the truth. I +looked upon that whole army in the desert as destined to make their +next general parade in the heavens--and fancied you would see our poor, +unhappy apparitions gliding through the sky; and, perhaps, exclaim, +'Poor Gilbert; he died in the good cause at last. It seems, however, that +the necessity is spared of my making so pathetic an apostrophe. You had +the good fortune to escape.' + +'It was little less than a miracle that we did so, I assure you,' +replied Gilbert. + +'Your preservation, then, should be a more convincing proof to your +mind, that the Lord is on our side, and will not forsake us in this +unequal strife.' + +'Ah,' replied Lester, 'you may beat me in _faith_, Vincent, but I will +contend that I have beaten you in _works_. Had you waded, as we did, +through those hideous bogs, which a poor Irishman, whose bones we left +on the way, declared, 'bate all the bogs of Ireland!' you would have +said the Israelites in the wilderness had a happy time of it, compared +to us. Why, we were drowned, and starved, and frozen, till we had nearly +given up all hope of the honor of being shot.' + +'But you forget that I am still in ignorance of the preceding causes, +which produced the revolution in your sentiments, and consequently +influenced your actions after I left the farm,' said Murray, +interrupting him. + +"'You are right,' replied Gilbert; 'I am before my story. My head was +so completely filled with the images on the way, that I was obliged +to dispose of them first, ere I could clear a passage in my memory to +relate what came before. It would, however, require too much time, at +this moment, to enter into all the detail of argument and persuasion +that gradually undermined my first principles. My imagination was a +little excited by the whole scene at our last harvest festival. The +sudden interruption in the dancing by the singular phenomena in the +heavens, and the termination, from that evening, of all our accustomed +mirth and gaiety, made a strong impression, which led me to inquire +and reflect on passing events, connected with the disturbances in the +country, much more closely and anxiously than I had done before. The +result was a determination, in my own mind, to follow you. Knowing your +admiration of General Washington, I instantly jumped at the conclusion +that you had proceeded to Cambridge, in order to be guided in your +future movements by the commander-in-chief; and so, without the least +hesitation, I straightway decided on pursuing the same course. You are +well aware, Vincent, that I am a creature of impulse. My arrival at +head-quarters happened to be at the moment when Colonel Arnold was +fitting out his troops for this unhappy expedition; and meeting +accidentally with an acquaintance among the Pennsylvania riflemen, I +enlisted in the same regiment, under Captain Morgan. A spice of romance, +which I believe nature infused into my disposition, and which was +increased among the mountain passes and wild fastnesses of our native +scenery, induced me to look forward with a kind of adventurous pleasure, +to the projected passage through the unexplored wilderness. The probable +hazard and difficulty of the exploit presented only a spur to my newly +awakened ardor; and thus, with my usual impetuosity of feeling, I +pushed on among the most enthusiastic followers of Colonel Arnold. The +concluding part of the history is written in the blood of our brave and +gallant general; and now, in the closing scene of the drama, I find +myself, by a singular freak of fortune, thrown again in your company, in +a place where I had little dreamed of such a meeting.' + +"In the meanwhile, an interesting event happened on the banks of the +Lehigh. The usual business in that part of the country was suspended. +The men congregated to talk over the causes and events of the war, and +the signs of the times. The appearance of the army in the heavens was +still fresh in the minds of all; and it was but a few weeks after the +departure of Murray and Lester that another spectacle was seen, even +more astonishing than the first. + +"It was on a September evening that the _Aurora Borealis_ was discovered +in the sky. It grew brighter and brighter, and soon drew together a +large number of the inhabitants of the neighborhood. The distance was +short to the highest ground on the ridge of the Lehigh Mountains, and +the whole party ascended to the summit, near the old road between Easton +and Philadelphia. There they paused, to view the surrounding scenery in +the broad, clear light. The Kittating Mountain, enveloped in its blue +shade of mist, lay far away to the north and west; while, on the Jersey +side, to the east, the high Musconetcong rose darkly in the distance. +Suddenly, a cloud appeared on the blue sky above, and immediately, +quick, successive sounds, as of the firing of cannon, broke on the ear. +The cloud dispersed with the noise, and flying troops were seen rushing +on from the west. Men and horses were mingled in one indiscriminate mass +of confusion. The soldiers wore the uniform of the British; but +there was no order, as in the former vision. Ranks were cut up and +destroyed--plumes were bent down and broken--horses fled without +riders--and the fallen were trampled on by their companions. Terror +seemed to move in their midst, as they hurried onward. The pillar of a +cloud rose again behind them. It was like a thick smoke from the fire +of the enemy. It curled and wreathed itself away in the heavens, and +disappeared, as with another sound of guns. Then came the Continental +Army. Soldiers marching in triumph--officers mounted, and flags of +victory streaming on the sky. On and on, they followed in the pursuit, +till the singular phantasm melted away in the east. + +"The sight was hailed with joy, as an omen of success to the American +cause. Numerous were the spectators to that second vision--and some are +yet alive in the part of the country where it was seen. + +"An account of this phenomenon was sent to Murray and Lester, and the +latter became confirmed, heart and soul, in the cause to which he had +attached himself. Now, I know, you may look upon these things with a +smile of credulity, and say it was all the result of imagination; but a +mere fancy cannot mislead hundreds of people, and make them believe +that their eyes are traitors. I have told you nothing but what is well +attested. I don't pretend to know anything of the causes of such events, +but I do know that these visions changed many a heart from toryism to +patriotism." "I am very much obliged to you for your interesting +story, Mr. Morton," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "I like your plain, +straight-forward style, and your matter excites my wonder. It is a fact, +that General Washington was known to observe and mention the remarkable +apparitions in the heavens, at many different periods of the Revolution. +They were not without their influence on his mind. I firmly believe +that such things occurred; and can look for no cause but that of God's +providence, to explain them." + +Of course Mrs. Harmar believed the story of the apparitions to be +perfectly true, and did not look for any other cause except the direct +order of the Almighty; but Wilson said he was always suspicious of such +stories. He even ventured to offer an explanation of the phenomenon, +which amounted to this:--A thunder-storm came up while the people were +gathered together, very much excited upon the subject of the war, and +feeling very anxious for the success of the cause of the colonies; one +man thought he saw an army in the clouds driven before the winds, and +heard the roar of the artillery; this he communicated in an excited +manner to the others, and they, disposed to believe, also thought the +clouds looked "very like a whale." But Morton, old Harmar, Mr. Jackson +Harmar, Smith, and Higgins, brought their argumentative batteries to +bear upon the explanation and incredulity of Wilson, and silenced, +if they did not convince him. He admitted that a man of General +Washington's strength of mind could not easily be deceived, and said, +that if it was a fact that he had seen and mentioned the phenomenon, +he could think it true; but no one was prepared to prove what had been +asserted. Mr. Morton was again thanked for the manner in which he had +told the story, and Mr. Jackson Harmar said that some of the writers of +the day might learn from him. + +"Of course, Murray and Lester lived through the war, went home to the +banks of the Lehigh, and married the girls they loved," remarked Wilson. + +"They did; and two very happy couples they made. Jane Hatfield had +always been a republican in sentiment, and she loved Lester more than +ever when she heard he had dropped toryism as something that would have +burnt his fingers if he had held on to it," replied Morton. + + +THE TIMELY RESCUE. + +"When Mr. Morton commenced his story," said old Harmar, "he said +there was considerable love-stuff mixed up with it, as if that was an +objection to his telling it. Now I can tell you a story of which love +and fighting are the elements. The events occurred up here in New +Jersey, and are true to the time and the people that acted in it." + +"No matter if it was all made up of love, if it illustrated the +character of the time, I should like to hear it," remarked Mr. Jackson +Harmar. + +"And so should I," added his wife. + +"Is it that story about Captain Edwards and Miss Williams, that Bill +Moore used to tell?" inquired Higgins. + +"That's the affair; and, supposing you folks will wish to hear about it, +I shall proceed. Shortly after the surrender of Burgoyne, two horsemen +were riding along the road which leads to the town of Ridgefield. One +was Captain Edwards, and the other Lieutenant Brown. Their conversation +partook of the spirit of the period. They were discussing the relative +merits of General Gates and General Washington. Brown thought that +Washington was deficient in energy, while Edwards thought him a model +general, and Gates deficient in both energy and skill. They could not +agree, and so they dropped the subject. + +"As the colloquy ended, the horsemen spurred onward, and soon arrived in +view of the residence of Mrs. Williams, which was situated on a gentle +acclivity, accessible by a long avenue, skirted on either side with +tall poplars, and entered at the extremity by a slight wooden gate. On +entering this avenue, old Pompey came running towards them with a brow +darkened a number of shades by his agitation, and grasping the bridle of +Captain Edward's horse, exclaimed: + +"'Oh! for Heaven's sake, good master Edwards, don't go to the house!' + +"'What the devil's the matter?' ejaculated the captain, as he endeavored +to disengage the hold of the negro. + +"'Mistress has gone clean 'stracted,' began the African, 'because young +Miss Caroline--' + +"'What of her?--speak out, in the fiend's name!' exclaimed Captain +Edwards, evincing much greater emotion than he had hitherto betrayed. + +"'You stop me, sir; I must tell my story in my own way,' replied Pompey. + +"'Proceed with it, then, with a murrain to you,' said Lieutenant Brown, +impatiently, 'or, by heaven, I'll beat it out of you with the flat of my +sword.' "'Well, then,' cried the negro, angrily, 'the tory Captain Lewis +came to our house last night with some sodgers, and carried off Miss +Caroline.' + +"'The unhung villain!' muttered Captain Edwards, from between his +clenched teeth; and then, compelling himself to speak more calmly, he +said, 'Brown, my dear fellow, return directly to the camp, and meet me +at Stophel's tavern, with Sergeant Watkins and a dozen trusty soldiers. +The scoundrel cannot escape me--I know every tory haunt between here +and the Hudson; I must go to the house, and console the afflicted Mrs. +Williams.' + +"The subaltern struck his spurs into the flank of his steed, and +hastened to execute the orders of his superior. The captain rode up the +lane, and having reached the house, threw his bridle to a servant, and +entered without ceremony. As he had anticipated, he found Mrs. Williams +in an indescribable state of grief; her health was delicate, and this +unexpected calamity had prostrated her. After offering a few encouraging +words, which produced but a very slight effect, he remounted his horse +and rode to the place of rendezvous. Here he met Lieutenant Brown, a +sergeant, corporal, and ten privates, all finely armed and equipped, and +prepared to brave any danger and incur any hazard, in the service of a +commander in whom they had the most unbounded confidence. He instantly +placed himself at their head, and proceeded on his expedition. + +"It was now dark. Their road lay along the margin of a small stream, +bounded on the one side by half cultivated fields, and on the other by +a thick gloomy forest, in which the death-like stillness of its dark +bosom was only broken by the occasional howl of wild beasts. + +"After pursuing their course for some distance along the bank of this +rivulet, now traversing the ground on its very margin, and then again +carried by the windings of the path miles from the stream, they came to +a sharp angle in the road, on turning which, the captain, being a short +distance in advance of his troops, discovered a figure slightly defined, +but yet bearing some resemblance to the human species, stealing along +the side of the path, apparently wishing to avoid observation. + +"Striking his spurs into his horse, and drawing his sword at the same +time, the captain had the person completely in his power before the +other had time to offer either flight or resistance. + +"'For whom are you?' was demanded by Captain Edwards, in no gentle +accents. + +"'I'm nae just free to say,' replied the stranger, thus rudely +interrogated, with the true Scotch evasion. + +"'Answer me at once,' returned the captain; 'which party do you favor?' + +"'Ye might have the civility to give me a gentle hint which side ye +belang to,' said Sawney. + +"'No circumlocution,' rejoined the soldier, sternly. 'Inform me +immediately: Are you a mercenary of the tyrant of England, or a friend +to liberty? your life depends on your answer.' + +"'Aweel, then,' said the Scotchman firmly, 'sin ye will have it, by +my saul, I won't go to heaven with a lie in my mouth--I'm whig to the +back-bone, ye carline; now do your warst, and be hanged till ye!'" + +"He might still have been a foe," remarked Wilson. "He might have seen, +from Edwards' language, that to be a whig was to ensure his safety." + +"I cannot say whether the Scotchman was sincere or not," replied old +Harmar. "The American captain was well pleased to discover a friend, +when he had every reason to expect an enemy; and, after furnishing him +with a pistol, and advising him to avoid the scouting parties of the +enemy, by keeping in the wood, he again proceeded on his expedition. +They soon reached a fork in the road: one branch led into the recesses +of the wood, and the other lay still farther along the banks of the +stream. On arriving at this spot, the captain, calling Lieutenant Brown +a little distance from the troop, said, 'A few miles' ride will carry us +to an encampment of a party of these tories. I wish to reconnoitre the +position of the enemy, and shall take the road which leads into the +wood, for that purpose, while you with the soldiers will ride on the +other road, till you will arrive within sight of the enemy, and then +return to this point, which shall be our place of rendezvous. In the +meantime, I wish you to avoid coming to any engagement with the tories; +but, in case you hear me fire two pistol shots, you may believe me to be +in danger, and hasten to my relief.' + +"To command was to be obeyed with Captain Edwards, and soon no sound +was heard save the slow and regular tread of the horses of the soldiers +under command of Lieutenant Brown "Captain Lewis, the partisan tory who +had carried off Miss Williams, was an officer of some fame. Of English +extraction, and bred in the principles of entire acquiescence in the +orders of the British ministry, he beheld the struggles of the colonists +with contempt. He saw the inhabitants rising about him in various parts +of the country, with feelings of bitter hatred, and he determined +to crush these evidences of rebellion in the outset. He accepted a +captain's commission in the English army, and fought for a time under +the banners of General Clinton, with success worthy of a better cause. +But taking offence at some imperious order of his commander, he threw up +his commission in disgust, and retired to his native village near the +river Hudson. Here, collecting about him a few choice spirits like +himself, he kept the inhabitants in a continual state of alarm by his +plundering and rapacious conduct. Acting, as he pretended, under the +orders of the king, the tories durst not oppose him, and the whigs were +too few in numbers to resist his foraging excursions with any prospect +of success. + +"In his youth he had been a school companion of Captain Edwards, but +their principles were widely dissimilar, and little intercourse had +taken place between them. In after life they embraced different sides, +and the tory disliked the whig for his virtues, and envied his good +name. In one of his marauding expeditions he became acquainted with +Miss Williams, and discovering the interest the republican had in her +affections, he determined to get her into his power, for the purpose of +holding a check on the whig officer, whom he equally feared and hated. A +libertine in principle, and a profligate in practice, he scrupled at +no means to attain his object, and a violent attack on the peaceful +dwelling of a defenceless woman was as consonant with his views as +robbing a hen-roost. + +"The dwelling of this renegade was situated on a small hill on the bank +of the river Hudson. His peculiar occupation, and the state of affairs +in the country, had rendered it necessary for him to fortify and +strengthen his house, and, at the time referred to, it resembled, what +in fact it was, the rendezvous of a band of lawless desperadoes. + +"In the principal room of the building was the villain captain, with +three of his officers, seated round a decayed table, playing cards; on +one end of the table stood a dirty decanter, partly filled with apple +brandy; three or four cracked, dingy tumblers were scattered over the +table, and the rest of the furniture of the apartment was in keeping. +In one corner of the room sat Miss Williams, apparently in the depth of +wretchedness. She occasionally cast furtive glances at the captain, and +then toward a small window, which was firmly barricaded; but seeing no +prospect of escape, she relapsed again into hopeless sorrow. Groups of +blackguard soldiers were seated on stools in different parts of the +room, many of them following the example of their officers, and others +amusing themselves with burnishing their muskets and equipments. After +numerous potations from his bottle, the captain started up, reeling +under the influence of the liquor, and addressing a ruffian-looking +officer, one of his boon companions, said: "'Lieutenant Jocelyn, have +the drum beat to arms, and take these lazy knaves and scour the woods +for a few miles around, and cut down or make prisoner every rebel rascal +you meet; leave soldiers enough, however, to guard the old castle; +quick--blast me, no hesitation.' + +"'Humph!' muttered the old soldier; 'ready enough to run his comrades +into the noose, but devilish careful to keep his own delicate person out +of danger.' + +"'Ha! what say you, old grumbler? You shall stay here and guard the +lady, if you are so much afraid of your beautiful self; and I will take +command of the men.' + +"The lieutenant liked this proposition still worse than the former, but +seeing no alternative, obeyed in silence. In a short time, the captain, +accompanied by about twenty men, including a sergeant and two corporals, +left their camp and proceeded toward the wood. It was night-fall when +they reached the forest, through which the road was very narrow and +circuitous. They were travelling along the path in double files, when +the sergeant in front ordered a halt. + +"'Why do we stop here,' roared the captain, 'when it is as dark as +Egypt?' + +"'I hear a noise like the trampling of horses,' replied the sergeant. + +"'Hist, then,' said Captain Lewis; 'draw up the men into a body, and +await their arrival in silence.' + +"'The horse's footsteps were now distinctly heard, but it was a solitary +horseman whom these worthy soldiers were to encounter. When he +arrived within speaking distance, the sergeant advanced a few paces in +front of the soldiers, and exclaimed: + +"'Stand! stand! or you are a dead man!' + +"The horseman evinced no disposition to comply with this arbitrary +requisition, but deliberately drew pistol from his holsters and +endeavored to urge his horse through the ranks of his opponents. Captain +Lewis now came to the front of his men, and ordered: "'Seize the bridle, +and down with the rebel!' + +"'Let no man lay a hand on me or my horse, as he values his life,' said +the horseman in a determined tone, at the same time cocking his pistol. + +"'The sergeant drew back a few yards, and discharged his carbine, but +without effect; two soldiers grasped the horse by the head at the same +instant. The horseman, seeing a struggle inevitable, literally blew out +the brains of one of his assailants, and, plucking his other pistol from +its holster with his left hand, he fired at and slightly wounded his +second antagonist; he now threw aside his pistols, &c., and then +drew his heavy broadsword, and essayed to cut his way through his +opponents--but giant strength, combined with the most desperate courage, +could not compete with such vast disparity of numbers; some of his +enemies fastened themselves on his horse, while others thrust at him +with their bayonets, and, after a protracted contest, during which the +tories lost five men, the horseman was disarmed and brought to the +ground. + +"'Bind the rebel dog,' shouted the infuriated captain; 'he shall die +the death of a felon, were he George Washington. By Heaven!' continued +he, as he viewed the prostrate horseman, 'it is Captain Edwards! Are +then my dearest wishes gratified? I will be doubly revenged! Bind him +hand and foot, boys, and throw him across his own horse, if the beast +can bear him; if not, drive a bullet through the horse's brains, and +carry the soldier in your arms.' + +"The whig officer was firmly bound and placed on his own charger, while +a soldier marched on either side of him, and another led the horse. +After prosecuting their route homeward near a mile, they were startled +with 'No quarter to the cowardly tories! cut them down root and branch!' +followed by the discharge of near a dozen pistols, which killed four +men, and wounded two or three others; and in a moment they were nearly +surrounded by the dragoons under command of Lieutenant Brown. For a +short time the contest was maintained with vigor; the bonds of Captain +Edwards were soon cut; he attacked the tory captain, sword in hand, and, +after a short conflict, succeeded in wounding him in the sword-arm and +hurling him to the ground, and placing his foot on his breast, he said: + +"'Now, you dastardly ruffian, avow your villanies, and inform me where I +shall find Miss Howard, or, by heaven, I will send you where the tenor +of your life will be hard to account for.' + +"The fierceness of the whig soldier's manner, and the consciousness of +being wholly in his power, completely humbled the tory, and he begged +his life, and promised to conduct the troops to his encampment, where +they would find the lady in safety. + +"The tories were now effectually routed; some were killed, some wounded, +others captured, and some had escaped. A few miles' travel, and Captain +Edwards and the men under his command arrived at the habitation of the +tories. A coarse slovenly soldier was pacing the ground in front of the +building, and, on the advance of the continental troops, presented his +musket, and ordered them to halt. Captain Edwards briefly informed him +of the reverse that had taken place in the fortunes of his commander, +and concluded by telling him that 'Submission was safety--resistance +death.' + +"The door was now burst open, and in a moment Miss Williams was folded +in the arms of her lover. + +"Little more remains to be told. No entreaties of Captain Edwards, or +persuasions of her aunt, could induce Miss Williams to give her hand to +her admirer till the close of the war. On the establishment of peace, +Colonel Edwards, (for he had received that rank,) was made happy in the +possession of his long-tried affection. Lieutenant Brown served under +his captain during the war, and, on the promotion of Captain Edwards, +succeeded to his command. The tory Lewis, and the remainder of his +guilty accomplices, were captured shortly after the occurrence of the +events I have related, and executed for desertion." + +"The tories generally received the worst of every encounter," remarked +Higgins; "at least, so all our love-story tellers say." "What I have +told you I know to be true--just as Bill Moore, who was one of Captain +Edwards' men, used to tell it," replied old Harmar. + +"I believe it to be a fact that the tories did get the worst of most +of the encounters in which they had an equal number of our men to deal +with. The reason was plain. They had not the same great motives to spur +them to daring and noble effort; and the whigs fought against them with +more ardor than they would against the British," said Wilson. + +"Captain Edwards was a host. Just think of one man daring to resist the +attack of twenty men, and killing five of them before he was taken. It +seems like the deed of a fabulous hero," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"The case was a desperate one, and demanded desperate conduct. A +surrender would not have saved his life, and might have secured Miss +Williams in the hands of Lewis. By a bold attack, Edwards won new +reputation and alarmed his men, who then saved his life and the honor of +his beloved," said old Harmar, in defence of his hero. + +"I expect they would have murdered the poor man, and then Lewis would +have forced Miss Williams to become his wife--the wretch!" put in Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Nothing would have been too black for his heart, when he had an end in +view. Such men are the most dangerous foes to their fellows, and we +must rejoice when a just punishment overtakes them in their headstrong +career. Many of those who are glorified as great men have possessed the +same unscrupulous disposition. The only difference between them and +Lewis lies in this--they fixed their minds on greater objects," said old +Harmar. + +"What's that for?" inquired Higgins, starting up as the sound of drum +and fife broke on his ear. Mrs. Harmar went to the front window, and +reported that a Volunteer company of soldiers was coming down the +street. The old men instantly crowded round the window, and expressed +their gratification at the sight that presented itself. The volunteers +were neatly uniformed and very precisely drilled. They marched with +the firm and uniform tread of regulars. The "ear-piercing fife and +spirit-stirring drum" discoursed the music sweetest to the ears of the +old warriors, and their eyes brightened and they made an effort to +straighten themselves, as if "the old time came o'er them." They +lingered at the window as long as they could catch the sound, and long +after the volunteers had turned the corner of the street. Perhaps, if we +had possessed sufficient mental insight, we might have been with those +old men in the scenes that came back to their minds like a tide that had +seemed to have ebbed away for ever. We might have been with them where +the drum and fife were as strong drink to the warriors, firing their +hearts and steeling their nerves for the bloody struggle. But we are +left to conjecture what was present to their imaginations by what they +express in conversation. + + +BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. + +"Those fellows look very neat and prim; they march well, and their +muskets are polished very bright. I wonder how they would stand fire," +said Higgins, after the party had seated themselves. + +"I doubt if they would like it as well as parading the streets; but +there may be some stout hearts among them," replied old Harmar. + +"They should have been at Brandywine or Germantown. At either place they +would have had a chance to prove their stuff. Fife and drum would have +been necessary, I think, to stir them up," said Wilson. + +"I paid a visit to Germantown, the other day," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. +"I passed over the chief portion of the battle-ground, and examined +Chew's house, where some of the British took refuge and managed to turn +the fortunes of the day. The house is in a good state of preservation, +and bears many marks of the conflict." + +"I have seen it since the day of the battle, and have also walked over +the neighboring grounds," said Smith "You are wrong in stating that the +troops that threw themselves into that house turned the fortune of the +day. Our defeat was the result of many unlooked-for circumstances, which +no general could have been prepared to meet." + +"I have always understood that the check received by our troops +at Chew's house gave the enemy time to rally, and thus defeated +Washington's plan," replied Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If it was otherwise, I +should like to be informed of the circumstances." + +"Oh, tell us about the battle of Germantown, Mr. Smith!" exclaimed Mrs. +Harmar. She had some acquaintances at Germantown, and she wished to +astound them by the extent of her information. "Father says he was not +in the battle, being sick at the time. Besides, if he knew, he would +never condescend to tell me about it, when he could find Jackson to talk +to." + +"Why, I'm sure, my child, you never seemed very anxious to know," +replied old Harmar; "but if you will listen to Mr. Smith, you will know +all about it. He was present during the whole battle." + +"Ay; and did my share of the fighting, too," added Smith. "But I'll tell +you how it was; and you, Mr. Harmar, may judge whether our defeat was +owing in any degree to the exertions of the enemy. After General Howe +took possession of Philadelphia, the main body of the British was +encamped at Germantown. Our army lay at Skippack Creek, about sixteen +miles from Germantown. Well, General Washington having received all +the reinforcements he expected, and knowing that the enemy had been +considerably weakened by sending detachments to take possession of the +city and the ports on the river, determined to attempt to surprise them +in their camp. The plan was formed with all the judgment and foresight +we might expect in Washington. We were to march at night for Germantown. +Wayne and Sullivan were to attack the left wing of the enemy in front, +whilst Armstrong, with a body of militia, attacked it in the rear. +Greene and Stephens were to attack the right wing in front, while +Smallwood fell upon its rear. Then there was a strong reserve. Of +course, I was with the Pennsylvania line, under Wayne's command. We +started on the evening of the third of October. I shall never forget +that night's march. It was very dark. We could scarcely see three feet +from us; and, as we wished to move on so as not to be discovered by any +of those who usually gave the enemy information, we carried very few +lanthorns. The road, however, was well known, and we marched rapidly and +surely. As we approached Germantown, we found an evidence that the enemy +were aware of our vicinity, and Wayne determined to attack at once. Just +at dawn of day, a party of Sullivan's troops attacked the picket at the +end of the village, and our whole division rushed on as the picket was +driven in. The surprise was complete. The enemy could not make a stand. +They were broken and routed, and their tents and marquees burnt. We +pushed on, took some prisoners, and drove the British from behind fences +and houses where they had taken shelter. + +"Six companies of a British regiment, under their lieutenant-colonel, +being hard pressed by an advancing column, threw themselves into Chew's +house, and, barricading the lower windows, opened a destructive fire +from the cellars and upper windows. Our troops, finding their musketry +made no impression, were in the act of dragging up their cannon to +batter the walls, when a stratagem was attempted, which, however, failed +of success. An officer galloped up from the house, and cried out, 'What +are you about? You will fire on your own people.' The artillery opened, +but, after fifteen or twenty rounds, the pieces were found to be of too +small calibre to make a serious impression, and were withdrawn. + +"A most daring attempt was then made to fire the building. +Lieutenant-Colonel Laurens, aid-de-camp to the commander-in-chief, with +a few volunteers, rushed up to the house under cover of the smoke, +and applied a burning brand to the principal door, at the same time +exchanging passes with his sword with the enemy on the inside. By almost +a miracle, this gallant officer escaped unharmed, although his clothes +were repeatedly torn by the enemy's shot. Another and equally daring +attempt was made by Major White, aide-de-camp to General Sullivan, but +without as fortunate a result. The major, while in the act of firing one +of the cellar windows, was mortally wounded, and died soon after. + +"Washington accompanied the leading division under Major-General +Sullivan, and cheered his soldiers in their brilliant onset, as they +drove the enemy from point to point. Arriving in the vicinity of Chew's +house, the commander-in-chief halted to consult his officers as to the +best course to be pursued towards this fortress that had so suddenly +and unexpectedly sprung up in the way. The younger officers who were +immediately attached to the person of the chief, and among the choicest +spirits of the Revolution, including Hamilton, Reed, Pinckney, Laurens, +and Lee, were for leaving Chew's house to itself, or of turning the +siege into a blockade, by stationing in its vicinity a body of troops to +watch the movements of the garrison, and pressing on with the column in +pursuit of the flying enemy. But the sages of the army, at the head of +whom was Major-General Knox, repulsed at once the idea of leaving a +fortified enemy in the rear, as contrary to the usages of war and the +most approved military authorities. + +"At this period of the action the fog had become so dense that objects +could scarcely be distinguished at a few yards' distance. We had +penetrated the enemy's camp even to their second line, which was drawn +up to receive us about the centre of Germantown. The ammunition of the +right wing, including the Maryland brigades, became exhausted, the +soldiers holding up their empty cartridge boxes, when their officers +called on them to rally and face the enemy. The extended line of +operations, which embraced nearly two miles, the unfavorable nature +of the ground in the environs of Germantown for the operations of the +troops, a large portion of whom were undisciplined, the ground being +much cut up, and intersected by stone fences and enclosures of various +sorts, the delay of the left wing under Greene in getting into +action--all these causes, combined with an atmosphere so dense from +fog and smoke as to make it impossible to distinguish friend from foe, +produced a retreat in our army at the moment when victory seemed to be +within its grasp. + +"Washington was among the foremost in his endeavors to restore the +fallen fortunes of the day, and, while exerting himself to rally his +broken columns, the exposure of his person became so imminent, that his +officers, after affectionately remonstrating with him in vain, seized +the bridle of his horse. The retreat, under all circumstances, was quite +as favorable as could be expected. The whole of the artillery was saved, +and as many of the wounded as could be removed. The ninth Virginia +regiment, under Colonel Mathews, having penetrated so far as to be +without support, after a desperate resistance, surrendered its remnant +of a hundred men, including its colonel, who had received several +bayonet wounds. The British pursued but two or three miles, making +prisoners of the worn-out soldiers, who, after a night-march of fifteen +miles and an action of three hours, were found exhausted and asleep in +the fields and along the road. + +"I made a narrow escape from being taken by a party of dragoons. They +were nearly upon a small body of us that had got separated from our +division, before we perceived them. I gave the alarm, and we ran on, as +we thought, toward our troops; but the fog was so thick that we mistook +the way, and wandered about for some time in constant risk of being +surrounded by the enemy. At length we stumbled on the main body of +our line, and retreated with them. I never saw a more irritated and +disappointed set of men than our officers on that day. Every one had a +different cause for the repulse. Some said that Greene did not come up +in time to aid Wayne and Sullivan; while others said that Greene had +performed the most effective service during the engagement, and that the +loss of the day was owing to the military prejudices of Knox and some +others, who would halt to attack Chew's house, instead of following up +the advantages already gained. Then the fog was blamed for the confusion +it caused. The fact was, the defeat was owing to many causes combined, +some of which I have mentioned." + +"The attack was certainly skilfully planned and truly executed, in spite +of its want of success," remarked old Harmar. "Your opinion of the +causes of the defeat, Mr. Smith, is that which is now generally adopted. +The halt at Chew's house did not give rise to the retreat of Sullivan's +division. The ammunition of the troops was exhausted, and they were not +aware of Greene's approach until they had begun to fall back. By the +way, did you hear how General Nash was killed?" + +"He was killed by a cannon-ball, I believe," replied Smith. + +"Yes," said old Harmar. "A round-shot from the British artillery +striking a sign-post in Germantown, glanced therefrom, and, passing +through his horse, shattered the general's thigh on the opposite side. +The fall of the animal hurled its unfortunate rider with +considerable force to the ground. With surprising courage and +presence of mind, General Nash, covering his wound with both +of his hands, called to his men, 'Never mind me, I have had a +devil of a tumble; rush on, my boys, rush on the enemy--I'll +be after you presently.' He could do no more. + +Faint from loss of blood and the intense agony of his wound, the +sufferer was borne to a house hard by, and attended by Dr. Craik, by +special order of the commander-in-chief. The doctor gave his patient but +feeble hopes of recovery, even with the chances of amputation, when Nash +observed, 'It may be considered unmanly to complain, but my agony is too +great for human nature to bear. I am aware that my days, perhaps hours, +are numbered, but I do not repine at my fate. I have fallen on the field +of honor, while leading my brave Carolinians to the assault of +the enemy. I have a last request to make of his Excellency, the +commander-in-chief, that he will permit you, my dear doctor, to remain +with me, to protect me while I live, and my remains from insult.' Dr. +Craik assured the general that he had nothing to fear from the enemy; it +was impossible that they would harm him while living, or offer insult +to his remains; that Lord Cornwallis was by this time in the field, +and that, under his auspices, a wounded soldier would be treated with +humanity and respect. The dying patriot and hero then uttered these +memorable words: 'I have no favors to expect from the enemy. I have been +consistent in my principles and conduct since the commencement of the +troubles. From the very first dawn of the Revolution I have ever been +on the side of liberty and my country.' "He lingered in extreme torture +between two and three days, and died admired by his enemies, admired and +lamented by his companions in arms. On Thursday, the ninth of October, +the whole American army was paraded by order of the commander-in-chief, +to perform the funeral obsequies of General Nash." + +"I have heard those who knew him best speak of him as a brave soldier +and a noble-hearted man; and your account of his death assures me of the +truth of their eulogy," remarked Smith. + +"It is said that Washington, seeing that his well-arranged plan was +about to be defeated, could not control his anger and disappointment," +said Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"It is true. Washington, like all very great men, was naturally strongly +passionate. His usual self-command was the more wonderful because it had +been acquired by stern practice. The battle of Germantown was one of +those few occasions in his life when his feelings burst through all +restraint; and then, it is said by those who should know, that his wrath +was fierce and terrible. The officers were compelled, by considerations +of his safety, to lead his horse from the field. He did all that a man +could do to rally his broken troops, and exposed himself as fearlessly +as the bravest soldier. All his exertions were vain, however, and he +became much irritated in consequence." + +"The retreat just when victory was within his grasp was enough to +irritate any commander who valued his aim and plan," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar, agreeing with Smith in the remarks which he had just +made. "I suppose, if Washington had been completely successful at +Germantown, the British would have been driven from Philadelphia," said +Higgins. + +"Ay; and from the vicinity of Philadelphia," replied Smith. "They could +not have recovered from such a defeat." + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF THE KEGS.] + + +BATTLE OF THE KEGS. + +"Father," said Mr. Jackson Harmar, "I have a song in my portfolio, +written by Francis Hopkinson while the British were in Philadelphia; +perhaps you can tell us something about the event which is the subject +of it. Here it is. It is called 'The Battle of the Kegs.'" + +"The Battle of the Kegs! That I can, my boy. But read the song," replied +old Harmar. His son then read the following facetious ditty: + + + "Gallants, attend, and hear a friend + Trill forth harmonious ditty: + Strange things I'll tell, which late befell + In Philadelphia city. + + Twas early day, as poets say, + Just when the sun was rising, + A soldier stood on log of wood, + And saw a sight surprising. + + As, in amaze, he stood to gaze,-- + The truth can't be denied, sirs,-- + He spied a score--of kegs, or more, + Come floating down the tide, sirs. + A sailor, too, in jerkin blue, + The strange appearance viewing, + First damn'd his eyes, in great surprise, + Then said, 'Some mischief's brewing. + + These kegs now hold the rebels bold, + Pack'd up like pickled herrings + And they're come down to attack the town, + In this new way of ferrying.' + + The soldier flew, the sailor, too, + And, scared almost to death, sirs, + Wore out their shoes to spread the news, + And ran till out of breath, sirs. + + Now up and down, throughout the town, + Most frantic scenes were acted; + And some ran here, and some ran there, + Like men almost distracted. + + Some fire cried, which some denied, + But said the earth had quaked; + And girls and boys, with hideous noise, + Ran through the town half-naked. + + Sir William he, snug as a flea, + Lay all this time a snoring, + Nor dream'd of harm, as he lay warm, + While all without was roaring. + + Now, in affright, he starts upright, + Awaked by such a clatter: + He rubs both eyes, and boldly cries, + 'For God's sake, what's the matter?' + At his bedside he then espied + Sir Erskine at command, sirs; + Upon one foot he had one boot, + And t'other in his hand, sirs. + + 'Arise! arise!' Sir Erskine cries: + 'The rebels--more's the pity-- + Without a boat, are all afloat, + And ranged before the city. + + 'The motley crew, in vessels new, + With Satan for their guide, sir, + Pack'd up in bags, or wooden kegs, + Come driving down the tide, sir. + + 'Therefore prepare for bloody war! + These kegs must all be routed; + Or surely we despised shall be, + And British courage doubted.' + + The royal band now ready stand, + All ranged in dread array, sirs; + With stomach stout, to see it out, + And make a bloody day, sirs. + + The cannons roar from shore to shore, + The small arms make a rattle; + Since wars began, I'm sure no man + E'er saw so strange a battle. + + The rebel vales, the rebel dales, + With rebel trees surrounded, + The distant woods, the hills and floods, + With rebel echoes sounded. + The fish below swam to and fro, + Attack'd from every quarter: + Why, sure, thought they, the devil's to pay + 'Mongst folks above the water. + + The kegs, 'tis said, though strongly made, + Of rebel staves and hoops, sirs, + Could not oppose their powerful foes, + The conquering British troops, sirs. + + From morn to night, these men of might + Display'd amazing courage; + And when the sun was fairly down, + Retired to sup their porridge. + + A hundred men, with each a pen, + Or more--upon my word, sirs, + It is most true--would be too few + Their valor to record, sirs. + + Such feats did they perform that day + Upon these wicked kegs, sirs, + That years to come, if they get home, + They'll make their boasts and brags, sirs." + + +"Ha! ha! that's a good thing. The enemy used to be so fond of the word +'rebel' that they would attach it to the most trifling things, when +speaking of our people. Judge Hopkinson ridicules that in fine style," +remarked old Harmar. + +"It ought to be sung to the tune of the 'Hoosier's Ghost,'" said Wilson. + +"Who is the Sir Erskine alluded to in the song?" inquired Mrs. Harmar. +"Sir William Erskine, one of Sir William Howe's officers," replied old +Harmar. "This song created much merriment among the whigs at the time +it was written, so that, however much the enemy were right, we had the +laugh on our side." + +"But what were the circumstances which gave rise to it?" inquired Mr. +Jackson Harmar, impatiently. + +"I was about to tell you," replied his father. "A Mr. David Bushnell +had invented several ingenious articles of submarine machinery, for the +purpose of destroying the British vessels stationed in the Delaware. +Among these was the American torpedo, a machine shaped like a water +tortoise, and managed by a single person. It contained sufficient air to +support respiration thirty minutes without being replenished, valves to +admit or reject water for the purpose of rising or sinking, ballast to +keep it upright, and a seat for the operator. Above the rudder was a +place for carrying a large powder magazine, constructed from two pieces +of oak timber, and capable of carrying one hundred and fifty pounds of +powder, with the apparatus for firing it. Within the magazine was an +apparatus constructed to run any proposed length of time under twelve +hours, after which it sprung a strong lock similar to that of a gun, +which gave fire to the powder. This apparatus was so secured that it +could be set in motion only by the casting off of the magazine from the +vessel. + +"With this machine a skilful operator could swim so low on the surface +of the water, as to approach at night very near to a ship without being +discovered. After sinking quickly, he could keep at any necessary depth, +and row to a great distance in any direction, without coming to the +surface. Bushnell found, however, that much trial and instruction were +required for a man of common ingenuity to become a skilful manager. It +was first tried by his brother, who, unfortunately, was taken ill at the +time when he had become an able operator. Another person was procured, +and the first experiment tried upon the Eagle, a sixty-four, which Lord +Howe commanded in person. He went under the ship, and attempted to fix +the wooden screw into her bottom, but struck, as was supposed, a bar +of iron running from the rudder-hinge. Not being well skilled in the +management of the machine, he lost the ship in attempting to move to +another place; and, after seeking her in vain for some time, rowed a +little distance and rose to the surface. Daylight had now advanced so +that the attempt could not be renewed, and, fearing he was discovered, +he detached the magazine from his vessel and escaped. In an hour the +powder exploded, throwing a vast column of water to an amazing height, +and leaving the enemy to conjecture whether it was caused by a bomb, a +water-spout, or an earthquake. Want of resources obliged Mr. Bushnell to +abandon his schemes for that time; but, in 1777, he made an attempt from +a whale-boat against the Cerberus frigate, by drawing a machine against +her side with a line. It accidentally became attached to a schooner and +exploded, tearing the vessel in pieces. Three men were killed, and one +dangerously wounded. + +"In December, 1777, Mr. Bushnell contrived another ingenious expedient +for accomplishing his favorite object. He charged a number of kegs +with powder, arranging them so as to explode on coming in contact with +anything while floating along the tide. This squadron was launched +at night on the Delaware river, above the English shipping; but, +unfortunately, the proper distance could not be well ascertained, and +they were set adrift too far from the vessels, so that they became +obstructed and dispersed by the floating ice. On the following day, +however, one of them blew up a boat, and others exploded, occasioning +the greatest consternation among the British seamen. The troops were +aroused, and, with the sailors, manned the wharves and shipping at +Philadelphia, discharging their cannon and small-arms at everything they +could see floating in the river during the ebb tide. + +"The scene must have been a very ridiculous one, and we cannot wonder +at Judge Hopkinson making such comic use of it. The British must have +imagined that every keg was the visible part of a torpedo, intended for +their destruction." + +"We cannot wonder at their consternation, while in constant danger of +being blown into the air," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Just place yourself +in their position; and, knowing that several attempts had been made to +blow up the ships, how would you have acted?" + +"I should have made quite as much noise, I suppose," replied old Harmar; +"but then it was so laughable. I don't think the folks aboard of those +ships slept for a week after finding that there was powder in the kegs. +That, I believe, was Bushnell's last attempt to destroy the fleet." + +"For my part," remarked Wilson, "I never liked such contrivances; and it +is a very pregnant fact that in most cases they have failed, when, from +the skill and science displayed in their construction, success was +anticipated. It's my opinion, God works against such things. As much +as I hated the enemy, I could not sanction such wholesale murder--for +murder it would have been, to have sent hundreds of men into eternity, +without giving them an inch of fair fighting ground. I would not have +minded blowing up the British government--that I could have done myself +without any more sting of conscience than the hangman feels; but +soldiers and seamen fight fairly and openly for their country's honor +and rights, as they understand those things, and they should be met in +the same manner." + +"You're right, Mr. Wilson. Torpedoes, catamarans, and such inventions, +might be employed by both parties in war, and with destructive effect. +But wars ought to be conducted in such a manner as to gain the desired +end with as little loss of life as possible; besides, in the eyes of all +really brave men, these things must seem cowardly," said Morton. + +"You must permit me to differ with you, gentlemen," put in Mr. Jackson +Harmar; and, in a very dignified, Congressional style, he delivered +himself of the following defence of the innovations of modern warfare: +"I view all such contrivances as the triumph of the genius and skill of +man over mere brute force, and as tending to the great ends of the peace +and happiness of mankind. They place the weak upon a level with the +strong, and make it evident to every one that the best course would be +to submit all questions of right to the arbitration of the mind instead +of the arm and sword. Suppose I, being a small, weak man, should quarrel +with a man of great physical strength, and a hatred to the death should +be declared between us. Now, upon whichever side the bone of right lay, +the strong man would have the power to destroy me; but if I set my brain +to work, and contrive an 'infernal machine,' I shall be superior to him, +and drive him to the same resource. Now, we both see by this, that we +stand an even chance of being destroyed, and reason resumes her reign. +We see that the wisest and safest course for both would be to submit +the question involved in the quarrel to the judgment of a mutual and +impartial friend. Even so these inventions operate among nations, +which, by the way, should be ruled by the same general principles as +individuals." + +"That's all very true," remarked Wilson. "But if I was about to fight +a duel with a man, and I stood up, pistol in hand, while he stood off +beyond my reach, and with some infernal invention endeavored to kill me, +I should call him a coward." + +"That would not settle the dispute," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "Your +wisest course would be to equal his invention, and compel him to fight +fairly or make peace." + + +ARNOLD'S TREASON. + +"Many strange and many laughable public events occurred in Philadelphia +during the Revolution," said old Harmar. "I was with the army during the +greater part of the time, but our family remained in the city, and kept +me advised of everything that was going on. I was engaged to be married +to your mother, Jackson, before the war commenced, and I had to leave +her in Philadelphia also, until the war was over. She used to write me +letters, telling me about everything that passed in the city that was +interesting. I recollect in one letter she gave me an account of how the +news of Arnold's treason was received among the people." + +"With blessings on the traitor's head, of course," remarked Wilson, +ironically. + +"I could imagine how it was received," said Mr. Jackson Harmar. "The +people were indignant and cursed the traitor." + +"The people of Philadelphia knew Arnold's real character," replied old +Harmar. "They knew, from his residence among them, that he was capable +of selling his soul for gold, glory, and pleasure; but they did not +suspect him of any intention of leaving our cause entirely. They thought +he would see that it was for his interest to stand by his country's +rights. While in command in this city, Arnold had been very intimate +with several wealthy tory families, and I believe had married a lady +who was connected with them. But such an intimacy was not sufficient to +justify suspicions of his patriotism, if it had not been joined with +other circumstances. He gave great entertainments at his house, and +lived as if he was worth a mint of money. Then he was always in trouble +with the committees of Congress about money matters, which made +people generally believe that he cared more for gold than he did for +principles. Well, when the news of his discovered treachery reached +Philadelphia, the men with whom he had been wrangling about money said +they knew it would turn out just so, and they never expected anything +else; and the citizens generally were very indignant. They chose some +laughable ways of showing the state of their feelings. An artist +constructed a stuffed figure of the traitor, as large as life, and +seated him in a cart, with a figure of the devil alongside of him, +holding a lantern so as to show his face to the people. The words, +'Benedict Arnold, the Traitor,' were placed on a board over the head +of the first figure. An evening was appointed for the display, and the +hanging and burning of the effigy. A vast procession was formed, with +the cart at the head, and drums and fife playing the Rogues' March. This +paraded the streets of the city during the whole evening. The people +groaned and hissed, and pelted the figures as they passed. At length the +procession reached a common which had been selected for the purpose, and +on which a gallows had been erected. There the effigy was hung, and then +taken down and burnt. In the fire, the figure of old Nick was arranged +with one hand upon Arnold's head, and the other pointing below, while he +grinned as if over a triumph." + +"An appropriate ceremony," said Wilson. + +"It must have been a great sight," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"They should have caught the man himself, and burnt him instead of a +stuffed figure," said Higgins. + +"It would have saved Andre," remarked Smith. + +"The scoundrel!" exclaimed Morton. "He ought to have been put to death +with all the torture the Indians use with their captives." + +These slight remarks indicated the peculiar manner in which each of +these individuals viewed a subject. + +"The British generals expected that Arnold's example would be followed +by numbers of the Americans; but I think they soon saw the character of +the people, and the way they regarded Arnold," said old Harmar. + +"It's my opinion that Arnold's going over to the enemy was a benefit to +our cause," remarked Smith. "Such men are stains upon the character of +the people with whom they associate; and if a selfish, sensual traitor +was fit company for Sir Henry Clinton and his officers, he was not for +Washington and the other generals of our army." "Some of our people +thought that he would prove a dangerous foe; but, after the attack on +New London, all his activity and bravery seem to have fallen asleep. We +had many men who could have met and defeated him, with anything like +equal force. We did not lose much by his treachery, and the British lost +Andre, who would have outweighed many Arnolds," said Morton. + +"But treason found its reward," observed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "If Arnold +had an atom of conscience or sensibility to shame, the curses of a whole +people, whom he had turned from admiring friends to bitter foes, and +the jeers and scorn of those whom he wished to make friends, must have +planted many a thorn in his bosom, to rankle and poison his life." + +"If he had any conscience?" remarked Morton, with an unbelieving smile. + +"The people of Philadelphia showed that they had the true patriotic +spirit in them, in burning that effigy of Arnold," said Mr. Jackson +Harmar; "and taught the enemy that, though they might buy one man, they +could not hire a people to follow wrong example." + + +CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. + +"Well, leaving Arnold to the execration of all patriotic and pure-souled +men," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar, assuming the post of pilot to the +conversation, "there is an exploit of the Revolution which always struck +me as being one of the most daring and perilous to be found in the +annals of war. I mean the capture of Major-General Prescott by Major +Barton. If either of you, gentlemen, know the circumstances of that +affair, I would be obliged to you for your information." + +"I don't know as much about it as you may obtain from history," +replied old Harmar, speaking for himself. "Our line was in another +neighborhood." + +"I should suppose Mr. Morton was acquainted with the facts, as he was up +in that part of the country about that time," observed Wilson. + +"I was; and do know all that one engaged in the expedition might tell +me," replied Morton. "Furthermore, I have no objection to communicating +my information.--I would thank you for a glass of water, Mrs. Harmar." +The water was handed to the old man, and, after a refreshing draught, he +proceeded with his narrative. + +"You must know, that in the latter part of 1771 General Charles Lee was +surprised and taken prisoner by a detachment of British troops. This +was the result of his own carelessness. The British chuckled over his +capture, saying that they had caught the American palladium, as if Lee +was at all necessary to the success of our cause. However, the Americans +considered him a valuable officer, and Major William Barton, of the +Rhode Island line, resolved upon retaking him or procuring his exchange. + +"Some months elapsed, after the capture of General Lee, before an +opportunity offered of effecting the object which Major Barton had +in view. In the month following that of the capture, the enemy took +possession of the islands of Rhode-Island, Canonicut, and Prudence. +Major Barton was then stationed at Tiverton, and for some months +anxiously watched the motions of the enemy, with but feeble prospect of +obtaining the opportunity he desired. + +"At length, on the 20th June, 1777, a man by the name of Coffin, who +made his escape from the British, was seized by some of the American +troops, and carried to Major Barton's quarters. Major Barton availed +himself of the opportunity to inquire respecting the disposition of the +British forces. Coffin on examination, stated that Major-General +Richard Prescott had established his head-quarters on the west side of +Rhode-Island, and described minutely the situation of the house in which +he resided, which he said was owned by a Mr. Pering. His account was +a few days after confirmed by a deserter from the ranks of the enemy. +Major Barton was now confirmed in his belief of the practicability of +effecting his favorite object:--but serious obstacles were first to be +encountered and removed. Neither his troops, nor their commander, had +been long inured to service; and the intended enterprise was of a nature +as novel as it was hazardous. Besides, Major Barton was aware that the +undertaking, should it prove unsuccessful, would be pronounced rash and +unadvised, and, in its consequences, though his life might be preserved, +be followed by degradation and disgrace. Moreover, to involve in the +consequences of an enterprise, devised and undertaken without previous +consultation with his superiors in rank, the interest and perhaps the +lives of a portion of his brave countrymen, was a subject that excited +reflections calculated to damp the ardor and appall the courage of the +bravest minds. Still, however, upon mature reflection, aided by a +consciousness that its only motive was the interest of his country, he +resolved to hazard his reputation and his life in the attempt. + +"The regiment to which Major Barton was attached, was commanded by +Colonel Stanton, a respectable and wealthy farmer in Rhode-Island, who, +in the spirit of the times, had abandoned the culture of his farm and +the care of his family, and put at hazard his property and his life in +defence of his country. To this gentleman Major Barton communicated his +plan, and solicited permission to carry it into execution. Colonel +Stanton readily authorized him 'to attack the enemy when and where he +pleased.' Several officers in the confidence of Major Barton were +then selected from the regiment for the intended expedition, on whose +abilities and bravery he could rely:--these were, Captain Samuel +Phillips, Lieutenant Joshua Babcock, Ensign Andrew Stanton, and John +Wilcock. (Captain Adams subsequently volunteered his services, and took +an active part in the enterprise.) These gentlemen were informed by +Major Barton, that he had in contemplation an enterprise which would be +attended with great personal hazard to himself and his associates; but +which, if success attended it, would be productive of much advantage +to the country. Its particular object, he stated, would be seasonably +disclosed to them. It was at their option to accept or decline his +invitation to share with him in the dangers, and, as he trusted, in the +glory that would attend the undertaking. The personal bravery of Major +Barton had been previously tested; and such was the confidence and +esteem which he had acquired among the officers under his command, +that, without insisting upon a previous developement of his plans, +his proposal was immediately accepted. Major Barton experienced more +difficulty in obtaining the necessary number of boats, as there were but +two in the vicinity. But this difficulty, though it caused a few days' +delay, was at length obviated, and five whale-boats were procured and +fitted for service. Major Barton had purposely postponed procuring the +necessary number of men until the last moment, from an apprehension that +their earlier selection might excite suspicion, and defeat the object +of their enterprise. Desirous that this little band might be composed +entirely of volunteers, the whole regiment was now ordered upon parade. +In a short, but animated address, Major Barton informed the soldiers +that he projected an expedition against the enemy, which could be +effected only by the heroism and bravery of those who should attend him; +that he desired the voluntary assistance of about forty of their number, +and directed those 'who would hazard their lives in the enterprise, +to advance two paces in front.' Without one exception, or a moment's +hesitation, the whole regiment advanced. Major Barton, after bestowing +upon the troops the applause they merited, and stating that he required +the aid of but a small portion of their number, commenced upon the +right, and, passing along the lines, selected from the regiment, to +the number of thirty-six, those who united to bravery and discipline +a competent knowledge of seamanship, for the management of the boats. +Having thus obtained an adequate number of officers and men, and +everything being ready, the party, on the 4th of July, 1777, embarked +from Tiverton for Bristol. While crossing Mount Hope Bay, there arose a +severe storm of thunder and rain, which separated three boats from that +of their commander. The boat containing Major Barton, and one other, +arrived at Bristol soon after midnight. Major Barton proceeded to the +quarters of the commanding officer, where he found a deserter who had +just made his escape from the enemy at Rhode-Island. From this man he +learned that there had been no alteration for the last few days in the +position of the British. On the morning of the fifth, the remaining +boats having arrived, Major Barton, with his officers, went to Hog +Island, not far distant from Bristol, and within view of the British +encampment and shipping. It was at this place that he disclosed to +his officers the particular object of the enterprise, his reasons for +attempting it, and the part each was to perform. Upon reconnoitring +the position of the enemy, it was thought impracticable, without great +hazard of capture, to proceed directly from Bristol to the head-quarters +of the British general. It was determined, therefore, to make Warwick +Neck, a place opposite to the British encampment, but at a greater +distance than Bristol, the point from which they should depart +immediately for Rhode-Island. The closest secrecy was enjoined upon his +officers by Major Barton, and they returned to Bristol. + +"On the evening of the sixth, about nine o'clock, the little squadron +again sailed, and crossing Narragansett Bay, landed on Warwick Neck. +On the seventh, the wind changing to E.N.E. brought on a storm, and +retarded their plan. On the ninth, the weather being pleasant, it was +determined to embark for the island. The boats were now numbered, and +the place of every officer and soldier assigned. About nine o'clock in +the evening, Major Barton assembled his little party around him, and in +a short but spirited address, in which were mingled the feelings of the +soldier and the man, he disclosed to them the object of the enterprise. +He did not attempt to conceal the danger and difficulties that would +inevitably attend the undertaking; nor did he forget to remind them, +that should their efforts be followed by success, they would be entitled +to, and would receive, the grateful acknowledgments of their country. +'It is probable,' said he, 'that some of us may not survive the daring +attempt; but I ask you to hazard no dangers which will not be shared +with you by your commander; and I pledge to you my honor, that in every +difficulty and danger I will take the lead.' He received the immediate +and unanimous assurance of the whole party, that they would follow +wherever their commander should lead them. Major Barton then, reminding +them how much the success of the enterprise depended upon their strict +attention to orders, directed that each individual should confine +himself to his particular seat in the boat assigned him, and that not +a syllable should be uttered by any one. He instructed them, as they +regarded their character as patriots and soldiers, that in the hour +of danger they should be firm, collected, and resolved fearlessly to +encounter the dangers and difficulties that might assail them. He +concluded by offering his earnest petition to the Great King of Armies, +that he would smile upon their intended enterprise, and crown it with +success. The whole party now proceeded to the shore. Major Barton had +reason to apprehend that he might be discovered in his passage from the +main to Rhode-Island, by some of the ships of war that lay at a small +distance from shore. He therefore directed the commanding officer at +Warwick Neck, that if he heard the report of three distinct muskets, to +send boats to the north end of Prudence Island to his aid. The whole +party now took possession of the boats in the manner directed. That +which contained Major Barton was posted in front, with a pole about +ten feet long fixed in her stern, to the end of which was attached a +handkerchief, in order that his boat might be distinguished from the +others, and that none might go before it. In this manner they proceeded +between the islands of Prudence and Patience, in order that they might +not be seen by the shipping of the enemy that lay off Hope Island. While +passing the north end of Prudence Island, they heard from the sentinels +on board the shipping of the enemy, the cry of 'All's well!' As they +approached the shore of Rhode-Island, a noise like the running of horses +was heard, which threw a momentary consternation over the minds of the +whole party; but, in strict conformity to the orders issued, not a word +was spoken by any one. A moment's reflection satisfied Major Barton of +the utter impossibility that his designs could be known by the enemy, +and he pushed boldly for the shore. Apprehensive that, if discovered, +the enemy might attempt to cut off his retreat, Major Barton ordered +one man to remain in each boat, and be prepared to depart at a +moment's warning. The remainder of the party landed without delay. The +reflections of Major Barton at this interesting moment, were of a +nature the most painful. The lapse of a few hours would place him in a +situation in the highest degree gratifying to his ambition, or overwhelm +him in the ruin in which his rashness would involve him. In the solemn +silence of night, and on the shores of the enemy, he paused a moment to +consider a plan which had been projected and matured amidst the bustle +of a camp and in a place of safety. The night was excessively dark, and, +a stranger to the country, his sole reliance upon a direct and rapid +movement to the head-quarters of a British general, so essential to +success, rested upon the imperfect information he had acquired from +deserters from the enemy. Should he surprise and secure General +Prescott, he was aware of the difficulties that would attend his +conveyance to the boat; the probability of an early and fatal discovery +of his design by the troops upon the island; and, even if he should +succeed in reaching the boats, it was by no means improbable that the +alarm might be seasonably given to the shipping, to prevent his retreat +to the main. But regardless of circumstances, which even then would have +afforded an apology for a hasty retreat, he resolved at all hazards to +attempt the accomplishment of his designs. + +"To the head-quarters of General Prescott, about a mile from the shore, +a party in five divisions now proceeded in silence. There were doors on +the south, the east and west sides of the house in which he resided. The +first division was ordered to advance upon the south door, the second +the west, and the third the east, the fourth to guard the road, and the +fifth to act in emergencies. In their march they passed the guard-house +of the enemy on their left, and on their right a house occupied by a +company of cavalry, for the purpose of carrying with expedition the +orders of the general to remote parts of the island. On arriving +at the head-quarters of the enemy, as the gate of the front yard was +opened, they were challenged by a sentinel on guard. The party was at +the distance of twenty-five yards from the sentinel, but a row of +trees partially concealed them from his view, and prevented him from +determining their number. No reply was made to the challenge of the +sentinel, and the party proceeded on in silence. The sentinel again +demanded, 'Who comes there?' 'Friends,' replied Barton. 'Friends,' says +the sentinel, 'advance and give the countersign.' + +"Major Barton, affecting to be angry, said to the sentinel, who was now +near him, 'Damn you, we have no countersign--have you seen any rascals +to-night?' and, before the sentinel could determine the character of +those who approached him, Major Barton had seized his musket, told him +he was a prisoner, and threatened, in case of noise or resistance, to +put him to instant death. The poor fellow was so terrified, that upon +being asked whether his general was in the house, he was for some time +unable to give any answer. At length, in a faltering voice, he replied +that he was. By this time each division having taken its station, the +south door was burst open by the direction of Major Barton, and the +division there stationed, with their commander at their head, rushed +into the head-quarters of the general. At this critical moment, one of +the British soldiers effected his escape, and fled to the quarters of +the main guard. This man had no article of clothing upon him but a +shirt; and having given the alarm to the sentinel on duty, passed on +to the quarters of the cavalry, which was more remote from the +head-quarters of the general. The sentinel roused the main guard, who +were instantly in arms, and demanded the cause of alarm. He stated the +information which had been given him by the soldier, which appeared so +incredible to the sergeant of the guard that he insisted that he had +seen a ghost. The sentinel, to whom the account of the general's capture +appeared quite as incredible as to his commanding officer, admitted that +the messenger was clothed in white; and after submitting to the jokes +of his companions, as a punishment for his credulity, he was ordered to +resume his station, while the remainder of the guard retired to their +quarters. It was fortunate for Major Barton and his brave followers, +that the alarm given by the soldier was considered groundless. Had the +main guard proceeded without delay to the relief of their commanding +general, his rescue certainly, and probably the destruction of the +party, would have been the consequence. + +"The first room Major Barton entered was occupied by Mr. Pering, who +positively denied that General Prescott was in the house. He next +entered the room of his son, who was equally obstinate with his father +in denying that the general was there. Major Barton then proceeded +to other apartments, but was still disappointed in the object of +his search. Aware that longer delay might defeat the object of his +enterprise, Major Barton resorted to stratagem to facilitate his +search. Placing himself at the head of the stairway, and declaring +his resolution to secure the general dead or alive, he ordered +[Illustration: CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT.] his soldiers to set fire +to the house. The soldiers were preparing to execute his orders, when +a voice, which Major Barton at once suspected to be the general's, +demanded 'What's the matter?' Major Barton rushed to the apartment from +whence the voice proceeded, and discovered an elderly man just rising +from his bed, and clapping his hand upon his shoulder, demanded of +him if he was General Prescott. He answered 'Yes, sir.' 'You are my +prisoner, then,' said Major Barton. 'I acknowledge that I am,' replied +the general. In a moment, General Prescott found himself, half dressed, +in the arms of the soldiers, who hurried him from the house. In the +meantime, Major Barrington, the aid to General Prescott, discovering +that the house was attacked by the rebels, as he termed them, leaped +from the window of his bed-chamber, and was immediately secured a +prisoner. General Prescott, supported by Major Barton and one of his +officers, and attended by Major Barrington and the sentinel, proceeded, +surrounded by the soldiery, to the shore. Upon seeing the five little +boats, General Prescott, who knew the position of the British shipping, +appeared much confused, and, turning to Major Barton, inquired if he +commanded the party. On being informed that he did, he expressed a hope +that no personal injury was intended him; and Major Barton assured the +general of his protection, while he remained under his control. + +"The general had travelled from head-quarters to the shore in his +waistcoat, small-clothes, and slippers. A moment was now allowed him to +complete his dress, while the party were taking possession of the boats. +The general was placed in the boat with Major Barton, and they proceeded +for the main. + +"They had not got far from the island, when the discharge of cannon and +three sky-rockets gave the signal of alarm. It was fortunate for the +party that the enemy on board the shipping were ignorant of the cause +of it, for they might easily have cut off their retreat. The signal +of alarm excited the apprehensions of Major Barton and his brave +associates, and redoubled their exertions to reach the point of their +destination before they could be discovered. They succeeded, and +soon after day-break landed at Warwick Neck, near the point of their +departure, after an absence of six hours and a half. + +"General Prescott turned towards the island, and, observing the ships +of war, remarked to Major Barton, 'Sir, you have made a bold push +to-night.' 'We have been fortunate,' replied the hero. An express was +immediately sent forward to Major-General Spencer, at Providence, +communicating the success which had attended the enterprise. Not long +afterwards, a coach arrived, which had been despatched by General +Spencer to convey General Prescott and his aide-de-camp prisoners to +Providence. They were accompanied by Major Barton, who related to +General Spencer, on their arrival, the particulars of the enterprise, +and received from that officer the most grateful acknowledgments for the +signal services he had rendered to his country." + +"I suppose Prescott paid for Lee soon afterwards?" said young Harmar. +"Yes; he was an officer of equal rank with Lee. The enemy had refused to +exchange Lee for two or three officers of an inferior grade, but they +were ready enough to take Prescott for him," replied Morton. + +"It was as complete an enterprise as was ever carried through," remarked +old Harmar. + +"The poor general must have been surprised to find he was a prisoner, +when he thought himself safe among an army and fleet," observed Mrs. +Harmar. + +"Major Barton was every inch a hero. See his skill and daring in +planning and executing the capture, and then his modesty when Prescott +said he had made a bold push--'We have been fortunate.' The reply was +worthy of the noblest of the Athenians," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Circumstances did certainly favor the enterprise," said Smith. "In +fact, we may say its success turned upon chances, and if it had failed +and the whole party been made prisoners, Major Barton would have been +called a rash and inconsiderate officer. Success works wonders in our +estimate of deeds." + +"You are harsh. Barton calculated the chances before he entered into the +expedition--saw that they were in his favor, and then formed his plan. +I am persuaded that, had he failed, his countrymen would have done him +justice," said Wilson. + +"Perhaps," replied Higgins. + + +JONATHAN RILEY AND FRANK LILLY. + +"I say, Mr. Higgins," said old Harmar, wishing to change the subject, +"do you recollect Jonathan Riley and Frank Lilly, that were in our +company?" + +"I do. I shall never forget the death of either of them," replied +Higgins. "Poor Frank used to be the butt of the regiment." + +"And why shall you always remember the death of those two men?" inquired +Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"Well, from peculiar circumstances connected with them," replied +Higgins. "However, your father knew them most intimately, and he can +tell you more about them than I can." + +"Come, father, we call on you for the story," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"You shall have what I can recollect of it, my child. My memory won't +pass muster any more; but if there's one event that will never escape +its grasp, it is the singular death of Jonathan Riley. He was a sergeant +in our regiment. + +[Illustration: RILEY GOING TO THE PLACE OF EXECUTION.] + +He had served in the old French war, and, being a man of tried +courage and presence of mind, he was usually selected for dangerous and +trying situations. He was at length placed on a recruiting station, and +in a short period he enlisted a great number of men. Among his recruits +was Frank Lilly, a boy about sixteen years old, who was so weak and +small that he would not have passed muster if the array had not been +greatly in want of men. The soldiers made this boy the butt of their +ridicule, and many a joke was perpetrated at his expense. Yet there was +a spirit in the boy beyond his years. Riley was greatly attached to him; +and it was reported, on good authority, that he was the fruit of one of +Riley's love affairs with a beautiful and unfortunate girl. + +"Often on our long and fatiguing marches, dying almost from want, +harassed incessantly by the enemy, did Riley carry the boy's knapsack +for miles, and many a crust for the poor wretch was saved from his +scanty allowance. But Frank Lilly's resolution was once the cause +of saving the whole detachment. The American army was encamped at +Elizabethtown. The soldiers stationed about four miles from the main +body, near the bay that separated the continent from Staten-Island, +forming an advance picket-guard, were chosen from a southern regiment, +and were continually deserting. It was a post of some danger, as the +young ambitious British officers, or experienced sergeants, often headed +parties that approached the shore in silence, during the night, and +attacked our outposts. Once they succeeded in surprising and capturing +an officer and twenty men, without the loss of a man on their part. +General Washington determined to relieve the forces near the bay, +and our regiment was the one from which the selection was made. The +arrangement of our guard, as near as I can recollect, was as follows: + +"A body of two hundred and fifty men was stationed a short distance +inland. In advance of these were several outposts, consisting of an +officer and thirty men each. The sentinels were so near as to meet in +their rounds, and were relieved every two hours. It chanced one dark and +windy night, that Lilly and myself were sentinels on adjoining posts. +All the sentinels were directed to fire on the least alarm, and retreat +to the guard, where we were to make the best defence we could, until +supported by the detachment in our rear. In front of me was a strip of +woods, and the bay was so near that I could hear the dashing of the +waves. It was near midnight, and occasionally a star was to be seen +through the flying clouds. The hours passed heavily and cheerlessly +away. The wind at times roared through the adjoining woods with +astonishing violence. In a pause of the storm, as the wind died suddenly +away, and was heard only moaning at a distance, I was startled by an +unusual noise in the woods before me. Again I listened attentively, and +imagined that I heard the heavy tread of a body of men, and the rattling +of cartridge boxes. As I met Lilly, I informed him of my suspicions. All +had been quiet in the rounds, but he promised to keep a good watch, and +fire on the least alarm. We separated, and I had marched but a few rods, +when I heard the following conversation. 'Stand.' The answer was from +a speaker rapidly approaching, and in a low constrained voice. 'Stand +yourself, and you shall not be injured. If you fire, you are a dead man. +If you remain where you are, you shall not be harmed. If you move, I +will run you through.' + +"Scarcely had he spoken, when I saw the flash, and heard the report of +Lilly's gun. I saw a black mass rapidly advancing, at which I fired, and +with all the sentinels retreated to the guard, consisting of thirty men, +commanded by an ensign. An old barn had served them for a guard-house, +and they barely had time to turn out, and parade in the road, as the +British were getting over a fence within six rods of us, to the number +of eighty, as we supposed. We fired upon them, and retreated in good +order towards the detachment in the rear. The enemy, disappointed of +their expected prey, pushed us hard, but we were soon reinforced, and +they, in their turn, were compelled to retreat, and we followed them +at their heels to the boats. We found the next morning that poor Frank +Lilly, after discharging his musket, was followed so close by the enemy +that he was unable to get over a fence, and he was run through with +a bayonet. It was apparent, however, that there had been a violent +struggle; for in front of his post was a British non-commissioned +officer, one of the best formed men I ever saw, shot directly through +the body. He died in great agonies, as the ground was torn up with his +hands, and he had literally bitten the dust. We discovered long traces +of blood, but never knew the extent of the enemy's loss. Poor Riley +took Lilly's death so much to heart that he never afterwards was the man +he previously had been. He became indifferent, and neglected his duty. +There was something remarkable in the manner of his death. He was +tried for his life, and sentenced to be shot. During the trial and +subsequently, he discovered an indifference truly astonishing. On the +day of his execution, the fatal cap was drawn over his eyes, and he was +caused to kneel in front of the whole army. Twelve men were detailed for +the purpose of executing him, but a pardon had been granted, unknown to +Riley, in consequence of his age and services; they had no cartridges. +The word 'ready' was given, and the cocking of guns could be distinctly +heard. At the word 'fire,' Riley fell dead upon his face, when not a gun +had been discharged." + +"That was a remarkable death; but there have been many instances of +a similar kind. The dread of death has been sufficient to produce it +without a mortal blow," remarked Wilson. + +"But I cannot believe that Riley ever felt a dread of death. He was +always as reckless of his own life as if it was not of the value of a +pin's head. No; it was not the dread of death," replied old Harmar. + +"It may have been the belief that death was certainly about to visit +him. Imagination may produce effects quite as wonderful," observed Mr. +Jackson Harmar. + +"It's a waste of time and thought to speculate on such things," said +Smith. "But I'm inclined to believe, with young Mr. Harmar, that it was +the result of imagination. A man hearing the word 'fire,' in such a +case, would feel sure of death, and then his faculties would sink into +the expected state." + +"I guess Riley's heart must have been almost broken at the death of poor +Frank Lilly," said Mrs. Harmar. + +"Yes; he felt it deeper than most of us thought, and as I said, became +perfectly indifferent whether his duty was performed or not," replied +old Harmar. "The whole story of Riley and Lilly, including the account +of the love affair, was a sad bit of romance." + + +THE MASSACRE OF WYOMING. + +"The people of Pennsylvania," observed Morton, "suffered more from the +tories and Indians than they did from the British. Philadelphia and +its vicinity were the only parts which any considerable British force +visited; but look at the depredations of the tories and Indians on +the northern and western frontiers, and at the massacre at Wyoming +particularly." + +"Ay, there were suffering and horror enough experienced in that valley +alone, to match those of any other event in our history. It was a time +of blood and desolation," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. + +"I was intimately acquainted with several families residing in the +valley at the time of the massacre," said Morton; "and one man, who +was taken prisoner after seeing his whole family slaughtered, and who +afterwards escaped from the bloody band, narrated the whole affair to +me." + +"There is considerable dispute in regard to the circumstances attending +the massacre. It seems impossible to get at the precise truth," observed +Mrs. Harmar. "It's my opinion, the horrors of the event have been +greatly exaggerated," added Smith. + +"I do not think they could be exaggerated," replied Morton. "If you +desire it, I will relate the circumstances as they were narrated to me. +I can vouch for the strict regard to truth that has ever distinguished +my friend." + +Of course, the company signified their desire to hear the account, and +thereupon Morton began as follows. + +"Wyoming, besides being a frontier settlement during the course of the +Revolutionary war, and therefore constantly exposed to the inroads of +the savages, had furnished two full companies, and about sixty recruits +more, for the main army--all which were annexed to the Connecticut line, +and armed at their own expense. They amounted, in the whole, to two +hundred and thirty men. While thus weakened and unguarded, they were +invaded by an army from Niagara, in the British service, composed of +regulars, tories, and Indians; of which the Indians composed the greater +part. + +"The Indians, in the spring of 1777, began to be troublesome. Their +numbers were frequently augmented by the arrival of new parties; and it +was from the cattle, hogs, and other plunder taken from the inhabitants, +that they furnished themselves with provisions. Some of the inhabitants +were killed by them, and others captured; and they destroyed much +property. At length they became very formidable. + +"The inhabitants had erected several small forts, but the principal one +was Forty Fort, in Kingston, on the west side of the river, a small +distance above Wyoming Falls. To this the settlers had chiefly resorted. +They had sent agents to the continental army to acquaint them with their +distressed situation; in consequence of which, Captain Spaulding, with +about sixty or seventy men, was dispatched to their assistance. This +detachment was, at the time of the massacre, about forty miles distant. +The garrison had been apprised of their march from Lancaster, but not of +their proximity. + +"The people in the garrison grew uneasy, under the insults of the +invaders. The militia were placed under officers taken from themselves, +and the whole body was commanded by Colonel Zebulon Butler, of the +continental army. Colonel Dennison, of the militia, was second in +command. There was a fortification about three miles above Forty Fort, +called Wintermoot's Fort. This was in the possession of tories. They +surrendered at the approach of the enemy, without opposition, and gave +them aid; some of them entering fully into their interests. Wintermoot's +Fort instantly became the headquarters of the expedition from Canada; +and was commanded by Colonel John Butler, a British officer, and +commander of a party of rangers. The second in command was Colonel +Brandt, a natural son of Sir William Johnson, by an Indian woman. Some +communications by flag had taken place between the hostile parties +previous to the battle, with propositions of compromise. The Canadians +insisted on an unqualified submission to Great Britain; but this the +garrison peremptorily refused, and nothing was effected. The reciprocal +bearers of flags represented the army of the invaders as double the +garrison in number, and still more superior in the quality of their +arms. + +"It was debated in the garrison, whether it would be a point of prudence +to hazard a sally. An officer, who had been at the enemy's camp with a +flag, opposed it, as did also Colonel Dennison and several others, and +Colonel Butler rather declined it; but, among others who were in favor +of it, a certain captain, (who never lived to lament his temerity,) +urged it with so much vehemence, that the commandant consented. A Mr. +Ingersol, then in the garrison with a flag from the enemy, had been some +time their captive, and was intimately acquainted with their strength. +He did his utmost to deter them from the rash attempt, but all in vain; +and, when he saw them turn out and parade, could no longer refrain from +tears. + +"The third day of July, in the year 1778, was the fatal day that deluged +in blood the plains of Wyoming! The garrison marched off in a solid +column, and met with no material obstruction till they reached the +enemy's camp, about three miles above Forty Fort. Here they had the +Susquehanna on the right, and a thick swamp on the left; and, perceiving +that the enemy extended from the one to the other, ready to receive +them, they displayed column, which threw them into a similar position. +Colonel Zebulon Butler commanded the right, and was opposed by Colonel +John Butler, on the enemy's left. Colonel Dennison commanded on the +left, and was opposed by Colonel Brandt, on the enemy's right. The +action commenced at about forty rods distance. The air being heavy, the +smoke obstructed their sight; and, after the first discharge, they could +only direct their aim by the flash of the enemy's guns. Little execution +was done till after several discharges. Brandt marched a party into the +swamp, and flanked the militia. The enemy, now firing from under cover +of the thicket, greatly annoyed that wing. The militia dropped down +very fast, and at length began to give way, one after another, in rapid +succession, till the rout became general. The fugitives were closely +pursued by the Indians, who, besides their rifles and tomahawks, were +provided with long spears, which they threw with great dexterity, and +seldom missed their object--the practice of throwing the tomahawk and +spear, and of taking aim, being the principal exercises to which an +Indian warrior is trained. + +"It was impossible for men thus flying and thus pursued to rally, nor +had they a moment's time even to load their pieces, while death was +close upon every man's heel. And, besides, many of them had no other +weapon but a rusty musket. Flight was their only hope; and the Indians, +being most accustomed to running, if they could not run the fastest, +could, however, out-wind them. The carnage at once became general, and +three-fourths of the militia were killed. + +"According to the account of some who were present, the number +that sallied out was five hundred, and of those who escaped the +scalping-knife two hundred. Others assert that the sortie consisted of +but three hundred, and those who escaped were less than one hundred. +The probability is that, between the confusion, carnage, and panic of +the day, the accounts are all incorrect. But, by every account, about +three hundred able-bodied men, amounting to more than half the +settlement, were slain on that dismal day. + +"The fugitives fled in every direction. Some saved themselves by fair +running; some, by hiding till the darkness covered their retreat; and +many by swimming the river, &c. Particular details of all individual +escapes cannot be given; nor would they, perhaps, be entertaining, and I +shall, therefore, pass them over. Some few of the enemy were killed +in the pursuit; their total loss was never ascertained, but we are to +presume that it was small. + +"Forty Fort was immediately evacuated. Some few of the inhabitants took +British protections, and remained on their premises. The signal for a +house under protection was a white cloth hung up near the door, and for +a man, a white rag round the crown of his hat. + +"Those of the militia who escaped from the battle, hastened toward the +Delaware, and, on their way through the swamp, met Captain Spaulding's +detachment, who, on being informed of the strength of the enemy and +deplorable condition of the settlement, judged it prudent to turn about +and retire to the settlement on the Delaware. + +"The road through the swamp was thronged with women and children, +heavy-hearted and panic-struck; destitute of all the comforts of life, +travelling day and night, and in continual dread of the tomahawk and +scalping-knife! The whole country, and all the property in it, was +abandoned to the savages, save only by the few who had taken British +protections. + +"Colonel Nathan Dennison, who succeeded to the command after Butler +escaped, seeing the impossibility of an effectual defence, went with +a flag to Colonel John Butler, to know what terms he would grant on a +surrender; to which application Butler answered, with more than savage +phlegm, in two short words, '_The hatchet_.' Dennison, having defended +the fort till most of the garrison were killed or disabled, was +compelled to surrender at discretion. Some of the unhappy persons in the +fort were carried away alive; but the barbarous conquerors, to save +the trouble of murder in detail, shut up the rest promiscuously in +the houses and barracks, which they set on fire, enjoying the savage +pleasure of beholding the whole consumed in one general blaze. + +"They then crossed the river to the only remaining fort, Wilkesborough, +which, in hopes of mercy, surrendered without demanding any conditions. +They found about seventy continental soldiers, who had been engaged +merely for the defence of the frontiers, whom they butchered with every +circumstance of horrid cruelty. The remainder of the men, with the women +and children, were shut up, as before, in the houses, which being set on +fire, they perished altogether in the flames. + +"A general scene of devastation was now spread through all the +townships. Fire, sword, and the other different instruments of +destruction, alternately triumphed. The settlements of the tories +alone generally escaped, and appeared as islands in the midst of the +surrounding ruin. The merciless ravagers, having destroyed the main +objects of their cruelty, directed their animosity to every part of +living nature belonging to them--shooting and destroying some of their +cattle, and cutting out the tongues of others, leaving them still alive +to prolong their agonies. + +"The following are a few of the more singular circumstances of the +barbarity practised in the attack upon Wyoming. Captain Bedlock, who had +been taken prisoner, being stripped naked, had his body stuck full of +splinters of pine-knots, and then a heap of the same piled around him; +the whole was then set on fire, and his two companions, Captains Ranson +and Durgee, thrown alive into the flames and held down with pitchforks. +The returned tories, who had at different times abandoned the +settlement in order to join in those savage expeditions, were the most +distinguished for their cruelty: in this they resembled the tories that +joined the British forces. One of these Wyoming tories, whose mother had +married a second husband, butchered with his own hands both her, his +father-in-law, his own sisters, and their infant children. Another, who +during his absence had sent home several threats against the life of his +father, now not only realized them in person, but was himself, with his +own hands, the exterminator of his whole family, mothers, brothers, and +sisters, and mingled their blood in one common carnage with that of +the aged husband and father. The broken parts and scattered relics of +families, consisting mostly of women and children who had escaped to the +woods during the different scenes of this devastation, suffered little +less than their friends, who had perished in the ruins of their houses. +Dispersed, and wandering in the forests as chance and fear directed, +without provision or covering, they had a long tract of country to +traverse, and many, without doubt, perished in the woods." + +"Such deeds make the blood curdle in my veins," observed Mrs. Harmar. + +"It is said that the cruelty of Colonel John Butler at Wyoming has been +greatly exaggerated," remarked Mr. Jackson Harmar. "His son, Walter +Butler, was certainly a savage, and the bloody deeds he committed have +been frequently attributed to his father. But I think history should +set the matter right, nor found its assertions upon the stories of the +exasperated whigs." + +"That's well thought of you, Mr. Harmar, but it's my opinion that +historians cannot find any evidence of the humanity of John Butler. As I +said before, I firmly believe the story of my friend. If John Butler did +not butcher the men who asked for quarter, he looked quietly on while +the red men did it, and therefore he is just as criminal, in my eyes, as +if he had handled the tomahawk," said Morton, emphatically. + +"Colonel Zebulon Butler, with his family, escaped from the fort before +the massacre, I believe?" observed Higgins, inquisitively. + +"Yes; and in that I think he betrayed his trust. A commander should +either conquer or die with his men," replied Morton. + +"But when slaughter is certain, I think every man is justified in doing +all that he can to save himself," said old Harmar. + +"That is selfish. If slaughter was certain, would it not have been more +honorable to remain, and make the enemy pay life for life, than it would +be to steal away and leave women and children to fall without revenge?" +observed Wilson. + +"But would it be wise?" asked old Harmar, interrogatively. + +"Whatever is honorable is wise," replied Wilson. + + +STORY OF THE DAUPHIN'S BIRTHDAY. + +"Mr. Mortan, what do you think was the most interesting scene you saw +during the war?" enquired Mr. Jackson Harraar. + +"Well, that's a question it requires some thinking to answer," replied +Morton. "Leaving battle scenes out of view, I think the celebration of +the Dauphin's birth-day, in May, 1782, was one of the most interesting +events I have ever witnessed." + +"It was a great celebration," observed Higgins. + +"You see," began Morton, "our army was then encamped on the high grounds +on both sides of the Hudson. The camp on the west side of the river was +called New Boston, because the huts had been put up by the Massachusetts +troops. The head-quarters of General Washington were at West Point. +As our Congress had entered into an alliance with the king of France, +General Washington thought it proper to seize every occasion of doing +honor to our allies; and when the French were thrown into all sorts of +rejoicing by the birth of an heir to the throne, he decided that we +should celebrate the same event. The thirty-first of May was fixed upon +for the celebration. Great preparations were made for the festival. In +General Washington's orders, invitations were given to all the +officers in the army, and they were requested to invite any friend or +acquaintance they might have in the country to join them. A romantic, +open plain near West Point was chosen for the building of the great +bower under which the company were to meet and partake of a grand feast. +A French engineer, named Villefranche, was employed, with one thousand +men, ten days in completing it, and, when completed, it was one of the +most beautiful edifices I have ever seen. It was composed entirely of +the material which the trees in the neighborhood afforded, and was about +six hundred feet long and thirty wide. The roof was supported by a grand +colonnade of one hundred and eighteen pillars made of the trunks of +trees. The roof and walls were made of the boughs and branches of trees, +curiously interwoven, while the ends were left open. On the inside, +every pillar was enriched with muskets and bayonets, which were arranged +in a fanciful manner; and the whole interior was decorated with +evergreens, French and American colors, and various emblems and mottoes. + +"On the day of the festival, the whole army was paraded on the hills +on both side of the river, and it was a grand view. For several miles +around, as far as the eye could reach, lines of men, glittering in their +accoutrements, appeared. The officers were in front, or among their +respective commands, and their waving plumes seemed like floating +foam on the waves. At the signal--the firing of three cannon--all the +regimental officers left their commands and proceeded to the building +to join in the festivities there prepared by order of the +commander-in-chief. + +"At five o'clock, dinner being on the table, an interesting procession +moved from the quarters of Major-General M'Dougall, through a line +formed by Colonel Grain's regiment of artillery. In front, walked +the noble commander-in-chief, his countenance expressive of unusual +cheerfulness, and his stately form moving with characteristic grace and +dignity. He was accompanied by his lady, and his suite followed him. +Then came all the principal officers of the army with their ladies, +Governor Clinton and lady, and various distinguished characters from +the States of New York and New Jersey. The procession moved to the vast +bower, where more than five hundred guests were assembled. The banquet +was magnificently prepared, and bands of music added melody to the other +charms of the scene--thus feasting and satisfying the eye, the ear, and +the palate. The cloth being removed, thirteen appropriate toasts were +drank, each being announced by the firing of thirteen cannon and the +playing of appropriate music by the bands in attendance. The company +retired from the table at seven o'clock, and the regimental officers +rejoined their respective commands. In the evening, the arbor was +brilliantly illuminated. The numerous lights, gleaming among the boughs +and leaves of the trees that composed the roof and the walls, presented +the appearance of myriads of glowworms or of thousands of stars +glittering in the night. When the officers had rejoined their different +regiments, thirteen cannon were again fired, as a prelude to the general +feu-de-joie which immediately succeeded. Three times was it repeated, +and the reverberations sounded among the hills with tremendous effect, +darkness adding grandeur to the scene, as the flashing of the musketry +of the army broke upon it like sheeted lightning. The feu-de-joie was +immediately followed by three shouts of acclamation and benediction for +the dauphin, given by the whole army as with one voice. At half-past +eleven o'clock the celebration was concluded by an exhibition of +fireworks, ingeniously constructed of various figures. There was a ball +given during the evening in the arbor, at which General Washington, +with Mrs. Knox for a partner, led the dance. Thus ended the general +festivity." + +"There," remarked Mrs. Harmar, "that has interested me much more than +all the horrible stories that have been told to-day. How I should have +liked to be there!" + +"It was a sight such as all men are not permitted to see," said Morton. + +"It was grand--it was sublime!" exclaimed Mr. Jackson Harmar. "A scene +worthy of any pen or any pencil!" As Mr. Jackson Harmar seized all such +opportunities for exercising his literary propensities, it was most +probable that he considered that the pen alone could do justice to the +scene, and that _his_ pen was destined to immortalize it. + +The bell now rang for tea, and the party adjourned to the tea-table, +where, however, the conversation turned upon matters foreign to the +Revolution. Mrs. Harmar would introduce household concerns when her +husband began to allude to the war, and the children, especially Thomas +Jefferson Harmar, would play around the old veterans, asking them +trifling questions, until the meal was finished, and then Morton, +Higgins, Smith, and Wilson prepared to return to their respective +residences. Morton lived in the interior of Pennsylvania, and was +stopping with a near relative during his visit to the city. The other +three resided in New Jersey, and were putting up at the same house--that +of a friend of Higgins'. Old Harmar shook hands with his old camp +associates, wishing them many days of health and happiness to come, and +trusting that they might meet again before death should claim them. The +veterans kissed the children, and Morton gave Thomas Jefferson Harmar a +bullet from Bunker's Hill, telling him to learn what his countrymen had +fought and bled for, and to act like them on a like occasion, if any +such should ever occur, which he earnestly hoped would never be the +case. Mr. Jackson Harmar procured a carriage, and the veterans being +soon comfortably seated, he accompanied them to their respective +residences. On bidding him farewell, the aged patriots thanked him +for his kindness, which Mr. Jackson Harmar returned with an elaborate +panegyric on the men of the Revolution, and the duty of his generation +to treat them with the highest veneration and respect. The public either +suffered from or were benefited by the interview between Mr. Jackson +Harmar and the veteran patriots, for the press soon teemed with stirring +poetical appeals to the people to hold their liberties dearer than +life, on account of the blood that they had cost. A large volume also +appeared, entitled "Legends of the Times that tried Men's Souls," +beginning with the history of the "Old State-House Bell." + +THE END. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Bell Of Independence; Or, +Philadelphia In 1776, by Henry C. Watson + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK OLD BELL OF INDEPENDENCE *** + +***** This file should be named 11506.txt or 11506.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/1/5/0/11506/ + +Produced by Internet Archive; University of Florida, jayam and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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