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the 



W?T£j~f1MI 



OF 



THE REVOLUTION. 



COMPRISING 



DESCRIPTIONS OF THE PRINCIPAL 

BATTLES, SIEGES, AND OTHER EVENTS 

OF THE 

WAR OF INDEPENDENCE: 

INTERSPERSED WITH 

CHARACTERISTIC ANECDOTES. 
BY THOMAS y/rHOADS. 



BOSTON: 
L. P. CROWN & CO., 61 CORNHILL. 

PHILADELPHIA : 

J. W. BRADLEY, 48 N. FOURTH ST. 

1856. 



•fft- 



Entered, According to the Act of Congress, in the year 1855, by 

J. W. BRADLEY, 
the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States in and 
for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. 




The period of the War of Independence is 

justly considered the heroic age of American 

History. It is the era to which every American 

patriot looks back with a feeling of pride and 

1* (v) 



VI PREFACE. 

triumph. It was then that the national character 
first took that form and consistency which has 
ever since bound the Union together as with 
bands of adamant. Every incident of that heroic 
age possesses an interest for both old and young 
among our people, which attaches to no other 
period in our national annals. The men, and 
the women too, of the Revolution, have now nearly 
all passed away ; but the memory of their 
deeds is still affectionately cherished, and our 
children, and our children's children, to the end 
of time, will ever recur to them as examples of 
patriotism and public virtue. 

To aid in the preservation of the records of 
this glorious time, and to contribute to the wide 
dissemination of these bright examples, is the 
object of this volume. Without attempting the 
regularity and chronological sequence of history, 
the author has selected some of the most 
brilliant and striking points in the history of the 
Revolutionary War for illustration ; and has added 



PREFACE. Vii 

to these many striking and characteristic episodes, 
which serve to exhibit the "Spirit of Seventy- 
Six" and show "the very body of the time, its 
form and pressure." 

The author trusts the utility of such an attempt 
will be generally recognised, when it is 
recollected how much the welfare of a nation 
is promoted by the preservation of a true national 
spirit, and how greatly the ties which unite 
the wide spread communities of the Republic, 
are strengthened by recalling to memory the 
noble deeds of our common ancestors, the founders 
of the glory and prosperity of our common country. 

In embellishing this work, the publisher has 
endeavored to impress the narratives upon the 
mind of the reader, by inserting such engravings 
as illustrated the most important events of the 
Revolutionary War, as well as those episodes 
which characterize the spirit of the age in 
which it took place. The use of such embellish- 
ments is an important aid to the memory. 



Viii PREFACE. 

inasmuch as we remember much longer that 
which we have seen pictured, than that which 
we have merely read, or had related or described 
to us without the assistance of pictorial 
representations. 





PAGE. 

The Sergeant and the Indians 13 

Burning of the G-aspee 21 

The Great Tea Riot 26 

The First Prayer in Congress 34 

Battle of Lexington 40 

Tight at Concord Bridge 48 

(ix) 



x contents. 

Capture of Ticonderoga 63 

BATTLE of Bunker's Hill 68 

Attack on Quebec 86 

Attack on Sullivan's Island 97 

The Declaration of Independence 104 

Firmness of Washington Ill 

Capture of General Lee 116 

Capture of General Prescott 119 

General Prescott, Whipped 142 

Battle of Trenton 146 

Battle of Princeton 154 

General La Fayette 164 

Battle of Brandywine 170 

Battle of Germantown 177 

Battle of Red Bank 185 

Burgoyne's Invasion — Battle of Bennington . 188 
Heroic Exploit of Peter Francisco .... 201 

Andrew Jackson 206 

Siege of Yorktown — Surrender of Cornwallis 215 

George Rogers Clarke 222 

Death of Captain Biddle 230 

Patriotism of Mother Bailey 237 



CONTENTS. X) 

The Dutchman and the Rake 24fc 

Simon Kenton 257 

The Murder of Miss M'Crea ; . .268 

i 

Massacre at Wyoming 273 

Treason of Arnold 280 

Patriotism of Elizabeth Zane 291 

Stony Point 296 

John Paul Jones 303 

Battle of King's Mountain 308 

Burning of Colonel Crawford 316 

Battle of the Cowpens 324 

Baron Steuben 329 

Mrs. Bozarth 334 




STORIES 



OF THE 



REVOLUTION. 



THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 

In the early part of the Revolutionary war, a sergeant 
and twelve armed men, undertook to journey through the 
wilderness, in the state of New Hampshire. Their route 
was remote from any settlement, and they were under the 
necessity of encamping over night in the woods. In the 
early part of our struggles for Independence, the Indians 
were numerous, and did not stand idle spectators to a con- 
flict carried on with so much zeal and eagerness by the 
whites. Some tribes were friendly to our cause, while 
many on our borders took part with the enemy, and were 
troublesome in their savage kind of warfare, as our people 
2 (13) 



14 THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 

often learnt from the woful experience of their midnight 
depredations. The leader of the above mentioned party- 
was well acquainted with the different tribes ; and from 
much intercourse with them previous to the war was not 
ignorant of the idiom, physiognomy, and dress of each, and 
at the commencement of hostilities, was informed for which 
party they had raised the battle axe. 

Nothing material had happened during the first day of 
this excursion ; but early in the afternoon of the second, 
they discovered from an eminence, a body of Indians ad- 
vancing towards them, whose numbers exceeded their own. 
As soon as the Americans were perceived by their red 
brethren, the latter made friendly signals, and the parties 
approached in an amicable manner. The Indians ap- 
peared to be much pleased to meet the sergeant and his 
party, whom they observed they considered as their pro- 
tectors ; said they belonged to a tribe who took the hatchet 
in the cause of their country ; and were determined to do 
all in their power to injure the common enemy. They shook 
hands in friendship, and it was 'How d'ye do, fro I how 
d'ye do, pro V that being their pronunciation of the word 
brother. When they had conversed with each other for 
some time, and exchanged mutual good wishes, they at 
length separated and travelled in different directions. 

After proceeding to the distance of one or more miles, 




SERGEANT AND PARTY GOING THROUGH THE WILDERNESS. 

15 



THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 17 

the sergeant halted the men, addressed them in the fol- 
lowing words : 

' My brave companions, we must use the utmost caution, 
or this night may be our last. Should we not make some 
extraordinary exertion to defend ourselves, to-morrow's 
sun may find us sleeping, never to wake. You are surpri- 
sed, comrades, at my words, and your anxiety will not be 
lessened, when I inform you, that we have just passed our 
inveterate foe, who, under the mask of pretended friend- 
ship you have witnessed, would lull us into fancied security, 
and, by such means, in the unguarded moments of our mid- 
night slumber, without resistance, seal our fate !" 

The men, with astonishment, listened to this short ha- 
rangue, and their surprise was greater, as not one of them 
had entertained the suspicion, but that they had just encoun- 
tered friends. They all immediately resolved to enter into 
some scheme for their mutual preservation, and the destruc- 
tion of their enemies. By the proposal of their leader, the 
following plan was adopted: 

The spot selected for their night's encampment, was 
near a stream of water which served to cover their rear. 
They felled a large tree, before which, on the approach 
of night, a brilliant fire was lighted. Each individual cut 
a log of wood, about the size of his body, rolled it nicely 
into his blanket, placed his hat upon the extremity, and 
2* 



18 THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 

laid it before the fire, that the enemy might be deceived, 
and mistake it for a man. 

After the number equal to the sergeant's party were 
fitted out, and so artfully arranged as to appear like so 
many men, the soldiers, with loaded muskets, placed them- 
selves behind the fallen tree, by which time the shades of 
evening began to close around. The fire was supplied 
with fuel and kept burning brilliantly till late in the night, 
when it was suffered to decline. The critical time was 
now approaching when an attack might be expected from 
the Indians ; but the sergeant's men rested in their place 
of concealment with great anxiety till near midnight, not 
perceiving any movement of the foe. 

At length a tall Indian was discovered through the glim- 
mering of the fire, (which was now getting low,) cautiously 
moving towards them, making no noise, and apparently 
using every means in his power to conceal himself from 
any one about the camp. For a time, his actions showed 
him to be suspicious that a guard might be stationed to watch 
any unusual appearance, and give the alarm in case of 
danger; but all appearing quiet, he ventured forward 
more boldly, and rested upon his toes, and was distinctly 
seen to move his finger as he numbered each log of wood, 
or what he considered human beings quietly enjoying repose. 
To satisfy himself more fully as to the number, he counted 



THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 



19 



them over the second time, and cautiously retired. He was 
succeeded by a second Indian, who went through the same 
movements, and retired in the same manner. 

Soon after, the whole party, sixteen in number, were 
discovered, cautiously advancing, and eagerly eyeing their 
supposed victims. The feelings of the Sergeant's men can 
better be imagined than described, when they saw the 
base and perfidious purpose of their enemies, who were now 
so near, that the former could scarcely be restrained from 
firing upon them. The plan, however, of the Sergeant 
was to have his men remain silent, in their places of con- 
cealment, till the guns of the foe were discharged, so that 
their own fire might be more effectual and opposition less 
formidable. 

Their suspense was not of long duration. The Indians 
in a body, cautiously approached till within a short dis- 
tance ; they then halted, took deliberate aim, discharged 
their pieces upon inanimate logs, gave the dreadful war- 
whoop, and instantly rushed forward, with tomahawk and 
scalping-knife in hand, to despatch the living, and obtain 
the scalps of the dead. As soon as they were collected 
in close order, more effectually to execute this horrid inten- 
tion, the party of the Sergeant, with unerring aim, dis- 
charged their muskets upon the savage3 ; not one of 
whom escaped destruction. 



20 



THE SERGEANT AND THE INDIANS. 



Thus were the perfidious intentions of the Indians, 
(who, after seeming friendship, violated all their pacific 
professions,) punished. Such treachery as was exhibited 
in this instance, is a regular part of the Indian system of 
warfare. They value cunning in a warrior, as fully equal 
in merit, to personal bravery. 



mm 





BURNING OF THE GASPEE. 



Before the actual commencement of hostilities between 
the American colonists and the British, many incidents 
transpired which served to show a spirit of patriotic re- 
sistance to oppression among the people. One of the most 
remarkable of these was the burning of the Gaspee, a 
British revenue cutter. 

Lieutenant Doddington, who commanded that vessel, 
had become very obnoxious to the inhabitants of Rhode 
Island, by his extraordinary zeal in the execution of tho 
revenue laws. On the 9th of June, the Providence packet 

(21) 



22 BURNING OF THE GASPEE. 

was sailing into the harbor of Newport and Lieutenant 
Doddington ordered the captain to lower his colors. This 
the captain of the packet deemed repugnant to his patriotic 
feelings, and the Gaspee fired at the packet to bring her 
to ; the American, however, still persisted in holding on 
her course, and by keeping in shoal water, dexterously 
contrived to run the schooner aground in the chase. As 
the tide was upon the ebb, the Gaspee was set fast for 
the night, and afforded a tempting opportunity for retalia- 
tion ; and a number of fishermen, aided and encouraged 
by some of the most respectable inhabitants of Providence, 
being determined to rid themselves of so uncivil an in- 
spector, in the middle of the night manned several boats, 
and boarded the Gaspee.. The Lieutenant was wounded 
in the affray ; but with every thing belonging to him, he 
was carefully conveyed on shore, as were all his crew. 
The vessel, with her stores, was then burnt ; and the party 
returned unmolested to their homes. When the gover- 
nor became acquainted with this event, he offered a re- 
ward of five hundred pounds for the discovery of the of- 
fenders and the royal pardon to those who would confess 
their guilt. Commissioners were appointed also to inves- 
tigate the offence, and bring the perpetrators to justice ; 
but, after remaining some time in session, they reported 
that they could obtain no evidence, and thus the affair ter- 



BURNING OF THE GASPEE. 



25 



minatcd a circumstance which forcibly illustrates the in- 
violable brotherhood which then united the people against 
the government. The same secrecy and fidelity was shown 
by the people, in the measures which they took for pro- 
viding and concealing ammunition and arms, as well as in 
baffling the attempts of the government to discover the 
persons concerned in the great tea riot. 






THE GREAT TEA RIOT. 



The great question on which the Revolution turned wag 
taxation without representation in parliament. This the 
colonists were determined to resist. The Stamp Act riots 
showed the spirit of the people, and occasioned the with- 
drawal of that obnoxious measure. The right to tax how- 
ever was still maintained by the British government ; and 
a tax was laid on tea. The colonists resisted by refusing 
to use tea. 
l26) 



THE TEA RIOT. 29 

The crisis now drew near when the Americans were to 
decide whether they would submit, to be taxed by the 
British Parliament, or practically support their own prin- 
ciples, and brave the most perilous consequences of their 
inflexibility. One common sentiment seemed to be awa- 
kened throughout the whole continent by the tidings of 
the ministerial plan, which was universally reprobated as 
an attempt at once injurious and insulting, to bribe the 
Americans to surrender their rights and bend their own 
necks to the arbitrary power. A violent ferment was every 
where excited : the corresponding committees and politi- 
cal clubs exerted their utmost activity to rouse and unite 
the people ; and as it was generally declared that as every 
citizen owed to his country the duty at least of refraining 
from being accessory to her subjugation, every man who 
should countenance the present dangerous measure of the 
British government should be deemed an enemy of Ame- 
rica. Some of the popular leaders expressed doubts of 
the prudence of actual resistance to a measure of so little 
intrinsic importance ; and preferably urged that the peo- 
ple should be restrained from violence till the occurrence 
of an opportunity of rousing and directing their force 
against some invasion of American liberty more momen- 
tous and alarming. But to this suggestion it was reason- 
ably and successfully replied, that such an opportunity 
3* 



30 THE TEA RIOT. 

might never occur again ; that Britain, warned by the 
past, would avoid sudden and startling innovations ; that her 
policy would be, — by multiplying posts and officers, and 
either bestowing them on her partisans, or employing 
them to corrupt her antagonists, — to increase her force 
proportionally faster than the force of the patriotic party 
would increase by the growth of the American population ; 
that she had latterly sent out as her functionaries a num- 
ber of young men who, marrying into provincial families 
of influence and consideration, had weakened the force 
of American opposition ; and that now was the time to 
profit by the general irritation of the people and the 
blunders which Britian had commenced, in order to preci- 
pitate a collision which sooner or later was inevitable, and 
to prevent a seeming accommodation of the quarrel which 
would only expose the interests of America to additional 
disadvantages. The East India Company, confident of 
finding a market.for their tea, reduced as it was now in 
price, freighted several ships to America with this com- 
modity, and appointed consignees to recive and dispose 
of it. Some cargoes were sent to New York ; some to 
Boston. The inhabitants of New York and Philadelphia 
prevailed with the consignees to disclaim their functions, 
and forced the ships to return with their cargoes to Lon- 
don. The inhabitants of Charleston unladed the tea, and 
deposited it in public cellars where it was guarded from 



THE TEA RIOT. 31 

use and finally perished.. At Boston the consignees, 
who were the near kinsmen of Governor Hutchison, at first 
refused to resign their appointments ; and the vessels 
containing the tea lay in the harbor watched by a strong 
guard of the citizens, who from a numerous town-meeting, 
despatched the most peremptory commands to the ship- 
masters not to land their obnoxious cargoes. After much 
delay, the consignees, alarmed by the increasing violence 
of the people, solicited lea/e from the governor to resign, 
but were encouraged by him to persist. They proposed 
then to the people that the tea should be landed, and pre- 
served in some public store or magazine ; but this com- 
promise was indignantly rejected. At length the popu- 
lar rage could be contained no longer. From the symp- 
toms of its dangerous fervour, the consignees fled in dis- 
may to the castle; while an assemblage of men dressed 
and painted like Mohawk Indians, boarded the vessels 
and threw the tea into the ocean. The conduct of the 
East India company in assisting the policy of the British 
government, strongly excited the displeasure of the 
Americans. 




THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS. 



The subjoined extract of a characteristic letter from 
John Adams, describing a scene in the first Congress in 
Philadelphia, in 1774, shows on what Power the mighty 
men of old rested their cause. Mr. Adams thus wrote to a 
friend at the time : 

"When Congress met, Mr. Cushing made a motion 
that it should be opened with prayer. It was opposed by 
Mr. Jay, of New York, and Mr. Rutledge, of South Ca- 
rolina, because we were so divided in religious sentiment 
some Episcopalians, some Quakers, some Anabaptists, 
(32) 



\* 





THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS. 33 



TUB FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS. 35 

some Presbyterians, and some Congregationalists, that 
we could not join in the same act of worship. Mr. Sam- 
uel Adams rose and said that he was no bigot, and could 
hear a prayer from any good man of piety and virtue who 
was at the same time a friend to 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 clergy- 
man, might be desired to read prayers to the Congress to- 
morrow morning. This 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, in his pontificals, 
and read several prayers in the established form, and he 
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 rumour 
of the horrible cannonade of Boston. It seems as if Hea- 
ven 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. J must confess I never 
heard a better prayer pronounced. Episcopalian as he is, 
Dr. Cooper himself never prayed with such fevour, such 



3b THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS. 

ardour, such correctness and pathos, and in language so 
ek'gant and sublime, for America, for Congress, for the 
province of the 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 Homericse, 
or especially the sortes Biblicse, it would be jthought pro- 
vidential." 

Here was a scene worthy of the painter's art. It was 
in Carpenter's Hall, Carpenter's Court, between Third 
and Fourth streets, Philadelphia, a building which still 
survives in its original condition, though now converted 
into an auction mart, where the forty-four individuals 
met to whom this service was read. 

Washington was kneeling there, and Henry, and Ran- 
dolph, and Rutledge, and Lee, and Jay ; and by their 
side there stood, bowed down in deference, the Puritan 
Patriots of New England, who at that moment had reason 
to believe that an armed soldiery was wasting their hum- 
ble households. It was believed that Boston had been bom- 
barded and destroyed. They prayed fervently for " Ame- 
rica, for the Congress, for the province of Massachusetts 
Bay, and especially for the town of Boston:" and who 
can realize the emotions with which they turned implor- 
ingly to heaven for divine interposition and aid ? " It was 
enough," says Mr. Adams," to melt a heart of stone. I 




« - i - , . 



THE FIRST PRAYER IN CONGRESS. 



39 



saw the tears gusli into the eyes of the old, grave, pacific 
Quakers of Philadelphia." The practice of opening the 
daily sessions of Congress with prayer, has continued to 
the present time. 





BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 

A considerable quantity of military stores having 
been deposited at Concord, eighteen miles from Boston, 
General Gage, who commanded the British troops in that 
city, determined to destroy them. In pursuance of his 
design, he, on the evening of the 18th of April, 1775, 
despatched a party of eight hundred grenadiers and light 
infantry under Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, who crossed 
Charles river from the foot of Boston Common to Phips's 
farm in Cambridge, about eleven o'clock at night, and 
commenced a quick but silent march for Concord. Though 
they attempted to preserve secrcsy, yet the friends of 
(40) 



THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON 41 

liberty were too vigilant not to notice their departure, 
and many messengers were immediately sent to alarm the 
country. Of these, Colonel Revere, Mr. Dawes, and three 
or four others of the most active, fell into the hands of a 
party of British officers, who kept them as prisoners for a 
time, but, becoming alarmed at the firing of a party of 
militia at drill near Lexington meeting-house, they took 
the horses from their captives and rode off. The follow- 
ing account of the battle is given by one of the most cele- 
brated orators of New England. 

" The Committee of Safety sat the preceding day 
at West Cambridge ; and three of its respected members, 
Gerry, Lee, and Orne, had retired to sleep, in the public 
house, where the session of the committee was held. So 
difficult was it, notwithstanding all that had passed, to re- 
alize that a state of things could exist, between England 
and America, in which American citizens should be liable 
to be torn from their beds by an armed force at midnight, 
that the members of the Committee of Safety, though 
forewarned of the approach of the British troops, did not 
even think it necessary to retire from their lodgings. On 
the contrary, they rose from their beds and went to their 
windows to gaze on the unwonted sight, the midnight 
march of the armies through the peaceful hamlets of New 
England. Half the column had already passed, when a 
flank guard was promptly detached to search the public 
4* 



42 TTIE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 

house, no doubt in the design of arresting the members 
of the Committee of Safety, -who might be there. It was 
only at this last critical moment, that Mr. Gerry and his 
friends bethought themselves of flight, and without time 
even to clothe themselves, escaped naked into the fields. 

"By this time, Colonel Smith, who commanded the ex- 
pedition, appears to have been alarmed at the indications 
of a general rising throughout the country. The light 
infantry companies were now detached and placed under 
the command of Major Pitcairn, for the purpose of hast- 
ening forward, to secure the bridges at Concord ; and thus 
cut off the communication between this place, and the 
towns north and west of it. Before these companies could 
reach Lexington, the officers already mentioned, who had 
arrested Colonel Revere, joined their advancing country- 
men, and reported that five hundred men were drawn up 
in Lexington, to resist the king's troops. On receiving 
this exaggerated account, the British light infantry was 
halted, to give time for the grenadiers to come up, that 
the whole together might move forward to the work of 
death. 

" The company assembled on Lexington Green, which 
the British officers, in their report, had swelled to five 
hundred, consisted of sixty or seventy of the militia of the 
place. Information had been received about nightfall, 
both by private means and by communications from the 



TIIE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 45 

Committee of Safety, that a strong party of officers had 
been seen on the road, directing their course toward Lex- 
ington. In consequence of this intelligence, a body of 
about thirty of the militia, well armed, assembled early 
in the evening ; a guard of eight men under Colonel Wil- 
liam Munroe, then a sergeant in the company, was sta- 
tioned at the house of the Rev. Mr. Clark ; and three men 
were sent off to give the alarm at Concord. These three 
men were, however, stopped on their way, as has been 
mentioned, by the British officers, who had already passed 
onward. One of their number, Elijah Sanderson, has 
lately died at Salem at an advanced age. A little after 
midnight, Messrs. Revere and Dawes arrived with the 
certain information that a very large body of the royal 
troops was in motion. The alarm was now generally 
given to the inhabitants of Lexington, messengers were 
sent down the road to ascertain the movements of the 
troops, and the militia company under Captain John 
Parker, appeared on the green to the number of one hun- 
dred and thirty. The roll was duly called at this perilous 
midnight muster, and some answered to their names for 
the last time on earth. The company was now ordered 
to load with powder and ball, and awaited in anxious ex- 
pectation the return of those who had been sent to recon- 
noitre the enemy. One of them, in consequence of some 
misinformation, returned and reported that there was no 



46 THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 

appearance of troops on the road from Boston. Under 
this harassing uncertainty and contradiction, the militia 
were dismissed to await the return of the other expresses, 
and with orders to be in readiness at the beat of the drum. 
One of these messengers was made prisoner by the Bri- 
tish, whose march was so cautious, that they remained 
undiscovered until within a mile and a half of Lexington 
meeting-house, and time was scarce left for the last mes- 
senger to return with the tidings of their approach. 

The new alarm was now given ; the bell rings, alarm- 
guns are fired, the drum beats to arms. Some of the 
militia had gone home, when dismissed ; but the greater 
part were in the neighboring houses, and instantly obeyed 
the summons. Sixty or seventy appeared on the green 
and were drawn up in double ranks. At this moment the 
British column of eight hundred gleaming bayonets ap- 
pears, headed by their mounted commanders, beating a 
charge. To engage them with a handful of militia of 
course was madness, — to fly at the sight of them they dis- 
dained. The British troops rush furiously on ; their com- 
manders, with mingled threats and execrations, bid the 
Americans lay down their arms and disperse, and their 
own troops to fire. A moment's delay, as of compunc- 
tion, follows. The order with vehement imprecations is 
repeated, and they fire. No one falls, and the band of 
self-devoted heroes, most of whom never saw such a body 



THE BATTLE OF LEXINGTON. 47 

of troops before, stand firm in the front of an army, out- 
numbering them ten to one. Another volley succeeds ; 
the killed and wounded drop, and it was not until they 
had returned the fire of the overwhelming force that the 
militia were driven from the field. A scattered fire 
now succeeded on both sides, while the Americans re- 
mained in sight ; and the British troops were then drawn 
up on the green to fire a volley and give a shout in honor 
of the victory. 





V 



FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 

Elated with its success at Lexington, the British army 
took up its march toward Concord. The intelligence of 
the projected expedition had been communicated to this 
town by Dr. Samuel Prescott ; and from Concord had 
travelled on in every direction. The interval was employed 
in removing a portion of the public stores to the neigh- 
boring towns, while the aged and infirm, the women and 
children, sought refuge in the neighboring woods. 

About seven o'clock in the morning, the glittering arms 
of the British columns were seen advancing on the Lin- 
(48) 






THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 49 

coin road. A body of militia, from one hundred and fifty 
to two hundred men, who had taken post for observation 
on the heights above the entrance to the town, retire at 
the approach of the army of the enemy, first to the hill a 
little farther north, and then beyond the bridge. The 
British troops press forward into the town, and are drawn 
up in front of the court-house. Parties are then ordered 
out to the various spots where the public stores and arms 
were supposed to be deposited. Much had been removed 
to places of safety, and something was saved by the prompt 
and innocent artifices of individuals. The destruction of 
property and arms was hasty and incomplete, and consid- 
ered as the object of an enterprise of such fatal consequences 
it stands in shocking contrast with the waste of blood by 
which it was effected. 

It was the first care of the British commander to cut 
off the approach of the Americans from the neighboring 
towns, by destroying or occupying the bridges. A party 
was immediately sent to the south bridge and tore it up. 
A force of six companies, under Captains Parsons and 
Lowrie were left to guard it, and three under Captain 
Parsons proceeded to Colonel Barrett's house, in search 
of provincial stores. 

While they were engaged on that errand, the militia of 
Concord, joined by their noble brethren from the neigh- 
boring towns, gathered on the hill opposite the north 



i 



50 THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 

bridge, under the command of Colonel Robinson and 
Major Buttiick. The British companies at the bridge 
were now apparently bewildered with the perils of their 
situation, and began to tear up the planks of the bridge ; 
not remembering that this would expose their own party, 
then at Colonel Barrett's, to certain and entire destruc- 
tion. The Americans, on the other hand, resolved to keep 
open the communication with the town, and perceiving 
the attempt which was made to destroy the bridge, were 
immediately put in motion, with orders not to give the 
first fire. They drew near to the bridge, the Acton com- 
pany in front, led on by the gallant Davis. Three alarm 
guns were fired into the water, by the British, without 
arresting the march of the citizens. The signal for a 
general discharge is then made ; a British soldier steps 
from the ranks, and fires at Major Buttrick. The ball 
passed between his arm and his side, and slightly wounded 
Mr. Luther Blanchard, who stood near him. A volley 
instantly followed, and Captain Davis was shot through 
the heart, gallantly marching at the head of the Acton 
militia against the choice troops of the British line. A 
private of his company, Mr. Hosmer, of Acton, also fell 
at his side. 

A general action now ensued, which terminated in the 
retreat of the British party, after the loss of several killed 
and wounded, toward the centre of the town, followed by 



M 






t 






* 



THE FIOIIT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 53 

the brave band who had driven them from their post. The 
advance party of British at Colonel Barrett's was thus 
left to its fate ; and nothing would have been more easy 
than to effect its entire destruction. But the idea of a 
declared war had yet scarcely forced itself, with all its 
consequences, into the minds of our countrymen : and 
these advanced companies were allowed to return unmo- 
lested to the main band. 

It was now twelve hours since the first alarm had been 
given, the evening before, of the meditated expedition. 
The swift watches of that eventful night, had scattered 
the tidings far and wide ; and widely as they spread, the 
people rose in their strength. The genius of America, on 
this the morning of her emancipation, had sounded her 
horn over the plains and upon the mountains ; and the 
indignant yeomanry of the land, armed with the weapons 
which had done service in their fathers' hands, poured to 
the spot where this new and strange tragedy was acting. 
The old New England drums, that had beat at Louisburg, 
at Quebec, at Martinique, at the Havanna, were now 
beating on all the roads to Concord. There were officers 
in the British line that knew the sound ; they had heard 
it, in the deadly breach, beneath the black, deep-throated 
engines of the French and Spanish castles, and they knew 
what followed, where that sound went before. 

With the British it was a question no longer of pro- 
5* 



54 THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 

tracted contest, nor even of halting long enough to rest 
their exhausted troops, after a weary night's march, and 
all the labor, confusion, and distress of the day's efforts. 
The dead were hastily buried in the public square ; their 
wounded placed in the vehicles which the town afforded ; 
and a flight commenced, to which the annals of warfare 
will hardly afford a parallel. On all the neighboring hills 
were multitudes from the surroundisg country, of the un- 
armed and infirm, of women and of children, who had fled 
from the terrors and perils of the plunder and conflagra- 
tion of their own homes ; or were collected with fearful 
curiosity, to mark the progress of this storm of war. 
The panic fears of a calamitous flight, on the part of the 
British, transformed this inoffensive, timid throng into a 
threatening array of armed men ; and there was too much 
reason for the misconception. Every height of ground 
within reach of the line of march, was covered with the 
indignant avengers of their slaughtered brethren. The 
British light companies were sent out to great distances 
as flanking parties; but who was to flank the flankers? 
Every patch of trees, every rock, every stream of water, 
every building, every stone wall, was lined, (I use the 
words of a British officer in the battle,) with an uninter- 
mitted fire. Every cross road opened a new avenue to 
the assailants. Through one of these the gallant Brooks 
led up the minute-men of Reading. At another defile, 



I 



4 



I 



THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 55 




COLONEL BROOKS. 

they were encountered by the Lexington militia under 
Captain Parker, who, undismayed at the loss of more than 
a tenth of their number in killed and wounded in the 
morning, had returned to the conflict. 

At first the contest was kept up by the British with all 
the skill and valor of veteran troops. To a military eye 
it was not an unequal contest. The commander was not, 
or ought not to have been taken by surprise. Eight hun- 
dred picked men, grenadiers and light infantry, from the 
English army, were no doubt considered by General Gage 
a very ample detachment to march eighteen or twenty 
miles through an open country : and a very fair match 



5fi THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 

for all the resistance which could be made by unprepared 
husbandmen, without concert, discipline, or leaders. 

With about ten times their number, the Grecian com- 
mander had forced a march out of the wrecks of a field of 
battle and defeat, through the barbarous nations of Asia, 
for thirteen long months, from the plains of Babylon to 
the Black Sea, through forests, defiles, and deserts, which 
the foot of civilized man had never trod. It was the 
American cause, — its holy foundation in truth and right, 
its strength and life in the hearts of the people, that con- 
verted what would naturally have been the undisturbed 
march of a strong, well-provided army, into a rabble rout 
of terror and death. It was this which sowed the fields 
of our pacific villages with dragon's teeth ; which nerved 
the arm of age ; called the ministers and servants of the 
church into the hot fire ; and even filled with strange pas- 
sion and manly strength, the heart and the arm of the 
stripling. 

A British historian, to paint the terrific aspect of things 
that presented itself to his countrymen, declares that the 
rebels swarmed upon the hills, as if they had dropped 
from the clouds. Before the flying troops had reached 
Lexington, their rout was entire. Some of the officers had 
been made prisoners, some had been killed, and several 
wounded, and among them the commander-in-chief, Colo- 
nel Smith. The ordinary means of preserving discipline 



THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 57 

failed ; the wounded, in chaises and wagons, pressed to 
the front and obstructed the road ; wherever the flanking 
parties, from the nature of the ground, were forced to 
come in, the line of march was crowded and broken ; the 
ammunition began to fail ; and at length the entire body 
was on a full run. " We attempted," says a British officer 
already quoted, " to stop the men and form them two deep, 
but to no purpose ; the confusion rather increased than 
lessened." 

An English historian says, the British soldiers were 
driven before the Americans like sheep ; till, by a last 
desperate effort, the officers succeeded in forcing their way 
to the front, " when they presented their swords and bayo- 
nets against the breasts of their own men, and told them 
if they advanced they should die." Upon this they began 
to form, under what the same British officer pronounces a 
"very heavy fire," which must soon have led to the de- 
struction or capture of the whole corps. 

At this critical moment a reinforcement arrived. Co- 
lonel Smith had sent bask a messenger from Lexington 
to apprise General Gage of the check he had there re- 
ceived, and of the alarm which was running through the 
country. Three regiments of infantry and two divisions 
of marines with two field-pieces, under the command of 
Brigadier-General Lord Percy, were accordingly detached. 
They marched out of Boston, through Roxbury and Cam- 



.58 



THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 




LORD PERCY. 



% 



bridge, rind came up with the flying party, in the hour of 
their extreme peril. While their field-pieces kept the 
Americans at bay, the reinforcement drew up in a hollow 
square, into which, says the British historian, they received 
the exhausted fugitives, who lay down on the ground, with 
their tongues hanging from their mouths, like dogs after 
a chase." 

A half hour was given to rest ; the march was then re- 
sumed ; and under cover of the field-pieces, every house in 
Lexington, and on the road downwards, was plundered 
and set on fire. Though the flames in most cases were 
speedily extinguished, several houses were destroyed. 



THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 61 

Notwithstanding the attention of a great part of the Ame- 
ricans was thus drawn off, and although the British force 
was now more than doubled, their retreat still wore the 
aspect of a flight. The Americans filled the heights that 
overhung the road, and at every defile the struggle was 
sharp and bloody. 

At West Cambridge, the gallant Warren, never distant 
when danger was to be braved, appeared in the field, and 
a musket-ball soon cut off a lock of hair from his temple. 
General Heath was with him, nor does there appear till 
this moment, to have been any effective command among 
the American forces. 

Below West Cambridge, the militia from Dorchester, 
Roxbury, and Brookline came up. The British field- 
pieces began to lose their terror. A sharp skirmish fol- 
lowed, and many fell on both sides. Indignation and 
outraged humanity struggled on the one hand, veteran 
discipline and desperation on the other ; and the contest, 
in more than one instance, was man to man, and bayonet 
to bayonet. 

The British officers had been compelled to descend from 
their horses to escape the certain destruction which at- 
tended their exposed situation. The wounded, to the 
number of two hundred, now presented the most distress- 
ing and constantly increasing obstruction to the progress 

of the march. 





62 THE FIGHT AT CONCORD BRIDGE. 

Near one hundred brave men had fallen in this disas- 
trous flight ; a considerable number had been made pris- 
oners ; a round or two of ammunition only remained ; and 
it was not till late in the evening, nearly twenty-four 
hours from the time when the first detachment was put in 
motion, that the exhausted remnant reached the heights 
of Charlestown. 

The boat3 of the vessels of war were immediately em- 
ployed to transport the wounded ; the remaining British 
troops in Boston came over to Charlestown to protect 
their weary countrymen during the night ; and before the 
close of the next day the royal army was formally besieged 
in Boston. 





BENEDICT ARNOLD. 



CAPTURE OF TICONDEROGA. 

Soon after the battle of Lexington, the capture of Ti- 
conderoga and Crown Point, two forts, that would be of 
great importance to the Americans, was conceived by some 
of the boldest inhabitants of Connecticut. Forty volun- 
teers were raised, who proceeded from Connecticut to 
Bennington, in the New Hampshire Grants, where they 
were to meet Colonel Ethan Allen. He soon joined them 
with two hundred and thirty men at Castleton, and en- 
tered readily into their design. They were quite unex- 
pectedly joined by Colonel Benedict Arnold, who was 

(63) 



64 CAPTURE OF TICONDEROGA. 

bound upon the same errand. Ho was permitted to act 
as an auxiliary to Allen, who acted as commander of the 
party. They arrived on the shores of Lake Champlain, 
opposite Ticonderoga on the 9th of May. 

Allen and Arnold with eighty three men crossed and 
entered the fort abreast. They found the whole garri- 
son with the exception of one sentinel asleep ; and his 
piece missing fire, he made an attempt to escape into the 
fort ; but he was pursued by the Americans, who, form- 
ing themselves into a hollow square, gave three loud 
huzzas, which instantly alarmed the sleeping garrison. 

Some slight skirmishing ensued, when the commander, 
De la Place, appeared, and was required to surrender the 
fort. "By what authority ?" he asked in great surprise, 
I demand it," replied Allen, " in the name of the Great 
Jehovah and of the continental Congress !" This extra- 
ordinary summons was instantly obeyed ; and the fort, 
with its valuable stores and forty-nine prisoners, was sur- 
rendered without delay. 

Crown Point was captured by Colonel Seth Warren, 
immediately after, together with the garrison, which con- 
sisted only of a Sergeant and twelve men. Arnold cap- 
tured a British Sloop-of-war, lying off St. Johns, at the 
Northern end of Lake Champlain, and now commenced a 
brilliant though very brief career, which was soon clouded 



CAPTURE OF TICONDEROGA. 



67 



by private vice, vanity and prodigality, and finally tar- 
nished by public treachery and dishonor. 

Thus the Americans, without losing a single man, ac- 
quired by a bold decisive blow two important posts, a great 
quantity of artillery and ammunition, and the command of 
Lake George and Champlain. 





BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 



The traveller who visits Boston can scarcely fail to as- 
sociate in his mind the field of battle where the early heroes 
of the Revolution first established the character of that 
event, marked as it was by undaunted resolution, the off- 
spring of a determined purpose. From the State- House 
of Massachusetts, conspicuously seated on an eminence, 
the eye ranges over Charlestown, a considerable place that 
now adjoins Boston by a spacious bridge. The patriot will 
(68) 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HIIL. 69 

scarcely content himself with a remote view of this impres- 
sive scene, designated by a monument to the memory of 
General Warren, who fell distinguished on that occasion. 
At a distance of about two miles, some hills are discerned, 
viz., Prospect Hill, Ploughed Hill, Breed's Hill, and 
Bunker's Hill. As you advance on the road in the rear 
of the navy yard at Charlestown, Breed's Hill rears its 
venerable brow on the left. Here it was that a detach- 
ment from the American army of one thousand men, under 
Colonel Prescott, began at twelve o'clock in the night of 
the 16th of June, 1775, to throw up some works extending 
from Charlestown to the river which separates that town 
from Boston. They proceeded with such secresy and de- 
spatch that the officers of a ship of war then in the river, 
expressed their astonishment when in the morning they 
saw entrenchments reared and fortified in the space of a 
few hours, where, from the contiguity of the situation, 
they least expected the Americans would look them in the 
face. 

The alarm being immediately given, orders were given 
that a continual fire should be kept playing upon the un- 
finished works, from the ships, the floating batteries in 
the river, and Copp's Hill, a fortified post of the British 
in Boston, directly opposite the American redoubt ; but, 
with extraordinary perseverance, the Americans continued 
to strengthen their works, not returning a shot till noon, 



70 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL 




GENERAL HOWE. 



■when a number of boats and barges, filled with regular 
troops from Boston, approached Charlestown. The day 
was exceedingly hot. Ten companies of grenadiers, ten 
of light infantry, with a proportion of field artillery, landed 
at Moreton's Point, the whole commanded by Major-Ge- 
neral Howe and Brigadier-General Pigot. The troops 
having formed, remained in that position till joined by a 
second detachment of light infantry and grenadier com- 
panies, the 47th regiment, and a battalion of marines, 
making in the whole near three thousand men. 

The Americans had not a rifleman amongst them, not 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 71 

one being yet arrived from the southward, nor had they 
any rifle pieces ; they had but common muskets, and these 
mostly without bayonets ; but then they were almost all 
marksmen, being accustomed to sporting of one kind or 
other from their youth. A reinforcement of Massachu- 
setts troops was posted in a redoubt, and in part of the 
breast-work nearest it. The left of the breast-work, and 
the open ground stretching beyond its point to the water 
side, along which time did not admit of accomplishing the 
work, were occupied partly by the Massachusetts, and 
partly by the Connecticut men under Captain Nolton, of 
Ashford, and the New Hampshire under Colonel Stark, 
the whole amounting to about one thousand five hundred 
men. By direction of the officers the troops upon the 
open ground pulled up the post and rail fence, and carry- 
ing it forward to another of the same kind, and placing 
some clods of grass between, formed a slight defence in 
some parts. 

A critical scene now opened to the view. The British 
regulars formed in two lines, advanced slowly, frequently 
halting to give the artillery time to fire. The light in- 
fantry were directed to force the left point of the breast- 
work, and to take the American line in flank. The gren- 
adiers advanced to attack in front, supported by two bat- 
talions, under General Howe, while the left, under General 



72 THE BATTLE OP BUNKER'S HILL. 

Pigot, inclined to the right of the American line. The ap- 
pearance of this line of regulars was formidable. 

As the British advanced nearer and nearer to the at- 
tack, a carcass was discharged from Copp's Hill, which 
set on fire an old house in Charlestown, and the flames 
quickly spread to others. The houses at the eastern end 
of Charlestown were set on fire by seamen from the boats. 
The whole town, consisting of about three hundred dwel- 
ling houses, and nearly two hundred other buildings, be- 
came speedily invol/ed in one great blaze, being chiefly 
of timber. The large meeting-house, by its aspiring steeple, 
formed a pyramid of fire above the rest. 

The houses, heights, and steeples in Boston were covered 
with spectators of this anxious scene, and the surrounding 
hills were occupied by others. 

The slow movement of the British troops advancing to 
the attack, afforded to the Americans the advantage of 
taking a surer and more deliberate aim. The wind having 
shifted, carried the smoke from the conflagration in such 
a direction that the British had not the cover of it in their 
approach. The destruction of the place, however, served 
to prevent their opponents from effecting a lodgement in 
the houses whence they might have annoyed to advantage. 
General Warren, who had been appointed by Congress a 
Major-General in their armies only four days before, was 
every where aiding and encouraging his men. General 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 73 

Pomery commanded a brigade, and General Putnam, a 
brave and meritorious officer, directed the whole on the 
fall of General Warren. The troops were ordered to re- 
serve their fire until the close approach of the British. 
They strictly obeyed, with a steadiness and composure 
that would have done honor to the most approved veterans, 
and when the enemy had arrived within ten or twelve rods 
poured in a discharge of small arms which arrested and so 
staggered their foes, that they could only for a time return 
it, without advancing a step. 

Finding the stream of the American fire so incessant 
as to mow down whole sections, they retired in disorder 
to the river. Rallying as well as their extraordinary loss 
of their officers would admit of, the British again advan- 
ced with the apparent resolution of forcing their way, 
whatever loss of life it might cost them. The Americans 
again reserved their fire till the enemy arrived within six 
rods, when, discharging their pieces, which were admira- 
bly pointed, they threw the opposing ranks again into 
confusion. 

General Clinton, who, with General Gage, the com- 
mander-in-chief of the British forces in Boston, was on 
Copp's Hill, observing the event of the day, when he per- 
ceived the disconcerted state of the troops, passed over 
ind joined just in time to be of service. The united and 
strenuous efforts of the different officers were again suc- 
7 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER S IITLL. 







GENERAL CLINTON. 



BffwWSOK* 



cessful, and the columns were advanced a third time to 
the attack, with a desperation increased by the unshaken 
opposition they experienced. 

It is probable, from the nature of the resistance, that 
every effort to dislodge the Americans would have been 
ineffectual, had not their ammunition failed ; on sending for 
a supply none could be procured, as there was but a barrel 
and a half in the magazine. 

This deficiency prevented them from making the same 
defence as before ; while the British enjoyed a farther ad- 
vantage by bringing some cannon to bear so as to rake 




ImH 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 77 

the inside of the breast work from end to end, upon which 
the Americans were compelled to retreat within their re- 
doubt. The British now made a decisive movement, 
covered by the fire of the ships, batteries, and field-artil- 
lery. T\ie Americans disputed possession of the works 
with the butt ends of their muskets, until the redoubt 
easily mounted and attacked on three sides at once, was 
taken, and their defences, the labor of only a few hours, 
had been prostrated by artillery. 

Whilst these operations were going on at the breast- 
work and redoubt, the British light infantry were engaged 
in attempting to force the left point of the former, through 
the space between that and the water, that they might 
take the American line in flank. The resistance they 
met with was as formidable and fatal in its effects as ex- 
perienced in the other quarter ; for here, also, the Ame- 
ricans by command, reserved their fire till the enemy's 
close approach, and then poured in a discharge so well 
directed and with such execution, that wide chasms were 
made in every rank. 

Some of the Americans were slightly guarded by the rail 
fences, but others were altogether exposed, so that their 
bravery in close combat was put to the test, independent 
of defences neither formed by military rules nor workmen. 
The most determined assaults of their regular opponents 
who were now brought to the charge with redoubled fury 
7* 



78 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 

could not, after all, compel them to retreat, till they ob- 
served that their main body had left the hill, when they 
retrograded, but with a regularity that could scarcely have 
been expected of troops newly embodied, and who in ge- 
neral never before saw an engagement. Overpowered by 
numbers, and seeing all hope of reinforcement cut off by 
the incessant fire of the ships across a neck of land that 
separated them from the country, they were compelled to 
quit the ground. 

The staunch opposition of this band of patriots saved 
their comrades, who must otherwise have been cut off, as 
the enemy, but for them, would have been in the rear of 
the whole. While these brave heroes retired, disputing 
every inch of ground, and taking up every new position 
successively that admitted of defence, their leader, the gal- 
lant Warren, unfortunately received a ball through the 
skull, and mechanically clapping his hand to the wound, 
dropped down dead. 

The British, taught by the experience of this day to 
respect their rustic adversaries, contented themselves with 
taking post at Bunker's Hill, which they fortified. The 
Americans, with the enthusiasm of men determined to be 
free, did the same upon Prospect Hill, a mile in front. It 
was here that General Putnam regaled the precious remains 
of his army after the fatigues, with several hogsheads of 
beer. Owing to some unaccountable error, the working 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 79 




GENERAL PUTNAM. 

parties who had been incessantly laboring the whole of the 
preceding night, were neither relieved nor supplied with 
refreshments, but left to engage under all these disadvan- 
tages. The battle was generally admitted, by experienced 
officers of the British army who witnessed it and had served 
at Mindcn, Dettingen, and throughout the campaign in 
Germany, to have been unparalleled for the time it lasted, 
and the numbers engaged. There was a continued sheet 
of fire from the breast-work for nearly half an hour, and 
the action was hot for about double that period. In this 
short space of time, the loss of the British according to 
(26) 



80 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 

General Gage, amounted to ten hundred and fifty-four, of 
whom two hundred and twenty six were killed ; of these 
nineteen were commissioned officers, including a lieuten- 
ant colonel, two majors, and seven captains ; seventy other 
officers were wounded. 

The battle of Quebec, in the former war, with all its 
glory, and the vastness of the consequences attending it, 
was not so disastrous in the loss of officers as this affair of 
an American entrenchment, the work of but a few hours. 
The fact was, the Americans, accustomed to aim with pre- 
cision and to select objects, directed their skill principally 
against the officers of the British army, justly conceiving 
that much confusion would ensue on their fall. 

Nearly all the officers around the person of General 
Howe were killed or disabled, and the General himself 
narrowly escaped. At the battle of Minden, where the 
British regiments sustained the force of the whole French 
army for a considerable time, the number of officers killed, 
including two who died soon after of their wounds, was 
only thirteen, and the wounded sixty six ; the total loss 
of the army on that occasion was two-hundred and ninety 
one in killed, and one thousand and thirty seven wounded. 

The British acknowledged the valor of their opponents, 
which, though by no means new to them, surpassed on 
this occasion what could have been expected of an hand- 
ful of cottagers, as they termed them, under officers of 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 81 




.8 

GENERAL WOLFE. 



little military knowledge and still less experience, whom 
they affected to hold in contempt. 

They pretended to forget that many of the common 
soldiers who gained such laurels by their singular bravery 
on the plains of Abraham, when Wolf died in the arms 
of victory, were natives of the Massachusetts Bay. When 
Martinique was attacked in 1761, and the British force 
was greatly reduced by sickness and mortality, the timely 
arrival of the New England troops enabled the British 
commander to prosecute the reduction of the island to a 
happy issue. 

A part of the troops being sent on an expedition to the 
Havana, the New Englanders, whose health had been 
much impaired by service and the climate, were embarked 



82 THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S IIIIL 

in three ships for their native country, with a view to their 
recovery. Before they had completed their voyage, they 
found themselves restored,ordered the ships about, steered 
immediately for the Havana, arrived when the British 
were too much weakened to expect success, and by their 
junction, contributed materially to the surrender of the 
place. Their fidelity, activity, and good conduct was such 
as to gain the approbation and unbounded confidence of 
the British officers. Of such elementary principles were 
the heroes of Bunker's hill composed. It surely was a 
misguided policy to rouse the opposition of men made of 
these materials. 

A spot so fertile in great associations, could not but 
attract the special notice of the president of the United 
States during a tour to the eastward. It was precisely 
where Warren fell that his excellency met the citizens of 
Charleston on the occasion and addressed them as follows : 

"It is highly gratifying to me to meet the committee 
of Charleston upon a theatre so interesting to the United 
States. It is impossible to approach Bunker Hill, where 
the war of the Revolution commenced, with so much honor 
to the nation, without being deeply affected. The blood 
spilt here roused the whole American people, and united 
them in the common cause, in defence of their rights. — 
that union will never be broken." 

Whether indeed we consider the action of the 17th of 



& 



mm^m^vsi 




i : '^m 



THE BATTLE OF BUNKER'S HILL. 85 

June in itself, or as the prelude to succeeding events, we 
must pronounce it to be the most glorious of our history, 
for the numbers engaged and the defences made use of. 

If we except that of New Orleans, no parallel is to be 
found to it in the extent of impression produced upon the 
enemy. But there time had been afforded for maturing 
the works, which were constructed under the superinten- 
tendance of skilful engineers, and extended under a posi- 
tion that could not be outflanked. Twelve hours only 
were gained for those on Breed's Hill, formed, during a 
great part of the time, under a heavy fire from the enemy's 
ships, a number of floating batteries, beside fortifications 
which poured upon them an incessant shower of shot and 
shells, and left incomplete, owing to the intolerable can- 
nonade. 





illf"^'-^^ 



SIR GUY CARLETON. 



ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 

It became necessary for the preservation of Tieonderoga 
and Crown Point, that the conquests should be carried 
further into Canada, as the Governor of that province, 
Sir Guy Carleton, was believed to be forming an inva- 
sion of the north-western frontier. The command of the 
expedition intended for this service was deputed to Gene- 
rals Schuyler and Montgomery. An address was issued 
by the former in which it was stated that his commands 
(86) 




GENERAL MONTGOMERY. 



ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 89 

were to cherish every Canadian, and every friend to the 
cause of liberty, and to hold their property sacred. 

About one thousand Americans, on the 10th of Sep- 
tember, 1775, landed at St. John, the first British post 
in Canada, one hundred and fifteen miles north of Ticon- 
deroga ; but it was soon found advisable to retreat to Isle- 
aux-Noir, twelve miles south of St. Johns, from which 
place General Schuyler set out for Ticonderoga, on ac- 
count of sickness leaving General Montgomery in the 
command. 

Montgomery soon returned to the neighbornood of St. 
John and began a siege ; he took Fort Chamblee, and 
found therein six tons of powder, which enabled him to 
press the siege vigorously. Carlton advanced with eight 
hundred men against him, but was met, and driven back 
by Colonel Harmer with three hundred •' Green Moun- 
tain boys." The garrison of St. Johns, was forced to 
come to terms, and Montgomery marched to Montreal. 
While these events were transpiring at St. Johns Colonel 
Ethan Allen was made prisoner by the British near Mon- 
treal, together with about thirty eight of his men. t He 
was sent to England, loaded with irons and cruelly treated 
to stand his trial as a rebel. 

General Prescott, together with several officers and one 
hundred and twenty privates, were made prisoners, and 
eleven armed vessels, with all their contents, fell into the 
8* 



90 ATTACK ON QUEBUC. 

hands of the Americans, under Montgomery at Montreal, 
Sir Guy Carleton, however, fled to Quebec, whither he 
was followed by Montgomery who speedily arrived before 
the town. 

In the meantime, Arnold had been despatched by 
General Washington by way of the Kennebec river, and 
the wilderness lying between the settlements in Maine 
and the St. Lawrence river to Quebec ; and that officer 
began his march on the 13th of September with eleven 
hundred men. They were composed chiefly of New Eng- 
land infantry, and contained a company of artillery. 
Arnold after a march of six weeks, arrived in Canada, and 
encamped on the 9th of November on Point Levi, near 
Quebec. Had he made an immediate attack, the town 
might have been taken ; but the boats necessary in order 
to cross the river could not be procured. Great eflorts 
were made by the English and Canadians to save the town, 
and reinforcements having been received, a vigorous de- 
fence was promised. Arnold crossed the St. Lawrence 
on the 14th of November, and ascended the heights of 
Abraham ; but as by this time the defendants were more 
numerous than their assailants, Arnold thought it best to 
retire to Point aux Trembles, twenty miles above Quebec, 
and there wait for Montgomery, who, with three hundred 
men, joined him on the first of December. 

Montgomery now marched directly against Quebec, and 



ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 



93 




GENERAL MORGAN. 



commenced a siege. As his artillery was too light to be 
of any service, it was determined to carry the place by 
storm. Two feigned attacks were made on the upper 
town by Majors Brown and Livingston, whilst Montgomery 
and Arnold made two real attacks. This took place on 
the 31st day of December. 

Montgomery, at first met with success, while advancing 



04 ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 

along the banks of the St. Lawrence, and the battery was 
deserted by all the enemy, except two or three persons, 
one of whom, in retiring, applied a slow match to one of 
the guns and fired it. Casual as this shot appears, it was' 
fatal. Montgomery and his staff were within forty paces 
of the piece ; and that gallant General, with his aid, Cap- 
tain William Pherson, and Captain Cheesman, with the 
orderly sergeant and private, were all killed upon the spot, 
Colonel Campbell on whom the command devolved preci- 
pitately retreated, with the rest of the division. 

In the meantime Arnold, with three hundred and fifty 
men, made an attack on the other side ; but he was woun- 
ded by a musket ball in the leg, and was borne from the 
field. Captain Morgan, with a company of Virginia 
riflemen, pressed forward and took the battery. Morgan 
formed his men, but from the total darkness, and ignorance 
of the town, he was unable to proceed. He was however, 
soon joined by Lieutenant Colonel Green and other officers, 
and his force increased to two hundred men. They were 
attacked by the garrison at daylight, and after sustain- 
ing the whole force of the army for three hours they were 
compelled to surrender. 

Colonel Morgan here laid the foundation of that fame, 
that throughout the revolution, was so materially increased. 
In losing General Montgomery, the country lost one whose 
services would, doubtless, have proved very valuable. lie 



ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 



95 




MONUMENT OF MONTGOMERY, AT ST. PAUL'S CHURCH 
NEW YORK. 



was born in Ireland, and gained much distinction in our 
late war with France, at the close of which he married and 
settled in New York. He espoused the cause of America 
at the commencement of the revolution and gained the 
confidence of the whole army. He was greatly beloved 
among his private friends, and enjoyed a large share of 



96 ATTACK ON QUEBEC. 

public esteem. His death was considered a greater loss 
to the American cause, than all the others with which it 
was accompanied. 

The subsequent events of this expedition against Cana- 
da, are of little interest. A succession of disasters and 
blunders on the part of the American commanders termi- 
nated in a retreat from Canada and the abandonment of the 
project. 





ATTACK ON SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. 

T.he enterprize of reducing the southern colonies, was 
committed to General Clinton and Sir Peter Parker; 
who, having formed a junction at Cape Fear, concluded 
to attempt the reduction of Charleston. For that place 
they accordingly sailed, with two thousand eight hundred 
land forces ; and, crossing Charleston bar on the 4th of 
June, anchored about three miles from Sullivan's Island. 
Every exertion had been previously made to put the colony, 
and especially its capital, in a posture of defence. Works 
had been erected on Sullivan's Island, which lies about 
9 (97) 



98 ATTACK ON SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. 




ATTACK ON SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. 



three miles from Sullivan's Island. Every exertion had 
been previously made to put the colony, and especially its 
capital, in a posture of defence. Works had been erected 
on Sullivan's Island, which lies about six miles below 
Charleston towards the sea, and so near the channel, as 
to be a convenient post for annoying ships when approach- 
ing the town. The militia of the country now repaired 
in great numbers to Charleston ; and at this juncture 
Major-General Lee, who had been appointed by Congress 
to the immediate command of all the forces in the southern 
department, arrived with the regular troops of the north- 
ern colonies. On the 28th of June, Sir Peter Parker 
attacked the fort on Sullivan's Island, with fifty gun ships, 



ATTACK ON SULLIVAN S ISLAND. 



101 




COLONEL MOULTRIE. 



four frigates of twenty-eight guns, the Sphynx of twenty 
guns, the Friendship armed vessel of twenty-two guns, and 
the Ranger sloop and the Thunder bomb, each of eight 
guns. On the fort there were mounted twenty-six cannon, 
with which the garrison, consisting of three hundred and 
seventy-five regulars and a few militia, under the command 
of Colonel Moultrie, made a most gallant defence. The 
attack commenced between ten and eleven in the morning, 



102 ATTACK ON SULLIVAN'S ISLAND. 

and was continued upwards of ten hours. The flag-staff 
of the fort being shot away very early in the action, Ser- 
geant Jasper leaped down upon the beach, took up the 
flag, and, regardless of the incessant firing of the ship- 
ping, mounted and placed it on the rampart. 

Three of the ships, advancing about twelve o'clock to 
attack the western wing of the fort, became entangled 
with a shoal ; to which providential incident the pre- 
servation of the garrison is ascribed. At half past nine, 
the firing on both sides ceased ; and soon after the ships 
slipped their cables. In this action, the deliberate well- 
directed fire of the garrison exceedingly shattered the 
ships ; and the killed and wounded exceeded two hundred 
men. The loss of the garrison was only ten men killed 
and twenty-two wounded. Though many thousand shot 
were fired from the shipping, yet the works were but 
little damaged. The fort being built of palmetto, a tree 
indigenous to Carolina, of a remarkably spongy nature, 
the shot which struck it were merely buried in the wood, 
without shivering it. Hardly a hut or a tree on the island 
escaped. The thanks of Congress were given to General 
Lee, and to Colonels Thomson and Moultrie, for their 
good conduct on this memorable day; and the fort, in 
compliment to the commanding officer, was from that time, 
called Fort Moultrie. 

The victory at Sullivan's island was of immense impor- 



ATTACK ON SULLIVAN S ISLAND. 



103 



tance to the cause of liberty. It saved the southern coun- 
try from the horrors of war for several years. When the 
British at length invaded South Carolina and Georgia, 
the capture of Burgoyne had already been effected and 
the alliance with France entered into ; and the well di- 
rected exertions of Greene, aided by Marion, Sumpter and 
the other partisan leaders speedily effected the expulsion 
of the enemy from the South and prepared for the capture 
of Cornwallis and his army. 






THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE 



As the colonies had so long submitted to oppression 
from the mother country, it was deemed advisable to de- 
clare themselves a free and independent people. Accord- 
ingly, on the 7th of June, 1776, the great question of in- 
dependence was brought directly before Congress, by 
Richard Henry Lee, one of the delegates from Virginia. 
He submitted a resolution, declaring " that the united 
colonies are, and ought to be, free and independent states ; 
that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British 
crown ; and that all political connexion between them and 
the state of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally 

(104) 



'' ;| ; mmr\ <$~sm 








ii 



P'l 



wm 






,i " | !il! 1 7W" ,; !ir 



DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 107 

dissolved." The resolution was postponed until the next 
day, and every member enjoined to attend, to take the 
same into consideration. On the 8th it was debated in 
committee of the whole house. No question of greater 
magnitude was ever presented to the consideration of a 
deliberative body, or debated with more energy, eloquence, 
and ability. On the 10th it was adopted in committee, by 
a bare majority. The delegates from Pennsylvania and 
Maryland were instructed to oppose it, and the delegates 
from some of the other colonies were without special in- 
structions on the subject. To give time for greater una- 
nimity, the resolution was postponed in the house until 
the 1st of July. In the meantime, a committee was ap- 
pointed to prepare a declaration of independence. During 
this interval, measures were taken to procure the assent 
of all the colonies. 

On the day appointed, the resolution relating to inde- 
pendence was resumed in the general Congress, referred 
to a committee of the whole house, and assented to by all 
the colonies, except Pennsylvania and Delaware. The 
committee appointed to prepare a declaration of indepen- 
dence selected Mr. Adams and Mr. Jefferson as a sub- 
committee, and the original draft, was made by Mr. Jef- 
ferson. This draft, without any amendment by the com- 
mittee, was reported to congress, and, after undergoing 
several amendments, received their sanction. 



108 



DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 




JOHN HANCOCK. 



The course of time has now brought us to the decisive 
hour when a new empire, of a character the most extra- 
ordinary, springs into being. The world has known no 
rest since this grand confederacy took her rank among the 
nations of the earth ; her example infused a power into 
the principles of liberty which for nearly two centuries 
had been dormant ; although in another hemisphere, it has 
exercised more influence on the state of the public mind 
in Europe than did the great struggle in the days of the 
commonwealth ; and the world will know no rest more, 



DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 109 

till, under whatever form, the great lessons of freedom 
which American history enforces, have been listened to, 
and embodied in action, by every nation of the globe. 

The Declaration was read from the door of the State 
House in Philadelphia, on the 4th of July, 1776, and re- 
ceived with shouts of congratulation, and the ringing of 
bells, and firing of cannon, — tokens of rejoicing, which, 
according to a prediction of the celebrated John Adams, 
have been repeated annually to the present day. The hall 
in which congress was then assembled, was thenceforward 
called Independence Hall, and the public square, in which 
the Americans first assembled to hear the charter of free- 
dom read, still retains the name of Independence Square. 

When the Declaration had been passed and proclaimed 
it was engrossed on parchment, and signed by each member 
of Congress. Fac Similies of their signatures have been 
published, and the bold, manly writing of John Hancock, 
the president, at the head of the list, is indicative of his 
character. When Charles Carroll wrote his name, some 
one remarked that he might escape the penalties of trea- 
son after all, as there were several of his name. The 
patriot instantly added " of Carrollton," and thus indivi- 
dualized, his name will go down to the latest posterity. 
10 




FIRMNESS OF WASHINGTON. 



After the arrival of Sir William Howe, in June, 1776, 
and before commencing hostile operations, he despatched 
a circular letter, with a declaration, to the principal mag- 
istrates of all the colonies, acquainting them that he had 
been empowered to act as a commissioner of peace, and 
desiring that the same might be published for the iDform 
ation of the people. 
(110) 



FIKMNESS OF WASHINGTON. 113 

The declaration and letters were forwarded by Congress 
to General Washington, and ordered to be pnblished in 
the several newspapers, in order that the inhabitants might 
know the views of the commissioners, and the terms, with 
the hope of which the British ministry had endeavored to 
amuse and disarm them ; and if there were any who were 
undecided, as to what course they should pursue, they 
might be convinced, that the valor of their countrymen 
could alone save their liberties. 

A letter was despatched with a flag to New York, ad- 
dressed to " George Washington Esq." The general de- 
clined receiving it, not being directed to him with the 
title and style, suitable to his station. He was applauded 
by Congress for acting with becoming dignity, and all the 
officers were directed not to receive any letters or messages 
that were not addressed to them according to their re- 
spective ranks. 

Adjutant-General Patterson was next sent with a letter 
addressed to " George Washington, &c, &c, &c," He 
was exempted from being blindfolded, as usual in passing 
through fortifications, and was received by the general 
with the greatest politeness : but, notwithstanding all this 
envoy could offer, the et ceteras would not remove the im- 
pediments to the correspondence attempted. It was true, 
the general told him " the et ceteras imply everything ; 
but it is no less true, that they imply anything." 



114 FIRMNESS 0^ WASHINGTON. 

This affair displayed the character of the general's 
temper, and that he was ever firm and guarded, in adhe- 
ring to the line of conduct he had once adopted. A con- 
ference now ensued on the subject of prisoners, both sides 
having complaints to make relative to the treatment they 
received. On the adjutant stating that the commissioners 
were entrusted with great powers, the general answered, 
" their powers, are only to grant pardons. They who 
have committed no fault, want no pardon. The Ameri- 
cans are only defending what they think ttheir indisputa- 
ble rights." Thus ended a conference, from which it 
was evident, that all future attempts at conciliation would 
prove vain. The adjutant throughout the whole interview 
addressed the general as " Excellency," and behaved with 
great politeness and deference. 

The firmness of Washington was displayed not less 
conspicuously in many other trying scenes of the revolu- 
tionary war. So well was this trait in his character 
understood, that throughout the whole contest the repre- 
sentatives of the people, in congress, placed more de- 
pendence on him than on themselves. He was the bulwark 
of our liberties. He was appealed to, and his advice 
taken by congress in all great emergencies. He was, in 
point of fact, dictator, at all times, until he set the noble 
example of resigning his commission into the hands of 



FIRMNESS OF WASHINGTON. 



115 



congress at Annapolis when the great struggle had finally 
terminated. 

At one time, towards the close of the war, certain 
officers of the army were desirous to make him king, and 
sustain him by means of the army ; but his patriotism 
was incorruptible. He indignantly refused the offer ; and 
when the army was to be disbanded, his personal influence 
was successfully exerted in inducing the soldiers to 
return to their homes unpaid, without any scene* of 
violence or discontent. 








GENERAL LuL S HEAD QUARTERS AT BASKING RIDGE. 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL LEE. 



Great obstacles had to be encountered in recruiting 
for the American service, and a new occurrence increased 
this difficulty. High opinions were entertained of the 
military talents of General Charles Lee, by the friends 
of Congress, arising from his success in the defence of 
Charlcstown. 

While Washington was retreating through the Jerseys, 
1116) 



CAPTURE OP GENERAL LEE. 



117 




GENERAL SULLIVAN. 



(after the battle of White Plains,) he specially desired 
Lee, who had been left at North Castle, to hasten his 
march to the Delaware, and join the main army. Not- 
withstanding the momentous condition of aifairs, and the 
earnest orders of his superior, Lee seemed in no haste to 
obey. 

He was reluctant to give up his separate command, and 
subject himself to superior authority ; he therefore marched 
slowly southward, at the head of about three thousand 
men. Hia tardy movements, and unwary conduct, how- 



118 CAPTURE OF GENERAL LEE. 

ever, proved fatal to his own personal liberty, and created 
a lively sensation throughout America. 

He lay carelessly, without a guard, three miles from 
his troops, at Basking Ridge, in Morris county, where, on 
the 13th of December, Colonel Harcourt, who, with a 
small detachment of light horse, had been commissioned 
to watch the motions of that division of the American army, 
by a gallant act of partisan warfare, made him prisoner, 
and conveyed him rapidly to New York. 

Here he was for some time closely confined, and treated, 
not as a prisoner of war, but as a deserter from the Bri- 
tish service, because he had entered the American service, 
before his resignation of his commission in the British 
army had been accepted. His capture was considered a 
great misfortune by the Americans, whose confidence and 
esteem he enjoyed ; the British on the contrary, exulted 
in his capture, as equal to a victory, declaring that " they 
had taken the American palladium." Sullivan was ap- 
pointed to the command of Lee's division, and joined the 
main army. 




CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESOOTT. 



In the month of November, 1776, as already stated, 
Major General Lee was surprised and taken prisoner by 
a detachment of British troops. With a view to procure 
the exchange of General Lee, William Barton, then a 
Major in the Rhode Island line, in the service of the con- 
tinental Congress, and one of the most daring and patriotic 
soldiers of the revolution, projected the bold and adven- 
turous expedition which is the subject of the following 
narrative. 

Some months had elapsed after the capture of General 

(119) 



120 CAPTUKB OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 

Lee, before an opportunity offered of effecting the object 
which Major Barton had in view. In the month follow- 
ing that of the capture of General Lee, the enemy took 
possession of the islands of Rhode Island, Cannonicut, 
and Prudence. Major Barton was then stationed at Ti- 
verton, and for some months anxiously watched the mo- 
tions of the enemy, with but feeble prospect of obtaining 
the opportunity he desired. 

At length, on the 20th of 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 him- 
self 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 corroborated 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 enter- 
prise was of a nature as novel as it was hazardous. Be- 
sides, Major Barton was aware that the undertaking, 




11 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 123 

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 dis- 
grace. Moreover, to involve in the consequences of an 



enterprise, devised and undertaken without previous con- 
sultation with his superiors in rank, the interest, and per- 
haps the lives of a portion of his brave countrymen, was a 
subject that excited reflections calculated to damp the 
ardor and appal 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 both 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 au- 
thorized 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 in- 
tended expedition, on whose abilities and bravery he could 
rely : — these were, Captain Samuel Phillips, Lieutenant 



124 CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 

Joshua Babcock, Ensign Andrew Stanton, and John Wil- 

cock. (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 in- 
sisting upon a previous developement of his plans, his 
proposal was immediately accepted. Major Barton ex- 
perienced more difficulty in obtaining the necessary 
number of boats, as there were but two boats in the vici- 
nity. 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 de- 
ferred procuring the necessary number of men until the 
last moment, from an apprehension that their earlier se- 
lection might excite suspicion, and defeat the object of 
their enterprise. Desirous that this little band might be 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 125 

composed entirely of volunteers, the whole regiment was 
now ordered on parade. In a short, but animated ad- 
dress, Major Barton informed the soldiers that he pro- 
jected 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 assist- 
ance 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 mo- 
ment'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 regi- 
ment to the number of thirty-six, those who united to bra- 
very and discipline a competent knowledge of seamanship, 
for the management of the boats. Having thus obtained 
an adequate number of officers and men, and every thing 
being ready, the party on the 4th of July, 1777, embar- 
ked 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 com- 
mander. 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 



126 CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 

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 5th, the remaining boats having 
arrived, Major Barton, with his officers, went to Hog Is- 
land, not far distant from Bristol, and within view of the 
British encampments 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 reconnoitering 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 secresy was enjoined upon 
his officers by Major Barton, and they retured to Bristol. 
On the evening of the 6th, about nine o'clock, the little 
squadron again sailed, and crossing Narraganset Bay, 
landed on Warwick Neck. On the 7th, the wind chang- 
ing to E. N. E. brought on a storm, and retarded their 
plan. On the 9th, the weather being pleasant, it was de- 
termined to embark for the island. The boats were now 
numbered, and the place of every officer and soldier as- 
signed. At nine o'clock in the evening, Major Barton 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 127 

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 attended with success, they would 
be entitled to and would receive, the grateful acknow- 
ledgements of their country. "It is probable," said he 
" that some of us may not survive the daring attempt ; 
but I ask of 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 m 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, 



128 CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT- 

that he would smile upon their intended enterp;jj, and 
crown it with success. The whole party now proceeded 
to shore. — Major Barton had reason to apprehend that he 
might bo discovered in his passage from the main to 
llhode 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 against 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 mo- 
mentary 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 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 131 

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 de- 
part 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 
exceedingly 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 pro- 
bability of an early and fatal discovery of his designs by 
the troops upon the island ; and e/en 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 cir- 



132 CAPTURE OP GENERAL PRESCOTT. 

cumstances, 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 was a door on the south, the east and 
west sides of the house in which he residod. 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 on 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 ex- 
pedition 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 chal- 
lenged by a sentinel on guard. The party was at the 
distance of twenty-five yards from the sentinel, bat a row 
of trees partially concealed them from his view, and pre- 
vented 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." 




12 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 135 

Major Barton affecting to be angry, said to the sentinel 
who was now near him, " Damn you, we have no counter- 
sign — 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 demanded if his General 
was in the house, he was for some time unable to give an 
answer. At length in a faltering voice, he replied that 
he was. By this time each division having taken its sta- 
tion, 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 Bri- 
tish 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 to whom the account of the General's 



136 CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 

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, 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 a 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 se- 
cure the General dead or alive, he ordered his soldiers to 
set fire to the house. — The soldiers were preparing to ex- 
ecute 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 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 139 

whence the noise proceeded, and discovered an elderly 
man just rising from his bed, and clapping his hand upon 
his shoulder, demanded of him if he was not General 
Prescott. 

He answered " Yes, sir." 

" You are my prisoner, then," said Major Barton. 

"I acknowledge that I am," said 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 mean time Major Barrington, the Aid 
to General Prescott, discovering that the house was at- 
tacked 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 mo- 
ment was now allowed him to complete his dress, while 



140 CArTURE OF GENERAL TRESCOTT. 

the party were taking possession of the boats. The Ge- 
neral was placed in the boat with Major Barton, and they 
proceeded for the main. 

They had not got far from the island, when the dis- 
charge of cannon and three sky-rockets gave the signal 
for alarm. It was fortunate for the party that the enemy 
on board the shipping were ignorant of the cause of it, 
who might have easily 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 depar- 
ture, after an absence of six hours and a half. 

General Prescott turned toward the island, and observ- 
ing 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, to convey General Prescott and his aid- 
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 acknowledgements for 
the signal service he had rendered to his country. 



CAPTURE OF GENERAL PRESCOTT. 



141 



This adventure of Major Barton was well conceived and 
most gallantly executed. General Prescott however ap- 
pears to have been a prize of no great value. His name 
was not signalized in history and the anecdote which fol- 
lows shows that he did not even possess the character of a 
gentleman. 




-v"? 




GENERAL PRESCOTT WHIPPED. 

TnE British General Prescott, who was captured at 
his quarters on Rhode Island by Colonel Barton, being 
on his route through the State of Connecticut, called at a 
tavern to dine. The landlady furnished the table with a 
dish of suckatash, boiled corn and beans. The General 
being unaccustomed to such kind of food, with much 
warmth exclaimed, " What ! do you treat us with the food 
of hogs?" and, taking the dish from the table, strewed 
the contents over the floor. The landlord being informed 
of this, soon entered, and with his horse whip, gave the 
General a severe chastisement. The sequel of this story 
has been communicated by a gentleman at Nantucket, 
(142) 




"mwvmmm 






GENERAL PRESCOTT HORSEWHIPPED. 145 

who retains a perfect recollection of all the circumstances. 
After General Prescott was exchanged and restored to his 
command on the Island, the Indians of Nantucket deputed 
William Rotch, Doctor Tupper, and Timothy Folger to ne- 
gotiate some concerns with him in behalf of the town. 
They were for some time refused admittance to his presence, 
hut the doctor and Folger overcame the opposition, and 
ushered themselves into the room. Prescott raged and 
stormed with great vehemence, until Folger was compelled 
to withdraw. After the Doctor announced his business, and 
the General became a little calm, he said, " Was not my 
treatment to Folger very uncivil ?" 

The Doctor said yes. 

Then said Prescott, "I will tell you the reason: He 
looked so much like a Connecticut man, that horse-whipped 
me, that I could not endure his presence." 




>*^iv 




BATTLE GROUND OF TRENTON. 



BATTLE OF TRENTON. 



"Washington divided his troops into three parts, which 
were to assemble on the banks of the Delaware on the 
night of the 25th of December. One of these divisions led 
by General Irvine, was directed to cross the Delaware at 
the Trenton Ferry, and secure the bridge below the town, 
so as to prevent the escape of any part of the enemy by 
that road. Another Division, led by General Cadwalader, 
was to cross over at Bristol, and carry the post at Bur- 
lington. The third, which was the principal division, and 
consisted of about two thousand four hundred troops, com- 
(146) 



BATTLE OF TRENTON. 149 







WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE. 



manded by General Washington in person was to cross at 
M'Konkey's Ferry, about nine miles above Trenton, and 
to march against the enemy posted at that town. The 
night fixed on for the enterprise was severely cold. A 
storm of snow, mingled with hail and rain, fell in great 
quantities ; and so much ice was made in the river, that 
the artillery could not be got over until three o'clock ;A 
and before the troops could take up their line of march, it 
was nearly four ._ The general, who had hoped to throw 
them all over by twelve o'clock, now despaired of surpri- 
sing the town ; but knowing that he could not repass the 
river without being discovered and harassed, he deter- 
mined, at all events, to push forward. He accordingly 
formed his detachment into two divisions. One of which 
was to march by the lower or river road, the other, by the 

upper or Pennington road. 

13* 



150 BATTLE OF TRENTON. 

As the distance to Trenton by these two roads was 
nearly the same time, he ordered each of them, immediately 
on forcing the out guards, to push directly into the town, 
that they mi^ht charge the enemy before they had time 
to form. The upper division, accompanied by the Gene- 
ral himself, arrived at the enemy's adanced post exactly 
at eight o'clock, and immediately drove in the outguards. 
In three minutes, a firing from the division that had taken 
the river road, gave notice to the general of its arrival. 

Colonel Rahl, a very gallant Hessian officer who com- 
manded in Trenton, soon formed his main body to meet 
the assailants ; but at the commencement of the action he 
received a mortal wound. His troops, at once confused 
and hard pressed, and having already lost their artillery, 
attempted to file off by a road on the right leading to Prince- 
ton ; but General Washington, perceiving their intention, 
threw a body of troops in their front, which intercepted 
and assailed them. Finding themselves surrounded, they 
laid down their arms. About twenty of the enemy were 
killed and nine hundred and nine, including officers, sur- 
rendered themselves prisoners of war. 

The number of prisoners was soon increased to about 
one thousand by the addition of those who were concealed 
in houses. Six field pieces, and one thousand stand of 
small arms, were also taken. Of the Americans, two pri- 
vates were wounded. General Irviue being prevented by 




GENERAL CADWALADER. 152 



THE BATTLE OF TRENTON. 



153 



the ice from crossing the Delaware, the lower road towards 
Bordentown remained open ; and about five hundred of 
the enemy, stationed in the lower end of Trenton, cross- 
ing over the bridge in the commencement of the action, 
marched down the river to Bordentown. General Cad- 
walader was prevented from the same cause from attack- 
ing the post at Burlington. This well-judged and suc- 
cessful enterprise revived the depressed spirits of the colo- 
nists, and produced an immediate and happy effect in re- 
cruiting the American army. 





MONUMENT TO GENERAL MERCER, AT LAUREL HILL 
CEMETERY. 



BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 

The situation of general Washington was, now, again 
extremely critical. If he staid in his present position, it 
was certain he would be attacked, next morning, by a 
force, in all respects, superior to his own ; and the result 
would most probably, be the destruction of his little army. 
If he attempted to retreat over the Delaware, now covered 
(154) 






h 



BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 157 

with ice, which, in consequence of a few mild and foggy 
days, was not firm enough to march upon, a considerable 
loss perhaps a total defeat, would be sustained. In any 
event, the Jerseys would once more be entirely in posses- 
sion of the enemy ; the public mind would again be de- 
pressed, recruiting be discouraged by his apparent infe- 
riority ; and Philadelphia would be a second time in the 
hands of General Howe. It was obvious, that the one 
event or the other would deduct greatly from the advan- 
tages promised by his late success ; and, if it should not 
render the American cause, absolutely desperate, would 
very essentially injure it. 

In this state of things, he formed the bold and judicious 
design of abandoning the Delaware, and marching silently 
in the night by a circuitous route, along the left flank of 
the British army, into their rear at Princeton, where he 
knew they could not be very strong. After beating them 
there, he proposed to make a rapid movement to Bruns- 
wick, where their baggage and principal magazines lay, 
under a weak guard. 

A council of war having approved this plan, preparations 
were immediately made for its execution. As soon as it 
was dark, the baggage was removed silently to Burlington ; 
and about one o'clock in the morning of the third, after 
renewing their fires, and leaving their guards at the bridge 

and the other passes over the creek, the army decamped 
14 



158 BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 

with perfect secresy, taking the Quaker road to Princeton. 
Here, three British regiments had encamped the preceding 
night, two of which commenced their march early in the 
morning to join the rear of their army at Maidenhead. 
About sunrise, when they had proceeded about two miles, 
they saw the Americans advancing on the left, in a direc- 
tion which would enter the road in their rear. They im- 
mediately faced about, and, repassing Stonybrook, moved 
under cpver of a copse of woods towards the Americans, 
whose van was conducted by General Mercer. A sharp 
action ensued, which, however, was not of long duration. 
The militia, of which the advanced party was principally 
composed, soon gave way, and the few regulars attached 
to them were not strong enough to maintain their ground. 
While gallantly exerting himself to rally his broken troops, 
General Mercer was mortally wounded, and the van was en- 
tirely routed. But the fortune of the day was soon 
changed. The main body of the army, led by General 
Washington in person, followed close in the rear, and 
attacked the enemy with great spirit. Persuaded that 
defeat would irretrievably ruin the affairs of America, he 
advanced in the very front of the battle, and exposed him- 
self to the very hottest fire of the enemy. He was so well 
supported by the same troops who, a few days before, had 
served at Trenton, that the British, in turn, were compel- 
led to give way. 



BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 



161 



n£3^ 




(2) 

THE HOUSE IN WHICH GENERAL MERCER DIED. 



Their line was broken, and the two regiments separated 
from each other. Colonel Mawhood, who commanded 
that in front, and who, being, therefore, on the right, was 
nearest the rear division of the army under Lord Gorn- 
wallis, retired to the main road and continued his route to 
Maidenhead. The fifty-fifth regiment, which was on the 
British left, being hard pressed, fled in confusion, across 
the fields and great road, into a back road leading between 
Hillsborough and Kingston towards Brunswick. The 
vicinity of the British forces at Maidenhead, secured Colo- 
nel Mawhood from pursuit, and general Washington pressed 
forward to Princeton. The regiment remaining in that 
place took post in the college, and made some show of re- 
sistance ; but the artillery being brought up, it was aban- 
14* 



162 BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 

done J, and the greater part of them were made prisoners. 
Some' few saved themselves by a precipitate retreat to 
Brunswick. 

In this action, upwards of one hundred of the British 
were killed, and near three hundred were taken prisoners. 
The loss of the Americans in killed were somewhat less, 
but in this number was included General Mercer, a very 
valuable officer from Viginia, who had served with the 
commander-in-chief in the war against the French and 
Indians, which terminated in 1763, and was greatly es- 
teemed by him. Colonels Haslett and Potter, brave and 
excellent officers from Delaware and Pennsylvania ; Cap- 
tain Neal of the artillery, Captain Fleming, who on that 
day commanded the seventh Virginia regiment, and five 
other valuable officers, were also among the slain. 

On the appearance of daylight, Lord Cornwallis disco- 
vered that the American army had moved off in the night, 
and immediately conceived the plan of Washington. He 
was under extreme apprehension for Brunswick, where 
were magazines of great value, with the military chest con- 
taining about seventy thousand pounds. Breaking up his 
camp, he commenced a rapid march to that place, for the 
purpose of affording it protection; and was close in the 
rear of the American army before it could leave Princeton. 
But Washington with his almost exhausted army reached 
Pluckemin in safety, gave his men rest and refreshment, 



BATTLE OF PRINCETON. 



163 



and then proceeded to Morristown, where he established 
his winter quarters. Unprovided as his men were with the 
necessaries for a winter campaign, he did not remain 
idle, but sent out detachments to assail and harass the 
enemy. In a short time with the aid of the militia of the 
country, he completely drove the British from all their 
posts except Brunswick and Amboy. Such were the 
results of the skill, and vigilance, and consummate Gene- 
ralship of Washington. The brilliant termination of a 
campaign which had been considered disastrous and 
hopeless by the patriots, breathed new life into them and 
raised their confidence in the ability of the commander- 
in-chief. 




READING THE DECLARATION OP INDEPENDENCE TO THE 
ARMY. 




GENERAL LA FAYETTE. 

Shortly after the commencement of the campaign of 
1777, the Marquis de La Fayette arrived on our shores. 
He will, and ever must be regarded as one of the most 
noble and disinterested persons whose names adorn the 
pages of history. Out of pure love for the cause of liberty 
in which the United States were engaged, he forsook all 
the comforts and endearments of home, giving no thought 
to the brilliant destinies which awaited him as one of the 
first nobles of France," to plunge in the blood and dust 
of our inauspicious struggle." 
(164) 



GENERAL LA FAYETTE. 165 

In 1776, at the age of nineteen, he communicated his 
intention to the American commissioners at Paris, who 
failed not to encourage it, rightly concluding that the eclat 
of his departure would be serviceable to their cause. 
Events, however, occurred which would have deterred from 
the undertaking a person less decided than the Marquis. 
News was received in France, that the American army, 
reduced to two thousand men, had fled towards Philadel- 
phia through the Jerseys, before thirty thousand British 
troops. 

This news so effectually extinguished the little credit 
heretofore enjoyed by America in Europe, that a vessel 
could not be procured by the commissioners to forward 
this nobleman's project. 

It was thought by them to be their duty, under these 
circumstances, to discourage his project, until a change 
in the condition of American affairs would render it less 
hazardous. It was in vain, however, that they acted so 
candid a part. The flame which had been kindled in his 
breast by the American sons of liberty could not be 
smothered by their misfortunes. " Hitherto," said he, in 
an interview with Dr. Franklin, in the true spirit of he- 
roism, " I have only cherished your cause ; now I am going 
to serve it. The lower it is in the opinion of the people, 
the greater effect my departure will have ; and, since you 
cannot get a vessel, I shall procure and fit out one, to 



1(56 GENERAL LA FAYETTE. 

carry your despatches to Congress, and me to America. 
He accordingly fitted out a vessel, and meanwhile made 
a visit to Great Britain, that the part he was about to act 
might be rendered the more conspicuous. 

The French court, could not overlook his conduct, 
whatever their good wishes were towards America. He 
was overtaken by an order, forbidding him to proceed to 
America, and vessels were despatched to the West Indies, 
in case he was found in that quarter, to have him confined. 
He acknowledged receipt of the order, but did not obey 
it ; and, keeping clear of the West Indies, he arrived at 
Charleston, in the spring of 1777, and repaired immedi- 
ately to the seat of war. 

Washington received him with open arms, and Congress 
immediately appointed him a Major-General. His example 
was followed by many French officers ; and it was chiefly 
by his efforts, backed by those of Dr. Franklin, &nd the 
other American commissioners at Paris, that the treaty 
of alliance and mutual defence between the United States 
and France, was afterwards concluded. 

La Fayette served throughout the remainder of the re- 
volutionary war, and rendered military services scarcely 
less important to the country than his able and influen- 
tial diplomacy in the matter of the alliance with France. 
His generosity in clothing the soldiers for the Virginia 
campaign, and his able conduct and intrepidity in the en- 



GENERAL LA FAYETTE. 



169 



counters with the British which preceded the surrender 
of Cornwallis were of inestimable value to the cause. 
When in old age he returned to the United States his 
visit was a continuous triumphal progress ; and Congress 
acknowledged his services by a liberal grant of money and 
land. 




DEPARTURE OF LA FAYETTE FROM FRANCE. 

15 




WASHINGTON. 



BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 



After the battles of Trenton and Princeton, Washing- 
ton passed the winter of 1776-7 in expelling the British 
from most of their posts in New Jersey. During the 
greater part of this time, his head quarters were at 
Morristown./ The spring was passed in vain endeavors on 
the part of Sir William Howe, to bring on a general en- 
gagement, and in June he gave up the attempt and with- 
drew his army from New Jersey to Staten Island. ITis 
object was now to gain possession of Philadelphia. Ac- 
(170) 



BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 171 

cordingly, after keeping the American General in long and 
perplexing suspense concerning his intended operations, 
he at length sailed from Sandy Hook with about sixteen 
thousand men ; entered Chesapeake Bay ; and on the 
24th of August arrived at the head of Elk river. Gene- 
rals Grant and Knyphausen having joined him on the 8th 
of September with the troops under their command, the 
whole army moved onward in two columns toward Phila- 
delphia, the possession of which was now discovered to be 
the object of the British Commander. General Washing- 
ton, who regulated his movements by those of the enemy, 
had by this time, with the whole American army, except- 
ing the light infantry, which remained on the lines, taken 
a position behind Red Clay Creek, on the road leading 
directly from the enemy's camp to Philadelphia. The 
British boldly advanced until they were within two miles 
of the Americans. 

General Washington, on reconnoitering their situation, 
apprehending their object to be to turn his right, and, 
suddenly crossing the Brandywine, to seize the heights on 
the north side of that river and cut off his communication 
with Philadelphia, changed his position early in the night 
of the 8th of September, crossed the Brandywine, and the 
next morning took post behind that river, on the height 
near Chadd's Ford. 

At daybreak on the morning of the eleventh, the royal 



172 BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 

-_, ------ 




WASHINGTON S HEAD QUARTERS AT MORRISTOWN. 

army advanced in two columns, the one commanded by 
Lieutenant-General Knyphausen, and the other by Lord 
Cornwallis. While the first column took the direct road 
to Chadd's Ford, and made a show of passing it in front 
of the main body of the Americans, the other moved up 
on the west side of the Brandywine to its fork, crossed 
both its branches about two in the afternoon, and marched 
down on its eastern side with a view of turning the right 
wing of their adversaries. 

General Washington, on receiving intelligence of their 
approach, made the proper disposition to receive them. 
The divisions commanded by Sullivan, Stirling, and Ste- 
phen, advanced a little farther up the Brandywine, and 




15* 



BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 175 

fronted the column of the approaching enemy ; "Wayne's 
division, with Maxwell's light infantry, remained at Chadd's 
Ford, to keep Knyphausen in check; Green's division, 
accompanied by General Washington, formed a reserve, 
and took a central position between the right and left 
wings. 

The divisions detached against Cornwallis took posses- 
sion of the heights above Birmingham church, their left 
reaching toward the Brandywine ; the artillery was judi- 
ciously placed, and. their flanks were covered by woods. 
About four o'clock, Lord Cornwallis formed the line of 
battle, and began the attack. 

The Americans sustained it some time with intrepidity ; 
but their right at length giving way. the remaining divi- 
sions, exposed to a galling fire on the flank, continued to 
break on the right, and the whole line was soon completely 
routed. As soon as Cornwallis had commenced his attack, 
Knyphausen crossed the ford, and attacked the troops 
posted for its defence ; which, after a severe conflict, were 
compelled to give way. 

The retreat of the Americans, which soon became ge- 
neral, was continued that night to Chester, and the next 
day to Philadelphia. The loss, sustained by the Ameri- 
cans in this action, is estimated at three hundred killed, 
and six hundred wounded. Between three and four hun- 
dred, principally the wounded, were made prisoners. The 



176 BATTLE OF BRANDYWINE. 

loss of the British was stated to be rather less than one 
hundred killed, and four hundred wounded. 

As the British were advancing towards Goshen to gain 
the Lancaster road, dispositions were again made for battle, 
on the 16th, by both armies ; but a heavy rain separated 
the advanced parties, which had begun to skirmish, and 
its increasing violence soon obliged the Americans to 
retreat. 

General Washington on the 19th crossed the Schuylkill, 
and encamped on the eastern banks of that river ; while 
detachments of his army were posted at the several fords, 
over which the enemy would probably attempt to force a 
passage. In the battle of BrandyAvine, La Fayette first 
drew his sword in our cause ; and during the action he 
was severely wounded. 





A COUNCIL OF OFFICERS. 



BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. 



Washington while encamped fourteen miles from Ger- 
mantown, conceived the design of attacking the British 
stationed at that place. The 4th of October was fixed 
for the execution of the plan. \^ 

Sir William Howe, desirous of having a free communi- 
cation with the fleet in the Delaware river, employed his 
army in removing the obstructions in the river, which the 
Americans had been at great pains to construct, and 
which were defended by floating batteries, armed vessels, 
and fire ships, '^he army at Germantown was of neces- 

(177) 



178 BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. 

sity weakened, by the number engaged in the removal of 
these obstructions ; and Washington, whose forces had 
been increased to eleven thousand men, determined to 
attack them by surprise. 

lie moved from his encampment on the 3d of October, 
with twenty-five hundred chosen men, and commenced the 
attack early on the morning of the 4th. The advanced 
guards were soon driven in ; but one circumstance defeated 
the whole enterprise. Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave, with 
five companies, took possession of Mr. Chew's large stone 
mansion, and kept up such a galling fire, that although 
nearly half the American army, were engaged in attempt- 
ing to dislodge them, all their efforts were vain. 7 s A thick 
fog rendered the morning so dark, that it became almost 
impossible to distinguish friend or foe. ^ 

Washington was at length obliged to order a retreat in 
order to save his army. The fog now proved of some 
benefit, and the army retreated under cover of a battery,^,, 
suddenly and opportunely furnished by General Wayne, 
on an eminence near White Marsh church. Many fell 
into the hands of the British, being unable to unite with 
their parties, which accounts for the large number of 
prisoners, four hundred. The loss of the Americans, be- 
sides, was about two hundred killed, and throe hundred 
wounded. That of the British was stated by them to be 
near six hundred killed and wounded, v/ 



»-->• 





BATTLE OF GERMANTOWN. 



181 




GENERA 



The effect of this battle was to render Howe more cau- 
tious, as he was aware he had one to deal with who was 
every way his equal. His army was placed nearer Phil- 
adelphia, whilst Washington resumed his former position 
on Skippack Creek, twenty miles from Philadelphia. 

The plan of attack at Germantown had been determined 
by a council of officers called by Washington ; and the sur- 
prise of the British army would have been complete, but 
for the unforeseen delay at Chew's House. If the opinion 

of General Reed had prevailed, this long delay would 
16 



182 BATTLE OP GERMANTOWN. 

not have happened. He proposed to continue the pursuit 
of the remainder of the enemy, who were in great confu- 
sion ; and turning their faces to Philadelphia ; but General 
Knox of the artillery, opposed the suggestion as being 
against all military rule " to leave an enemy in a fort in 
the rear." 

"What," exclaimed Reed, "call this a fort, and lose 
the happy moment?" 

Knox's opinion prevailed ; the pursuit was abandoned, 
and a failure ensued, where a victory had been nearly 
certain. 





RED EAMv. 



BATTLE OF RED BANK. 



The upper line of obstructions which prevented the 
British ships from ascending the Delaware river, to the 
city of Philadelphia, in 1777, were protected by a work 
on Mud Island, called Fort Mifflin, and a redoubt and 
works on the Jersey shore, at Red Bank, named Fort 
Mercer. 

The capture or overthrow of these forts, and the free 

passage of the Delaware, were of great importance to the 

British army, in the occupation of Philadelphia. Count 

Donop, was therefore ordered by Howe, with twelve hun- 

16 * (185) 



186 BATTLE OF RED BANK. 

dred men, chiefly Germans, to cross the Delaware, and 
storm the works at Red Bank. 

He attacked the fort, which was garrisoned by Colonel 
Christopher Greene, of Rhode Island, with only five hun- 
dred men, on the 22nd of October, 1777. This number, 
proving insufficient to man the works completely, they re- 
tired from the outworks to the redoubt, after galling the 
Hessians on their approach. 

The charge of the enemy was spirited, but the fire of 
the Americans was too well directed, and too deadly. 
Count Donop was mortally wounded ; the second in com- 
mand met a similar fate ; and the third immediately retired 
with the rest of his men. Greene followed them on their 
retreat. Donop was taken prisoner, and treated with the 
greatest kindness ; but he soon died of his wounds. The 
loss of the British was about four hundred men, while that 
of the Americans was but thirty-two killed and wounded. 
That portion of the fleet which participated in the attack, 
was equally unfortunate. The channel had been obstructed 
by the chevaux-de-frize, and sandbanks were made, where 
before, none had existed. 

The frigates Augusta and Merlin ran aground a short 
distance below the second row of chevaux-de-frize. Every 
exertion was used to get them off; but in vain. 

Next morning, the Americans perceiving their situation, 
began to fire upon them, and sent fire-ships to effect their 



BATTLE OF RED BANK. 



187 



complete destruction. The Augusta was fired, and the 
crew with great difficulty saved. The second lieutenant, 
chaplain, gunner, and some seamen, perished in the flames ; 
and the crew of the Merlin, apprehending a similar fate, 
set fire to and abandoned her. 

This was a splendid victory for the Americans ; but it 
was unavailing in the end. A subsequent attack was made 
with an overwhelming force ; and the Americans were 
obliged to retreat, leaving the fort a heap of ruins. 





GENERAL BURGOYNE. 

BURGOYNE'S INVASION. BATTLE OF BEN- 
NINGTON. 

It is well known to the readers of American history, 
that Burgoyne's invasion was intended to conquer the 
whole country from Canada to New York, and thus cut off 
all connexion between the northern and southern colonies. 
His first operations were attended with success. Ticon- 
deroga, Fort Edward, and Fort Anne, had successively 
fallen into his hands. 

Up to this time, every thing in the aspect of the cam- 
(188) 




JOHN LANGDON 



burgoyne's INVASION. 191 

paign in the north had been as discouraging to the Ame- 
ricans as it was promising to Burgoyne. We quote a pas- 
sage from Governor Everett, to show what the state of 
feeling was in New England, and to what kind of measures 
some of its sons were capable of resorting for the public 
good. 

"It must be confessed that it required no ordinary 
share of fortitude, to find topics of consolation in the present 
state of affairs. The British were advancing with a well- 
appointed army into the heart of the country, under the 
conduct, as it was supposed, of the most skilful officers, 
confident of success, and selected to finish the war. The 
army consisted in part of German troops, veterans of the 
Seven Years' War, under the command of a general of 
experience, conduct, and valor. Nothing could have been 
more ample than the military supplies, the artillery, mu- 
nitions, and stores, with which the army was provided. 
A considerable force of Canadians and American loyalists, 
furnished the requisite spies, scouts, and rangers ; and a 
numerous force uf savages, in their war-dresses, with their 
peculiar weapons and native ferocity, increased the terrors 
of its approach. Its numbers were usually rated at ten 
thousand strong. 

" On the evacuation of Ticonderoga, and the further 
advance of such an army, the New England States, and 
particularly New Hampshire and Massachusetts, were filled 



192 burgoyne's invasion. 

with alarm. It was felt that tlu>ir frontier was uncovered, 
and that strenuous and extraordinary efforts for the pro- 
tection of the country were necessary. In New Hamp- 
shire, as being nearer the scene of danger, a proportion- 
ably greater anxiety was felt. The Committee of Safety, 
of what was then called the New Hampshire Grants, the 
present state of Vermont, wrote in the most pressing terms 
to the New Hampshire Committee of Safety at Exeter, 
apprising them, that, if assistance should not be sent to 
them, they should be forced to abandon the country and 
take refuge east of the Connecticut River. "When these 
tidings reached Exeter, the Assembly had finished their 
spring session, and had gone home. A summons from 
the Committee brought them together again, and in three 
days they took the most effectual and decisive steps for 
the defence of the country. Among the patriotic mem- 
bers of the Assembly, who signalized themselves on this 
occasion, none was more conspicuous than the late Go- 
vernor Langdon. The members of that body were inclined 
to despond ; the public credit was exhausted ; and there 
were no more means of supporting troops, if they could 
be raised. Meantime the defences of the frontier had 
fallen, and the enemy, with overwhelming force, was pene- 
trating into the country. At this gloomy juncture, John 
Langdon, a merchant of Portsmouth, and speaker of the 
Assembly, thus addressed its members: 



lllill 




IT 



BATTLE OF BENNINGTON. 195 




GENERAL STARK. 

" ' I have three thousand dollars in hard money ; I will 
pledge my plate for three thousand more ; I have seventy 
hogsheads of Tobago rum, which shall be sold for the most 
it will bring. These are at the service of the state. If 
we succeed in defending our firesides and homes, I may 
be remunerated ; if we do not, the property will be of no 
value to me. Our old friend, Stark, who so nobly main- 
tained the honor of our state at Bunker Hill, may be 
safely intrusted with the conduct of the enterprise, and we 
will check the progress of Burgoyne.' 

" This proposal infused new life into the measures of the 
Assembly. They formed the whole militia of the state 
into two brigades. Of the first they gave the command 
to William Whipple, of the second to John Stark. They 
ordered one-fourth part of Stark's brigade, and one-fourth 
of three regiments of Whipple's, * to stop the progress of 
the enemy on our western frontiers.' They ordered the 



106 BATTLE OF BENNINGTON. 

militia officers to take away arms from all persons who 
scrupled or refused to assist in defending the country ; 
and appointed a day of fasting and prayer, which was 
observed with great solemnity." 

It was with the force raised by these exertions of the 
government and people of New Hampshire, that General 
Stark was enabled to give Burgoyne his first check, by 
defeating his attempt to seize the stores at Bennington. 
Burgoyne had dispatched Colonel Baum on this service, 
with five hundred men, mostly Germans, including a de- 
tachment of Reidsel's dragoons, and one hundred Indians. 
General Stark was near the town, with about four hun- 
dred men, and hearing of Baum's approach, he sent ex- 
presses with directions to all the neighboring militia, to 
join him, and an order to Colonel "Warner, to march from 
Manchester, where he was stationed with his regiment, to 
his aid. His orders were promptly obeyed, and he soon 
found himself at the head of a large number of men. Ad- 
vancing to within four miles of the town, Baum halted 
and sent an express to Burgoyne for reinforcements ; and 
Colonel Breyman, with five hundred men was sent to his 
assistance. Meantime Stark determined to attack Baum 
in his camp. He advanced against the enemy at the head 
of seven hundred men, and commenced a furious assault. 
Baum did every thing that could be expected from an 
officer, under the circumstances, but in vain ; on all sides 



BATTLE OF BENNINGTON. 199 

he was assailed with an incessant fire of musketry, and he 
was at length mortally wounded, The battle had lasted 
two hours, when the Hessian troops, unable longer to 
withstand the American fire, fled in confusion. A few 
escaped, but the greater part were killed or taken priso- 
ners. The militia dispersed for plunder ; Breyman came 
up and renewed the battle, and Stark, being opportunely 
reinforced by Warner's regiment, maintained the engage- 
ment till dark, when Breyman abandoned his artillery 
and baggage, and escaped with a small part of his men to 
the British camp. The American militia were well-armed 
from the spoil taken in this victory. Four brass field- 
pieces, one thousand stand of arms, nine hundred swords, 
and several baggage-wagons, fell into the hands of the 
brave Stark, who lost but one hundred men in killed and 
wounded throughout the day. The British lost about 
seven hundred in all, of which number, thirty-two officers 
"were taken prisoners. 

The battle of Bennington was the first serious check 
received by Burgoyne. It was followed by the battle of 
Stillwater, and Bemis's Heights; and then came a suc- 
cession of disasters which terminated in the surrender of 
his whole army, and the total defeat of his whole grand 
scheme of invasion. 

The capture of Burgoyne and his army, was an event 
cf immense importance to the cause of liberty. It saved 



200 



BATTLE OF BENNINGTON. 



the New England States from all the horrors of invasion. 
It inspired congress and the people with fresh confidence 
to protract the struggle to final victory. It was the 
turning point with the court of France, and determined 
that power to form a treaty of alliance with the United 
States, and to send her fleets and armies to our aid. 
There remained still, much to be done and suffered for 
the good cause ; but from this time forth, the patriots 
fought with renewed courage and determination. One 
formidable British army defeated and captured, what 
might they not hope to accomplish ? 





HEROIC EXPLOIT OF PETER FRANCISCO. 

While the British were spreading havoc and desolation 
all around them, by their plunderings and burnings in 
Virginia, in 1781, Peter Francisco had been reconnoiter- 
ing, and while stopping at the house of a Mr. Wand, in 
Amelia county, nine of Tarleton's cavalry coming up with 
three negroes, told him he was a prisoner. Seeing him- 

(201) 



202 HEROIC EXPLOIT OF PETER FRANCISCO. 

self overpowered by numbers, he made no resistance ; and 
believing him to be very peaceable, they all went into the 
house, leaving the paymaster and Francisco together. 
He demanded his watch, money, &c, which being delivered 
to him, in order to secure his plunder, he put his sword 
under his arm, with the hilt behind him. While in the 
act of putting a silver buckle into his pocket, Francisco, 
finding so favorable an opportunity to recover his liberty, 
stepped one pace in his rear, drew the sword with force 
from under his arm, and instantly gave him a blow across 
his scull. The enemy was brave, and though severely 
wounded, drew a pistol, and, in the same moment that he 
pulled the trigger, Francisco cut his hand nearly off. The 
bullet grazed his side. Ben Wand (the man of the house) 
very ungenerously brought out a musket, and gave it to 
one of the British soldiers, and told him to make use of 
that. He mounted the only horse he could get, and 
presented it at Francisco's breast. It missed fire, and 
Francisco rushed on the muzzle of the gun. A short 
struggle ensued, and he disarmed and wounded him. 
Tarleton's troop of four hundred men were in sight. All 
was hurry and confusion, which Francisco increased by 
hallooing as loud as he could, Come on, my brave boys ; 
now's your time : we will soon dispatch these few, and 
then attack the main body. The wounded man flew to 
the troop ; the others were panic struck, and fled. Fran- 



JOtfK 




HEROIC EXPLOIT OF PETER FRANCISCO. 205 

cisco seized Wand, and would have dispatched him, but 
the poor wretch begged for his life ; he was not only an 
object of contempt, but pity. The eight horses that were 
left behind, Francisco gave him to conceal for him. Dis- 
covering Tarleton had dispatched ten more in pursuit of 
him, he made off and evaded their vigilance. They stopped 
to refresh themselves, and he, like an old fox, doubled, 
and fell on their rear. Francisco went the next day to 
Wand for his horses ; he demanded two, for his trouble 
and generous intentions. Finding his situation dangerous, 
and surrounded by enemies where he ought to have found 
friends, he went off with his six horses. Francisco in- 
tended to have avenged himself of Wand at a future day, 
but Providence ordained he should not be his executioner, 
for Wand broke his neck by a fall from one of the very 
horses. 








ANDREW JACKSON. 

The name of Andrew Jackson is associated with many- 
stirring events in American History, and while one spark 
of "virtue, liberty, and independence," remains imbedded 
in the hearts of the American people, so long will the 
name of Jackson live. 

He was educated for the ministry by his mother, who 
was left a widow shortly after his birth, and who looked 
forward with pleasure, to the time when she should see 
him at the head of some little flock, leading them in that 
path which leads to Eternal life ; little dreaming that he 
(206) 




208 



ANDREW JACKSON. 



ANDREW JACKSON. 209 

would one day hold the highest office in the gift of his 
countrymen. 

While receiving his education at the Waxhaw academy, 
the Revolution broke out. When the news of the battles 
of Lexington, Concord, and Bunker's Hill, reached the 
south, and the events immediately succeeding, the fires 
began to burn, and all were seized with the " desire to 
strike one blow for their common country." 

They did not have to wait a great while, for the " deso- 
lating tide of war soon rolled south, and the rallying notes 
of the bugle rang through the woods of Carolina." 

Savannah was taken by the British in 1778, and in the 
following spring the troops invaded South Carolina. Here 
they met with opposition from the inhabitants, and the 
elder brother of Andrew, Hugh, fell at Stono, having 
been " overcome by the heat and labor of the day." 

Charleston surrendered the following year, and the 
British under Lord Cornwallis penetrated into the heart 
of South Carolina. Colonel Buford, who commanded 
the hardy yeomanry, amounting to about four hundred 
men, was forced to retire. Cornwallis dispatched Colonel 
Tarleton after him, who overtook him at Waxhaw, the 
birth-place of Jackson, and literally cut Buford's small 
army to pieces ; but one hundred and forty escaping, of 
the four hundred under his command. 

On the quiet green of Waxhaw, along the rural street, 
18* 



210 ANDREW JACKSON. 

around the humble cottages, lay the mutilated bodies, 
nearly all of them showing the ghastly wounds of the 
sabre. The fierce dragoons, with their bugle blasts, and 
shouts, and trampling steeds, had come and gone like a 
whirlwind, leaving desolation in their path, while the si- 
lence that succeeded this sudden uproar, and short, fierce 
death-struggle, was broken only by the groans of the 
dying. Their little village church was immediately turned 
into a hospital, and the inhabitants vied with each other 
in ministering to the wounded. 

Andrew was at this time but twelve years of age ; but 
as he listened to the tumult of battle, and afterwards 
gazed on the ghastly spectacle, his young heart kindled 
into rage, and in that dreadful hour, the soldier was 
born. 

Mrs. Jackson, shortly after, together with most of the 
inhabitants, retired into North Carolina, frightened at the 
approach of Lord Rawdon, who was advancing towards 
"VVaxhaw, committing every species of rapine and plunder. 
She remained in North Carolina, until Rawdon was re- 
called to Camden. 

In 1780, General Sumter made an attack upon the Bri- 
tish, at Rocky Mount ; but was unsuccessful. He was, 
however, shortly after reinforced by Colonel Davie, with 
a party of Waxhaw settlers, among whom were the sons 
of Mrs. Jackson ; and although Andrew was but thirteen 



ANDKEW JACKSON. 211 

years of age, and could scarcely carry a musket, he was 
to be found at his post, burning with zeal to lend a helping 
hand, in securing the liberty of his beloved country. 

" It was sad to behold one so young marching to the 
carnage of battle ; but there was a sublimity, a grandeur, 
about the gallant boy, that wins our highest admiration. 
It is a terrible thing to have such a child cast into the 
midst of strife and bloodshed ; and yet it is a noble spec- 
tacle to behold so young a heart laid on the altar of his 
country, so fresh a life offered a sacrifice to liberty. It 
was hard for the solitary widow to part with her ' Benja- 
min,' the child of her love. As she strained him to her 
bosom, she thought of the hardships and toilsome march 
before him, and alas ! of the battle-field on which, per- 
chance, his pale and innocent cheek would be pressed in 
death, while his clotted locks lay trampled in the earth ; 
yet, Spartan-like, she bade him, in God's name, go, and 
strike for the land of his birth." 

General Sumter, on the 6th of August, attacked the 
British at Hanging Rock; but a portion of his troops 
rising in rebellion, he was forced to retreat. The boys 
Jackson, were still in Colonel Davies' corps, " which fought 
gallantly to the last. This was Andrew's first battle, and 
in it he showed the metal he was made of." He shortly 
after returned to his mother, who was again forced to flee 
into North Carolina for safety. They remained until 



212 ANDREW JACKSON. 

February, -when they again sought their home. The sub- 
sequent career of Jackson is too well known to require 
any notice from us. In the wars with the Indians in 
Florida, in 1813-14, he made himself famous, by the 
boldness and consummate tact, with which he, in almost 
every instance, triumphed over superior numbers. But 
the battle of New Orleans was the crowning point. A 
nation testified its gratitude, by placing him in the highest 
office in their gift. 






ft 




niiiiiiiiiiiiiM 




SIEGE OF YORKTOWN, AND SURRENDER OF 

CORNWALLIS. 

An attempt was made by Sir Henry Clinton to divert 
Washington from bis plan of operations in the south, 
but it was totally unsuccessful. He, with the French 
generals, marched towards Yorktown, which Lord Corn- 
wallis with his army, was endeavoring to fortify. 

Yorktown is situated on the south side of York river, 
where the banks are high, and ships of the line may ride 
in safety. On the opposite shore is situated Gloucester 

(215) 



216 SIEGE OF YORKTOWN. 

Point. Both of these points were occupied by the British, 
and a communication kept up, by means of their batteries, 
and several ships of war. The main army of Cornwallis 
was encamped at Yorktown ; while Lieutenant-Colonel 
Tarleton, with a detachment of six or seven hundred men, 
kept possession of Gloucester Point. 

The French general De Choisy, with Lauzun's legion, 
and a brigade of Virginia militia, watched and enclosed 
Tarleton's force, at Gloucester, whilst the main army 
moved to invest Yorktown, on the 30th of September. 

On the night of the 6th of October, advancing within 
six hundred yards of the English lines, they began their 
first parallel, with such silence and industry, that they 
had raised a work of sufficient magnitude to protect them, 
before morning discovered their operations to the British. 
On the 9th and 10th of October, the allies opened a fire 
from their batteries, and the second parallel was opened, 
within three hundred yards of the enemy's works, on the 
night of the 10th ; but here their progress was impeded. 
Two British redoubts were advanced in front of the other 
works, and the workmen in the trenches were much an- 
noyed by them. It was determined to carry these posts 
by storm ; and to avoid national jealousy, and to profit 
by the natural emulation of the troops, one was to be at- 
tacked by the French, whilst the Americans should assail 
the other. On the evening of the 14th. the two detach 



SIEGE OF YORKTOWN. 217 

ments moved to the assaillt. L<a Fayette led the Ameri- 
cans against the redoubt on the extreme left of the British, 
and the Baron Viomenil led the French grenadiers and 
chasseurs to attack the other, which was more toward 
the British right, and near the French lines. The Ame- 
ricans rushed to the assault with fixed bayonets, and un- 
loaded arms, and the redoubt was carried in a few minutes, 
with the inconsiderable loss of nine killed and thirty-two 
wounded. Notwithstanding the frequent examples of se- 
verity displayed by the British, not a man was killed after 
resistance had ceased, either by the American or the 
French party, who also were successful. Viomenil, how- 
ever, in capturing the other redoubt, employed more time 
and suffered greater loss than La Fayette, nearly one 
hundred men being killed or wounded. 

On the 16th, a sortie was made from the garrison by 
Lieutenant-Colonel Abercrombie, with about three hun- 
dred and fifty men ; two batteries were forced, and eleven 
cannon spiked ; but the British were soon forced to retreat, 
and the cannon were again fitted for use. In the after- 
noon, the batteries in the second parallel, in which the 
two redoubts had been included, were opened, and about 
one hundred pieces of heavy ordnance were brought to 
bear upon the enemy's lines. These latter were now al- 
most in ruins, and a day or two more would leave the 
British at the mercy of their foe. In these circumstances, 
19 



218 SIEGE OF YORKTOWN. 

Cornwallis resolved to attempt a retreat by land to New 
York. For this purpose several boat-loads of troops were 
sent over to Gloucester Point ; but a storm of wind and 
rain dispersed the boats, and the design was consequently 
abandoned. 

On the 17th, several new batteries were opened, and 
the British works were no longer tenable. At ten in the 
morning, Cornwallis begged for a cessation of hostilities 
for twenty-four hours ; but Washington, in answer to his 
lordship's letter, stated his "ardent desire to spare the 
further effusion of blood, and his readiness to listen to 
such terms as were admissible," but refused to suspend 
hostilities for more than two hours. Propositions were 
then submitted by Cornwallis, the nature of which were 
such as to lead to an adjustment of terms of capitulation, 
and the suspension of hostilities was continued throughout 
the day and night. 

Commissioners were appointed to digest into form the 
rou<*h draft of articles which Washington had proposed to 
Lord Cornwallis ; and on the morning of the 19th, the 
commander-in-chief sent them by letter to his lordship, 
expressing his expectatiou that they would be signed by 
eleven in the morning, and that the garrison would march 
out by two in the afternoon. Clinton had failed to fulfil 
his promise of relief; there was no prospect of a dissen- 
sion between the French and Americans, by which his 



SIEGE OF YORKTOWN. 



221 



lordship might hope to escape, and he was compelled to 
submit to the humiliating, though inevitable necessity. 
The articles were signed, on the 18th of October the gar- 
rison marched out of the town, with colors cased, and 
General Lincoln received the submission of the royal 
army, on the same terms which had been granted to him- 
self under similar circumstances, at Charleston. 

The posts of Yorktown and Gloucester, with their gar- 
risons and stores, were surrendered to the United States ; 
the shipping and seamen to the Count de Grasse. There 
were upwards of seven thousand prisoners, exclusive of 
seamen, six thousand of whom were rank and file. Five 
hundred and fifty-two of the garrison were either killed 
or wounded during the siege. The French and Americans 
lost about three hundred. 




19* 




GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE. 

Pekhaps one of the most surprising expeditions during 
the revolutionary war, was that under the immediate 
command of Colonel George Rogers Clarke. It happened 
in 1778, against Kaskaskia and Vincennes, then held by 
the British. The Indians received their supplies of arms 
and ammunition from these places, which enabled them 
to commit their depredations upon the frontier settlements 
of Virginia. 

Clarke was a man eminently qualified for the position 
he was chosen to fill, being brave, possessed of great 
(222) 



■'Bt--^.Mr. 



vfVftpt 

M • ■■>■ 'Vp 
HI i]SMBr «^^«, safe 





BRITISH AGENTS SUPPLYING THE INDIANS WITH ARMS AND 
224 AMMUNITION. 



GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE. 225 

energy, and well skilled in the warfare, and cunning de- 
vices practised by the savage denizens of the forest. He 
was aware that in order to put a stop to the depredations 
of the Indians it was necessary to begin with their allies, 
at a distance, by whom they were supported and encou- 
raged. At the head of three hundred men he crossed 
the Monongahela river, and descended the Ohio in boats, 
as far as the falls of that river, being reinforced there by 
some volunteers from Kentucky, then Western Virginia. 
Here he left some thirteen families, who had left their 
homes, for the purpose of settling in that country. At 
that time, no settlement had been yet attempted at the 
Falls, where Louisville now stands ; and the situation was 
so exposed, that the first houses were built upon the island 
in the river. 

A few days were employed in recruiting the exhausted 
energies of his men ; he then proceeded down to within 
sixty miles of the mouth of the Ohio, where he landed 
and hid his boats, to prevent their being discovered by the 
Indians. Kaskaskia was now about one hundred and 
thirty miles off, and the road lay through deep morasses, 
and ponds of water, almost concealed by the luxuriant 
vegetation, which abounded throughout the whole route, 
and which must have rendered the march of the troops 
difficult in the extreme. 

But Clarke was not a man to let trifles impede his pro- 



226 GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE. 

gress. He was one of those hardy, bold, and intrepid 
men, whom no danger, however great, could deter, and 
difficulties served but to increase his ardor. At the head 
of his troops, with his rifle thrown across his shoulder, 
and his provisions strapped to his back, he marched on 
through this dark and dreary region. 

After many privations and a weary march, he arrived, 
in the night, before Kaskaskia. The town contained in- 
habitants enough to have resisted a much greater force 
than that of Clarke, had they been aware of his approach ; 
but so silent and rapid had been his march, that the first 
notice they received, was the assault he made upon the 
town. 

" Not a scattering hunter had espied his march ; not a 
roving Indian had seen his trail ; the watchman was sleep- 
ing in fancied security ; the inhabitants of the town were 
resting from their labors, and the garrison of the fort was 
not alarmed, until the citadel was taken, and the flag of 
stars and stripes was proudly waving upon its battle- 
ments. 

The astonishment of the garrison, and their mortifica- 
tion, can better be imagined than described. The whole 
affair occupied but a short time. The inhabitants were 
required to swear allegiance to the United States, and 
Colonel Clarke made the fort at Kaskaskia, his head 
quarters. 




GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE. 



GEORGE ROGERS CLARKE. 229 

From the fact that property was not molested, and that 
the people were treated in the most humane manner, they 
soon became reconciled to the change. Care was taken 
that no one escaped to spread the news, "while detach- 
ments were sent out, that captured the open settlements 
and villages in the vicinity, without the least resistance." 
The villages higher up the Mississippi, also fell an easy 
prey to a detachment of horsemen, dispatched by Colonel 
Clarke, for that purpose. 

" Thus fell the power of Great Britain, upon the banks 
of the Mississippi ; and this fertile valley, which will one 
day be the centre of population of this great Republic, 
passed from under her authority for ever." 




CAPTAIN BIDDLE. 



DEATH OF CAPTAIN BIDDLE. 



Captain Nicholas Biddle was born at Philadelpliia, 
in 1750. After many years of adventure as a British 
seaman, in which he acquired a complete knowledge of 
his profession, he entered the service of the United States, 
and was very successful in capturing the vessels of the 
(230) 




m 111 vl 



DEATH OF CAPTAIN BIDDLE. 233 

English, in the early part of the Revolutionary war. He 
was in command of a squadron composed of the Randolph, 
the Moultrie, and two smaller vessels, when he fell in the 
service of his country. 

On the night of the 7th of March, 1778, the fatal acci- 
dent occurred, which terminated the life of this excellent 
officer. For some days previously he had expected an 
attack. Captain Blake, a brave officer who commanded a 
detachment of the second South Carolina Regiment, 
serving as marines on board the General Moultrie, and to 
whom we are indebted for several of the ensuing particu- 
lars, dined on board the Randolph two days before the 
engagement. At dinner, Captain Biddle said, " We have 
been cruising here for some time, and have spoken a 
number of vessels, who will no doubt give information of 
us, and I should not be surprised if my old ship should be 
out after us. As to any thing that carries her guns upon 
deck, I think myself a match for her." 

About 3, P. M. of the 7th of March, a signal was made 
from the Randolph for a sail to windward, in consequence 
of which the squadron hauled upon a wind, in order to 
speak to her. It was four o'clock before she could be 
distinctly seen, when she was discovered to be a ship, 
though as she neared and came before the wind, she had 
the appearance of a large sloop with only a square-sail 
set. About seven o'clock, the Randolph being to wind- 
20* 



234 DEATH OF CAPTAIN BIDDLE. 

ward, hove to ; the Moultrie being about one hundred 
and fifty yards astern, and rather to leeward, also hove 
to. About eight o'clock the British ship fired a shot just 
ahead of the Moultrie, and hailed her, the answer was ; 
"the Polly, of New York;" upon which she immediately 
hauled her wind, and hailed the Randolph. She was then, 
for the first time, discovered to be a two-decker. After 
several questions had been asked and answered, as she was 
ranging up alongside the Randolph, and had got on her 
weather quarter, Lieutenant Barnes, of that ship called 
out, " This is the Randolph," and she immediately hoisted 
her colors, and gave the enemy a broad-side. Shortly 
after the action commenced, Captain Biddle received a 
wound in the thigh, and fell. This occasioned some con- 
fusion, as it was at first thought that he was killed. He 
soon, however, ordered a chair to be brought, said that 
he was only slightly wounded, and being carried forward, 
encouraged the crew. 

The stern of the enemy's ship being clear of the Ran- 
dolph, the captain of the Moultrie gave orders to fire, but 
the enemy having shot ahead, so as to bring the Randolph 
between them, the last broad-side of the Moultrie went 
into the Randolph, and it was thought by one of the men 
saved, who was stationed on the quarter-deck near Cap- 
tain Biddle, that he was wounded by a shoi from the 
Moultrie. The fire from the Randolph was constant and 



DEATH OF CAPTAIN BIDDLE. 235 

well directed. She fired nearly three broadsides to the 
enemy's one, and she appeared, while the battle lasted, to 
be in a continual blaze. In about twenty minutes after 
the battle began, and while the surgeon was examining 
Captain Biddle's wound on the quarter-deck, the Randolph 
blew up. 

The enemy's vessel was the British ship Yarmouth, of 
sixty-four guns, commanded by Captain Vincent. So 
closely were they engaged, that Captain Morgan, of the 
Fair American, and all his crew, thought that it was the 
enemy's ship that had blown up. He stood for the Yar- 
mouth, and had a trumpet in his hand, to hail and inquire 
how Captain Biddle was, when he discovered his mistake. 
Owing to the disabled condition of the Yarmouth, the 
other vessels escaped. 

The cause of the explosion was never ascertained, but 
it is remarkable that just before he sailed, after the clerk 
had copied the signals and orders for the armed vessels 
that accompanied him, he wrote at the foot of them, "In 
case of coming to action in the night be very careful of 
your magazines." The number of persons on board the 
Randolph was three hundred and fifteen, who all perished 
except four men, who were tossed about for four days on 
a piece of the wreck, before they were discovered and 
taken up. From the information of two of these men, 
who were afterwards in Philadelphia, and of some indivi- 



236 . DEATH OF CAPTAIN KIDDLE. 

duals in the other vessels of the squadron, we have been 
enabled to state some particulars of this unfortunate event, 
in addition to the account given of it by Dr. Ramsay in 
his History of the Revolution of South Carolina. In the 
former work, the historian thus concludes his account of 
the action : " Captain Biddle, who perished on board the 
Randolph, was universally lamented. He was in the 
prime of life, and had excited high expectations of future 
usefulness to his country, as a bold and skilful naval officer." 
Thus prematurely fell, at the age of twenty-seven, as 
gallant an officer as any countiy ever boasted of. In the 
short career which Providence allowed to him, he displayed 
all those qualities which constitute a great soldier — brave 
to excess, and consummately skilled in his profession. 





PATRIOTISM OF MOTHER BAILEY. 



The incident, which rendered famous the lady whose 
name heads our present article, is probably as well known 
to the general reader as many others, which, having been 
oft repeated, have become as familiar almost as " house- 
hold words." But there are many particulars concerning 
the "heroine of Groton," which are not generally known, 
and which may be of interest to those who have only 
heard her name connected with the circumstance which 
the engraving is intended to illustrate. Let us turn to 

(237) 



238 PATRIOTISM OF MOTHER BAILEY. 

the chronicles, and see what history has to say about 
her there. 

On the morning of the sixth of September, 1781, a 
British fleet appeared off the harbor of New London, 
bearing aland force composed of Hessians and tories, under 
command of the arch traitor, Arnold, who was about to 
seal with the blood of his countrymen the unholy compact 
between himself and his former foes. Landing in two di- 
visions, the main body, under Arnold, proceeded to attack 
and burn the town, while on the opposite shore, Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel Eyre led a party against Fort Griswold, to 
which many of the American militia — on finding resistance 
useless on the opposite shore — had fled. Approaching the 
fort from the rear, Colonel Eyre captured an advanced 
battery, and sent a flag demanding the surrender of the 
garrison. This was peremptorily refused, and the assault 
began. The Americans were poorly armed and equipped, 
yet excited to the utmost height of phrenzy at the sight 
of their homes in flames, and their families driven forth 
as houseless wanderers, they fought with the most deter- 
mined bravery, and Colonel Eyre, as well as Major Mont- 
gomery, his successor, together with fifty-four non-i om- 
missioned officers and privates, were killed or mortally 
w T ounded ere the fort was captured. Maddened at this 
loss, and rendered ferocious at the long continued resist- 
ance of the garrison, the Hessians and tories continued 



PATRIOTISM OP MOTHER BAILEY. 241 

the work of death long after all resistance had ceased. 
Colonel Ledyard, the commander of the fort, was run 
through the body by the inhuman wretch who succeeded in 
the command upon the fall of Major Montgomery, and, as 
though not sated with the blood which had already been 
shed, the savage troops gathered the wounded, placed them 
in a cart, and rolled them down the hill toward the river, 
expecting to see them engulphed in the stream. Then 
laying a train to the magazine, they departed, taking with 
them everything they could conveniently carry. The cart 
was providentially stopped in its downward career by an 
apple tree, and after the departure of the enemy, the 
women of the vicinity, headed by Fanny Ledyard, (the 
niece of the Qolonel,) came to their relief, with water, 
wine, and chocolate, to assuage their burning thirst, and 
with bandages for their wounds. Some had died from 
the effects of the brutal treatment they had received, but 
most of them recovered through the kindness and efficient 
nursing of their friends 

Mrs.Bailey — then a maiden of seventeen summers — was 
one of that noble group, who aided in binding up the 
wounds and relieving the distress of the poor soldiers. 
Her future husband — then a lad of about her own age — > 
was one of the garrison of the fort, and had been detailed, 
in company with a man named Williams, to man the ad- 
vanced battery of one gun ; and well did they perform 
21 



242 PATRIOTISM OF MOTHER BAILEY. 

their part, until the near approach of the enemy threatened 
to cut them off, and they retired. Williams fled at once 
to the fort, but young Bailey stopped to spike the gun, 
that it might not be turned against his countrymen, and 
in doing so, lost so much time, that when he knocked at 
the gate he found it barred against him, on account of 
the close proximity of the enemy. Finding all his efforts 
unavailing to gain admittance, and having but a moment 
in which to decide and act, he leaped a fence, and hid 
himself in a neighboring corn-field, from whence he had a 
full view of the battle, and all the incidents connected 
with the subsequent massacre of his brave commander 
and fellow-soldiers. What agonizing emotions filled his 
breast, as he lay concealed within hearing of the dying 
groans of those with whom he had been so long and inti- 
mately connected — his neighbors and friends. How truly 
thankful he felt, as he thought that the circumstance, 
which he had looked upon as endangering his life, had in 
reality been the means of saving him from the fate of 
those who lay weltering in their life's blood. 

As soon as the enemy had taken to their boats, he 
started in search of assistance for those who still lived — 
if haply he might find it. He was paying his addresses 
at the time to his future wife, and her father's house was 
the first to which he directed his steps. Finding no one 
at home but the women, he informed them of the condi- 



PATRIOTISM OF MOTIIER BAILEY. 243 

tion of his unfortunate countrymen, and hastened on to 
collect those who might aid him in the burial of the dead. 
The women responded to the call of the distressed and 
wounded soldiers, and after their removal to the neigh- 
boring houses, nursed them assiduously until many of 
them recovered. 

After the war, young Bailey married our heroine and 
settled in his native place. He was appointed Postmaster 
during the administration of Jefferson, and held that office 
for a period of forty years, until his death, in 1848. 

In 1813, when the British fleet drove Decatur into the 
harbor of New London, and threatened to bombard the 
town, and preparations were made to defend it, it was 
found that there was a deficiency in the article of flannel 
for cartridges. This fact was mentioned to a Mr. Latham, 
a neighbor of Mrs. Bailey, who generously undertook to 
procure it. All thi*t could be found in New London was 
sent to the fort, but there was still a deficiency. Be- 
thinking him of his neighbor, and calling to mind her pa- 
triotism and desire to save her countrymen, he crossed 
the river and took his way to her house. "Mrs. Bailey," 
said he, on entering, " I have come to see if you have any 
spare flannel in the house. The people at the fort are 
short of materials for cartridges, I have sent them all 1 
could find in the town, and still it is not enough ; if you 
have any to spare, I'd like to get it of you." 



244 PATRIOTISM OF MOTHER BAILEY. 

"Well, I don't know," replied the lady ; " I have none 
in the house, but I guess I can find some for you, if you 
will wait till I come back." 

He readily acquiesced in her wish, and she went around 
to her neighbors and collected all the children's flannel 
petticoats that she could find in town. Returning to Mr. 
Latham with her load, he informed her that still there 
was not enough. 

"You shall have mine then," replied the dame, at the 
same time taking her scissors — which, after the fashion 
of the day, she wore at her side, — and cutting the string 
which secured it, she stepped out of it, and handed it to 
him, adding, " It is a heavy new one, and I hate to part 
with it, for I don't know when I shall get another, but I 
don't care for that ; all I want is to see it go through the 
Englishmen's insides." 

Of course Mr. Latham could not ask more, and taking 
his prize on his arm returned to the fort with it. When 
he related the incident, some of the sailors declared it was 
a shame to cut it up into cartridge patterns, and thought 
it ought to float at the peak of one of the ships, as an 
ensign, under which to fight the Britons. 

The story spread, and Mrs. Bailey found herself a 
heroine at once. Many were the visitors she had in con- 
sequence, to all of whom she delighted to talk of the 
scenes through which she had passed, and of the incidents 




21 



»BJU 



PATRIOTISM OF MOTHER BAILEY. 



247 



of her early life. She had in her possession mementoes 
of Jackson, Van Buren, Colonel R. M. Johnson, and other 
distinguished guests who had honored her by personal 
visits. She lived to be nearly ninety years of age, (seventy 
of which were passed with her husband,) retaining to the 
last an excellent flow of spirits, as well as all her faculties. 
Her sad and melancholy death occurred on the 10th of 
January, 1851, by her clothes accidentally taking fire. 





•as^&S^SS ss****^^" 



THE DUTCHMAN AND THE RAKE. 

AN INCIDENT OF THE BURNING OF KINGSTON. 

Hendrich Jansen, or Dutch Henry, as he was com- 
monly called, was one of those characters we but too fre- 
quently meet. According to his own account, he was 
possessed of undaunted courage, and he more than once 
avowed in the village tavern, that he would be the last man 
to flee from the red-coats. The topics of the day being 
of an exciting nature, furnished him with abundant mate- 
rial on which to exercise his abilities as a debater. It 
(248) 



THE DUTCHMAN AND THE RAKE. 249 

was a source of wonder among the villagers, that a man, 
possessed, as he asserted, of great talents, and military 
knowledge, did not oflfer his services in defence of his 
adopted country ; and frequently was he taxed upon this 
score. At such times, Hendrick, who was never able to 
give a satisfactory reason for his not joining the army of 
patriots, would belabor his questioner with his tongue in 
the most unmerciful manner. An opportunity was soon 
to occur, in which his boasted courage would be put to 
the test. 

On one occasion, soon after the capture of Forts Clinton 
and Montgomery by Sir Henry Clinton, when the war 
was brought as it were, home to their very doors, and they 
might be houseless wanderers, a group of idlers were col- 
lected as usual in the tavern porch, discussing, in animated 
language, the probability of an attack upon their own 
quiet village by the British on their way up the river, as 
it was universally supposed that Clinton was moving up 
the Hudson to the relief of Burgoyne, who was there in 
the toils of Gates at Saratoga. Of course, Hendrick was 
an active participant in the discussion, and, as usually was 
the case on such occasions, when some of the group had 
been borne down by the weight of Hendrick's argument, 
he fell back upon the usual resort of doubting his courage. 
Such an imputation, at such a moment, was more than 
Hendrick could bear with patience, and he gave utterance 



250 THE DUTCHMAN AND THE RAKE. 

to such a volley of expletives and torrent of words, 
as to convince his opponent that if he lacked the qualities 
of a good soldier, he certainly did not want for energy in 
the use of his tongue. 

" Cot for tarn !" — Hendrick would sometimes use harsh 
and unseemly language when he became excited — " Cot 
for tam ! vat for you dinks I vas run away ven te Bri- 
tishers cum, and leave mine vrow to be murtered, and 
mine haus to be purnt up mit fire. Donder and Blixen ! 
I shall kill goot many, and ten I shall be killed 'fore I 
vas run avay. Cos I vas not gone mit General Vashing- 
ton, and leave mine vrow, I no can fite te red cotes. Ve 
shall see who shall be run avay ven te British shall be 
cum. Ten I shall see you run avay, and te tyfel shall be 
run after you mit a sharp stick." 

Such was Hendrick's arguments and such his intentions, 
if we may believe his words ; but alas for poor human 
weakness, the hour of trial came all too soon, for his 
boasts were still fresh in the minds of his hearers, when a 
few days afterward the British frigates came up the river, 
and landed a body of troops, whose aim was to burn the 
village. One division landed in the cove, just north of 
the present steamboat wharf; the other, landed from 
small boats at a place called Pencknocken Point, near 
which point are extensive flats, which at low water are 
dry, and yield an abundance of coarse salt grass. 




fv 



THE DUTCHMAN AND THE KAKE. 253 

It so happened that when they landed, Hendrick and 
others were at work on the meadow, gathering the grass, 
and among them his late opponent in debate. They did 
not discover the approach of the British until they were 
quite near to them, and when they did look up from their 
work, one boat load had already landed on the edge of 
the meadow. No time was taken to deliberate in the 
matter, but the whole party of haymakers fled as fast as 
their legs would carry them, towards the upland — Hen- 
drick among the number. Now, I should be willing to 
ascribe Hendrick's haste, to his desire to alarm his 
neighbors and the village, or to the fact that he was un- 
armed, and running to get his gun, or to any other cause, 
rather than to fear, were it not that a slight accident oc- 
curred to him as he fled, which caused such a sudden 
change in his political principles, as to lead to much ani- 
madversion afterwards on the part of his neighbors and 
acquaintances. It so happened that directly in his path 
as he fled toward the point, lay a rake, which had been 
left by former haymakers, and which was hidden by the 
long grass in which it lay. The tines or points of the rake 
were uppermost, and on these Hendrick happened to 
tread as he ran.' The handle, as a natural consequence, 
flew up and struck him a pretty violent blow on the back 
of the head. Thinking, doubtless, that the British were 
at his heels, and that one of them had stricken him the 



254 



THE DUTCHMAN AND THE RAKE. 



blow to admonish him to surrender, Hendrick dropped on 
his knees, and, clasping his hands together in an agony 
of fear, his whole frame trembling and teeth chattering, 
exclaimed : " mein Cot ! mein Cot ! I kivs up, I sur- 
render, I is a tory. Hurrah for King Shorge ! good 
Mr. Soljur, spare mine life." The roar of laughter which 
burst from his companions, induced the poor fellow to 
turn his tearful eyes over his shoulder, where he beheld 
the handle of the innocent rake towering up behind him, 
while the enemy were on the march in a different direc- 
tion, full half a mile in his rear. It is hardly necessary 
to add, that Hendrick never returned to his allegiance to 
the States ; at least, he was never heard to argue their 
side of the question again, and even at the present day 
his descendants feel very sore at the mention of Hen- 
drick's adventure with the rake. 





SIMON KENTON. 



<sSSk 




SIMON KENTON. 



Simon Kenton was one of those bold and adventurous 
spirits, that in the early history of our country, obtained 
so much renown from their daring encounters with the 
savages in the far west. He was a fit companion for 
Clarke, and was one of his army at the time of his expe- 
dition to Kaskaskia, and the towns upon the upper banks 
of the Mississippi. 

He was ordered by Colonel Bowman, to take a friend 
of his, named Montgomery, and another young man namod 
Clarke, and proceed on a secret mission to an Indian 

(257) 



22 



258 SIMON KENTON. 

town on the Little Miami, against which the Colonel had 
meditated an expedition. 

They started instantly, and reached the town without 
being discovered, and examined it carefully, walking 
around the houses during the night with perfect impunity. 
While thus engaged, they came upon a number of horses, 
belonging to the Indians. It was the work of a moment 
for each to mount one ; but not satisfied, they attempted 
to take the balance with them. This was the means of 
their discovery ; as the time it took to secure them, and 
the noise made in so doing, aroused the Indians, who with 
the cry of " Long Knives," rushed to the rescue of their 
property. 

Kenton and his men had now to ride for their lives ; but 
they took the horses along with them. They pushed on 
at a furious rate the whole night, until they reached tho 
banks of the Ohio. To cross this, would be to place them 
in safety, but the river was boisterous the wind being 
very high. 

A consultation was held, when it was determined that 
Kenton should swim the river with the horses, while 
Montgomery and Clarke should construct a raft m trans- 
port their guns and baggage. Kenton could not accom- 
plish his purpose, the river being too high, and after several 
trials, he was forced to abandon his effort from exhaustion. 
The horses were hid in a ravine close by, and the men 







'"Hii^ii 




W^EI (tl 



SIMON KENTON. 261 

took their station in the wood, waiting for the wind to 
subside. It did not abate till morning ; but it was too 
late then, the Indians were upon them. Montgomery 
was killed on the spot, Clark made his escape, and then 
Kenton was taken prisoner. 

The Indians seemed to be aware that they had captured 
a man of some importance ; and they not only exulted in 
his captivity, but practised upon him every means of cruelty, 
They sarcastically complimented him upon his fondness 
for horses, and assured him that he should ride one of 
their best animals. 

He was bound securely to a vicious young horse, which 
was turned loose, without a bridle, to follow the party. 
" The animal reared and plunged, and dashed off through 
the woods, endeavoring in vain to shake off its rider ; until 
wearied out, it became tame, and quietly fell into the rear 
of the other horses." Still Kenton's situation was painful 
in the extreme, as every now and then the horse would 
stop to graze, and then dash off at full speed, through the 
woods, into the midst of the closest thickets, as though to 
increase his misery. 

"On his arrival at Chillicothe, the most populous of the 
Indian towns in this region, he was painted black, tied to 
the stake, and suffered to remain in this painful situation 
for twelve hours, anticipating the horrors of a slow, and 
cruel death, the Indians dancing around him, yelling, 



262 SIMON KENTON. 

screaming, and beating him, during the time. He was 
led out in the morning to run the guantlet. The Indians,' 
several hundred in number, of both sexes, and every age 
and rank, armed with sticks, whips, clubs, and other im- 
plements of annoyance, were formed in two lines, between 
which the unhappy prisoner was made to pass ; having 
been promised that if he reached in safety the door of the 
council-house, at the farther end of the lines, no further 
punishment would be inflicted. The moment for starting 
arrived, — Kenton was stripped naked, — the great drum 
of the council-house was struck, — and he sprang forward 
in the race. Avoiding the row of his enemies, about a 
mile in length, he turned to the east, and drew the whole 
party in pursuit of him. He ran with great activity, now 
this way and now that, until observing an opening he 
darted through it, and pressed forward to the council- 
house, with a rapidity which left his pursuers behind, and 
reached it without being seriously injured." 

A council was then held to determine the manner of 
his death, when it was decided that he should be taken to 
the different villages for exhibition, and then burned to 
death. Thirteen times he was compelled to run the gaunt- 
let, and upon one occasion, nearly escaped, having broke 
through the ranks of his tormenters, and outstripped his 
pursuers ; but he met a party of warriors, who again made 



SIMON KENTON. 265 

him prisoner. He was now condemned to suffer death by 
torture. 

He was, however, again compelled to run the gauntlet, 
and had nearly reached the goal, when he was knocked 
down by a club, and his savage tormenters gathering 
around him nearly beat him to death. He was then sum- 
moned to attend the council. 

" Upon entering the council-house, the renegade white 
man, the notorious Simon Girty, who had just returned 
from an unsuccessful expedition against the frontiers of 
Pennsylvania, and was in a very bad humour, threw a 
blanket upon the floor, and harshly ordered Kenton to 
take a seat upon it. The order not being immediately 
obeyed, Girty impatiently seized, and threw him upon the 
floor. But upon learning of Kenton his name, he became 
greatly agitated — and springing from his seat, he threw 
his arms around the prisoner's neck, and embraced him 
with much emotion. Girty and Kenton had served to- 
gether in Dunmore's war, before Girty had deserted to the 
Indians, and they were bosom friends. He then turned 
to the assembled warriors, who remained astonished spec- 
tators of this extraordinary scene, and addressed them in 
a short speech, which the deep earnestness of his tone, 
and the energy of his gesture, rendered eloquent. He in- 
formed them that the prisoner, whom they had just con- 
demned to the stake, was his ancient comrade and bosom 
23 



266 SIMON KENTON. 

friend — that they had travelled in the same war path, and 
slept upon the same blanket. He entreated them to have 
compassion upon his feelings — to spare the agony of 
witnessing the torture of an old friend, by the hands of 
his adopted brothers. He recapitulated the services he 
had rendered the Indians, and the many instances of at- 
tachment to them he had given. The life of Kenton, he 
asked as the first and last favor." 

A vote was taken by means of the war club, when a 
majority refused to strike the floor, and Kenton was libe- 
rated. He remained with Girty some three weeks. Ano- 
ther party of chiefs from a distance arrived, and, notwith- 
standing the intercessions of Girty, he was marched off to 
a small village on the head waters of the Scioto, when 
Logan, the celebrated Mingo chief, made intercessions for 
him, by sending runners to Sandusky, but without success. 

He was taken to that city, and through the influence 
of a British agent, named Drewyer, he was again rescued 
from the stakft. He was taken to Detroit, from which 
place he succeeded in making good his essape ;" and after 
thirty days travelling through the wilderness, continually 
exposed to recapture, had the good fortune to reach the 
settlements in Kentucky." 

Thus terminated one of the most remarkable adventures 
in the whole range of western history. He was exposed 
to the gauntlet in numerous instances, three times tied to 



SIMON KENTON. 



267 



the stake, and as often thought himself on the eve of a 
terrible death. Every friend that Providence raised up in 
his favor, was immediately followed by some enemy, who 
interposed, and turned his short glimpse of sunshine into 
deeper darkness than ever. For three weeks, he was 
wavering between life and death, and during the whole 
time, he was perfectly passive. Scarcely had he reached 
Kentucky, ere he was engaged in a new enterprise. 





THE MURDER OF MISS M'CREA. 



At the commencement of the campaign of 1777, the 
Indians had specially been charged by Burgoyne, to com- 
mit no cruelties on the unresisting. The first parties heeded 
this restriction ; but it was impossible for them to forbear 
any great length of time. They became uneasy, and again 
reverted to their habits of massacre and plunder, and not 
a few were victims to their savage ferocity ; although the 
barbarities practised by them, excited more resentment 
than terror among the Americans. 
(268) 




MURDER OF MISS M CREA. 
23* 



269 



MURDER OF MISS M'CREA. 271 

One event, from its peculiar circumstances, will, perhaps 
illustrate more fully, what we intended remarking in rela- 
tion to the many acts of barbarity of which the Indians, 
urged on by British gold, were guilty, at that particular 
period of the Revolution. 

A young lieutenant of the royal army, named Jones, 
gained the affections of a young, beautiful, and accom- 
plished young lady, Miss Jane M'Crea. The day appointed 
for the wedding drew near, and Jones, anxious that all 
should progress in accordance with the rules of propriety, 
dispatched two Indians to conduct her from Fort Edward, 
her place of residence, to him. 

Placing every confidence in the agents of her betrothed, 
she, without hesitation, committed herself to their keeping. 
For a time she was all life and animation, never dreaming 
in her wild joyousness, of the fate in store for her. A 
few short hours at most, and she would be folded in a 
loving embrace ; a few short moments, and she would join 
him, who, through life, would shield her from the storms 
of life. 

Alas ! for human calculations. A dispute arose between 
the Indians, as to which one should convey her to their 
employer. Angry words ensued, the dispute waxed warmer 
and warmer, when one of the chiefs sunk his tomahawk 
into her brain. Poor girl ! but a moment before, happy 
in the thought of soon being united to one who had be- 



272 



MURDER OF MISS M CREA. 



stowed upon her, his most anient love— now cohl in death's 
embrace. 

Her scalp was purchased by Lieutenant Jones, who im- 
mediately deserted. Who can blame him ? This affair 
caused a great excitement throughout the country, colored 
of course, by the newspapers, and the people began to 
detest an enemy, who would employ such aid as the savage 
denizens of the forest. 

The murderer was demanded by Burgoyne, who threat- 
ened, that if taken he would be put to death ; but, to the 
astonishment of all classes of people, he was afterwards 
pardoned. 





MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 

On the 8th of February, 1778, General Schuyler wrote 
to Congress. "There is too much reason to believe that 
the Indians will form an expedition against the western 
frontiers of this state, (New York,) Pennsylvania and Vir- 
ginia. The next month he informed them that a number 
of the Mohawks, and many of the Onondagoes, Cayugas, 
and Senecas, will commence hostilities against us, as soon 
as they can ; it would be prudent, therefore, early to take 
measures to carry the war into their country; it would 
require no greater body of troops to destroy their towns, 
than to protect the frontier inhabitants." 

(273) 



274 MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 

No measures being taken to check hostilities, numbers 
of Indians and tory refugees commenced depredations 
upon the back settlers. Their expeditions were carried 
on to great advantage, by the exact knowledge which the 
refugees possessed of every object of their enterprise, and 
the immediate intelligence they received from their friends 
on the spot. The inhabitants of Wyoming on whom the 
weight of hostilities fell, were a mixture of tories and 
whigs, who were always quarrelling among themselves. 

Besides the tories, an unusual number of strangers came 
to the town, but being suspected of treachery, they were 
sent to Connecticut to be tried for their lives, the others 
were expelled. Colonel Zebulon Butler, who was then 
second in command, sent several letters to Congress and 
General Washington for assistance: the number of men 
in the town being small, on account of one thousand men 
being sent to the Continental army ; but they were inter- 
cepted by the Pennsylvania tories. 

The town was defended by four forts, built to defend 
it on account of its remote situation. Before the main 
attack, some parties made sudden irruptions, and through 
ignorance, or contempt of all ties, murdered the wife and 
five children of one of those who was sent to Connecticut 
for trial, in their own cause. At length, in the beginning 
of July, the enemy, to the number of sixteen hundred 
men appeared on the Susquehanna, headed by Colonel John 



MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 277 




COLONEL ZEBULON BUTLER. 

Butler, cousin to Colonel Zebulon Butler, who was second 
in command at the fort. One of the smaller forts, garri- 
soned chiefly by tories, was given up or betrayed. Ano- 
ther was taken by storm and the women and children 
massacred. Colonel Zebulon Butler, leaving a small 
uumber at Fort Wilkesbarre, crossed the river with four 
hundred men to Fort Kingston, whither all the women 
and children fled for protection. 

Colonel Zebulon Butler was afterwards enticed by his 
cousin to abandon the fort. He agreed to march out, 
and hold a parley for the conclusion of a treaty. Distrust- 
ing the enemy, he went with a body guard of four hundred 
24 



278 MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 

men, (nearly all in the fort) to the place of meeting, where 
being surrounded by the enemy, the whole number were 
massacred, except Colonel Zebulon Butler and seventy 
men who escaped. The men went to Fort Wilkesbarre, 
but Butler went to Fort Kingston, which was next day 
invested on the land side. Colonel Zebulon Butler went 
with his wife and children down the river, and is thought 
to be the only officer who escaped. 

The fort was surrendered to the enemy after a pro- 
tracted struggle, and the inhabitants shut up in the bar- 
racks and burnt alive. Fort Wilkesbarre surrendered 
in hopes of mercy unconditionally. Seventy Continental 
soldiers who were found in the fort, were butchered with 
every circumstance of horrific cruelty. The remainder 
of the inhabitants were, as before, shut up in the houses 
and burnt alive. 

The whole town was now burned with the exception of 
the tones' houses, which appeared like islands in the midst 
of the desolation. The merciless ravagers cut out the 
tongues of the cattle, and left them alive to prolong their 
torture. Captain Bedlock was stripped naked, stuck full 
of pine splinters, and then burned alive; his companions, 
Captains Banson and Durgee were thrown alive into the 
flames, and held down with pitchforks. 

Many were the enormities practised by the Indians ; but 
we have given enough of these horrible details. The 



MASSACRE AT WYOMING. 



279 



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, suf- 
fered 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. 





TREASON OF ARNOLD. 



It was fully expected that the year 1780, would pass 
without any memorable event, except the capture of 
Charleston by the British under Sir Henry Clinton ; but 
both armies were aroused, and deeply affected by an un- 
looked for occurrence, on the part of the Americans at 
least. We have reference to the treason of General 
Benedict Arnold, and the execution of Major Andre. 

Arnold had acquired a very high reputation for bravery 
and patriotism, and no officer of the American army pos- 
sessed greater military talents. While the laurels won by 
(280) 



TREASON OF ARNOLD. 281 

him at Ticonderoga, Quebec, and Lake Champlain, at 
Danbury and Saratoga, were yet fresh in the memory of 
the American people, he, by an act of dishonor and 
treachery, rendered his after life one of misery and wretch- 
edness. Gold, in his estimation, seemed a balm for every 
ill, and he did not seem to care how, so he possessed it. 

He solicited and obtained from Washington, in conse- 
quence, as he alleged, of his wounds preventing him from 
active service, command of the fort at West Point, at that 
time considered the Gibraltar of America ; in short, it was 
deemed almost impregnable. 

It appears that previous to his application for this ap- 
pointment, he had signified to Colonel Robinson, his 
change of principles, and desire of joining the British 
army. A correspondence was entered into, between him 
and Sir Henry Clinton. He proposed to surrender the 
fort, in a plan concocted between themselves, by which 
all the men under his command would have to surrender 
or be cut to pieces. 

Andre was selected as the person to whom the arrange- 
ments for the execution of the treason should be com- 
mitted. After some correspondence had passed between 
them in a mercantile style, under the feigned names of 
Gustavus and Anderson, the Yulture sloop-of-war moved 
up the North river, and took a station near enough to be 

convenient, without exciting suspicion. 
24* 



282 



TREASON OF ARNOLD. 




The visit of Washington to Hartford was the time agreed 
upon for bringing matters to a crisis. A boat was dis- 
patched to the Vulture, which conveyed Andre to the beach, 
without the posts of both armies, with a pass, under the 
name of John Anderson. He remained in conference 
with Arnold until the dawn of day. He lay concealed at 
the house of a Mr. Smith, near the river, the whole of 
that day. That night, however, the boatmen refused to 
convey him on board the Vulture. In this strait, he was 
induced by Arnold to lay aside his regimentals, and travel 
by land, he furnishing him with a pass, stating that the 



TREASON OF ARNOLD. 285 

bearer, John Anderson, was upon public business, and to 
permit him " to get to the lines at White Plains, or lower 
if he thought proper." 

He set out on the 22nd of September, on horseback, 
and had nearly reached the British lines, when he was 
suddenly stopped by three militia men, named Paulding, 
Williams, and Van Wart. Andre was so surprised, that 
he forgot his pass, and asked one of the men where he 
belonged, and being answered "to below," replied imme- 
diately, " and so do I." He stated that he was a British 
officer upon urgent business, and begged to be permitted 
to continue his journey. He soon discovered his mistake, 
and his confusion was so great, that the men proceeded 
to examine his person, until in his boot were found the 
papers, in Arnold's hand writing. 

Andre offered his captors a purse of gold, with his valu- 
able watch, to let him pass ; but they were not to be 
bribed. He was taken before Colonel Jameson, who had 
command of the scouting parties of militia. Fearful of 
involving Arnold, Jameson procured permission of his 
commanding officer, to write to Arnold, acquainting him 
with the arrest of Anderson. 

Andre, convinced that there remained no hope of escape, 
himself wrote to Washington, stating his real name and 
rank, and enclosing all the papers found upon his person 
when taken, and endeavoring to show that he did not 



286 TREASON OF ARNOLD. 

come under the description of a spy. Jameson also for- 
warded this packet, but the messenger missed Washing- 
ton, by taking a different road to that taken by the general 
on his return from Hartford. 

Arnold received the news of the capture of Major Andre, 
some hours before Washington reached West Point. 
Pretending he was suddenly called to West Point, he 
hastened on board the Vulture and escaped. 

Washington, not finding Arnold as he had expected, 
returned to camp, where he received Andre's letter, to- 
gether with the papers found in his boots, which at once- 
explained Arnold's absence. Measures were immediately 
taken to secure the posts in the Highlands, and an una- 
availing effort made to secure the traitor. 

A board of officers was summoned, Greene being presi- 
dent, to inquire into the nature of Andre's offence, and to 
determine the punishment which it deserved. Andre 
made a full and free confession of his guilt, seeking only 
to place his character in as honorable a light as possible. 
The board reported that he was taken as a spy, and as 
such, agreeably to the law of nations, he ought to suffer 
death. Washington approved the decision. 

Clinton was deeply concerned for the fate of Andre, 
and while he was confined under sentence, made every 
exertion to rescue him from his fate. He first represented 
that Andre was entitled to the protection of a flag ; but 



TREASON OF ARNOLD. 289 

the gallant major himself disclaimed this false pretext. 
Clinton then proposed an interview between Lieutenant- 
General Robertson and General Green ; but no new facts 
were elicited at this meeting. As a last resort, a letter 
from Arnold, filled with threats, was presented ; but this 
was treated with the contempt it deserved. 

Andre was very anxious to have his sentence mitigated. 
The idea of death by hanging, usually inflicted upon persons 
in his situation, affected him deeply. He wished to die 
as a soldier, and not as a criminal. Washington consulted 
his officers upon this subject ; but they were of opinion 
that the public good required his punishment in the usual 
way. Of this he was kept ignorant until the time had 
arrived for his execution, October 2nd, when, on first be- 
holding the fatal preparations, he inquired " Must I die 
in this manner ?" He soon after added, " It will be but 
a momentary pang," and only requested them to witness 
that he died like a brave man. His melancholy fate was 
universally regretted. The sympathy he had excited in 
the American camp was unexampled under any similar 
circumstances, and the event deeply affected the whole 
royal army. 

The three militia men whose unshaken attachment to 

their country was perhaps the means of preserving its 

liberties, were not suffered to go unrewarded. On the 3d 

of November it was resolved, " That Congress have a high 

25 



290 



TREASON OF ARNOLD. 



sense of the virtuous and patriotic conduct of John Pauld- 
ing, David Williams, and Isaac Van Wart," and that 
each of them should receive annually, through life, two 
hundred dollars in specie, and that the board of war be 
directed to procure for each of them a silver medal, em- 
blematic of their fidelity and patriotism, to be presented 
by the commander-in-chief, with a copy of the resolutions. 





PATRIOTISM OF ELIZABETH ZANE. 

Among the many instances of female heroism, during 
the war of the revolution, amongst the settlers on our 
frontiers, the following may be deemed one of the most 
daring. 

In 1781, Wheeling was besieged by a large army of 
British and Indians. So suddenly was the attack made, 
that no time was afforded for preparation. The fort, at 
the time of the assault, was commanded by Colonel Silas 
Zane ; and Colonel Ebenezer Zane the senior officer, was 
in a block-house, some fifty or a hundred yards outside 

(291) 



292 PATRIOTISM OF ELIZABETH ZANE. 

the wall. The enemy made several desperate assaults to 
break into the fort, but on every onset they were driven 
back. The ammunition for the defence of the fort was 
deposited in the block-house, and the attack was made so 
suddenly and unexpectedly that there was no time to re- 
move it. On the afternoon of the second day of the siege, 
the powder in the fort was nearly exhausted, and, no alter- 
native remained but that some one must pass through the 
enemy's fire to the block-house for powder. When Silas 
Zane made the proposition to the men, to see if any one 
would undertake the hazardous enterprise, at first all were 
silent. After looking at each other for some time, a young 
man stepped forward and said he would run the chance. 
Immediately half a dozen offered their service in the dan- 
gerous enterprise. 

While they were disputing about who should go, Eliza- 
beth, a sister of the Zanes, came forward and declared she 
would go for the powder. Her brother thought she would 
flinch from the enterprise, but he was mistaken. She had 
the intrepidity and fortitude to bear her up in the heroic 
risk of her life. Her brother then tried to dissuade her 
from the attempt, by saying that a man would be more 
fleet, and consequently would run less risk of losing his 
life. She replied that they had not a man to spare from 
the defence of the fort, and if she should fall, she would 
scarcely be missed. She then divested herself of such of 







-— — ~ ...,„*n#""* 

3APE OF ELIZABETH ZANE. 293 



PATRIOTISM OF ELIZABETH ZANE. 295 

her clothing as would impede her speed. The gate was 
then opened, and Elizabeth bounded out at the top of her 
speed, and ran till she arrived at the door of the block- 
house ; her brother, Colonel Zane, hastened to open the 
door to receive his intrepid sister. The Indians, when 
they saw her bound forth, did not fire a gun, but called 
aloud, " Squaw ! squaw ! squaw !" When she had told her 
brother the errand on which she had come, he took a table- 
cloth and fastened it around her waist, and poured into it 
a keg of powder. She then sallied back to the fort with 
all the buoyancy of hope. — The moment she was outside 
the block-house, the whole of the enemy's line poured a 
leaden storm at her ; but the balls went innocently whist- 
ling by, without doing her any injury. 





COLONEL FLEURY. 

STONY POINT. 

Among the many exploits of gallantry and prowess 
which shed a lustre on the fame of our revolutionary army, 
the storming of the fort at Stony Point has always been 
considered one of the most brilliant. 

To General Wayne, who commanded the light infantry 
of the army, the execution of the plan was entrusted. 
Secrecy was deemed so much more essential to success 
than numbers, that it was thought unadvisable to add 
to the force already on the lines. One brigade was 
ordered to commence its march, so as to reach the scene 

;296) 



STONY POINT. 



297 




MAJOR LEE. 



of action in time to cover the troops engaged in the attack, 
in case of any unlooked for disaster ; and Major Lee, of 
the light dragoons, who had been eminently useful in ob- 
taining the intelligence which led to the enterprise, was 
associated with General Wayne, as far as cavalry could be 
employed in such a service. 

The night of the 15th of July, 1779, was fixed on for 
the assault; and it being suspected that the garrison 
would be more on their guard towards day, twelve o'clock 
was chosen for the hour. 

Stony Point is a commanding hill, projecting far into 



298 STONY POINT. 

the Hudson, which washes three-fourths of its base. The 
remaining fourth is, in a great measure, covered by a deep 
marsh, commencing near the river on the upper side, and 
continuing into it below. Over this marsh, there is one 
crossing-place. But at its junction with the river is a sandy 
beach passable at low tide. On the summit of this hill was 
erected the fort, which was furnished with a sufficient 
number of heavy pieces of ordnance. Several breast- 
works and strong batteries were advanced in front of the 
principal work, and about half way down the hill, were two 
rows of abbatis. The batteries were calculated to com- 
mand the beach and the crossing-place of the marsh, and 
to rake and enfilade any column which might be advancing 
from either of those points towards the fort. In addition 
to these defences, several vessels of war were stationed in 
the river, so as, in a considerable degree, to command 
the ground at the foot of the hill. 

The fort was garrisoned by about six hundred men, 
under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson. 

At noon of the day preceding the night of the attack, 
the light infantry commenced their march from Sandy 
Beach, distant fourteen miles from Stony Point, and 
passing through an excessively rugged and mountainous 
country, arrived about eight in the afternoon at Spring 
Steel's, one and a half miles from the fort, where the dis- 
positions for the assault were made. 



STONY POINT. 



299 




STORMING OF STONY POINT. 



It was intended to attack the works on the right and 
left flank at the same instant. The regiments of Fehiger, 
and of Meiggs, with Major Hull's detachment, formed the 
right column, and Butler's regiment, with two companies 
under Major Murfree, formed the left. One hundred 
and fifty volunteers, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Fleury and 
Major Posey, constituted the van of the right ; and one 
hundred volunteers, under Major Stewart, composed the 
van of the left. At half past eleven, the two columns 
moved on to the charge, the van of each with unloaded 
muskets and fixed bayonets. They were each preceded by 



300 STONY POINT. 

a forlorn hope of twenty men, the one commanded by 
Lieutenant Gibbon, and the other by Lieutenant Knox, 
whose duty it was to remove the abbatis and other obstruc- 
tions, in order to open a passage for the columns which 
followed close in the rear. 

Proper measures having been taken to secure every 
individual on the route, who could give intelligence of their 
approach, the Americans reached the marsh undiscovered. 
But unexpected difficulties were experienced in surmount- 
ing this and other obstructions in the way, the assault did 
not commence until twenty minutes after twelve. Both 
columns then rushed forward, under a tremendous fire of 
musketry and grape-shot. Surmounting every obstacle, they 
entered the works at the point of the bayonet, and without 
having discharged a single piece, obtained complete pos- 
session of the post. The humanity displayed by the 
conquerors was not less conspicuous, nor less honorable, 
than their courage. Not a single individual suffered after 
resistance had ceased. 

All the troops engaged in this perilous service manifested 
a degree of ardour and impetuosity which proved them to 
be capable of the most difficult enterprises ; and all distin- 
guished themselves whose situation enabled them to do so. 
Colonel Fleury was the first to enter the fort, and strike the 
British standard. Major Posey mounted the works almost 
at the same instant, and was the first to give the watch- 



STONY POINT. 301 

word — " The fort's our own." Lieutenants Gibbon and 
Knox performed the service allotted to them with a degree 
of intrepidity which could not be surpassed. Out of twenty 
men who constituted the party of the former, seventeen 
were killed or wounded. 

The loss sustained by the garrison was not considerable. 
The return made by Lieutenant-Colonel Johnson, repre- 
sented their dead at only twenty, including one captain, and 
their wounded at six officers and sixty-eight privates. The 
return made by General Wayne states their dead at sixty- 
three, including two officers. This difference may be 
accounted for, by supposing, that among those Colonel 
Johnson supposed to be missing, there were many killed. 

The prisoners amounted to five hundred and forty-three, 
among whom were one lieutenant-colonel, four captains 
and twenty subaltern officers. The military stores taken 
in the fort were also considerable. 

The loss sustained by the assailants was by no means 
proportioned to the apparent danger of the enterprise. 

The killed and wounded did not exceed one hundred 
men. General Wayne himself, who marched at the head 
ofFebiger's regiment in the right column, received a 
slight wound in the head, which stunned him for a time, 
but did not compel him to leave the column. Being sup- 
ported by his aids, he entered the fort with the regiment. 
Lieutenant-Colonel Hay was also among the wounded. 
26 



302 



STONY POINT. 



The intrepidity, joined with humanity, its noblest com- 
panions, displayed on that occasion by the Pennsylvania 
Hero and his brave followers, cannot be too highly 
esteemed nor too frequently commemorated. 





JOHN PAUL JONES. 



JOHN PAUL JONES. 
If ever there was a man in modern times in whom there 
dwelt the soul of a sea-king, that man was the celebrated 
John Paul Jones. He gained the most brilliant victory 
won upon the ocean during the war of independence; 
and throughout his whole splendid career he exhibited a 
degree of courage and ability which has not been surpassed 
by one of those who have succeeded him in the brilliant 
line of our naval heroes. 

(303) 



304 JOHN PAUL JONES. 

Receiving command of a small squadron, of which Le 
Boa Homme Richard was the principal vessel, he cruised 
along the coast of England and Scotland, and finally on 
the 24th of September, he fell in with a fleet of merchant- 
men, convoyed by the frigate Serapis, and a smaller vessel 
the Countess of Scarborough. The people were gathered 
in great numbers on the surrounding heights, to witness 
the scene about ensuing. 

The Serapis had every advantage over the Richard in the 
number and calibre of guns, and in being more manageable 
than her antagonist. This advantage was somewhat 
lessened, however, by the Serapis running her bowsprit 
between the poop and mizzenmast of the Bon Homme 
Richard, when Jones, with his own hands, lashed it fast, 
and brought the two vessels together. The ships were thus 
engaged from half-past eight till half-past ten, the muzzles 
of their guns touching each other's sides. One of the men 
in the Bon Homme Richard carried a basket of hand- 
grenades out on the mainyard, and threw them among the 
crew of the Serapis. At half-past eight, one of these com- 
bustibles exploded a cartridge-magazine, blew up among 
the people abaft the main-mast, and rendered all the guns 
on that side useless. The two ships were frequently on 
fire during the action, and the spectacle was inexpressibly 
awful. Finding that he was unable longer to defend his 
ship, and his convoy having in the mean time escaped to 






iii ■•■/ rrom^iii'^ 




JOHN PAUL JONES. 307 

such a distance as to remove any fears of their capture, 
Captain Pearson of the Serapis struck his flag, when Jones 
immediately transferred his crew on board of her, as the 
Bon Homme Richard was in a sinking condition. 

Whilst the action between the two larger vessels was 
maintained, the Pallas engaged, and after two hours' 
fighting, compelled the Countess of Scarborough to 
surrender. On the 25th, the Bon Homme Richard, after 
every exertion on the part of Commodore Jones to save 
her, went down. Jones sailed for Holland with his prizes, 
and on the 3d of October anchored off the Texel, having 
taken during the short cruise prizes estimated to amount 
to more than X-40,000 




GENERAL SUMTER. 



BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN. 



After the battle of Camden, the British had almost entire 
possession of the South and were congratulating them- 
selves upon the easy conquest and entire submission of the 
colonies. They were doomed to disappointment, however. 
Notwithstanding Charleston was in their power; the 
government scattered ; Gadsden a prisoner doomed to the 
dungeon at St. Augustine ; Sumter forced to retire beyond 
(308) 



THE BATTLE OP KING'S MOUNTAIN. 311 

the State, on the one side and Pickens on the other, the 
spirit of liberty but slumbered, and shortly after broke 
out in a way that astonished the British. 
1 Rendered desperate by the severities of the British, the 
bold and active among the patriots formed themselves 
anew into partisan bands, under different chieftains, 
Marion and Sumter being mostly distinguished by the 
spirit and enterprise, with which they harassed the 
British. 

Eight of these leaders of partisan bands, collected to- 
gether their forces, amounting to sixteen hundred men, 
and attacked Major Ferguson with his detachment of 
tories, and regulars on the tops of King's Mountain, Oc- 
tober 7th, 1780. 

The Americans were commanded by Colonels Lacy, 
Campbell, Cleveland, and Shelby, and were formed into 
three divisions. 

Before commencing the battle, Colonel Cleveland 
addressed his men as follows. It comprises the whole art 
of war of a bush fighter. 

" My brave fellows ! "We have beat the tories, and we 
can beat them. They are all cowards. If they had the spirit 
of men, they would join with their fellow citizens, in sup- 
porting the independence of their country. When engaged 
you are not to wait the word of command from me. I will 
show you by my example how to fight. I can undertake 



312 THE BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN. 

no more. Every man must consider himself as an officer, 
and act from his own judgment. Fire as quick as you can, 
and stand as long as you can. When you can do no better, 
get behind trees, or retreat ; but I beg of you not to run 
quite off. If we be repulsed, let us make a point to return 
and renew the fight. Perhaps we may have better luck 
in the second attempt than in the first. If any of you be 
afraid, such have leave to retire ; and they are requested 
immediately to take themselves off." 

These directions were literally followed in the battle. 
Ferguson attacked them with fixed bayonets, and 
compelled one party after another to retire ; but they only 
retreated to a short distance and getting behind trees and 
rocks renewed their fire in almost every direction. The 
British being uncovered were securely shot down by the 
assailants. 

The close of the battle is thus described by "William C. 
Preston. 

" Ferguson, with a gallantry which seemed to rise with 
his desperate condition, rode from rank to rank and post 
to post, cheering, driving and encouraging his men, until 
he found his army pressed, actually huddled together, on 
the ridge, and falling as fast as the Americans could load 
and shoot. He determined on one more desperate charge, 
and taking his position at the head of his cavalry, in a 
voice that rose loud above the din of the battle, he 




COLONEL SHELBY, 



27 



THE BATTLE OP KING'S MOUNTAIN. 315 

summoned his men ' to crush the damned rebels into the 
earth.' The summons was heard by the Americans, and 
one round of their rifles was stopped, and instead of their 
roar, there was heard only the click of the cock. It was the 
serpent's low warning of coming death. The pause was 
but for a moment, when Ferguson and Du Poistre, horse 
and foot, burst like an avalanche down the mountain-side, 
by the time they came within sixty paces every rifle was 
loaded, and under deadly aim. Ferguson fell at the first 
discharge, with seven mortal wounds. The patriots rushed 
forward to meet the shock, as Du Poistre's regulars, with 
bayonets set and sabres in rest, came crashing down upon 
them — not Agincourt or Cressy, with all their chivalry, 
ever felt a shock more fearful than that, but had the 
heavens then rained British bayonets, it could not have 
stopped those patriots. The destinies of America — per- 
haps of makind — depended on their muscle. Like martyrs, 
they went to the death ; like lions, they rushed to the 
carnage ; officer and soldier — half naked, with blood-shot 
eyes and parched tongues — pounced upon the charging 
enemy, until their hot breath and fierce glare was seen and 
felt by the craven tory and his bull-dog master ; and as 
they crouched, gathering for the last spring, a wild terror- 
stricken shriek rose above the roar — a yell for mercy 
— a white flag was run up, and God's champion shouted 
'Victory, Liberty.'" 




*^H^j 



BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 



Colonel Crawford, while on an expedition against 
the Indians, was, together with Dr. Knight, made a 
prisoner ; the balance of his party having been killed. We 
purpose merely giving an account of his sufferings. They 
were terrible indeed ; and it seems almost impossible that 
such demons in human shape could really exist. Every 
new pang inflicted on their victim seemed to afford them 
new delight, and they were never so happy, as when they 
(316) 




COLONEL CRAWFORD. 317 



27 



BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 319 

could wring a groan from their prisoner. But Colonel 
Crawford perished like a hero. 

Colonel Crawford and Dr. Knight were reserved by 
the Indians for a dreadful death. They were taken to the 
main village of the Delawares, about eight miles from the 
mouth of Tymochtee creek. There a council was held, 
and it was resolved to burn the prisoners. The account 
of the burning of Colonel Crawford, we give in the words 
of Dr. Knight, his companion, and an eye-witness of the 
dreadful scene. 

"When we went to the fire, the colonel was stripped naked, 
ordered to sit down by the fire, and then they beat him 
with sticks and their fists. Presently after I was treated 
in the same manner. They then tied a rope to the foot 
of a post about fifteen feet high, bound the colonel's hands 
behind his back, and fastened the rope to the ligature 
between his wrists. The rope was long enough for him to 
sit down, or walk round the post once or twice, and return 
the same way. The colonel then called to Girty, and 
asked if they intended to burn him ? Girty answered, yes. 

The colonel said he would take it all patiently. Upon 
this, Captain Pipe, a Delaware chief, made a speech to the 
Indians, viz., thirty or forty men, and sixty or seventy 
squaws and boys. 

When the speech was finished, they all yelled a hideous 
and hearty assent to what had been said. The Indian 



320 BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 

men then took up their guns and shot powder into the 
colonel's body, from his feet as far up as his neck. I think 
that not less than seventy loads were discharged upon his 
naked body. They then crowded about him, and to the 
best of my observation, cut off his ears ; when the throng 
had dispersed a little, I saw the blood running from both 
sides of his head in consequence thereof. 

The fire was about six or seven yards from the post to 
which the colonel was tied ; it was made of small hickory 
poles, burnt quite through in the middle, each end of the 
poles remaining about six feet in length. Three or four 
Indians by turns would take up, individually, one of these 
burning pieces of wood, and apply it to his naked body, 
already burnt black with the powder. These tormentors 
presented themselves on every side of him with the burning 
faggots and poles. Some of the squaws took broad boards, 
upon which they would carry a quantity of burning coals 
and hot embers, and throw on him, so that in a short time 
he had nothing but coals of fire and hot ashes to walk upon. 

In the midst of these extreme tortures he called to 
Simon Girty, and begged of him to shoot him ; but Girty 
making no answer, he called to him again. Girty then, 
by way of derision, told the colonel he had no gun, at the 
same time turning about to an Indian who was behind 
him, laughed heartily, and by all his gestures seemed 
delighted at the horrid scene. 



BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 321 

Girty then came up to me and bade me prepare for death. 
He said, however, I was not to die at that place, but to be 
burnt at the Shawanese town. He swore an oath I need 
not expect to escape death, but should suffer it in all its 
extremities. 

Colonel Crawford, at this period of his sufferings, be- 
sought the Almighty to have mercy on his soul, spoke very 
low, and in all the extremities of pain for an hour and 
three-quarters, or two hours longer, as near as I can 
judge, when at last, being almost exhausted, he lay down 
on his belly; they then scalped him, and repeatedly threw 
the scalp in my face, telling me, "that was my great 
captain." An old squaw (whose appearance every way 
answered the ideas people entertain of the devil) got a 
board, took a parcel of coals and ashes and laid them on 
his back and head, after he had been scalped ; he then 
raised himself upon his feet and began to walk round the 
post-; they next put a burning stick to him, as usual, but 
he seemed more insensible of pain than before. 

The Indian fellow who had me in charge, now took me 
away to Captain Pipe's house, about three quarters of a 
mile from the place of the colonel's execution. I was 
bound all night, and thus prevented from seeing the last 
of the horrid spectacle. Next morning, being June 12th, 
the Indian untied me, painted me black, and we set off 
for the Shawanese town, which he told me was somewhat 



822 BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 

less than forty miles distant from that place. We soon 
came to the spot where the colonel had been burnt, as it 
was partly in our way ; I saw his bones laying among the 
remains of the fire, almost burnt to ashes ; I suppose, after 
he was dead, they laid his body on the fire. The Indian 
told me that was my big captain, and gave the scalp 
halloo. 

Dr. Knight proceeded twenty-five miles, under the guard 
of the Indian, on the first day, and then encamped for 
the night. The next morning, the gnats being very trou- 
blesome, the doctor requested the Indian to untie him, 
that he might help to make a fire to keep them off. The 
Indian complied, and then got down on his hands and 
knees to blow the fire. The doctor seized the lucky moment, 
caught up a piece of tent-pole and struck the Indian on 
the head, knocking him forward into the fire. The stick 
broke, however, and the Indian though severely hurt, 
sprang up. The doctor seized his gun, and attempted to 
fire it, but the lock broke. The Indian then ran away, 
yelling hideously. Doctor Knight started for home, 
which he reached after wandering twenty-one days, and 
suffering for want of food. 

Most of the other prisoners taken by the savages in 
this disastrous campaign were murdered. John Slover, 
who had been the pilot of the army, was captured and 
taken to the Shawanese town to be burned. He was 



BURNING OF COLONEL CRAWFORD. 



323 



painted and tied to the stake, when a heavy thunder storm 
commenced, and the fire was extinguished. The burning 
was postponed until the next day, and Slover was tied 
and placed in the council-house, under guard. During the 
night, he contrived to get loose, and ran off through the 
woods. After enduring many hardships, he reached 
Wheeling, almost exhausted. The main body of the army 
had reached that post before his arrival. 





BATTLE OF THE COWPENS. 



In 1780, the British had entire possession of the dis- 
trict called Ninety-Six ; but the great excesses indulged 
in by the soldiers of the British army, produced a growing 
feeling of discontent among the inhabitants, which in- 
duced General Greene to dispatch General Morgan to 
their relief, and to regain, if possible, what they before 
had lost. On his appearance, many of the people gladly 
took up arms in the cause of independence, and acted in 
concert with the Americans. 

Lord Cornwallis was at this time advancing for the 
(324) 



BATTLE OP THE COWPENS. 325 

purpose of invading North Carolina, and, hearing of this 
irruption, dispatched Colonel Tarleton with eleven hun- 
dred men, to "push him to the utmost." 

Tarleton's force outnumbered Morgan's in the propor- 
tion of five to four of infantry, and three to one of cavalry, 
beside two field pieces ; two-thirds of Morgan's troops 
were militia. 

With all these advantages, Tarleton met Morgan at 
the Cowpens, on the 17th of January, 1781, fully ex 
pecting to drive him out of South Carolina. 

The latter drew up his men in two lines. The whole 
of the southern militia, with one hundred and ninety from 
North Carolina, were put under the command of Colonel 
Tickens. These formed the first line, and were advanced 
a few hundred yards before the second, with orders to form 
on the right of the second, when forced to retire. The 
second line consisted of the light infantry, and a corps of 
Virginia militia riflemen. Lieutenant-Colonel Washing- 
ton, with his cavalry, and about forty-five militia men, 
mounted and equipped with swords, were drawn up at 
some distance in the rear of the whole. The open wood, 
in which they were formed, was neither secured in front, 
flank or rear. On the side of the British, the light legion 
infantry and fusileers, though worn down with extreme 
fatigue, were ordered to form in line. Before this order 
was executed, the line, though far from being complete, 



326 BATTLE OF THE COWPENS. 




COLONEL PICKENS. 

was led to the attack by Tarleton himself. They advanced 
with a shout, and poured in an incessant fire of musketry. 
Colonel Pickens directed the men under his command to 
retain their fire, until the British were within forty or fifty 
yards. This order, though executed with great firmness 
was not sufficient to repel their advancing foes. The mi- 
litia fell back ; but were soon rallied by their officers. 
The British advanced, and engaged the second line, which, 



BATTLE OF THE COWPENS. 327 

after an obstinate conflict, was compelled to retreat to 
the cavalry. In this crisis, Colonel Washington made a 
successful charge on Tarleton, who was cutting down the 
militia. Lieutenant-Colonel Howard, almost at the same 
moment, rallied the continental troops, and charged with 
fixed bayonets. The example was instantly followed by 
the militia. Nothing could exceed the astonishment and 
confusion of the British, occasioned by these unexpected 
charges. Their advance fell back on their rear, and com- 
municated a panic to the whole. Tarleton's pieces of 
artillery were seized by the Americans ; and the greatest 
confusion took place among his infantry. While they 
were in this state of disorder, Lieutenant-Colonel Howard 
called to them, to "lay down their arms," and promised 
them good quarters. Some hundreds accepted the offer 
and surrendered. The first battalion of the 71st, and two 
British light infantry companies, laid down their arms to 
the American militia. A party, which had been left some 
distance in the rear, to guard the baggage, was the only 
body of infantry that escaped. The officer of that de- 
tachment, on hearing of Tarleton's defeat, destroyed a 
great part of the baggage, and retreated to Lord Corn- 
wallis. Three hundred of the British were killed or 
wounded, and above five hundred prisoners taken. Eight 
hundred muskets, two field pieces, thirty-five baggage- 
wagons, and one hundred dragoon horses, fell into the 



328 BATTLE OF THE COWPENS. 

hands of the conquerors. The Americans had only twelve 
men killed, and sixty wounded. 

General Morgan's good conduct, on this memorable 
day, was honored by congress with a gold medal. They 
also presented medals of silver to Lieutenant-Colonels 
"Washington and Howard, a sword to Colonel Pickens, a 
brevet majority to Edward Giles, the general's aid-de-camp, 
and a captaincy to Baron Glassbeck. Lieutenant-Colonel 
Tarleton, hitherto triumphant in a variety of skirmishes, 
on this occasion lost his laurels, though he was supported 
by the 7th regiment, one battalion of the 71st, and two 
companies of light infantry : and his repulse did more es- 
sential injury to the British interest, than was equivalent 
to all the preceding advantages he had gained. It was 
the first link in a chain of causes, which finally drew down 
ruin, both in North and South Carolina, on the royal 
interest. 





BARON STEUBEN. 



BARON STEUBEN. 



The French ship l'Heureux, laden with arms and mu- 
nitions of war for the use of the army of the United States 
arrived at Portsmouth, in New Hampshire, on the 1st of 
December, 1777. 

One of her passengers was Baron Steuben, an officer 
of the Prussian army, and aid-de-camp to Frederick the 
Great. He was eminently fitted to introduce the military 
28* (329) 



330 BARON STEUBEN. 

tactics and discipline of one of the greatest monarchs of 
Europe, into the American army, having been, while in 
the service of Frederick, at the head of the quarter-mas- 
ter's department. 

In the summer of 1777, he went to Paris, intending to 
visit some friends in England ; and while in that city he 
met with the Count de St. Germain, who was at that time 
the French minister of war. 

Being aware of the talents of the baron, the count pre- 
vailed upon him to enter the service of Congress. On his 
arrival in America, he heard the news of the capture of 
Burgoyne, and felt assured that the cause in which he had 
embarked, was not a hopeless one. 

His services were thankfully accepted by Congress, and 
the commissions he desired for his attendants granted. 
He immediately joined the army, then in winter-quarters 
at "Valley Forge. Long practice in the service of Prussia, 
had perfectly qualified him for a military teacher, and in 
May, 1778, Congress complied with the recommendation 
of the commander-in-chief, and appointed him inspector- 
general of the army, with the rank of major-general. 

He commenced his duties immediately, and in a short 
time surmounted difficulties, which would have discouraged 
a less determined spirit. He composed a complete system 
of order and exercise, which was approved of by Wash- 
ington, and was ordered by Congress to be printed and 



BARON STEUBEN. 331 




FREDERICK THE GREAT. 

adopted by the army. For many years after the close 
of the war, this system was used by the states for the 
training of the militia. 

The following extract from Dr. Thacher's Military 
Journal, will serve to show his success in instructing the 
raw troops which had hitherto composed the American 
army. He says, " After the siege of Yorktown, the Baron 
returned to the northward, and remained with the army, 
continually employed until the peace, in perfecting its 
discipline. The adroitness, and above all the silence with 
which the manoeuvres were performed, was remarked with 
astonishment, by the officers of the French army. 



ddU BARON STEUBEN. 

" The Marquis de la Val de Montmorenci, brigadier- 
general, said to the Baron, 'I admire the celerity and 
exactitude with which your men perform, but what I 
cannot conceive, is the silence with which they make their 
manoeuvres.' 'I don't know, Monsieur Le Marquis,' he 
replied, ' whence noise should proceed, when even my 
brigadiers dare not open their mouths, but to repeat the 
orders.' 

" The French troops were exceedingly loud in their evo- 
lutions and marches, and Monsieur la Val, at all times 
louder than the rest. On a subsequent occasion, designed 
to show the degree of expertness at which our officers and 
soldiers had arrived, the Baron was asked by one of the 
French generals, what manoeuvres he intended to perform ; 
on being informed ; 'Yes,' replied the French chief, 'I 
have seen, particularly the last you mention, performed 
by the Prussians in Silesia, but with a very complex ad- 
dition,' which he explained. ' But you will recollect, ge- 
neral, that we are not quite Prussians.' 

"After his guests had retired, the Baron said, 'I will let 
these Frenchmen know that we can do what the Prussians 
can, and what their army cannot do. I will save those 
gentlemen who have not been in Silesia, the trouble of 
going there ; they may come to Verplanck's Point next 
week for instruction.' They came, chiefs and subalterns ; 
and every thing was done in the finest style, to their real 



BARON STEUBEN. 



333 



or pretended admiration." Such was Baron Steuben. 
He had laid aside the emoluments of an ample fortune, 
rejected the overtures of powerful princes, anxious to se- 
cure the services of so accomplished a master of war, all 
that could render life dear, to enter the service of a few 
feeble colonies, struggling against the oppressions imposed 
by the mother country. He died on the 28th of Novem- 
ber, 1794, aged sixty-five. He directed that he should 
be wrapped in his military cloak, ornamented with the 
star he had always worn, and interred in a neighboring 
forest. He was obeyed ; and, 

" He lay like a warrior taking his rest, 
With his martial cloak around kim." 





MRS. BOZARTH. 

The cruelties practised by the Indians during the war 
of the revolution, were of a character to chill the blood 
with horror. Urged on by British gold, their savage na- 
tures were excited to the utmost, and every species of 
barbarity winked at by their employers. Women and 
children, old and helpless men, and tender infants, were 
alike their victims. 

Many instances might be given of personal daring, and 
undaunted bravery on the part of the women of that 
period, but one will suffice. It happened in the year 1779. 
(334) 



MRS. BOZARTH. 335 

The alarm which had caused the people in the neigh- 
borhood of Pricket's fort to move into it for safety, induced 
two or three families on Dunkard creek to collect at the 
house of Mr. Bozarth, thinking they would be more exempt 
from danger when together than if remaining at their 
several homes. About the first of April, when only Mrs. 
Bozarth and two men were in the house, the children who 
had been out at play, came running into the yard, ex- 
claiming that there were "ugly red men coming." Upon 
hearing this, one of the two men in the house, going to 
the door to see if Indians really were approaching, received 
a glancing shot on his breast, which caused him to fall 
back. The Indian who had shot him, sprang in immedi- 
ately after, and grappling with the other white man, was 
quickly thrown on the bed. His antagonist having no 
weapon with which to do him any injury, called to Mrs. 
Bozarth for a knife. Not finding one at hand, she seized 
an axe, and at one blow let out the brains of the prostrate 
savage. At that instant a second Indian entered the door 
and shot dead the man engaged with his companion on the 
bed. Mrs. Bozarth turned on him, and with a well-directed 
blow let out his entrails, and caused him to bawl out for 
help. Upon this, others of his party, who had been en- 
gaged with the children in the yard, came to his relief. 
The first who thrust his head in at the door, had it cleft by 
the axe of Mrs. Bozarth, and fell lifeless on the ground. 



336 



MRS. BOZARTH. 



Another, catching hold of his wounded, bawling companion, 
drew him out of the house, when Mrs. Bozarth, with the 
aid of the white man who had been first shot, and was 
then somewhat recovered, succeeded in closing and making 
fast the door. The children in the yard were all killed, 
but the heroism and exertions of Mrs. Bozarth and the 
wounded white man, enabled them to resist the repeated 
attempts of the Indians to force open the door, and retain 
possession of the house until they were relieved by a party 
from the neighboring settlement. The time occupied in 
this bloody affair, from the first alarm by the children, to 
the shutting of the door, did not exceed three minutes. 
And in this brief space, Mrs. Bozarth, with wonderful 
self-possession, coolness and intrepidity, succeeded in 
killing three Indians. 




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