For Love of Country: A Story of Land and Sea in the Days of the Revolution
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CHAPTER XXII
_Washington--a Man with Human Passions_
Half an hour later, after the four travellers had taken somerefreshment, hasty steps were heard outside the door, followed by thesentry's hail.
"Ah!" said the general, looking up eagerly from the book he had beenreading, "perhaps that is Mr. Martin with news from the enemy." Thenlaying aside his book, he rose to his feet to meet the new-comer, whoproved to be the man he had expected. The young man stood at attentionand saluted, while the general addressed him sharply,--
"Well, sir, what have you learned?"
The young officer appeared extremely embarrassed. "I--well, the factis, sir, nothing at all," he stammered.
"Nothing!" said the general, loudly, with rising heat, "nothing, sir!Did you not cross the river as I directed you?"
"No, sir. That is, I tried to, but there was so much floating ice, andit was so difficult to manage a boat that I thought it would be hardlyworth while to attempt it, sir. In fact, the crossing is impracticablefor troops," he went on more confidently; but his face changed as helooked up at his infuriated superior. The general was a picture ofwrath; the lines in his forehead standing out plainly, his mouth shutmore tightly and grimly than ever. It was evident that he wasfuriously angry, and his face had in it something terrible from hisrage. The young officer stood before him now, white and frightened todeath.
"I saw him this way at Kip's Landing," whispered Hamilton to Seymour."Look! he has lost control of himself completely, there will be anexplosion sure."
The general struggled for a moment, and then broke away.
"Impracticable, sir! impracticable!" he roared out in a voice ofthunder. "How dare you say what this army can or can not do! And whatdo you mean by not crossing the river and ascertaining the facts Idesire to know!" The next moment he stepped forward and, seizing aheavy leaden inkstand from the table near him, threw it with all hisforce full at the man, crying fiercely,--
"Damnation, sir! Be off and send me a _man_."
The officer dodged the missile, which struck the wall with a crash,saluted, and ran out of the door as if his life depended on it; feelingin his heart that he would face any danger rather than brave anotherstorm of wrath like that he had just sustained. The general continuedto pace up and down the room restlessly for a few moments, until herecovered his composure.
"I depended upon that information, and I must have it," hesoliloquized. "If that man does not bring it back to us before wecross the river, I 'll have him cashiered. Shall I send another man?No, I 'll give him another chance."
Seymour picked up the book the general had been reading. It was theBible, and open at the twenty-second chapter of the Book of Joshua.His eye fell full upon the twenty-second verse, which was marked. "TheLord God of gods, the Lord God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shallknow; if; _it be_ in rebellion, or if in transgression against theLord, (save us not this day.)"
Just then the little daughter of Keith, the owner of the farmhouse atwhich they were staying, entered the room. As the little miss came upfearlessly to the general, he stopped and smiled down at her.
"Father and mother wish to know if you will want supper to-night, sir?"
"No, my little maid," he replied; "not here, at any rate. And which doyou like the better now, the Redcoats or the Continentals?"
"The Redcoats, sir, they have such pretty clothes," said the nascentwoman.
"Ah, my dear," he replied blithely, catching her up in his arms andkissing her the while, "they look better, but they don't fight. Theragged fellows are the boys for fighting."
"Singular man!" mused Seymour, contrasting the outbreak of wrath at therecalcitrant officer, the open Bible he had been reading, and the lastmerry, tender greeting to the child. But his musings were interruptedby the general himself, speaking.
"General Greene, you would better ride over to the landing and placethe different brigades; take Hamilton with you, and perhaps GeneralKnox will go also to look out for the artillery. The brigades were tostart at three o'clock for McConkey's Ford, and the nearest of themshould be there now. We shall move in two divisions after we leaveBirmingham on the other side. I wish you to command the first one,which will comprise the brigades of Sterling, Mercer, and De Fermoy,with Hand's riflemen and Hausegger's Germans and Forest's battery. Ishall accompany your column. General Sullivan will take the seconddivision, with Sargeant's and St. Clair's brigades, and Glover'sMarblehead men, and Stark's New Hampshire riflemen. The two columnswill divide at Birmingham. You will take the east, or inland road, andSullivan that by the river. Have you that order I spoke of for thetroops, Mr. Hamilton? If so, you will give a copy of it to GeneralGreene, who will publish it to the troops as soon as they arrive.Captain Morris, I think you would better go also. You will muster yourtroop; the men will have returned from carrying my orders to thedifferent brigades, and can be assembled once more. I desire you toattend my person to-night as our only cavalry. Talbot, you wouldbetter go with General Greene; you also, marquis, so that you can bewith your friend Captain Hamilton. The rest of us will follow youshortly."
The officers designated bowed, and in a few moments were on the road.The officers left at the headquarters were speedily busy with theirnecessary duties, and Seymour and his two companions, one of whom, theboatswain, was most unfamiliar with and uncomfortable upon a horse,were able to get a couple of hours of needed rest before starting outupon what they felt would be an arduous journey. About half after sixo'clock the signal to mount was given, and the whole party, led by thegeneral himself, and followed by the ragged guard, was soon upon theroad.
It was intensely cold, and the night bade fair to be the severest ofthe winter. The sky was cloudless, however, and there was a brightmoon.