CHAPTER VI.
THE PRISONERS.
Giving no heed to those around us, we continued on when the command washalted, much as if we had not heard the orders, and without anything inthe way of leave-taking.
I know not how it may have been with my companions; but as for myself,I was in no mood to speak even with my uncle, so thickly did the sadand gloomy thoughts flow through my mind. It was to me as if we wereplaying the last acts in that drama which should have had a gloriousending--as if we were assisting at the death of the Cause, and Ibelieve that nine out of every ten men in the brigade had some suchthought as myself.
It was true that we might strike a blow at Nelson's Ferry, but letthe reader remember that ours was probably the only armed force, trueto the colonies, then in the Carolinas; let him remember that theBritishers overran our land, even as did the locusts of old, and howmight four hundred men or less oppose all the soldiers the king couldsend against us?
Surely for us of the southern colonies, this night, when we three setout to spy upon the victorious troops coming down from Camden with ourfriends as prisoners, was the worst ever known.
We were beaten--hemmed in, and, like rats in the corner, could onlymake one desperate fight, not against death, but simply as proof thatour courage held good even to the very last moment.
Let all these things be borne well in mind, and it is little wonderthat when we rode on after the command was halted, we were in no moodfor leave-taking. Ours might, and it seemed probable it would, be thelast blow in a gallant struggle for liberty.
When we passed the group of officers at the head of the column, allsitting their horses motionless as statues, looking neither to theright nor the left, but each man as it were peering into the recessesof his own heart, asking himself in what way the end would come, Igave one glance toward my uncle, and it seemed to me as if there was acertain uplifting of the eyebrows which I interpreted as a "good-by."
More than that we saw not, and five minutes later the brigade ofWilliamsburg patriots, tried and true, were left behind, while we twolads and the old man rode forward, hoping almost against hope that itmight be possible we should accomplish something toward showing theBritish king how strong in our hearts was the desire for liberty.
Our horses, jaded by the long march of the day, were unwilling to leavethe troop; they went forward listlessly, and we had not the heart tospur them on because it was much as if they shared our feelings.
I question if we gained ten miles in advance of the column that night.
Certain it is we were not yet come within the vicinity of Nelson'sFerry when Gavin Witherspoon's horse stopped short, and the old mansaid as he dismounted slowly:
"We may as well rest here for the night, as a mile or two further on. Ipropose that we halt until a couple of hours before sunrise, and by sodoing we shall gain time."
After the experience we had had with the old man, Percy and I were morethan willing to follow his advice, and we set about making ourselves ascomfortable as might be under all the circumstances.
A better place for camping could not be found. A tiny brook runningthrough a grove of pines, where the underbrush was so dense as toform ample hiding-place, as well as a shelter from the dews of thenight. There was little green feed for the horses; but we carried agoodly store of grain on our saddles, and, heedless of the possiblenecessities of the future which seemed so dark, we allowed the tiredsteeds to eat their pleasure from the store.
Such food as we had, and as I have said was taken from the Tory camp,we ate, and then, lame and sore in every joint from the long hours inthe saddle, we laid ourselves down for perchance the last sleep on thisearth.
My eyes were closed in slumber within two or three minutes after Iwas thus stretched at full length upon the bed of pine needles, andit seemed as if I had slept several hours when something--I know notwhat--awakened me.
There was no movement, and the faint light of the stars did notpenetrate the thicket; yet I could see that the horses were lying down;that my comrades were wrapped in slumber, and it puzzled me to make outwhy I was thus wakeful.
Then, partially turning my head, for no other reason than to makea change of position, I saw what appeared to be the reflection of acamp-fire through the underbrush.
When one knows that he is surrounded by enemies, the lightest thingout of the ordinary arouses his suspicions, and although this gleam oflight was so faint that at another time I would have given no heed toit, now it seemed absolutely necessary I should understand the cause.
It would be foolish to awaken my comrades, so I argued, when theremight be no good reason, and I crept out through the bushes softlyuntil, having traversed a distance of fifty yards or more, when I sawthat we were not the only ones who had utilized this thicket as a camp.
Four men sat around a small fire eating, and near by were tetheredtheir horses.
It was fortunate our steeds were so leg-weary, else when this partydrove up they might have given the alarm, for I doubted not but thatthese were enemies. At such time in the history of the so-calledrebellion we had so few friends as to be able to say with a certaintywhere they were.
It was in my mind to return at once and arouse Gavin Witherspoon andPercy, that we might make our escape; but all was so quiet, and thesefour apparently unsuspicious that any save themselves were in thevicinity, that I delayed carrying out the purpose in my mind, until,having almost unconsciously approached a few yards nearer, I recognizedin one of them, that Tory villain, Sam Lee.
Once this discovery was made I no longer thought of returning to whereI had left my comrades; but wriggled along yet nearer, and was wellrepaid for the delay.
It would seem as if the men had been questioning young Lee as to hisability to do something which had been promised, for one of them wassaying when I came within earshot:
"It is a blind chase to push ahead in search of a party of rebels whoby this time may have returned home, hoping to keep secret the partthey have been playing."
To this Sam Lee replied hotly, much as if the honor of the James familywere in his keeping:
"The major will never go home alive so long as one other can be foundto remain with him, and there are many of his kin in Williamsburg."
"But what reason have we for believing you can lead us to them?"
"Because I know of their haunts," the scoundrel said, as if he wastelling the truth. "So far all they have accomplished has been bysurprising our people who are not soldiers; but I guarantee that youmen of the Prince of Wales' regiment will make a different showingamong them."
"Of that I have no question; but these people, knowing fully thecountry, can easily disperse between the time we come upon them, andword has been sent to the command. Then again, we must trust to yourfinding them, which I misdoubt greatly, else are you a keener lad thanI have seen in the Carolinas."
It was the eldest of the three men who said this, and as he movedslightly I saw that his uniform, which I knew full well, was thatof the Prince of Wales' regiment, to which organization Sam Lee hadreferred.
"You may do as you please," the young Troy said angrily. "I have toldthe colonel that I could lead you to where the scarecrow Marion wasencamped and put you on their trail wheresoever the forces might begoing; but if, now that we are hardly more than started, you choose toturn back, it is none of my affair, I have done my part."
No reply was made to this, and for a time the men were silent, while I,speculating as to what might be their purpose, believed it was a simplematter to guess why they were there.
We knew full well that Sam Lee had been in Captain Barfield'sencampment, and, like the coward that he was, fled when our troops cameup. He also must have ridden all day in order to gain Nelson's Ferry;had most likely met this regiment of the king's, and claimed abilityto deliver our people into their hands. It seemed also true that thesetroopers had ridden in advance of the command, as had we three, and wewere thus come together at a place midway between the Britishers andour own force.
In fact I was in the act of turning when one of the soldiers saidgrumblingly:
"Even though the rebels may be where this lad has stated, I fail tosee why we should have left the camp and ridden half a dozen miles inadvance. What good can be gained by spending the night here, when wemight have done so with our comrades?"
"For my part," the third trooper added, "I would rather sleep here thando my share of guarding an hundred or more scurvy rebels. Had we stayedin camp some portion of the duty would have come upon us, whereas wemay lie down under these bushes and sleep until it pleases us to openour eyes next morning."
"That is all very true," the first speaker replied; "yet there weregood quarters to be found at Nelson's Ferry, and here a bed upon theground is the best to be had."
It was almost with difficulty that I suppressed a cry of triumph, fornow I had the full story, and we might return with the informationdesired by General Marion before having fairly set out to do the work.
The British force, comprised in whole or in part of the Prince ofWales' regiment, and guarding an hundred or more of our people,captured when General Gates was defeated, were encamped at Nelson'sFerry, six or seven miles away. These fellows, through informationgiven by Sam Lee, were coming out in search of us, and would not leavetheir halting-place until sunrise.
It was a lucky chance which led us to this spot, and the forebodingswhich had weighed heavily upon me a few hours previous, were lightenedwonderfully by the thought that fortune, which had borne so hardly uponus in the past, was about taking a turn in our favor.
I lost no time in returning at once to my comrades, although forcedto do so slowly lest I make so much of noise that the Tory and hisred-coated companions be warned of our nearness.
Then, having arrived by the side of Percy and Gavin Witherspoon,I pressed both hands upon their mouths to prevent any cry in theirawakening.
The old man's grasp upon my arm told that he was fully alive to thesituation, and I repeated as quickly as might be all that had beenheard.
Sitting bolt upright as if any future movement depended wholly upon me,he said in a whisper:
"Whether the horses can cover sixteen or twenty miles after a longday's work, is a question."
"But one which you should not ask," Percy added in a more serious tonethan I had ever heard him employ. "We have gained the information forwhich we were sent, and it must be carried back to camp without delay."
"I grant you that, lad; but was only asking myself whether it might bepossible for our people to take advantage of it."
"Such speculations can be deferred until we have spoken with GeneralMarion," Percy replied as he arose, and after that there was nodiscussion among us.
To get the horses on their feet without making a noise was no slighttask; but we accomplished it after a certain fashion, and led them outof the thicket, not mounting until we were fully two miles away.
After that our progress was no more rapid than if we had remained onfoot, for it seemed impossible to urge the animals at a pace fasterthan a walk, and it appeared to me as if the morning must be near athand when we were finally come to the encampment.
All our men were not given over to slumber, as was shown by our beingchallenged before yet we knew how near to us was the military force,and five minutes later we were standing beside our uncle, who, suddenlyaroused from his sleep, asked with a note of alarm in his tones:
"What disaster has befallen you?"
We soon gave him to understand that fortune had played us a good turn,and immediately the information was given he became animated.
One would have said he had never known fatigue, to have seen him as heran toward where General Marion was sleeping, and, shaking the officerinto wakefulness, he repeated in a few words our story.
I had supposed the news we brought would cause some sensation in thecamp; but never believed it would be acted upon so quickly.
Within fifteen minutes from the time of our being challenged by thesentinel, every man was in the saddle, and Percy, Gavin Witherspoonand myself were riding at the head of the column by my uncle's side, inorder that we might point out the place where the soldiers and Sam Leewere encamped.
We now learned that it was midnight; the tired men and their horseshad had six hours of rest, and although the advance was not rapid, wepressed forward with greater speed than I had believed possible, ourown steeds seeming to be revived by the companionship of the others.
Now I am come to that point in this story concerning which I can saybut little of my own knowledge, for certain it is that I fell asleepeven while in the saddle, and was not conscious of anything until thehalting of my horse nearly threw me over his head.
We had arrived within two miles of Nelson's Ferry, and it was yetnight. Unless some unfortunate accident occurred at the last moment,there was an opportunity of our soon learning whether the Britishregulars would hold firm under such a surprise as we should be able togive them.
The purpose of the halt was not to reconnoiter, as I had at firstsupposed, but in order that a squad of twenty might be detached to gainpossession of the road in the swamp at that post known as Horse Creek,while we were to attack the main body in the rear.
The scouts who had been sent ahead half an hour before my awakening,came back reporting that the enemy were encamped on the east bank ofthe creek, which was another and a great point in our favor.
Once more would General Marion have a chance to execute his favoritemaneuver, the only one by which we could hope to win while the oddswere so heavily against us.
Twenty minutes or more were spent here waiting for the detachment toget into position at Horse Creek, and then the advance was resumed,this time at a slow pace lest the thud of our horses' feet upon theroad should give an alarm.
Despite the fact that I knew full well we would soon be engaged indeadly encounter, slumber weighed heavily upon my eyelids, and it waswith difficulty I could prevent them from closing.
Rather like one in a dream, than a lad who burned to give his life forthe Cause, did I hold myself in the saddle, and it seemed as if no morethan ten minutes had passed when we were halted again, this time sonear the enemy that the gleam of his camp-fires could be seen.
The moment for reflection had come.
General Marion's force was about to be hurled upon the best men inthe king's army. We who knew little or nothing of military tactics, wewho were mounted upon jaded steeds, and half dead for lack of sleep,were about to charge a camp of well armed men, most likely in the bestpossible condition, and if the end for us of the southern colonies wasnear, it seemed as if this was indeed the last moment.
"At full speed, and do not fire until we are close upon them!" was thewhispered word passed from man to man, and I saw those either side ofme carefully charging their rifles or muskets.
Even though we were come upon the Prince of Wales' regiment and aportion of the 63d Regulars, as was afterward learned, the result wasmuch the same as when we rode down upon the undisciplined Tories.
There was the onward leaping of the horses as the spurs were sunk deepin their flanks; the thunder of their hoofs; the cries of the enemyas they were awakened from their slumbers; our shouts of triumph; thecrackle of musketry and the groans of the wounded.
It was a dream--a horrible nightmare rather than a reality, and hadI been a spectator instead of a participant, it would have seemed nodifferent.
At such times the excitement of the battle is full upon one, and I haveyet to see man or boy who can give a clear and detailed account of allthat occurred while the scent of the powder was in his nostrils.
This much I do know, that, as twice before, I loaded and dischargedmy musket, or used it as a club; that I forced my horse to keep pacewith my uncle's steed, who was ever foremost in the fray, and then thefleeing mas
s told that the enemy were in retreat.
This victory, when the majority of our men had believed the attackwould prove our final ending, did more to revive the drooping spiritsof General Marion's force than anything else could have done.
We forgot weariness; forgot everything save the fact that we ofWilliamsburg had been pitted against the king's best soldiers, andwere come out of the battle as well as when we met Major Gainey's orBarfield's men.
On this occasion, however, we did not press the pursuit. It was knownthat these soldiers would re-form, where raw recruits might continuepanic-stricken, and we were not so strong in numbers as to risk aregular engagement.
My uncle was the foremost here, as he ever had been, and Percy and Iremained by his side, therefore can I say of a verity that we did notride after the retreating column more than half a mile; but, once wellclear of the encampment, drew rein and turned about.
It was now near to daylight, and we soon learned that we had capturedor killed twenty-two regulars, among whom was a captain, and held twoTories as prisoners.
Our loss was one killed and one wounded.
In addition to having thus gained a victory over the best of hismajesty's soldiers in the colonies, we had recaptured one hundred andfifty men, and it is not necessary to say how much of rejoicing therewas in our lines when the sun rose.
Now am I come to the shameful part of the story, and one which will bemost difficult of belief.
To Percy and I it seemed that with this successful attack, byliberating one hundred and fifty men who were supposed to be friendsto the Cause, because of wearing the Continental uniform, we had addedjust so much to General Marion's strength, and neither of us had anyquestion but that every one of them would gladly join our force.
As we two believed, so did all our comrades as well as the officers wholed us, for after the first rejoicings were over those who had beenprisoners were ordered into line, and Major James proposed, with theair of one who thinks he makes what will be accepted without question,that they enroll themselves among us of Williamsburg until such time aswe could fight our way through the district to where others who lovedthe Cause might be found.
To the shame of these Continental soldiers it must be set down that outof that number freed by us at risk of our lives, only three consentedto serve under the general.
Some said that the "Cause was lost;" others declared that to fightlonger was "simply to risk one's life without an object, because theking's troops overrun the country, and after the defeat of Gates therewas no longer the slightest chance we could hold our own many days."
When no more than these three stepped forward from the ranksin response to his proposal, and the others talked loudly amongthemselves, or with our men, my uncle turned away like one who isstricken with a deadly wound.
Then Percy and I made our way among these men who wore the buff and theblue, to hear further reasons as to why they had acted such a cowardlypart.
It was a captain, one who should have been the first to urge his men toenlist, who said in reply to my questions:
"Surely the Cause has none in the Carolinas, save this beggarly forceto which you are attached, while the British have overrun this sectionof the country. The Continentals are dispersed or captured; theVirginia and North Carolina militia are scattered to the four winds;Sumter's Legion has been whipped by Tarleton, and their leader isfleeing for his life. In addition to all that, here is a copy of theletter which Lord Clinton has sent to the commandants of the differentposts throughout the colonies."
Then the officer handed me a slip of paper on which was written thefollowing:
"I have given orders that all of the inhabitants of this province whohave subscribed, and have taken part in this revolt, should be punishedwith the greatest rigor; and also those who will not turn out, thatthey may be imprisoned and their whole property taken from them ordestroyed.... I have ordered in the most positive manner that everymilitiaman, who has borne arms with us, and afterwards joined theenemy, shall be immediately hanged!"
With the Swamp Fox: A Story of General Marion's Young Spies Page 6
