Boscobel; or, the royal oak: A tale of the year 1651
Page 28
CHAPTER XXV.
HOW CROMWELL CONSTRUCTED A BRIDGE OF BOATS ACROSS THE SEVERN.
Charles and his council were still watching with great interest thedesultory fighting previously described, and expressing surprise andadmiration at the courage and pertinacity displayed by the recruits,when their attention was suddenly called to a circumstance thatmaterially tended to increase the king's anxiety.
About a mile below the city, on the left bank of the river, is a woodyacclivity called Bunn's Hill. It is a fine grassy slope, and the landbeyond the summit has a park-like appearance, being ornamented withfine timber and coppices. The high road to Bath, which passes overBunn's Hill, is distant about half a mile from the Severn. The hillitself slopes towards the river, and there is more rough wood on thatside than on the summit. After passing the top, and getting on to thelevel, the slope towards the Severn becomes somewhat more precipitous,until a place is reached, now called "The Ketch"--about half a milebeyond the summit of the hill. For some distance the bank is then anearly perpendicular marl rock, some thirty or forty feet in height.Bunn's Hill is not quite half a mile from the confluence of the Temeand the Severn. The appearance of Bunn's Hill was somewhat wilder whenCharles gazed at it from the cathedral tower than it is at the presentday, but its general features are unchanged.
While looking towards the woody slopes we have just described, the kingperceived a large body of soldiers, amounting perhaps to a thousand,issue from a coppice that had hitherto screened them from view. Theyhad with them pontoon-carriages and some cannon, and descending to thebanks of the river, selected a favourable spot for their purpose, andimmediately began to construct a bridge of boats.
The sight of this operation, which was carried on most expeditiously,greatly excited Charles.
"This must be stopped," he exclaimed. "If yonder pontoon bridge shouldbe completed, Cromwell will cross the river and outflank Montgomery. Weought to have foreseen it."
Then calling to Pitscottie, who stepped towards him instantly, headded, "Haste to your regiment, colonel. Fortunately, it is not farfrom the spot you have to reach. That bridge of boats must not becompleted, or if it should be finished before you arrive, it must bedestroyed."
"It shall be done, my liege, if I sacrifice all my men in executingyour majesty's order," replied Pitscottie. "Trust me, Cromwell shallnever set foot on the west bank of the Severn."
With that Pitscottie disappeared.
In an inconceivably short space of time he was seen crossing the riverin one of the large flat-bottomed boats we have before mentioned. Hischarger and his guard of Highlanders were with him. On reaching thebank, he quickly disembarked, and mounting his steed, galloped offtowards his camp, his swift-footed men almost keeping up with him.
Not entirely satisfied with Pitscottie's ability to execute the ordergiven him, Charles was about to send Colonel Legge with a detachmentof men to Bunn's Hill to interrupt the pontoniers, but the Duke ofHamilton dissuaded him from the design, saying that the forces roundthe city must on no account be diminished.
"Rather let a general attack be made upon the enemy on Perry Wood,sire," said Hamilton. "We shall thus most effectually divert Cromwellfrom his designs on Powick. He cannot be everywhere."
The Earl of Derby coincided with the duke in opinion, but Charles, whohad noticed that Fleetwood and Ingoldsby were driving the recruitsbefore them, and drawing near to Powick, became very impatient, andcried out:
"Not till I have conferred with Montgomery and Keith--not till I haveseen yon bridge of boats destroyed--must the general attack be made. IfMontgomery is forced to retreat, we shall be hemmed in. On my return,we will attack Cromwell's intrenchments on Perry Wood, as proposed,and I will lead the assault in person. To-day will decide our fate.To you, my good Lord Rothes, and to you, brave Sir William Hamilton,a word at parting, as I may not see you again till all is over. To nobetter hands than yours could the maintenance of the Castle Hill beconfided. Hold it to the last. Those who can be spared may accompany meto Powick. The rest must repair to their posts, and hold themselves inreadiness for the signal of attack."
Attended by the Duke of Buckingham, the Earl of Derby, Lord Wilmot, andone or two others who eagerly availed themselves of his permission toaccompany him, Charles then quitted the summit of the tower.
Hastily descending the circular stone staircase, he passed out of thecathedral. In another moment he was joined by his attendants, and thewhole party proceeded quickly to the quay and embarked in one of theflat-bottomed boats we have previously mentioned. Their horses werebrought over in a similar conveyance, under the charge of Careless;and in a third boat came half a dozen musketeers of the guard, who didnot even dismount as they were ferried across the river. No time waslost in the disembarkation, and in a few minutes more the king and hisattendants were speeding towards Powick, followed by the musketeers.
As they rode on, the continuous rattle of musketry was heard in thedirection of Bunn's Hill, and they all concluded that Pitscottie wasnow actively engaged in checking the attempt of the Republican corps tocross the river at this point by means of the bridge of boats.
Such was the king's opinion--such the opinion of the Earl of Derby--butin reality, before the Scottish leader could bring up his regiment, thebridge of boats was completed.