by James Otis
CHAPTER XI
THE RETREAT
I believe of a verity that we on Breed's hill might have driven back theBritishers once more, even though our store of ammunition was so small,had it not been for the enemy's artillery which, as I have already said,swept the interior of the breastwork from end to end, forcing us intothe redoubt.
Grimly we awaited the oncoming of those lines of red coats. I believeour people fired with truer aim than at any other time during theaction, for each knew only too well how necessary it was that everybullet should count.
As they advanced, and the word for us to fire had been given, among thefirst that fell was one of their colonels, and then two of their majors,after which Hiram set up a shout of triumph, claiming that he hadwounded General Howe himself. Even amid the smoke of the battle I couldsee that the British leader was moving painfully, yet I must confessbravely, in order to remain at the head of his men.
The breeze from the westward, which had come up just in time to blowfrom our eyes the smoke of the burning buildings in the town, stillcontinued, and the battle field was more clearly in view than everbefore.
During mayhap ten minutes we of the American army did quite as greatexecution as during the previous assault, cutting great gaps in theirlines, and bringing down officer after officer in rapid succession.
Then it was that we could see the beginning of the end. Glancing quicklyaround to the right and left as I rammed home my last charge, I couldsee this man and that standing idle, and it was the idleness ofimpotence and despair, for they had come to the end of their ammunition.
There was no longer anything to be done save await that final assault,with the poor hope of beating back troops armed with bayonets, by theuse of clubbed muskets.
Nearer and nearer came the red lines, swarming like hornets over thebreastworks, and we all powerless to prevent them!
Could we have had at that moment but half the powder and balls withwhich we began this battle on Breed's hill, there would never have beena red-coated soldier show his head above our line of works and lived totell of it.
It seemed to me as if all the space between the fortification and thefoot of the hill was covered with lobster backs swarming upon us, and Iknow that if perchance they were twenty musket-charges left among us, itwas what might be called, in such desperate straights, rare goodfortune.
Then the enemy clambered up over the parapet, while we met them with avolley of stones, throwing the missiles with as good aim as we haddischarged our muskets, and while one might have counted thirty, heldthem in check.
I have often wondered since, if we had had at our hand as many stones ascould have been used, what would have been the result? But even thatpoor method of warfare was denied us, for the supply we had gathered wasspeedily expended, and, what was worse, the fact that we had ceased toshoot bullets showed the Britishers plainly the plight into which we hadfallen.
The first officer who appeared above the parapet was that same MajorPitcairn who had led the troops at Lexington when our people wereslaughtered there, and although I was no longer assailed by the fever ofbattle, and could not well look upon the death of a human as being areason for rejoicing, yet I shouted aloud in glee when a negro soldieramong us shot that dastard through the head.
My cry of triumph was speedily swallowed up by the shouts of the lobsterbacks as they leaped into the redoubt from all sides, coming at usfearlessly with their bayonets, knowing full well we could not makereply save with the butts of our muskets, and these we used, sodesperate had our people become, until a score of the king's men hadfallen before such crude weapons.
Again and again as we thus fought hand to hand, we Americans retreatingbackwards step by step, striving to keep the red-coated enemy fromspitting us like larks on a toasting fork, I saw the muskets of ourpeople shattered, the butt breaking from the barrel with the force of ablow upon the head of an enemy.
"Are we ordered to retreat?" I shouted wildly in Hiram's ear as wefought side by side, Archie and Silas just behind us.
"Some one has said that Colonel Prescott gave the order; but whether hedid or not there is no longer any chance to make resistance," Hiramreplied as he crushed the head of a Britisher much the same as youwould shatter an egg. "We'll not turn tail and run as the lobster backsdid; but go out of here like men, if so be we may."
It was no longer a battle. There were no armies contending; but it hadbecome a fight of the rabble, where each man was striving to defendhimself or deal death as best he might, and at such close quarters thatthose of the Britishers nearest us had no opportunity to reload theirweapons. Therefore, save for the fact of having bayonets, they were inlittle better condition than were we.
We who called ourselves part of the American army were much like ahandful of rats surrounded by a pack of dogs, save that there was in ourhearts the satisfaction of knowing we had twice bested these samesoldiers who were fighting for money alone, and would have beaten themback the third time but for the misfortune of not having the wherewithalto deal out death as we had done before.
How we succeeded in getting out of the redoubt I cannot well say. In astreet brawl where forty or fifty men are engaged, those in the thickestof the fight have no idea of what may be going on around them, and so itwas with me. We Minute Boys remained in a solid body so far as waspossible, aiding each other whenever the opportunity came to ward off ablow from a comrade's head, or striking down with musket or stone aBritisher who was about to thrust his bayonet into a companion's heart.
I only know distinctly that when what was left of our company succeededin fighting their way backward out of the redoubt, Colonel Prescott andDoctor Warren were yet facing the Britishers as if it was their purposeto be the last to leave this poor fortification, and immediately we werecome into the open where the lobster backs could use their bayonets togreater advantage, it was a case of depending upon our legs entirely,for the red-coats strove mercilessly to cut us to pieces.
Our people were doing their best to gain Bunker hill, where were four orfive hundred men of the American army striving bravely to cover ourretreat by pouring a heavy fire into the red-coated ranks, and save forthis aid we had never lived to gain Charlestown Neck.
After we had turned to run, and I did not do so until Hiram Griffindemanded fiercely that I must in order to save my life, I heard some oneshout that Doctor Warren had been killed, and during two or threeminutes, mayhap, even while I was putting forth my best efforts atrunning, did it seem as if it mattered little whether I escaped or notsince that friend of the Cause, he who was ever the kindly gentleman andtrue son of the colony, had been killed even when the battle was at anend.
It was to my mind more like being murdered than having been killed infair fight, and I shouted to those around me that we should turn aboutand avenge his death, when Hiram seized me by the shirt collar, forcingme on in front of him as he swore that unless I put forth my bestefforts he would strangle me.
I was not the only one fleeing toward Charlestown Neck pursued by thelobster backs, who was much the same as crazy. We were mad withdisappointment, frenzied by the thought that all this had come aboutbecause we lacked the means of finishing the battle as it had beenbegun.
And now right here let me set down what we afterward learned was thecost in blood of this engagement at Breed's hill. Our officers reportedthat one hundred and fifteen had been killed or were missing; threehundred and five wounded, and thirty taken prisoners, making in all atotal of four hundred and fifty who had either given up their lives, orwere suffering from wounds. The most serious of our losses, as it seemedto me, was the death of Doctor Warren. Colonel Gridley was wounded; buthad been carried by our people from the field.
General Gage reported to the British Government that two hundred andtwenty-six of his men had been killed; eight hundred and twenty-eightwounded, making in all ten hundred and fifty-four as against our fourhundred and fifty. Among the British were killed eighty-nine officers.
About four hundred buildings i
n Charlestown were burned by the British,and the estimated money loss was six hundred thousand dollars.
I have put this in here lest I forget to make mention of the fact, thatin what the Britishers set down as a victory they lost twice and a halfas many men as we, and all that had been gained by this outpouring ofblood were the hastily constructed works which we had thrown up onBreed's hill.
And now to continue my feeble attempt at telling what part we MinuteBoys of Boston took in that terrible retreat.
I believe of a verity that had it not been for Hiram Griffin some, ifnot all, of us would have fallen into the hands of the lobster backs,for it is true that we were sadly confused--frightened if you choose toput it in such words, and had so far lost mastery of ourselves that butfor his holding us up sharply to the work we would have come to grief.
As I said, the men who had come to Bunker hill did good work in coveringour retreat until they themselves became panic-stricken, heeding not theentreaties nor the threats of Israel Putnam, as he strove in vain tohold them steady that we who were without ammunition might have somesmall show of escaping with our lives.
Then it was that when all of General Putnam's attempts were shown to bevain, these men of ours who should have held their own on Bunker hill,joined in the retreat, and we set off, a rabble rather than the remnantsof an army, in the perilous attempt to pass across Charlestown Neck,which was swept with shot from the ship _Glasgow_ and the small craftwhich had been anchored by the British in position to cover that narrowpassage in order to prevent reinforcements being sent to us who werestruggling on Breed's hill.
Panic-stricken as we were, the only thought in our minds was that theenemy would pursue us even as far as Cambridge, in order to make an endof the so-called rebellion at once, and while fleeing at my best speed,dodging now and then a British cannon ball, I feverishly hoped theywould come after us with all their force, for there, where we could findammunition, it might be possible for us to pay back some part of thedebt of revenge which we owed.
Of that terrible retreat it is, perhaps, not necessary I should setdown more than that after we had succeeded in crossing the Neck, leavingbehind us many a poor fellow weltering in his blood, we continued on ata speed which, in view of our fatigue, would not have been possible savebecause of the seeming certainty that death must overtake him who playedthe laggard.
Not until we were come to the encampment at Cambridge and were lying atfull length upon the ground as do dogs after a furious race, did Irealize all of the exhaustion which had been brought about by the nightof perilous toil and the day of suspense and desperate fighting,together with the mad flight which called for the last remaining ounceof strength in our bodies.
I no longer gave heed to my comrades; it was as if the Minute Boys ofBoston had never an existence--almost as if the Cause was forgotten,while I lay prone upon the ground so weary that it was an exertion tobreathe. Hunger and thirst had no place in my mind, nor did I realizeanything distinctly, save the utter physical collapse, until another dayhad come, when Hiram aroused me to a sense of life and responsibility.
"What has happened?" I cried stupidly, staggering to my feet when he hadshaken me into consciousness, and he replied grimly, like one who has adeep sore in his heart and strives to hide it by showing anger:
"Much has happened as you will understand when slumber has been drivenfrom your eyelids. Now is not the time for you to remain idle, afterhaving had eight hours of sleep. Where are your Minute Boys?"
"Here, if I mistake not," I answered, not yet fully realizing all thathad taken place since we marched out from Cambridge under the leadershipof Colonel Prescott.
"I have been astir since sunrise, and find but seven, counting you and Ias two. It seems certain many of the lads have given up their lives; butI have learned from what seems good evidence that Silas Brownrigg wastaken prisoner by the lobster backs."
"How do you know that?" I cried, my voice sounding shrill because of thefear which came upon me concerning the other lads.
"I have talked with those who saw him far in the rear before we werecome to Charlestown Neck, and there is one here who claims that he saw agrenadier seize the lad just before we were arrived within range of the_Glasgow's_ fire."
"What of Archie and Harvey?" I cried, instantly full of apprehension.
"Over yonder, not twenty paces away," and Hiram pointed across the fieldwhere were two hundred or more men fallen into the same sleep ofexhaustion from which I had just awakened.
"Let's go to them," I said suiting the action to the words, and a fewmoments later the two lads, with slumber yet hanging heavily on theireyelids, were sitting bolt upright listening to me as I repeated Hiram'swords.
"It will be a ticklish job to make our way into Boston town now whilethe enemy is so keenly on the alert," Archie said, as if there was noquestion in his mind but that we would set off without delay to dowhatsoever we might to help our unfortunate comrade.
"Do you so much as fancy we might get into the town? Or, havingsmuggled our way through the lines, that we could remain there an hourwithout being detected?" I cried, amazed because my comrade hadseemingly suggested such a perilous adventure.
"It matters little whether we can succeed or not, the attempt must bemade," Archie said promptly, and I understood there was in his mind thethought that now had come the time when he might be able to show hiswillingness to aid a comrade, even as we had shown ours in his behalf.
I looked at Hiram, believing he would cry out against any such desperatehazard; but he remained silent as if agreeing with all Archie had said.
"Since the battle it stands to reason that the Britishers will keep asharper watch then ever before," I said, determined at the outset toshow all the dangers which were in the way of such an attempt as Archiehad suggested. "Even though we succeeded in getting into the town, whatcould we accomplish, except it was possible to move about the streetsfreely? You know full well that within an hour after we show ourselves,some of the young Tories will spy us out, and there is no need for me tosay what would happen then."
"I am willing to agree the chances are much against us," Archie replied,"and yet there is a possibility that by some lucky accident we couldcome across Silas. I realize what it is to be held prisoner by thelobster backs, and yet that which I suffered must be as nothing comparedwith his situation, for more than one of the Britishers know he foughtdesperately well. Perhaps the lad lies wounded, lacking attention,lacking nursing. Are we to stay here in safety?"
"I'm not saying aught against our doing all that is possible," was myhot retort; "but it is beyond reason to suppose we might help him evenin the slightest degree."
"So most like you said when I was in prison, and yet by a singularcombination of lucky accidents I was set free."
I understood full well that it would be useless for me to attemptfurther to combat the resolution which my comrade had already formed,and yet I could not bring myself to see in the two cases any likenessone to the other. The dullest among us knew in what frame of mind theBritishers must be after having been so nearly whipped by the "rag-tag"of the colonies, and it was almost certain that the prisoners capturedduring the battle, or the retreat, would be guarded so closely as toprevent any such slight aid as we might be able to give.
What Harvey thought of the matter I could not guess. As we discussed itI fancied now he took sides with me, and again that he believed Archieto be in the right. As to Hiram, it was evident that any mad schemewhich might be proposed would meet with his favorable attention.
If I could have seen the least ray of hope in such an enterprise, nonewould have been more eager than I; but to my mind there was not onechance in an hundred that we could even succeed in getting into thetown, yet a word from Harvey caused me to become as eager as eitherArchie or Hiram to set about the apparently hopeless attempt.
"If there are but seven of our Minute Boys here in the encampment, it isthe duty of those who have come out from the battle unscathed to learnthe fate of the othe
rs. Who can say that the lobster backs may not havemore than Silas in their clutches?"
It was much the same as if Harvey had said that I, as captain of theMinute Boys, was in duty bound to learn the fate of those who wereabsent, regardless of how much danger might be attached to such aneffort, and from that instant I was ready, even showed eagerness, toundertake anything whatsoever which they should propose so long as ithad reference to the missing members of our company.
It so chanced that my father passed near at about this time, and I ranto have speech with him, explaining what my comrades would have me do,and why there was apparent reason for our making every effort to enterBoston town.
"It is not to be thought of," he cried sharply, before I was come to anend of the story. "There is no hope of your being able to aid the lad,if so be he is a prisoner; you would only be venturing your heads intothe lion's mouth to no purpose."
"But we did succeed in rescuing Archie when it seemed impossibleanything could be done," I insisted, ready to argue now that he had shutdown upon the plan so decidedly.
"The situation was far different then. A battle had not been fought; theBritishers were not smarting under a sense of defeat, although most likethey will speak of the action at Breed's hill as a victory, and now thatwe of the American army have shown ourselves able to cope with trainedsoldiers, every precaution will be taken against our spying upon theirmovements. It is a mad scheme, and the sooner you put it out of yourmind the better."
But for the fact that Harvey had much the same as reminded me of my dutyas captain of the Minute Boys, I would have allowed that my father'sopinion settled the matter definitely; but as it was I believed dutydemanded that I go as had been suggested, regardless of every danger.
None of my comrades asked any questions when I returned from theinterview with my father. They had evidently read from the expression onhis face, and the tone in which he spoke, although it had beenimpossible to hear the words, that he set his face against any movementof the kind, and I fancied the three were waiting to hear whether Icounted to crawl back from the enterprise, therefore it was I saidpromptly:
"The attempt shall be made, and because of having been chosen captain ofthe company it is my duty to go, and go alone."
"Why alone?" Harvey asked.
"Because there is no reason why the lives of four Minute Boys besacrificed. If there is any show of coming upon the lad, I may be ableto aid him single-handed, and for all of us to venture into town wouldbe increasing the chances of detection."
"You could not have released me single-handed," Archie cried, "howevermight have been your inclination, and therefore it is I shall go whetheryou are willing or not."
The other two were quite as decided in their intention to take part inthe venture, and, realizing how useless it would be to make any effortat bringing about a change of opinion, I agreed that we would all go,even though believing that we were not warranted in so doing.
Once this matter had been settled Hiram seemed to consider himself theleader of our party, regardless of the fact that I had been chosencaptain of the company, and straightway began to lay plans, thusshowing, to my mind at least, that he had decided, even before awakeningme, on some such scheme.
Had the matter been left to my decision, I would have held that ourefforts at gaining the town must be made by water, either from Mysticriver or Willis creek; but Hiram said in a tone which admitted of noargument:
"We'll go down the Cambridge to Muddy river in a skiff, and from therestrike into Dorchester where we shall find a small body of our owntroops."
"And also, where we'll be bottled up in great shape, for even you cannotbelieve there will be any chance of our getting past the Britishfortifications on Boston Neck," I said, believing I had found such adefect in his plan that he would not attempt to carry it out.
"I'm at a loss to see how we are bottled up any worse in Dorchester,than here, and because our people haven't been making many attempts toget into the town from that direction, I believe our best chance ofsuccess lies there. It is not absolutely necessary we attempt to go overthe Neck; but it should be possible, on a dark night, to slip across ina boat from nearabout Nook's hill to some part of the town south ofWindmill point."
"And what then?" I asked with no slight show of impatience, for itseemed as if there was mighty little of common sense in this plan of hisby which we were to risk our necks.
"That's as far as we can get by laying out the work in advance. All therest must come about through accident."
"But once in the town," I insisted, "how is it going to be possible forus to learn where the prisoner is confined, since we do not dare showourselves in broad day?"
"There are yet people in Boston town who love the Cause?" Hiram said asif asking a question, and I contented myself with nodding, for it seemedmuch as if he would put me off with empty words.
"Aye," I replied, "most like hundreds of them."
"And you lads who have lived there should be able to find a hiding-placewithout going among those who might be suspected of harboring a rebel."
"I could go to twenty such places, and yet not be able to say how wewould be able to provide ourselves with food while keeping under cover."
"Well then," and it seemed as if Hiram was losing his patience, "Icannot lay out for you in so many words a plan of work when so muchdepends upon accident; but if you will do whatsoever you may towardgetting into the town, I believe there is a possibility of at leastfinding where Silas is imprisoned, and if so be we are not able to lendhim any aid, I'm of the mind we can get out again no matter how alertthe lobster backs may be."
"When would you set off?" I asked, speaking more sharply than wasnecessary.
"Within an hour," was the prompt reply.
"Does that please you, lads?" I asked, turning to Archie and Harvey, andthey said "Yes," so emphatically that I could not put further obstaclesin the way, save at the expense of setting myself down as beingfaint-hearted, or unwilling to venture into danger for the purpose ofstriving to release Silas.
It was then agreed among us that we should make such preparations aswere possible, each lad getting ready for the work in hand as seemed tohim best, and were to meet on the Common within the hour.
My preparations consisted chiefly in getting all in the shape of foodpossible. I did not believe we could make our way into Boston armed withmuskets, therefore borrowed from an old sailor a pistol with a plentifulsupply of ammunition, and bargained with a New Hampshire recruit for aknife which hung in a sheath attached to a belt, like that which is wornby seamen. Then I went to the rendezvous, being the first to arrive, andHiram came up within a few moments.
He had prepared himself for this hazardous venture by procuring such anamount of rations as might serve one person two or three days. As forweapons, he had none, and when I asked him whether he did not believe itwise to make some provision for meeting an enemy suddenly, he repliedthat when he came upon a lobster back unawares it would be at such timeand in such place as would shut off all chance of using firearms.
"My own two hands will be enough, so far as I am concerned. If westumble upon a single lobster back other weapons will not be needed. Inthe event of meeting a squad, it would be folly to make any show ofresistance."
I was rapidly losing my good opinion of Hiram's judgment. The firstcause being his proposition to embark upon such a wild-goose chase, andthe second, his intention to set off without providing himself with anymeans of defense.
Silas brought with him his musket, and more of powder and ball than hecould comfortably carry during a long march, while Archie had only aknife, which was better adapted for the cutting of food than defendinghis life.
Thus it was that we had with us a musket, a pistol and two knives,together with as much in the way of provisions as would serve the fourof us two days.
"We are well outfitted," I said, intending to speak in a tone of irony."And now let's set off without delay, for the less time we have in whichto consider the chances ag
ainst success, the better will be my courage."
Hiram gave no heed to my disagreeable tone, but at once led the waytoward the river, and then it was we came to understand he had madeother arrangements for the journey than those of simply supplyinghimself with provisions.
He brought us to where a skiff was hauled up on the shore, and fromappearances one would have said she had but lately been put in thatposition, for two pair of oars laid ready at hand, while in thestern-sheets were three or four blankets.
Hiram launched her, motioning for us to take our places, and when Archieasked at what hour he had thus made preparations for the voyage, hereplied laughingly:
"A great deal may be done in a few minutes, and it so happened that morethan half of my work in getting possession of this skiff, had been donebefore I awakened Luke Wright."
"But at that time you did not know if we would set out in the hope ofaiding Silas," I cried, whereupon he added in a business-like tone:
"True for you; but I was mighty certain that I should go, even thoughnone other agreed to bear me company."
"And you were also decided that your plan should be carried out," Harveysaid with a laugh.
"Aye, because if you lads had agreed upon getting into the town by thesame route as you have been doing, I should have set off by myself."
It vexed me not a little that Hiram had gone through the form ofconsulting us when he was already determined on what he would do and howit should be done; but no good could come from my giving words to suchthoughts, and I held my peace.
Hiram and Harvey worked the oars. I made myself as comfortable aspossible in the stern-sheets, while Archie perforce remained in the bowof the craft in order that he might, as Griffin expressed it, "trimship."
We went rapidly down past the two breastworks known as "number one" and"number two" without having been hailed by those on shore, and indeedthere was no good reason why our people should interfere with any whowere so far up the river.
Near to nightfall, however, when we were come to that three-gun batterywhich stood just above where Fort Brookline was afterward built, thesentinel made peremptory demand that we come on shore and give anaccount of ourselves.
"This is work for you to do, since you are the captain," Hiram said tome, and I retorted:
"I may be the captain of the Minute Boys, but I am surely not the leaderof this expedition. If there is any question raised here against ourcontinuing the voyage, you are the one who must answer it."
"That can be done in short order," Hiram replied laughingly as, swingingthe bow of the boat around until it was stuck fast in the mud, he leapedashore with the bearing of one who sets about some trifling task.
There was almost a hope in my mind that we might be prevented from goingfurther on our hazardous venture, but when in less than ten minutesHiram returned, looking as if he had never known a care in his life, Iunderstood that either by making a clean breast of the matter, or byinventing some plausible reason for our leaving Cambridge, he hadsatisfied the officer in command of the battery.
It was long past midnight when we were arrived at the mouth of theriver, and since there was no good reason why we should strive to cometo an end of our journey a few hours sooner or later, we hauled theskiff ashore where grew a thicket of bushes, such as would conceal usfrom view of any who might pass either by land or water.
After the skiff was pulled up within the screen of foliage, Hiram spreadout two of the blankets to protect us from the damp earth, and theothers he proposed we should use as a covering of what he was pleased tocall a "field bed."
Then we sat ourselves down to partake of food for the first time sinceleaving the encampment, and I noted with no little anxiety that if wecontinued to have such appetites during the next four and twenty hours,our store of food would be sadly diminished.
Despite my forebodings as to the outcome of this hazard, I fell asleepshortly after stretching myself out at full length between Archie andHarvey, nor did I awaken until Hiram shook me into consciousness, sayingthat the sun would rise in half an hour, and we should be well on ourjourney before the heat of the day had grown too great.
