by James Otis
CHAPTER XIII.
BURNING THE VESSELS.
It seemed to me much like disastrous defeat to burn the flotilla onthe approach of the enemy, without making any effort whatsoever todefend it, and for the time I believed that Darius and all those whobragged so much about Commodore Barney's fighting qualities, weremaking idle talk, otherwise he would have attempted to hold his own,no matter how great the odds against him.
At the time I failed to realize that our fleet of small boats amountedto nothing, as compared with either city which the British wasthreatening, and that the commodore never showed himself to be abetter fighter than when he allowed the enemy to spend their time witha lot of boats of little value, while he was marching his men acrosscountry to aid in the defense of Washington.
One can readily fancy that we lads were not much inclined for sleepwhen Darius brought word that we might turn in.
It was definitely known that the British were only two miles away, andwould make no prolonged halt until after striking a blow at our fleet.In fact, it was possible they might approach within an hour, the halthaving been called only to make us believe they would not attempt todo any mischief during the night.
We gathered aft, but with no desire to go below, and stood thereleaning far out over the rail with eyes and ears open for some tokenof the coming foe.
It was possible to distinguish even in the gloom a boat which waspulled from one craft to another, stopping only a few seconds at eachvessel, and we knew the lieutenant and Darius were making theirrounds.
Again we questioned the wisdom of waiting until the enemy was close athand before beginning the work of destruction, never realizing howimportant it was to keep the Britishers at the task of destroying thefleet so long as possible that the defenders of Washington might haveopportunity to make ready; but we actually grew impatient because thetorch was not applied at once.
Before Lieutenant Frazier brought the inspection to a close, one ofthe men who had been sent to spy out the enemy's movements, cameaboard the Scorpion to make a report. From him we learned that theBritish were really encamped for the night, and there seemed littlepossibility any move would be made before daylight.
Even with this assurance we lads had no desire for slumber, and wereon deck listening and watching when Darius returned.
"Why didn't you turn in?" he asked almost sharply, and I replied,striving to speak in such a tone as would give him to understand thatwe were not to be dictated to regarding our individual actions whileoff duty.
"We prefer to remain awake. Even though the enemy was not so near, Iquestion if either of us would care to go into the hot cabin, unlessorders were given to the effect that we must do so."
"Well, I have it in mind to get forty winks when I'm able. We may bekept on the move pretty much all the time after leavin' here, an' itstands a man in hand to bottle up what sleep he can."
"I thought you counted on moving around all night?"
"So I did before we knew that the Britishers had settled down for aspell; but now there's no need of more watchers than are already onduty," the old man said as he disappeared through the companion-wayhatch, leaving me fully sensible of the fact that I had proven myselfa prig and a fool by trying to assert my right to do as I pleased.
We could see boats moving slowly to and fro a short distance down theriver, and thus knew, the guard having been largely increased, that ifan enemy came our way during the hours of darkness, he must be seen bythe sentinels some time before we on the schooner could distinguishhim in the gloom.
Then Jim Freeman and his friends followed Darius' example, by goinginto the cabin, and but for what had passed between the old man and meI would have gone with them. As it was, I felt bound to remain, andJerry, understanding the situation, although he refrained fromspeaking of it, stayed with me like the true friend that he always hasbeen.
Before midnight my eyes grew heavy with slumber, and I said to mypartner, as I led him well forward where we could not be overheard incase any of those in the cabin were awake:
"It would seem as if you and I were left to look after the schooner,and surely some one ought to be on duty, even though the spies havereported that the enemy has encamped for the night."
"Well, that's about what we're doin', ain't it?" Jerry asked, and Ifancied he was trying not to laugh.
"Yes, and yet I'm getting mighty tired. I propose that we stretch outon the deck a few minutes, just to rest our legs."
"Won't that be deserting our post?" Jerry asked gravely.
"I don't think so, because we can hear all that is going on, and whileit is so dark there isn't much chance of seeing anything."
"But suppose we fall asleep?"
"I'll see to it there's no chance of that," I replied, finding it hardwork to repress a yawn, and then Jerry's mirth could be controlled nolonger.
"What are you laughing at?" I asked sharply.
"At you, Amos! You haven't made a bloomin' success of it wheneveryou've tried to put on airs over Darius; somehow he always contrivesto get the best of you. If you hadn't pulled him up with a sharp turn,we'd be below havin' a good snooze with the other fellows; but nowwe're ashamed to go, consequently we'll camp on deck."
I was angry, and yet I knew he had spoken only the truth. However, itseemed too late to mend matters, and without making any reply I laiddown under the rail, fully determined to be more of a gentleman in thefuture.
There had been in my mind a promise not to close my eyes in slumberthat night; but no sooner was I at full length on the deck than Icrossed over into dreamland, and knew nothing until the report of acannon, seemingly near at hand, brought me to my feet very suddenly.
"What's happening?" I cried loudly, and from the after rail JimFreeman replied:
"The enemy are comin' into position. They began to show up nearly halfan hour ago; but I thought there was no need to waken you till thework was begun."
Those who had turned in, as sensible fellows should have done, wereawake and on the alert in due season, while I who believed the safetyof the schooner devolved upon myself, slept until the Britishers wereready to begin operations.
The day had dawned, although it was a full half-hour before the sunwould show himself. Down the stream, within long range of our fleet,were eight or ten barges, each carrying a cannon, drawn across theriver in such manner as to make the flotilla a good target, and thegun which had aroused me was evidently fired for the purpose oftesting the position.
I ran aft to where Jim and his friends stood, asking eagerly:
"What are our people going to do?"
"The word has just been given to start the blaze, and the lieutenantbelieves that we can hold the Britishers in check until the vesselsare well afire. We're to form on the shore, and oppose the force whichyou see yonder."
Gazing in the direction of Jim's outstretched finger, I could make outa line of red-coated men on the southerly shore some distance belowthe barges, and it was not difficult to guess that they intended tomove up, once an action was begun, to where they could fire at us fromthe bank.
The British commander evidently believed we would fight to prevent thefleet from being destroyed, and, therefore, was forcing his men toperform a great deal of unnecessary work.
Looking around at the boats and vessels of our fleet I could see thatthe work of destruction had already begun. From the hatch of theAvenger, which craft was lying thirty or forty yards further up streamthan the Scorpion, a thin thread of blue smoke was ascending lazily onthe clear air, and on five or six other pungies the same ominous tokenof approaching ruin could be seen.
Then it was that I saw little knots of our men pulling for thenortherly shore, and, on gaining the bank, stave in the hulls of theircanoes to such purpose that the little craft could not again be madeserviceable.
I understood then that each squad was under orders to land immediatelythe task assigned them had been performed, and wondered if theschooner was to be reserved until the last.
"Does the lieu
tenant count on saving the Scorpion to hold theBritishers in check?" I asked of Jim, and for reply he pointed towardthe main hatch, from out of which Darius was just emerging.
"Have your canoe ready!" the old man cried, addressing Dody Wardwell,who was holding the painter of a small craft which lay under thestern. "I allow that we'll need to leave here in mighty quick time,for when the fire starts it'll run from stem to stern like a flash."
As we pulled away I glanced back at our fleet and sawthat the vessels were well on fire.]
Even as Darius spoke I saw a curl of flame from the forward hatch, andthen a long, glowing tongue leaped up toward the cordage.
While I stood watching it, fascinated by the eager lapping of thedestroying element, the enemy opened fire from the barges, sendingsolid shot amid the fleet which had already been deserted. At almostthe same moment that line of red, which had been motionless, could beseen flashing here and there amid the foliage, telling that theadvance of the land force had begun.
Glancing back at our fleet after making certain that the Britisherswere coming toward us, I saw that the vessels were well on fire,although unquestionably many of them might have been saved had effortsbeen made immediately to that end.
"In five minutes more salt won't save 'em," Darius said in a tone ofsatisfaction. "Them bloomin' red-coats started a little too late. Comeon, lads! It looks as if we were the last to leave the fleet, an'there isn't overly much time on our hands. Into the canoe with you!"
We obeyed the order without delay, more particularly since the flameswere already coming out of the Scorpion's after companion-way, andwhile paddling for the shore I saw that our people were drawn up inline ready to meet the enemy in case it became necessary to preventthem from interfering with the work of destruction.
"Are we the only ones to go unarmed?" I asked, noting that all ofthose ashore appeared to have weapons in their hands.
"I reckon we'll find what may be needed when we join our people,"Darius replied. "The guns an' ammunition were taken out of the vesselslast night, for powder ain't a nice thing to have around when you'refoolin' with fire."
It must be borne in mind that while we were thus speaking the cannonon the barges were being served with spirit, and more than one solidshot had gone crashing through a burning vessel; but none had comenear enough to us to cause any particular alarm.
When we were ashore I saw that there would be no scarcity of weaponsamong us, and, in fact, several of the men were forced to carry twomuskets because of the supply which had been left behind by those whomarched away under the immediate command of Commodore Barney.
We lads succeeded in getting a good outfit, with quite as muchammunition as could be carried comfortably, and by the time we hadtaken our places in the line, the enemy's shots were beginning to comedangerously near some of us.
A cannon ball cut down a sapling within four feet of where LieutenantFrazier was standing, and another crashed among the splintered canoeson the bank, while from the distance came those sounds which told ofbullets striking amid the foliage.
The soldiers were almost within effective range, and the shot from thebarges was by no means comforting, while we could accomplish nothingby remaining idle.
I wondered why the retreat was not begun, if we were to make one, andfelt as if I had a personal grievance against the lieutenant becausehe failed to give that order which would permit of our getting awayfrom such a disagreeable situation.
"Growin' uneasy, lad?" Darius asked with a grin, as I involuntarilyducked my head when a solid shot passed over us.
"It strikes me that we can't do any great amount of good by standinghere," I replied irritably.
"The lieutenant is a reg'lar little man who believes in obeyin'orders, no matter what happens. Joshua Barney left word that we werenot to move from here till all the vessels were well afire, an' here Ireckon we'll stay quite a spell longer."
"But they are all burning," I said, turning to look at the fleet, eachcraft of which appeared to be enveloped in flames.
"Yes, they've started well; but if I was the one who had been left todecide when there was no longer a chance of savin' 'em, I'd hold herea spell longer, as the lieutenant is doin'."
"Do you believe it possible that we could save the schooner now?" andI pointed toward the Scorpion, along whose spars the flames werecreeping rapidly.
"Two or three hundred men might do it if they set to work this minute,though it would be a tough job," the old man said as he gazed at theflames which were already sending forth heat enough to render ourposition too warm for comfort, and at that instant a musket ball camehumming past the end of his nose, causing him to spring backward verysuddenly.
"Growing uneasy, Darius?" I asked, and the old man laughedgood-naturedly as I thus passed him some of his own coin.
"It's gettin' warm all around; but I reckon we've come mighty nigh tothe limit set by the commander."
Then it was that the man next beside me cried aloud as he held up hisright hand from which the blood was beginning to flow from a bulletwound.
I was too angry to be frightened just then, for it seemed as ifLieutenant Frazier was remaining too long under fire, and a momentlater came the welcome command.
I dare venture to say that, with the exception of Lieutenant Frazierand Darius, every man moved more readily and quickly than he ever didbefore, until we were a good mile from the scene of destruction,striking directly across the country for Upper Marlboro.
Now and then it was possible to catch glimpses of the flames, whichtowered above the tops of the nearby trees; but we heard nothing ofthe enemy, which seemed to me strange until I mentioned the fact toDarius when he came up, after loitering in the rear with thelieutenant as if to show his contempt for the Britishers.
"I allow there's plenty of sense in their stayin' where the fleet isburnin'," the old man said quietly. "They saw only a few men leavewhen it had been said that Joshua Barney had five hundred with him.Now what more natural for them to suppose that we are tryin' to lead'em into an ambush--for the Britishers still believe we fight in Injunfashion? Then again, it ain't likely the foot soldiers are carryin'rations, havin' the boats with 'em, an' it would be poor judgment tosend a lot of men into the woods empty-handed, so to speak."
"Then you do not believe we shall be pursued?"
"If we are it'll be a fool trick," the old man replied, and then hefell back to the rear in response to a signal from the lieutenant.
After he had thus given his opinion, which I believe to be shared byLieutenant Frazier, it was in my mind that we would tramp leisurelyacross the country until coming up with Commodore Barney's force; butimmediately we appeared to be out of danger word was given to quickenthe pace.
Now it was that the officer and Darius marched in advance, the formerhaving given the word that we were to keep close at his heels, andduring two hours I traveled faster than I ever did before. It seemedas if the musket, which had seemingly been a feather's weight when westarted, weighed more than twenty pounds at the end of the secondhour, and I was so nearly winded that it was as if I could go nofurther without first taking some rest.
Jerry was no less fatigued than I, and did not hesitate to say hebelieved the lieutenant was making us march thus fast simply togratify some foolish whim.
Then we were come to Upper Marlboro, after fording the stream, and thepleasure I felt at being allowed to sit down that I might rest myaching feet was so great that it cannot properly be described.
While Jerry and I were grumbling because of what seemed to us unseemlyhaste, Jim Freeman, who had been lying down a short distance away,came over to where we were sitting, his eyes bulging as if he hadseen two or three ghosts at the very least.
"What do you suppose?" he said excitedly.
"I heard the lieutenant telling Darius that a big force of Britisherswas marchin' up from Nottingham on the west side of the river, boundfor Washington!"
"How did he know that?" Jerry asked sharply.
"A man who was se
nt back by Commodore Barney on a scout, got hereabout the same time we did, an' he reported to the lieutenant. Butthat ain't all; some of the folks livin' 'round here say that a smallforce--near three hundred--landed on the west side of the river afterthe enemy went into camp last night, an' is mighty near this placenow!"
"'Cordin' to that it would seem as if we come pretty close to bein'surrounded!" Jerry exclaimed.
"That's just what Darius said," Jim replied, "an' the lieutenant toldhim he'd been afraid all along that we'd run into some such kind of amuss. Commodore Barney warned him to be on the watch for what appearsto be happenin', an' it begins to look as if we might have troublemighty quick."
"There can't be a great deal of it for the Britishers, if theirsmallest force is three hundred, for they'd make short work of us," Isaid with an inward quaking. "I've been blaming the lieutenant formaking us march so swiftly, and now I wish he had pushed us on twiceas fast."
I had hardly more than ceased speaking when the command was given tofall into line once more, and the men obeyed eagerly, for the word hadbeen passed around that our small force was in most serious danger.
Every man among us was tired, I venture to say, yet we literallyover-ran the lieutenant, who was setting the pace, and pressed forwardlike a flock of sheep pursued by dogs.
It was nearly noon when we arrived at what is known as the Wood Yard,where General Winder had encamped and thrown up some slightentrenchments, and where Commodore Barney was to have joined him; butnow the place was deserted, save for one man whom I remembered havingseen on our fleet.
As we soon came to know, he had been sent back from Long Old Fields bythe commodore to quicken our movements, and both Jerry and I heardthat which he said to the lieutenant when we came up.
It seems that the American troops from all quarters were hastening toWashington, and Commodore Barney had given orders that we hurryforward with the least possible delay.
"The commodore told me to say that unless you kept your men movingnight and day you would be captured, for no less than three Britishforces are known to be on the way here from the Patuxent," so themessenger said, and Lieutenant Frazier asked if he knew what body ofthe enemy was coming up the Potomac.
"A portion of the British fleet under Captain Gordon is already to beseen from High Point," the man replied, and then he withdrew somedistance with the lieutenant as if to give him private instructions.
There is no need for me to set down the fact that our small force wasin a state of the greatest excitement. From no less than three sourceswe had learned that the enemy was so near as to make capture seemcertain, and our only hope of safety was to press forward at the bestpossible speed until arriving at Washington, where we were told thecommodore had already arrived.
It was a good deal like being out of the frying-pan into the fire, forin case we contrived to elude those who were close in the rear, wemust come face to face with a yet larger body of the enemy when we didour feeble best toward defending the city.
I was getting quite a big taste of warfare, and it was by no means tomy liking, although I had by this time come to understand that I mustnot put such ideas into words lest my companions accuse me of showingthe white feather.
We had marched eleven miles with only one halt of fifteen minutes, andnow, instead of going into camp as had been supposed, we were to pressforward, marching night and day, for a distance of at least fourteenmiles; but even though it had been twice as far I would have gone onwith at least a show of cheerfulness, so great was my fear of beingtaken prisoner.
We halted at the Wood Yard half an hour, and then were going aheadonce more; but at a less rapid pace, for we could not be expected totravel many hours at the same speed which had been kept up sinceleaving the burning fleet.
We ate as we marched, munching the corn-bread and bacon as best wemight, and falling out of line to get a drink of water whenever wecame to a brook or spring.
At the end of the first hour we were halted for ten minutes, and thenthe advance was continued until it seemed to me that I could not putone foot before the other.
"I suppose I shall hold out as long as the rest of you do; but itseems as if I'd got to drop down right here," Jerry said to me as wetrudged along side by side on as fatiguing and dispiriting a march asI have ever known since. "It's better for a fellow to kill himself bywalkin', than be sent back to a prison on board one of the Britishships."
I tried to cheer the dear lad, although I myself was needingencouragement most woefully, and perhaps I succeeded somewhat bysaying:
"Our fathers would set us down as cowards and drones, if the men wentin with the report that we couldn't travel twenty-five or thirty mileswithout knocking under."
"You're right, Amos!" and Jerry stepped out briskly. "We should beable to do more of this kind of work than Darius, who has spent allhis life aboard ship, an' yet there he is, humpin' along chipper as asparrow."
I turned to look at the old man, who was in the rear, marching in goodorder, and acting as if on some pleasure excursion which he hopedwould not come to an end too soon. It shamed me to see him so jollywhen I was feeling so sore.
From that moment, whenever I felt as if it was impossible to takeanother step, I looked at Darius, and forced myself to forgetweariness or hunger.
It was nearly sunset when we were come to Long Old Fields, where aportion of General Winder's army had encamped the day previous, andhere we were met by another messenger from the commodore.
This last man had as large a store of fresh provisions as could behauled by one mule, and within five minutes after coming up with himwe were getting supper, giving no heed to anything save the fact thatwe had food in plenty for at least one meal.
Later, Darius told me that the second messenger repeated orders for usto press forward without unnecessary delay; but when our hunger wasappeased the lieutenant gave the word that we would be allowed toremain in camp a full two hours, and this was no sooner made knownthan the majority of us stretched our tired bodies on the ground for atime of sleep.
Jerry and I lay side by side, and when we were first in the properposition for sleeping I spoke to my comrade, but he made no reply. Thedear lad had actually fallen into slumber at the very instant his headtouched the ground.
Perhaps I remained awake while one might have counted twenty; but I amconfident it was no longer than that, and then I closed my eyes, notto open them again until conscious of a heavy blow on the soles of myfeet.
