The Boy Scouts at the Battle of Saratoga: The Story of General Burgoyne's Defeat

by Herbert Carter

  CHAPTER IX. UNFURLING THE FLAG.

  After traveling a mile or two the young scouts came to a break in theforest, where the big trees gave place to low bushes covered with wildberries.

  "Here is our breakfast," Late said, helping himself to the sweet,delicious fruit. Joe followed his example, and not until their keenappetites were somewhat appeased did the boys resume their journey.

  "I don't s'pose blueberries are very lastin'," Joe muttered as they wenton, "but they are better than nothin'."

  "They'll last until we get somethin' more substantial," his companionreplied, as he turned sharply into a rough cart path.

  "Where does this lead to?" Joe asked.

  "I don't know any more than you do," was the answer; "but it will bringus to a settlement of some kind, where we can get help."

  "What if the owner is a Tory?"

  "Then we'll be Tories," was the decisive response. "We need food, arms,and clothes, an' some friend or foe must furnish them."

  Latham was evidently fast approaching a desperate mood.

  Before many moments they arrived at a cultivated field, and saw belowthem a valley of considerable size, in which were a large house, barns,cabins, and other outbuildings.

  "Quite a place," Late exclaimed as he and his comrade halted.

  "Yes, an' whoever lives there ought'er be able to furnish us witheverything we need. But how are we goin' to find out whether the peopleare for the colonies or the king?"

  "By those chaps there," was the reply, and the speaker pointed to twosmall boys, who, with baskets on their arms, had just clambered over awall farther down the hillside. "They are goin' berryin'. Draw back sothey can't see you till they get here. We don't want to scare them todeath."

  The young scouts drew back from the brink of the slope until hidden fromview of the approaching lads, and waited. Five minutes later theyoungsters came in sight, but were so busy wrangling over some matter asnot to take heed of the half-clad strangers until almost upon them. Thentheir first inclination was to run away; but under the assurance of Latethat they would in no way be harmed, the children drew nearer, staringwith wondering eyes at the sorry objects they beheld.

  "Who lives down there?" Joe asked.

  "Father," the elder of the boys replied.

  "Yes, but what is his name?"

  "Hiram Le Geyt."

  The scouts looked at each other in dismay an instant; then Late asked:"Have you a brother Ira?"

  "Yes, but he's serving the king," the younger lad said proudly.

  "Is your father at home?"

  "No," the other boy replied, evidently eager to impart information aswell as his brother; "he has gone to Oswego to see Colonel St. Leger.He's going to show him the way down here so he can lick the rebels."

  "I understand," the tall scout said grimly. "Who is at home?"

  "Ma and Grandmother, Lucy, Jane, Hiram, and me," the lad explained.

  "And Grandpa," added the younger boy quickly.

  "Yea, and Grandpa," was the prompt assent. "I forgot him, he's away somuch."

  It would have been well for the questioner if he had asked more about"grandpa," but another matter seemed more important just then.

  "I wonder if we could get some old clothes down there?" he asked.

  "And something to eat?" Joe added, perhaps because he thought that wasfully as important.

  "I reckon so," both boys replied. "Ma's awful good to the poor."

  The scouts laughed. "That fits us," Joe cried, and they started down theslope almost on the run. They arrived at the big barn first, and enteredit to find a negro at work. He stared at them a moment in amazement, andthen asked gruffly:

  "Who be ye? What ye doin' here?"

  "We were comin' up the river last night, an' our boat capsized," Lateexplained. "Can't you go to the house an' get us some clothes an' food?Tell Mistress Le Geyt we know Ira, who is with General Burgoyne."

  After a little persuasion the servant went off with their message. Hewas absent some time, but finally appeared with his arms full of oldclothing.

  "Missus says ye are to get inter these, an' then come to the house," hesaid. "She wants to talk with ye."

  The boys put on the garments, finding that they fitted fairly well, andthen, conducted by the negro, went to the dwelling. Showing them intothe living room, the colored man said curtly:

  "Sit down. Missus will be here soon."

  Five minutes later a woman of about forty years entered, and with asmile said:

  "Caesar tells me you are friends of my eldest son Ira, who is withGeneral Burgoyne. May I ask your names?"

  Her visitors told her in turn. "Latham Wentworth and Joseph Fisher," sherepeated. "I don't recall the names; that is, I don't recollect that Iraever spoke of you. How long have you known my son?"

  "Only a few weeks," Late answered. "We met him first up at LakeChamplain, while he was waitin' for the army to arrive."

  "We work under him," Joe added. Then a bright thought came to his mind."He carries an iron cross that can be taken apart, so he can hide hispapers in it," he continued. "He shows it to the Indians, an' they lethim come an go 'mong them."

  "I know now that you are indeed his friends," she cried joyously, "for Igave him that cross myself. It is an heirloom in our family. But how doyou happen to be here? Caesar said you were capsized on the river."

  "We would not tell every one, good Mistress Le Geyt," Late said in a lowbut significant tone, "but we do not mind tellin' you that we are sentup country on a special mission."

  She nodded her head in a way that indicated she understood him, andsaid:

  "Please come with me."

  She led them out into a great hall, where on a rack of deer horns wereseveral rifles and fowling-pieces. Seeing that her visitors noticed thearms, she said as they passed:

  "We have quite an arsenal. It is because all our men folks are fond ofgunning; my husband, Ira, grandpa, and even the younger boys have theirown favorite weapons."

  Coming to the great staircase, they ascended and entered a largechamber, where, spread out on the bed, were two costly hunting suits,and beside it two pairs of hunting boots, scarcely worn.

  "I must apologize for sending those old garments out to you," she said."They might do for strangers, but not for friends of my boy's. Those onthe bed are much more suitable, and by the time you have put them on,breakfast will be ready," and she left them to themselves.

  "We shan't know ourselves," Joe cried as he began to put on the finergarments.

  "No, an' it's all due to that happy thought of yours regarding the ironcross. What do you s'pose she'd say if she knew our Ira wasn't her Ira?"

  "Hush!" his comrade cautioned. "Some one is goin' down the hall, an'might hear you. But I do feel a little 'shamed to impose on so fine awoman as Mistress Le Geyt seems to be."

  "I don't know 'bout that," was the low reply. "One enemy robs us;another makes it good. Sort of evens up things, it 'pears to me. ThoughI confess I wish it was Master Le Geyt we were imposin' on, instead ofhis wife."

  A bell now rang loudly at the foot of the stairs, and, taking it for thesignal to come to breakfast, the young scouts hastened down to the lowerhall where they found their hostess waiting. She led them into a largedining-room, saying:

  "Sit down, and Matilda will wait on you. I shall have to ask you toexcuse me for a while, as I have some household duties that must beattended to."

  After thus speaking she left the apartment by another door, and inanother moment a negress came in to attend to their needs.

  Fried chicken, vegetables, bread, pie, cheese, and coffee were furnishedthem in abundance by the waitress, who seemed delighted at theirenormous appetites.

  "Ye makes me think of Master Ira," she declared. "He's always mightyhungry when he's been on a long tramp."

  At length they could eat no more, and arose to leave the table, when thehall door was suddenly thrown open, and David Daggett strode in,follow
ed by four stout negroes.

  "Seize those rebels," he said to the men. "Stand still, you youngdevils," he cried to the surprised lads, "or I'll fire," and he leveleda pistol at each.

  In another minute they were surrounded, dragged from the room into thehall, carried bodily up the stairway, and thrust into a back chamber,whose windows were covered with heavy shutters securely fastened on theoutside. Then the door was closed and locked.

  "I have you at last," an exulting voice called from without. "You mayfool Sarah, but you cannot fool David."

  In the gloom the prisoners gazed into each other's faces for some timebefore either uttered a word. Then Joe exclaimed:

  "I never heard of a thing like this afore, Late! Here you an' me haveput ourselves right into that old man's hands. I reckon he's the grandpathose boys told about."

  "I reckon he is," his comrade replied. "Do you s'pose they'll take theseclothes from us?"

  "I hope not. I never had such a good suit before."

  The day passed; night came, as the prisoners could tell by peeringthrough the cracks in the window shutters.

  "Will they starve us?" Joe asked. "I'm as hungry as when we first camehere."

  "So'm I," Late replied. "I wonder if there's any way out."

  He went from window to window, examining carefully and trying theshutters in turn. Neither alone, nor with Joe's help could he move them.

  "We are here to stay," he said in a despondent tone.

  But he was mistaken. About midnight a key was thrust into the lock, thebolt turned back, and the door opened. There stood the negro they hadseen at the barn in the morning, with a candle in his hand.

  "Come," he said in a hoarse whisper.

  They followed him down the stairs and into the dining-room, where theyfound an abundance of food on the table.

  "Eat," he said grimly.

  Without a word they obeyed, and when their hunger was appeased, he ledthem back to the hall in front of the rack of arms.

  "Take two," he directed. Each lad took a rifle, with horn and pouch, andfollowed him again, this time through the front door into the yard.

  Leading them around to the barn, he showed them two horses, saddled andbridled.

  "They're yourn," he announced. "Go down that lane to the road. Turn tothe left, and you'll be at Little Falls 'fore mornin'. Here's a notefrom Missus."

  He thrust the paper into Late's hand. Then the lads mounted and rodeslowly away. A half-mile beyond the house they came to the road of whichthe negro had spoken. Turning into this they galloped along as rapidlyas the rough way and darkness would permit. At dawn the tiny settlementwas in sight. Pausing to rest the panting steeds, they opened and readMistress Le Geyt's letter.

  "My dear guests," it began, "I regret greatly that my father, David Daggett, imprisoned you. He is not quite himself, and insists that you are rebels. No persuasion of mine can convince him you are Ira's friends. He declares he saw you come from the lines of the enemy, and followed you all the way up the river. I suspect your misfortunes were due to him, and, as far as possible, make restitution. Caesar will fix your room so that it will look as if you made your own escape. Tell Ira, when you see him, that I did all I could in your behalf, for his sake. Your friend,

  "Sarah Le Geyt."

  "Look here, Late," Joe exclaimed after they had read the note, "thesehorses are goin' back to that woman! The clothes an' guns I'm willin' tokeep in the place of those that crazy old David burned; but I won't takeanything more."

  "I reckon that's the proper figure," his companion said after a littlethought. "We can send them back from the settlement. It's less thanforty miles to the fort, an' by hard walkin' we can fetch there 'foremidnight. Can't you write a note tellin' her why we send the horsesback?"

  "I'm not much at writin'," Joe replied; "but I can fix up somethin'.Guess we can get what's needed on ahead here."

  The young scouts were more fortunate than they had expected. At thefalls they met a man who wanted to go down the river to his home, a fewmiles below Hiram Le Geyt's. He readily consented to take the animalsback, and deliver their letter to the mistress. Therefore Joe, with somesuggestions from Late, wrote:

  "Good Mistress Le Geyt: We are rebels, so we send back your horses. We keep the other things 'cause your father destroyed ours. We can't tell you how we came to know 'bout Ira. Thank you for all you did for us. We'll be kind to the next Tory we meet, for your sake. Good-by.

  "Late and Joe."

  "I feel better," the latter said, when the man, who was taking back thehorses, had disappeared. "It don't seem as though we'd imposed on thatwoman quite so much."

  "I was wonderin' if she'd have been so kind to us had she known we wererebels," his comrade said. "Howsomever, we've ben purty square with her,seein' she's a Tory."

  A few moments later they set out for the fort, striking off through theforest, as their custom had been, instead of following the regulartrail, a fact which saved them from another encounter with DavidDaggett, for he, with a half-dozen servants at his heels, had come inhot pursuit.

  But they, ignorant of all this, tramped steadily along mile after mile,stopping but once for a brief rest, and about nine o'clock that nightdelivered their message to the commander of the fort, Captain AbrahamSwartwout.

  He rubbed his hands gleefully when they told of reinforcements on theway.

  "I can hold out until they get here, even if St. Leger sweeps down on mewith his whole force," he declared. "I don't like that Indian business,though. It means burning and butchering all the way from Oswego here.Some one ought to go up along the road, warning the settlers, andtelling them to come in here with their families for protection."

  "We will go," the young scouts said in the same breath. "GeneralSchuyler told us to remain as long as we could be of any service toyou."

  "Well, rest to-night and to-morrow," the captain replied, "for you needit. Monday morning I'll send you out for the double purpose of warningthe settlers, and watching the movements of the red-coats. I'll arrangea set of signals by which you can let me know what is going on outside,without coming into the fort. You'll run less risk of being discoveredand shot down;" then he called an orderly who took them first to themess room, where they were given supper, and then to the barracks. In anhour both were sleeping soundly.

  The following day the young scouts "did nothin' but sleep and eat," asLate expressed it, but immediately after breakfast on Monday they wentto the commander's quarters. He received them kindly and led the way toone of the bastions. From there he pointed out a tall tree on a hillopposite, asking:

  "Do you see that big pine?"

  "Yes, sir," the lads replied.

  "It is across the river, and likely to be beyond the lines of the enemywhen they are besieging the garrison. Here are four strips of cloth,red, black, white, and green, each of which will have a differentmeaning when tied in the top of that tree. The white will be taken thatreinforcements are close at hand; the red, that they have beendiscovered and are about to be attacked; the green, that they need help;the black, that they have been defeated. The red and white will tell methat the Indians are deserting the British; the red and green, that theBritish are about to be attacked in the rear; the red and black, thatthey have been defeated; while the white and green will signify thatthey are advancing on the fort; and the white and black that they arepreparing to give up the siege."

  The boys repeated these instructions until they had them fixed in mind,and then Joe said:

  "You can't see these colors in the night, captain. We might want tosignal then."

  "These are only for the day; we will have another arrangement for thenight," he replied. "Can either of you hoot like an owl?"

  "Yes; both of us," Late replied.

  "Then one hoot takes the place of the white, two of the red, three ofthe green, and four of the black. From that you can make up yourcombinations,"
the officer explained. "These cries are to be given fromthe tree, and the man stationed on this bastion will be prepared toreport them promptly to me."

  "Very well, sir, we'll do our best to keep you posted on all outsidemovements," Late promised, "an' should anything occur that you ought'erknow, which can't be reported by signals, we'll bring it in to you atthe risk of our lives."

  "Let it be something very important, then," Captain Swartwout repliedwith a smile, after which he led the young scouts to the great gate ofthe fort, where he bade them Godspeed.

  During several days they were busy among the settlements for many milesaround. In some cases their warnings were promptly heeded, and thepeople fled to the fort in time to escape the Indians, who in a few dayswere scouring the entire region in search of victims. Others delayed toolong, and fell a prey to the merciless foe. Before arriving at Oswego,the young scouts themselves were compelled to turn back before theadvance guard of the enemy.

  By exercising great caution, however, they kept just out of reach, andyet near enough to make out the movements of the enemy.

  One night, as they stealthily avoided a small party of Indians that hadmade camp on the banks of Wood Creek, the young scouts became aware thatsome one else was engaged in the same work as themselves. Eager to learnwho he was, they followed his trail for some distance through the brush.At length the man emerged into an open space, where the moonlight fellupon him, and with suppressed exclamations of surprise both ladsrecognized their old enemy, David Daggett.

  "I wonder what he is doin' here?" Joe whispered in his comrade's ear.

  "We'll find out," Late replied in the same cautious manner.

  Therefore when Daggett moved on, they kept as close to his heels as waspossible with safety to themselves. Having passed the Indian camp, hewalked rapidly, with the air of one who knows where he is going.

  "He's bound for the British army," Late said, speaking scarcely abovehis breath. "Probably he has a message of some kind. I wish we couldfind out what it is."

  Fortune soon favored them, and in a way they little expected. Ahalf-mile farther on the old man was hailed by a picket. To the call,"Who goes there?" he answered, "A friend," and received the customarydirection: "Advance, friend, and give the countersign."

  This Master Daggett could not do, and for some time he parleyed with theguard, trying to persuade the man to allow him to pass.

  "I'm a loyal subject of the king," he cried, "and have come withimportant news for your commander. Let me go on!"

  But the sentinel was firm. Then the Tory grew angry.

  "I'll show," he screamed, "that you have no right to stop me. Your owncommander will come to let me in," and he drew from his pocket a smallsilver bugle. Putting this to his lips, he sounded a few sharp, shrillnotes. Twice he repeated the call, and then, restoring the instrument tohis pocket, calmly folded his arms and waited.

  A moment later the captain of the guard, followed by a squad ofsoldiers, came running down to the post where, finding the sentinel withhis gun trained on an old man who stood a few rods distant with foldedarms, he demanded:

  "What does this mean? Who blew those bugle notes?"

  Before the picket could speak Master Daggett answered:

  "I did," he said. "It is a call to your commander. Step one side,please, and wait. He'll be here in a moment."

  "More likely it was a call to the enemy," the officer cried angrily."Here, boys, seize that fellow and bring him into camp."

  "That command will cost you your commission, young man," the old Torysaid sternly. "And, soldiers, unless you want to go to the guard-house,you'd better keep your hands off."

  "Seize him, boys; we'll find a way to put a stop to his nonsense," theofficer cried, running forward at the head of his men; but before hecould touch the old man, a stern voice in the rear cried:

  "Let that man alone, and go back to your stations!"

  They knew the voice and obeyed, leaving the triumphant Tory face to facewith their commander and a second man in the dress of a civilian.

  "Hello, colonel! Hello, Hiram!" was Master Daggett's salutation. "Ithought those bugle notes would fetch you."

  "Why did you call, father?" the man in plain clothes asked.

  "Because yonder numskull wouldn't let me in," was the angry reply, "andnow I won't go in for anybody. If you want to hear my news, you'll haveto get it here."

  "The picket was only obeying orders," Hiram Le Geyt said in a soothingtone. "Come up to the colonel's tent. You can give us your tidingsthere."

  "I won't! I won't!" screamed the old man, jumping up and down. "LetGeneral Herkimer come with his eight hundred men and reinforce thegarrison, if he wants to. Let him camp at Oriskany, where he can besurprised before morning and defeated, for all of me. I would have givenyou the chance of your life, but you are all fools, fools, fools! Notone of you knows enough to strike a good blow for the king. I'll leaveyou alone, and let the rebels walk right by you."

  He had now worked himself into such a passion that he pulled his hair,tore his whiskers, and stamped upon the ground in a fury.

  It was Colonel St. Leger who pacified him. He laid his hand on the oldman's arm, saying:

  "It is men like you, Master Daggett, that I need. You must advise me,yes, lead my troops to the place where I can destroy that Yankee force.Come with me, and we will arrange for the forced march which will benecessary if we are to reach Oriskany before sunrise."

  The soothing words, the gentle touch, calmed the raging man, and soon hefollowed the officer and his son-in-law into the lines.

  As the three disappeared the young scouts arose from their hiding-place,and crept off down the creek. For three miles they moved in silence, andthen, coming to a place where the trail emerged into another, bothpaused.

  "Go and signal the fort," Late said to his comrade in a whisper. "I willwarn General Herkimer," and he hastened along the trail leadingsoutheasterly.

  Joe gained the great pine, and, climbing into its branches, gave thehoots which told the listening sentinel that the approachingreinforcements were to be attacked. Then he slipped to the ground,intending to follow his comrade to Oriskany, when he was seized by twoIndians. A desperate struggle followed, but at length the lad succeededin breaking away from his captors, and ran toward the fort.

  The report of a rifle rang out, and the fugitive spun around like a topuntil he fell to the ground. The lad regained his feet in an instant,however, and sped on, but his right arm hung limply by his side.

  "I must get into the fort," he thought as he ran into the river.Crossing it, he hurried on, and ten minutes later was pounding at thegreat gate. The guard heard him, and called the officer of the night,when he was taken in and put under the surgeon's care.

  No one warned General Herkimer of the foe, and at sunrise he was on themove anxious to traverse the six miles which separated him from thewaiting garrison. While passing through a dense wood he was suddenlyattacked by a heavy force of the enemy, who poured in a terrific firefrom both sides, cutting down his men like swaths of grass. A terriblehand-to-hand fight ensued. General Herkimer seemed to be everywhere,gallantly directing his men. At length he fell, mortally wounded.

  "Here, boys," he called to two men near him, "pick me up, and place meagainst yonder tree."

  They did so, and then, taking his pipe from his pocket, the bravecommander filled and lighted it. Puffing slowly away, he directed hismen in a struggle which, owing to the superior numbers of the enemy,seemed hopeless. But unexpected help was at hand. After CaptainSwartwout heard from the lips of the wounded scout the full particularsof the proposed attack he said:

  "St. Leger will not come here until after that battle. I may as wellhave a hand in it," and, therefore, leading an hundred picked men, hehurried toward Oriskany. Falling upon the rear of the red-coats just asthey were about to claim a victory, he put them to flight.

  Before they could realize the weakness of the reinforcements and rallyagain, he, with the wounded hero and the remnant of his ga
llant force,beat a safe retreat to the garrison.

  That evening he sat beside the cot of Joe Fisher, telling him of theevents of the day.

  "Then Late did not find the general," the lad said sadly. "I wonder whathappened to him?"

  "I fear he fell into the hands of the British," the captain replied.

  "Were they badly whipped?" asked the lad.

  "Not so but that they have been able to surround the fort," the officerreplied. "We are hemmed in at last."

  "Then there will be a battle here?" the boy continued.

  "It looks like it."

  "You must have a banner, captain!" exclaimed Joe, sitting up.

  "What do you mean?" the officer asked.

  Eagerly the scout told him of the Act of Congress, and, describing theappearance of the miniature flag he had seen, he continued:

  "Can't we have one made, Captain Swartwout, to float from the highestbastion?"

  "We will," the commander replied. "I have a tailor in the fort. He shallmake it to-night under your directions, and we'll unfurl it at sunrise."

  A few moments later the tailor was at work. Sheets were cut for thewhite stripes, bits of scarlet cloth joined to form the red, and theblue ground for the stars was made from a cloak belonging to thecaptain. At sunrise, amid the cheers of the men and a salute of thirteencannon, it was swung to the breeze from the highest staff.

  Colonel St. Leger saw and gazed in wonder at it for some time. Then hesent for a prisoner whom some of his Indians had captured the previousday.

  "What does that mean?" he demanded.

  The captive, a lad of perhaps eighteen years, looked at the floatingbanner and replied with a grin:

  "That? Why, it's the new flag of a new nation!"

  With a great oath the enraged officer cried:

  "It is the first and the last time it will ever confront a British army,for I shall carry it away with me."