CHAPTER X. CLIPPING THE RIGHT WING.
The young prisoner in the British camp, as the reader may have surmised,was Latham Wentworth. How he came to be there is easily explained.
After parting with Joe at the junction of the trails, he traveled withthe same caution as when coming down Wood Creek, lest he might happenupon straggling Indians. After a time, however, he believed there was nolonger any danger of falling in with the savages, and carelesslyadvanced regardless of noise. Then, from the top of a small hill, he sawthe glimmer of fires in the Continental camp and, increasing his speed,took the most direct line through the woods.
A small party of Indians, however, separated from the main force earlierin the day, had wandered so far east of the garrison as to be attractedby the same camp-fires.
Unconscious of danger, Late continued on his course until, before he hadheard anything to cause alarm, five savages leaped upon him. One seizedhis rifle; two threw him to the ground; a fourth clapped his hands overthe captive's mouth to prevent an outcry, while the remaining Indianproceeded to tie the lad's hands behind him. Then they picked him up andhurried through the woods for some distance. Finding, however, they werenot followed they soon put the prisoner on his feet, and, compelling himto keep pace with themselves, carried him to their encampment. Thrustinghim into a wigwam they placed a guard over him and the young scout wasleft alone until morning.
On the following day, when the Indian encampment was changed to thevicinity of Fort Stanwix, Late was taken along as a matter of course,and, later, brought with other prisoners to Colonel St. Leger for hispersonal inspection.
By the side of the colonel stood David Daggett and Hiram Le Geyt, andimmediately the old Tory saw Late he gave vent to a cry of delight.
"We've got you at last!" he shouted. "We've got you at last!" and thento the commander and his son-in-law he told how he had followed theprisoner and his comrade on their journey from the Hudson to the fort.The attempt to kill them, the overturning of the boat at the falls,driving the half-clad boys into the woods, the destruction of theirproperty, their visit to the farm, and his further pursuit, were allrapidly related. Then he continued:
"The young devils have more lives than a cat. I couldn't kill them. Butnow that you have this one, why not string him up to the nearest tree?"
"I could hardly do that," the colonel replied. "He is not a spy."
"Yes, he is," Master Daggett shouted. "He was caught because of hangingaround your encampment trying to spy out what was being done."
"He may be a scout, or courier, but hardly a spy," the officerpersisted.
"But is his entering my house, deceiving my wife, and running off withmy property, to pass unnoticed?" interrupted Hiram Le Geyt. "The veryclothes he wears belong to me!"
Colonel St. Leger was silent for a moment, and then said:
"I cannot condemn and hang him, according to military rules; but I mightturn him over to the Indians. They would make short work of him."
"That is it. Let them kill the fellow at the stake!" cried the old Toryin glee. "I'll go and watch the flames as they curl around him. Ah! itwill be a great sight to see him sizzle and burn."
"He deserves the fate," the younger Tory said angrily. "Let the savageshave him, I say."
The British commander, naturally more humane than his Tory friends,appeared to be shocked by the cruel proposal. He hesitated to give anorder which would send the lad to the stake; but finally said:
"Let him go with the other prisoners now. I will decide later what is tobe done with him."
On the next morning when the young scout, unmindful of the terrible fatewhich might be his, declared that the banner floating over the fort wasthe flag of a new nation, the officer in his wrath sent for the men whohad made the capture, and turned the lad over to them.
"He is your prisoner. Do what you please with him," he said.
Therefore back to the Indian encampment Late was taken, and a day or twoafter a council was summoned to decide his fate. The terrible slaughterof the savages during the battle of Oriskany, and the fact that thecaptive had been found in the vicinity of that place, may have hadsomething to do with the sentence imposed. He was condemned to thestake.
Just before sunset, surrounded by a score of braves, he was taken acrossthe river and tied to a small tree, whose branches had been trimmed awayfor that purpose. Around him the fagots were piled, and the death dancewas begun.
Pale, but unflinching, the heroic lad watched the grotesque dancing, atthe ending of which he knew the flames would be kindled. It was not theform of death he would have chosen, but, after all, it would soon beover, and what difference did it make? He had long since given his lifeto the Cause, and if this was the method by which the sacrifice was tobe made, he would die like a man.
The dance was at an end, and two of the savages, taking brands from afire which had been kindled near-by, came toward the helpless boy. Inanother instant they would have kindled the wood about him; but at thecritical moment a great shout was raised, and some one, darting out fromthe thicket, dashed across the little clearing to push aside both braveswith one sweep of his strong arms.
Late had hardly more than understood that the newcomer was his friend,Ira Le Geyt, when the latter, holding aloft his iron cross, poured forthin the native tongue a torrent of words which held fixed the attentionof the Indian band. When the speech was ended, each savage brandishedhis weapons, as he hurried across the river toward the camp with loudyells, leaving the two lads alone.
Drawing his knife, Ira cut the cords that bound the young scout to thetree, saying as he did so:
"I was just in time, Late."
"That you were," was the emphatic reply. "But how came you here?"
"It is too long a story to repeat now. I will tell you later, and youcan explain how you happened to be in this fix. But now I must go to theBritish camp."
"No, no," his companion cried. "You mustn't go there!"
"Why not?"
"Because Hiram Le Geyt and his father-in-law, David Daggett, are there."
"Whew! I came pretty near getting into a bad scrape!" Ira exclaimed."Well, suppose we go into the forest, where we shall be less likely tobe disturbed."
Soon they were sitting under the great pine, which Captain Swartwout hadpointed out as a signal station, and Late told his story, concluding bysaying:
"Where Joe is now I don't know."
"He must have sent word to the commander about the attack on GeneralHerkimer," Ira said half to himself.
"How do you know? Have you heard anything about the battle?" Late askedeagerly.
"Yes, I met two or three of the soldiers who had been separated from themain body during the fight. Because you failed to see the general, heknew nothing about the ambush, and walked directly into it. A hand tohand fight followed, and the general himself was wounded; but with hisback against a tree, he lighted his pipe, and, puffing away, directedhis men in what seemed a hopeless struggle. Then came reinforcements,the men who told me did not know where from, that attacked the Britishforces in the rear, driving them back. It was then that the soldiers Isaw became separated from their companions, and all they could guesswas, that our army, having dispersed the red-coats, went on to theFort."
"The reinforcements must have come from there," Late declared, "and itshows that Joe gave the warning. We'll know about it later. But now tellme how you happen to be here."
"I'll go back to the time you left me," Ira said, and related all theincidents already known to the reader, down to the defeat of ColonelBaum at Bennington.
"When I got back to Fort Edward, I found General Burgoyne in an uglyframe of mind. Baum's defeat deprived him of the stores he so sadlyneeded. No word had come from Clinton, and nothing had been heard fromSt. Leger. In his desperation he decided to send me up here to hurry thecolonel down the valley. He is afraid to attack our forces at BemisHeights until he receives reinforcements. Of course I got word toGenera
l Schuyler before beginning the journey, and he suggested a planwhich, judging from the flight of those Indians, will prove a success."
"What did you say to them?" Late interrupted. "I never saw redskins runas they did after your speech."
"I told them," his friend replied, "that Colonel Arnold was coming witha large force, and would capture them all if they did not run away. Thecross was proof to them that my message was true. Before to-morrowmorning the entire Indian force will hear the news, and vanish like fogbefore the rising sun. In two days St. Leger will have only his regularsto confront our men."
"And we'll whip him as the patriots whipped Baum at Bennington," Latecried with a laugh.
"My only regret is that I cannot go to the colonel with the message Ihad," Ira said.
"What was it?"
"I was to tell him of Baum's defeat, Clinton's failure to meetBurgoyne's demands, and the latter's critical condition before anoverwhelming force," was the answer. "I hoped to discourage him so hewould go back into Canada."
Late remained silent a few moments as though thinking the matter over.Then he asked:
"Can't you make up a report from General Burgoyne, bringin' in all thosethings, an' advisin' him to give up his campaign?"
"I can make up the report readily enough," his companion admitted. "Thedifficult thing is to send it in such a way that he will believe itcomes from his chief."
"Give it to one of the Indians," was the quick suggestion; "he can makeany explanation you have a mind to give him."
Ira laughed. "What is that old saying?" he asked. "'Two heads are betterthan one'? I believe we can make the scheme work. It is getting too darkto write the message to-night; but I will prepare it early in themorning."
They went back a little farther into the woods, built a temporary shack,and, after partaking of some food Ira had with him, took turns insleeping and watching until dawn.
After breakfast young Le Geyt took from his pack the necessary writingmaterials, and, "as General Burgoyne's secretary," so he said in sport,wrote a letter to Colonel St. Leger, telling of the misfortunes whichhis commander had experienced, setting forth the direful condition hewas in, and urging the colonel to come to his assistance; but adding,"If, however, you find it impossible to do so within a few days, then,to save yourself and men from capture, you had better abandon thecampaign and return to Quebec, for I hear the rebels are sending a largeforce against you."
This he read to his companion, who said:
"That'll fix him. Once he gets them idees into his head, he'll run awayfaster than the redskins did."
"I'll go on to the Indian camp and find some one to carry this toheadquarters. Will you be here when I get back?"
"Somewhere in call," Late replied. "But, say, how near is Colonel Arnoldand his men? Perhaps I ought to signal Captain Swartwout that they arecomin'."
"I passed them near Little Falls, and, of course, traveled faster thanthey can. To-morrow will be ample time to give warning of theirapproach."
"All right; but give me those lines an' hooks I saw in your pack, an'I'll have some fish cookin' when you come back."
"I'll leave my outfit here, and then you may help yourself to anythingthat is needed."
It was several hours before he returned to find that Late had kept hispromise, for half a dozen fine fish were ready to serve. As they wereeating them Ira related his experiences.
"Before I got to the Indian encampment, I saw a young brave slowlycrawling toward it. Watching him, I soon understood that he had beenwounded and was trying to get back to his friends, therefore I quickenedmy steps to overtake him. Upon first seeing me he was alarmed; but whenI showed my cross and spoke in his own tongue, he dismissed all fearsand told me his story.
"He was in the battle at Oriskany and got a bullet in his body which fora time rendered him unconscious. When he came to himself the fightingwas over, and, fearing he might be found and made captive, he crept intoa thicket near a small brook, staying there until his wound waspartially healed. Since then he had been endeavoring to get back to thecamp. I did not leave him until he was safe with his own people, for heproved to be a chief of high rank. But the exertion had been too muchfor him, and before his friends could do anything, he died.
"I saw my chance at once for getting the letter I carried into the handsof the colonel. Watching for a favorable moment, I concealed it on theperson of the dead chief, and waited for it to be discovered. Withinhalf an hour it was brought to me with the question:
"'What is it? Who is it for?'
"Pretending to be surprised at the finding, I explained that it was amessage of some kind, and was intended for Colonel St Leger.
"'It should be carried to him at once,' I declared.
"Immediately a brother of the dead man hurried off to headquarters withit. Fearing there might be an investigation into the circumstancesattending the discovery of the letter, I hurriedly visited the othertribes in the encampment, learning that many of the savages had alreadyleft for their villages, and that others were preparing to go. Myannouncement to the Indian squad last night was clearly beginning tobear fruit; but I added a little more seed as I went from band to band.
"Once I had gone the rounds, I left the encampment and sought theshelter of the forest. Choosing a spot where I could watch the Indians,I remained several hours, noting with no little pleasure that every fewminutes a squad of savages went away. More than two hundred must haveleft while I sat there."
"Didn't the red-coats make any effort to stop them?" Late asked.
"Judging by the way the British officers were continually coming andgoing, I should say they did," was the answer; "and once I saw adelegation of chiefs marching to Colonel St. Leger's headquarters,probably for a council with him. But the yeast is working, and he cannotprevent the stampede which has already begun."
"He'll wonder where that redskin got the message," young Wentworth saidwith a chuckle of satisfaction.
"Yes, and who the white man was that came and went so suddenly. But Ican stand the mystery if he can," was the laughing reply.
Next morning the Indian encampment was so nearly deserted that Iraadvised that the fact be signaled the fort. Climbing the great pine,Late took from the lining of his coat the strips of cloth which had beengiven him, and in a few moments the red and white colors were wavinggently in the light breeze.
Joe Fisher, who was now able to walk about, although his arm was stillin a sling, chanced to be on the bastion. Gazing carelessly toward thebig tree, as he had done many times before without discovering anything,and without really expecting to see anything unusual this time, he wasastonished at beholding the bits of cloth waving in the air. Then he randown the wall, and across the parade to the captain's quarters. Burstingunceremoniously into the officer's presence, he exclaimed:
"Captain, Late is alive, and has escaped from the red-coats!"
"How do you know?" the commander asked eagerly.
"Because there are signals on the tree. It is the red and the white,which means that the Indians are deserting."
"So it does," admitted the captain. "I'll go and see for myself."
Man and boy soon stood on the bastion looking across the river, andwhile they gazed the red cloth was drawn in, and the white left alone totoss in the gentle wind.
"Reinforcements are comin'!" shouted Joe in his excitement."Reinforcements are comin'!"
His words rang through the garrison, and in an instant came back inanswer a mighty cheer.
"The signals are changing again, captain," the lad cried. "See! Late hasput the black beside the white. It means that the red-coats are makin'ready to run away!"
"In that case we'll give them something to run from," Captain Swartwoutdeclared, and immediately issued orders for all his force, save fiftymen, to prepare for a sally.
But before the little army could be made ready, Colonel St. Leger was onthe move. Rendered uneasy by the desertion of his allies, alarmed by thetidings contained in the letter which had reached him
so mysteriously,he lost hope when a Tory came into camp with the report:
"Old Schuyler and his whole army are only a few miles away."
The Britisher gave orders to raise the siege. The cheers of the soldiersin the Yankee fort quickened his movements, and when the so-calledrebels rushed out from the great gate, he and his regulars were on therun.
Reasoning that the small force in the garrison would not dare to make asally unless reinforcements were close at hand, St. Leger did not evenstop to skirmish with his pursuers; but hastened toward Oswego at a pacewhich soon forced the daring patriots to abandon the chase. When ColonelArnold and his twelve hundred men arrived a few hours later, there wasno foe to fight.
But some time before the gallant colonel appeared, Ira Le Geyt, LateWentworth, and Joe Fisher were comparing notes and telling theirexperiences under the walls of the fort. When the latter heard of thevictory at Bennington, he exclaimed:
"Well, if General Burgoyne's left wing was clipped at Bennington, he haslost his entire right wing here at Fort Stanwix."
The Boy Scouts at the Battle of Saratoga: The Story of General Burgoyne's Defeat Page 10
