CHAPTER XXVII.
A RETREAT AFTER THE MANNER OF XENOPHON.
The next morning, a little after sunrise, as Robinson was holding thewatch on the outer ledge of the rock, in a position that enabled him tosurvey the approaches to the spot through the valley, as well as to keephis eye upon the ensign and Christopher Shaw, who were both asleep undercover of the crag, he was startled by a distant noise of somethingbreaking through the bushes on the margin of the brook. At first itstruck him that this was caused by deer stalking up the stream; but hesoon afterwards descried the head and shoulders of a man, whose motionsshowed him to be struggling through the thicket towards the base of thehill. This person at length reached a space of open ground, where hehalted and looked anxiously around him, thus revealing his figure, as hesat on horseback, to the observation of the sergeant, who, in themeantime, had taken advantage of a low pine tree and a jutting angle ofa rock to screen himself from the eager eye of the traveller--at leastuntil he should be satisfied as to the other's character and purpose.
A loud and cheerful halloo, several times repeated by the stranger,seemed to indicate his quest of a lost companion; and this graduallydrew the sergeant, with a weary motion, from his hiding-place, untilassuring himself that the comer was alone, he stept out to the edge ofthe shelf of rock, and presenting his musket, peremptorily gave thecommon challenge of "Who goes there?"
"A friend to Horse Robinson," was the reply of the visitor, in whom myreader recognises John Ramsay.
Before further question might be asked and answered, John had dismountedfrom his horse and clambered to the platform, where he greeted thesergeant and the hastily-awakened Christopher Shaw, with a hearty shakeof the hand; and then proceeded to communicate the pressing objects ofhis visit, and to relate all that he had learned of the recent eventsduring his short stay at his father's house.
In the consultation that followed these disclosures, Ramsay earnestlyurged his comrades to make instant preparation to quit their presentretirement, and to attempt the enterprise of conducting the prisoner toWilliams, who was supposed to be advancing into the neighborhood of awell known block-house, or frontier fortification, on the Saluda, aboutforty miles from their present position.
The message with which Ramsay was charged from Sumpter to Williams, madeit necessary that he should endeavor to reach that officer as soon aspossible; and the sergeant, rejoicing in the thought of being so near astrong body of allies who might render the most essential aid to thegreat object of his expedition, readily concurred in the propriety ofthe young trooper's proposal. This enterprise was also recommended bythe necessity of taking some immediate steps to preserve the custody ofthe ensign, whose capture had already been so serviceable to the causeof Arthur Butler. In accordance, moreover, with John Ramsay's anxiousentreaty, Christopher Shaw, it was determined, should hasten back to themill at the earliest moment.
A speedy departure was, therefore, resolved on, and accordingly allthings were made ready, in the course of an hour, to commence the march.At the appointed time the ensign was directed to descend into thevalley, where he was once more bound to his horse. The conferencesbetween the sergeant and his two comrades had been held out of thehearing of the prisoner; but it was now thought advisable to make himacquainted with the late proceedings that had transpired with regard toButler, and especially with the respite that had been given to thatofficer by Innis. This communication was accompanied by an intimationthat he would best consult his own comfort and safety by a patientsubmission to the restrictions that were put upon him: inasmuch as hiscaptors had no disposition to vex him with any other precautions thanwere necessary for his safe detention during the present season of perilto Butler.
With this admonition the party began their journey. The first two orthree hours were occupied in returning, by the route of the valley, tothe Ennoree. When they reached the river they found themselves relievedfrom the toils of the narrow and rugged path by which they had threadedthe wild mountain dell, and introduced into an undulating countrycovered with forest, and intersected by an occasional but unfrequentedroad leading from one settlement to another. Here Christopher Shaw wasto take leave of his companions, his path lying along the bank of theEnnoree, whilst the route to be pursued by the others crossed the riverand extended thence southwards to the Saluda. The young miller turnedhis horse's head homewards, with some reluctance at parting with hisfriends in a moment of such interest, and bore with him many messages ofcomfort and courage to those whom he was about to rejoin--and moreparticularly from the sergeant to Butler, in case Christopher shouldhave the good fortune to be able to deliver them. At the same time,Horse Shoe and John Ramsay, with the prisoner, forded the Ennoree, andplunged into the deep forest that lay upon its further bank.
For several hours they travelled with the greatest circumspection,avoiding the frequented roads and the chance of meeting such wayfarersas might be abroad on their route. It was a time of great anxiety andsuspense, but the habitual indifference of military life gave an air ofunconcern to the conduct of the soldiers, and scarcely affected, in anyvisible degree, the cheerfulness of their demeanor.
They reached, at length, the confines of a cultivated country--a regionwhich was known to be inhabited by several Tory families. To avoid therisk of exposure to persons who might be unfriendly to their purpose,they thought it prudent to delay entering upon this open district untilafter sunset, that they might continue their journey through the night.The difficulty of ascertaining their road in the dark, and the danger ofseeking information from the few families whose habitations occurred totheir view, necessarily rendered their progress slow. The time was,therefore, passed in weary silence and persevering labor, in the anxiouscontemplation of the probability of encountering some of the enemy'sscouts.
At the break of day they stopped to refresh themselves; and the contentsof Horse Shoe's wallet, unhappily reduced to a slender supply ofprovisions, were distributed amongst the party. During this halt, JohnRamsay commanded the ensign to exchange his dress with him; and ourfaithful ally was converted, by this traffic, for the nonce, into aspruce, well-looking, and gay young officer of the enemy's line.
The most hazardous portion of their journey now lay before them. Theywere within a few miles of the Saluda, from whence, at its nearestpoint, it was some six or seven more down the stream to theBlock-house--the appointed rendezvous, where it was yet a matter ofuncertainty whether Williams had arrived. The space between thetravellers and the river was a fertile and comparatively thickly-peopledregion, of which the inhabitants were almost entirely in the Toryinterest. The broad daylight having overtaken them on the confines ofthis tract, exposed them to the greatest risk of being questioned. Theyhad nothing left but to make a bold effort to attain the river by theshortest path; and thence to pursue the bank towards the rendezvous.
"Courage, John," said Horse Shoe, smiling at the new garb of hiscomrade; "you may show your pretty feathers to-day to them that are fondof looking at them. And you, my young clodpole, ride like an honestWhig, or I mought find occasion to do a discomfortable thing, by puttinga bullet through and through you. Excuse the liberty, sir, for these areticklish times; but I shall ondoubtedly be as good as my word."
Our adventurers soon resumed their journey. They had come within a mileof the Saluda without interruption, and began to exchangecongratulations that the worst was passed, when they found themselvesdescending a sharp hill which jutted down upon an extensive piece ofpasture ground. One boundary of this was watered by a brook, along whosemargin a fringe of willows, intermixed with wild shrubbery of variouskinds, formed a screen some ten or fifteen feet in height. As soon asthis range of meadow was observed, our cautious soldiers halted upon thebrow of the hill to reconnoitre; and perceiving nothing to excite theirapprehension, they ventured down, upon the track of an ill-defined road,which took a direction immediately over the broadest portion of thefield.
They had scarcely crossed the brook at the bottom of the hill, beforethey heard the remote v
oices of men in conversation, and the tones of acareless laugh. On looking towards the upper section of the stream, theywere aware of a squad of loyalist cavalry, who came riding, in the shadeof the willows, directly towards the spot where the travellers hadentered upon the meadow. The party consisted of seven or eight men, whowere, at this instant, not more than one hundred paces distant.
"They are upon us, sergeant!" exclaimed John Ramsay. "Make sure of theprisoner: retreat as rapidly as you can. Leave me to myself. Make forthe Block-house--I will meet you there."
With these hasty intimations, he pricked his courser up to full speed,and shaped his flight directly across the open field, in full view ofthe enemy.
Horse Shoe, at the same moment, drew a pistol, cocked it, and throwingthe rein of St. Jermyn's horse into the hands of the rider, he criedout:--
"Back across the branch and into the woods! Push for it, or you are adead man! On, on!" he added, as he rode at high speed immediately besidethe ensign; "a stumble, or a whisper above your breath, and you get thebullet. Fly--your life is in your horse's heels!"
The resolute tone of the sergeant had its effect upon his prisoner, whoyielded a ready obedience to the pressing orders, and bounded into thethicket with as much alacrity as if flying from an enemy.
Meanwhile, the troopers, struck with the earnest haste of one whosedress bespoke a British officer, speeding across the field, did notdoubt that they had afforded this timely opportunity for the escape of aprisoner from the hands of the Whigs.
"Wheel up, lads," shouted the leader of the squad, "it is the ensign!Wheel up and form a platoon to cut off the pursuit. We have him safe outof their clutches!"
Impressed with the conviction that a considerable force of Whig cavalrywere at hand, the troopers directed all their efforts to cover what theybelieved Ensign St. Jermyn's retreat, and were now seen formed into aplatoon, and moving towards the middle of the plain, in such a manner asto place themselves between the fugitive and his supposed pursuers. Herethey delayed a few minutes, as if expecting an attack; until findingthat the object of their solicitude had safely crossed the field andplunged into the distant woods, they rode away at a rapid pace in thesame direction. When they reached the further extremity of the openground, they halted for an instant, turned their eyes back towards thespot of their first discovery, and, finding that no attempt was made tofollow, gave a hearty huzza, and rode onward in search of their prize.
The stratagem had completely succeeded: Ramsay had escaped, and HorseShoe had withdrawn his prisoner into the neighboring wood upon the hill,where he was able to observe the whole scene. After a brief interval,the sergeant resumed his journey, and, with all necessarycircumspection, bent his steps towards the river, where he arrivedwithout molestation, and thence he continued his march in the directionof the rendezvous.
John Ramsay did not stop until he had crossed the Saluda and advanced aconsiderable distance on the opposite bank, where, to his great joy, hewas encountered by a look-out party of Williams's regiment. Our fugitivehad some difficulty in making himself known to his friends, and escapingthe salutation which an enemy was likely to obtain at their hands; butwhen he surrendered to them, and made them acquainted with the cause ofhis disguise, the party instantly turned about with him, and proceededin quest of the sergeant and his prisoner.
It was not long before they fell in with the small detachment ofConnelly's troopers,--as the late masters of the meadow turned out tobe--who were leisurely returning from their recent exploit. These,finding themselves in the presence of superior numbers, turned toflight. Not far behind them Ramsay and his new companions encounteredHorse Shoe; and the whole party proceeded without delay to Williams'scamp.
Colonel Williams had reached the Block-house on the preceding eveningwith a force of two hundred cavalry. Clarke and Shelby happened, at thisjuncture, to be with him; and these three gallant partisans were nowanxiously employed in arranging measures for that organized resistanceto the Tory Dominion which fills so striking a chapter in the history ofthe Southern war, and which it had been the special object of Butler'smission to promote. Horse Shoe was enabled to communicate to Williamsand his confederates the general purpose of this mission, and thedisasters which had befallen Butler in his attempt to reach those withwhom he was to co-operate. This intelligence created a lively interestin behalf of the captive, and it was instantly determined to make somestrenuous effort for his deliverance. Whilst these matters were broughtinto consultation by the leaders, Horse Shoe and John Ramsay mingledamongst the soldiers, in the enjoyment of that fellowship which formsthe most agreeable feature in the associations of the camp.
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