Show IN TIlE BATTLE Of OE BY H. H FULLER F ROBERT I I I f OW LIGHTFOOT S SAT T WITH GENERAL AND I WATCHED THE TIIE GREAT GEET FIGHT OF TIlE THE I r LL t the e valley of the Mohawk vl was alamo with excitement when G General Gen Gen- n- n ALL oral eral Nicholas Herkimer Issued hie I call for troops to defend tho the border border bor bor- der from tho the British and their their sav savage e allies In to tho fall of the year 1777 Th The Americans had good reason fuson to feel alarm General Burgoyne J with th a victorious arm army was ad toward rd Albany from the tho north and General General Gen Gen- eral St St. Leper Leger was coming from tho tiro west with n the tho Intention In of or sweeping tho the valley clear of ot all enemies of King George o. Brave e old 1 General called upon i all men and boys between the thc ass ages s of oC sixteen six six- i t teen and sixty to arm thom and follow follow fol fol- low him against tho enemy t Van Pelt PeU was waa only fourteen but tho the knowledge edgo of or Indian ways that ho had 1 gained during a long captivity among the i Mohawk mado made his father rather willing to tot t take lake him when ho himself shouldered his rifle to Join his regiment Bo careful Lightfoot said he Stay with the tho rest of us and dont don't run off orr of Into t tho o woods for I t. t think there Is going to be this time Ume General St SL Leger ger had gone tOM up tho the St St. Lawrence m cr and through I Lake ke On- On tarlo General was sailing up Lake Champlain Ho Ito had with him hims same s mo British regulars a n. detachment or of I-I I Hessian troops hired from Germany a force or of or Tories forles who had lied flee to Canada and were now coming back to make war upon their old friends and neighbors and n largo company of f Indians under Brant the famous fanous Mohawk chief lie He had Invaded tho too Province and was laying siege to Fort FortS S Schuylor bulor where where- ho had shut up the garrison under Colonel Gan voort G Gon- Gon n- n oral Herkimer was calling the militia m to together together to- to gether with the tho Idea of moving to tho the rc- rc hot of or the fort rho Tho Americans began besan their march march early on ono one August morning advancing up the Mohawk They reached Orl Oriskany D without I out meeting any of ot tho the enemy and as thC they miles of tho the fort T cro then T within eight ht General Herkimer halted and called a council of war ar It was agreed to send end a party of o men to Colonel Gansevoort to tell teU him that they were ready to make makeI 1 I tho the attack They asked 1 1 him to fire tiro three threet t r k cannon shots as a a. signal for them to advance ad- ad vance vanco and to send some somo or of his men out from the fort to aid them when they r Y should arrive This seemed med like 0 a very CO good plan and f tho scouts went forward to carr earn carry their message the little army und under r Gen- Gen cral waited for the tho signal It took tho the scouts longer than they had ext ex- ex Into luto the fort without being j t r i to got sot discovered ered by the tho enemy The Tho Americans had hoped to hear the cannon shots shot early In tho the morning but they did not not come com Many of ot the colonels and captains grew Impatient They went to 10 General G Her- Her Herkimer r kimer and asked him to lead them against i the British without waiting for the sig sig- sig- sig nal General did not wish to do this but the others accused l him m of ot cowardice cow cow- ardice and ancI even of ot being on the side of or the tho enem enemy The brave o old man mm could not stand their rep reproaches will be bo the thc I r yield ho he said but b t you ou first to run away when we meet the tho enemy He Ho then gave tho the command to so go 0 for forward ward and the troops started ted with a great cheer little thinking of ot what was In store for tor them Indian scouts had discovered General ft o C t a tr f Nr j r t tw i M G f C J it n 1 r Tim Q F Horkimer's Herkimer's men T while hilo they were walling waiting at Oriskany and md General St St. Leger was warned varned of ot their approach Ho determined to o send a a. force against them and prevent them if Jt possible from reaching Frt For r. r With this Idea ho sent a strong band and composed of ot British and Hessian soldiers Sir John Johnsons Johnson's renegade Tories known as tho the Greens because they wore green coats to distinguish them from the red coated English and many Indians under the tho sachem Brant Drant In order to reach tho fort tort tho the Americans Americana would have hac to cross a marshy ravine which led them over aver a stream and Into the forest on the theother theother other s side ld Tho British and aDd tho Indians concealed themselves In this forest forming formIng forming form form- ing Into a a. groat t circle circe In into info o which the A Americans would have to march when they ro sed the ravine Captain Van Pelt was as a friend of or General General Gen Gen- n- n eral Herkimer and he and Lightfoot were I beside beoo him when tho the Americans Americana marched over tho the roSl road which led them across the tho ravine raine As thC they reached the shelter o of tho the pines sharp eye ce caught the tho sl gleam m of or a red feather In tho the thickets a short distance from tho the road Ho pulled his father by the sleeve What Is ft it boy Captain Van Yan Pelt asked d. I 1 believe there is an Indian hiding In Inthe inthe I the brush yonder Lightfoot said bats bat's that 1 General Herkimer said ald Where is he 7 He was there Lightfoot said s pointing to the place where he thought he had seen the feather teather I Both his father and tho the General looked but they could see nothing You must hav have been mistaken the General said but these woods might hide a regiment without our knowing it Send out the scouts on both sides as we VC advance Cap Cap- tain Ho lie rode on and the tho long Jong line of or soldiers followed him Into the tho wood About seven hundred of or them had crossed the ravine when suddenly the stillness was broken b by bya a l. l florce It seemed to come from every cry side Instantly the tho woods In front of or them to tho the right and left leet and oven even behind them were swarming with soldiers soldiery an and savages S The American n troops that had not already crossed turned back back i and tried to save savo themselves by flight night Just Justas as General Generl had predicted that they would The Indians pursued them and more moro of or them were killed for being afraid than would have Q fallen If It they had tried to help their comrades They met the fate that cowards cowans usually meet Close after atLer the came a volley of shots from tho tiro enem enemy Lightfoot could see the flashes of the tho guns suns from behind the trees where tho the British soldiers 13 lay l hidden and ho could hear the bullets go eo clipping through the leaves about them Genera H horse r reared cd throwing his rider to tho the ground round and then fell backward back back- ward He Ho had been shot and the bullet that killed him also alto pierced the tho General s leg br breaking ng it below the tho knee e so 60 that he ho could not walk hit me boy ho cried to Take the saddle dlo ot oft off the horse and put it where here I can sit on it under that tree trec tree Ho HI pointed to a largo large pine tree on the Ule top of ot a 3 small amali knoll from which It was I t see for some somo distance Into loto the wood on 01 every cry side with some difficulty managed to unbuckle tho the addle raddle and place it where he be had b been en told The General 1 m meanwhile had bound d his neck neck- cloth around his Ie leg and twisted it tight with a n. stick so as to stop Slop the flow lov of ot blood from his wound When he had done this his ho crept up tho the knoll to tu tho the saddle upon which with the h help p of ot Lightfoot he 1 seated himself leaning his lils back again l m the trunk of the tree On every side there thera was tho great greatest confusion contusion among the Americans Thoy They had been en taken wholly by surprise and did not kno know which way to turn Many rany of them fell feU at tho the first volley as they stood huddled together In ho open road But by the tho time General Herkimer had himself under the pine tho survivors had scattered to both sides 01 of the road and had concealed themselves as best the they could behind tree treo trunks where they began besan to return tho the fire of the enemy Lightfoot was greatly excited and he looked everywhere for tor his has father rather who had left them to carry rry out ut General orders before the firing began It was the first time that Lightfoot had over er been in a battle and ho he wondered how the tho General General Gen Gen- eral wounded as he was and surrounded b by foes could face the tho danger so caln calmly I r 1 want ant you to stay ata hero here with me bo boy General said kindly Sit down here herc beside me mc Who Vho knows but I shall need your help Lightfoot obeyed although ho expected every moment that one of the tho bullets bullet which were flying through the me wood in ID every direction would hit him The Tho General Gen Gen- I eral oral seemed to be bo struggling to get something something some some- thing thine out of the pocket of ot his coat Lightfoot Lightfoot Light Light- I foot saw with surprise that it was as thelong thelong the long stemmed pipe that he W was so fond I of ot smoking He hel helped d him to extricate Iti Jt I and to light it When this had been boon done the wounded General leaned back In ap apparent apparent apparent ap- ap parent comfort smoking away ay unmindful of the rattle of or the shots snots and the fierce shouts and cries t that at filled tilled two tho wood There was no more desperate rate conflict inthe In Inthe Inthe the Revolution than the battle batlle of Oriskany The men of or the tho valley knowing that If It they should give way hey he could expect no n mercy nercy from tho the Indians and that their homes ho s would be left defenceless behind thorn thom fought with the greatest bravery But the tho British h and nd Tories poured a a. constant constant constant con con- stant fire tiro upon them and tho the savages crept from rom shelter to shelter lter and when they h hi hal I fired rushed In with their knives and tomahawks tomahawks toma- toma hawks before they had time Ume to reload their rifles In this way a largo lareo number lost their lives Although more than one bullet struck the tree trunk over o the heads of General I I H grid and both of or them escaped es- es Injury and antI the sight of or th the General S I sitting In full view end ind watching tho the combat combat com com- com I bat ad added Cd greatly great to the courage of or the thel thelI Americans Americana Tiny They w were re all skilled marks marks- I men menn and they soon oon began to repay the losses thc they had m met t In tho the first attack But light aa as they would the British h and Iud their allies still still- pressed upon them and every ery moment It looked as thou though the they would be Overwhelmed While the tho re result of tho the contest hun hum in to doubt and the lighting wis w. w a hottest there came a crash of or thunder and In a m moment more the rain began bean to fall In a blinding deluge delue The tiring c ceased as the tha downpour dO made mada It Il impossible In to lo load ul with dry pow pow- der By y common both s sAes des drew back a little for tor a oIt truce n tho the storm lasted and nna the offices officers g pothered around General their panting from exertions You h have done e well tho General saId said to them Stand st fast and you will win the victory Lot Let two men Instead of or ono one llo ho behind each tree and lire fire In tn turn turn Ho Ito also gave we orders for posting the tho men In better positions po so that it would woul be bo im- im for the enemy to get behind them I and his directions were carried J out under cover corer of the storm which J the British from s seeing what was being done dono I As soon soan as lS the thc rain ceased ed the combat I was renewed and the wl wisdom om of ot his orders was quickly shown The Th Indians a as 38 blI be- be I I f rt r rt ran n forward whenever they saw w the mash flash of oC a a. rifle c a to nn find Its Us owner owned an nn cas easy pre prey but hut now a second butler buller 1 laid d I Ithem I I them law v n before they could come within within I striking distance ice and they were compelled I to give gh up this mode moJo of or attack I Lightfoot had grown accustomed acc d to the I fighting and he found that he hf could watch satch I the battle battlo without exp pl expecting ex every cry moment mo- mo moI mo-J I to feel himself the themen ment struck He lie saw men Imen 1 le Teti li i by Lieutenant Jacob J Attacked hy by a boj body of the Gr Greens ns One of ot them was aS a'S rt made de prisoner r but l the fie f ant i. sprang forward an and killed hi his hi captor with his bis bayonet onet Several of or the Greens Green the tao Lieutenant and bore him I to the ground could see gee p them thrusting at him with their ba bayonets but ut the Lieutenant pulled one of them down down upon him and ind held him against his body I as i a shield sr r that the others could not reach him him- Tho The Americans came to his aid ani and h he was liberated but not before ho had slain another of or his hlll assailants I I ITher There verc we-o man many such deeds ec s of ot bin bravery ery very while tho the fight was being wae wagged waged band h t t. t hand with Uh the thc greatest u. fury telY Suddenly the cry of oC Oonah began bogan to sound above abo the rifle rille shots that asked aked General Generl Herkimer It t is tho the Indian e call 11 or of retreat Lightfoot Light Light- foot The Mohawks will fight no nomore nomore more morn to today That settles e it th the Gen General muttered and resumed his I Ills His prediction proved prove true truc As s soon cs s th the m retreated the British tt were o no no longer ablo able tr te- hod hoid their ground The The- battle was at an end Both hail had suffered sulTer-od great reat losi ss Tho The Americans Americana had held their ground but the they had been boten to reach the tho tort fort Th The garrison however pr taken n advantage of or the the- opportunity had bad attacked oo the camp cump of th the enemy and had hart managed d to carry off ort a 3 large ge part P of or his supplies into lh th fort tort lost loaf no time limo In seeking hs ifs father rather an curd and each was overjoyed to find the theother theother theother other unhurt unhurt it was a 6 sad march homeward General H was carried catTle In hr a litter litter- and although he ho caw uw the tho n-ht n won he dl dH 1 not Ion inn survive sur dying of or his wound a 3 snort short lort lime time afterward A monument I ment to his bravery bra stands today day on the tha spot where he and sat ut b beneath b I th Cr event creat at pine an and watched Hatched the tho battle I |