Show T CI 12 as CHAPTER XI 14 which Is the brief record of sundry thrilling events soon after that mrs washington end and her maids set out for philadelphia on their way to mount vernon on the twenty sixth the main body of the british landed on the southwestern western extremity of long island at a place called gravesend Grave send around it were groves and orchards in the midst of which were many stacks of wheat these they burned filling a wide arc of the sky with smoke there were nine thousand trained troops under sir glenry clinton colonel cabot and his regiment were in the threatened line then followed a month of an anxious dous waiting and hurried preparation under general greene long stretches in the american line back of brooklyn were like the army at cambridge in midsummer mammoth conc conceit eitl I 1 an ex per peri fence ence limited to bush fighting with red men I 1 little patience with restraint I 1 every Infer inferior lor officer contriving ways to win immortal fame for himself and his command A sportive sallying out simply or in squads against orders thousands of these men were like sheep huddled tor for a shearing th earing these alarming truths the commander in chief discovered when having crossed the east river on the twenty fourth of august he surveyed the situation general greene was ill in bed here was an army without a leader the chief put the brave old general genera I 1 I 1 putnam in command the connecticut plowman with no experience to fit him for the task of estimating the danger points in a long line was in a situa tion that would have taxed the genius of julius caesar washington was in a semicircle of fire drawing closer since the middle of june an armament more formidable than that thai of the famous armada bad been gathering in the lower bay of new york in it were scores of warships from heavy liners with tiers of massive cannon to cutters armed with small pieces there were hundreds of transports and provision ships and an army of some forty thousand fighting men masts loomed into the sky like stark trees in a burned area of the wilderness the great hammer of british power was raised for a decisive blow and washington had no navy to help him british gun boats were heading into the harbor report said that a big force of redcoats were landing on staten island the storm broke on the twenty sixth of august out on the jamaica road there was a leak in the line A brigade of inexperienced militiamen lulled into a sense of security by the long delay permitted themselves to be surprised no vid ettes had been sent out to watch the enemy and give warn warning cannon balls were suddenly hurled burled upon them moments of wild confusion redcoats I 1 A galloping rush of cavalry its rifles blazing battalions of red coated infantry following to the run I 1 the earth shook men were falling dead others crying out with pain the inexperienced mil fall were unequal to the shock they emptied their guns and ran then every man for himself and hell for sill all death became the shepherd of this warned but In incorrigible corrig able flock they were like flushed birds before the guns of the huntsmen huntsmon hunts men many were killed wounded or captured the british poured through this great growing hole in the line that nt night ht cliftons Clin tons force worked around the americans and turned their left flank capturing twenty two hundred men and many guns in the next few days there was much heroic resistance colin cabets regiment of cavalry headed a charge on the british line they broke through but their losses were heavy new england regiments sprang into the gap and widened it fighting as they ran many scurried through to join the main body threatened by the closing net and pouring northward to tin the east cast river badly rent and shaken meanwhile general washington had lieen been busy four dayland days and nights he be had spent in the saddle with only a few hours of rest ile he had commandeered all the boats on the river lie ile would make an effort to sa sane e the army in a crossing within cannon reach of the british gunboats gun boats and with a great force of the enemy behind him it was it desperate hazard still the chief like the pillar of iron neither his falth faith nor his indomitable spirit had forsaken en him ile he was like moses and ills his people fleeing before the hosts of egypt IN as it a miracle or a freak of fortune that immediately a thick curtain of tog fog hung dwan down from the sky and covered the face of the waters a day and a night save tor for which the wide river might have been a redder sea than ever eer moses faced we may choose as we will but we cannot fall to be amazed by what came to pass pais colln colin his coat torn by bullets his shoulder grazed his right hand bleeding from a saber cut was still at work lie he was on the terry ferry landing when ebenezer came toward him out of the fog 1 I could almost believe that you brought this stack of mist on your back said colln colin the salt sea has lifted an arm to help us answered he has haf blinded the enemy dont worry boy the lord god has tools a plenty an ile he knows grows how to use em f silently under the fog colonel olor lel glo i ver er ebenezer and their marj amphibians assisted by colln colin by irving Bachel leir copyright 1932 by irving bachellor Ba choller service cabot amos farnsworth and others other of their regiment moved nine thou sands men across the river without the loss of one all day and through the night the moving continued at al the coming of darkness mrs japely a tory woman who lived near th the ferry sent a degro to inform the british of what was going on the messenger was held up at a hessian post where the germans were unable to understand him so the work was not it ot interrupted general washington was the last to cross with some wound ed men about daylight the sun had not risen colonel cabot and captain farns w worth orth were in the boat wa with th him the chief sat in silence looking grave and weary when they landed he turned to them saying with a note of sad ness in his tone my boys you are in need of rest I 1 thank you 1 I reckon god has been th chinkin inkin of us said amos not of us but of the endless ages ahead the chief answered his white horse taken over in the night was brought to him he gave to general putnam orders covering the retreat and mounting rode northward with members of his staff followed by the main body of his troops in an open field near a creek he halted the shattered army for rest guards were mounted vid ettes thrown out and thousands of weary veary men lay down like spent dogs to sleep on the damp earth now drying in the sunlight surgeons went about among the men dressing wounds which had not disabled them colin and amos were among the first so treated they stretched out side by side three days and nights they had seen of restless toll with the wounded the baggage the horses hohes the guns and the boats they had bad come through the valley of death its shadow was on them its a hard life which there aint no mistake amos muttered 1 I deserve it hut but I 1 reckon think ive had hell enough therell be more tomorrow colln colin answered 1 I say d n the future generations erat ions amos had forgotten his soul and begun snoring for a moment colln colin thought of the tog and the crossing and then he slept the loss of artillery stores camp equipment and men was great but more discouraging than that was the loss of morale the cheery confidence of the men was gone whole regiments and halt half regiments disappeared many war sick discouraged men wandered in the wooded hills halt half crazed by weariness and fear washington moved his army to the high country in the north his courage and confidence w were ere still strong most of the faithful men well trained in cambridge were with him the deserters were replaced by fresh troops coming daily to his new post on harlem heights tar far above the city soon after the crossing colln colin his little wounds repaired rode down to the city tavern for letters by post the popular caravansary was now almost deserted its guests had mostly led fled before the wrath of contending cont endine armies word had come that the british were moving back to their ships it was apparent that for some days york island would not feel the feet of the enemy if conditions were safe on the lower lomer island he was to tarry at the tavern three days in the hope of meeting an expected messenger from mr girard of philadelphia the young man was overjoyed to find a letter from pat sent from quebec on the fifteenth of tune june its contents saddened him she wrote dear one I 1 love you our little ship la Is in a storm and if our captain loses his heart and head I 1 fear that w we e shall nener neer get to port the wind Is against us I 1 know that nancy Is trying to win you she Is beautiful much lovelier to look at than I 1 am and the wretch will stop at nothing she was the worst flirt in school I 1 do not wonder that you think her irresistible she Is a superb physical creature she knows it and in her dress and manners manner will give you delightful lessons le sons in female physiology and psychology I 1 know that you have a taste for both success and under standing to you in the psychological studies harry gage cage much improved by your discipline Is doing his best to win me what may come of it only god knows I 1 am still true to you and waiting tor for his guidance I 1 wonder if you will remember old mother enslow the apple woman you know her now she Is my maid a sleek rosy checked cheeked white haired kind ly wise old lady often she ebe speaks of you as one of her hoys boys when I 1 am in despair she gives me new heart every night she prays tor for you and so do I 1 although I 1 have lost my in fluence it if I 1 ever had any I 1 have promised to say nothing of the army this letter must be read b our friend gen sir guy carleton and stamped with his approval I 1 hope it mav reach your hands and heart Y you 0 love merry words and I 1 am sony that alit I 1 have none to put in it I 1 hope thai th the coldness of the weather has nut not crept into my letter poor wn war wrecked fool that I 1 am I 1 I 1 forgot thy i I 1 was wag angry yours still with devotion I 1 at I 1 it was a disappointing letter lete r he 11 i knew not quite what to make of it had she given up and was she preparing him tor for a bitter end to their romance lie ile could not believe that As to nancy had he not overcome that peril pats letter had been more than two months on its journey fortunately the masterful mrs bowlby mus must t have covered the long waterway to quebec and might have arrived there soon after the letter was written he rode down to the end of the island and had a brief talk with gen eral putnam whose scouts and vid ettes covered a long area of the waterfront water front he was wag getting signals at night from the far side of each river returning to the tavern colln colin left word nt at the desk dek that if a man came from philadelphia asking for general washington they were to ring his bell he might have slept through the night save for a loud rap at his door darkness had fallen alien A servant called out there are friends of yours be low who wish to see you sir what are their names they are grand ladles ladies sir they did not give me their names colln colin admitted the servant who with candle in his hand lighted tho those s e on the table it was a quarter after i 1 you have honored me with a sacred confession eight the young man began to dress saying why such a dream about nancy he dressed and went below stairs the only sign of the deviltry of war upon him was a bandage on his big right hand A pretty malden maiden met him in the lobby saying 1 I am the secretary of the baroness de edesel Rl who has gone up the river with the lady howe miss bliss woodbridge Is having supper in the dining room and wishes you to join her nancy I 1 he had begun to think better of her after all the future was now full of uncertainty lie ile had some curiosity as to that change of spirit which had won the sympathy of the lady washington ne he found nancy at a table in a remote corner of the almost deserted dining room she was becomingly dressed in black and white lace her left arm was in a alln sling she arose and ran to meet him with an exclamation of joy their lips met 0 comrade I 1 forgive me if I 1 weep she said my heart flutters like a bird in a snare I 1 have so much to tell you I 1 know not how to begin this arm what has happened to you romance you would call it folly first let us sit down aid comfort ourselves with food and wine colln colin was in high spirit after the excitements excite ments of battle and the stern severities of the retreat the wine the food the comfort of the place and the beauty of his companion filled him with a grateful sense of joy and relaxation lax atlon she began her story you see my loxer loer was out in the line beyond brooklyn I 1 rest thinking of him fearing that harm would come to him longing to see him you ton men are different you do not know what it Is to lie ile aake and to rise often and look out of tile the window and count the stars and pray to god that he will help you in your loneliness I 1 have done all that I 1 had malle mafle peace with mrs washington the commander forgave my broken furlough and gave me a letter to general putnam I 1 went into his hospital be hind the lines I 1 had bad a romantic faith that a chance would come to show the une ne man how devotedly I 1 loved him I 1 was sure that fate would bring us together ile he did not come the battle was raging near us all the after noon our hospital was a farmhouse in the dusk of the evening I 1 went out with tile litter men to pick up tb ohp wounded the field was covered with dead and injured men many were in red coats often I 1 called the name of my lover he did not answer I 1 stooped to give water to a wounded man A bullet from a sharpshooter in some distant tree tore the oie flesh of my arm I 1 tell fell slid and lay as if dead till it w was as da dark rk I 1 went to the hospital my little wound was dressed I 1 was not quite it fit for work next morning belore before daylight a surgeon took me ta the brooklyn ferry I 1 went to the louse house of my aunt and you youl you had a groat great adventure I 1 heard of it your poor right hand was wall wounded tell me of that charge you led it was no great matter my wounds were slight we got through enough to say may about it colln colin had been touched by her ac count of a devotion almost heroic his heart warmed to her you tou are a brave dear girl he ha said I 1 1 I hope that the young man la is worthy of you she s sat at a moment in silence her chin re sting resting on her hand band looking down at the table ile he Is a thousand times too good for or me she whispered who Is the fortunato young man do you really wane to know she asked with a faint smile As a friend of yours I 1 have a right to know it was wag in his mind to have a bank frank and friendly talk with her come to my aunts house with me and I 1 may tell you A time has come when I 1 can no longer play with you I 1 why not I 1 stolen your marbles no you have stolen the best of 0 all my playthings it Is a costly treasure there was a breath of silence mine Is the old excuse of 0 childhood I 1 mean to he answered 1 I know and the time has come com e when I 1 must make a confession I 1 do it on good advice it Is a hardship but you must understand me whatever comes I 1 have been wicked it will ease my heart I 1 have fallen into a pit of my own digging pat and I 1 were friends friend in school although sho she felt above me the Fayer weathers a had been wealthy for generations she was wag a beauty at sixteen I 1 was not we were fond of the same boy she cut we me out it stung me we quarreled I 1 went home ill true it was schoolgirl love and rivalry but I 1 forget it I 1 admired |