| Show the master r S chaos Chao CHAPTER XI 14 which in ii the brief record of sundry thrilling events soon after that mrs washington and her maids set out for philadelphia on their way to mount vernon on the twenty sixth of july the main body of the british landed on the southwestern Bouth 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 are arc of the sky with smoke there were nine thousand trained troops under sir henry clinton colonel cabot and his regiment were in the threatened line then followed a month of anxious waiting and hurried preparation under general greene long stretches in the american line back bach of brooklyn were like the army at cambridge in ald summer gummer mammoth cori conceit celt an experience peri ence limited to bush fighting with red ment men little patience with restraint I 1 every inferior officer contriving tr ways to win immortal fame for himself and hilla hla command I 1 A sportive tallying sallying out simply or in squads against orders thousands of these men were like sheep huddled for a 1 shearing hearing 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 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 ere drawing closer since the middle of june an armament more forbid able than that of the famous armada had 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 boata were heading into the harbor report said that a big force of red coats 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 had been sent out to watch the enemy and give warn warning cannon balls were suddenly hurled upon them moments of wild confusion I 1 redcoats A galloping rush of cavalry its rifles blaz blazing ingi but battalions of rel red coated infantry following to the the earth shook men were falling dead others crying out with pain the inexperienced mil were unequal to the shock they emptied their guns and ran then every man for himself and hell bell for gill death became the shepherd of this warned hut but incorrigible firick dock 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 night 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 colln colin cabets regiment of cavalry headed beaded 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 the east river badly rent and shaken meanwhile general washington had been busy four days and nights he had spent in the saddle with only a few hours of rest ile he had commandeered all the boats on the river he would make an effort to save the army in a crossing within cannon reach of the british gun gunboats boats and with a great force of 0 the enemy behind him it was a desperate hazard still the chief was like the pillar of iron irol neither his faith nor his big indomitable spirit had forsaken him lie he was like moses and his people fleeing before the hosts of egypt was it a miracle or a freak of fortune that immediately a thick curtain of fog hung down from the sky and covered the face of the waters a day and a night save for which the wide river might have been a redder tea sea than ever moses faced we may choose as we will but we cannot fall to be amazed by what came to pass colln coll n his coat torn by bullets his shoulder grazed his right hand bleeding from a saber cuti cut was wag still at work lie ile was on the ferry land lufa 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 raid colln colin the salt sea has lifted an arm to help us answered lie ile has blinded the enemy dont worry boy the lord god has haa tools toola a plenty an ile he known how to use em cm silently under the fog colonel gloer ter ebenezer and their marblehead amphibians assisted by colln colin by irving bacheller Bad BeSSer copyright 1932 2932 by irving service cabot amos farnsworth Farnswor lh and others of if their regiment moved nine thousands nien men across the river without the loss of one all day and through the night the moving continued at the coming of darkness mrs a tory woman who lived near the ferry sent a negro to inform the british of what was going on the messenger was held up at a hesslan hessian post where the germans were unable to understand him so the work was not interrupted general washington was the last to cross with some wounded men about daylight the sun had not risen colonel cabot and captain farnsworth were in the boat with him the ile chief sat in silence looking grave and weary when they landed he turned to them saying with a note of sadness in his tone lly boys you are in need of rest I 1 thank ithane you 1 I reckon god has been th inkin of us said amos not of us but of the endless ages aces ahead the chief answered ills 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 crock creek he halted the shattered army for rest guards were mounted vId ettes thrown out and thousands of weary 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 colln 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 the guns and the boats they had come through the valley of death its shadow was on them its a hard life which there ther e aint no mistake amos muttered 1 I deserve it but I 1 reckon think ive had bad 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 fog 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 regi reel meats and half regiments disappeared many war sick discouraged men wandered in the wooded hills half crazed by weariness and fear washington moved his army to the high country in the north ills his courage and confidence were still strong most of the faithful men well trained to in cambridge were with him the deserters were replaced by fresh troops coming dally daily to his new post on heights 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 bad mostly fled before the wrath of contending 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 I 1 the he enemy if conditions were safe I 1 on n the lower island he be was to tarry at the tavern three days in the hope of meeting an expected messenger from mr air girard of philadelphia the young man was overjoyed to find a letter from pat sent from quebec on the fifteenth of june its contents saddened him she wrote dear one I 1 love you our little ship Is in ID a storm and if our captain loses his heart and head I 1 fear that we shall never get to port the wind Is against us I 1 know that nancy Is trying to win you she Is beautiful much loi lovelier eller 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 will give you delightful lessons 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 rage 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 nis his guidance I 1 wonder if you will remember old mother enslow the apple woman you know her now she Is my by mald maid ft a sleek rosy cheeked checked white haired kindly wise old lady often she speaks of you as one of her boys boya when I 1 am in despair she gives me new heart every night the she prays for you and so BO do I 1 although I 1 have lost my in fluence if I 1 ever had any I 1 have promised to say nothing of the army anny this letter must be read b our friend gen sir guy carleton and stamped aith his approval I 1 hope it may reach your hands and heart you low love merry words and I 1 am sony that I 1 hae hac none to put in it I 1 hope thai the coldness of the weather has nut crept into my letter poor war wrecked fool that I 1 am ami I 1 I 1 forgot thi I 1 was angry I 1 yours still with devotion tat ilat I 1 it I 1 was a disappointing letter ff he knew not quite what to make of it nad had she given up and was she preparing him tor for a bitter end to their romance he 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 must 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 general putnam whose scouts and vid ettes covered a long area of the waterfront water front ne ile was getting signals at night from the far side of each river returning to the tavern colln colin left word at the desk that if a man came from philadelphia la asking for general washington they were to ring his bell ile he might have slept through the night save for a loud rap at his door darkness had fallen A servant called out there are friends of yours below who wish to see you sir air what are their names they are grand ladles sir air they did not give me their names colln colin admitted the servant who with candle in his hand lighted those on the table it was a quarter after F M 0 7 eo 21 a 4 71 7 1 you have honored me with a sa cred confession eight the young man began to dress saying why such a dream about nancy ile he dressed and went below stairs the only sign of 0 the deviltry of war upon him was a bandage on hla his big right hand band A pretty maiden met him in the lobby saying 1 I am the secretary of the baroness de Rl edesel who has gone up the river with the howe miss woodbridge Is having supper in the dining room and wishes you to join her nancy I 1 he de 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 tie lie found nancy at a table in ID a remote corner of the almost deserted dining room she was becomingly dressed in flack black and white lace tier her left arm was in a sling she arose and ran to meet him with an exclamation of joy their lips met 0 com comrade I 1 forgive me if 1 I 1 weep she said sly 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 Ro romance mancel 1 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 t the h e beauty of his cow companion panion filled him with a grateful sense of joy and relaxation she began her story you see my lover 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 men are different you do not know what it Is to ile he awake and to rise often and look out of the window and count the stars and pray to god that tip rip will help you in your loneliness I 1 have done all that I 1 had matle made 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 a romantic faith that a chance would come to show the one man how devotedly I 1 loved him I 1 was sure bure that fate would bring us together ne ile did not come the th battle was raging near us as all the after noon our hospital was a farmhouse in the dusk of the evening I 1 went out with the litter men to pick up the wounded the field wits was covered with dead ana injured men many were in red costs coats often I 1 called the name of my lover ue 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 flesh of my arm I 1 fell and lay as if dead till it was dark I 1 went to the hospital my little wound was dressed I 1 was not quite fit tor for work next morning before daylight a surgeon took me to the brooklyn ferry I 1 went to the louse of my aunt and you you had a great adventure I 1 heard of it your poor right hand band was wounded tell me of that charge you yoi led it was no great matter sly my woun wounds ds were slight we ve got through enough to my may about it colln colin had been touched by her ac c count of a devotion almost heroic ni ills heart warmed to her you are a brave dear girl he aid 1 I hope that the young man la is worthy of you she sat a moment la in silence lence il her chin resting on her hand looking down at the table ne ile is a thousand times too good tor for me she whispered who Is the fortunate young mabrl man do you really want to knoerl know she ghe asked with a faint smile As a friend of yours I 1 have a right to know it was in his mind to have a frank and friendly talk with her come to my aunts house with me m and I 1 may tell you A time has come when I 1 can no DO longer play with you why not hotl I 1 stolen your in marbles a ables no you have stolen the best beat of all my playthings it Is a costly treasure there was a breath of silence mine Is 1 the old excuse of childhood I 1 mean to he answered 1 I know and the time hits has come 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 dig ing pat and I 1 were friends in school although she felt above me the Fayer weathers a had been wealthy for generations she was a beauty at sixteen I 1 was not we were fond of the same boy she sha cut me out it stung me we quarreled I 1 went home ill true it was wa schoolgirl love and rivalry but I 1 forget it I 1 admired rat pat I 1 liked to be |
