Kitabı oku: «The Minute Boys of York Town», sayfa 18

CHAPTER XVIII
TRAPPED

Uncle 'Rasmus and I were still standing on the puncheon floor in the darkness of old Mary's cabin when the door was suddenly thrown open, and in came Pierre and Saul, bringing with them such an onrush of water as the rain swept through the opening, that it seemed as if the hovel must soon be flooded.

"Thank heaven you did not start as I counted on!" Pierre cried in a tone of relief as he set about barricading the door to keep out the elements, and I cried bitterly, remembering that if I had heeded Uncle 'Rasmus's advice we would not be in such great peril.

"The storm came in time to prevent us from making an effort to get through the lines; but not sufficiently soon to stop us from setting loose that miserable scoundrel, Abel Hunt, and the sneak Horry Sims."

"What?" Saul cried in a tone of mingled surprise and dismay. "Are they at liberty?"

"Surely they are, for I obeyed Pierre's orders to the letter, despite all Uncle 'Rasmus could say against it. The old man has more sense in his black head than we, for he declared that such scoundrels should be treated like rattlers, and no heed given to their possible sufferings."

"Then are we undone!" Saul cried helplessly. "The retreat has been prevented by this tempest, for no boat can live on the river while the storm rages as it does, and we know without being told that Cornwallis will not attempt to send more troops across, at least until another night has come. In the meanwhile Abel Hunt and Horry Sims will have laid us by the heels, as they have threatened to do! It is only a matter of accusing us of striving to get across the lines to tell our people what has been done, when Lord Cornwallis will make certain we come to a speedy end."

I believe even little Frenchie was daunted for the moment, as he came to realize what our blunder, for it was not less, might mean; but he strove manfully to repress any show of fear as he said in what he counted should be a cheery tone:

"I dare venture to say that neither red-coat nor Tory will go abroad this night while the storm is so furious, therefore we had best make ourselves as comfortable as possible," and he set about kindling a fire, for surely it was needed that we might dry our clothing which had been thoroughly saturated.

"We will take our comfort for the last time," Saul said bitterly, as he threw himself down upon the floor like one from whom all hope has fled, and Uncle 'Rasmus, for the first time since we had left the Hamilton plantation, seeming to count himself as one of us lads, said in a tone of deepest satisfaction:

"Ef it's de las' time, honey, we'll make it mighty oncomfortable for whoever comes to drive us off, kase we'se inside our own fortifications, an' I'se 'lowin' dat ef de Americans keep it up as lively to-morrow as dey did dis yere day, den can we hol' de fort quite a spell afore dey work dere will."

It was this remark which showed Pierre Laurens the single ray of light remaining for us, and, ceasing his task of building the fire, he sprang excitedly to his feet as he cried joyously:

"Uncle 'Rasmus is right! Cornwallis has begun to retreat and sent a portion of his troops to the other shore. Now he's weaker than before, and if we can hold our own in this cabin four and twenty hours, then is there good reason to believe the Americans will have possession of York Town. If we made a blunder in freeing the prisoners, it was not so great as that which my Lord Cornwallis has made because of not first looking at the signs of the weather before he began to move his forces. When day breaks our people must see what has been done, and seeing, will strive to take every advantage. We will hold this fort, and it must be that some power beyond that of earth paved the way for our safety, else had we not been provided with weapons and ammunition. Through the death of the red-coats who were shirking their duty, we may hold quite a force of the enemy for a considerable time."

"How long can you hold your own in this miserable hovel with two of three hundred Britishers surrounding it?" Saul cried, and Pierre added yet more cheerily:

"Do you believe for an instant, Saul Ogden, that while matters are so bad with him, General Cornwallis will call off three or four hundred soldiers to obey the behest of such as Abel Hunt? Even though he may believe all that scoundrel can tell him, he has other fish to fry than that of capturing three boys and a negro. I tell you, lads, we are not beaten yet, for within four and twenty hours there will be a wondrous change come over this village of York, and even though the Britishers may not have been taken, our forces, seeing the advantage that can be gained, will advance their earthworks; when there's a chance we shall be able to get word to them."

This caused me to have what, for the instant, I believed to be a brilliant thought, and straightway I cried out:

"Why is not now the time when we might have speech with our people? While the tempest rages as it does, I dare venture to say it will be possible to cross the British lines – "

"Less possible than if the moon was shining. The red-coats will be in their works and along the intrenchments to screen themselves from the storm, instead of moving around, and therefore you have no chance of making your way across. It would be death to attempt it."

"And it is very near like death to stay here?"

"In this cabin we may die fighting, as Minute Boys should, which to my mind is far better than being killed like rats in a ditch, as would be the fate of him who attempted now to cross the lines. The red-coats in yonder fortifications are not fools. Every man jack of them understands that this attempted retreat is a failure, and must of a necessity be yet more keenly on the alert, therefore I say, you had best have tried to get across the lines this morning, in the light of day, than just now when Cornwallis's troops are smarting under what is very much like signal defeat."

I was silenced if not convinced by what Pierre had said, yet did not resign myself to the inevitable as a lad of Virginia should have done.

Instead of accepting the consequences of our blunder with cheerful face as Pierre and Uncle 'Rasmus were doing, I threw myself down by the side of Saul in sulky humor, never offering to lend a hand toward putting the cabin in a state of defense until the old negro and little Frenchie had worked desperately ten minutes or more, after the fire was kindled, to barricade the door.

Then it was I grew ashamed of myself; realized what a miserable part I was playing, I who had conceived the idea of forming a company of Minute Boys with the thought that I might stand at their head, and, springing up, I joined Pierre and Uncle 'Rasmus until Saul, in turn taking shame, did his part.

First we tore from the floor of the loft the heavy puncheon planks which were laid across the beams but not fastened in place, and with them as props and bars fastened the door that the side of the building itself would yield to pressure from without before would that barrier, strengthened as we had succeeded in strengthening it.

Then we fastened planks across the windows, forced to tie them in place with strips which formed the bonds that held Abel Hunt and Horry Sims helpless, for we had nothing else with which to work, and after all that had been done we made a rude platform just beneath where the roof of the building had been torn away by a cannon ball, so that one of us could stand sentinel watching the approach of the enemy and give due warning of his coming.

This done we took from beneath the floor the muskets, loaded each, and portioned out the cartridges fairly, giving to every one his share, after which, at Pierre's suggestion, we made a hearty meal of the last fragments of food in our possession.

When my stomach was fairly well filled, then did there come back to me that courage under which I should never have lost hope.

There was no token that the storm might be losing its force; in fact it seemed to me as if it increased momentarily, if indeed such could be the case when the wind was raging, the rain falling and the thunder pealing as I had never heard or seen it before.

It was almost as if we were in a ship at sea, so violently did old Mary's cabin rock to and fro under that mighty blast, and there were many times before the coming of morning when I really believed the hovel would be rent asunder by the wind, and we deprived of this seemingly our last opportunity to sell our lives at somewhat of a fair price.

When we had made ready our defense so far as was possible, and had satisfied our hunger, Uncle 'Rasmus would have it that we lads should lie down to sleep, trusting him to stand guard over us; but never one among our company was willing to act upon the suggestion, for what fellow could have slept with the elements raging and roaring without, while he knew full well what must be before him when the sun rose again.

It was not even possible for us to seek repose; but all three paced to and fro from one end of the small room to the other, as if by thus remaining in motion we could the better hold in check our fears and our forebodings.

Before we were aware that the new day was breaking, it was possible to hear dimly as though far away in the distance, the roar of the American cannon, drowned at times by the howling of the hurricane, and Pierre cried as if those detonations were promises of safety for us:

"Could anything be working more to our advantage, lad? It must be that our people understand somewhat of that which was done last night, for they are sending their iron messengers into this village with more of fury and determination than since the siege began."

I failed to understand how it could advantage us greatly even though our people made a direct assault, as I said to Pierre; but the lad could not well answer me, and I understood when he held his peace that he had simply cried out in the hope of heartening us.

Then I listened intently for noises from the outside, and, unable to distinguish between the roar of the cannon and the pealing of the thunder, proposed that I be the first to go on watch in the loft above, for I was burning to be able to see something other than the four walls of that miserable hovel.

No one said me nay, and with two of the loaded muskets so that I might be able to shoot twice in rapid succession if need arose, I clambered up the ladder into the attic where Abel Hunt and Horry Sims had spent so many, and such painful hours.

It was not yet sunrise, but the light of the coming day was sufficient to enable me to see surrounding objects, and yet I could perceive no change in the disposition of the British troops.

Overhead the clouds were rolling swiftly in token that the terrific tempest had well-nigh spent its force, and I said to myself that when the rain ceased to fall in such torrents, then would Abel Hunt and Horry Sims present themselves, knowing full well where we would take refuge in event of having failed to make our way outside the lines.

The hurricane ceased almost as quickly as it had begun. It was as if the rising sun stilled the wind and caused the rain to cease, for within half an hour, as I now remember, all nature was at peace; but man was yet struggling and with desperation to kill his brother.

Never had the guns within our lines been served so rapidly; never was cannonading continued so long, nor had such great destruction followed as a result.

While yet I stood looking out I had a view of our Governor Nelson's mansion which Cornwallis had taken possession of, and speedily saw that the Americans must be using it as a target, for in as many seconds a dozen balls struck the building, or passed close to it, and I could well fancy that Governor Nelson himself must be directing or agreeing to the destruction of his own beautiful home, for I had learned during my visit to Williamsburg when I went out to aid the Jerseyman, that the governor himself was leading the Virginia militia.

When the first ball struck that stone mansion tearing away the walls until two of the upper windows were made into one, I saw the red-coated officers pour out like wasps from their nests, and scatter in every direction, at which sight I laughed aloud in my glee, rejoicing that the enemy were finding themselves in quite as disagreeable a situation as we lads who were waiting with as much of courage as we could command for the coming of those soldiers who would drag us off to the gallows, most like without even the formality of a trial because affairs had come to such a dangerous pitch with my Lord Cornwallis.

I believe the day was no more than an hour old, and the fire from the American guns had not slackened, but continued to do quite as much execution as when I first took my post, that I saw in the distance coming toward us, but unattended, those two scoundrels who were bent upon our destruction.

Leaning over so that my voice might carry the better to the floor below, I cried:

"Here come Abel Hunt and Horry Sims!"

"How many red-coats have they with them?" Saul asked.

"They are alone; but carry muskets."

Then it was Pierre shouted triumphantly:

"It is as I told you! My Lord Cornwallis has other fish to fry than the taking into custody of three boys who may or may not be spies, but who can do him no harm at this late day. Those scoundrels may tell their story wheresoever they please in this village of York; but no one will give heed to them while our people are making matters so hot."

I could not quite agree with little Frenchie in this, because of believing that the curs might find here and there among the privates one who would like nothing better in the way of pleasure than the smoking out of a rebel, and I strained my eyes in every direction that I might have ample warning of the approach of the soldiers. Yet none appeared.

Those who were in the fortifications had quite as much on their hands as could be attended to just then, if they would preserve their lives, while those off duty were by no means inclined to come within the line of fire. I also understood that there must be considerable of confusion arising from the fact that a portion of the army and a goodly part of the baggage was already on the Gloucester side.

While believing that an attack would not be made upon us by considerable numbers, I grew brave at seeing only Hunt and Horry coming toward the cabin, and hailed them by shouting:

"I am giving fair warning that if either of you come a dozen paces nearer, we shall fire!"

The two halted, and Abel Hunt cried derisively, pointing out to Horry Sims my head which appeared above the splintered timbers of the roof:

"There is one of the rebels who has come to the end of his rope, and before this day closes we will see him dancing on nothing."

To this I made no reply, and before the scoundrel had ceased speaking Pierre Laurens was at my side, resting his musket upon one of the logs in order the better to take aim.

"Are you going to shoot them down without warning?" I cried in what was very like alarm, and he replied in a matter-of-fact tone:

"You have already given sufficient warning, and if I can drop either of them now, we shall have one the less to fight."

He discharged his musket as he ceased speaking, and the ball, missing the target, passed so close to Abel Hunt's head that the fellow leaped back at least six paces, and then wheeling about, ran like a frightened rabbit, followed by Horry, until the two were beyond musket-shot, when they halted as if to take counsel.

After mayhap a full minute they went away in the direction of the westerly redoubt, and we stood there speculating as to what might be their purpose in thus seemingly abandoning the attack before it was really made, when they reappeared, leading five soldiers, and then did I understand that that which I feared had come to pass. Most like by representing to these red-coats that a bit of sport could be had by smoking out four rebels, they succeeded in persuading some of the more dissolute ones to join them, and now was our moment of trial come.

"Now we shall have a taste of their metal, and they shall know what we can do," Pierre said grimly, his lips tightly shut and an expression on his face such as I have never seen him wear. "The time has come, Fitz, for you and me to go to the floor below."

"Why should not one of us stay here to keep watch?" I asked, impatient in my nervous fear.

"Because he who stands in this place offers too fair a target for yonder rebel hunters, and I am not counting they shall draw Virginia blood until we have left our mark upon some of their scurvy bodies."

I was not pleased at the idea of stationing all our force at one point, for surely it seemed necessary those who were defending the cabin should know what was going on outside; but Pierre was so insistent, and so commanding in his tone, that even though it was his blunder which had thus trapped us, I could not disobey.

There were loop-holes in plenty for us four, and we counted Uncle 'Rasmus among our number. Between the puncheon planks which had been tied at the windows, and even 'twixt the logs of the building itself, we could thrust the muzzles of our muskets, and when Pierre, who took command of the company without question, had stationed us to his satisfaction, he said as he walked once around the room like a general surveying his troops:

"Do not fire until the enemy are so near that you can make certain of hitting the target, and then shoot to do harm. We are trapped here, and will pay the forfeit if we fall into the hands of yonder men and lads, for there will be no question of military trial, or even of reporting our capture to Lord Cornwallis. Remember that our lives depend upon your aim."

It so chanced that Pierre himself was the first to open the battle, if such it could be called. Abel Hunt walked side by side with the soldiers as they advanced at easy pace; but I noted that Horry Sims hung back as if he had no stomach for such work as was evidently before him, and when the company were come within mayhap fifty paces Pierre shouted shrilly:

"Halt where you are, or we shall fire, and there is little chance of a bullet's going amiss at such close range."

Just for an instant I fancied the red-coats wavered, and certain it is Abel Hunt nimbly sprang back behind the man at whose side he had been walking; but the soldiers themselves kept on, and before I could have counted five little Frenchie fired.

One of the Britishers plunged forward and then sprawled out on the ground, looking there like a clot of blood because of the color of his uniform. The other four continued at a steady pace when I fired, wounding one of them in the leg so sorely that he was fain to turn tail and beat a retreat for the redoubt.

This last shot brought all the would-be rebel hunters to a halt, and I had taken up my second musket, counting to send another ball among them, when they wheeled suddenly about, while Pierre, clutching me by the shoulder, said hurriedly:

"Do not shoot a man in the back! Thus far we have but defended ourselves, and will not shed blood needlessly. It may be they have got a full dose, and we are done with them for the time being.

"Don' let dat idee run away wid you, chile," Uncle 'Rasmus cried in quavering tones. "Once a Britisher hab done trapped sich as we, he's boun' to keep up de sport."

I myself believed Uncle 'Rasmus spoke the truth, for it did not seem possible these soldiers of the king would allow themselves to be beaten off so suddenly, more particularly since one of their number lay at full length on the ground in front of us apparently unable to move.

Pierre and I reloaded the muskets which had been discharged, and then during ten minutes or more we stood with our eyes glued to the crevices between the puncheon planks, watching for the next token of danger, while all around the cannon of the Americans roared and thundered, sending across the village balls and flaming bombs until it was as if we had above our heads a veritable roof of flying, deadly missiles.

When mayhap ten minutes had passed we received good proof that Uncle 'Rasmus was in the right, for then from out the redoubt came a squad of red-coats, no less than twenty I should say, and tailing on behind them, seemingly not eager to occupy any post of danger, were Abel Hunt and Horry Sims.

"It looks to me as if our race was well-nigh run," Saul said grimly, and even in that time of deadly peril did my heart go out in rejoicing toward the lad whose courage revived at seemingly the very moment when his doom was sealed.

This last force of the enemy was not disposed to venture as carelessly as had the first, for while they were yet a musket-shot distant they separated into three squads, two of which made a wide detour around both ends of the cabin, taking good care meanwhile to keep out of range, and the third halted in their tracks, evidently waiting until their comrades had taken up such positions as had previously been decided upon.

"They are going around to the back of the cabin, and most like count on attacking us through the roof, for it must be plain to them, even at such a distance, that the hovel has been shattered by cannon balls," Pierre said, and I leaped toward the ladder, whereupon he sprang after me, counting on pulling me back as he said almost angrily:

"That is my place, Fitz Hamilton! It was I who caused us to be trapped, by advising that the prisoners be set free at such an early hour, and I am the one who shall go into the loft!"

"Because it is a place of greater danger!" I cried, still swarming up the shaky bars of wood which were nailed across the side of the building, and when I was come to what was left of the floor above, I threatened to throw Pierre down if he attempted to join me.

"I have shown the white feather more than once since we have been in this town of York, and now am I determined to prove whether I be a coward or no!" I cried shrilly, hardly knowing what I said, for the imminence of the danger had stirred me into a fever, and once more in my life did I see a reddish hue before my eyes, while my one desire was to kill those who counted on speedily overcoming us. "You are needed below, Pierre, where some execution may be done, and I shall take my stand here."

Even while speaking could I hear sounds from the rear of the cabin as if the soldiers were piling up timbers, or something of that sort, to make their way to the roof, and although it was borne in upon me clearly that within a few seconds most like I would be struggling hand to hand with men who had been trained in the art of warfare, yet I set it down as true that never did there come into my heart the slightest idea of wavering or of fear. Yet that may not be put to my credit, for, as I said before, the fever of battle had seized upon me, and I burned to see the first red-coated scoundrel show himself at the aperture in the roof that I might send a bullet into his worthless carcass.

Suddenly, and so far as I could judge, before those in the rear had been able to gain a position on the roof, fire was opened upon us from the front, and on the instant it was returned by our lads with such spirit that at once dense clouds of smoke from burning powder came up through the scuttle, parching my throat, and rendering it difficult for me to keep my eyes free from the blinding tears of irritation which filled them.

I was yet saying to myself that the Britishers had not succeeded in gaining a foothold upon the roof, when suddenly I saw the muzzle of a musket through the crevices of the logs, where as yet the timbers remained intact, and immediately came the report of a weapon as a bullet whistled past my cheek, cutting the lightest furrow in the skin, and causing the blood to flow as if I had been grievously wounded.

I had yet sufficient of sense remaining to understand that by staying longer in the loft, if they were counting on shooting at me through the crevices of the logs, I would sacrifice my life without being able to make any reprisals, and, stopping only long enough to fire in the direction where I had seen the musket, I dropped to the floor below, explaining hurriedly to Pierre why I had seemingly retreated.

"It is all over with us," the dear lad said, and would have examined the wound on my face. "No less than a dozen more men have come from the redoubt, and we can only sell our lives as dearly as possible."

Then it was the fever of battle so far left me that there was room in my heart for fear, and while taking my stand by the side of the other lads, believing firmly that within the next few minutes I should be dead or wounded unto death, I contrived to hold command over my knees so no one might see I had again grown cowardly.

Then it was, when all of us were, as you might say, resigned to death, that we suddenly heard the parley sounded by drums all along the lines, and straightway those red-coats who were facing us, counting to hound us to death, wheeled about, making for the redoubt, while we stood looking at each other in bewilderment, until Pierre shouted at the full strength of his lungs:

"A parley! A parley! My Lord Cornwallis has sounded the parley, which means that he is ready to surrender! He who came to drive us from off the soil of Virginia is now wanting to make terms with the rebels!"

It was indeed as the lad had said. From the moment the drums were heard all fighting ceased, and where had been such a tumult and a roaring as drowned all other sounds, silence fell.

It was like some work of magic; those who had been thirsting for each other's blood threw down their arms; men no longer shouted in anger; never a weapon was discharged, and in both the armies every one seemingly stood silent and motionless awaiting the result of this flourish of drums.

There is no good reason why I should continue this story of the Minute Boys of York Town, for there can be no doubt but that every one who reads what I have written knows full well all that happened there on the York river from the time parley was sounded until the vast army of red-coats were held prisoners in the hands of the "rebels."

In writing the closing lines let me set down that which happened some time after my Lord Cornwallis surrendered, lest he who has read thus far may think I am taking too much credit to my comrades and myself, by calling ourselves Minute Boys:

No less a soldier than General Lafayette himself told us four, for we insisted on having Uncle 'Rasmus with us when an orderly came to say that the young French general would speak with those who had befriended the Jerseyman – even General Lafayette himself told us that we had done in coming to the town of York that which advantaged the Cause, and asked what should be given us by way of reward.

Then it was that Pierre, speaking to him in his native tongue, told how we lads would have formed a company of Minute Boys but for the fact that we were shut up in the town of York, and asked that we be allowed, despite our age, to enroll ourselves as soldiers under his command.

This prayer he readily granted, claiming that he was pleased to do so, and from then on we served as real soldiers, although as you know full well the war was nigh to being ended.

It was General Lafayette who reclaimed for Saul and me our horses. When, after the surrender, I rode out with my father to see my dear mother, Silver Heels was the beast that carried me, and from that day to this we have never been parted, although she is getting now so far along in years that I fear death may soon step in and do that which the Britishers failed of doing.

It is to be regretted that he who set down the movements of those lads who took upon themselves the name of Minute Boys despite the smallness of their numbers, did not tell what part they played in the surrender of Cornwallis, which must have been a magnificent military spectacle, and because he has brought his story to an end without giving any of the details, it seems well to set down here that which has been written concerning it by the historian Fiske:

"The combination against Cornwallis had been completed, and day by day the lines were drawn more closely about the doomed army. Yorktown was invested, and on the 6th of October the first parallel was opened by General Lincoln. On the 14th, the second parallel, within three hundred yards of the enemy's works, was opened by Steuben. On the night of the 14th Alexander Hamilton and the Baron de Viomenil carried two of the British redoubts by storm. On the next night the British made a gallant but fruitless sortie. By noon of the 16th their works were fast crumbling to pieces, under the fire of seventy cannon. On the 17th – the fourth anniversary of Burgoyne's surrender – Cornwallis hoisted the white flag.

"The terms of the surrender were like those of Lincoln's at Charleston. The British army became prisoners of war, subject to the ordinary rules of exchange. The only delicate question related to the American loyalists in the army, whom Cornwallis felt it was wrong to leave in the lurch. This point was neatly disposed of by allowing him to send a ship to Sir Henry Clinton with news of the catastrophe, and to embark in it such troops as he might think proper to send to New York, and no questions asked.

"On a little matter of etiquette the Americans were more exacting. The practice of playing the enemy's tunes had always been cherished as an inalienable prerogative of British soldiery; and at the Surrender of Charleston, in token of humiliation, General Lincoln's army had been expressly forbidden to play any but an American tune. Colonel Laurens, who conducted the negotiations, directed that Lord Cornwallis's sword should be received by General Lincoln, and that the army, on marching out to lay down its arms, should play a British or a German air.

"There was no help for it; and on the 19th of October Cornwallis's army, 7,247 in number, with 840 cannon, marched out with colors furled and cased, while the band played a quaint old English melody, of which the significant title was 'The World Turned Upside Down.'