The Minute Boys of York Town Part 35

"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 sh.o.r.e. 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 s.h.i.+rking 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 s.h.i.+ning. 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 s.h.i.+p 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 a.s.sault, 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 b.a.l.l.s struck the building, or pa.s.sed 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: