by James Otis
CHAPTER II.
A SECLUDED CAMP.
When these raw recruits departed from the town--Corporal 'Lige insistedthat they did not march--they were followed for several miles by nearlyall the men and boys in the vicinity.
The old man was greatly exercised because Colonel Easton, who nowassumed command, allowed such an unsoldierly proceeding as that histroops should walk arm in arm with their friends, each in his own mannerand at his own convenience.
Had the corporal been invested with the proper authority he would havehad these raw recruits marshaled into ranks and forced to step inunison, carrying their muskets at the same angle, and otherwiseconforming themselves to his idea of soldierly bearing--all this hewould have had them do; but whether he could have brought about such acondition of affairs is extremely problematical.
"I allowed Colonel James Easton came somewhere near bein' a soldier,even though he is only a militiaman," the corporal said in a tone ofintense dissatisfaction to Isaac as the two marched solemnly side byside in the midst of their disorderly companions, "and I did think wecould set out from here and capture Ticonderoga, if all hands werewillin' to put their shoulders to the wheel; but I take back thatstatement, lad, and am sorry I ever was so foolish as to enlist. I oughtto have known better when I saw the crowd that was signin' the rolls."
"Why, what's the matter, corporal?" and Isaac looked around in surprise,for until this moment he had believed everything was progressing inproper military fashion.
"Matter?" Corporal 'Lige cried angrily. "Look around and see how thesemen are comportin' themselves, an' then you'll know. Here are them asshould be soldiers, seein's they've signed the rolls, mixed up withcitizens till you couldn't tell one from the other unless personallyacquainted with all hands. Then how are they marchin'? Why, a flock ofgeese couldn't straggle along in any more ungainly fashion."
"I shouldn't suppose it would make any difference how they marched sothat they got there in time," Isaac ventured to suggest timidly.
"Shouldn't, eh? Then what's the good of calling themselves soldiers? Whydon't they start out like a crowd of farmers an' try their hand attaking the fort?"
"Well?" Isaac replied calmly. "Why shouldn't they? They are notsoldiers, you know, corporal, and so long's the fort is taken whywouldn't it be as well if they didn't try to ape military manners?"
The old man gazed sternly at the boy while one might have counted ten,and then said in a tone of sadness:
"It's a shame, Isaac Rice, that after bein' with me all these years, an'hearin' more or less regardin' military matters, you shouldn't have moresense."
"Why, what have I said now, corporal? Is it any harm to think thatfarmers might take a fort?"
"Of course it is, lad. If anything of that kind could happen, what's theuse of having soldiers?"
"But I suppose it is necessary to have an army if there's going to bewar," Isaac replied innocently, and this last was sufficient tocompletely fill the vials of the old man's wrath.
That this pupil of his should fail at the very first opportunity to showa proper spirit, was to him most disappointing, and during the half-hourwhich followed he refused to speak, even though Isaac alternately beggedhis pardon for having been so ignorant and expressed regret that he hadsaid anything which might give offense.
During all this while the citizens of Pittsfield were following therecruits in a most friendly manner, believing it their duty to thuscheer those who might soon be amid the carnage of battle, and perhapsnot one realized how seriously he was by such method offending Corporal'Lige.
Isaac's father was among this well-intentioned following, as were two ofthe lad's brothers, and when these representatives of the Rice family,having walked as far as the head of the household deemed necessary, wereabout to turn back, they ranged themselves either side of the corporaland his pupil, in order to bid the latter farewell.
"I expect you will give a good account of yourself, Isaac, when it comesto fighting, and I feel all the more confident in regard to it becauseyou are under the wing of a man who knows what it is to be a soldier."
This compliment was intended for Corporal 'Lige as a matter of course;but he paid no other attention to it than to say:
"If the lad had profited by my teachings, he'd know that he has no rightto talk with outsiders while he's in the ranks."
"That's exactly it," Mr. Rice replied, wholly oblivious that thecorporal was administering what he believed to be a most severe rebuke."That is exactly it, my son, and you will do well to remember that youcannot fail in your duty so long as you take pattern from the corporal."
The old soldier gave vent to what can be described only as a "snort" ofcontempt; and the boy's sorrow was as nothing compared with what it hadbeen when bidding good-by to his mother.
After the young Rices had turned their faces homeward in obedience tothe orders of the elder Rice, Isaac gave more heed to copying themovements of the corporal, thereby atoning in a certain measure for hisprevious injudicious remarks.
The boy firmly believed that no more able soldier could be found in allthe colonies than this same Corporal 'Lige, and had any person venturedto remark that the expedition might be as well off without him, Isaacwould have set the speaker down as one lacking common sense.
Take the corporal out of the ranks, and young Rice would have said therewas no possibility either Crown Point or Ticonderoga could be captured.
Thus it was that an order from Colonel Allen, Colonel Easton, or SethWarner was as nothing compared with one from Corporal 'Lige, in the mindof Isaac Rice; but there were many in the ranks who did not have such anexalted opinion of the old soldier, and these were free with theircriticisms and unfavorable remarks, much against the raw recruit's peaceof mind, as well as the corporal's annoyance.
It was because of these light-headed volunteers, who saw only in thisexpedition a novel and agreeable form of junketing, out of which it wastheir duty to extract all the sport possible regardless of the feelingsof others, that Corporal 'Lige withdrew himself, so to speak, from hiscomrades, and barely acknowledged the salutes of any save his superiorofficers.
At the end of the second day's journey he refused to go into camp withthem; but applied to the captain of his company for permission toadvance yet a short distance further, at which point he could join thetroops when they came forward next morning. It was known by all theexpedition, even including those who were making the old soldier thebutt of their mirth, that he was held in high esteem by Colonel EthanAllen, and the request, although irregular, was readily granted, after awarning against the perils attendant upon such a course.
"It is better you stay with the troops, corporal," the captain saidkindly, "although I have no hesitation in saying you are free to do asyou choose."
"And I do not choose to remain in the encampment for all the younggeese--who fancy that by signing the rolls they have become soldiers--tosharpen their wits upon, therefore I would halt by myself, taking onlythe recruit I claim as my own, for company."
"I will have a care that you are not annoyed again," the officer repliedin a kindly tone; but this was not to Corporal 'Lige's liking.
"If a soldier can only keep his self-respect by running to his superiorofficers like a schoolboy when matters are not to his fancy it is timehe left the ranks. After we have smelt burning powder I fancy theseyoungsters will keep a civil tongue in their heads, and until then I hadbest care for myself."
This was such good logic that the captain could oppose no solid argumentagainst it, therefore the old soldier received permission for himselfand "his recruit" to form camp wherever it should please him, provided,however, that they remained in the ranks while the command wasadvancing.
Not until after the matter had been thus settled did the captain take itupon himself to warn the corporal that it was not wholly safe to thusseparate from his companions.
"It is well known that our movements are being watched by both Toriesand Indians," he said in a friendly manner, such as would not offe
nd theobstinate old soldier, "and you can well fancy that they would nothesitate to do some mischief to any of the expedition whom they mightcome upon alone."
"I can take care of myself, and also the boy," Corporal 'Lige repliedstiffly, as he saluted his superior officer with unusual gravity, andwith this the subject was dropped.
Then the old man said to his recruit, as he motioned him aside thatothers might not get information concerning his purpose:
"We'll draw such rations as may be served out, lad, and then push aheadto where we can be in the company of sensible people, meaning our twoselves."
Isaac would have felt decidedly more safe if he could remain with themain body of troops, for he had heard the captain's caution; but he didnot think it wise to give such a desire words, and by his silencesignified that he was ready to do whatsoever his instructor should deemto be for the best.
The rations served these volunteers who proposed to reduce the forts atTiconderoga and Crown Point ere they yet knew a soldier's duties werenot generous, and he who, from a desire to avoid seeming greedy, delayedin applying for them, generally found himself without food, save hemight be so fortunate as to beg some from his more provident companions.
Corporal 'Lige was exceedingly friendly to his stomach; he made it arule never to allow modesty to deprive him of a full share of whatevermight be served out, therefore it was he had drawn rations for himselfand Isaac almost before the troops came to a halt, and the hindermostwere yet marching into camp, weary and travel-stained, when he said tohis small comrade:
"There is nothing to keep us here longer, and the sooner we are at agoodly distance from these silly youngsters who fancy that the taking ofa musket in their hands makes them soldiers, the better I shall bepleased."
Isaac gave token of willingness to continue the march by shouldering hisweapon once more, and the two set off, attracting no attention fromtheir companions-in-arms, each of whom had little thought save tominister to his own comfort, for this soldiering was rapidly becomingmore of a task and less of a pleasure-tour than had been at firstsupposed.
Not until he was fully a mile from the foremost of the main body did thecorporal give any evidence of an intention to halt, and then he showedremarkably good judgment in his selection of a camping-place.
At the edge of a small brook about fifty yards from the main road overwhich they had been traveling, he threw down his knapsack, and announcedin a tone of satisfaction that they would spend the night there.
"It is not too far away, and yet at such a distance that we shall not beforced to listen to the gabbling of those geese," he said as he setabout building a small campfire in order to prepare the food he hadprocured. "Make yourself comfortable, Isaac Rice, for it is a soldier'ssolemn duty to gain all the rest he can."
"Do you think we shall be safe here?" the boy asked almost timidly, forit seemed little short of a crime to question any proposition made bythe corporal.
"Safe, lad? What's to prevent? If you keep your ears open for stories ofdanger while you are with the army, you'll never know peace of mind, forthere are always those faint-hearted ones ready to exaggerate thefalling of a leaf into the coming of the enemy. I have as much regardfor my own safety as for yours, and I say that here we can camp in peaceand safety."
This was sufficient for the corporal's recruit, and he set about makinghimself comfortable, with the conviction that none knew better than hiscomrade the general condition of affairs.