Peggy Owen, Patriot: A Story for Girls

by Lucy Foster Madison

  CHAPTER XXVIII--A TASTE OF PARTISAN WARFARE

  "It was too late to check the wasting brand, And Desolation reap'd the famish'd land; The torch was lighted, and the flame was spread, And Carnage smiled upon her daily dead."

  --"Count Lara," Byron.

  While they were conversing the fisherman himself entered. He was a manof middle age, much bronzed by exposure to weather, but with a kindlygleam in his keen gray eyes. Peggy rose as he entered, and startedforward to meet him.

  "Thy wife tells me that I owe thee my life, sir," she said, extendingher hand. "I don't know how to tell thee how much I thank thee."

  "Then don't try," he replied, taking her little hand awkwardly. "Nowdon't stand up, my girl. You're like a ghost. Ain't she, Mandy?"

  "Yes," responded his wife. "And what do you think, Henry? She was on oneof the ships that started from New York with Sir Henry Clinton forGeorgia. They intend making another attempt to take Charleston."

  The fisherman's brow contracted in a frown. "So they air a-going tobring the war down here?" he remarked thoughtfully. "That's bad news.Was there many ships?"

  "Five of the line, and I don't know how many transports with men,ordnance and horses," answered Peggy.

  "Mayhap they're all foundered by that storm," exclaimed the dame."'Twould be a mercy if they was."

  "Mandy," spoke her husband, in a warning tone.

  "She's a Whig, Henry Egan, and her father's in the Continental army,"explained the good woman. "And what's more, she's a prisoner of war,too. Jest you tell him about it."

  And Peggy told again all her little story. When she spoke of the timespent in the camp of the main army, the fisherman became intenselyinterested.

  "And so you know General Washington?" he remarked smiling. "How does helook? We all air mighty proud of him down here. You see he comes fromthis part of the country. Jest over here in Virginny. A next doorneighbor, you might call him."

  And Peggy told all she could about General Washington, about such of hisgenerals as she had met, the movements of the army, and everythingconnected with her stay in New York. Nor was this the last telling.

  North Carolina, while intensely patriotic as a whole and respondingliberally to the country's demand for troops and supplies, hadheretofore had but one slight incursion from the British. For thisreason they were eager to hear from one who had been in the midst of themain armies, and who seemed to come as a direct messenger from thatfar-off Congress whose efforts to sustain a central government werebecoming so woefully weak.

  So Peggy found herself the centre of a little circle, composed of trueand tried Whigs whose leaning toward the cause had more than oncebrought them into conflict with neighboring Tories.

  The cottage was situated on a small inlet of the ocean a few miles eastof the Cape Fear River. A little distance from the main shore a lowyellow ridge of sand hills stretched like a serpent, extending nearlythe full length of the state on the ocean side, and making the coast thedread of mariners. These reefs were called "the banks." The cottage wasan unpretentious structure, consisting of but three rooms: theliving-room or kitchen, a little chamber for Peggy, and a larger oneoccupied by the fisherman and his wife. But the fisherman had grown richfrom wreckage. He had a number of beef cattle, and herded "bankerponies" by the hundred.

  Peggy grew fond of him and of the wife, and assisted in all the dutiesof the simple household. And so the time went by, and then there came tothem rumors of the British fleet which had at last landed its forces forthe besieging of Charleston.

  Anxiously the result was awaited. North Carolina rushed men to the cityto help in its defense, for if that fell it was but a question of timeuntil their own state would suffer invasion. At last, Henry Egan betookhimself to Wilmington, thirty miles distant, for news. On his return hisbrow was overcast with melancholy.

  "Charleston is taken," he announced in gloomy tones. "The whole ofGeneral Lincoln's army air prisoners. The British air overrunning allSouth Carolina, plundering and burning the house of every Whig, andtrying to force every man in the state to join their army. The Tories inboth states air rising, and I tell you, wife, it won't be long until ourtime comes."

  "I am afraid so," answered Mistress Egan, turning pale. "Oh, Henry, Iwish we was up to mother's at Charlotte. We would be safe up there."

  "I don't know, Mandy. It seems as though there was no place safe fromthe British. It might be best to go up there, but I'd never reach therewith the ponies. The people air a-hoping that Congress will send us somehelp from the main army. The state hasn't anything now but milish. 'Tissaid in Wilmington that Sir Henry returns soon to New York, leaving LordCornwallis to complete the subjugation of the South. He publicly boaststhat North Carolina will receive him with open arms."

  "Belike the Tories will," remarked the good dame sarcastically. "Ireckon he'll find a few that won't be so overjoyed. Mayhap too they'llgive him a welcome of powder and ball."

  But the reports that came to them from time to time of the atrocitiescommitted by the British in the sister state were far from reassuring.Events followed each other in rapid succession. Georgetown, Charleston,Beaufort and Savannah were the British posts on the sea; while Augusta,Ninety-six, and Camden were those of the interior. From these pointsparties went forth, gathering about them profligate ruffians, and roamedthe state indulging in rapine, and ready to put patriots to death asoutlaws. The Tories in both the Carolinas rose with their masters, andfollowed their lead in plundering and arson.

  "I do wish, Henry," said his wife, "that you would sell off all the beefcattle and marsh ponies that you have. We'll be getting a visit alongwith the rest of the folks. I reckon, if you don't."

  "Everything is all right," cried Henry who had just returned fromWilmington. "Tidings jest come that Congress has sent General Gates totake command of the Southern army, and they say he's advancing as fastas he can."

  "Well, it wouldn't do no hurt to get rid of the critters anyway,"persisted his wife. "A lot of harm can be done before Gates gets here."

  "I tell you everything is all right now," said Henry exultingly. "Justlet Horatio Gates get a whack at Cornwallis, and he'll Burgoyne him jestas he did the army at Saratoga."

  "I wish it was General Arnold who was coming," said Peggy. She had neverfelt confidence in General Gates since John Drayton had related hisversion of that battle. The exposure of the "Conway Cabal" had lessenedher faith in him also, as it had that of many people. "General Arnoldwas the real hero of Saratoga. He and Daniel Morgan; so I've heard."

  "Well, I ain't saying nothing against Arnold," was the fisherman'sanswer. "He's a brave man, dashing and brilliant; but if Congress hadn'tthought that Gates was the man for us they wouldn't have sent him down."

  Peggy said no more. The climax came in August when, utterly routed atCamden, Gates fled alone from his army into Charlotte. A few days later,Sumter, who now commanded the largest force that remained in theCarolinas, was surprised by Colonel Tarleton as he bivouacked on theWateree, and put to rout by that officer. Elated by his successCornwallis prepared for his northward march, and in furtherance of hisplans inaugurated a reign of terror.

  One night in the latter part of August Peggy could not sleep. It wasvery warm, and she rose and went out on the little porch where she stoodtrying to get a breath of air. The sea moved with a low murmur, the surfbeing very light.

  "How warm it is," she mused. "Even the sea is quiet to-night. Howdifferent it is down here from my own Philadelphia. Is mother there now,I wonder? Or would she be at Strawberry Hill? I wish----"

  She bent her head abruptly in a listening attitude. The tramp of a horseapproaching in a gallop was plainly heard. But a few moments elapsedbefore a man, who in the starlight she could see was armed, dashed upand drew rein before the cottage calling loudly:

  "Awake! Awake, Henry Egan! The British and Tories are coming. Awake,man, awake!"

  "Friend," called the girl excitedly, "who
is thee?"

  "A friend. Jack Simpson," he answered. "Is Egan dead, that he does notanswer? He must awake."

  Peggy ran to the door of the bedchamber, calling wildly:

  "Friend Henry, Friend Mandy, awake, awake!"

  "Who calls?" cried Egan, sitting up suddenly.

  "'Tis Peggy," answered she quickly. "A friend is here who says theTories are coming."

  "The Lord have mercy on us," ejaculated Mistress Egan springing out ofbed. "Henry, Henry, get up! The British and Tories are upon us."

  At last awake, the fisherman sprang from his bed, and rushed to thedoor.

  "Get your wife and whatever you want to save," shouted the man outside."The British are out with Fanning's Tories burning every suspected housein the district. No time to lose, Henry. They're coming now."

  Egan hurried back into the house, and caught up a portmanteau which hekept lying by his bed at night. Mistress Egan and Peggy were dressed bythis time, and the three hurried into the swamp which lay to the northof the cottage. The man who had given the warning passed on to performthe same office for other menaced families.

  Unused to swamps, the British seldom followed the inhabitants into theirrecesses, and this proved the safety of many a family in the Carolinas.They were scarcely within the confines of the marsh when they heard thetramp of many hoofs, the neighing of horses, and the enemy was at thecottage.

  "By my hilt, the birds have flown," shouted an English voice, and thewords were distinctly heard through the stillness of the night. "Searchthe house, boys. Egan must have some rich pickings. Bring out whateverthere is of value, and then burn the hut. The horses and cattle must behereabouts somewhere."

  There followed hoarse cries and a rush for the building. It seemed toPeggy that a moment had hardly passed before a red glare lit up the spotwhere the cottage stood.

  "Back into the swamp," whispered Egan in a whisper. "They may see ushere."

  Back into thicknesses of morass such as Peggy had never seen before theywent, speaking only when necessary and then in the lowest of tones. Andthus the rest of the night was spent, while the fiends ravaged theherding pens, and beat up the bushes for the ponies. The fugitivesremained in hiding until morning dawned. Then they made their way backto the blackened ruins of the cottage. Tears coursed down Peggy's cheeksat the sight.

  "What shall thee do?" she cried putting her arms about Mistress Egan."Oh, what shall thee do?"

  For a moment the fisherman's wife could not speak. She shed no tears,but her face was worn, and drawn, and haggard. She had aged in thenight.

  "Henry," she cried, "there is but one thing for us to do, and that is toget to mother's."

  "And how shall we do that, Mandy? We have neither horse nor wagon leftus."

  "Henry Egan, I'm ashamed of you! Ain't we in North Carolina? When didher people ever refuse to aid each other?"

  "You're right," he acknowledged humbly. "North Carolina is all right--butthe Tories. I don't take no stock in that part of her population."

  "And neither do I," she rejoined grimly. "From this time on I am a Whigout and aboveboard. They have done us all the harm they can, I reckon.What you got in that bag, Henry?"

  Egan smiled.

  "It's gold, Mandy. I reckon they didn't find all the pickings."

  "For mercy sake, Henry Egan, we can't get through the country withthat," exclaimed the good woman. "Bury it, or do something with it."

  "Yes," he said. "That will be the safest. Wait for me while I do it." Hewas with them again in a short time. "We will go to Hampton's and getsomething to eat," he said. "I kept a little money, and maybe Mis'Hampton will let us have some horses." He turned as he spoke and hiswife started after him, but Peggy lingered.

  "Come, child," said Mistress Egan. "It's a right smart way over toHampton's. We must get along."

  "But," hesitated Peggy, "won't I be a burden now? I ought not to add tothy trouble."

  "Why, honey, you have nowhere to go. What would you do? Now don't worryabout trouble, but just come right along. We will all keep together.What's ourn is yours too." And gratefully Peggy went with them. It wasindeed a "right smart way" to Hampton's, which proved to be a largeplantation lying some ten miles from the cottage. It was a cloudless dayin August, and excessively warm. When they at length reached the placethey were footsore and weary.

  "Why, Mandy Egan," exclaimed a motherly looking woman, coming to thedoor of the dwelling as she caught sight of them. "Whatever hashappened? Come right in. You all look ready to drop."

  Mistress Egan, who had borne up wonderfully all through the long nightand the wearing walk, now broke down at this kindly greeting.

  "The Tories, under some British, burnt us out last night," explained herhusband. "They sacked the house first, of course, and ran off all theponies and cattle. We have come to you for help, Martha. Will you let ushave the horses to get up to Charlotte to her mother's?"

  "Of course I will, Henry. All sorts of reports are flying about. Willsays that down at Wilmington 'tis thought that nothing can save the oldnorth state. Cornwallis hath already begun his march toward us."

  "Heaven save us if 'tis true," ejaculated the fisherman, sinking into achair. "First Lincoln and his whole army at Charleston; then Gates andhis forces at Camden! Two armies in three months swept out of existence.The cause is doomed."

  "Oh, if they had only sent General Arnold," cried Peggy. "He is sobrave, so daring, I just know he could have saved us."

  Gravely, oppressed by vague fears for the future, they gathered aboutthe table. American freedom trembled in the balance. Disaster hadfollowed fast upon disaster. Georgia, South Carolina restored to theBritish--North Carolina's turn to be subjugated was at hand.

  It was with sad forebodings that the three began their journey towardthe north early the next morning.