XL
VAE VICTIS
If my hand were not sure enough to draw you some speaking picture ofthis our epoch-marking battle of King's Mountain, it falters still moreon coming to the task of setting forth the tragic horrors of thedreadful after-night. Wherefore I pray you will hold me excused, mydears, if I hasten over the events tripping upon the heels of thevictory, touching upon them only as they touch upon my tale.
But as for the stage-setting of the after-scene you may hold in yourmind's eye the stony hilltop strewn with the dead and dying; the huddleof cowed prisoners at the wagon barricade; the mountaineers, mad withthe victor's frenzy, swarming to surround us. 'Twas a clipping fromChaos and Night gone blood-crazed till Sevier and Isaac Shelby broughtsomewhat of order out of it; and then came the reckoning.
Of the seven hundred-odd prisoners the greater number were Tories, manyof them red-handed from scenes of rapine in which their present captorshad suffered the loss of all that men hold dear. So you will not wonderthat there were knives and rifles shaken aloft, and fierce and vengefulcounsels in which it was proposed to put the captives one and all to thecord and tree.
But now again Sevier and Shelby, seconded by the fiery Presbyterian,William Campbell, flung themselves into the breach, pleading for delayand a fair trial for such as were blood guilty. And so the dismal night,made chill and comfortless by the cold wind and most doleful by thegroans and cries of the wounded, wore away, and the dawn of the Sundayfound us lying as we were in the bloody shambles of the hilltop.
With the earliest morning light the burial parties were at work; andsince the stony battle-ground would not lend itself for the trenching,the graves were dug in the vales below. Captain de Peyster begged hardfor leave to bury the brave Ferguson on the spot where he fell, but'twas impossible; and now, I am told, the stout old Scotsman lies sideby side with our Major Will Chronicle, of Mecklenburg, who fell justbefore the ending of the battle.
The dead buried and the wounded cared for in some rough and readyfashion, preparations were made in all haste for a speedy withdrawalfrom the neighborhood of the battle-field. Rumor had it that Tarletonwith his invincible legion was within a few hours' march; and themountain men, sodden weary with the toils of the flying advance and thehard-fought conflict, were in no fettle to cope with a fresh foe.
As yet I had not made myself known to the patriot commanders, having myhands and heart full with the care of poor Tybee, who was grievouslyhurt, and being in a measure indifferent to what should befall me.
But now as we were about to march I was dragged before the committee ofcolonels and put to the question.
"Your uniform is a strange one to us, sir," said Isaac Shelby, lookingme up and down with that heavy-lidded right eye of his. "Explain yourrank and standing, if you please."
I told my story simply, and, as I thought, effectively; and had onlyblack looks for my pains.
"'Tis a strange tale, surely, sir,--too strange to be believable," quothShelby. "You are a traitor, Captain Ireton--of the kind we need notcumber ourselves with on a march."
"Who says that word of me?" I demanded, caring not much for that towhich his threat pointed, but something for my good name.
Shelby turned and beckoned to a man in the group behind him. "Stand out,John Whittlesey," he directed; and I found myself face to face with thatrifleman of Colonel Davie's party who had been so fierce to hang me atthe fording of the Catawba.
This man gave his testimony briefly, telling but the bare truth. A weekearlier I had passed in Davie's camp for a true-blue patriot, thisthough I was wearing a ragged British uniform at the moment. As for thewitness himself, he had misdoubted me all along, but the colonel hadtrusted me and had sent me on some secret mission, the inwardness ofwhich he, John Whittlesey, had been unable to come at, though heconfessed that he had tried to worm it out of me before parting companywith me on the road to Charlotte.
I looked from one to another of my judges.
"If this be all, gentlemen, the man does but confirm my story," I said.
"It is not all," said Shelby. "Mr. Pengarvin, stand forth."
There was another stir in the backgrounding group and the pettifoggeredged his way into the circle, keeping well out of hand-reach of me. Howhe had made shift to escape from Ferguson's men, to change sides, and toturn up thus serenely in the ranks of the over-mountain men, I know notto this day, nor ever shall know.
"Tell these gentlemen what you have told me," said Shelby, briefly; andthe factor, cool and collected now, rehearsed the undeniable facts: howin Charlotte I had figured as a member of Lord Cornwallis's militaryfamily; how I had carried my malignancy to the patriot cause to thelength of throwing a stanch friend to the commonwealth, to wit, one OwenPengarvin, into the common jail; how, as Lord Cornwallis's trustedaide-de-camp, I had been sent with an express to Major Ferguson. Also,he suggested that if I should be searched some proof of my duplicitymight be found upon me.
At this William Campbell nodded to two of his Virginians, and I wassearched forthwith, and that none too gently. In the breast pocket of myhussar jacket they found that accursed duplicate despatch; the one I hadtaken from Tybee and which had so nearly proved my undoing in theinterview with Major Ferguson.
Isaac Shelby opened and read the accusing letter and passed it aroundamong his colleagues.
"I shall not ask you why this was undelivered, sir," he said to me,sternly. "'Tis enough that it was found upon your person, and itsufficiently proves the truth of this gentleman's accusation. Have youaught further to say, Captain Ireton?--aught that may excuse us for notleaving you behind us in a halter?"
Do you wonder, my dears, that I lost my head when I saw how completelythe toils of this little black-clothed fiend had closed around me?Twice, nay, thrice I tried to speak calmly as the crisis demanded. Thenmad rage ran away with me, and I burst out in yelling curses so hot theywould surely dry the ink in the pen were I to seek to set them downhere.
'Twas a silly thing to do, you will say, and much beneath the dignity ofa grown man who cared not a bodle for his life, and not greatly for themanner of its losing. I grant you this; and yet it was that samebull-bellow of soldier profanity that saved my life. Whilst I was in thestorm of it, cursing the lawyer by every shouted epithet I could laytongue to, a miracle was wrought and Richard Jennifer and EphraimYeates pushed their way through the ever-thickening ring of onlookers;the latter to range himself beside me with his brown-barreled rifle inthe hollow of his arm, and my dear lad to fling himself upon me in abear's hug of joyous recognition and greeting.
"Score one for me, Jack!" he cried. "We were fair at t'other end of themountain, and 'twas I told Eph there was only one man in the twoCarolinas who could swear the match of that." Then he whirled upon myjudges. "What is this, gentlemen?--a court martial? Captain Ireton is myfriend, and as true a patriot as ever drew breath. What is your charge?"
Colonel Sevier, in whose command Richard and the old borderer had foughtin the hilltop battle, undertook to explain. I stood self-confessed asthe bearer of despatches from Lord Cornwallis to Major Ferguson, hesaid, and I had claimed that the orders had been so altered as to delaythe major's retreat and so to bring on the battle. But they had justfound Lord Cornwallis's letter in my pocket, still sealed andundelivered. And the tenor of it was precisely opposite to that of anorder calculated to delay the major's march, as Mr. Jennifer could seeif he would read it.
While Sevier was talking, the old borderer was fumbling in the breast ofhis hunting-shirt, and now he produced a packet of papers tied aboutwith red tape.
"'Pears to me like you Injun-killers from t'other side o' the mountingis in a mighty hot sweat to hang somebody," he said, as coolly as if hewere addressing a mob of underlings. "Here's a mess o' billy-doos withLord Cornwallis's name to 'em that I found 'mongst Major Ferguson'sleavings. If you'll look 'em over, maybe you'll find out, immejitly _if_not sooner, that Cap'n John here is telling ye the plumb truth."
The papers were examined hastily, and presently
John Sevier lighted uponthe despatch I had carried and delivered. Thereat the colonels put theirheads together; and then my case was re-opened, with Sevier asspokesman.
"We have a letter here which appears to be the original order toFerguson, Captain Ireton. Can you repeat from memory the _postscriptum_which you say was added to it?"
I gave the gist of my old patriarch's addendum as well as I could; andthereupon suspicion fled away and my late judges would vie with oneanother in hearty frontier hand-grasps and apologies, whilst the throngthat ringed us in forgot caution and weariness and gave me a cheer towake the echoes.
'Twas while this burst of gratulation was abuzz that Ephraim Yeatesraised a cry of his own.
"Stop that there black-legged imp o' the law!" he shouted, pushing hisway out of the circle. "He's the one that ought to hang!"
There was a rush for the wagon barricade, a clatter of horse-hoofs onthe hillside below, and Yeates's rifle went to his face. But the bulletflew wide, and the black-garbed figure clinging to the horse's mane wassoon out of sight among the trees.
"Ez I allow, ye'd better look out for that yaller-skinned littlevarmint, Cap'n John," quoth the old man, carefully wiping his riflepreparatory to reloading it. "He's rank pizen, he is, and ye'll have tobreak his neck sooner 'r later. I 'lowed to save ye the trouble, but oldBess got mighty foul yestiddy, with all the shootings and goings on, andI hain't got no lead-brush to clean her out."
Now that I was fully exonerated I was free to go and come as I chose;nay, more, I was urged to cast in my lot with the over-mountainpartizans. As to this, I took counsel with Richard Jennifer whilst thecolonels were setting their commands in order for the march and loadingthe prisoners with the captured guns and ammunition.
"What is to the fore, Dick?" I asked; "more fighting?"
The lad shook his head. "Never another blow, I fear, Jack. These fellowscrossed the mountain to whip Ferguson. Having done it they will gohome."
I could not forego a hearty curse upon this worst of all militiaweaknesses, the disposition to disperse as soon as ever a battle wasfought.
"'Tis nigh on to a crime," said I. "This victory, smartly followed up,might well be the turning of the tide for us."
But the lad would not admit the qualifying condition. "'Twill be no lessas it is," he declared. "Mark you, Jack; 'twill put new life into thecause and nerve every man of ours afresh. And as for the redcoats, if myLord Cornwallis gets the news of it in a lump, as he should, Gates willhave plenty of time to set himself in motion, slow as he is."
'Twas then I had an inspiration, and I thought upon it for a moment.
"What are your plans, Richard?"
He shook his head. "I have none worth the name."
"Then you are not committed to Colonel Sevier for a term of service?"
"No; nor to Cleaveland, nor McDowell, nor any. We heard there was to befighting hereaway,--Ephraim Yeates and I,--and we came as volunteers."
"Good! then I have a thought which may stand for what it is worth. Tomake the most of this victory over Major Ferguson, Gates should beapprised at once and by a sure tongue; and his Lordship should have thenews quickly, too, and in a lump, as you say. Let us take horse and ridepost, we two; you to Gates at Hillsborough, and I to Charlotte."
"I had thought of my part of that," he said in a muse. Then he camealive to the risk I should run. "But you can't well go back toCornwallis now, Jack: 'tis playing with death. There will be othernews-carriers--there are sure to be; and a single breath to whisper whatyou have done will hang you higher than Haman."
I shrugged at this. "'Tis but a war hazard."
He looked at me curiously. I saw a shrewd question in his eyes and setinstant action as a barrier in the way of its asking.
"Let us find Colonel Sevier and beg us the loan of a pair of horses,"said I; and so we were kept from coming upon the dangerous ground ofpointed questions and evasive answers.
Somewhat to my surprise, both Sevier and Shelby fell in at once with ourproject, commending it heartily; and I learned from the lips of thatcourtliest of frontiersmen, "Nolichucky Jack," the real reason for theproposed hurried return of the over-mountain men. The Cherokees, neverto be trusted, had, as it seemed, procured war supplies from the Britishposts to the southward, and were even now on the verge of an uprising.By forced marches these hardy borderers hoped to reach their homes intime to defend them. Otherwise, as both commanders assured us, theywould take the field with Gates.
"We have done what we could, Captain Ireton, and not altogether what wewould," said Sevier in the summing-up. "It remains now for General Gatesto drive home the wedge we have entered." Then he looked me full in theeyes and asked if I thought Horatio Gates would be the man to beetlethat wedge well into the log.
I made haste to say that I knew little of the general; that I was but aprejudiced witness at best, since my father had known and misliked theman in Braddock's ill-fated campaign against the French in '55. ButRichard spoke his mind more freely.
"'Tis not in the man at this pass, Colonel Sevier," he would say; "notafter Camden. I know our Carolinians as well as any, and they will neverstand a second time under a defeated leader. If General Washington wouldsend us some one else; or, best of all, if he would but come himself--"
"George Washington; ah, there is a man, indeed," said Sevier, hisdark-blue eyes lighting up. "Whilst he lives, there is always a goodhope. But we must be doing, gentlemen, and so must you. God speed youboth. Our compliments to General Gates, Mr. Jennifer; and you may tellhim what I have told you--that but for our redskin threateners we shouldright gladly join him. As for Lord Cornwallis, you, Captain Ireton, willknow best what to say to him. I pray God you may say it and come offalive to tell us how he took it."
We made our acknowledgments; and when I had bespoken good care forTybee, we took leave of these stout fighters, and of old Ephraim aswell, since the borderer was to serve as a guide for the over-mountainmen, at least till they were come upon familiar ground to the westward.
'Twas now hard upon ten of the clock in the forenoon, and we had ourlast sight of the brave little army whilst it was wending its way slowlydown the slopes of King's Mountain. Of what became of it; how its wearymarch dragged on from day to day; how it was hampered by the train ofcaptives, halted by rain-swollen torrents, and was well-nigh starvedwithal; of all these things you may read elsewhere. But now you mustride with Richard Jennifer and me, and our way lay to the eastward.
All that Sunday we pressed forward, hasting as we could through thestark columned aisles of the autumn-stripped forest, and looking hourlyto come upon Tarleton's legion marching out to Ferguson's relief.
Since Richard Jennifer had ridden to the hounds in all this middleground from boyhood, we were able to take my blind wanderings in reverseas the arrow flies; and by nightfall we were well down upon the maintraveled road leading to Beattie's fording of the Catawba.
As your map will show you, this was taking me somewhat out of my way tothe northward; but it was Richard's most direct route to Salisbury andbeyond, and by veering thus we made the surer of missing ColonelTarleton, who, as we thought, would likely cross the river at the lowerford.
Once in the high road we pushed on briskly for the river, nor did wedraw rein until the sweating beasts were picking their way in thedarkness down the last of the hills which sentinel the Catawba to thewestward.
At the foot of this hill a by-road led to Macgowan's ford some six milesfarther down the river, and here, as I supposed, our ways would lieapart. But when we came to the forking of the road, Richard pulled hismount into the by-path, clapping the spurs to the tired horse so thatwe were a good mile beyond the forking before I could overtake him.
"How now, lad?" said I, when I had run him down. "Would you take afighting hazard when you need not? There is sure to be a British patrolat the lower ford."
He jerked his beast down to a walk and we rode in silence side by sidefor a full minute before he said gruffly: "You'd never find the wayalone."
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nbsp; I laughed. "Barring myself, you are the clumsiest of evaders, Dick. I amon my own ground here, and that you know as well as I."
"Damn you!" he gritted between his teeth. "When we are coming nearAppleby Hundred you are fierce enough to be rid of me."
I saw his drift at that: how he would take all the chance of capture anda spy's rope for the sake of passing within a mile of Mistress Margery,or of the house he thought she was in.
"Go back, Dick, whilst you may," said I. "She is not at ApplebyHundred."
He turned upon me like a lion at bay.
"What have you done with her?"
"Peace, you foolish boy. I am not her keeper. Her father took her toCharlotte on the very day you saw her safe at home."
He reined up short in the narrow way. "So?" he said, most bitingly. "Andthat is why you take the embassy to Lord Cornwallis and fub me off withthe one to Gates. By heaven, Captain Ireton, we shall change roles hereand now!"
Ah, my dears, the love-madness is a curious thing. Here was a man whohad saved my life so many times I had lost the count of them, feelingfor my throat in the murk of that October night as my bitterest foemanmight.
And surely it was the love-demon in me that made me say: "You think I amstanding in your way, Richard Jennifer? Well, so I am; for whilst I liveyou may not have her. Why don't you draw and cut me down?"
'Twas then Satan marked my dear lad for his very own.
"On guard!" he cried; "draw and defend yourself!" and with that thegreat claymore leaped from its sheath to flash in the starlight.
What with his reining back for space to whirl the steel I had the timeto parry the descending blow. But at the balancing instant thebrother-hating devil had the upper hand, whispering me that here was thedeath I coveted; that Margery might have her lover, if so she would,with her husband's blood upon his head.
So I sat motionless while the broadsword cut its circle in air and camedown; and then I knew no more till I came to with a bees' hive buzzingin my ears, to find myself lying in the dank grass at the path side. Myhead was on Richard's knee, and he was dabbling it with water in hissoaked kerchief.
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