The Minute Boys of York Town

by James Otis

  CHAPTER XVI

  PREPARATIONS FOR FLIGHT

  There is little of particular interest that can be told concerningourselves during that time of happenings which I have just set down inthe words of another, when our people were showing themselves such ablesoldiers.

  When the fighting was hottest at least two of us lads were out of doorswhere we could see what was going on, and regarding not the bullets orcannon balls that came our way, in our eagerness to watch for someadvantage which might be gained by the Americans.

  It was for us a time of constant anxiety. We had the prisoners to guard,and had we not been forced to take Abel Hunt as we did, then might ithave been a simple matter, for we could frighten Horry Sims intosubmission. But this hulking, dissolute fellow, as ready to fight as hewas to eat, regardless of whether he faced friend or foe, was smartingunder the sense of being held captive by lads, and we knew only too wellthat he would struggle to his utmost to set himself free that he mightdenounce us as spies, which he could well do after knowing what he musthave known regarding the Jerseyman.

  While I was on duty in the loft I stood at one of the small apertures orthe other gazing out, oftentimes hearing the shrieking of a bomb as itcame within what seemed to be a very short distance of the building; butever keeping a watchful eye on Abel Hunt.

  At such times as I was off duty and not obliged to go with Pierreforaging, for he was the only one of us three who could successfullyconduct such expeditions, I was lounging around the outside of thebuilding, saddened when our people slackened fire, lest they should bewavering in the attempt to overcome Cornwallis, and again exulting whenthe big guns boomed their notes of defiance until it was as if the veryair vibrated with the detonations.

  Although we were so fearsome that Hunt might succeed in making hisescape, at least four times in every four and twenty hours were weforced in humanity's name to take the gag from his mouth, that he mightget relief for his jaws.

  The fellow begged again and again that we would relieve him from hisbonds so he might walk around, promising to be as obedient to our ordersas was Horry Sims; but I knew him too well to put any trust in hiswords.

  Now and then we released his feet, and again gave him free use of onearm at a time; in other words, we did all we might to relieve the painof his position without running too much risk on our part.

  On that day when the French and the American troops attacked theredoubts on either side the village, I thought we had come to our lasthour on earth, so thickly did the shots from the American redoubtdirectly in front of the lines which were sent to cover the assault Ihave already described, strike roundabout old Mary's cabin. It seemedcertain we must be sent into the Beyond by those who would lend usevery aid within their power.

  It was when a solid shot struck the corner of the cabin near to theridge-pole, just above where Abel Hunt lay, and plowed its way throughthe solid logs, tearing them aside as a child might shatter a lot ofjackstraws, that I believed we were soon to meet our death. Hunt musthave been of the same opinion, for he begged like a cur, when Pierre andI went up shortly afterward, for us to keep the gag from his mouth,declaring that we were striving to compass his death by leaving him insuch a place.

  But for Pierre Laurens I believe we would have abandoned the prisoners,and, taking Uncle Rasmus with us, fled down to the bank of the riverimmediately in the rear of the captured redoubt, where several of thevillagers were gathered in abject terror, thinking only to shieldthemselves from the iron hail which came into and across the encampmentwith the fury of a summer tempest.

  It was not possible for us to go an hundred yards in either directionfrom the cabin without coming upon wounded or dead, and so accustomeddid we become within a very short time to such horrible scenes that theyceased to terrify us, save when, as happened more than once, a soldierwas shot down within a stone's throw of our hiding place. Even then itwas to us nothing so very terrible, save that it served to point out theperil in which we were placed.

  We had long since ceased to depend upon the citizens of York for food;but went boldly up to the quartermaster's department when rations werebeing served, and only once were we turned away empty-handed.

  I would not have it understood that during the siege we were living onthe fat of the land; we had sufficient with which to partially allay ourhunger, and took good care that the prisoners should not suffer fromlack of food, even though we ourselves might be forced to fast.

  Once during these times of excitement a bomb struck that portion of thecabin which had already been shattered, and on the instant the drytimbers were in a flame. Fortunately, however, we had a full bucket ofwater in the house, and by aid of this, with what could hurriedly bebrought from the well near at hand, we succeeded in extinguishing thefire before it gained headway.

  "If that had happened in the night, then had we all been burned todeath," Saul said thoughtfully, and Pierre laughed him to scorn as hereplied:

  "If so be we lads haven't sense enough to go out of doors when the heatinside becomes too great, then of a verity do we deserve to be burntalive. No danger which may come to us from our people can cause me togrumble, for it is all in the way of teaching the king's soldiers alesson, and my life counts for nothing."

  I believe we had all come to cheapen the value of a human life by thistime, having seen so many of the red-coated soldiers shot down. Until wewere come to this village of York I had shuddered at the very thought ofshedding blood; but now so hardened was I become to such scenes that Igave no heed to those who fell within view of the cabin, nor did I holdmy own life as of great importance even to myself.

  He who has followed thus far my attempt to tell the story of whatcertain lads who called themselves Minute Boys of York Town did duringthis time of the siege, must strive to picture for himself our goings-inand comings-out while we were thus tied to old Mary's cabin. They mustsee in their minds' eye Pierre and I foraging, or mentally be with uswhen we divided our scanty store of food, giving to the helpless ones inthe loft more than we took ourselves, for I cannot set all this down sothat another may see it clearly, without using so many words that themost patient reader would turn aside from the pages wearied.

  Therefore it is that I shall come directly to that evening so near theend of the siege when my Lord Cornwallis attempted to turn tail, leavingthe sick and wounded behind him as he strove to gain a shelter in NewYork.

  That forenoon Pierre and I had gone to the commissary's quarters whenthe rations were dealt out, and stood in line to receive our share, forduring the past few days there had been no question as to giving us acertain amount of food. We were most likely looked upon as village lads,and by this time my Lord Cornwallis had been forced to feed the citizensof York from the army stores, he having seized from those who had anabundance everything that might serve to satisfy hunger.

  Even I, thick-headed and dull of vision as I am, understood on thismorning that some change was near at hand. The red-coats were movinghere and there hurriedly, like bees whose hive has been disturbed. Therewas a great gathering of horses nearby the river bank, and among them,to my grief and anxiety, was my own colt Silver Heels; baggage wagonswere being drawn down to the shore, and officers rode to and fro in hothaste, seemingly giving little heed as to what might be going on in thefortifications.

  Half the buildings in the town had been taken possession of that theymight be used as hospitals for the poor wretches who had been wounded,and as we passed them on our way to the commissary's quarters I notedthat the surgeons were going from one to another as if having but littletime to spend. The British fire had slackened although the Americanscontinued to pour shot and bombs into the town in a half-hearted way,and one might almost have supposed they were getting short ofammunition.

  "Something of importance is going on here," I said decidedly when Pierreand I, having received what was supposed to be our proper amount ofrations, had set off as if to return to the cabin. "Do you note thatbaggage is being carried to the river, and the horses are tethere
dthere? Have you seen how hurriedly the surgeons were moving about,giving but scant heed to those who need their services most?"

  "All that I have seen," Pierre replied gravely, "and it would seem to methat the riddle may easily be read, even by you who claim to have noknowledge of military matters."

  "What do you mean?" I cried sharply. "What is it you read in thismovement, except, perhaps, that Cornwallis is making ready for anothersortie?"

  "Would he make ready for a sortie by moving his baggage to the river? Bygathering the horses there?" Pierre cried, speaking incautiously loud,and then lowering his voice to a whisper as he realized that the wordsmight carry far even despite the roaring of the American guns. "If itwas in his mind to strike a blow at our people would he be overhaulinghis baggage? Would not the horses be taken near to the front where theymight be used?"

  "What is it you mean?" I cried impatiently, not in the mood to waituntil Pierre had gotten ready to repeat after his own fashion that whichwas in his mind.

  "Do you remember that the Jerseyman said my Lord Cornwallis was makingready to run away?"

  Like a flash it came upon me. I remembered all that Morgan had said, andas it came to my mind everything unusual around me had its meaning asplain as the sun at noon-time.

  At last this general of the king who had boasted that he would come downand drive all the rebels out from Virginia, regardless of what that"French boy, Lafayette, might do," was making ready to run away--to runaway from those American soldiers whom the Britishers did not believecould fight, although certain it is they had good proof of it at BunkerHill in the colony of Massachusetts, and were they not getting moreproof now? Was there a red-coat in all our village of York who had notcome to realize, and would be willing to admit, that the so-calledrebels who fought under every disadvantage and bore patiently everysuffering, could stand at their guns as bravely as any who wore hismajesty's uniform?

  It was a moment when I was more proud than I have ever since been in mylife, proud of my people, not of myself, and with the pride came afeeling of sad disappointment because I had not been able to contributeanything to this downfall of the swaggering Britishers. I had hoped wemight enroll a full company of Minute Boys who despite their age wouldearn the right to serve as soldiers, and yet had I accomplished nothingsave coming into this village in the vain hope of being able to regainpossession of my horse, remaining here almost as much of a prisoner aseither Abel Hunt or Horry Sims.

  The news was too good to be kept to myself, and regarding not Pierre'smovements I ran at full speed back to old Mary's cabin, shouting as Iburst through the door:

  "The Britishers are getting ready to run away! Cornwallis has grownfrightened, and is giving up the fight!"

  "How know you that?" Saul cried sharply, seizing me by the shoulder asif forcing me to give proof, and at the same instant I heard theprisoners in the loft stirring as if in fear, while Horry Sims asked,although knowing full well his companion could not answer a question:

  "Do you believe it possible my Lord Cornwallis would really run away?"

  "He is getting ready to run away!" I shouted triumphantly. "Even now thebaggage is being carried to the river bank; all the spare horses aretethered there, and save for the few soldiers who are left in the works,there is no further heed being given to what our people are doing!"

  "Bress de Lawd! Bress de Lawd!" Uncle 'Rasmus cried in a fever ofecstasy. "I'se done been certain ole Marse would help dribe de red-coatsout ob Virginia; but I neber dreamed dey'd get so scared as to run away.Bress de Lawd! Bress de Lawd!"

  When Pierre joined us, and we were given over to joy and triumph theresuddenly came into my mind the thought that if my Lord Cornwallis didbeat a retreat speedily, and was not overtaken by our people, then wasSilver Heels lost to me forever. He could only leave the village of Yorkby crossing over to Gloucester and making hurried marches toward thePotomac River, and under such circumstances I knew that my dear littleSilver Heels could not hold out as would the seasoned steeds of thetroopers. She would be left by the roadside crippled, mayhap, and lingerthere until she died.

  Dearly though I loved the Cause, or thought I did, I was almostunwilling to pay such a price for victory as that this colt of mine,which had been carefully tended since she left her mother, should beabused as I knew she would be in event of a hurried retreat, and whenPierre asked in surprise what had happened to cast such a veil of gloomover my face, I gave words to the fear in my mind, whereupon he saidsoothingly, caressing my arm as was his wont, for the dear ladunderstood how near to my heart was that same little Silver Heels:

  "There are others nearabout, Fitz Hamilton, who can also make a hurriedmarch, and who knew the country better than do these under my LordCornwallis's command. Do you believe our people will remain idle and letthis army, which they have much the same as gotten under their thumbs,slip away?"

  "But the Britishers will have the start of them before they know whathas been done. Give Cornwallis twelve hours' advantage and travelinglight as I doubt not he intends to do, there is every chance he can makegood his escape."

  "But he will not have twelve hours the start!" Pierre cried sharply. "Doyou count that we who call ourselves Minute Boys will linger here onemoment after those red-coats have set off for the Gloucester shore? Doyou fancy we will have no part to play? The moment the troops have beenwithdrawn from the fortifications so that a fellow may cross the lineswithout bringing down a shower of bullets upon him, each of us threewill set out at full speed, regardless of the danger, for our ownfriends may fire upon us ignorant of our intentions. We must get word tothe American forces before the last of my Lord Cornwallis's army haspassed out of Gloucester."

  "But how shall we know when the Britishers have been drawn from thefortifications?"

  "By watching them, lad!" Pierre cried eagerly. "By watching them! Do youcount that from this moment on we shall do anything save watch them? Iwould almost be willing to let Abel Hunt go free so we might beunhampered, for while the red-coats are getting ready to retreat theywill give little heed to any information such as he can give them. Butit may be well to hold him until night-fall, and then the three of us,each going in a different direction, must keep sharp watch over all thatis being done, ready to make a break for our lines at the first momentwe are certain the enemy has fled."

  The lad's tone, equally with his words, was well calculated to stir theblood, and as I saw in the future a possibility that Silver Heels mightyet be reclaimed by me, I ceased to mourn her as being lost forever, butgave all my thoughts to the triumph which awaited our people.

  We were talking loudly, having ceased to be cautious in speech becausethe roar of the guns drowned all other sounds, and were giving noisyvoice to our joy when Uncle 'Rasmus suddenly cried from his seat at thewindow, where he had stood watch, so to speak, all the dreary time wehad been in the besieged village:

  "Hol' on dar, chillun; hol' on dar! Here comes a crowd ob red-coats!"

  "Coming for us?" Saul cried nervously, and I am ashamed to say that thesuggestion caused my knees to tremble, even though had I stopped toreflect upon the matter I would have understood that at such a time asthis, when he was in sore straits, my Lord Cornwallis would not troublehimself about three boys and an old negro who were where they could notdo him harm however much they so desired.

  As a matter of course we crowded to the window near where Uncle 'Rasmussat, and there saw a group of nine men, powder-stained and evidentlywearied from work in the trenches, halt within less than twenty yards ofthe cabin door where they threw themselves down upon the ground,evidently for no other purpose than to gain a needed rest.

  "It is nothing," Pierre said, again quickly reading the signs. "Thesemen are becoming discouraged, most like having an inkling of what theirofficers count on doing, and have deliberately come out of the trencheswithout permission, to take such ease as can be found to-day for ared-coat in the town of York."

  We watched the men curiously, and for my part with a certain sense ofexultation b
ecause I fancied they knew the fate which was in store forthem. They were all armed, fully accoutered, and should have been attheir posts, as I understood.

  After their arrival we talked more guardedly, but not the lesstriumphantly regarding what we would do, and little Frenchie explainedhow one of us might cross the lines at this point, the second atanother, and the third elsewhere, so there might be no delay in gettingnews to an officer of our army immediately we were positive Cornwallishad drawn off his forces.

  We ceased to pay any particular heed to these idle soldiers who wereneglecting their duty, until there came to our ears shrieks of agonylike to chill the blood in one's veins, followed by groans and moansfrom that group of idlers.

  We soon came to understand that a shot from the American lines had justmissed crashing into old Mary's cabin at the very point where we weregathered, and plowed its way through that little company of men, maimingor killing every one.

  It was a gruesome sight, from which I turned with my hands over my earsthat I might neither see nor hear, and trembling in every limb withsheer pity though these who had been thus suddenly hurled into eternitywould have killed me without wincing.

  I had believed I was hardened to scenes of war; familiarity withsuffering, with wounds and death such as we had had around us all thesedays, prevented me from giving away to feelings of pity; but now was Ishocked even as if this was the first shedding of human blood I had everseen.

  It was Pierre Laurens who aroused me from the stupor of horror byshaking my arm as he said stoutly:

  "Come, lad, with me; we must not miss such an opportunity!"

  "Opportunity for what?" I cried, neither turning nor taking my handsfrom my ears save sufficiently to hear his voice.

  "Here is a chance for us to arm ourselves. These soldiers who werekilled, and seemingly there are only two alive although they are muchthe same as dying, were fully accoutered, and we must have so many oftheir muskets and so much of their ammunition as will serve if it shouldbecome necessary to protect ourselves."

  "Why have we need to protect ourselves now that the Britishers areturning tail?" I asked in dull surprise, but I took my hands from myears and wheeled about, knowing that if little Frenchie commanded me todo this or that I would obey if it lay within my power.

  "When the red-coats begin their retreat our time of danger has passed, Ibelieve," the lad said, speaking gravely and clutching me by the arm toinsure my close attention. "You can see that these soldiers who havejust met their death threw off all restraint; were insubordinate,believing the end near at hand, and if such be the case at this earlyhour, what may happen when the main body of the troops have embarked forGloucester Point? We must hold ourselves at liberty to carry the news toour people at the earliest possible moment, and that can best be done bygetting in shape to defend ourselves. It is as if heaven itself had sentus these weapons, and we would be little less than idiots if we failedto take advantage of that which has come at such a seasonable time!"

  I did not believe Pierre was in the right when he said we might be ableto defend ourselves. I had in mind that instantly the retreat was begunall the red-coated men would hasten upon the heels of their comradeslest they be left behind; but fortunately, as I came to understandlater, I did not protest against following Pierre out of the cabin,although my stomach revolted when we were come to that scene ofslaughter.

  By this time only one of the men was yet alive, and he so far gone intothe Beyond that it was a question whether he remained conscious of hissurroundings.

  The squad had thrown their muskets down in a pile near where they werelounging, and I picked up four of the weapons, hurrying back to thecabin with them, hoping that while I was gone Pierre would set aboutobtaining the ammunition, for my heart grew faint as I thought ofmeddling with those lifeless bodies for the purpose of taking away thatwhich was upon them.

  "Put dem under de floor, honey, whar I stowed Horry Sims," Uncle 'Rasmussaid as he raised the puncheon plank.

  So stupid was I even then, that I mentally laughed at the idea of takingsuch precautions when the end had come so near that it was almost as ifwe were within speaking distance of our friends; but I did as the oldnegro suggested, and went back for another load, although why it shouldhave been in my mind that we might need more than sufficient to armourselves I cannot well explain.

  When I returned to that scene of carnage Pierre had already gathered agoodly assortment of accouterments from those men whose bodies had notbeen mangled, for even he shrank from dyeing his hands with blood.

  Well, in short, we gathered all the weapons, ammunition andaccouterments that could be come at handily, depositing our burdensbeneath the puncheon planks where were the muskets, and when the taskwas finished I turned upon little Frenchie, feeling almost angry becauseof having been engaged in such gruesome work, as I said:

  "So far as we ourselves are concerned it has been labor lost to bringthese things here. If so be I am making my way across the lines to-nightto carry the tidings that Cornwallis has fled. I shall travel withoutencumbrance; even the Jerseyman's pistol will be useless while no enemyremains in the rear."

  "All that is very well," little Frenchie said with a shrug of theshoulders; "but before the last of the army has gone muskets may serveus in good stead, and even though the need does not arise, it is betterwe should be prepared, than taken at a disadvantage which might cost ourpeople dearly."

  The sudden taking off of so many men directly before our eyes, and theknowledge that if the cannon ball had inclined ever so slightly towardthe east, we, instead of them, would have gone out from this worldforever, served not to dampen our joy and triumph, but to cast a veilover it, as you might say, so that we spoke in whispers, and did notindulge in mirth; but carried ourselves much as people do in thepresence of the dead.

  There was no good reason why all of us lads should linger in the cabin,and every cause for us to go forth to keep an eye over the enemy,therefore when I said that it stood us in hand to know what was goingon, even at the expense of losing our breakfast which was not yetcooked, Pierre, seemingly having grown careless, insisted that Saulshould come with us.

  "While our people are working their guns so lively there is no dangerthose fellows in the loft can make themselves heard, and even thoughthey did cry for help, I do not believe any of the king's troops wouldspend time to go to their assistance, therefore we will leave them asthey are."

  This did not seem to me consistent with little Pierre's caution when hegathered up the muskets, insisting on taking twice as many as we coulduse; but I held my peace, because, as I have already set down again andagain, he had shown himself so much the better lad than I under suchcircumstances, that it was not for me to say him yea or nay.