by John V. Lane
CHAPTER XXI
VIRGINIANS LEARNING TO SHOOT BRITISH TROOPS
Rodney's duties took him to Philadelphia during the ContinentalCongress. There he saw Washington, a delegate from Virginia and cladin his uniform, for he knew war must come, and that warlike dressproclaimed his belief more loudly than his voice. There also were theAdamses, from Massachusetts, Samuel and John, the latter a wise,shrewd organizer determined to have all the colonies, especially thesouthern, committed to the revolution he saw approaching. In thiseffort he used his influence, not for John Hancock of Massachusetts,who coveted the place of commander-in-chief, but for GeorgeWashington, who the day after the battle of Bunker Hill was chosen andmodestly accepted with the proviso that he should receive no pay forhis services. There, also, came Benjamin Franklin, just returned fromEngland and convinced nothing remained but war; and there, too, wasJefferson, likewise certain the time had come for the colonies todeclare their independence of England.
Rodney's boyish prejudices were in favour of everything Jefferson did,and he was impatient with those, and they were the greater number, whowished to delay decisive action in the hope of conciliation. Thisprejudice extended to the Quakers in their broad-brimmed hats, nearlyall of whom were opposed to war.
Boys are usually impatient, unable to work and wait and keep working,as the wise men of that Congress were doing.
The boy had but part of two days in the city, which was the first hehad seen and consequently full of interest; so he did not call onLisbeth, indeed, had there been plenty of time he would have hesitatedin his rough dress of homespun to have presented himself before heraristocratic friends.
The day he turned Nat's nose in the direction of Virginia a young manrode alongside and said, "Why, this is an unexpected pleasure, if as Isuspect, you are on your way home."
He was Lawrence Enderwood. Rodney's reply was almost surly, as severalreasons for Enderwood's presence in Philadelphia flashed through hismind.
"I'm not going directly home but by way of Williamsburg. I live inAlbemarle County."
"I, too, am riding by way of Williamsburg, and if you have noobjections to my company should be delighted to join you. It is a longride."
Rodney could offer no objections, indeed, as they went on, he foundhis companion a very agreeable one, notwithstanding that in course ofthe conversation it appeared that Lawrence had seen Lisbeth.
"She is very gay, seems to be absorbed in the gaieties and social lifeso that she has little time for anything else." Somehow this remark ofEnderwood, spoken rather impatiently, afforded Rodney a littlecomfort, though he hardly could have explained it.
On arriving at Williamsburg, they found the little town well filled,for Governor Dunmore had convened the House of Burgesses to listen toLord North's plans for conciliation.
"'Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed by a kiss,'" quoted Rodney, andLawrence laughingly replied, "Patrick Henry has a way of saying thingsso the people remember them."
"I'll wager they remember that and turn Lord North down with a slam."
"It's evident to me you are for war, Rodney."
"Aren't you?"
"Yes, er--I suppose I am, but it isn't pleasant to think of losingone's estate if not his neck, all of which is possible. The businessmen of Philadelphia are pretty long-headed, and most of them believeEngland will win in the end and that the war will be most destructiveof property."
"Surely Washington and Jefferson have estates to lose."
"Oh, I reckon we're in for it, and my father says when there'ssomething to do, do it."
As was expected, the House of Burgesses would have nothing to do withthe kind of conciliation proposed. The people were restless andDunmore, fearing them, left his "palace" and went aboard a Britishvessel and ordered that the bills be sent to him for signature. He waspolitely informed that if he signed them he would have to return,which he did not do. Then the Burgesses adjourned to October,appointing a permanent committee to have charge of colonial affairs,and that committee appointed Patrick Henry to command of the colonialtroops.
Rodney's visits to Charlottesville were brief and it seemed that hisabsence worried his mother. The latter part of October he was sent toNorfolk, where Dunmore proposed to establish his headquarters. As ithappened, he fell in with the troops which Colonel Woodford had beenordered to lead to the relief of the village of Hampton, and waspresent at the attack on the place and took part in the defence.
In this encounter the marksmanship of the Virginians decided thematter, for, when the ships approached the town and commenced tobombard it, the riflemen picked off the gunners and drove them fromtheir cannon and then, when they tried to work their sails so as toescape, the Virginians shot them out of the rigging. Although the townwas damaged by the bombardment, the defenders escaped serious injury,though the sensations of being under fire afforded many of thedefenders their first taste of war.
On leaving Lawrence Enderwood, the previous summer, Rodney hadpromised to pay him a visit at the first opportunity. Indeed, mutualliking had resulted from their journey from Philadelphia. Here was theopportunity, and young Allison accepted it.
He found Lawrence at home, managing the plantation in the absence ofhis father in England. It was a delightful old place, having been inthe Enderwood family for four generations. The house reminded him of"The Hall" and, being a privileged guest, he enjoyed all the luxurieswhich the old Virginia plantation could afford. He rode after thehounds, Nat acquitting himself so well that Lawrence offered a roundsum for him.
"I'd sell my shirt from my back before I would that horse," Rodneyreplied.
There was good shooting, and Allison excelled his host. His trainingwith the Indians stood him in good stead. He made a bow and arrows forLawrence's younger brother, such as Ahneota, himself, would haveapproved, and when it came time for him to depart he was sorry toleave.
"There'll be ructions over Norfolk way and I'm going to ride over withyou," said Lawrence, the morning Rodney was making preparations forleaving.
"That's good news and makes it less hard for me to go away."
They set out about eight in the morning. The sunshine was brilliantand the air cool and invigorating. Here and there in the landscapewere faint bits of green untouched by the frost. As they rode alongthey learned that the people were almost in a panic, fearingDunmore's marauders, who had been pillaging and burning in the countybelow.
"That man is only arousing the people and accomplishing no good," saidLawrence. "He declares he will rule the colony and at the same timeinduces the negroes to revolt. That very act drives every Virginian,not under British protection, into the ranks of the so-called rebels.They realize that, while the negroes won't do any effective fighting,they may, in a fury of resentment, cause great damage and imperil thelives of hundreds of families."
"I think the poor governors England has sent over here have had muchto do with the colonies' rebelling. Hark! I hear horses at thegallop."
As he spoke, nearly a dozen mounted men, several of them in Britishuniforms, came around the corner about sixty rods behind them.
"Dunmore's marauders!" exclaimed Lawrence. "Let's get out of here."
Their horses had both speed and "bottom" and besides were fresh, sothat the chances were in favour of the young Virginians. The troopersbehind spurred after them, however, and evidently were determined ontheir capture.
As Lawrence and Rodney approached a plantation near the road, they sawflames leap up from the hay ricks, and the next instant two mountedmen rode out on the main highway.
"Those are Britishers, sent ahead," exclaimed Lawrence.
"There's nothing for us but to go ahead," said Rodney, passing one ofhis two pistols over to Lawrence.
"I'm with you to the finish," replied the latter, his face very grimand determined.
"Halt!" cried one of the marauders, who waved a sword as if to enforcehis authority.
"Get out of the way. We are on our own business!" cried Rodney.
The second ma
rauder lifted his pistol, but Rodney anticipated him witha quick shot which brought the man's arm down, while the pistolclattered to the road.
"That's a lucky shot," thought the boy.
His companion was not so lucky; he had fired and missed his opponent,who rode forward with drawn sword evidently resolved on cutting himdown.
Rodney seized his pistol by the barrel and hurled it straight for thetrooper's head and hit the mark squarely, the man pitching out of hissaddle like a log! Not in vain had been those hours the boy had spentwith Conrad learning to throw the tomahawk.
"I'll buy you the finest pistols in Norfolk if we ever get there,"said Lawrence, thus expressing the gratitude he felt.
Having distanced their pursuers, the remainder of their journey waswithout incident; but from report of conditions in Norfolk, whereDunmore had seized Mr. Holt's printing press and was enforcing martiallaw so far as he could, they decided it was not a safe place for themto visit and turned aside to join the volunteers they heard wereapproaching under command of Colonel Woodford, who had done such goodservice at Hampton.
Dunmore also had heard of the approach of the Culpeper men, andresolved to keep them at a distance from Norfolk.
Knowing that they would have to cross what was known as Great Bridge,about nine miles from Norfolk, he forwarded troops under CaptainsFordyce and Leslie to check the Virginians at the bridge.
The British had thrown up earthworks at the Norfolk end of the bridgewhen the Americans arrived. The latter built an entrenchment at theirend of the bridge. Lieutenant Travis with nearly one hundred menoccupied this, while Woodford, with the remainder of the Virginianforces, was stationed at a church about four hundred yards distant,when the British came across the bridge to make an attack. The Britishfired as they approached, while their two field pieces in the rearkept up a cannonade.
Travis ordered his men to withhold their fire until the enemy shouldalmost reach the entrenchments. Captain Fordyce took this to mean thatthe Americans had deserted the breastworks and waved his hat inanticipation of victory. Then the Americans, who had been lying down,rose and poured a deadly fire into the ranks of the enemy, and Fordycewas among the first to fall.
Captain Leslie now came to the support of Fordyce's men, and ColonelWoodford led his men forward to support Travis, while Colonel Stevensled a body of men, with whom were Enderwood and Allison, to attack theBritish on the flank.
For a few minutes the skirmish was hot. The British fought doggedly,as many believed what Dunmore had told them, that if captured theVirginians would scalp them. Rodney received a light flesh wound, butmost of the Americans escaped uninjured, while several of the enemywere killed.
All this seems very tame in the telling, but to those who took part inthe engagement it was most exciting and the Americans were jubilant,for they had met the British troops and driven them!
For several days reinforcements poured in from the different parts ofVirginia, and five days later Colonel Woodford marched his men toNorfolk.
Lord Dunmore decided he could not oppose him, so withdrew aboard hisships.
"Here are the pistols," said Lawrence the next day, presenting Rodneywith a handsome pair with silver mounted handles.
"Thank you; they are beauties. I hope you bought a brace of them foryourself as well. You are likely to need them."
The following day both left for their homes, parting the best offriends and planning to meet again.
As for Dunmore, his career in America was drawing to a close, thoughhe was able to do more mischief.
Provisions getting scarce, and the riflemen in the city annoying theBritish, he sent word that unless this firing was stopped andprovisions furnished he would burn the town. His threat was defiedand, on another ship joining Dunmore, he sent a force ashore to starta conflagration. In this way much of the thriving town of nearly sixthousand inhabitants was burned; what buildings escaped were burnedlater by the Americans to prevent their occupation by the British.
Later, Dunmore left and established barracks on Gwyn's Island inChesapeake Bay, whence he was driven the following July by that grimold fighter, General Andrew Lewis, who had wanted to fight him out onthe Pickaway Plains, during the Indian war.
When Rodney reached Charlottesville he found his mother sick withfever. Without hesitation he gave up his employment and remained tocare for her. For many months she was almost helpless.
The change from the excitement of his previous occupation to themonotony of home--Angus had joined the army--sorely tried Rodney'spatience.
The previous summer Morgan had marched his riflemen to Boston and soonit was reported that, under Benedict Arnold, he had gone by way of theKennebec River, to attack Quebec. Since then nothing had been learnedof him and his gallant men.
General Washington was trying to make an army out of the mob ofpatriots he found awaiting him outside Boston, but as yet it did notappear that any headway was being made toward dislodging the Britishfrom the town.
Spring came and with it report of the evacuation of Boston; then newsof the defeat of the Americans in Canada. Morgan had been captured andwas a prisoner within the walls of Quebec. Later, tidings came ofWashington's march on New York.
May 6, 1776, one hundred and thirty of the representative men of theOld Dominion, in convention assembled, declared that the king andParliament had disregarded the constitution of the colony, whichaccordingly was free to exercise such independence as it might be ableto maintain. Nine days later they instructed the colony's delegates inthe Continental Congress to vote for independence, and the flag ofEngland fluttered down from the capitol building. By doing thesethings every one of them exposed his neck to the British halter; butthey were virile men, who had arrived at the parting of the ways.
A few weeks later the Declaration of Independence, written by ThomasJefferson, was proclaimed throughout the land amid great rejoicing.Then the country settled down to its grim task. What a task it was!Many times it seemed that the poor, thinly populated land might endureno longer. England was a very powerful foe, feared throughout theworld. Not all Americans were patriots. Some were Tories on principle,others for gain. Very many were selfish and not a few corrupt; butenough so loved their country and independence as to endure andstruggle unto the glorious end.