Horse-Shoe Robinson: A Tale of the Tory Ascendency

by John Pendleton Kennedy

  CHAPTER XXVIII.

  BUTLER'S DIFFICULTIES INCREASE.--INNIS FINDS OCCASION TO THINK OF THEADAGE--"THERE'S MANY A SLIP BETWIXT THE CUP AND THE LIP."

  When Arthur Butler was conducted back to his place of confinement, afterhis trial, orders were given that no one should be allowed to approachhim, except the officer to whom was intrusted his safe custody. Theintercourse of this person with him was short; and concerned only withthe scant accommodation which his condition required. He was, therefore,deprived of all chance of becoming acquainted with the extraordinaryevents that had led to his present respite from death. In theinterrogations that had, during the first moments of excitement, beenput to him, in regard to the letter, he was not told its import; fromwhat quarter it had come; nor how it affected his fate. He only knew, bythe result, that it had suspended the purpose of his immediateexecution; and he saw that it had produced great agitation athead-quarters. He found, moreover, that this, or some other cause, hadengendered a degree of exasperation against him, that showed itself inthe retrenchment of his comforts, and in the augmented rigor of hisconfinement.

  Agitated with a thousand doubts, his mind was too busy to permit him toclose his eyes during the night that followed; and in this wakefulsuspense he could sometimes hear, amongst the occasional ramblers whopassed under his window, an allusion, in their conversation, to avictory gained over the royal troops. Coupling this with the name ofSumpter, which was now and then uttered with some adjective ofdisparagement, he conjectured that Horse Shoe had probably fallen inwith that partisan, and was, peradventure, leading him to this vicinity.But this conclusion was combated by the fact that there seemed to be noalarm in the camp, nor any preparations on foot either for instantbattle or retreat. Then the letter--that was a mystery altogetherimpenetrable. There was only one point upon which his mind could restwith satisfaction: of that he was sure--Horse Shoe was certainly at thebottom of the scheme, and was active in his behalf.

  The whole of the next day passed over in the same state of uncertainty.It was observed by Butler, with some stress upon the circumstance, thatCaptain St. Jermyn, who had heretofore evinced a disposition to makehimself busy in his behalf, had absented himself ever since the trial;and he thus felt himself cut off from the slightest exhibition ofsympathy on the part of a single individual in the multitude of fellowbeings near him. Indeed, there were various indications of a generalpersonal ill-will against him. The house, in which he was confined, wasso constructed that he could frequently hear such expressions, in theconferences of those who inhabited the rooms below stairs, as wereuttered above the lower key of conversation, and these boded him nogood. Once, during the day, Colonel Innis visited him. This officer'scountenance was severe, and indicated anger. His purpose was to extortsomething from the prisoner in reference to his supposed knowledge ofthe course of operations of Sumpter, from whose camp Innis did not doubtthis letter regarding St. Jermyn had come. He spoke in a short, quick,and peremptory tone:

  "It may be well for you," he said, "that your friends do not too rashlybrave my authority. Let me advise you to warn them that others may fallinto our hands; and that if the ensign be not delivered up, there may bea dreadful retaliation."

  "I know not, sir, of what or whom you speak," replied Butler; "and it isdue to my honor to say, that I will not be induced, for the sake ofsaving my life, to interfere with any operations which the soldiers ofCongress may have undertaken in the cause of the country. In thissentiment I admonish Colonel Innis that I desire to be put in possessionof no facts from him that may be communicated under such an expectation.And having made this determination known to you, I will add to it that,from the same motives, I will answer no questions you can propose to me.You may spare yourself, therefore, the useless labor of this visit. Mylife is in your hands, and I have already experienced with what justiceand clemency you will use your power when you dare."

  "A more humble tone," said Innis, with a bitter smile, "I think wouldbetter suit your circumstances." And with this remark the commandanthaughtily walked out of the apartment.

  The next morning, whilst Butler was taking his breakfast, which had beenbrought to him by one of the soldiers of the guard, he heard a loudcheering from the troops that at that hour were on parade in the plain.This was followed by the discharge of a _feu de joie_ from the wholeline, and a flourish of drums and trumpets.

  "What is that?" he inquired eagerly of the soldier, who, forgetful, inthe excitement of the moment, of the order to restrain his intercoursewith the prisoner, answered--

  "They have just got the news from Camden: two days ago Cornwallisdefeated Gates, and cut his army to pieces. The troops are rejoicing forthe victory, and have just had the despatches read."

  Butler heaved a deep sigh, as he said, "Then all is lost, and liberty isbut a name! I feared it; God knows, I feared it."

  The soldier was recalled to his duty by the sentinel at the door, andButler was again left alone.

  This was a day of crowding events. The tidings of the battle of Camden,gained on the sixteenth, and which had early this morning reached Innis,threw a spirit of the highest exultation into the camp. The event wasconsidered decisive of the fate of the rebel power; and the mostextravagant anticipations were indulged by the loyalists, in regard tothe complete subjugation of the Whigs of the southern provinces. Thework of confiscation was to be carried out to the most bitter extreme,and the adherents of the royal government were to grow rich upon thespoils of victory. The soldiers of Innis were permitted to give way touncontrolled revelry; and, from the first promulgation of the news, thisbecame a day devoted to rejoicings. Innis himself looked upon thevictory at Camden with more satisfaction, as it gave him reason tobelieve that the sentence pronounced against Butler might be executed,without fear of vengeance threatened against the Ensign St. Jermyn. Hewas, however, exceedingly anxious to see this young officer releasedfrom the hands of the enemy; and had determined to respect the threatas long as there was any doubt that it might be performed. The personalconsideration of Captain St. Jermyn, his station as an officer ofimportance, and, above all, the great influence of his family, in theesteem of the royal leaders, made it an object of deep concern to Innisto save the ensign, by the most scrupulous regard to his presentdifficulties. His power to do so seemed to be much increased by the latevictory.

  In the afternoon of the same day, further rumors were brought to Innis'scamp, importing that Sumpter had been attacked on that morning upon theCatawba, by Tarleton, and completely routed. The prisoners and baggage,taken on the fifteenth, had been regained, and Sumpter was flying withthe scattered remnant of his troops towards North Carolina. At the sametime an order was brought to Innis to break up his camp and movenorthwards. This only added to the shouts and rejoicings of the troops,and drove them into deeper excesses. The war, they thought, was comingrapidly to an end, and they already anticipated this conclusion, bythrowing off the irksomeness of military restraint. The officers weregathered into gossiping and convivial circles; and laughed, inunrestrained feelings of triumph, at the posture of affairs. The privatesoldiers, on their part, imitated their leaders, and formed themselvesinto knots and groups, where they caroused over their cups, danced, andsang. All was frolic and merriment.

  In the midst of this festivity, a portion of Connelly's troopers, whohad now been absent forty-eight hours, arrived, and made an immediatereport to Innis. The purport of this was, that they had found Ensign St.Jermyn in the possession of a detachment of Whig cavalry near theSaluda: as soon as they descried him, which they did, some three hundredpaces distant, knowing him by his scarlet uniform, they prepared toattack this party of Whigs; but the ensign perceiving his friends athand, had already, by a brave effort, disentangled himself from hiskeepers, and taken off into the open field. The scouts, therefore,instead of attacking the Whigs, directed all their attention to securethe ensign's retreat, by holding themselves ready to check the pursuit:their manoeuvre had been successful, and the prisoner was free.

  "And is now with
you in the camp, my brave fellows?" said Innis, withgreat exultation.

  "Not yet," replied the sergeant of the squad. "He is upon the road, andwill, no doubt, soon be here. We have not seen him since his escape.Whilst we hung back, with a view to favor his retreat, we fell in with aparty that we took to be the escort that had made him prisoner; and asthey outnumbered us, we thought it prudent to decline a skirmish withthem. So we filed off and made our way back to head quarters. The ensignmust have been a good mile ahead of us, and as the road is hard to find,he may have lost his way. But this is certain, we saw him clear of theWhigs, with his horse's head turned towards this camp."

  "Thank you, good friends," said Innis; "you have performed your dutyhandsomely. Go to your comrades; they have news for you, and an extraallowance to-day. Faith, Ker, this is a day for settling old accounts,"he continued, as he turned and addressed an officer by his side. "Gatesbeaten, Sumpter beaten, and Ensign St. Jermyn delivered from captivity!That looks well! And now I have another account, which shall be settledon the nail. Stirring times, Captain St. Jermyn. I congratulate you, myfriend, on your brother's safety, and mean to signalize the event as itdeserves. Major Frazer, bring out your prisoner, and let him die thedeath punctually at sundown--at sundown, to the minute, major. We mustget that job off our hands. To-morrow, my friends, we shall move towardsCatawba, and thence to Hanging Rock. Meantime, we must sweep up ourrubbish. So, major, look to your duty! It might as well have been doneat first," he added, speaking to himself, as he walked away from thegroup of officers to look after other affairs.

  The execution of Butler was now regarded as a mere matter of business,and to be despatched as one item of duty amongst the thousand othersthat were to be looked after in the hurry of breaking up the post. Theinterest of the trial had faded away by the lapse of time, and in themore predominating excitements which the absorbing character of the lateevents had afforded. The preparations for this ceremony were, therefore,attended with no display, and scarcely seemed to arouse inquiry amongstthe soldiers of the camp. It was treated in all respects as asubordinate point of police. Ten files were detailed; one drum and fifeput in requisition; and this party, attended by Frazer, and two or threeofficers who happened to be near at the moment, marched with a carelessstep to head-quarters.

  The first announcement of this sudden resolve was made to the prisonerby a subaltern; who, without prelude or apology, or the least effort tomitigate the harshness of the order he bore, walked abruptly into thechamber and delivered the message of his superior.

  "It is a sudden proceeding," said Butler, calmly; "but your pleasuremust be obeyed."

  "You have had two days to think of it," replied the officer; "it is notoften so much time is allowed. Ensign St. Jermyn, sir, is safe, and thatis all we waited for. We march to-morrow, and therefore have no time tolose. You are waited for below."

  Butler stood a moment with his hand pressed upon his brow, and thenmuttered,

  "It is even so; our unhappy country is lost, and the reign of blood isbut begun. I would ask the poor favor of a moment's delay, and theprivilege of pen, ink, and paper, whilst I write but a line to afriend."

  "Impossible, sir," said the man. "Time is precious, and our orders arepositive."

  "This is like the rest," answered Butler; "I submit." Then buttoning hiscoat across his breast, he left the room with a firm and composed step.

  When he reached the door the first person who met his eye was CaptainSt. Jermyn. There was an expression of formal gravity in the manner ofthis officer, as he accosted the prisoner, and lamented the rigor of thefate that awaited him. And it was somewhat with a cold and politecivility that he communicated his readiness to attend to any requestwhich Butler, in his last moments, might wish to have performed.

  Butler thanked him for his solicitude, and then said, "I askedpermission to write to a friend; that has been denied. I feel reluctantto expose myself to another refusal. You have taken a slight interest inmy sufferings, and I will, therefore, confide to you a simple wish,which it will not cost my persecutors much to gratify. It is that I maybe taken to my grave, dressed as you see me now. I would not have myperson stripped or plundered."

  "If you have valuables about you, sir, trust them to my keeping; Ipromise you they shall be faithfully delivered according to your wish."

  "What money there is about my person," replied Butler, "may be given tothe soldiers who are compelled to execute this harsh and unjust sentenceon my person; but I have a trinket," he said, drawing from his bosom aminiature, which was suspended by a ribbon, "it is the gift ofone,"--here, for the first time, a tear started into Butler's eye, andhis power of utterance failed him.

  "I understand, sir," said St. Jermyn, eagerly reaching out his hand totake the picture, "I will seek the lady, at whatever hazard"--

  "No," answered the unfortunate officer, "it must be buried with me. Ithas dwelt here," he added with emotion, as he placed his hand upon hisheart, "and here it must sleep in death."

  "On the honor of a soldier," said St. Jermyn, "I promise you its restshall not be violated."

  "You will attend me?"

  "I will."

  "Lead on," said the prisoner, stepping to the place assigned him in theranks. "I seek no further delay."

  "March down the river, half a mile below the camp," said Innis, who nowcame up, as the escort had begun its progress towards the place ofexecution. And the soldiers moved slowly, with the customary funeralobservances, in a direction that led across the whole extent of theplain.

  When this little detachment had disappeared on the further side of thefield, a sudden commotion arose at head-quarters by the hasty arrival ofa mounted patrol--

  "We are followed!" cried the leading horseman, in great perturbation."They will be here in an instant! We have been pressed by them for thelast two miles."

  "Of whom do you speak?" inquired Innis, eagerly.

  "The enemy! the enemy!" vociferated several voices.

  At the same moment a cloud of dust was seen rising above the trees, inthe direction of the road leading up the Ennoree.

  "To arms--to arms!" ejaculated the commander. "Gentlemen, spring to yourhorses, and sound the alarm through the camp--we are set upon bySumpter--it can be no other. Curry, take a few dragoons--follow theprisoner--mount him behind one of your men, and retreat with himinstantly to Blackstock's!"

  Having given these hasty orders, Innis, with the several officers whohappened to be at hand, ran to their horses, mounted, and pushed forwardto the camp. They had scarcely left their quarters before two dragoons,in advance of a party of twenty or thirty men, rushed up to the door.

  "Sarch the house!" shouted the leading soldier. "Three or four of youdismount and sarch the house! Make sure of Major Butler, if he is there!The rest of you forward with me!"

  The delay before head-quarters scarcely occupied a moment, and in themeantime the number of the assailants was increased by the squadronsthat poured in from the rear. These were led by a young officer of greatactivity and courage, who, seeing the disordered condition of theroyalists, waved his sword in the air as he beckoned his men to followhim in a charge upon the camp.

  The advanced party, with the two dragoons, were already on the fieldcharging the first body that they found assembled; and, close behindthem, followed Colonel Williams--the officer of whom I have spoken--witha large division of cavalry. At the same moment that Williams enteredupon the plain from this quarter, a second and third corps, ledrespectively by Shelby and Clarke, were seen galloping upon the twoflanks of the encampment.

  The plain was now occupied by about two hundred Whig cavalry. Theroyalists, taken by surprise, over their cups it may be said, and in themidst of a riotous festival, were everywhere thrown into the wildestconfusion. Such of them as succeeded in gaining their arms, took postbehind the trees, and kept up an irregular fire upon the assailants.Colonel Innis had succeeded in getting together about a hundred men at aremote corner of his camp, and had now formed them into a solid columnto resi
st the attack of the cavalry, whilst from this body he pouredforth a few desultory volleys of musketry, hoping to gain time tocollect the scattered forces that were in various points endeavoring tofind their proper station. Horse Shoe Robinson and John Ramsay--the twoforemost in the advance--were to be discovered pushing through thesundered groups of the enemy with a restless and desperate valor thatnothing could withstand.

  "Cut them down," cried Horse Shoe, "without marcy! remember theWaxhaws!" And he accompanied his exhortation with the most vehement anddecisive action, striking down, with a huge sabre, all who opposed hisway.

  Meantime, Colonel Williams and his comrades charged the column formed byInnis, and, in a few moments, succeeded in riding through the array andcompelling them to a total rout. Robinson and Ramsay, side by side,mingled in this charge, and were seen in the thickest of the fight.Innis, finding all efforts to maintain his ground ineffectual, turnedhis horse towards Musgrove's mill, and fled as fast as spur and swordcould urge the animal forward. The sergeant, however, had marked him forhis prize, and following as fleetly as the trusty Captain Peter was ableto carry him, soon came up with the fugitive officer, and, with onebroad sweep of his sword, dislodged him from his saddle and left himbleeding on the ground. Turning again towards the field, his quick eyediscerned the unwieldy bulk of Hugh Habershaw. The gross captain had, inthe hurry of the assault, been unable to reach his horse; and, in thefirst moments of danger, had taken refuge in one of the little shedswhich had been constructed for the accommodation of the soldiers. As thebattle waxed hot in the neighborhood of his retreat, he had crept forthfrom his den and was making the best of his way to an adjoiningcornfield. He was bare-headed, and his bald crown, as the slanting raysof the evening sun fell upon it, glistened like a gilded globe. The wellknown figure no sooner occurred to the sergeant's view than he rode offin pursuit. The cornfield was bounded by a fence, and the burly braggarthad just succeeded in reaching it when his enemy overtook him.

  "Have mercy, good Mr. Horse Shoe, have mercy on a defenceless man!"screamed the runaway, in a voice discordant with terror, as he stoppedat the fence, which he was unable to mount, and looked back upon hispursuer. "Remember the good-will I showed you when you was a prisoner!Quarter, quarter--for God's sake, quarter!"

  "You get no quarter from me, you cursed blood-lapper!" exclaimed HorseShoe, excited to a rage that seldom visited his breast; "think ofGrindall's Ford!" and at the same instant he struck a heavy downwardblow, with such sheer descent, that it clove the skull of the perfidiousfreebooter clean through to the spine. "I have sworn your death," saidthe sergeant, "even if I catch you asleep in your bed, and right fairlyhave you earned it."

  The body fell into a bed of mire, which had been the resort of theneighboring swine; and, leaving it in this foul plight, Horse Shoehastened back to rejoin his comrades.

  The battle now ended in the complete route of the enemy. Williams'sfirst care, after the day was won, was to collect his men and to securehis prisoners. Many of the Tories had escaped; many were killed andwounded; but of Butler no tidings could be gained; he had disappearedfrom the field before the fight began, and all the information that theprisoners could give was that orders had been sent to remove him fromthe neighborhood. Colonel Innis was badly wounded, and in no conditionto speak with his conquerors; he was sent, with several other disabledofficers, to head-quarters. Captain St. Jermyn had fled, with most ofthose who had mounted their horses before the arrival of Williams.

  The day was already at its close, and order was taken to spend the nightupon the field. Guards were posted, and every precaution adopted toavoid a surprise in turn from the enemy, who, it was feared, might soonrally a strong party and assail the conquerors.

  The disturbed condition of the country, and the almost unanimoussentiment of the people against the Whigs, now strengthened by the latevictories, prevented Williams from improving his present advantage, oreven from bearing off his prisoners. Robinson and Ramsay volunteered tohead a party to scour the country in quest of Butler, but the commandingofficer could give no encouragement to the enterprise; it was, in hisjudgment, a hopeless endeavor, when the forces of the enemy wereeverywhere so strong. His determination, therefore, was to retreat, assoon as his men were in condition, back to his fastnesses. His fewkilled were buried; the wounded, of which there were not more thanfifteen or twenty were taken care of, and the jaded troops weredismissed to seek refreshment amongst the abundant stores captured fromthe enemy. Ensign St. Jermyn was still a prisoner; and, for the sake ofadding to Butler's security, Williams selected two or three otherofficers that had fallen into his hands to accompany him in his retreat.These arrangements all being made, the colonel and his officers retiredto repose. The next morning at daylight there were no traces of theWhigs to be seen upon the plain. It was abandoned to the loyalistprisoners and their wounded comrades.