As we pulled away I glanced back at our fleet and saw that the vessels were well on fire. P. 233.As we pulled away I glanced back at our fleet and saw that the vessels were well on fire. P. 233.
Even as Darius spoke I saw a curl of flame from the forward hatch, and then a long, glowing tongue leaped up toward the cordage.
While I stood watching it, fascinated by the eager lapping of the destroying element, the enemy opened fire from the barges, sending solid shot amid the fleet which had already been deserted. At almost the same moment that line of red, which had been motionless, could be seen flashing here and there amid the foliage, telling that the advance of the land force had begun.
Glancing back at our fleet after making certain that the Britishers were coming toward us, I saw that the vessels were well on fire, although unquestionably many of them might have been saved had efforts been made immediately to that end.
"In five minutes more salt won't save 'em," Darius said in a tone of satisfaction. "Them bloomin' red-coats started a little too late. Come on, lads! It looks as if we were the last to leave the fleet, an' there isn't overly much time on our hands. Into the canoe with you!"
We obeyed the order without delay, more particularly since the flames were already coming out of the Scorpion's after companion-way, and while paddling for the shore I saw that ourpeople were drawn up in line ready to meet the enemy in case it became necessary to prevent them from interfering with the work of destruction.
"Are we the only ones to go unarmed?" I asked, noting that all of those ashore appeared to have weapons in their hands.
"I reckon we'll find what may be needed when we join our people," Darius replied. "The guns an' ammunition were taken out of the vessels last night, for powder ain't a nice thing to have around when you're foolin' with fire."
It must be borne in mind that while we were thus speaking the cannon on the barges were being served with spirit, and more than one solid shot had gone crashing through a burning vessel; but none had come near enough to us to cause any particular alarm.
When we were ashore I saw that there would be no scarcity of weapons among us, and, in fact, several of the men were forced to carry two muskets because of the supply which had been left behind by those who marched away under the immediate command of Commodore Barney.
We lads succeeded in getting a good outfit, with quite as much ammunition as could be carried comfortably, and by the time we had taken our places in the line, the enemy's shots were beginning to come dangerously near some of us.
A cannon ball cut down a sapling within four feet of where Lieutenant Frazier was standing, and another crashed among the splintered canoes on the bank, while from the distance came those sounds which told of bullets striking amid the foliage.
The soldiers were almost within effective range, and the shot from the barges was by no means comforting, while we could accomplish nothing by remaining idle.
I wondered why the retreat was not begun, if we were to make one, and felt as if I had a personal grievance against the lieutenant because he failed to give that order which would permit of our getting away from such a disagreeable situation.
"Growin' uneasy, lad?" Darius asked with a grin, as I involuntarily ducked my head when a solid shot passed over us.
"It strikes me that we can't do any great amount of good by standing here," I replied irritably.
"The lieutenant is a reg'lar little man who believes in obeyin' orders, no matter what happens. Joshua Barney left word that we were not to move from here till all the vessels were well afire, an' here I reckon we'll stay quite a spell longer."
"But they are all burning," I said, turning to look at the fleet, each craft of which appeared to be enveloped in flames.
"Yes, they've started well; but if I was the one who had been left to decide when there was no longer a chance of savin' 'em, I'd hold here a spell longer, as the lieutenant is doin'."
"Do you believe it possible that we could save the schooner now?" and I pointed toward the Scorpion, along whose spars the flames were creeping rapidly.
"Two or three hundred men might do it if they set to work this minute, though it would be a tough job," the old man said as he gazed at the flames which were already sending forth heat enough to render our position too warm for comfort, and at that instant a musket ball came humming past the end of his nose, causing him to spring backward very suddenly.
"Growing uneasy, Darius?" I asked, and the old man laughed good-naturedly as I thus passed him some of his own coin.
"It's gettin' warm all around; but I reckon we've come mighty nigh to the limit set by the commander."
Then it was that the man next beside me cried aloud as he held up his right hand from which the blood was beginning to flow from a bullet wound.
I was too angry to be frightened just then, for it seemed as if Lieutenant Frazier was remaining too long under fire, and a moment later came the welcome command.
I dare venture to say that, with the exception of Lieutenant Frazier and Darius, every man moved more readily and quickly than he ever did before, until we were a good mile from the scene of destruction, striking directly across the country for Upper Marlboro.
Now and then it was possible to catch glimpses of the flames, which towered above the tops of the nearby trees; but we heard nothing of the enemy, which seemed to me strange until I mentioned the fact to Darius when he came up, after loitering in the rear with the lieutenant as if to show his contempt for the Britishers.
"I allow there's plenty of sense in their stayin' where the fleet is burnin'," the old man said quietly. "They saw only a few men leave when it had been said that Joshua Barney had five hundred with him. Now what more natural for them to suppose that we are tryin' to lead 'em into an ambush—for the Britishers still believe we fight in Injun fashion? Then again, it ain't likely the foot soldiers are carryin' rations, havin' the boats with 'em, an' it would be poor judgment to send a lot of men into the woods empty-handed, so to speak."
"Then you do not believe we shall be pursued?"
"If we are it'll be a fool trick," the old man replied, and then he fell back to the rear in response to a signal from the lieutenant.
After he had thus given his opinion, which I believe to be shared by Lieutenant Frazier, it was in my mind that we would tramp leisurely across the country until coming up with Commodore Barney's force; but immediately we appeared to be out of danger word was given to quicken the pace.
Now it was that the officer and Darius marched in advance, the former having given the word that we were to keep close at his heels, and during two hours I traveled faster than I ever did before. It seemed as if the musket, which had seemingly been a feather's weight when we started, weighed more than twenty pounds at the end of the second hour, and I was so nearly winded that it was as if I could go no further without first taking some rest.
Jerry was no less fatigued than I, and did not hesitate to say he believed the lieutenant was making us march thus fast simply to gratify some foolish whim.
Then we were come to Upper Marlboro, after fording the stream, and the pleasure I felt at being allowed to sit down that I might rest my aching feet was so great that it cannot properly be described.
While Jerry and I were grumbling because of what seemed to us unseemly haste, Jim Freeman, who had been lying down a short distance away, came over to where we were sitting, hiseyes bulging as if he had seen two or three ghosts at the very least.
"What do you suppose?" he said excitedly.
"I heard the lieutenant telling Darius that a big force of Britishers was marchin' up from Nottingham on the west side of the river, bound for Washington!"
"How did he know that?" Jerry asked sharply.
"A man who was sent back by Commodore Barney on a scout, got here about the same time we did, an' he reported to the lieutenant. But that ain't all; some of the folks livin' 'round here say that a small force—near three hundred—landed on the west side of the river after the enemy went into camp last night, an' is mighty near this place now!"
"'Cordin' to that it would seem as if we come pretty close to bein' surrounded!" Jerry exclaimed.
"That's just what Darius said," Jim replied, "an' the lieutenant told him he'd been afraid all along that we'd run into some such kind of a muss. Commodore Barney warned him to be on the watch for what appears to be happenin', an' it begins to look as if we might have trouble mighty quick."
"There can't be a great deal of it for the Britishers, if their smallest force is three hundred, for they'd make short work of us," I saidwith an inward quaking. "I've been blaming the lieutenant for making us march so swiftly, and now I wish he had pushed us on twice as fast."
I had hardly more than ceased speaking when the command was given to fall into line once more, and the men obeyed eagerly, for the word had been passed around that our small force was in most serious danger.
Every man among us was tired, I venture to say, yet we literally over-ran the lieutenant, who was setting the pace, and pressed forward like a flock of sheep pursued by dogs.
It was nearly noon when we arrived at what is known as the Wood Yard, where General Winder had encamped and thrown up some slight entrenchments, and where Commodore Barney was to have joined him; but now the place was deserted, save for one man whom I remembered having seen on our fleet.
As we soon came to know, he had been sent back from Long Old Fields by the commodore to quicken our movements, and both Jerry and I heard that which he said to the lieutenant when we came up.
It seems that the American troops from all quarters were hastening to Washington, and Commodore Barney had given orders that we hurry forward with the least possible delay.
"The commodore told me to say that unlessyou kept your men moving night and day you would be captured, for no less than three British forces are known to be on the way here from the Patuxent," so the messenger said, and Lieutenant Frazier asked if he knew what body of the enemy was coming up the Potomac.
"A portion of the British fleet under Captain Gordon is already to be seen from High Point," the man replied, and then he withdrew some distance with the lieutenant as if to give him private instructions.
There is no need for me to set down the fact that our small force was in a state of the greatest excitement. From no less than three sources we had learned that the enemy was so near as to make capture seem certain, and our only hope of safety was to press forward at the best possible speed until arriving at Washington, where we were told the commodore had already arrived.
It was a good deal like being out of the frying-pan into the fire, for in case we contrived to elude those who were close in the rear, we must come face to face with a yet larger body of the enemy when we did our feeble best toward defending the city.
I was getting quite a big taste of warfare, and it was by no means to my liking, although I had by this time come to understand that I must not put such ideas into words lest my companions accuse me of showing the white feather.
We had marched eleven miles with only one halt of fifteen minutes, and now, instead of going into camp as had been supposed, we were to press forward, marching night and day, for a distance of at least fourteen miles; but even though it had been twice as far I would have gone on with at least a show of cheerfulness, so great was my fear of being taken prisoner.
We halted at the Wood Yard half an hour, and then were going ahead once more; but at a less rapid pace, for we could not be expected to travel many hours at the same speed which had been kept up since leaving the burning fleet.
We ate as we marched, munching the corn-bread and bacon as best we might, and falling out of line to get a drink of water whenever we came to a brook or spring.
At the end of the first hour we were halted for ten minutes, and then the advance was continued until it seemed to me that I could not put one foot before the other.
"I suppose I shall hold out as long as the rest of you do; but it seems as if I'd got to drop down right here," Jerry said to me as we trudged along side by side on as fatiguing and dispiriting a march as I have ever known since. "It's better for a fellow to kill himself by walkin', than be sent back to a prison on board one of the British ships."
I tried to cheer the dear lad, although I myself was needing encouragement most woefully, and perhaps I succeeded somewhat by saying:
"Our fathers would set us down as cowards and drones, if the men went in with the report that we couldn't travel twenty-five or thirty miles without knocking under."
"You're right, Amos!" and Jerry stepped out briskly. "We should be able to do more of this kind of work than Darius, who has spent all his life aboard ship, an' yet there he is, humpin' along chipper as a sparrow."
I turned to look at the old man, who was in the rear, marching in good order, and acting as if on some pleasure excursion which he hoped would not come to an end too soon. It shamed me to see him so jolly when I was feeling so sore.
From that moment, whenever I felt as if it was impossible to take another step, I looked at Darius, and forced myself to forget weariness or hunger.
It was nearly sunset when we were come to Long Old Fields, where a portion of General Winder's army had encamped the day previous, and here we were met by another messenger from the commodore.
This last man had as large a store of fresh provisions as could be hauled by one mule, and within five minutes after coming up with him we were getting supper, giving no heed to anything save the fact that we had food in plenty for at least one meal.
Later, Darius told me that the second messenger repeated orders for us to press forward without unnecessary delay; but when our hunger was appeased the lieutenant gave the word that we would be allowed to remain in camp a full two hours, and this was no sooner made known than the majority of us stretched our tired bodies on the ground for a time of sleep.
Jerry and I lay side by side, and when we were first in the proper position for sleeping I spoke to my comrade, but he made no reply. The dear lad had actually fallen into slumber at the very instant his head touched the ground.
Perhaps I remained awake while one might have counted twenty; but I am confident it was no longer than that, and then I closed my eyes, not to open them again until conscious of a heavy blow on the soles of my feet.
The first thought in my mind, on being aroused from deep slumber by a heavy blow on my feet, was that the enemy had come upon us, and a battle had been begun while I remained unconscious.
Springing up quickly, my eyes hardly half-open, I made ready to defend myself with no other weapons than those provided by nature, but nothing more formidable confronted me than Darius Thorpe, whose mouth was stretched wide in a grin, as if he saw something exceeding comical in thus disturbing a fellow's slumbers.
"This is no time for horse-play!" I cried indignantly. "Having but two hours for rest, it would seem that such jokes might be dispensed with."
"I don't allow that I'm jokin'," the old man replied gravely, the smile disappearing from his face as he understood that I was thoroughly angry. "You have used up your allowance oftime in sleepin', an' now it's a case of gettin' into line."
"I haven't had a five-minutes nap!" I cried, firmly believing that I spoke the truth.
"It's a good two hours since we came to a halt, but even though the time wasn't up, we'd have to get into motion, for another messenger has arrived from the commodore, an' there won't be any more loafin' 'twixt here an' Washington."
"What is the news?" I asked, beginning to be ashamed of myself because of having lost my temper.
"General Ross, commandin' the British forces on land, has arrived at the Wood Yard, an' the chances are that, with troops accustomed to long marches, he will push on without much of a halt. Even if we were not needed in Washington, it would stand us in hand to move mighty quick."
Then Darius continued his task of awakening the sleepers, and I made ready for another march when it seemed as if the word to halt had but just been given.
When we set out again all of us from the Avenger were side by side, and, although it may seem childish to say so, the fact that I had friends at either hand gave me renewed strength of body as well as of mind.
It is not well that I make any further attempt at following step by step what was supposed tobe a hurried movement to reinforce our comrades of the flotilla, but which in reality was neither more nor less than a hasty retreat. It is enough if I say that late in the night following the day when Commodore Barney's fleet was destroyed, we arrived at the marine barracks in Washington, where was the force which had accompanied our commander.
Just then we were too tired and foot-sore to give any heed to our friends who had been impatiently awaiting the arrival of us who had been left behind on a dangerous duty. We only asked permission to lie down anywhere in order to rest our aching limbs, and this we were able to do, as a matter of course.
When morning came, however, and we were awakened by the bustle and confusion which would naturally arise when five or six hundred men are quartered in four buildings forming a square, we gave little heed to the stiffness of joints and blistered feet which remained as mementoes of that long march, as we greeted those for whom we had greater or less affection.
The first person whom I saw was Bill Jepson. He had been searching through the barracks for Jerry and me, and I really believe the old fellow was heartily pleased at seeing us once more.
"Well, my bullies, how about that famous ship Avenger, Amos Grout commander, andDarius Thorpe general supercargo?" Bill cried in a voice of thunder as he shook hands with each of us in turn, beginning with me, and ending with Dody Wardwell.
"What there is left of her might be found at the bottom of the Patuxent, if you hunted long enough," I replied, feeling a bit saddened by the loss of the pungy, and not having had time before to think very much about her fate.
"The whole fleet went up, eh? Tell me about it," and Bill seated himself on the edge of a bunk as if expecting to hear a long yarn.
There wasn't much to be told, as is known by any one who has had the patience to read what has been set down here; but I gave him a full account of all we had done, and wound up by complaining of the long march we had been forced to take.
"Don't let a little thing like that distress you, matey, for unless the Britishers whip us out of our boots here in Washington, I'm thinkin' we'll have to scratch gravel a good many times before this 'ere war is ended. Where's Darius?"
We could give him no information concerning the old man, save to say that he was with us when we went to sleep the night previous, whereupon Bill said with a laugh:
"I reckon he's tellin' the commodore how this little business should be carried on, though he claims that the man never lived who could give Joshua Barney points."
I had no particular desire to hear about the commodore or Darius, therefore I asked if he knew anything concerning Elias Macomber, and as I mentioned the name Bill burst into a hearty laugh.
"Know anythin' about him, lad? I reckon I do, seein's I helped lodge him in jail, an' how the hound whined for a chance to escape! He promised me more dollars than I could carry in my hat, if I'd give him five minutes the start; but so long's he didn't let on where he'd get the coin, or how it might be passed over to me, I couldn't make any dicker."
"Then there's no need to worry any more about his getting away," I said to myself, whereat Bill Jepson looked grave, and I made haste to say:
"One might think from the look on your face that you believed his chances for escape were good?"
"He'll stay where he is while we hold possession of the city, an' of that you may be certain, lad; but in case the British——"
"You are not thinking that the enemy can take Washington?" Jerry cried in amazement.
"Ay, lad, an' if the truth was known, I'm not the only one who is believin' much the same thing."
"But all the people in this country would come here to defend the city!" I exclaimed,thinking for the moment that Bill Jepson was trying to play upon our fears.
"They haven't done it so far," and the sailor looked grave again. "As near as I can hear we've got about seven thousand men near about, an' more'n three-quarters of 'em are so green that it would be dangerous to let the cows have a whack at 'em."
"Have the Britishers a larger force?" Jim Freeman asked.
"No, lad, not quite so many when you come to number 'em up; but they are all trained soldiers, every one the match for three of ours in a reg'lar battle, no matter how well the Americans can fight. Then again, what with the President an' all the big bugs takin' a hand, we've got too many commanders. Leave the whole business to one man—say Joshua Barney, for example—, an' I believe we could hold our own."
To us youngsters who had come expecting to aid in a successful defense of the city, this kind of talk was not particularly cheerful, and I would have welcomed any change in the conversation; but Bill Jepson had used his eyes to good advantage during the short stay in Washington, and was determined that we should receive the benefit of what he had seen and heard.
"Last night Mr. Monroe, the secretary of state, sent a despatch to the President, an' I saw a copy of it while on duty at the commodore'squarters. It read like this: 'The enemy are advanced six miles on the road to the Wood Yard, and our troops are retiring. Our troops were on the march to meet them, but in too small a body to engage. General Winder proposes to retire till he can collect them in a body. The enemy are in full march to Washington. Have the materials prepared to destroy the bridges.' That was signed with Mr. Monroe's name, lads, an' after so much, he wrote, 'You had better remove the records.' Now do you think I'm so far out of the way in sayin' that there's a good chance of our gettin' the worst of it?"
Just at that moment, to my great relief of mind, my father appeared in the doorway of the barracks, and I sprang to meet him.
How good it was to see his dear face once more! What a sense of relief came over me because he was near! I was yet so young as to believe that no harm could come to a fellow while his father was near, and on the moment all the fears which had been aroused by Bill Jepson passed out of mind.
It is not necessary for me to set down that conversation between my father and me while it related to the dear ones at home, or our own two selves; but when we had spoken our fill on such matters it was but natural we should come back to the situation in which our troops were placed, and, greatly to my surprise, I found thatmy father despaired of success in much the same measure as did Bill Jepson.
"We can only do our best, lad, and for your mother's sake we'll pray that both of us may go back to Benedict; but if only one, then it should be you, who have promise of so many more years of life than I."
We were yet speaking of matters much too private to be set down in a story like this, when the command came for all the men of Commodore Barney's force to fall into line, and on the instant we understood that we were to join the small army led by General Winder.
I know not how it was we were so confident as to our destination, except that the general and our commander had been long in consultation before this day; but certain it is we felt positive all of us were about to retrace our steps.
And now, while our men are scurrying to and fro making ready for another march before having recovered from the one just ended, let me set down here what I afterward read in print, for it will serve to explain why we did not do that which the country expected, and even demanded:
"Winder's situation was an unenviable one. With a comparatively strong foe on his front, ready to fall upon him or the capital he was expected to defend, he had only about twenty-five hundred armed and effective men in camp, and many of these had been from their homes only three or four days. They were undisciplined and untried, and surrounded and influenced by a crowd of excited civilians, to whose officious but well-intended information and advice the general was compelled to listen. In addition to this intrusion and interference of common men, he was embarrassed by the presence and suggestions of the President and his Cabinet ministers, the most of them utterly ignorant of military affairs. Better would it have been for Winder and the country if these civilians, from the President down, had kept away from the camp and the field, and prudently preserved silence."[A]
As a matter of course, we of the rank and file knew very little concerning the trials of the officer who was charged with the defense of the city; but we did understand that our force was not sufficient in either discipline or numbers to cope with that which we must meet, yet I did not hear a word of grumbling or fear as we made ready for the march.
It was as if a full knowledge of the danger served to inspire us with courage.
We set out within ten minutes after the order had been received; but I did not see Commodore Barney until we had retraced our steps to Long Old Fields, and there we found the small armythrowing up a slight breastwork, as if believing that an attack was imminent.
"This looks as if you an' I might see more of war than may be pleasant," Jerry whispered to me as we stood in line waiting to be dismissed. "It is all very well to fight when you're on board a good vessel; but runnin' around on shore, marchin' here till you can do no more than move, an' then marchin' back again, is a little better than I hanker after."
"It's too late to talk like that," I replied, smiling as I remembered how eager my partner had been to go as a soldier when I was hanging back. "We're like to see an hundred times worse than this before we're many hours older."
"Ay, an' there's never one here, save you, Amos, who shall have an inklin' of the fact that I'm growin' mighty sick of my bargain."
Then we were dismissed, to find such tents and rations as General Winder's force could spare us, for our baggage-train was yet on the road, and while we were thus engaged Jim Freeman shouted to us.
"Darius has got a tent for our crowd; it's close by the commodore's, an', what's better, the old sailor has been rummagin' 'round till he's got all the grub we'll need for some time to come."
"Where are Dody and Josiah?" I asked.
"Holdin' down the tent till we can take possession; there's so much pullin' an' haulin' afterrations an' quarters, that it ain't safe to leave anything alone."
I supposed that we would be ordered to aid in throwing up the breastworks, therefore it stood us in hand to learn where we belonged, before the labor was begun, and without delay we followed Jim.
Indeed we had been fortunate in having Darius to care for us, since, thanks to him, none at Long Old Fields, save the officers, were quartered as well as we.
In a few moments the canvas tent, strewn with our belongings, had quite a home air, and we lost no time in making an attack on the store of provisions which the old sailor had gathered for us.
We were eating hurriedly, lest we should be ordered to take up the picks and shovels before our hunger could be satisfied, when Darius came in looking thoroughly fagged and worn out.
"But for you we'd been without a shelter to-night," I said as he threw himself on the ground near me.
"An' that would have made little difference, lad, for the open air in a summer's night is ahead of any canvas house. Howsomever, the tent serves as a place where we can keep our belongings without fear some of these clodhoppin' imitations of soldiers will get away with 'em."
"I suppose we shall be called upon to take a hand in throwing up breastworks?" I suggested, and a more cheerful look came over the old man's face than I had seen since word was given to fire the fleet.
"We who have just come in will be allowed to take it easy, if the Britishers don't interfere, till mornin', when, if there's time left us, we'll turn to at throwin' dirt."
All of us lads settled back with a certain sense of comfort and satisfaction difficult to describe. There were many in that small army who were hungry, because of the delay and confusion in sending out supplies, and yet more who would lie down with nothing to shelter them from the heavy dew, while we were well protected, and with a goodly food supply, all of which spoke well for the forethought and ability of Darius Thorpe.
"I'm goin' to turn in, if so be we've got nothin' to do till mornin'," Jim Freeman said as he suited the action to the words, and Josiah and Dody followed his example.
I was not minded to close my eyes in slumber until after having heard from the old sailor all he could tell, although it goes without saying that I was tired enough to be able to sleep standing up.
"Have you heard anything new since we arrived?" I asked, and Darius replied in a low tone, as if afraid his words might be overheard by some one on the outside:
"The commodore says we shall have a battlewithin eight an' forty hours, an' you know how well he can smell out such things. It seems certain we can't meet the enemy here, unless more men are sent, an', as I take it, we shall march hither an' yon till we come to the fight fit for nothin' but to turn in."
"Where are the British now?"
"The main body is at Upper Marlboro; but there are a couple of columns movin' about in a way that betokens mischief for some of us 'twixt now an' mornin'."
"What have you been doing? I didn't see anything of you after we started back for this place."
"I came on ahead, ridin' part of the way, with the commodore, an' we've been on the move pretty much ever since. General Stansbury is at Bladensburg, an' General Winder counts on goin' there to-morrow for a conference, leavin' our commodore in command here."
"But what have you been doing to tire you so thoroughly?" I persisted.
"Nothin' exceptin' tag around at Joshua Barney's heels, an' he's a reg'lar tiger at walkin', whereas it puts me in bad shape."
"Why not lie down while you may, and get some sleep?" I asked.
"Because I'm under orders to go back to the commodore. You lads turn in, an' I'll creep under cover whenever it's possible."
Having thus evaded my question as to what hehad been doing, the old man went out of the tent, leaving Jerry and I gazing at each other, but not daring to speak the thoughts which were in our mind.
If Commodore Barney and Darius Thorpe were so anxious as to what might be the result of our meeting with the enemy, surely we two lads, ignorant of everything pertaining to warfare, save marching, had cause for alarm.
We sat facing each other a full ten minutes without speaking. It was possible to hear the laborers as they threw up the slight breastwork which could be of but little service save to mark our position, or the hum of conversation as the idlers paced to and fro near the tent, and all these sounds was token that we were a tiny part of the living machine with which nations waged war.
"There's no sense in sittin' here like a couple of dummies," Jerry finally said. "We'd best be gettin' all the sleep we can, an' then we'll be the better prepared for what is before us."
It would have pleased me well to find my father and have a talk with him; but I did not feel warranted in leaving my comrades at such a time, therefore I acted at once upon Jerry's suggestion.
It was not a difficult matter to fall asleep, after the long march, and until late in the night I enjoyed a most refreshing slumber, when the entrance of Darius awakened me.
"What is the time?" I asked.
"Near to midnight."
"Have you been working all this while?"
"Movin' around with the commodore, that's all," Darius replied, as he laid down beside me, and a moment later his heavy breathing told that the weary old man was resting after nearly twenty hours of labor.
Try as I might, it was impossible to close my eyes in sleep immediately. My thoughts would stray back to Benedict, and the more my mind dwelt upon mother and the children the less inclined did I feel for slumber.
I twisted and turned while my tent-mates slept more or less noisily, until by the cries of the sentinels I knew it was two o'clock in the morning, and then the idea that in a few hours I must be at work with no chance for rest, caused me to feel drowsy.
Save for the measured tread of the sentinels, and their calls from time to time, the silence of the encampment was profound, and I was idly saying to myself that it seemed difficult to fancy one was in the midst of more than two thousand men, when suddenly came a sharp cry from a distance, followed by another and another until the long roll of the drums rang out on the night air like distant thunder.
"What is it?" I cried, as Darius sprang to his feet.
"The call for all hands," the old man said as he groped around for his musket and ammunition. "The Britishers have shown themselves, hopin' to take us by surprise, most like. Move lively, lads, for Joshua Barney's followin' must be the first in line."
How we contrived to arm ourselves and get out of the tent into the midst of a throng of apparently bewildered men, I know not; but certain it is we found ourselves there following Darius, who was the only one I saw that evidently had his wits about him. Left to ourselves we would have wandered aimlessly around the encampment, as did many hundred of the men; but the old sailor, who surely should have been born a soldier, led us to the proper place as if he had always served his country on land instead of water.
We found our people from the flotilla in fairly good formation, ready to repel an attack, while the raw militia were scurrying to and fro like frightened sheep, and such fact made me feel proud that I was a member of "Barney's seamen."
"You've done well, lads," the commodore said approvingly, while he moved to and fro in front of us to make certain that we were all there. "We'll show these landsmen before this little scrimmage is over, that we old shell-backs are not web-footed when it comes to obeying orders."
Then it was that I began to understand why those who served under Joshua Barney were so proud of, and had such confidence in, him. Therewas in the ring of his voice, in his way of looking at a fellow, and his every movement, something which bespoke him a friend, and from that moment, I became as ardent an admirer of the fighting captain as ever was Darius Thorpe.
Of a verity I believe a full fifteen minutes elapsed before all our people were in line of battle, which spoke badly for what might happen in case the enemy planned a surprise, and then we learned that the alarm was a false one.
"Some weak-kneed sentinel was frightened at his own shadow," the commodore said, speaking quietly to his men. "But it hasn't done us any harm to be routed out in short order, for now we can see how necessary it may be to know our stations. Turn in, my hearties, and get what rest you can before we stand up in front of the red-coats to give them a lesson which they're needing."
Then we went back to our tent; but not to sleep. There is a mighty lot of excitement in turning out at night to be shot at, and Darius was the only member of our party who felt inclined to lie down.
We sat under the canvas talking in whispers, lest we disturb those near at hand, and the old sailor was soon giving good proof that he had sailed over into dreamland.
Of what did we talk? I can't really tell; but you might put yourself in our places, and say if you would not naturally speak of those mostdear when you knew beyond a peradventure that within a few hours at the most you would be standing face to face with death.
When the day broke we stole softly out of the tent that Darius might get all the sleep possible, and, building a small fire, toasted the strips of bacon which made up the greater portion of our rations.
Then all hands sat around the tent to prevent any one from awakening the old man without good and sufficient cause, until sunrise, when word was passed from one to another that orders had been given to load all tents on the baggage-wagons, for the army was to move within an hour.
Then it was that we felt obliged to call Darius, and he came up on his feet at the first word, having all his wits about him at the moment of awakening, as is the habit of sailormen.
"Goin' to move, eh?" he said, when we told him of the order. "Then I'm thinkin' the next halt will be at whatsoever place General Winder has picked out for a battle-field. Look after the tent, lads, while I get a word with the commodore."
He marched off in the direction of headquarters, and we set about the task, I observing while passing among the militia, that the men as a rule were looking mighty glum, which augured ill for their performances if indeed a battle was near at hand.
[A]Lossing's "War of 1812."
[A]Lossing's "War of 1812."
If I would tell all that was done in and around Washington by our people, and then have space in which to set down that which we lads were able to accomplish after the British had worked their will, very much of what then seemed highly interesting to us of the Avenger, must be passed over with but few words.
Perhaps it is well that it should be so, for we moved here and there without apparent aim or purpose until every man and officer was on the verge of exhaustion, and then, when it required no slight effort simply to remain on our feet, we were forced to meet the British army, which had advanced by short stages to the end that the men should be in the best physical condition for that struggle which decided the fate of the nation's capital.
We had no sooner struck our tents than word was brought that the President was on his way from the Potomac to review our troops, and at such information Darius grumbled loud and long,therefore we lads knew full well that Commodore Barney was opposed to such monkey-shines, otherwise the old sailor would not have dared to voice his complaints so stoutly.
When we might have been resting preparatory to the extraordinary fatigues that were before us, all our little army were forced to remain in line a good two hours, when President Madison was ready to begin the review, after which we marched and countermarched in front of him when three men out of every four were unable to understand the words of command.
It was a most ridiculous performance, as can well be fancied, and if the chief magistrate of the land was well pleased with the result, it is more than can be said for the officers in command.
By the time this mockery of a review had come to an end, scouts arrived with information that the main body of the enemy was still resting comfortably at Upper Marlboro, whereupon we were allowed to remain in line while the general sent couriers to the different commanders under him, directing them to move in the direction of the British camp.
We remained on parade from shortly after sunrise until ten o'clock in the forenoon, when we were as tired as if from a long march. Then we were dismissed; but since all the tents had been carried away in the baggage-wagons, therewas nothing for us to do save lounge around in the open field exposed to the burning rays of the sun.
Nothing more was done in the way of throwing up breastworks, therefore we who had been the last to leave the fleet, were not called upon to handle pick or shovel.
An hour before noon General Winder, escorted by a troop of Laval's cavalry, left the encampment, and it was reported that he had gone to hold a conference with General Stansbury at Bladensburg.
All our rations, save what each man had held back in his pockets, were with the baggage-train, therefore we did not make a very hearty meal at noon, and perhaps it was as well, for while we were eating the small amount of food at our disposal two companies of Maryland militia, under command of Major Peter, came into camp on the double quick, with every evidence of terror on their faces.
Immediately the long roll was sounded, and as we fell into line once more, expecting to see the enemy advancing, word was whispered around that Major Peter, scouting in the direction of Marlboro on the Wood Yard road, had skirmished with the Britishers, and been driven back.
Commodore Barney and General Smith, who had command of the militia in the absence ofGeneral Winder, set about making preparations for battle, and Major McKenney was sent in hot haste to inform our commander of the position of affairs.
We remained under arms, and in momentary expectation of being engaged in a life or death struggle, until near sunset, when General Winder arrived, and without loss of time we were headed for Washington at a sharp pace, thus being forced to march over the same ground three times without having seen the enemy once.
We arrived for the second time at the capital about midnight, and were posted near the Eastern Branch bridge, there to get such repose as might be possible while we did guard duty on that side of the city.
In order to show that my grumbling had good foundation, I am going to set down here a portion of General Smith's report, as I heard it read a week later:
"The arrival at the Eastern Branch bridge terminated the four days of service of the troops of this District. They have been under arms, with but little intermission, the whole of the time, both night and day; have traveled, during their different marches in advance and retreat, a considerable tract of country, exposed to the burning heat of a sultry sun by day, and many of them to the cold dews of the night, uncovered. They have in this period drawn but two rations,the requisition therefor in the first instance being but partially complied with, and it being afterward almost impossible to procure the means of transportation, the wagons employed by our quartermaster for that purpose being constantly impressed by the government agents for the purpose of removing the public records when the enemy's approach was known, and some of them thus seized while proceeding to take in provisions for the army."
On that night after our arrival we heard that the British were advanced within two miles of Long Old Fields. We who comprised the command under General Winder were worn and dispirited; Laval's horsemen were exhausted, and Stansbury's men at Bladensburg were tired out by long marches, lack of sleep and scarcity of food.
As if to make bad matters worse, our general fell from his horse near about daybreak, and really was not fit to remain in the saddle, although he pluckily kept on duty, not the least of which were many conferences with the President and members of his Cabinet.
At sunrise, after our force had indulged in less than two hours' sleep, Laval's scouts brought in positive information that the British General Ross was marching directly toward Bladensburg; half an hour later messengers came from General Stansbury with the word that the enemywas in his front, and urging that reinforcements be sent at once.
It was a case of making another march without breakfast, and, for the matter of that, we had had no supper the night previous.
There was more than one grumbler when we obeyed the summons to "fall in;" but the men under Commodore Barney held their peace after our leader urged that we act "like patriots, and not like children who had come out expecting to enjoy a holiday."
Well, off we posted for Bladensburg, a good eight miles from where we had halted, and I for one hoped that the battle, since there must be one, would be on at once, for it seemed better to be shot at than worn down by apparently aimless running to and fro.
We of the flotilla arrived near Bladensburg shortly after noon, and were stationed about a mile from the village on the Washington road. There we found two eighteens and three 12-pounders, all ship's guns, mounted on carriages, which had been drawn to the spot by the marines from the navy yard, and with these we were supposed to hold our position, having no other support than a crowd of raw militia in front of us.
Our force, meaning those under Commodore Barney's command, numbered, as I have already said, about five hundred, and although we had no knowledge of military tactics, we knew enoughto obey our officers to the best of our ability, which was considerably more than could be said for very many of the troops near at hand.
I cannot set down that which followed, in proper fashion so that it could be understood by those familiar with the game of war; I only know what happened near my comrades and myself, for the crew of the Avenger had taken good care to stand side by side at this time when one or all of us might meet death through the medium of British lead.
For myself, I can say this: that when I looked around at the mass of men—five thousand strong I have since heard—, and saw them wrangling over this trifling matter or that, openly disputing some command, or boldly leaving an assigned position to take up one which pleased them better, I had more fear of what might come to us through the cowardice or ignorance of our own people, than regarding the ability of the enemy to cut us up.
Darius made his preparations for the conflict by stuffing a huge piece of tobacco into his mouth, after which he proceeded to read us a lecture on behavior while under fire.
"Remember this," he said with the air of one who knows it all, "it isn't every bullet that finds its billet, an' the toughest time is just now, when we're waitin' for what all hands know is bound to come. Think of the folks at Benedict, an'kind'er figger out what they'd say if you went home after showin' yourselves cowards under fire. There are worse things than bein' killed or wounded in battle, an' the hardest is to live knowin' every youngster on the street has the right to call you a white-livered sneak what ran away when danger came. Stand here behind Joshua Barney, for I warrant he won't give you a chance to get in front of him, an' you'll be doin' about right."
When the old man had come to an end of his instructions, we would have conversed among ourselves, speaking much, no doubt, of the folks at home; but he sternly bade us hold our tongues, thinking that we would not be heartened by such talk, and straightway began to tell us a yarn of how he and Bill Jepson had fought under Commodore Barney, when the enemy was a ship of thirty-two guns, and they in a schooner carrying only twelve 10-pounders.
The yarn had not yet come to an end when a commotion among the men in front of us caused me to crane my neck to look in the direction many were pointing, and there I saw the lines of red marching directly toward us in perfect order, as if on parade.
At almost the same moment the enemy began to throw rockets among our people, and these, exploding, hurled bullets' in every direction.
Within two minutes from the time I first sawthe Britishers, no less than five men near me were stricken down, and the sight of the gaping wounds, together with the moans of the sufferers, gave me a sensation of faintness which was well-nigh overpowering.
"Stand steady you lads from the Avenger!" Darius cried sharply, warned, no doubt, by the sight of our pale faces that we were growing sick in more ways than one. "Somebody must get hurt, else the battle would never be over, an' we're here to spoil the Britishers' fun, which we shall do mighty soon. Joshua Barney is only waitin' for the proper time, an' when he gives the word to begin work, there'll be a change of tune."
At that moment, and before a gun had been fired, the militiamen in front of us broke into a run toward the rear, many of them throwing down their muskets as they took part in a most disgraceful retreat.
For the credit of our flotillamen, and the marines, I must set it down that not one of them wavered when the retreat was begun, and after the last of the cowards was in the rear I heard the commodore shout:
"Now's your time, lads! Give it to 'em hot an' strong, but make every charge count!"
Then our ship's guns were discharged, and the faintness left me as I saw the missiles cut down long lanes in the red-coated ranks; the smell ofburning powder must have got into my brain, for from that moment I knew nothing save that my musket was to be loaded and discharged as rapidly as possible.
Men fell around me by the score, yet I gave no heed to the evidences of suffering. Once, a man shot through the head, pitched forward directly into my arms, covering me with blood as he sank dead at my feet, and yet, unused though I was to such scenes, it caused me no other feeling than that of anger because he had spoiled my aim.
I knew nothing of what was going on immediately in front of me, save that the red line, now broken by many a gap, was before my eyes; that it advanced, fell back and advanced again, sending among us such a shower of bullets that the buzzing in the air was like unto a swarm of angry bees.
Once Jerry tried to say something to me, but I pushed him back petulantly, so strong a hold had the fever of battle upon me. My musket barrel grew hot to the touch, and it was no longer possible to charge it properly. Without compunctions I exchanged weapons with one of the dead men at my feet, and continued the work, shouting aloud in vengeful joy when I saw an enemy fall by my hand.
Darius cried out in my ear; but I heard him not, nor did I heed the fact that he wanted tospeak with me. I was insane with the scene of carnage, the salty odor of blood, and the choking, stifling fumes of burning powder.
Then, suddenly, Darius pulled me back by the coat-collar, forcing me to run with him, and as we went swiftly past our guns toward the rear, I asked what he was doing.
"The word had been given to retreat!" he cried. "Do the best you can with your legs, lad, for there'll be no quarter given if we are taken. We of the flotilla, with the marines, have borne the brunt of this whole battle for the last half hour, an' we've left our mark on the red-coats, even if we are turnin' tail now!"
"But the commodore?" I cried, now getting back a portion of my scattered senses.
"Wounded ten minutes ago, an' taken off the field, I hope. It was in my mind to help him; but he ordered me to go back to duty, an' I went, for when Joshua Barney gives the word, even though he's half dead, it's safest to obey without makin' much talk. Captain Miller of the marines was shot down at about the same time."
Then I had sense enough to see that all my comrades of the Avenger were close about me, none of them appearing to be hurt, and while we ran to save ourselves from being made prisoners, let me set down that which was written less than a week after the battle of Bladensburg, for, as it turned out, we had fought a regular battle.
"No troops remained in line, except the party under Commodore Barney, and two detachments on his right, that were well posted. Having been so roughly handled, the enemy made no attempt to advance directly in front of the seamen and marines, but, after forcing the troops on their right from the field, by a demonstration in that direction, they prepared to turn the rear of Barney in order to surround him.
"While these movements were going on in front, a party of light troops had been thrown out on the enemy's right, and the militia having abandoned the ground, they were also beginning to close upon the Americans that stood. By this time Commodore Barney, Captain Miller, and several other officers were wounded, and, victory being impossible against odds so great, an order was given to commence a retreat.
"The defense had been too obstinate to admit of carrying off the guns, which were necessarily abandoned. All the men retired, with the exception of the badly wounded; among the latter, however, were Commodore Barney and Captain Miller, who both fell into the enemy's hands.
"Of the marines, nearly one-third were among the casualties, and the flotilla-men suffered considerably, though in smaller proportions. The people of the flotilla, under the orders of Barney, and the marines, were justly applauded for their excellent conduct. No troops could have stoodbetter, and the fire of both artillery and musketry has been described as to the last degree severe."
Jerry, who reads each day what I write, says that by putting down the account of what we of the flotilla did, I am blowing my own horn; but I do not so consider it, since the fact is a matter of history, and if we won praise on that disastrous day, then we should boast of it to the end that the picture may not be so black.
And now to return to us of the Avenger who were fugitives, without any idea of where safety might be found.
Strange to say, not one of us had been wounded, while many a better man close beside us had met his death.
Darius took it upon himself to lead our party, and right willing were we to have him act as commander, though I question if he really knew where he was going when we left the bloody field.
There is no shame in my heart when I set it down that we ran from the enemy, and did our level best at that game; the order to retreat had been given after we had done all that might have been expected from well seasoned troops, and to have remained longer would have been a useless sacrifice.
By instinct, rather than deliberation, Darius led us southward, close on the heels of several hundred men, all of whom were quite as eager as we to keep out of the enemy's clutches.
To the best of my knowledge the British did not pursue; they had won a victory, but in so doing received quite as much of a drubbing as was needed, and officers as well as privates were willing to remain on the hard-earned field.
I believe it was a full hour before Darius would allow us to slacken the pace, and then we were well among the foremost of the fugitives.
By this time we were so nearly winded that it was impossible to continue the flight without a breathing spell, and the old man allowed us to halt when we were close upon the city.
We could see that our people were bearing to the west, in order to give Washington a wide berth, and, when it was possible to speak because of my heavy breathing, I asked Darius where he proposed to go.
"That's what I haven't rightly made up my mind on," the old man said thoughtfully. "It stands to reason that the enemy will, sooner or later, try to make as many prisoners as possible, an' I'm allowin' that those fellows ahead are bound to have a hot time of it before they're many hours older. If we could only get down the river!"
"But we can't, an' that much is certain," Jerry said petulantly.
"Perhaps you've got another scheme in your head, since the oyster business turned out so well," and it is possible that I spoke sharply,realizing with bitterness just then that but for my partner's proposition to sell fish to the fleet I might never have discovered I owed my country a duty, and, consequently, would not at that moment be hunted down, or in danger of it.
"Perhaps I have," Jerry replied quietly, giving no heed to my disagreeable manner of speaking.
"What is it, lad?" Darius asked curiously. "I take it that at such a time as this a bit of advice, no matter from whom it comes, is well worth listenin' to."
"Why not go straight into Washington, an' stay there till we find a chance to slip down the river?"
"Into Washington?" Jim Freeman cried in alarm. "Why the Britishers have promised to burn the town!"
"I know that, an' it ain't likely any of our people will go there because of that same thing."
"An' yet you allow that we should stick our noses into the mess?" Darius asked.
"Ay, because the Britishers never will suspect that any who took part in the fight would go there. It should be possible to find a hiding-place somewhere in the town, an' it strikes me we wouldn't be in as much danger as if we kept with the crowd."
I began to think that there was more in Jerry's scheme than appeared when he first suggestedit, and Darius seemed to be considering the matter very seriously.
"In the first place," my partner continued, warming to the subject when he saw that we were interested, "it would be necessary to get there before the Britishers took possession, an' it might be we could pass ourselves off as fellows who had stayed in the town like cowards, rather than take the chances of bein' shot."
"It's a pretty good scheme, lad, an' I for one am willin' to try it," Darius said abruptly as he rose to his feet. "If the others think as I do, we'd better be movin'."
After the old man had thus spoken there was not one of us who would have ventured to object, for he had shown that in any business of this kind he knew more than all of us put together, therefore we made ready to set out; but before the first step had been taken we saw coming toward us from the direction of Bladensburg, a man riding a mule, and waving his arms as if to attract our attention.
"Go on," I said petulantly. "We can't afford to hang around here very long if we count on finding a hiding-place in the city, and that is only one of the country people who wants to sell his mule."
"I reckon we'll wait a bit," Darius replied firmly. "Unless I'm way out of my reckonin', yonder man was in the fight, an' has scooped upone of the baggage-wagon mules to help him along."
"But our party is too big for safety now, and what will it be if we allow every straggler to trail on behind? We might as well follow the other fugitives."
All this I said like a peevish child, and no sooner had I ceased speaking than Darius seized me by the shoulder, forcing me to turn until I had a full view of the newcomer.
"Look at the man," the sailor cried sternly, "an' then say whether you will allow every straggler to trail on behind us when the road is as free to one as another?"
In an instant I was covered with confusion and remorse. The man to whose company I had objected was none other than my own father, and as he approached I could see that he was wounded in the right leg.
There was nothing I could say just then to show my comrades how deeply I regretted having spoken in such a tone, therefore I ran forward to greet him who, a moment previous, I had been eager to leave behind.
My comrades joined me as I saluted my father much more warmly than I might have done but for the unkind words I had spoken, and in a few seconds we heard all the story he could tell.
He had been wounded quite severely during the early part of the battle, and went to the rearin search of the surgeons. Failing to find those whose duty it was to be near the scene of action, and unable to walk any further owing to loss of blood, he laid down under one of the baggage-wagons which had been used to transport ammunition.
Here he bandaged his wound as well as possible, and was about to set out once more in search of aid, when the final retreat was ordered. Unable to walk, he would soon have been made a prisoner, or, perhaps, in the heat of the moment, received worse treatment, when the idea of escaping on one of the mules occurred to him.
Cutting the traces he rode off, taking a course to the north in his ignorance of the country; but, discovering his mistake, he turned about, and the first persons he saw were those of our party.
Without wasting any time we told him of Jerry's scheme, and he, having nothing better to propose, agreed to make the venture, more particularly because he stood sadly in need of some attention, since the wound had been only rudely bandaged.
Darius claimed that he could treat it after a sailorly fashion, provided we found clean water and cotton cloth, and declared that it would heal as well after such treatment as if any save a skilled surgeon had dressed it.
As a matter of course we kept the mule, forit was necessary my father should ride, and after the delay needed in which to explain matters, our little party started toward Washington, knowing full well that we were going where it was certain the enemy would soon come.
Although I had agreed to Jerry's scheme, and was willing to do whatsoever the majority of my companions decided was for the best, I could not but believe that ours was as rash a move as fugitives ever made, for of a verity it was thrusting ourselves into the jaws of the lion.
Now that my father was with us, having his wound as proof that he had taken part in the battle, we could no longer hope to pass ourselves off as cowards who remained at home while others were fighting for us, and in event of being captured in the city I believed we would receive rougher usage than those taken prisoners on the battle-field.