Corporal 'Lige's Recruit: A Story of Crown Point and Ticonderoga

“Neither do I.”

“Then unless he an’ I go off by ourselves, I don’t reckon this will be a very pleasant journey,” Isaac said to himself as he thought of the corporal and Nathan, each distrusting and making complaint against the other.

Colonel Allen was determined there should be no delay in the setting out of this spying expedition, and immediately the corporal and Isaac showed themselves he insisted that the little party start without further loss of time.

Young Beman at once showed his preference as to a traveling companion, for he ranged himself by Isaac’s side, and when the corporal would have joined them, said curtly:

“You’d better keep back with the other man. I s’pose I’ll have to lead the way, and when we strike off the main road the path ain’t wide enough for more than two.”

“Don’t the highway lead to Shoreham?” the corporal asked suspiciously.

“Yes; but we can save more’n four miles by cuttin’ through the woods,” and Nathan hurried Isaac on as a means both of putting an end to the corporal’s inquiries, and forcing him to join Master Phelps.

Once the journey was well begun young Beman presented himself in a more favorable light.

He ceased to refer to the corporal as an “imitation soldier,” and gave no further evidence of being suspicious; but questioned Isaac as to what the town of Pittsfield was like, and concerning Boston, where young Rice had visited two years previous in company with his father.

Master Phelps was not accustomed to this method of traveling, and when the guide struck into the woods where the trail lead alternately over a hilly and swampy country he was soon forced to declare that he could not proceed at such a rapid pace.

“You will have to slacken up a bit,” Corporal ’Lige shouted, “for the gentleman ain’t used to this kind of footin’.”

“We can’t go very slow, else we shan’t get to the fort before sunset,” Nathan replied indifferently, and Master Phelps said in a tone which admitted of no argument:

“It isn’t possible for me to keep pace with you. If it so be we fail to finish the journey before dark, we can take lodgings with your father and accomplish our purpose early to-morrow morning.”

The prospect of introducing to his father guests who would pay for all they received, was so satisfactory to young Beman that he made no protest at being thus forced to slacken pace. It may be he was unnecessarily slow from this time out, for it was already dark when they arrived at the guide’s home, and Nathan said to Master Phelps before entering the building:

“I’ll tell father you folks want to stay all night, and that’s as much as I need say. If you count on explaining why you have come, it’s none of my business. The officer what hired me said I was to keep quiet about everything I’d seen down to the camp, so I might as well begin by holding my tongue.”

Then Nathan ushered the guests into the kitchen, where was found Mr. Beman sitting by the fireplace, for the night had grown cold and chill, while his wife was preparing the supper.

“Here are some travelers who want to stay all night,” Nathan announced, and added in a lower tone to Isaac, “Come out to the barn with me while I do my chores; there’s no fun in sittin’ here.”

Five minutes later the three men followed the boys, and Isaac fancied it was Master Phelps’ intention to explain to the farmer the purpose of their coming, but that he feared to do so in the presence of the mistress of the household, who, if her son had quoted her words correctly, favored the king’s representatives rather than the colonists in the doings which had lately arisen.

Nathan took good care that his new friend should perform a full share of the evening’s work, and Isaac assisted in milking the cows, carrying water, and chopping wood until he had of a surety earned as bountiful a spread as could be set before him.

The farmer and his guests did not appear until they had been summoned twice after the appetizing meal was placed upon the table, and while she was impatiently awaiting them, Mrs. Beman questioned her son sharply as to what business his father could have with the strangers.

For a time Nathan avoided making any direct answer; but when his mother pressed him closely he answered her quite as pertly as he had Colonel Allen, by saying:

“I’m to be paid for holdin’ my tongue about whatever is goin’ on – I’ll have six shillings by this time to-morrow night, an’ I can’t afford to talk to anybody.”

“Six shillings just for holding your tongue, Nathan?”

“Well, it’s for that an’ a little more; but I ain’t goin’ to make any talk, so if you want me to earn the money you’d better stop askin’ questions.”

“Is your father going to get as much?”

“I don’t know anything about his trades; it’s all I can do to take care of my own, an’ work ’em through accordin’ to the agreement, when there’s so much questionin’ goin’ on,” Nathan replied quite sharply, and his mother, who was evidently as prudent as himself in financial matters, desisted from pressing him further.

After this brief conversation Isaac felt positive Corporal ’Lige need have no fear regarding possible treachery on Nathan’s part, for if the boy refused to tell his mother he surely would be close-mouthed in the presence of others.

When the party finally made their appearance and were seated at the supper table, the three men evidently on the best of terms with each other, Mrs. Beman’s curiosity was still further aroused, as was but natural. Yet no word was dropped during the progress of the meal, nor so long as the guests remained downstairs, which could have given her the slightest clew.

It was Nathan’s purpose to have Isaac for a bed-fellow; but to this his mother made emphatic protest, and when the time for retiring came the three guests were conducted to a room adjoining the kitchen, while the farmer’s family retired to the loft above.

Then it was in cautious whispers that Isaac told the corporal why he felt confident there was no danger Nathan would betray them, and the old soldier said grimly:

“He didn’t have a fair test when he was talking with his mother, ’cause there was no chance she would pay him for the information. What I’m afeared of is that some one may offer him more than Colonel Allen did, an’ then I’ll go bail everything he knows will come out in short order.”

“I don’t believe he would do other than he has agreed.”

“Well, lad, you hold to that opinion, an’ I’ll have my own, an’ ’twixt the two of us I reckon he won’t be able to do any mischief. His father is a proper kind of man; holds to it that the colonists are right in making war against the king, and stands ready to do all he can in furtherance of the cause. Therefore if this young jack-a-napes holds himself too high an’ mighty in the mornin’ we shan’t be wholly in his power.”

When day dawned, however, Corporal ’Lige had no reason to complain of Nathan.

The lad showed himself of the mind to earn the six shillings, and now that he was at home, appeared less suspicious of his companion’s intentions.

Perhaps this was due in part to the fact that his father, well knowing what the visitors would have, took it upon himself to give the guide positive instructions, and at an early hour Nathan set out accompanied by Master Phelps.

It was his intention that Isaac should be one of the party; but to this the farmer made decided objections, insisting that more than one stranger might cause suspicion, and therefore it was that Corporal ’Lige and his pupil remained quietly at the farm until noon of that day, when the delegate from the Connecticut Assembly returned well pleased with what he had seen.

In a private conversation held with the corporal he reported that strong though the fortification was, the walls were in a state of great dilapidation; few, if any, precautions taken against surprise; military discipline was hardly known, and the sentinels in particular were remiss in their duty.

Master Phelps had no difficulty in making such investigations as he chose, and declared that in his opinion, providing the garrison could be taken by surprise, there was nothing to prevent a capture of the fort.

However, in order that all this might be effected, boats were necessary, and there was not a sufficient number on the shores near about to convey one-tenth of the men in Colonel Allen’s command.

“It is well you have come with me,” Master Phelps said to the corporal, “for while I am returning, you and the lad, accompanied by the farmer, shall set about seizing all the boats which may be found in this vicinity, having due heed to your movements, however, lest you proceed so far in the direction of Crown Point as to arouse suspicions in that quarter. Work as expeditiously as is in your power, for the troops will arrive here not later than midnight, and it is absolutely necessary there be ready proper craft to convey them across the lake.”

Then Master Phelps, still holding to Nathan as a guide, set off to meet the force, which was believed to be rapidly approaching, and the farmer said impatiently to the corporal:

“If it so be, sir, you count on carrying out the orders given ’twixt now and dark, it is time for us to be moving, for boats are not plentiful hereabout, and we shall have a long tramp before gathering as many as will carry your force across.”

CHAPTER VII. TICONDEROGA

It was not necessary Farmer Beman should urge Corporal ’Lige to make haste in this matter which had been intrusted to him, for the old soldier understood full well how necessary it was that means of transportation for the troops should be at hand when the men arrived, and had good reason to believe that such task as was assigned him could not be readily performed.

He even showed himself more eager in the work than the farmer, for when the latter would have delayed in order to eat the noonday meal, the old man positively refused as he said:

“We can have dinner after Ticonderoga has been taken, but until then there must be no thought of rest. Although as I understand, detachments are to be sent to Skenesborough and Panton, it is not positive they can get boats from there to this point in time, and we must act as if believing the matter of transportation depended wholly upon ourselves.”

Had Nathan been there to witness the old man’s activity after some special work had been set for him, he might have changed his opinion about the corporal’s being an “imitation soldier.”

He walked here and there, tiring his companions almost to the verge of exhaustion, and yet apparently as fresh as when he began; but when the sun set he had only seventeen boats drawn up on the shore at that point where it was supposed the troops would halt, and Isaac believed there were absolutely no more within the radius of a dozen miles.

“I allow you’ve done your best, corporal,” Farmer Beman said as the three stood looking ruefully at the small number of boats, many of which would be loaded to the water’s edge with half a dozen men, “and it now stands us in hand to get supper, considerin’ we missed our dinner so completely.”

“There must be no time wasted. Let Isaac run up to the house for such provisions as your wife can spare, and we’ll set out in some other direction, for every craft that we add to this ’ere lot is jest so much gained.”

“You may set out in as many directions as you choose; but you will not find another boat this night,” Farmer Beman said decidedly, and with what was very like a show of ill-temper. “I’ve guided you to every place I know of, and if you are so headstrong as to keep on when there’s little show of accomplishing anything, you must go alone.”

“And that’s exactly what I shall do,” the corporal said emphatically. “Even though I knew nothing would be accomplished I should keep on workin’ until the force arrived, ’cause it isn’t for me to set down and say my task is finished.”

“If that’s your idea of soldierin’, then I’m mighty glad I haven’t enlisted,” and the farmer went deliberately to his home, convinced, as was his son, that the old corporal was not as well skilled in warfare as he would have it appear.

Even Isaac was disposed to protest against his teacher’s decision, and urged that it was little less than folly to think of adding to the fleet, for Farmer Beman had declared positively there were no more boats in the vicinity.

To this the corporal replied with some warmth, and there might have been a serious undermining of friendship had not Nathan arrived just at that moment.

“Well, is that all you’ve done this afternoon?” he asked sharply, and the corporal turned on him fiercely.

“Do you know of other boats?”

“Seems to me there’s more’n a hundred ’round here.”

“Where are they?”

Nathan began a list, mentioning this neighbor or that, and as often seeing among the collection the craft to which he referred, until finally he was forced to admit that to the best of his knowledge there were no more.

“I thought you knew of more than a hundred?” Corporal ’Lige cried fiercely.

“That’s what I reckoned myself; but when I come to figger ’em up they wasn’t there.”

“You come with us, an’ it may be we’ll find another.”

“What? After I’ve walked down to Castleton an’ back to-day, I go with you out rowin’? It’ll take more’n six shillings to hire me to do anything like that this night; besides you haven’t got time before the troops get here.”

“How near are they?” Corporal ’Lige asked in alarm.

“Well, they ought’er be showin’ up by this time, for I wasn’t five minutes ahead of ’em, and – there they are now!”

Nathan pointed to a group of men who had just come into the clearing from amid the thicket, and as the old man looked up one of the party motioned for him to approach.

Although Nathan had announced that he was nearly exhausted from his ardent labors, his weariness was not so great as his curiosity, and he followed the corporal and Isaac.

It was Colonel Arnold, Colonel Easton and the two representatives of the Connecticut Assembly, who had thus come into view, and the former, after explaining to Corporal ’Lige that the troops had been halted in the thicket lest they might be seen from the fort even in the gloom, asked concerning the means of transportation.

Chagrined though he was at his inability to do more, the corporal was forced to admit that he had hardly a sufficient number of boats to take over seventy-five or eighty of the men; but this the colonel did not at the time believe to be of great importance, for it seemed positive Captain Herrick from Skenesborough, and Captain Douglas from Panton, must before midnight send craft enough to transfer the entire force.

Therefore it was that the leaders of the party appeared well satisfied, and the corporal must have come to the conclusion that he had fretted himself without reasonable cause.

“You will remain in charge of the fleet,” Colonel Allen said to the old soldier, “with the boy to act as your lieutenant, and you may detail two men as oarsmen in each boat. We will set out as soon as the remainder of the craft arrives.”

Then it was that Nathan believed he saw an opportunity to add to his earnings of the day, and made the proposition that if the further sum of four shillings be paid him he would aid in ferrying the troops across, providing the work could be finished before midnight; but if it should be delayed until morning he desired to be paid twice that amount.

No one seemed disposed to take advantage of this very generous offer; now that his particular portion of the work had been done, it was very much as if every one save Isaac ignored him.

“That’s jest the way with these people from down ’round Bennington. They get all they can for the least money, an’ then throw you off. I ought to have held out for more’n six shillings when I took that Master Phelps, as you call him, over to the fort.”

“But you got paid very well,” Isaac suggested.

“Yes, so far as it went; but if I’d thought of all that’s going on I would have put up my price, or held out half-hired till the business was over.”

Now for the first time since their meeting did Corporal ’Lige’s pupil speak sharply to this friend.

“You should be ashamed to demand money for such work as you have done this day,” he said stoutly. “Whatever resistance be made to the king is for the benefit of all the colonies, and if each one insisted on being paid, as you’ve done, his majesty might work his will, for there would be none to say him nay.”

Young Beman was both surprised and injured by this outburst.

“That’s what I call pretty tough, after all I’ve done for you!” he cried sharply. “If it hadn’t been for me you wouldn’t have got over here and had a chance of staying all night in our house.”

“I didn’t have a chance without paying for it, as I understand Master Phelps is to settle with your father for our accommodations.”

“Yes, an’ just before I come away mother told me she thought as likely as not father’d be such a fool as to refuse to take a cent; but I ain’t goin’ to quarrel with you, even if I have been defrauded of what is my right. Come up to the house an’ get some supper, won’t you?”

“You mean that I shall partake of the food after I have helped you do the chores?”

“Well, yes, something like that. Of course you don’t expect to get your supper for nothing.”

“No; I’d rather go without than do more work now after tramping around all the afternoon. There’ll be something in the way of rations found in camp, an’ I’ll take my chances there.”

Young Beman turned away quickly as if angry with this new friend, and observing the movement Corporal ’Lige asked Isaac:

“What’s the trouble with yon skinflint? Haven’t been quarrelin’, eh?”

“I think I have seen enough of a lad who must be paid for all he does at such a time,” and having said this Isaac went in search of his supper, not minded to make further explanations.

Weary though he was, the lad was soon forced to aid the corporal in getting the boats’ crews together, and after it was fully dark those selected to act as oarsmen were marched to the water’s edge, that they might be in readiness when their services were required.

After this there was nothing to be done save await the coming of the expected craft.

The men were not allowed to build fires lest the lights should be seen by those in the fort, and so cautious was the leader that even loud talking was forbidden, therefore the men could do little else than spend the time in sleeping, a fact by no means disagreeable to the majority after their march of the day.

On the shore of the lake the oarsmen followed the example of their comrades in the woods, until all save the corporal and Isaac were wrapped in the unconsciousness of slumber.

The old soldier, considering himself responsible for the safety of the fleet, would neither lie down nor allow his young lieutenant to do so, and they paced to and fro on the sand keeping sharp lookout for the expected boats, but without avail.

Midnight came, and yet no word from either of the two detachments which had been sent in search of means of transportation.

Colonel Allen and Colonel Arnold, growing impatient because of the long delay, came to the shore, and Corporal ’Lige stood stiff as the barrel of his own musket when he saluted.

“How many can be taken in the boats you have here?” Colonel Arnold asked.

“Somewhere about eighty, sir, and if it so be you give the word we can ferry the whole party across in three trips.”

“That would never do,” Colonel Arnold replied decidedly. “We must go in a body or give up all hope of surprising the garrison.”

In this Colonel Allen was agreed, and the two officers remained near at hand, now pacing to and fro, and again listening intently for those sounds which would tell of the hoped-for arrival, until it lacked no more than two hours of daybreak, when they were joined by Master Phelps and Colonel Easton, the latter saying sufficiently loud for Isaac to distinguish the words:

“Unless such a move is made as may be possible with the means at our disposal, the plan of capturing the fort has come to naught, for it isn’t reasonable to suppose our party can remain in this vicinity throughout to-morrow without some intimation being given the commandant by those who live in the vicinity.”

What was evidently a conversation between the officers followed; but it was conducted in so low a tone that Isaac could not hear the words, and he remained near at hand expecting to receive the order to launch the boats, until Colonel Easton called him by name.

“You know where is situated the home of the lad who guided Master Phelps into the fort?”

“Oh, yes, sir; it is but a short distance from here.”

“Go you there, and bring the boy.”

“I question if he will come, sir, unless I make explanation of why he is wanted, or promise that he shall be paid for thus disturbing himself. He seems to have no thought save of money.”

“Yet, his father is with us in this matter, I am told, so far as opinion goes.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Then go and rouse the lad; if he refuses to come, say to the father that Colonel Allen requires the services of the boy, and if he answers not what we make as a request, I will send a detachment to enforce a demand.”

Isaac obeyed promptly, not finding it a simple matter to make his way across the field in the darkness; but finally succeeding after one or two tumbles, each of which left their marks in the shape of a scratch or contusion, and with the first knock at the door he heard Farmer Beman’s voice asking as to who was there.

“It is Isaac Rice, sir, and Colonel Easton has sent me to say that Colonel Allen desires the attendance of Nathan at once.”

“What does he want him for?” the shrill voice of Mrs. Beman cried, and Isaac replied truthfully that he did not know, since no explanation had been made him.

Then could be heard the farmer, his wife, and son in what was evidently an altercation, until no less than five minutes had passed, at the end of which time young Nathan appeared in the doorway fully clad, as he asked impatiently:

“How much are they willing to give me for coming out in the night like this?”

“I think it would be well if you depended upon their generosity, otherwise it is in Colonel Allen’s power to force you to do as he asks,” Isaac replied curtly, and from the inside Farmer Beman shouted:

“Get you gone, boy, and do their bidding. If I again hear you demanding money for such services, your jacket shall be tanned with the stoutest hickory switch I can get hereabouts.”

One would have said young Beman was the most abused lad in the province of New York, as he followed Isaac down to the shore, alternately bewailing his ill-fortune because he had not given Captain Delaplace information of the coming of such a body of men, trusting to that officer’s generosity for a greater sum of money than was given him by Colonel Allen, and vehemently protesting he would not stir one step from the encampment without being well paid for his services. Colonel Easton, overhearing this threat, stepped directly in front of the grumbling lad and called for Corporal ’Lige, much to the surprise of both the boys, saying when the old soldier arrived:

“Corporal, it is Colonel Allen’s wish that this lad remain near him after we have landed on the other side, to show the way into the fort. He is not disposed to do so willingly, it seems, and it shall be your duty to see that the order be obeyed. If he attempts to escape, shoot him down; but give him gentle treatment so long as he complies with your requests.”

“I’ll take care of him, sir, that you may depend on,” the corporal said grimly, and from that instant Nathan Beman remained silent regarding his desire to be paid for acting the part of guide.

Because of having received this order the corporal was forced to relinquish his position as commodore of the fleet, and thus it was that he and his pupil were among the few who entered Ticonderoga early that morning.

Within five minutes after Nathan had apparently been subdued, word was passed for as many of the Green Mountain Boys as could be conveyed in the boats to embark at once, and almost at the same moment Colonel Easton, turning to the old man, said:

“It is your duty, Corporal ’Lige, to take passage in the same craft that carries our leader, for the lad of whom you have charge must be kept where Colonel Allen can speak to him at an instant’s notice.”