The Minute Boys of York Town

"There is no reason why he should not, providing it was being done honestly; but there are Virginians who would go from Cornwallis to Lafayette on anything rather than honest business. If you are acting as messenger, who in the town of York would send you?"

For an instant the name of Morgan trembled on my lips, and then I realized in what danger I might put the spy by thus proclaiming that he had enlisted in the British army, while the man, seeing me hesitate, laid his hand heavily upon my shoulder, as he said in what sounded very like a tone of triumph:

"If you were bent on honest business there is no reason why you should delay in saying who sent you. It looks to me much more as though you were one of the Tory spawn that infest Virginia, and were counting on learning what you might concerning our people."

Now indeed was my anger aroused, and I ministered to the suspicions of this zealous patriot by giving way to it. Instead of speaking him fairly, as Pierre Laurens would have done had he been in my place, I must needs fly into a temper, asking if he saw on my face anything betokening a Tory leaning; if he could not recognize an honest lad when he saw him, and all that sort of foolish talk which only made the matter worse, whereas if I had explained on the instant who I was, then would he have had no doubt.

The result of my folly was that not only the man who acted as spokesman, but both his companions, were straightway convinced I was playing the part of a British spy – that I was one of those vile things known as a Tory, who was willing to work whatsoever of harm he might to his own country.

At once I found myself a close prisoner, being seized by both arms and marched in triumph up the road by these men who I must confess were doing no more than their duty, and being given no further opportunity to make explanation.

During two or three minutes I held my peace, the anger in my heart being so great that I could not think clearly, and then, realizing that the truth must be shortly known when I was brought before the marquis, General Lafayette, as in my folly I believed I would be, I set about telling that which had best been told before I gave way to anger.

"My name is Fitzroy Hamilton," I said, striving to speak in a friendly tone. "Surely you know the Hamilton plantation, and that my father is in the American army?"

"Who in the town of York sent you with a message to the American lines?" the man demanded.

"That I cannot tell you; but General Lafayette will know, for it is from one whom he sent into the village."

"That won't do. If you had come from a friend to the Cause, there would have been no reason why you refused to give his name instead of flying into a passion."

I realized only too well that there was much of truth in what the man said; but did not give over striving to convince him of my honesty and loyalty to the Cause, until he angrily bade me hold my peace, saying I should straightway stand before those who would know how to get the truth out of me.

Then it was I begged him to carry me before Virginia soldiers, if indeed there were any under General Lafayette, claiming that they would know who I was, and most like have come in touch with my father, whereupon he said with a sneer, as if my prayers had only strengthened his suspicions:

"If indeed you were a loyal Virginian, you would know from the uniform I wear that we are riflemen, and you are in the presence of three of those same Virginian troops you claim to be so eager to meet."

This last was enough to silence me finally. I had made another mistake where Pierre Laurens would have come out triumphantly, for I did recognize the man's uniform, I did know he was a rifleman, and had simply meant to ask that he carry me to some other Virginian who might be willing to listen more patiently, whereas, instead of conveying such idea, I gave him to believe I was wholly ignorant of how our people who were fighting for the Cause should be dressed.

It is not to be supposed that I was thoroughly cast down by thus being made prisoner, for I knew before many hours had passed I should find some one who would believe my story, at least, so far as to give me an interview with the marquis, and once I had repeated what Morgan told me, there could be no question but that my honesty would be established.

Therefore it was I walked on with my captors almost cheerfully, and they who at first had watched me as a cat watches a mouse, expecting I might make some attempt at escape, began to treat me in a more decent fashion, thereby causing me to believe they were beginning to suspect I had told somewhat of the truth.

There is little need why I should go into detail concerning this part of my poor attempt at playing the spy, for it had no other result than my own discomfort for the time being, and served to show me, if indeed I needed to be shown after all Saul had done in the town of York, that the lad who gives way to his temper, whatever the situation, acts foolishly and to his own harm.

As I had guessed, we were less than a mile from the American line when I was made prisoner, and within a very short time my captors were halted by the outposts.

He who acted as the leader of the party gave the countersign, and straightway I was conducted into the village of canvas tents and shelters of brush-wood until we were come to a marquee, in front of which the American flag was floating and two soldiers stood on guard.

Here I was left seated on the ground under the care of one of the men who had captured me, until a full hour passed, and then to my great relief of mind and wondrous joy, none other than my father came up, welcoming me with all the love which I knew full well he had in his heart.

It needed but few words to explain why I was come to Williamsburg, and then my business was speedily transacted.

If it had not been my own father who conducted me, I would have said I was being played upon for a simple when I stood before him whom they called the Marquis, General Lafayette, for he appeared to me no more than a boy, hardly older than Pierre Laurens, and because of not having yet breakfasted he was in partial undress, therefore wore no insignia of rank.

It was necessary my father prompt me before I found my tongue to repeat the message, and I fancied the marquis himself must have understood somewhat of that which was in my mind, for he took me by the hand kindly, asking what it was I would say to him, and but for the difference in the faces I might have said it was little Frenchie with whom I was speaking.

I contrived to gather my wits, however, in time to prevent myself from acting like a veritable simple, and on the instant I announced that I had come from a Jerseyman by the name of Morgan, who could not get out of the town of York without deserting from the British lines, not only General Lafayette himself, but all others in the tent were eager to hear what I had to say.

Then it was, and feeling by this time much more at ease, I repeated all that lesson I had learned from Pierre, until having described the fortifications as they then existed, and told of those which were evidently intended to be thrown up.

I would I might say that the young French general praised me for my bravery in bringing the information; that I was complimented by all the officers for having shown so much of courage as to walk that short distance from the town of York to Williamsburg, and that my father clasped me in his arms calling me a hero; but I cannot tell such a story because nothing of the kind happened.

It was as if all those men who were serving the colonies looked upon that which I had done as a simple and a natural act; as if it required no more courage to set out from York than if I was to have gone from one end of the plantation to another.

True it is the General thanked me for that which I told him; but straightway the words were out of his mouth he turned to the officers nearabout and began discussing the news while one of them sat down at a table and attempted to draw the fortifications as I had told him they existed, or were about to be built, and no one gave any heed to me whatsoever save my father.

And I must also confess that even he whom I loved so dearly did not spend overly much time in caressing me, nor did he utter one word of praise. It was to him that I had simply done what any lad of Virginia should have done, and he was satisfied, rather than proud, that I had acted the part.

"It is well you should return at once, my lad, and since I see no good reason why you should not do so, I advise that you make your way around by our home, so you may tell your mother what you have seen. I sent a messenger to her yesterday; but she will be pleased to get later information from the mouth of her own child. If you are an hungered we can give you food."

I was hungry; but after having failed of receiving the reception accorded a hero, and being treated as if I had done nothing of moment, my folly got the best of me once more, and instead of saying that it would refresh me to have food, I declared there was nothing to prevent my setting out on the return journey at once.

If I had counted that this might remind my father of his neglect to bestow praise, then did I make a grievous mistake, for he took me at my word without parley, saying:

"Very well, my son, perhaps it is as well that you should not linger here, lest there be spies in camp who would recognize you when you re-enter the town of York. I will go with you as far as the outposts so you may have no difficulty in leaving the lines. It needs not that I should remind you of your duty to Virginia, and urge that you continue as you have begun. It would have pleased me far better were you in the ranks, even though you served as a private, rather than playing the part of spy; but since it has been brought upon you by the force of circumstances, we must accept the situation as it is, and pray to the good God that you come to no harm."

This last served better than any other words could have done, to show me how foolish I had been to give way to irritation and disappointment because I had not been received as a hero, when I had done nothing as yet to win a hero's crown, and, thoroughly ashamed of myself, I clasped my father around the neck, kissing him again and again, mentally asking his pardon for having been such a simple, yet not daring to put the prayer into words lest he should come to learn that his son was so great a fool.

The good man talked with me as he led the way toward the outposts which I must pass, telling me of the great hopes in the breasts of the Americans that Cornwallis would speedily be overcome, and otherwise discussing the affairs of the colonies, rather than private matters.

I now believe he did so because of not daring to give words to his affection for me, lest he weaken my heart when he would have it stout. At the time, however, it surprised me, because he had ever been a most loving father, who took pleasure in showing his love; but I laid it all to the door of a soldier's anxiety at this time when there was so much of vital importance to the colonies at stake.

Within an hour from the time I first had speech with General Lafayette I was alone on the road, not that which led to the town of York; but rather across the peninsula to the Hamilton plantation, and the dangerous journey which was to win me so many laurels was finished with no more peril, nor more of adventure, save when I had been accosted by the American scouts, than if I had walked into my mother's drawing room at night-fall.

CHAPTER VIII

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF SAUL

I had no difficulty in going from the American lines to the Hamilton plantation. I suppose that my Lord Cornwallis's desire to speedily fortify York Town so he might the better be able to prevent the "rebels" from doing him harm, was the reason why no scouting parties were met with, and even though I had come upon a dozen red-coats, there was little possibility harm would be done me, unless peradventure they had been sent out with special orders to make me prisoner because of my having entered the town of York under false pretences.

However, I did not look forward to anything of that kind, nor was there reason so to do. It did not seem probable any of the king's officers were aware of what we lads and Uncle 'Rasmus were striving to do, else had they made a descent upon us before I acted as messenger for the Jerseyman.

Because of having had no sleep the night previous, and being somewhat wearied with the tramp from the town of York, my eyes were heavy when I set out for my home; but the thought of seeing my mother once more, of being able to explain to her exactly what we counted on doing, together with the beauty of the morning, when everything around me spoke of peace, content and happiness, rather than of war, served to revive my spirits and my body until it was as though I had enjoyed a long period of repose.

But for that which hung about my neck like a millstone, meaning our having been forced to make a prisoner of Horry Sims, I would have been radiantly happy on this morning. As it was, however, I no sooner began to anticipate the pleasure of meeting my mother, or attempted to enjoy the beauties of nature, than I thought of that cowardly Tory cur lying in the loft of old Mary's cabin, where one or another of us must keep watch over him every hour of the day and night, and if so be he should succeed in giving us the slip despite all our vigilance then would we become fugitives, with all hope of regaining possession of Silver Heels dashed, and considerably more than an even chance we might find lodgement in the British guard-house.

Thus it was I journeyed on, one moment buoyant with hope, and the next cast down by fear of what the future might have in store for us who called ourselves Minute Boys, hoping the day might come when we would be able to give good proof that we had a right to such a title.

The journey came to an end finally, as must all journeys in this world whether they bring us to a haven of rest or a sink of iniquity, and then did I forget all things in the outside world that might give me pain or trouble, in the pleasure I had with my dear mother, telling what I had seen in the American camp, repeating the words father had said to me, or striving to make her believe it would be possible for Saul and me to accomplish that which we had set before us. At the same time I tried to keep in the background the dangers which must necessarily be encountered, unless peradventure the Americans made an immediate advance and were overwhelmingly successful.

I might have saved my breath so far as striving to hide from the good woman who loved me so dearly, the possible dangers in the path we had chosen. She had pictured them all in her mind, and I am bound to give her credit for not having magnified them in the lightest degree. She viewed the situation as you might expect a soldier's wife would, carefully weighing this possibility and that, until she had come to have even a better knowledge of all which threatened than had we ourselves.

It was, however, when I told her we had been forced to make a prisoner of Horry Sims that she grew white lipped, pressing me suddenly to her arms as if imminent danger threatened, and from that moment it was necessary I bring to bear upon her every argument at my command, else would she have set her foot down flatly that I should not return to the town of York.

I believe of a verity all my attempts at making her more friendly with our scheme which had been marred by the capture of the Tory cur, had been in vain but for the fact that I could plead the shame which would come upon me if I should abandon Pierre, Saul, or even Uncle 'Rasmus, after having done my share toward luring them into a position of peril.

She realized even better than I that it was my duty, having set out upon the road with these companions and accompanied them thus far, to bear my full share of all that might result. As a consequence, instead of demanding that I remain with her on the plantation, she held me pressed closely to her bosom while the tears ran down her cheeks unrestrained, until I was grown so faint-hearted and so grieved because of having involuntarily caused her suffering, that a feeling of timorousness began to creep over me.

Fortunately, however, I succeeded in calling back some portion of the courage which had fled before my mother's tears, and realized that if I would do my full duty, as a boy of Virginia should toward the comrades with whom he had bound himself, it was necessary I leave home without delay, for verily I believe had I remained there until the next morning I could not have summoned up spirit enough to venture into that town of York where the king's soldiers, like a pack of ravening wolves, were denned up after having committed upon a defenceless people all the injury within their power.

Of the parting with my mother that noon I cannot speak, even at this late day, so painful was it. I can see now her pale face as she stood on the veranda watching me walk away, doing my best not to look back upon that mournful picture, and yet turning my head again and again despite all efforts to the contrary.

Unkind though it may sound for me to say so, I must confess to a feeling of actual relief when a turn of the road shut out from my view the house and the dear, mournful figure on the threshold.

Once that had been blotted from my vision by distance I quickened my pace, and with every yard traversed on the road to York did my courage revive, until when I had arrived where it was necessary to put on an appearance of idle curiosity and total disregard as to the wasting of time, I felt almost as if I could work out alone and unaided this plan which we had formed to outwit the officer who represented the king.

It must seem strange to have one claim that at such a time, when my Lord Cornwallis's army was penned up so thoroughly by the French fleet to the seaward and Lafayette's forces to the landward, that a lad like me could wander at will inside the encampment.

Soldiers not familiar with what was done in Virginia at that day, might say it would be an absolute impossibility for even a lad like myself to pass through the lines unchallenged, because Lord Cornwallis knew well that a great number of us in Virginia were those whom he called rebels, and I was of sufficient age and intelligence to carry information to the Americans.

Yet it is true that on this day I saw idlers from plantations on both the York and the James rivers lounging around the British outer works, or passing the sentinels here and there along the line of entrenchments facing landward, without being challenged, or without hindrance in any form, and I, as a matter of course, followed these curious ones who would with their own eyes measure the strength of the king as it was displayed in Virginia.

Like them I entered the village with no one to say me nay. Because it did not seem prudent to go directly to old Mary's cabin, I wandered around through the village, gaping at this or that, and once feasting my eyes with a view of Silver Heels as she stood at the stable line knee-deep in sweet straw, munching her hay as contentedly as if she had been in her own box on the Hamilton plantation.

Then I went my way to old Mary's cabin, seeing the black, wrinkled face of Uncle 'Rasmus at the window while I was yet some distance away.

Hearing my footsteps he looked up with a smile of pleasure and of welcome, and I understood there was naught to hinder my entering, therefore flung the door boldly open and walked in to find myself in the embrace of the old man, who petted and fondled me as if I had been down into the very jaws of death, and was come back only through my own brave exertions.

It had ever been Uncle 'Rasmus's way to treat me as if I was a child, and heretofore it had given me great annoyance that he should stroke my cheeks lovingly, and croon about his "bressed baby," or "brabe little man"; but now that I was in the enemy's country where I might come to grief at any moment, these evidences of affection were welcome, nay, I craved them so ardently as to remain really nestling in his arms until the old man tired of treating as a baby the lad who counted to call himself a Minute Boy of York Town.

Then it was I asked concerning my comrades, and Uncle 'Rasmus replied that Pierre was in the loft above, doing his share of guard duty, and Saul had gone away shortly after breakfast, bent on seeking out his mare that he might feast his eyes upon her even as I had upon my own Silver Heels.

Just for an instant there came into my mind the fear that my cousin was forgetting himself by leaving little Frenchie so long on duty; but it was only a passing thought, and I gave no further heed to his absence as I went up the ladder into the bare room festooned with cobwebs and lighted by a single square aperture at either end, through which the breeze came without check.

Horry Sims, miserable Tory that he was, appeared to be having much the best of this imprisonment. Knowing that he could not escape save by making his way down through the scuttle, and desiring to spare him all the pain that might be prudent, our lads had left him unfettered and ungagged.

He was sitting on the blanket which he had rolled up to form a cushion, with his back against the side of the house near the chimney, and appeared to be taking solid comfort, although one might see by the expression on his face that the close confinement and the fear as to what might finally happen, was telling upon him.

On the contrary, Pierre was the one of that couple who appeared to be getting the worst of the business. He was sitting on the bare puncheons near by the scuttle, with his knees in his arms, looking as weary as a lad well could look, and I pitied the little fellow, remembering what delights had been mine during what had been much the same as a vacation, when I journeyed to the American lines and from there to the plantation.

"Finding it hard work, are you?" I asked, crouching on the floor beside him, and the dear little fellow, with that bright smile of his, shrugging his shoulders as if it was a matter of indifference, said cheerily:

"It is not as lively here as I have known it in New Orleans, and there is but little with which to occupy one's attention; but when Saul has come back I count on going down to the river bank and having a swim, if so be his majesty's red-coated servants do not forbid such sport."

"There is no reason why you should not go now, lad. Surely I can well afford to take your place after having wandered around the country to my heart's content."

"It is not fair that you should do guard duty after having just returned from a long tramp," he replied with a bright, winning smile. "How many hours did you sleep last night?"

I confess I had not realized that I might stand in need of slumber, and would have put the lad off with an evasive reply; but he persisted with his question until I was forced to admit that since leaving the town of York to carry the Jerseyman's message, I had not closed my eyes in rest, whereupon he insisted I go to the floor below, and seek the repose which he claimed I so sorely needed.

"Saul is certain to come back within a short time," he said, "and then it will be for him to take my place here. You are to sleep now, to the end that if work of any kind be demanded of us this night, you will be in condition to perform your share of it."

There was no gainsaying a lad like Pierre Laurens; it would have been much like resisting the entreaties of a girl friend, to set one's face against that which he desired, and I meekly obeyed him, leaving in the loft the prisoner who looked fairly well contented with the situation, and the jailor who appeared to be suffering from confinement.

On the floor below Uncle 'Rasmus had already made up such a bed of blankets as was possible, he having heard the conversation in the loft. Straightway I had stretched myself out on that poor apology for a couch, my eyes were closed in slumber, and I remained hour after hour in blissful unconsciousness of the world of war and of hate around me, until I was brought back to this earth and all the disagreeable realities by the pressure of Uncle 'Rasmus's hand upon my cheek.

"What is it? What's wanted?" I cried, springing up and striving to brush the slumber from my eyes, the cobwebs of sleep being so thick in my brain that for the instant I did not realize where I was.