rolf in the woods-第67章

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That　night　the　British　occupied　the　part　of　the　town　that　was

north　of　the　Saranac；　and　began　a　desultory　bombardment　of　the

fortification　opposite。　Not　a　very　serious　one；　for　they

considered　they　could　take　the　town　at　any　time；　but　preferred　to

await　the　arrival　of　their　fleet　under　Downie。



The　fight　for　the　northern　half　of　the　town　was　not　serious；

merely　part　of　Macomb's　prearranged　training　course；　but　when　the

Americans　retired　across　the　Saranac；　the　planks　of　the　bridges

were　torn　up；　loop…holed　barricades　were　built　along　the　southern

bank；　and　no　effort　spared　to　prepare　for　a　desperate　resistance。



Every　man　that　could　hold　up　a　gun　was　posted　on　the　lines　of

Plattsburg。　The　school…boys；　even；　to　the　number　of　five　hundred

formed　a　brigade；　and　were　assigned　to　places　where　their

squirrel…hunting　experiences　could　be　made　of　service　to　their

country。



Meanwhile　the　British　had　established　a　battery　opposite　Fort

Brown。　It　was　in　a　position　to　do　some　material　and　enormous

moral　damage。　On　the　ninth　it　was　nearly　ready　for　bloody　work；

and　would　probably　begin　next　morning。　That　night；　however；　an

extraordinary　event　took　place；　and　showed　how　far　from

terror…palsy　were　the　motley　troops　in　Plattsburg。　A　sturdy

Vermonter；　named　Captain　McGlassin；　got　permission　of　Ma。　comb　to

attempt　a　very　Spartan　sortie。



He　called　for　fifty　volunteers　to　go　on　a　most　hazardous

enterprise。　He　got　one　thousand　at　once。　Then　he　ordered　all　over

twenty…five　and　under　eighteen　to　retire。　This　reduced　the　number

to　three　hundred。　Then；　all　married　men　were　retired；　and　thus

again　they　were　halved。　Next　he　ordered　away　all　who　smoked　

Ah；　deep　philosopher　that　he　was！　　and　from　the　remnant　he

selected　his　fifty。　Among　them　was　Rolf。　Then　he　divulged　his

plan。　It　was　nothing　less　than　a　dash　on　the　new…made　fort　to

spike　those　awful　guns　　fifty　men　to　dash　into　a　camp　of

thirteen　thousand。



Again　he　announced；　〃Any　who　wish　to　withdraw　now　may　do　so。〃　Not

a　man　stirred。



Twenty　of　those　known　to　be　expert　with　tools　were　provided　with

hammers　and　spikes　for　the　guns；　and　Rolf　was　proud　to　be　one　of

them。



In　a　night　of　storm　and　blackness　they　crossed　the　Saranac；

dividing　in　two　bodies　they　crawled　unseen；　one　on　each　side　of

the　battery。　Three　hundred　British　soldiers　were　sleeping　near；

only　the　sentries　peered　into　the　storm…sleet。



All　was　ready　when　McGlassin's　tremendous　voice　was　heard；

〃Charge　front　and　rear！〃　Yelling；　pounding；　making　all　the　noise

they　could；　the　American　boys　rushed　forth。　The　British　were

completely　surprised；　the　sentries　were　struck　down；　and　the　rest

assured　that　Macomb's　army　was　on　them　recoiled　for　a　few

minutes。　The　sharp　click；　click；　click　of　the　hammers　was　heard。

An　iron　spike　was　driven　into　every　touch　hole；　the　guns　were

made　harmless　as　logs　and　quickly　wheeling；　to　avoid　the　return

attack；　these　bold　Yankee　boys　leaped　from　the　muzzled　redoubt

and　reached　their　own　camp　without　losing　one　of　their　number。







Chapter　80。　The　Bloody　Saranac



Sir　george　Prevost　had　had　no　intention　of　taking　Plattsburg；

till　Plattsburg's　navy　was　captured。　But　the　moral　effect　of

McGlassin's　exploit　must　be　offset　at　once。　He　decided　to　carry

the　city　by　storm　　a　matter　probably　of　three　hours'　work。



He　apportioned　a　regiment　to　each　bridge；　another　to　each　ford

near　the　town；　another　to　cross　the　river　at　Pike's　Cantonment；

and　yet　another　to　cross　twenty　miles　above；　where　they　were　to

harry　the　fragments　of　the　American　as　it　fled。



That　morning　Plattsburg　was　wakened　by　a　renewal　of　the

bombardment。　The　heavy　firing　killed　a　few　men　knocked　down　a　few

walls　and　chimneys；　but　did　little　damage　to　the　earthworks。



It　was　surprising　to　all　how　soon　the　defenders　lost　their

gun…shyness。　The　very　school…boys　and　their　sisters　went　calmly

about　their　business；　with　cannon　and　musket　balls　whistling

overhead；　striking　the　walls　and　windows；　or；　on　rare　occasions；

dropping　some　rifleman　who　was　over…rash　as　he　worked　or　walked

on　the　ramparts。



There　were　big　things　doing　in　the　British　camp　　regiments

marching　and　taking　their　places　　storms　of　rifle　and　cannon

balls　raging　fiercely。　By　ten　o'clock　there　was　a　lull。　The

Americans；　from　the　grandfathers　to　the　school…　boys；　were

posted；　each　with　his　rifle　and　his　pouch　full　of　balls；　there

were　pale　faces　among　the　youngsters；　and　nervous　fingers；　but

there　was　no　giving　way。　Many　a　man　there　was；　no　doubt；　who；

under　the　impulse　of　patriotism；　rushed　with　his　gun　to　join　the

ranks；　and　when　the　bloody　front　was　reached；　he　wished　in　his

heart　he　was　safe　at　home。　But　they　did　not　go。　Something　kept

them　staunch。



Although　the　lines　were　complete　all　along　the　ramparts；　there

were　four　places　where　the　men　were　massed。　These　were　on　the

embankments　opposite　the　bridges　and　the　fords。　Here　the　best

shots　were　placed　and　among　them　was　Rolf；　with　others　of

McGlassin's　band。



The　plank　of　the　bridges　had　been　torn　up　and　used　with　earth　to

form　breastworks；　but　the　stringers　of　the　bridges　were　there；

and　a　body　of　red…coats　approaching；　each　of　them　showed　plainly

what　their　plan　was。



The　farthest　effective　range　of　rifle　fire　in　those　days　was

reckoned　at　a　hundred　yards。　The　Americans　were　ordered　to　hold

their　fire　till　the　enemy　reached　the　oaks；　a　grove　one　hundred

yards　from　the　main　bridge　　on　the　other　bank。



The　British　came　on　in　perfect　review…day　style。　Now　a　hush　fell

on　all。　The　British　officer　in　command　was　heard　clearly　giving

his　orders。　How　strange　it　must　have　been　to　the　veterans　of　wars

in　Spain；　France；　and　the　Rhine；　to　advance　against　a　force　with

whom　they　needed　no　interpreter。



McGlassin's　deep　voice　now　rang　along　the　defences；　〃Don't　fire

till　I　give　the　order。〃



The　red…coats　came　on　at　a　trot；　they　reached　the　hundred…

yard…mark。



〃Now；　aim　low　and　fire！〃　from　McGlassin；　and　the　rattle　of　the

Yankee　guns　was　followed　by　reeling　ranks　of　red　in　the　oaks。



〃Charge！〃　shouted　the　British　officer　and　the　red…coats　charged

to　the　bridge；　but　the　fire　from　the　embankment　was　incessant；

the　trail　of　the　charging　men　was　cluttered　with　those　who　fell。



〃Forward！〃　and　the　gallant　British　captain　leaped　on　the　central

stringer　of　the　bridge　and；　waving　his　sword；　led　on。　Instantly

three　lines　of　men　were　formed；　one　on　each　stringer。



They　were　only　fifty　yards　from　the　barricade；　with　five　hundred

rifles；　all　concentrated　on　these　stringers。　The　first　to　fall

was　the　captain；　shot　through　the　heart；　and　the　river　bore　him

away。　But　on　and　on　came　the　three　ranks　into　the　whistling；

withering　fire　of　lead。　It　was　like　slaughtering　sheep。　Yet　on

and　on　they　marched　steadily　for　half　an　hour。　Not　a　man　held

back　or　turned；　though　all　knew　they　were　marching　to　their

certain　death。　Not　one　of　them　ever　reached　the　centre　of　the

span；　and　those　who　dropped；　not　dead；　were　swallowed　by　the

swollen　stream。　How　many　hundred　brave　men　were　sacrificed　that

day；　no　one　ever　knew。　He　who　gave　the　word　to　charge　was　dead

with　his　second　and　third　in　command　and　before　another　could

come　to　change　the　order；　the　river　ran　red　　the　bloody　Saranac

they　call　it　ever　since。



The　regiment　was　wrecked；　and　the　assault　for　the　time　was　over。



Rolf　had　plied　his　rifle　with　the　rest；　but　it　sickened　him　to

see　the　horrible　waste　of　human　valour。　It　was　such　ghastly　work

that　he　was　glad　indeed　when　a　messenger　came　to　say　he　was

needed　at　headquarters。　And　in　an　hour　he　was　crossing　the　lake

with　news　and　instructions　for　the　officer　in　command　at　Burlington。







Chapter　81。　The　Battle　of　Plattsburg



In　broad　daylight　he　skimmed　away　in　his　one　man　canoe。



For　five　hours　he　paddled；　and　at　star…peep　he　reached　the　dock

at　Burlington。　The　howl　of　a　lost　dog　caught　his　ear；　and