Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-01-15
DANIEL MORGAN.
From CaStis'S RecoHections on,

u '0 - y SS'SS
Character Of WaShington.
The out posts Of the two armies
were very near 10 each other, when
the American commander, desirous of
obtaining particular information re,
spectlng the positions of his adverse.
ry, summoned the famed leader of the
Rifiemeu, Colonel Daniel Morgan, 10
head quarters.
1t was night, and the Chief was
lone. After his usual polite, yet re
served and dignifed salutalion, Wash
lngton remarked, have sent for you,
Col. Morgan, TO trust to your courage
and sagacity, small but very impor.
slant enterprise. | wish you to recon
noitre the enemies lines, with view
TO your ascertaining correctly the po
sltions Of their newly constructed re.
doubts, also of the encampments Of
the British troops that have lately ar.
rived, and those of their Hessan aux
iIiaries, Select, sir, an ofiiser, non
commissioned officer, and about TWEEN
ty men, and under cover of the nigh
proceed, but with all possible caution,
get as near as you can, learn all you
cen, and by day-dawn retire and make
\, your report TO head quarters. But
mark me, Conouel Morgan, mark me
/, well: On no account whatever are you
10 bring on any skirmishing with the
enemy: if discoved, make speedy
retreat; let nothing induce you to fire
single shot; repeat, sir, that no
force of circumstances will excuse the
discharge Of single rifs on your
part, and for the extreme preciseness
ai these orders permit me 10 say, |
have my reasons. Filling two glass
es of wine, the General confined -
And now, Col. Morgan, we will
drinks a good night, and success to
your enterprise. Morgan quaHed the
wine, smacked his lips, and assuring
his excellency that the orders should
be punctualy obeyed, left The tent Of
ihe commander.in chief.
Charmed at being chosen as the ex-
ecutive officer ora daring enterprise,
the Leader of the Woodsmen repaired
10 hisfuarters, and calling for Gabri.
el-Long, his favorite captain, ordered
him to detail trusty SERGEANT, and
twenty prime fellows, who being mus
tered, and ordered to lay on their
arms, ready at moments warning,
Morgan and Long stretched their
manly forms before the watch fire, to
wait the going down Of The moon-the
signal for departure.
A little after midnight, and while
the rays Of the setting moon still faint
ly glimmered in the western horizon
-"Up Sergernt," cried Long, stir up
your men, and twenty athletic fig
ures we're on their feet in a moment.
Indian file, march and away all
sprung with the qllck, yet light and
stealthy step of the woodsmen. They
reached the enemy's line, crawIed up
so close to the pickels of the Hessians
as to inhale The odor of their pipes,
discovered, by the newly turned up
earth, the positions of the redoubis,
and by the numerous tentsl hat dotted
the field for many rood around and
shone dirIy amid the haze, the en-
campments of the British and German
reinforcemenls, and in short perform,
ed their periIous duty without the
slightest discovery; and pleased with
themselves, and the success of their
enterprise, prepared to retire just as
the chanticleer from a neighboring
farm house was bidding salutation to
the mora.
The adventurous party reached a
small eminence at some distance from
the British camp, and commanding an
extensive prospect over the adjoining
country. Here Morgan halted to give
his men q little resi-, before taking up
his line of march for the American
out posts. Scarcely had they thrown
themselves on The grass, when thew
perceived Issuing iroG the encmy's
ladvanced Tr,'cKets, a body of horse,
commanded by an officer, and proceed
ing along road that led directly BY
the spot where the riAemen had halt
ted. No spot could be better chosen
foran ambuscade, forthere were rocks
and ravipes, aud also scrubby oaks
that grew thickly on The emineuce by
which the road we have just mention
ed passed, at not exceeding hundred
yards
Down bows, down, cried Morgan,