Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1841-01-19
sroRMNa or STONY POINT.

eoIumniof little army, whose Uniform
betoken6d It 10 be American, emerged
from athick wood on the shore ot the
Hudson, and in aainsiaul the whole dim
and shadoWy prospect, disclosed TO them
nlongthe bank ofths river opened 70 the
SIGHT Far.away lay, Verplauck's Point
nov huried in mass Of shadow, while
on ,he otber side ofthe river, dark, gloomy
and ftowni1g, rose the craggy heights OF
Stonv Point. Washed on three sides by
the Hudson, and projected on the other,
sxcep,, along D narrow road, by a NOR
rass. thes fort was deemed one OF the
most impreenabls upon the river, and It's
capture regarded as almost impossible.
Yet TO- achieve that gallant purpose,
this little. army was now on its march.
A tntn in the road soon hid them from
the river, and after silent march Ofsome
minutes duration, they arrived within a
mile and halfof the enemio's lines, and
haltinVa al the command Of their officer,
formed into columns for the attack. Be-
ginning again their march they soon
reached thSsdarshy ground atthe base OF
the hill
.'Hislir said the low voice of the gen.
eral from the front; "we are nigh enough
now--haltw a
The order passed in whisper down
the line, and the column passed on the
edge of the morass. It was a moment
of suspense and peril. Every man felt
that in few minutes the fate Of their
hazardous enlerprizs would be deter
mined; that they would either be cold IN
death, or the American flag waving in tr
umph over The dark prOmOntory ahead,
now scarcely dscernable through the
thick gloom Of midnight; yet not lip
quiVered, not a cheek blanched in that
CRISIS About twenty PAGES in front Of
the column, had halted the forlorn hope
of one hundred and Fifty men, with un-
loaded pieces aud bayOnets fixed, while
further on smaller group Of shadowy
forms could be seeu through the obscu'
rity, accoutred with axes to cut through
the abatds. Each man had piece OF
white paper on his hat 10 distinguish hun
from the foe in the approaching melee
The pause, however, which afforded this
prospect was but momentary. The gen
eral.had already reconnOitered the ap
proacAes 10 tho still silent pfOmontory
and ,wAving bis sw Ird on b igh he gave
the order. In another snstant the dark
massive column was moving steadily tC
the attack.
ItWas thrilling moment, during which
that devoted band crossed rapidly over the
marsh. As yet The enemy had not dis
covered them. Even the hearts Of the
Oldest veterans iremblsd with the eager.
ness of that moment Of suspense. Al
ready had the foremost Of The pioneers
reached the abaits, and tho quick rapid
blows Of their axes rung upon the night,
when suddenly . shout Of alarm broke
from The fort, the gun Of a sentry flashed
through the gloom, and in an instant all
was uproar and confusion within the
Notifications. Not moment was to
be lost.
Advance! alvance!' shouted Gen.
Wayne, as he pissed rapidly oil towards
the abaltis, followed iD> deathliko silence
by his ihdomiiable troops.
"To armsl" came home on the night
breeze from the fOrt---"tO arms! 10 arms!''
and,lhen followed the quick roll Of the
drum. In an Instant the enemy were al
thefr posts, aud as the gallant continent.
ais still maintained their silent but steady
march, a FIRE, such as only desperation
could produce, burst from every emhra.
sure Of the fort. The ncessant rattle oI
the musketry, the roar Of the artillery,
the crashing Of the grape shot, and the
lurid light flung over the scene by tho ex.
piosion ol the shells, and the streams Of
fire pouring from the fort, formed a pic.
ture which ITO pen can describe. But,
amid all, the daring assailants still ad-
vanced, though NOT trigger had been
pulled, IN their ranks. Faithful 10 the
commands Of their general, though trem-
bling in every limb with eagerness, they
kept npiIieir silent march, amid that fe.
~ tempest, as If impelled by some god
like power. Ou--on--On they passed, -
The wbirlwind offiro from the fort ceas.
cd not yet still they dashed slnng, charg.
ingai The puint ofthe bayonet, over abat.
lis and bulwarks, until the enemy, borne
back by their impeiuous onset, quailed be-
fore Them Then, and not till then, was
the deaihlike silence broken. A sound
Tung oal from among the victorious troops
oVeE all the thunder Of the bltlls. II
was the waichword Of success. It1wps
heard by the head Of the column behind;
i passed down iheir.lins, vas caught up
the Tear,ahd q wild shOai, making the
very welkin tIemble. rung out as they
dashed on 10 the attack. III
The contest was short but terrifc.--
Over rhnlwark. battery, and prosiraie Tdes,
thsaalIani contnshtals, headed by Wsyne.l
pressed on, and diving all before them.
met Hhe columns oflheiT little army, with
a., as,thnsiastie cheer. IN The ve,, ,ro,,..