The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1847-06-30
BY j. II. IIEADLEY.

But the most brilliant action of Wa! nc's
life, and one of the most illustrative of his
character was the storming OF Stony Point
Washington, at Wavnr'S request, had
organized Il corps of li"ht iniuntrv, and put
him over it, with directions to take this
stronghold. This fortress was apparently
lmprcgnabc to Il Storniuy party for,
situated on hill, it WAS washed by the IIud-
son on two sides, while on the other lay il
marsh which every tide ovcrllowcd.-
Bcsidrs these natural dricnccS, IL double
row of abaltiS >,rroun,!c,l the entire hill.
and on The top were high ramparS bri$ling
with cannon. Six hundred veterans marri-
sonrd this rock Suli"irnt, one would think
to defend il against five times the number.
But ii WAS no common obstacle that could
deter Wayne WHEN his mind was once
made up, and determined, formidable as it
him or perish in the attempt. 1t is said
that while convcr<ing with Washington on
the proposed expedition, he rcmarkrd:-
"GrncraI, if y0u will only plan it, l will
storm HIP
''Ilc careful rc"onnoi,crcd the ground
and having nSccrlninrd the exact position of
things. iornn d his plan of attack On the
18th OF July, l779. he Startyd from Sandy
Beach, fourteen miles distant, and 1T eight
in the evening arrived within Il mile and Il
halt Il" the fortress. 1t is now twilight ::
and the mid summer evening with its cool
ing breeze stole over the watrr-hc stars
came out one by one on the sky, and the
tranquil river flowed by in its mag ycSlic 81
lencc, and al! was sweet and peaceful Willie
nature thus rcposing in beauty around him,
Wayne, with his strong soul wrought up to
the task before: him, stood in the gathering
shade of the evening. and gaZcd long ana
anxio,,Sly in the direction of the fort.
"Ovcr hills, across mnra$scs. and along
the broken shores Of the Hudson, hr had led
his little army noisclc>s, in Indian file, and
now waited for the deepening night to lock-
his enemies IN slumber Still undiscovered
by the garrison, he began to rcconnoitrc the
works more closc y, and ut hai:past eleven
put his columns in motion He divided his
army into two portions, one Of which was
10 enter the fortress on the right, and the
other on the left. In advance Of each went
a iorIorn hope Of twenty men, 10 remove the
piles Of rubbish that were stretched in
double rows around the rock, and placed
just where the batteries could NOW down
the assaiIants fastest Behind these fororn
hopes marched two companies Of hundred
and fifty men each Wayne knew that
everything must rest on the bayonet; and so
he ordered the load Of every muskct Of those
two companies to be drawn, while the first
man who should take his from his shoulder
or utter a word without orders, or attempt to
retreat, was to be pu, TO death by the officer
nearest him. Silently these devoted bands
submitted to the desperate measures, and
fixing piece of white paper in their caps
Fto designate them from The enemy, gallan,ly
Imoved forward ut the low word OF command.
AT midnight the two columns, headed by
ftheir foriorn hopes, came in sight Of the
fortress, along whose dark rampar,s the sen
tinel was lazily treading his accustomed
round, while the deep 'Ah's weIil, fell
fa'ntly on the listening ear. Grim and still
he huge black rock loomed up against the
sky, soon to shake with its own thunder
md stand blazizg volcano IN the midnight