Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-11-13

yar0S.
Down boys, down )" cried Morgan, as the
horse approached nor did the clansmen OF
the Black Roderick disappear more promptly
amid their native heather than did Morgan's
woodmen, in the present instance. each to his
tree or rock. " Lie close there, my lads, till
we see what these fellows are about"
Meantime the horsemcn had gained the
height, and the officer dropping the rein or the
chargers neck, with spy-glasS recOanoitered
the American lines The troops closed mp
their files, and were either caressing the noble
animals they rode, adjusting their equipments,
or gazing upon the surrounding scenery, now
fast Frightening in the beams Of rising
| sun.
Morgan looked at Long and Long at his
! superior, while the riflemen, with painting chests
and sparkling eyes, were only waiting some
signal from their officer {" to let the ruin ly"
At length the martial ardor of Morgan
overcame his prudence and sense of military
subordnation. Forgetful of consequences,
reckless of everything but his enemy, now with
in his grasp, he waved his hand, and loud and
sharp rang the report of their rifles amid the
surrounding echoes
At point blank distance, the certain and
! deadly aim of the Hunting Shirts of the Re
volutlonary army is too we'll known to history
to need remark at this time of day. In the
instance we have recorded, the effect Of the
| hire of the riflemen was tremendous.
Of the horSemen, some had fallen to rise no
! more, over the adjoining plain, Others wound
ed, but entangled with their strrupS, We're
dragged by the infuriated animals cxpringIy
along while the very few who were unscathed
Spurred hard to regain the shelter Of the Bri-
tish lines
While the smoke yet canopied the scene of
slaughter, and the picturesque forms of the
woodSmen appeared among the foliage, as they
were re-loadlng their pieces, the colossal figure
| of Morgan stood apart. He seemed the very
genius of war, and gIoOmiIy he contemplated
the havoc his order had made He spoke not,
| he moved not, but looked as one absorbed in
the intensity of thought. The martial shout
! with which he was wont to cheer his comrades
in the hour of combat, was hnShed the shell
| from which he had blown full many a note of
| battle aud Of triumph Oh the field of Saratoga.
| hung by his side no order was given to spoil
the slain the arms and equipments, for which
there was always bounty from Congress, the
shirts of which there was such a need, at that,
the sorest period of our countrys privation, all,
all were abandoned, as, with an abStracting
gan suddenly turning to his captain, exclaim.
ed, Long, to the camp to the camp" The
! favorite captain obcyed, the rifemen with trail
ed arms fell into file, and Long ana his party
soon disappeared, but not before the hardy
! fellows had exchanged opinions On the strange
termination Of tie late affair And they
agreed mem. coA., that their colonel was trick
ed (conjurcd) for assuredly, after such fire
| thuy- had oriy
ing OF saddles and scattering of the troopers,
! he would not have ordered his poor rifle boys
from the field, without so much as few shirts
or pair of stockings being divided among
them . Yes" said tall, lean and swarthy
looking fellow, as he carefully placed his moc.s,
Sined feet III the footprints Of the he-leader,
d" Yes, my lads, it stands to reason our colonel
is trrked.'
Morgan followed slowly on the trail of his
men. The full force Of his military guilt had
! rushed upon his mind, even before the report
of his rifles had ceased to echo in the neigh
boring forests. He became more convinced of
| the enormity of his offence, as, with dull and
measured strides, he pursued his solitary way,
soIiIoquizng Well, Daniel Morgan, you
have done for yourself Broke, sir, 10 GER
tainty. You may 20 home, sir, to the plough;
| your sword will be of no further use to you
! Broken sir, nothing can save YOU and there
is the end of Col. Morgan. Fool, fool, by
! single act Of madness thus to destroy the earn
| ngs of so many tolls, and of many hard
! fought battle You are broken, sir, and there
is ali end Of Col Morgan"
| To disturb his rcYcrc, there suddenly ap-
peared at full speed, the aid-dc camp, the Mcr-
| curry of the field who refining up accoSt-d the
! Colonel with, IL am ordered, Col. Morgan, to
ascertain whether the firing just now heard,
proceeded from your detachment"
| 1t did sir" doggedly replied Morgan
"Thcn. Col Morgan" continued the aid 81
am further ordered to require of you your i'm
mediate attendance upon his Excellency, who
is fast approaching" '"
Col. Morgan bowed, and the aid, wheeling
his charger, galloped back to rejoln the
chief
| The CLEANS Of the morning sun, shining up
on the sahres of the horse guard, announced
! tie rival of the dread cOnmander-tliat be-
| iur who inspired with degree OF awe every
one who approached him. With stern, yet
dignifed composure, Washington addressed the
military culprit -
Can 1t be possible, Col. Morgan, that my
aid-de-camp has informed me Alright Can 1t
he possible, after the orders you received last
evening, that the firing We have heard proceed
ed from your detachment Surely, sir, my or
ders were so explicit as not to be easily misun-
| derStOod."
Morgan was brave, but it has been often,
aud Justly too observed, that man was never
born of woman who could approach the great
Washington, and not feel degree of awe and
veneration from his presence. Morgan quail
! ed for n moment before the stern, yet just
displcasure of his chief, till, arousng all his
energies for the effort, he uncovered and re-
piled -
/ % Y ..,,r Ernnllnncv,s nrlers Ivepe norfectN