The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-11-26

ISAN'0ON. e'NoUi NoA. - nO. !" 4
drink good night, and success to you
en,erprise.1 Col. Morgan quaffed th
wine, smacked his lips, and assured h
+ ExceEeney that his orders should b
punctually observed, and left the ten
: ttsf-.bo Coa1mander-in-e ehiefs- -
Charmed at being chosen as the exc
cutive officer of daring enterprise, tn
leader of the woodsmen repaired to hi
quarters, and calling for Gabriel Long
his favorite captain, ordered him to de
tail trusty sergeant and twenty prim
fellows, who being mustered and order
ed to lay on their arms, ready at mo
ment's warning, Morgan and Long
stretched their manly forms before tht
watch FIRE to wait the going down of the
moon, the signal of departure.
A little after midnight, and while the
rays Of the setting moon still family
glimmered in the western horizon
up sergeant cried Long, stir up your
men, and twenty athletic figures were
on their feet in moment Indian
file, march, and away they all sprung
with the quick, and yet light and
stealthy step of the woodsman. They
reached the enemy's line, crawled up SO
close to the pickets of the Hessians as
to inhafe the odor of their pipes; discov-
cred by the newly turned earth the po-
sition Of the redoubts, and by the nu-
| merous tents, that dotted the fields for
many a rod around, and showed dimly,
| amid the haze, the encampment of the
British and German re-inforcements,
and, in short, performed their perilous
duty without the slightest discovery,
and, pleased with themselves and the
success. of their enterprise. prepared to
retire, JUST as chautieleer from a
neig hboring farm -honsewas bidding SAL
utation to he'morn.F Al T,is
The adventurous patty reached a
small eminence some distance from the
British camp, and commanding au ex-
tensive prospect over the adjacent couu-
/ try. Here Morgan halted to give his
men a little rest, before taking up his
line of march to the American outposts
Scarcely had they thrown themselves
I upon the grass, Waeh ttheyS Spereeired-is
suing from the euemy's advanced pick
cts body of horse, commanded by an
officer, and proceeding along the road
directly by the spot where the rihemen
had halted. No spot could be better
for an ambuscade, for there were rocks
end ravines, aud also scrubby oaks, that
grew thickly on the eminence by which
the road we have just mentioned passed,
at not exceeding hundred yards.
Down boys, down. cried Morgan, as
the horse approached; nor did the clans
men of the Black Roderick disappear
more promptly amid their native heather
than did Morgan's woodsmen, 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 horsemen had gained
the height, and the leader dropped the
reins on the chargers neck, with spy
glass reconnoitered the American lines.
The troops closed up 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 a
rising sun. -y -f
Morgan looked at Long, and Long at
his superior, while the rifemen, with
painting chests and sparkling eyes, were
only waiting some signal from their Of
fcer, 'to let the ruin fly
At length the martial ardor of Nor
gan overcame his prudence and sense of
military subordination. Forgetful of
consequences, reckless of ofeVerything but
his enemy, now within 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
aud deadly aim of the Hunting Shirts
of the Revolutionary army is too we'll
known to history to need remark at this
tine of day In the instance we have
recorded, the effect of the fire of the
rihemen was tremendous.
/ Of he horsemep, some had fallen to
rise no more, over the adjoining plain,
others, wounded, but entangled with
their stirrups, were dragged away by
the infuriated asimals expiringly along,
while the few who were unscratched
spurred hard to regain the shelter of the
British lines.
While the smoke yet canopicd the
scene of slaughter, and the picturesque
forms of the woodemen appeared among
the foliage, as they were re-loading their
pieces, the colossal figure of Morgan
stood apart. He seemed the very genius
of war, and gloomily 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 comrads in the hour
of combat, was hushed; the shell of bat
tie and of triumph on the field of Sarato-