The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-11-06
NEW SERIES VOL. 3, NO. 13.

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odor Of their pipes; discovered by the new
ly turned earth the position of the redoubts,
and by the numerous tents, that dotted the
fields for many rod around and showed
dimly, amid the haze, the encumpment 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 en-.
terprise, prepared to retire, just as a chanti-
cleer from neighboring farm house was
bidding salutation to the morn.' -. ~ r4r.
The adventurous party reached small
eminence some distance from the British
camp, and commanding an extensive pros
pect over the adjacent country Here Nor
gan halted TO give his men little rest, be.
fore taking up his line Of march to the
American outposts. Scarcely had they
thrown themselves upon the grass, when
they perceived issuing from the enemy's ad-
vOnced pckets body Of horse, commanded
by an officer, and proceeding along the road
directly by the spot where the rfemen had
halted. No spot could be better for an atn /.
buscade, for there were rocks and ravineS,
and also scrubby oaks, that grew thickly on
the eminence by which the road we have
just mentioned passed, at not exceeding a
| hundred yards. -s.s. i aa3
'Down boys, down. cried Morgan, as the
horse approached; nor did the clansmen of
the Black Roderick disappear more prompt
ly amid their native heather than did Nor
gan's woodsmen, in the present instance,
each to his tree or rock. Lie close there,
my lads, till we see what these fellows aIe
about s .r.... ... ..ft .E,-gt
Meantime the horsemen had gained the
height, and the leader dropping the reins
on the chargers neck, with spy-glass recon
noitered the American lines. The troops
closed up their files, and were either caress-
ing the noble animals they rode, adjusting
their equipments, or g'zing upon the sur
rounding scenery, now fast frightening in
the beams of rising sun. ZIG III ....
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
Gy.' .f .--.
At length the martiul ardor of Morgan
overcame his prudence and sense of military
subordination. Forget'ul Of consequences,
reckless of everything but his enemy, now
within his grusp, he waved his hand, and
loud and shap rang the report Of their rifles
amid the surrounding echoes.
At point blank distance, the certain and
deadly ann Of the Hunting Shirts of the Rev
olutionary army is too we'll known to his
tory to need remark at this time of day. In
the instance we have recorded, the effect of
the fire Of the rifemen was tremendous.
or the horsemen, some had fallen to rise
no more, over the adjoining plain, others,
wounded, but entangled with their s,irrups,
were dragged away by the infuriuted animals
expiringly along, while the few who were
unscathed spurred hard to regain the shelter
Of the British lines. , ..,..E.G.'s
While the smoke yet canopied the scene
Of Slaughter, and the picturesque forms Of
the woodsmea appeared among the foliage,
as they were re-loadiug their pieces, the CO.
ossai figure Of Morgan stood apart. He
seemed the very genius of war, and gloomilv
he contemplated thu havoc his order had
made. He spoke not. he moved not, but
looked us 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 hushed; the shellof battle
and of triumph on 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 a bounty from Cnogress,
the shirts of which there we're such need,
at that, the sorest period Of our country's|
ptivation, all, all we're abandoned, as, with
an absiractinS air, and voice struggling for
utterance, Morgan suddenly turning to his
captain, exclaimed Long, to the camp, to
the camp. The favorite captain obeyed,
the riflemen with truiled arms fell into file,
and Long and his party soon disappeared, but
not before the hardy fellows had exchanged
opinions on the strange termination of the
late affair. And they agreed, aem. con-,
that their Colonel was tricked, (coniured)
for assuredly, after snch q fire as they had
given the enemy, such an emptyine Of sad
dies and scattering Of the troopers, hewould
not have ordered his poor rifle boys from the
field, without so much as few shirts or q
pair OF stockings being divided among them.
yes, said a tall, leon and swartby looking
fellow, as he carefully placed his moecasin-
ed feet in the footprints Of the file. leader,
Yes, my lads. it stands to reason our Colo
mel is tricked.' ae9.rh. aT-i3a# 81,
Morgan followed slowly on the trail ofhis
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
neighboring forests He'became more con.
ginced of the enormity Of his offence, as,
with dull and measured strides, he pursued
his solitary way. soliloquisng: 'Wen, Dan
iel Morgan, you have done for yourself
Broke, sir, to a certainty i You may go
home air TO the plow: voIir swe rd w i'll he