Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1861-07-05


'Ah, from West Point, are you? rt
piled Sir Henry, eyincing more intere'
than he had hitherto done; sit down m
lad, want to have some talk with you
Fearing seated himself, and Sir Henr
began questioning him about the situatio
of the fort he had just left, the number c
men in the garrison, and what state {
discipline they were in. Albert who ha
been previously instructed on the subjec
told him that there were at least fv
thousand well disciplined soldiers in th
fort, that they were constantly drilled an
exercised, ard that the fort was we'll de
Tended at every point. He exaggerated
as much as be dared to at every poin
connected with the defences, and havinI
satisfied the curiosity of the commander
in-chief, he was dismissed, the orderly
being instructed to take him down to th'
barracks, and to have his name entered
upon the rolls of the army.
1T will never do, gentlemen said Sil
Henry to his officers, as Fearing depart
ed, the place is too strong and too wei
defended for US to make an attempt upor
it the present winter. By Juno, who
would have thought the rebels could have
gathered together five thousand men il
that mountain stronghold? Well, you
will postpone all preparations for the ex-
pedition, until further orders
Very good, SIR replied several Of the
officers in the same breath, and all de-
parted.
Our hero was conducted down to the
barracks, where he was kindly received
by the soldiers among whom he was TO
serve, and great many questions were
put to him in regard to the composition,
the discipline and the numbers Of the
troops Of the fort he had recently left, all
of which Fearing answered in such a
as to carry out the instructions
he had received on the night in which we
introduced him to the reader. He made
.bo e,1J;or. LaI;axn tI,o4 tLo Eo,trozr xroe
almost, if not quite impregnable, that it
vas defended by a large, determined, and
yell,disciplined force of at least five thou
3and men, and that any attempt to carry
he works by assault would be utter mad
less on the part ofthe British command
'r-in-chief, These reports were circulated
rom one to another, until the whole army
we're cognizant Of the strength of the post
which all had been so anxious to assaI,
md the war tune was at once changed to
me more pacific.
The next morning Fearing was regu-
lrly enlisted, and was attached to a corps
f loyalists or tories, as the Americans
tyled them. Here he had abundant op-
for observation, and he did not
all to improve it. He watched every
movement of the officers and troops with
yes like those of ferret, of lynx, and
istened with quick ear to every rumor
nd every report that found its way into
he barracks, and made himself, as far as
acquainted with the plans of
'ir Henry Clinton. In this manner he
vas rendering important service to his
ountry, and few men could have been
elected that would have more faithfully |
erformed the objects of their mission
han Fearing.
1t was a fine, bright morning in the
arly part of January, and the drill hav-
lg been completed, our hero having OBJ
ained permission to be absent for the re-
lainder of the day, sailed out to have a
'ok at the city. All was activity and
ustle in the streets, for the sleigbmg was
ne, and the splendid equipages were
ashing through she streets drawn by
1irited steeds, and freighted in many
lses with officers of the British army in
le gay scarlet uniforms, accompanied by
lie fair daughters of the wealthy loyalists
the city, who deemed it an honor, to
ave their children thus attended.
Fearing was slowly sauntering up
and had arrived in the vi
nifty of Cumberland Street, when he es-
ed a very lovely young girl, who was
tempting to cross the crowded thorough
re. She had reached the centre of the
rect, when a team of powerful horses
at had been left fastened to a post a
Iort distance up Broadway, became
ightened, snapped the halter with which
ey were tied, and dashed down the
DIVIDED street with the impetuosity of
/ avalanche. The young lady was ut
rly paralysed with fear, and instead of
inning for her life, as is frequently the
Sc under like circumstances, she stood
ock still, and would have inevitably
en run over by the maddened steeds
ID it not been for the bravery of Fear
e, while all the pedestrians upon the