Stevens County tribune. (Morris, Minn.) 1877-1880, 1879-07-17
STORMING OF STONY POINT.

Youths Companion.
STORMING OF STONY POINT.
The time fixed for the assault was the
night of the 18th of July. Starting out
from Sandy Beech, fourteen miles above
Stony Point, at noon on this date, Wayne
and his twelve hundred infantry took up
the line of march over roads and paths
so excessively bad and narrow that it was
eight o'clock In the evening before the
van reached the vicinity of the enemy's
position. Compelled to pass over high
mountains, across deep morasses and
through difficult ravines, the column
was stretched out the greater part Of the
lay in single file, and only recovered its
formation at the final halt The point
where they stopped was near tie house of
one Springfield, mile and half from
the British works, and there Wayne made
his last disposition for the assault First
he went forward with his principal of
ticers, and accommodated the approaches
to the fort. Returning, he divided his
force into two storming columns-so far
modifying Washlngton's plan, which
proposed but one such column--and ar
ranged all details. 1t is interesting to
note that one Of the last things the bold
soldier sat down to do was to write let
ter to u friend, expressing his emotions
on the eve of the desperate work he sup
posed he had in hand, and to request
that the education of his children be pro-
vided for. II am called to sup" he wrote,
''but where to breakfast? Either within
the enemies lines in triumph, or in an
other world"
The plan as finally decided upon was
to advance simultaneously, on the right
and left, and break through into the
works from opposite points. His right
column, which Wayne made the strong
est, VAS composed of Febiger's Virginia
men, then Meigs' Massachusetts follow
ing. The left consisted of the Pennsyl-
vanians and Marylanders under Butler,
and Murfree's North Carolinians in the
rear. The final instructions to the corps
were pointed and imperative. Both col
umns were to move to the assault with
unloaded muskets, and do the work with
the bayonet alone. f any man should
attempt to load his piece on the way, he
| The utmost silence was to be observed
until the main work was gained, " hen
all, as they entered, were to shout the
watchword of the night" The forts oar
Oa1n!" To distinguish them from the
enemy IN the darkness of the night,
every soldier and officer was ordered t.,
| fix piece of white paper in ''the most
conspicuous part of his hat or cap / nat
the main bodies might meet with as few
obstacles as possible in then forward
course, each was to be preceded by a
''forlorn hope" which W. to act as a
surprise party; and still In front of this
were to be place tw- nty volunteers, un-
der, a determined Llcer, who were to cut
away the abat;J. For the right column
the ''torlorn Gpe" consisted of one hun
dred and l.4ty men, under the gallant De
Fleury, and the advance guard of twenty,
undLl Lieutenant Knox, of the Ninth
Pennsylvania; for the left column Major
,,tcward led the one party, and Lieuten-
ant Gibbons, of the Sixth Pennsylvania,
the other These officers had been as
signed to these posts of honor either by
lot or because of their previous knowl-
edge of the ground. Finally, all things
arranged, the whole body moved forward,
at half-past eleven o'clock at night, when
a steadiness and a determination that
urged nothing but success.
AS in the case of all military exploits
where victory depends upon precision
and rapidity, the assault which now oc-
CURED was accomplished In remare a.
bly, brief space of time. Three-quarters
of an hour after midnight, and all was
over. Even Caesars condensed dispatch
would have been too long to annouce the
result. The light infantry came, and
conquered. They "saw" nothing; it vas
dark
Twelve o'clock was the time of the ac-
tual charge to begin. To reach the Point
within assaulting distance it was neces-
sary to cross the intervening marsh as
quickly as possible. Here there was an
unexpected obstacle in the overflow OF
the tide, and t enty minutes were lost.
valuable time just then, but fortunately
not fatal loss. AS the two columns
| neared the enemy, Murfree and his North
Corolinians, by previous instructions,
took position directly in fr.nt of the
British works, and opened a rapid and
continuous fire, for the purpose Of draw
j ing attention to themselves, while the
storming parties moved ON silently on thu
right and left. This ruse contributed t.
the night success. Immediately there is
hot work in progress. The hoped-fol
surprise IS out of the question, for the
enemy's pickets have given the alarm,
In ten minutes every man of the gar
rison is up, completely dressed and
at his proper station. If t e fort is toibe
taken now, only hard fighting can do il
Meanwhile mighty courage and lesolu-
ton seem to urge on the American in
fantry NTH an Irresistible momentum
t Q valiant Wayne, determined to share
the perlls as well as I glories of the en-
terprise, leads the right column, spear in