The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1891-03-28

Count d'Estaing was At drst - SURF
of his ability to capture Savannah that
he undertook to convince the British
commander by argument Cbefore resort
ing to arms) that resistance wou4 lie
worse than upavailing. Indeed tho brave
and brilliant Frenchman seemed to feel
that the nero prestige Of his name and
the known valor of his troops would be
sufficient to make the gates Of the town.
fly open to him. When he found that
the plucky garrison would certainly
fight him to the last moment he made
ready to reduce the place by siege; but
soon enough he discovered that the
works, although not formidable from an
engineering point Of view, were sufh-
GENTLY strong to render them very hard
to reduce by the batteries ut his COM
mand. At this point Gen. Lincoln
could not aid him much, having no ef-
fective guns. Nothing was left but to
take. the lines by storm, and this was
agreed upon between the French and
the American commanders.
The British were aware. of what had
been determined on by tho allied forces.
Maynard, now promoted to d captaincy,
had managed to ascertain through spies
that preparations for IN assault all along
the line had been going on during the
night. He was in command of two
companies, stationed really outside the
works, but protected by the loop of
canebrake and wooded swamp through
which 0rampus had led Rose. Little
did he dream that Miss Fenwicke was
80 near him while he was maturing his
plans for distinguishing himself by tax
ing the enemy in the flank whenever they
should attempt 70 charge past theswamp
where he, lay In ambush. He was q
good soldier enough, and he was cum
ming q wen a. daring. Two heavy
pistols hung at his side and his sword
was unusually long to suit his stature
and great strength. He was ready when
at last, just at daybreak, the grand
charge took place, and right stubbornly
did he meet Il. -a r-.
Prescott, now . brave major, led the
storming column that was to attempt
the line in the rear Of the swamp, and
30 it happened that the rivals met in the
full flood of the battle. With such vigor
and swiftness did the little body of
Americans como down upon their an
tagonists that it was scarcely q breath be-
tween the start and the crash of their as
sault. Firing as they sped forward, 80
accurate was their aim that Msynard's
men were thrown into confusion and
broke badly. This apparent success was
bad for Prescott and his command, for
deeming themselves victorious they
yelled vigorously and swept ON beyond
the swamp, unaware Of the battery plant
ed there with curtains of earthworks
thanking it and manned with a double
line of men.
A roar of artillery and q close, deadly
volley of musketry did the work. It was
useless for Prescott to wave his sword
and rave at lis flying men. They were
now as wildly scared and Us thoroughly
beaten as . moment before they had
been enthusiastically victorious. There
was nothing for him to do but to fly
with them and try to get them back to
theft senses, but the farther they ran the
more they scattered themselves and the
moro unmanagcablc they became. Be-
fore they had retreated beyond the
swamp they were badly cut up, and
every man was seeking his own safety in
his own way. Indeed it was SO all along
the line. The French Jared even worse
than the Americans, Count d'Estaing
himself receiving y wound, which seems
to have made him in great hurry to
rsise the siege and, re-embark. The
charge while it lasted, however, was one
Of the most bold and even desperate that
was made during the Revolutionary
struggle. Viewed through mere de-
scriptions it loses most Of its tragic pict.
uresqueness, because the whole affair
took place in fat and badly drained
| area. where the nero matter of insecure
footing for the storming party hindered
moro t:lan the earthworks and guns Of
the enemy.
At u certain point near the little loop
of swamp woods Prescott, as he ran back
after vainly trying to rally his men
heard cry that brought him to q short
halt as if bullet had struck him.
"Wayne! Wayne!" it called forth
with such strong. clear, beseeching &C
cent that it thrilled him almost pain
fully.
He stood still amid tho awful din Of
the fight that rolled to the right and te
! ~, Vcf< ~ h;v,, aud l;rta,,o6 n,,1 spo1o<3