The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-19
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the faces below u.s. 1t was inhuman to
fire into the crush Of humanity that now
made the ditch its object. But fine vapors
were lost In the riot that took place as
they gained the foss. A cry near me
called my attention as l fired my rifle FOR
the last time: Men. men. they are on
us!' Casting away my empty gun, l
sprang to the rescue. and saw the broad.
red faces of several Hessi>ns appear
above the level of the embrasure near
which l had been stationed. ana from
which the cannon had been drawn TO be
reloaded. From the shoulders Of those be-
low they must have sprung. else they had
scaling ladders which l had not marked.
but had hardly a glimpse before ! was
violently josted aside by IA man who
jumped from behind me and into the
Dre ach Uttering a wild yell he laid about
him with dubbed musket, and the em-
brasure was cleared In an instant, the
Hessians cursirg In their targon as they
fell backward. while the gun. again load
ed, was run out. But cannon had become
of no service against those In the ditch,
though il sent death and defiance beyond
It, and the hero who had cleared the OPEN
ing seized a ball and hurled 1t onto the
struggling crowd beneath: ITO hell with
the Dutchman! We have thin yet! Hur-
roo" he turned. and to my astonishment
recognized Matthew, the embodiment OF
the wild 1rishman, lighting with 2est
that has made his countrymen terror In
battle when their blood Is up.
There was no attempt at military order
now 1t was fast becoming a hand 10
hand encounter. The foss was full of red
coats, and the fort was lost IL they got
foothold within it. There was no time to
reload. Every man was lighting for him
self and In his own way. Following tho
lead OF others, | picked up ball after ball.
neads of those beneath, while l shouted
like one in a frenzy OF madness. They
seemed to be clambering through every
opening. and a dozen dead bodies or our
own side now lay In the thickest OF the
fight. | had thrown eight or ten balls and
then lost my head. When l regalned con.
troll OF II was struggling at an embrasure
with the faithful Rod at my side. There
were but three or four OF us, and the open
ing was clogged by fallen men: mass OF
yelling Hessians was below. scrambling
to get up TO us, for something hed been
thrown into the ditch to aid them II seal
ing the revetment
For one instant We would clear the
space but the next would find Ii again full
of faces. l saw an officer whose gold lace
showed him to he major, sep to the level
of the breach. calling on his men to fol-
low as he snapped his pistol at me- The
weapon failed to explode. and on the sec
ond, Rod ran him through the throat with
his spear. Even In the excitement. l
marked the keen blade come out the other
side Of his neck as he threw up his hands
and pitched onto those below, bu, 4 mad
dened throng sprang into the place ana l
was forced or pulled back.
Cries, groans. and oaths in German AMI
English were mingled with the clashing OF
steel With sword in one hand and pistol
in the other, l was trying to cut my way
forward to where Rod was threatened by
q man who had crawled to the crest OF the
embankment, but before l could get
footing to aim or strike, / saw the negro
fall on the instant. the fellow above had
his head nearly severed from his body by
a sword stroke.
1t was horrible. but II did not seem SO.
The blood got into my brain again and
laid about me like a madman. II was
rough and tumble fight, and was probably
compassed by seconds. In the midst or II.
| remember firing pistol in the face OF
man who was about TO bring his sword
down on me. He was lying along and half
over the cannon that served to block the
way. the muzzle OF my weapon being with
in six inches of his eyes as pulled the
trigger. He fell forward dead. but the
heavy body bore me with II, carrying me
of my feet and backward. Something
struck me n violent blow across the eyes,
a splitting crash on my head turned every
thing whirling in crimson sky, and /
knew no more.
In addition to this triumphant pic
ture Of war on terra firma, there are
in Mr.. Hotchkiss' book two descriptions
pt encounters on the water. one ending
in the laundering Of both the contest
ant vessels. which from a literary point
OF view ar. wei; worthy of mention.
Lack OF space prevents the making OF
any further citations; but by way of
summary II can be said that I'm Def
ance of the King" Is a stirring. whole
some and ins structive book. for the most
part true in its use of literary methods,
ana at all times advantageously sur
charged with patriotism and the spirit
of 1776." The author of II need have no
hesitancy in venturing further into the
domain of historical romance to which
he mas thus achieved 50 auspicious an
introduction