The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-03-07
BY HEROLD BERNARD.

Joe Warren was d boy Of seventeen
who lived near the Ogechee river in
( Georgia, In the year I779. He was an
/ ardent young patriot who wished very
much indeed to light in the army for
! tie cause Of the colonies. But his
mother was q widow who had lost her
/ husband in the war and had two small
/ children under her care. and she plead
! 81 hard with him not to leave her that
/ he had not the heart to do so. So he
stayed at home, cultiyating what
/ ground lie could. and assisting his
mother III other ways.
1t a point in the river not far from
where Joe lived there was a British
| station. On shore was a camp occu-
! ped by detachment Of about one
hundred and fifty British regulars and
i'll the stream lay five vessels, four Of
which We're armed, the largest mount
il- fourteen guns. The station was
commanded by Captain French
At that time the patriots in Georgia
We're worked up to high pitch Of
enthusiasm and confidence by the
presence Of General Lincoln who with
q sIte respectable army was prepaT-
lug to attack Savannah.
General Provost commanded the
British in Savannah and the expedi-
tons Of his soldiers iHto tie surround
ing country had been marked with
pI ,uder, cOnfagration. and cruelty
The consequence was that the patriots
OF Georgia feltyery bitterly toward the
British.
On the approach Of General Lin
CON, Provost had withdrawn most Of
hl5 outposts to Savannah in order to
strengthen that place The station
on the Ogechee was one Of the few
places not given up On their arri
val near Savannah the Americans were
reinforced by large body of troops
from the French fleet which was
bIockading the entrance to the river,
ard on the 23d Of September regular
siege operations were commenced
against the town.
But this Is getting somewhat ahead
0f our story and we must return to
Joe Warren.
One day Joe was out in the woods
hunting small game when he unex-
pactediy stumbled on man sitting on
a 4og, who had the shoe and stocking
Oh one Of his feet and was rubbing his
ankle Joe asked him what the trouble
Wis, and learned thatShe had sprained
his ankle in jumping a creek, few
J rls away. The stranger asked JOe's
assistance in getting to some house
Were he'might rest for few days The
boy was much attracted by the frank
countenance ana pleasant manners Of
the injured man aud offered to take
him 10 his own home, which was the
nearest house. 70 this the stranger
agreed and they slowly made their
way thither.
After Mrs Warren had attended 10
the injured ankle heguest asked If
they We're rOyalists. In spite Of the
warning headshake of his mother, who
did not wish to get into trouble with
the British at the station. Joe prompt
y and vigorOusIy,d y,disclaimed any sym
pathy with the Red Coats" stating
that his great desire was to see them
driven out of the Ogechee, out Of
Georgia, and out of the country al
together.
At this the stranger smiled approx
ingly, and announced that lie was
Colonel John White, OF the Provincial
army, on his way to Savannah to join
the American army there. and that he
had his uniform III his bundle, He
had been absent from his command on
account Of sickness and was fastening
10 rejOin the army before the expect
ed attack on Savannah was made
And now this aggrayating accident
had delayed him again.
Colonel White asked of Joe and his
mother that they would keep his pres
ence secret, for fear the British
would learn who he was and take him
prisoner. This they promised 10 do
aud the colonel was given room
whore he could be entirely to himself
But at night time when all the
chores about the house were done,
Colonel White would come from his
retreat and entertain Mrs Warren
ami Joe with stories of his experience
in the army Often for his own amuse
ment and III order to enjoy the en-
thusiasm and interest Of the boy, the
colonel would talk Of plans for cap
turing the English at the station. He
would suggest some wild scheme and
then he and Joe would follow it ont
and imagine that they were pushing
it to a successful issue. Once he
dressed in his uniform for his young
friends amusement. Little did the
imaginative colonel dream Of how
much Joe took, these schemes to heart,
and that he himself would be called