The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1896-05-22

ly reached Bennington, INV icsS tudi
ten miles distant and in another hou
after, il the news he carries has thu
effect on our army there that antic
mate from what l learned when
came down, these fellows will be me
on the way by force which they can
not be expecting to see. Can they, d'
you SUPPOSE"
IT think not" replied Sabrey, 80
we should have been sent back Il
once, to the British camp, as we ex
pected. but, believing we shall NEE
with no serious opposition, and prob
ably fearing | should find some meant
TO escape, il sent back, my magnan
imous prosecutor concludes to drag mt
round with him and his minions, tina
/ may be watched more closely, till
having completed his anticipated tri
umphs, he is ready to return.
"But where is Peters?" asked the
other "where is that remarkable gen
tleman now, that he don't present him
sc IL here, to pay his respects, or make
his apologies, or assure you OF YOU
safety. or frame some story by way Of
accounting for his conduct, or at least,
of smoothing the matter! One would
suppose the fellow would want to say
something on the occasion ="
Eyes, "replied the former; but he
wishes to see me as little as do him
I presume. Should he find it impos-
sible to avoid me however, he would
probably come up boldly and say my
detention was mistake Of his subal-
tern or that he only directed it to
afford me safe escort TO my friends
in the Grants. :"
.'There would he deal of love in
such doings.
"He eptertains none; not one par
ticle now if he ever did for me Vine. y
What the deuse then does he want
with your"
"Indeed, | hardly know myself"
MARY your
eff he does still aim at that it is
with no honorable motives | have had
some strange suspicious. lately, and |
feel but too thankful at this prospect
of battle, for | shall cheerfully meet
all dangers l may encounter from the
flying bullets of our people for my
chance of release.
"Chance, Sabrey? Why, | know our
side will get the victory, when we
shall be made prisoners lowell to
about the right sort of fellow, is,prob-
ably" added the girl, with merry
laugh.
The conversation was here inter
rupteu by the scattering reports of
musketry somewhere in front which
instantly threw the whole line into
connection An immediate halt was
commanded. and the troops hastily
formed in orGer of battle, as well as
the ground would permit. CHANGING
over the line in front, from the small
elevation on which they CHANGED to
have stopped, the girls perceived that
the head of the column had reached
the banks of the stream that here
crossed the road, and were rapidly de-
ploying into the fields, to the right and
left, 10 be prepared to receive their
vet invisible foe. The bridge over the
stream had just been torn up, and It's
scattered wrecks were seen floating
down the stream below. While Baum
was hurrying forward his artillery to
the front BODY of about 200 Amer
leans emerged from their coverts in
the bushes, some distance from the
opposite bank, and with an ominous
shout of defiance dischargedtheir guns
and disappeared over the hill beyond
before the slow Germans who alone
were yet near enough to do any execu
ton with muskets were ready to return
single shot A strong guard of pick
cts consisting of tories and Indians
were now sent forward to ford the
stream and keep watch of their re-
treating assailants while the fen
wounded and dy ing wretches who had
Tho of .f
Workmanship were carried back on
hastily constructed litters to house
in the rear, atfording the shocked
maidens, as they were borne by groan.
ing and writhing in their agony sad
and sickening foretaste of the fearful
scene Of blood and carnage they were
destined soon to witness. As soon as
the bridge was repaired by the engi
neers, who were occupied nearly two
hours in rendering it passable the col
umn was put in motion and again
moved forward but much slower and
more cautiously than before for there
was something in the manner of this
attack as unimportant as 1t was and
even in the shouts of their assailants
that had disturbed the minds and
cast visible shade of thoughtfulness
over the countenances of these hither
to self confident and boastful invaders
of the Green Mountains. For the next
three or four miles, however, they
moved on unmolested when, coming to
a hamlet of log houses scattered along
the highway on both sides of the |
stream, that, here again crossing the
road, wound through smooth meadow |
of considerable extent, the word Halt
Halt rang loudly, and from company |
to company, through the line, with an |
emphasis and significance that in |
stantly appraised all that trouble was
at hand The next moment all were
in commotion, hurry, and alarm. |
the furious beating of the raj
lying drums, and the mingling clamor
of debating voices, the cannon were |
detached from the horses, run forward,
and numbered; the fences on each |
side of the road were leveled to the
ground, and the whole force rapidly /
thrown into battle array, the tories
taking position in the meadow on the
right, and the regulars on the more ell
ev ated rounds to the left of the road
there to await the foe, understood to
be approaching in unexpected strength
Just beyond the thick copse which ter
the opening on the east
While this was Transporting. the Off
GER who had before taken charge of
Miss Haviland and her friend came
forward, and, summoning them from
their carriage, hurried them to large,
strong built log house, around which
a company of tories had been posted,
when, bidding them enter and take
care Of themselves, he fastened back
to his post, to take part in repelling
the menaced onset. Neither that day