Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1898-10-12
ON SPECIAL DUTY.
An Episode of the Siege of Boston.
DY CYRUS II. sTowELL.
--wrru~wEw1wz,


form, and the streets were dark in
spite of the lamps put up by the Sc
lectmen at long intervals. [ was
armed only with my sword and dag
ger, and these would cause no COM
ment, because it was u common GUS
tom to wear ornamental rapiers, al
though few of them would be service
able in combat.
On turning into Marlborough street
came upon the old Province House,
the residence of General Gage, the
governor. Here. almost two months
later, an event happened that caused
laugh to go through the entire
American army when it became known.
The soldiers celebrated Feb. %, l776,
in honor of General Washington, it
being his first birthday anniversary
while with the army. The men were
greatly amused to hear that the Brit
ish. had unintentioually done the
same. This celebration was in the
form of a grand ball, the most impor-
tant and dast of the season IN the
Province House, called the Queens
ball.
I kept to the right, by the Old South
Meeting House, and then crossed over
and went up School street TO Trea-
mount. Here I found the Perkins
house without trouble and, going eau
tiously to the rear. knocked&on the
door. It was opened by middle
aged man, who said softly before. I had
time to speak: ''Oh, it's you, captain,
is it? Come in. here. Don't make
any noise.'' Istepped inside the porch,
and he left me. but soon came back
with small paper packet. Here
are the papers" he said in whisper;
-tssnow get out of Boston as soon as
yor can. "But I was told to look
around little," answered. 'Tf you
stay here after 10 you will be captured,
for General Gage has issued orders
for the arrest of anyone found in the
streets after 10 o'clock without pass
from him" said the man, whom now
know was Samuel Perkins. "All
right" i replied, "I'll get away by
that time. Good night" "Good
night and good luck to you" he whis-
pered back, and then, after putting
the papers in an.inside pocket, left
him and went ont on the street.
After thinking the matter over j
had come to the conclusion that the
Best piaee tg ovefhear eens versa ion
relating to the condition Of. the town
would be in the riding school the Brit
ish officers had established III the Old
South Meeting House. So, when 1
reached this place, entered boldly
with the other spectators and went
upstairs to the balcony. Seeing a
vacant seat behind several officers, L
sat down there without disturbing
them. They were watching the riders
below, who were then racing t'.eir
horses around the floor and jumping
them over bar fixed just in front of
the pulpit and discussing the merits
of various men. This did not interest
me, sbut I listened more attentively
when one asked, care you going to
the performance in Faneuil hall next
Monday, FRANKIE" "What's that?"
"Why, General Burgoyne's play, The
Blockade of Boston All the officers
in the town will be there, and most of
those ut the works in Charlestown
will come over" This bit of informa-
ton vas of use to the American cause
when made it known. General Sui
livan had planned raid on Charles
town several days before l left the
camp, but the ice on the river was not
hard enough to allow the men to cross
on it, and 50 the plan was given up.
Taking advantage of the thick ice and
the absence of the officers in Boston
on the night of the play, January s,
he sent over Major Knowlton, who
commanded the rail fence on the'day
of the battle on Breeds Hill, and tho
major burned several buildings, in
Guiding bakehouse, and captured q
number of prisoners. This raid
caused general alarm in Boston and
broke up the play in Faneuil hall.
A short time before 1O the specta-
tors began to leave the church. AS
the officers in front of me arose, one
of them turned around and gave q
surprised start. Without looking
straight at him, I could see that he
was eyeing me sharply, and I knew
at once that he must have seen me
somewhere before. To give him the
impression that I was an acquaintance
whom he had met in the town, looked
up aud bowed with "Good evening,
lieutenant. He returned my bow,
saying, "Pardon me, but will you
please tell me who you are?" 81 am
a citizen of Boston," I answered. The
lieutenant looked at me, as If trying
to remember where we had met, and
then it flashed across my mind why
his face seemed so familiar to me.
When the British came over the re-
doubt on the third charge at Bunker
Hill 1 had personal encounter with
an officer whom L afterwards heard
was Lieutenant John Barry, who came
over ON the Cerberus with General
Clinton in May, ITS. He had q rep
utation of sincerely hating everything
American, and this was the man who
now stood before me. Our duel on
the hill was short, but very sharp, and
ended in my wounding him. As he
fell and joined the retreat he called
out, "I'll kill you on sight for this If
we ever meet again. You may be
sure was not in comfortable frame
of mind at this recollection. [ saw
that if he remembered me something
desperate would have to be done and
SO looked around quickly for some
chance to escape. Only ten feet away
was heavy door, standing open,
which led to the belfry above. l knew
this had bolts on the other side and
resolved to take chances in that direc-
tion.
When I told the lieutenant I was q
citizen, the other officers drew around
,poc n o1Nn1t IN