The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-21
Chapter II.
THE CJEHE pECINS

Many were the feelings OF the troops In
Charlestown. Men in the ranks, veterans Of
the Seven Years War, forgot wounds and
fatigue, grooming as they thought Of the day
Grizzled officers, accustomed Off years to
consider their arms invincible were amazed
at what had happened. And young ensigns
now that they had pause to think, gritted
their teeth they realized that their uni
forms, for the first time under fire, bore the
stain of fight.
rested the responsibility of all this was filled
with alarm. Everything had gone wrong:
he had nothing to show for this day. Pit
cairn, hurrying over from Charlestown,
brought Gage, standing near the ferry, the
report that at Concord little had been done
Either the stores had been spirited away. or
the report Of their quantity was false. Three
cannon had been found and disabled, few
barrels OF wooden bowls and spoons burnt
a number Of barrels OF flour broken open, but
no powder was seized, no balls, and no other
arms of any kind. The general, knowing that
his Information was correct. knew also that
other these devils of Yankees had been too
much for him, or that there had been mis-
management somewhere.
But he thought Of ono head upon which
he could vent his displeasure, and turned
to an aide THE Fourth are crossing, are
they not? Send ME Captain Sotheran," he
said.
Captain Sotheran came tired in body but
not in mind, disappointed of one thing. but
with his best hope sure of fulflment Major
Pitcairn withdrew. and the captain ap-
preached the general eagerly.
Gage fixed him with his eye. You will
report, sir"
Report, sir?" The captain had forgotten
the importance Of the task which had been
given him.
Report! Report" repeated the general
=
Hancock? You have bungled your duty.
should like to know why"
We'll, sir, said the captain, sullenly, "ac-
cordng to orders, we stationed ourselves be-
tween Lexington and Concord, to stop all
comers. Soon after midnight came two riding
along the road, whom our pickets spurred
out to stop. They turned into the field where
We were waiting; one ran right in among us
in the dark. and we seized him. The other
must have seen us; he put his horse at a
fence and got away
ITO Concord, yes," commented the general
bitterly; $50 that the Yankees saved all the
best Of their stores. Well. proceed. sir.
What Of Hancock and Adams?"
The prisoner Revere, the silver
smith,. said Sotheran. He bore himself
haughtily; said he had alarmed the country
all the way from Boston, and the people
were rising We held him till the
troops were near Lexington; then let him
60 and rode to find Hancock. I asked maid
the way to Mr.. CFark's house. She said
Clark's tavern down road to the left
OF the green. We went"
They were gone,' Interrupted the general.
They were at the house of the minister,
Mr.. Clark said Sotheran, grinding his
teeth. The jade had tricked us. We lost
ten minutes searching the house; when we
found the right scent, that devil Revere had
warned them, and they were gone!"
Their papers?" demanded the general
Revere had taken them: we saw him and
another man with trunk"
You did not pursue?" cried Gage.
Firing had begun at the green" answered
the captain. There were militia around us,
and between us and Revere. Considering our
duty done, sir. We reported to Lieutenant
Colonel Smith. who sent us TO- take command
OF our companies
MY God!" burst out the general. land not
of you the man for bold stroke! Those
papers or those men were worth half the
province to me-"
sotheran said nothing. He remembered that
Hartman had cried: Come on! We can take
Revere" Tudor had urged: Adams and
Hancock cannot be far His little following
had been ready for the bold stroke for which
the general longed, hut he, in command, had
not given the word
And, thanks to you again. went on the
general, II have lost Warren
The captain started. But Ellery," he
Dried. Not Ellery. sir?"
Where the paper demanded the gen
eral, that you were to send?" I waited
for it."
Twas in the letter, sir. Surely you
found it."
II did not" said the general.
Perhaps 1t fell among your papers, sir
You must have overlooked 1t. Send-let me
go myself and find it!'' Sotheran pressed
close to the general, his face pale with eager
ness.
You presume, SIR" replied his superior.
Tho captain bent himself and begged. Let
meadow me, general-but to go and look
upon your desk, or among your waste paper.
Wis not too late.''
The general flushed with anger at his in
sstence. Sir, the letter is not upon my
desk. II it fell among my waste papers twas
burnt this morning by my orders And tits
too late: Warren and Ellery were seen to
cross the ferry early this anorning. Go, sir:
at once''
With angry eyes, white to the lips, Captain
sotheran saluted and withdrew, His aughty
self-confdence broke into fury as he returned
to his men. Not the disgrace to the regiment
and the army: not his own failure to fulfil
his task, had touched his pride; but that his
revenge was balked-that reused his devil.
At dark Frank Ellery was standing On the
Eummit of Beacon hill. Lights, numerous and
unwonteG twinkled on the shores that encir-
cled the harbor. They were thickest In Rox-
bury and Oil Charlestown common, stopping
the two egresses of the town. While Soth-
eran, learning that Frank had returned, was
stretching his arms in greeting to his distant
stretching his arms in greeting to his distant
countrymen, and his pure ardor brought in
expressible emotion to his breast. The coun-
try had sprung to arms-the siege OF Boston
had begun!