The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-16

give me a resume in brief of the military
operations North and South.
At the North. as his news ran. affairs re-
NAMED as they had been. save that now the
French King had sent an army TO supple
ment the fleet. and Count Rochambeau and
the allies were encamped on Rhode Island
ready TO take the field
In the South the distressful situation we
had left behind US on that August Sunday
following the disastrous battle of Camden
was but little changed. General Gates. with
the scantiest following. had fastened nrst
TO Salisbury and later TO Hillsborough. and
had since been busy striving TO reasSemble
his scattered forces
A few military partisans, like my host.
had kept the field, doing what the rev
might against the many TO retard my Lord
Cornwallis's northward march; and week
earlier the colonel, with his handful OF
mounted rifiemen had dared to oppose his
entry into Charlotte.
Twas no more than hint to his lord
ship that We were not afraid OF him. said
my doughty colonel. You know the town.
1 take it?''
VERY we'll indeed"
well. we had harassed him all the way
from Blairs mill and twas midnight when
we reached Charlotte There we determined
mettle. We dismounted took post behind
the stone wall of the courthouse green and
under cover of the fences along the road"
Good, an ambush" said /.
Hardly that since they were looking TO
have resistance. Tarleton sick and
Major Hanger commanded the British van.
lie charged dnC we peppereQ tnem
ly. They tried il again. and this time their
infantry outflanked us. We abandoned the
courthouse and formed again in the eastern
edge of the town; and now: bless you.
twas my Lord Charles himself who had TO
ride forward and fiout at his men for their
want of enterprise.
But you could never hope to hold on
against such oddsi'' | exclaimed.
"Oh, no; but held them for third
charge, and beat them back. too Then
| they brought up two more regiments and
| tod off f<la hi odd
order losing only six men killed. But Col.
Francis Locke was one of these; and my
brave Joe Graham was all but cut to pieces
| "a sore blow to us just now.
The colonel sighed and silence fell upon
us. Twas / who broke Ii to say: Then we
| are, still playing a losing hand in the South.
Its worse than that. AS the game
| stands We have played all our trumps and
| have not so much as a long suit left. Corn
! wallis will so on as he peases and overrun
| the State, and the militia will never stand
! to front him again under Horatio Gates.
Worse still, Ferguson is off to the west
ward, embodying the Tories by the hun
dred. and We shall have burnings and hang
ings and harryings to the kings taste
/ nursed my knee a moment and then
| said: What may one man do to help, Col
| Davie?''
He looked up quickly. Much. If you are
| that man, and you do not value your life
| too highly, Captain Ireton.
You may leave that out of the question:
said 1. Il shall count it the happiest mo-
ment of my life when l shall have done
something worth their killing me for
Again he gave me that curious look had
noted before Then he laughed.
IF you were as young as Major Joe Gra-
| ham, and had been well crossed I'm love, 1
| could understand you better captain. But.
| testing aside there is thing TO do, and
you the man to do 1t. Our spies are
! thick in Cornwallis's camp but what is
needed is some master spirit who can plot
/ as we'll spy for Major Ferguson
moves as CORVALLIS pulls the strings.
| Could we know the majors instructions
| and designs, we might cut him off, bring
| the Tory uprising to the ground, and so
| hearten the country beyond measure. ! say
We might cut him off. though / know not
| where the men would come from to do ii. -
| 'Well?' said 1. when he paused.
1.-THE preliminary is some better informa-
| ton than our spies give Now you
have been an officer in the British service.
| and"
| l smiled Truly; and / have the honor,
| acquaintance. Also, / have that of Colonel
| Tarleton and the members of his staff, the
same having tried and condemned me as q
| spy at Appleby Hundred some few weeks
| before this chase have told you off,
| His face fell. Then of course, 1t Is out
| of the question for you to show yourself in
Cornwaliss headquarters
| / rose and buttoned my borrowed coat
ION the contrary, Colonel Davie, am
| more than ever at your service. Let me
| have a cut of your venison and a feed for
| my horse, and / shall be at my lords head
quarters soon the nag can carry me
| there"
| TTo Pc Continued