Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-01
copyrish, 1901, BY D. Appleton 4 Co., New York.

RentIe DreeZe ndu sprung uP anu WOO
sighing softly through the trees at
the top of the cliff; the sky was over
cast; they would have rain presently.
About 200 feet away, since 1t was
low tide, the bluffs rose precipitously
from the level beach. There was room
at their base to disembark the whole
army. After Wolfe and the officers, in
Guiding Grafton, had landed, the light
infantry noiselessly clambered out OF
the boats and advanced toward the
foot Of the cliffs.
A zigzag path, up which single
file Of men might with difficulty make
its way, broke the sheer face OF the
cliff. It had been barricaded with
heavy timbers and was at present un-
scalable.
There was q momentary pause.
It seemed as II the whole enterprise,
50 brilliantly conceived and so sue
cessfully carried out hitherto, would
Je blocked by this unfortunate OBJ
stacle. They had succeeded In landing
unobserved. but IL they attempted to
tear down the barricade they would
inevitably attract the attention OF the
negligent defenders at the top OF the
path. Under such circumstances the
at empt would have to be given over.
A. Wolfe had said, 100 men might
hold that towering cliff against an
army.
"T think We can scramble up the cliff
by the aid of these trees" said Howe
at last.
It was a bold proposition. Wolfe
looked at him gratefully and approv-
ingly. It was their only chance, and
the young general gave the signal for
the attempt in these not very encour-
aging words:
] "You may try it, Col. Howe, but /
do not think you will succeed. Cap
TAIN" he added, turning to one Of his
staff, "tell Gen. Monckton to keep the
rest of the men quiet in the boats for
a few moments. We may have no need
for them"
AS he spoke Howe and his gallant
"a sprang at the cliff. They were soon
lost in the shadow covering the face
OF 1t, and the watchers below could
trace the course Of their slow and
painful ascent by the crashing sounds
they made, as by the aid Of stunted
trees growing in clumps here and
there they made their toilsome way
upward. Why the French did not dis
cover them has never been explained.
Presently the sounds died away al
together. The silence was broken by
the sound of musket-shot, followed
by another and another. A quick
fusillade rang out from the sky above
them. They were there, then! They
were engaged! What had been the
issue?
Concealment was no longer possible
or desirable. At word from their
commander the men on shore sprang
at the barricades. The scene changed
from one Of absolute quiet to intense
sctivity.
"Have they won, think you?" asked
Grafton.
1--WE shall know in moment" an
swered Wolfe. "If they have lost,
somebody will come tumbling down
the cliff to tell the tale. Meanwhile,
am stalking all on the chance Of their
success"
The little cove was now filled with
noise. Catching the contagion the
men began to spring from the boats
and fell in on the shore. The feel
ings of the soldiers, repressed so long
through the night, found vent in
cheers and cries. Presently hail
came down from the cliff. It was
Howe's voice.
eve have the post!" he shouted.
'The enemy has fed! The way Is
open!"
Hold it at all hazards!" cried the
commander.
The cheering men fairly tore the
barricades to pieces and scrambled up
the path, Wolfe himself in the lead.
/ Capt. de Vergor, who commanded the
! French guard, was incapable and
coward. He had kept negligent watch.
Howe and his handful of men had
surprised them. The fall Of New
France must be laid at the feet Of one
person; and, singularly enough, the
beginning of American independence
may be traced to the splendid exploit
of the young soldier, who, as gen.
eral long after, at Long Island, White
Plains, Brandywine and Germantown
did his best to stop its course.