Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-02-26

to bring out the bead sights on the
Kentucky rifles. the matchless marks
men in Clarks band forced the British
to close the embrasures and entirely
cease trying to use their cannon but
the fight with small arms went merrily
on until the middle of the forenoon.
Meantime Gaspard Roussillon had
tied Francis Maisonvilles hands fast
and hard with the strap of his bullet
pouch
"Now, I'll scalp you" he said in
rumbling tone terrible to hear. And
with his words out came his hunting
knife from its sheath.
"Oh, have mercy, my dear NJ. Rous-
sillon!' cried the painting captive.
"Have mercyw
"Mercy Yes, like your colonels;
that's what you'll get. You stand by
that forban, that scelerat, that bandit,
and help him. Oh, yes, you'll get mer-
cy! Yes, the same mercy that he
showed to my poor little Alice! Your
scalp, monsieur, if you please. A small
matter; it won't hurt much!'
"But, for the sake of old friendship,
Gaspard, for the sake
"Zif! Poor little Alicep'
But l swear TO you that u
Tout de meme, monsieur, je vais
vous scalper maintenant."
In fact he had taken off part Of
MaisOnville's scalp when a party of
soldiers, among whom was Maison-
ville's brother, brave fellow and 10y
oil fn no
tracted by his cries and came to his
rescue.
NJ. Roussillon struggled savagely, in.
sisting upon completing his cruel per-
Torrance, but he was at last overpow-
cred. partly by brute force and partly
by the pleading of Maisonvillc's broth.
er, and made to desist The big man
wept with rage when he saw the
bleeding prisoner protected. "Eh bicn!
, I'll keep what I've got" he roared
"and I'll take the rest of it next
time
He shook the tuft of hair at Mason
vile and glared like mad bull.
Two or three other members of La.
mothe's band We're captured about the
same time by some of the French mill
tiamen, and Clark when on his round
cheering and directing his forces dis.
covered that these prisoners were being
used as shields. Some young creoles,
gay with drink and the stimulating eff
feet of fight, had bound the poor fell
! lows and were firing from behind them.
! OF course the commander promptly put
an end to this cruelty, but they consid-
cred it exquisite fun while it lasted.
1t was in broad daylight, and they
knew that the English in the fort
could see what they were doing.
ITS shameful to treat prisoners in
this way" said Clark. Il will not per-
NIT it. Shoot the next man that offers
to do such thing"
One Of the creole youths, hand.
some, swarthy Adonis in buckskin,
tossed his shapely head with deb.
onair smile and said
ITO be sure, mon colonel. But what
have they been doing to us? We have
amused them all winter. It's but fair
that they should. give us little fun
now"
Clark shrugged his broad shoulders
and passed on. He understood perfect
ly what the people of Vincennes had
suffered under Hamilton's brutal adj
ministration.
At 9 o'clock an order was passed to
cease firing, and flag of truce was
seen going from Clark's headquarters
to the fort. 1t was a peremptory de-
mand for unconditional surrender
Hamilton refused, and fighting was
fiercely resumed from behind rude
breastworks meantime erected. Every
loophole and opening of whatever sort
was the focus into which the unerring
backwoods rifles sent their deadly bull
lets. Men began to fall in the fort, and
every moment Hamilton expected ar
assault in force on all sides of the
mean inevitable massacre. Clark ha(
warned him of the terrible conse
quences of holding out until the wors
should come. For" said he in his note
to the governor, "if | am obliged t.
storm, you may depend upon sucl
treatment as is justly due to a muir
derer"
Historians have wondered why Ham
ilton became so excited and acted Sc
strangely after receiving the note. The
phrase Justly due to a murderer" il
the key to the mystery. When he rea(
it his heart sank and q terrible feal
seized him. Justly due to a murder
err" All, that calm, white, beautiful
girlish face, dead in the moonlight
with the wisp of shining hair across
IT. Such treatment as is justly du
to murderer Cold drops of swea
broke out on his forehead and a shive
went through his body.
During the truce Clarks weary We
still enthusiastic besiegers enjoyed {
good breakfast prepared for them b!
the loyal danes of Vincennes. Littl
Adrienne Bourcier was one of tn
handmadens of the occasion. Sh
hrOupht tO RaVarlnV'S spuo6 n I'm S1y OF