Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-12

the leafy covert where we lay In am
bush. Afar off we saw the scarlet uni
forms and bright muskets of the Brit
ish regulars flashing in the sunbeams,
and over them the lion-banner floating
in stern and naughty defiance. My
heart was softer then than 1t has be-
come, after undergoing the hard knocks
Of more than twenty years, and al
though they were foes, I felt a cold
sensation creep over me as I watched
them moving unconsciously upon
certain destruction. There were no
scouts In front, none upon the flanks;
and, to crown the madness and folly
of all his dispositions, Braddock had
placed the Virginia Rangers in the
rear and assigned the advance to a
body Of light horse, utterly unfit for
service In the thick woods and among
the mountain glens. We were not over
eight hundred and fifty strong, and had
gone out mainly for the purpose Of de-
laying the British march. When our
commander, De Beaujeu, observed the
order in which Braddock was ap-
preaching he could scarcely credit the
evidence Of his own senses. Very soon
two or three of our scouts came up
from either flank and made hurried
reports. A glad smile lighted up his
features and, turning to an officer who
stood near, he said,-'They have given
us a victory, Bienville, when I only
hoped to give them check. Reserve
your fire until you hear rifieshot on
the right. That gallant army Is DOOM
ed
| "A deep ravine to the right was
lined by our Indian allies, and there
De Beaujeu hastened, to restrain their
limpatience until the enemy were COM
pletely in the tolls. Steadily, In firm
order, the English veterans came on.
Nothing had occurred to arouse their
suspicious, and although within thirty
yards of us, they did not dream of a
lurking fee The sharp crack Of rifle
now rang through the forest, and the
officer who led the advance tumbled
from his horse. Before its echoes died
away, a heavy volley In front, and
from either flank, was poured upon the
kastonished soldiery and a yell arose as
wild and terrible as II thousand fiends
had broken loose from the regions Of
the damned. The advance guard was
annihilated by that destructive fire.
Still Braddock pressed on at the head
of his main body, in the vain hope Of
closing with us and terminating the
contest by the bayonet. In attempt
ing to deploy into line, they were
thrown in confusion by the inequali-
ties of the ground. At the same mo-
ment a leaden hail was showered upon
them from three sides at once, and
again the wild yell Of the Indian war
riors shook the forest and reverberated
among the mountains. Nobly and
bravely did Englands soldiers that day
maintain the high character they had
acquired In many stern encounter;
but what could human courage do
against an unseen foe, whose deadly
volleys 1t was impossible to return?
They were broken at length-rallied,
re- formed again and again, only to be
again and again broken by the mes
sengers of doom that continually went
forth from our secret covert.
up to this time 1t had been a mas
sacre, rather than a battle; but now
the rangers came up from the rear and
threw themselves between us and the
bleeding ranks of the luckless regulars.
The face of affairs was instantly
changed. They understood the war
fare of the woods as we'll as we did,
and were fettered by no foolish belief
in the possibility Of practicing the tao
tics Of Europe in the wilds Of Amer
lea. Promptly availing themselves Of
every sheltering object, they returned
our fire with fatal effect. De Beaujeu
was mortally wounded, and our ad-
vance so much checked, that the shat
tered remnant Of Braddock's army was
enabled to recross the Monongahela-
But for Washington and his Rangers,
not one British soldier would have es-
capped to tell the disastrous tale Of that
days battle. AS 1t was, they lost all
their baggage. artillery, and munitions,
and our Indian allies carried seven
hundred and fifty scalps into Fort Du
Quesne, as additional trophies Of VIC
tory"
In such conversation the time wore
rapidly away. Burr was CONDUCTED
from convent to convent by his saga
cious guide, receiving at each one the
warm greetings and lavish hospitality
of its inmates. At Three Rivers they
lobserved a number Of persons gathered
about the entrance to public house.
lengaged in earnest conversation, which
they did not doubt had reference to
lArnold's invasion. To attempt to pass
would be to create suspicion and In
sure detection. Raoul drove boldly up
to the door and inquired the way to the
religious house at the place, OF which
lhe pretended to be ignorant. The con-
tident manner OF the ndIl, dIlu TIC
priestly vestments Of Burr united to
deceive them, and, although a few Of
the group eyed them suspiciously,
they were permitted to proceed un-
molested
I'VE have had a narrow escape,
monsieur" said the guide, as soon as
they were out Of ear-shot. For five
minutes / could distinctly feel the
pressure Of a rope about my neck"
WAS the danger really so great%'
asked Burr. Il thought from your tone
and manner that 1t was trivial"
when you have been knocked about
the world, as I have been, monsieur,
you will learn that half of our success
i'm life depends upon appearances. The
philosopher at his books-the tiller OF
the soil, with no thought beyond the
profitable sale Of his produce-the SOL
dier in the presence Of an enemy-the
statesman who struggles for power and
place-even the priest at the altar,
must sometimes seem to be what they