Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-15

tors of the convent to bring him all
the information he could gather. This
was little enough. Burr was careful to
the place of his destination, a secret
from all but the superior, and, as the
time of his starting was wholly uncer-
tain, all that the traitor could do was
to promise that he would Immediately
communicate to Captain Campbell any
suspicious circumstances that came to
his knowledge. Accordingly, when
Burr and Raoul departed from the
convent, he sought his employer at the
inn, where he found him snoring COM
fortably in bed. By the time he was
aroused, and four troopers (all that he
could Immediately muster) were
mounted, two good hours were lost
This made 1t necessary to press the
horses so hard that before he came In
sight of the fugitives two of them
were completely blown.
Robert Campbell, though little better
than a ruffian in heart or manners, was
man of dauntless courage, who had
fought his way up from the grade OF
a private soldier to his present rank.
He was accustomed to overcome diff
ficulties, and to pay little attention to
odds or danger in the discharge Of his
duties. The loss of one-half his force
had no other effect than to excite him
to fury. Uttering bitter maledictions
on the clumsy brutes, and bestowins
| some hearty curses on the men them
selves, who he charged with neglecting
the proper care of their horses. he con-
tinued the pursuit at the head of the
remaining two as indeed he would
have done alone, II they also had given
out. In sight Of the wagon In which
Burr and the guide were travelling, he
issued stern orders to kill Raoul at the
first show of resistance, adding
IF he Is out on a reasonable errand
he will be certain to show fight. /
know him of Old"
Nothing but the prompt tactics of
the pursued saved them from the i'm
minent danger, and enabled Burr to
deliver his message to Montgomery,
In Montreal.
| On the reception Of that message,
the excessive cold and the blind
] ing snow storms Of the season, put his
army In motion, and by a succession
of forced marches, In few days Joined
Arnold before Quebec His young aid
de- camp had been daily gaining ground
in his confidence and esteem. His un-
firing watchfulness, patient endurance
and exact performance Of every duty
assigned him, completely won the
heart of his experienced commander,
and at the first council Of war held af-
ter his junction with Arnold, Burr was
present by express invitation of the
general That council led to results
that will long be remembered in the
annals of America. 1t was determined
to take the city by assault, and Aaron
Burr, at his own request was appoint
ed to the command of the forlorn hope.
Under his supervision. ladders were
made for the "stormers," and the men,
| fully armed and equipped, were exer-
cised in ascending these ladders. until
| they were able to execute the ma
noeuver in perfect order and with the
greatest celerity. Each night Burr
went himself to inspect the fortifca-
tions and examine the ground over
which it had been determined to make
the approach. So incessant was his
ing among the soldiers that little
Burr" never slept. Unfortunately,
from some cause, the original plan OF
attack was changed, and on the night
of the 31st of December, 1775 Mont
gomery formed his troops, now reduced
from fatigue and exposure to nine
hundred men, in four divisions, for
| the final assault. Two of these were
not expected to do more than distract
the enemys attention. The third was
led by Arnold. The general, in oppo-
sition to the wishes and against the
earnest remonstrances Of his officers,
insisted on commanding the fourth di-
vision In person. At four o'clock on
the morning of the first of January,
the order was given to advance. and
the columns moved forward in the
midst Of a snow-storm Of unexampled
severity. Montgomery marched in
front, accompanied by his staff and
Raoul Audigier as guide. The British
were slumbering in fancied security.
The movement of the Americans had
been conducted so noiselessly that no
one inside the Notifications dreamed of
their approach. The first row Of pick
cts was cleared away-still no alarm
was given. They neared the second
row and began to remove these also'
before the guard became aware of their
| pre- sence. A hasty fire, that did no
damage to the assailants, was followed
| by the flight of the guard: and no"'
elated by the seeming certainty of sue
cess, Montgomery raised the exulting
shout-"Quebec is ours" But, alas;
i'm this world the veriest accident, the
most trivial obstacle, not unfrequent-
lily changes the deStinles Of men ana
nationsI Huge masses of ice blocked
up the narrow gorge through when
they were advancing. and In removing
these distractions priceless minutes
were lost. Behind the second row OF
pickets there was a square block-house
defended by two twelve Founders. In
| the confusion of their first surprise
the British soldiers fled from the block
house without waiting to try the effect
of their cannon on the advancing COL
umn. The delay occasioned by the
necessity of removing the masses or
| ice gave a sailor time to observe that
they were unpursued Returning TO
ascertain the cause, he reached the
block house just as the Americans
were beginning again to advance. Be
fore betaking himself a second time TO
| flight, he touched off one of the heav-
lily loaded pieces. Fiercely through the
night air hissed the destroying grape
shot Forward fell the tall form OF
| MOntgomery and down sank two OF