Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-06-29
THE RIVALS.
A Story of the Times of Aaron Burr and
Alexander Hamilton.
BY JERE CLEMENS.
CHAPTER VII.

Maiden! Ii we'll may De!
We have sent the streams from our
battlefield,
All dsrkened to the sea!
We have given the founts a stain,
Midst their woods Of ancient pine
And the ground Is wet-but not with
rain, =,
Deep-dyed-but not with wine"
On the twenty-th third Of August,
General Putnam, on account of the Ill
ness Of General Green, was assigned to
the command of the works on Long Is
land. Four days afterwards, intelli-
gence was received that the British
army was In motion. Aaron Burr, who,
in that brief space Of time, had made
an accurate survey Of the ground-who
had visited every post and outpost
who had carefully inspected the troops
and made himself acquainted with the
state of their mind at the near ap-
proach Of an engagement, gave 1t as
his opinion that battle would end In
defeat. Probably there was not a
general officer in the army, from
Washington down, who did not hold
the same opinion. But General WASH
ington on this as on many other occa-
sions, was fettered by the public SEN
timent OF the country. The great
mass of the people understood no
results except the obvious ones OF
battles and Of victories. They did
not understand that every hour
gained by the American general was
step toward freedom; that the re-
sources Of the enemy were daily d.
minishing; that our own troops were
daily acquiring greater efficiency; and
the minds Of the people daily approach
ing unanimity. The sturdy resistance
to the British arms at Bunker Hill had
spread abroad an extravagant notion
of the prowess of raw militia, and men
unreasonably looked for reports OF VIC
tories where it was no small honor 10
escape absolute destruction. In these
sentiments the majority Of congress
unfortunately shared; and General
Washington was thus often compelled
to risk engagements that his own clear
Judgment told him could have no other
result than a useless waste or life.
The attempt to defend Long Island
against a veteran army one-third more
numerous than his own, and deriving a
powerful support from the near neigh
borhood of their fleet, would never
have been made, if congress and the
country could have been induced to
leave the commander-in-chi to the
exercise Of his own judgment in the
conduct of the war.
The British attacking columns, on
the morning of the twenty seventh -"
August, were fifteen thousand strong.
To oppose this formidable army Cen
eral Putnam had an available force OF
not more than five thousand untried
men. Courage and devotion may, and
often do, accomplish miracles but
when it is opposed by equal courage,
superior arms, superior discipline, and
superior numbers, it is madness to
expect anything but disaster. In this
light Major Burr regarded it, and so
expressed himself to General Putnam,
who, it is we'll known, perfectly agreed
with his aid-de- camp. General Put
nam, however, was too good soldier
to question the decision of his supe-
riors. He was ordered to defend Long
Island, and he would have made the at
tempt If only a single company had
mustered beneath his banner. Imme-
diately on hearing that General Howe
was moving along the coast, he ordered
Lord Stirling to meet him; and sent
General Sullivan to the heights above
Flat Bush, on the middle road. Lord
Stirling promptly engaged the left
wing of the enemy under General
Grant, who, however, manifested no
disposition to press the attack.
This seeming hesitation, or su-
pineness, soon had a fearful solution
General Clinton, with CORVALLIS and
Percy, had been ordered to make a cir
cult, and gain the rear of Sullivan
When the sound of their guns an
nounced that THIS had been accomplish
ed, Grant shook off his apathy, and
put forth his whole strength against
Lord Stirling. Borne back inch by
inch, the gallant Stirling, at the head
of the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and
Delaware regiments, struggled glo-
riously against overwhelming numbers
until Lord Cornwallis fell upon his rear
and poured a murderous volley into his
already shattered ranks. Even then he
gathered the fragments of his corps
together, and skillfully availing himself
of the advantages presented by a
marshy creek, retired slowly and in
good order behind the American in
trenchments. While this was going on
General Sullivan was assailed on the
heights above Flat Bush by Clinton
on one side, and De Heister on the
other. For three hours the dreadful
conflict ragged. For three hours the
boom of cannon and the roar of mus
kerry gave evidence of the impetuous
nature of the attack and the bloody
obstinacy of the defense. Hemmeo
in on all sides, his men cut down by
scores at every discharge, the daunt-
less Sullivan still continued the un-
equal combat, renewed the disordereo
ranks Of his troops, and infused new
fire into their tagging spirit. Genera
Washington had crossed over in the
meantime, but he dared not weaker
himself by sending a man to Sullivan's
assistance, and could only watch, ir
powerless anguish, the butchery Of
that gallant detachment. Red currents
ran in rivulets from the crimson hill
and mounds of mangled bodies were
piled upon it's sides. Honor and patri-
otism could demand no more. All thai
human courage could do had beer
tried; and all that human endurance
could bear had been undergone. Slow
ly and reluctantly a white flag wen
up from the Continental ranks. Sui
lenly they laid down their arms anC
surrendered themselves prisoners o.
war.
Throughout that disastrous day, Ma
jor Burr was everywhere present. Ut
terly devoid of fear-if any man eve
Uved of whom so much NAV be said