Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-07-11

lot every Oue, you hHoW, anu IL uldy
be that I am to save st. Glars army
at Ticonderoga.
why, Tony, you couldn't get there
tonight, there's SO many Indians
about, and besides, Sugarloaf Hill Is
inaccessible, isn't it?"
eve have always considered it SO,
but the British may have some good
engineers, and if they have got can
non up there, don't you see st.
Glars got to surrender or retreat?
Seneca and l could rof up the lake
and get there before morning"
wouldn't is be a dangerous under
taking?" asked his mother, : her
cheeks paling a little.
mot very" replied Tony: 'it would
just be fun. We'd start right after
| dark, and if we couldn't return tonight
we could wait till tomorrow night.
Aunt Mercy will come down and stay
with you"
That's so; we'll, If you are going
I'd better send a jar of that peach
preserve to the general. It's power
full nice preserve, and you can tell
him that I made it myself out OF
those pears that grow on the old bell
pear tree that was planted back in
old Governor Stuyyesant, time. You
might go and bring it out Of the
| closet in the restroom, while l set
on the Johnny cake and make the
herb tea
Tony brought the jar from the
closet in the best room, where the sill
yer was which his mother had brought
from Albany at the time Of their mar
riage, and by that time Seneca Good
year, the hired man had come in and
supper was ready.
1t was the third Of July 1777, the
night before Independence day. The
Fourth of July was not a legal holt
day, however, in that long year OF
grace, The thirteen United States OF
America had as much as they could
do, at that time, to perpetuate the
birth of the nation, and, moreover, it
was by no means an unanimous
opinion then that the Fourth of July
or any other day would be remember.
ed as Forefather's day. In fact, just
at this time it looked a little doubtful
whether the American Colonies would
win their independence or not.
The British ministry had resolved
on an enterprise the result Of which
they thought would be decidedly sub
versive Of American independence.
With this end in view an army Of sew.
en- thousand veterans was sent to Can
ada under General Burgoyne, with or.
ders to march southwark by the line
of the lakes, and thence along the
banks of the Hudson. At the same
time the British army at New York
or a large detachment of it, was tc
make a simultaneous movement north
ward, and the two expeditions were tc
unite at Albany. BY these operations
all communications between the north,
ern colonies and those of the center
and south would be cut off. An ire
sistible force would be concentrated
so as to crush all further opposition
in New England; and, when this was
done, it was believed all the other
colonies would speedily submit.
Burgoyne began his march about
the middle of June, with a splendidly
equipped army Of ten thousand men
On the t~wenty-1rst of that month he
gave a feast on the west bank of Lake
Champlain, to five hundred Indians
and made a harangue to them on the
necessity of abstaining from the usua'
cruel practices against unarmed PEG
pie and prisoners. At the same time
he published a pompous manifesto tc
the Americans, in which he threaten
ed the refractory with all the horrors
Of war, Indian as well al civilized. He
then proceeded to Crown Point, which
he took without opposition; but the
reduction Of T~iconderoga, a fortress
about twelve miles below Crown Poin'
was a more serious matter, and was
supposed to be the most critical par
of the expedition.
Ticonderoga, the ancient Carlton q
the French, commanded the passage
along the lakes and was considered
the key to the route which Burgoynt
wished to follow. 1t was one of tn,
strongest forts on the continent. Tn
English had been repulsed in an at
tack on 1t in the war with France, IL
1853, with severe loss. General AT
thur st. Clair held the place, with al
i'll equipped army Of three thousant
men. Burgoyne invested it with grea
skill, and now, If ann was postet
on the summit Of SugarloafsHill, Ton.
knew that the old fort was doomed.
He realized fully the Importance o
having General st. Clair arm of hi
danger, and he very quietly made VI
his mind that it should be done tina
very night, for ON the morrow it woult
be too late. Boys hearts beat as higl
with patriotism in those old days a
their fathers did, and the lads of Sc,
~enty-seven were willing to risk thei
lives If need be In me service Of thei
country.
Seneca" said Tony, after suppe
was finished, chow would you like t
row up to old Tt tonight?"
Seneca Goodyear was a dwarf an
deformed and although twenty-five
or four years of age, looked, with tn
: exception Of his beard, more like
boy of fourteen. Despite his unto,
tunate shape, he possessed grea
, strength in his arms and shoulders
. and he was as active as a cat. H
J had been in the service Of the Leav
: tits since he was ten years old, an
was a faithful and honest fellow.
9 What, to fight the British and tt
= ries!" cried Seneca excitedly. hi
| patriotism being quite as fervent q
that of his young master. I'D jus
like that Maybel we'd give Blu
goyne fits"
"You think you can get up ther
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