Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1910-03-15
xrv.-(continued.,

"06OAS WllCtl the lOHB EOil VI lllr
drums broke the silence of the hilltop,
and a volley fire of musketry from the
rock breastwork on the right told us
the battle was on. Tybee gave me one
last reproachful look and stood out to
see what could be seen, and l stood
with him.
Your friends are running" he said,
when there was no reply to the OPEN
ing volley; and truly, 1 feared he was
right. At the bottom of the slope. scat
tering groups of the rifiemen could be
seen Fastening to right and left. But
l would not admit the charge to Tybee.
Il think not" 1 objected, denying the
apparent fact. They have come too
far and too fast to turn back now for a
single overshot volley."
At the word the forest covered steep
at our end of the hill sprang alive with
dun clad figures darting upward from
tree to tree. Volley after volley thun
dered down upon them as they climbed
but not once did the lodging charge up
the slope pause or falter. Unlike all
other irregulars / had ever seen, whose
idea of battle is to let OF the piece
and run, these mountain men held their
fire like veterans. closing in upon the
hilltop steadily and In a grim silence
broken only by the shouting encourage
ments of the leaders-this until their
circling line was completed.
Then suddenly from all sides of the
belea guered camp arose yell to shake
the stoutest courage. and with that the
wood-covered slopes began to spit fire.
not in volleys, but here and there in ir-
regular snappings and cracklings as the
sure shot rifiemen saw a mark to pun
trigger on.
The effect of this fine bead target
practice-for it was naught else-was
most terrific. All along the breast
work, front and rear crouching men
sprang up at the rifle cracklings to
fling their arms az abroad and to fall
writing and wrestling In the death
throe. At our end of the hill, where
the rock barrier was thinnest, the
slaughter was appalling; and above
the din of the firearms we could hear
the beloved commands of the sturdy
old Indian fighter Benjamin Cleave-
land. urging his men up to still closer
quarters. "A little nearer, my brave
boys; a little nearer and we have their.
Press on up to the rocks. They'll be as
good breastwork from our side as from
theirs"
You will read in the histories that
the Tory helpers of Ferguson fought
as men with halters round their necks;
and so. indeed. a-many of them did.
But though they were most pitiless en-
they did fight we'll and bravely, and
not as men who fight for fears sake.
saw the end was near when the
major ordered the final charge. and
Captain de Peyster formed his line and
led 1t forward at double quick. The
mountaineers held more than half the
hilltop nov. and this forlorn hope was
to try to drive them down the farther
slopes On 1t went. and could see the
men pitch and tumble out of the line
until at bayonet-reach of the rifiemen
there were less than dozen afoot and
fit to make the push.
De Peyster fought his way back to
the wagons, gasping ard bloody. Some
of the Tories crowding ~ ound us rails
ea a white flag. The major. sorely
wounded now and all but disabled.
rode rough-shod into the ruck of cow
ering militiamen to pull down the flag
Again the white token of surrender was
raised, and again the major rode in to
beat ii down with his sword. At this
Captain de Peyster put in his word
It's no use. Major: there is no
more fight left in us, Five minutes
more OF this and we'll be shot down to
a mani"
Before hand could be lifted to stay
him. Ferguson had wheeled his horse
and was galloping straight for the pa
tIiot line at the farther extremity of
the hilltop, A dozen bounds, it may be,
the good charger carried him; then the
storm of rifie-bulIets beat him from the
saddle. And so died one of the gall
lantest officers that ever did an unwor-
thy kings work on the field of battle.
The dead buried and the wounded
cared for in some rough and ready
fashion, preparations were made in all
haste for q speedy withdrawal from
the ,neighborhood OF the battlefield.
Rumor had IL that TarIeton with his
invincible legion was within few
hours march; and the mountain men.
sodden weary with the tolls OF the fiy-
ing advance and the had-fought con-
nict. were in no fettle to cope Nth a
fresh foe.
As yet had not made myself known
20 the patriot commanders, having my
hands and heart full with tn. care of
poor Tybee, who was grlevously hurt.
and being in a measure Indifferent to
what should befall me. But now as we
were'ahout to march was dragged be-
fore the committee OF colonies and put
to the question.
'.Your uniform is a strange one 70
us. SIR said Isaac Shelby, looking me
up and down with that heavy-lidded
right eye of his. Explain your rank
and standing. IL you please"
1 told my story simply. aid. as |
thought effectively; and had only
black looks for my pains.
"'Tis strange tale. surely. sir-too
strange TO be believable." quoth Shelby.
You are a traitor. Captain Ireton-of
the kind we need not cumber ourselves
with on march,
who says that word of me-" I de-
manded. caring not mI-h for that to
which his threat pointed. but some
thing for my good name.
Shelby turned and beckoned to man
In the grSap behind him. Stand out,
John Whittlesey.e he directed and ]
Iound myself face to face with that
sifieman OF Colonel Davies ps rty who
had been so fierce 10 hang me at the
fording of the Catawba.
This man gave his testimony briefly.
earlier I had passed in. Davies camp
for a true blue patriot this though
was wearing ragged British uniform
at the moment. As for the witness
himself. he had misdoubted me all
along. but the colonel had trusted me
and had sent me on some secret mis-
sion. the inwardness OF which he. John
whittlese,s had been unable TO come
at. though he confessed mat ne had
tried to worm II out OF me before part
AN.