The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-08-02

| God, And weJl have 90 at the Red
coats. Lafayette commands the ad'
vance, and Wayne will be up within
n few hours. We are to skirmish for.
ward toward Monmouth Court House;
Clinton has turned that way"
you learned that from a scout?"
Yes; he just came through; one Of
Charles Lees men, understood-a
blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked boy, who said
his name was Mortimer. He had rid
den from Cookstown, and was reeling
in the saddle, but would go on. Your
men are over there, major, beyond the
clump Of timber. In my judgment
Wen accomplish little today, for
there is a heavy storm in those clouds
yonder"
How many men will we have when
Wayne comes up?"
About four thousand, with the mi
litia. We are ordered to hang close
to Clinton's left, while Morgan circles
him to the right. 'Tis said the Brit
ish have transports, at Sandy Hook,
and are trying to get there; that was
the word young Mortimer brought in"
The bath in the water seemed to
have helped my horse, but l rode slow
ly up the valley toward the wood
which served as my guide. Before
l reached the skirmishers, great drops
of rain fell, and then a downpour, ut
terly blotting out the landscape.
Lightning flashed, the thunder unre-
mitting, the rain a flood, water leaped
down the side of the hill cascades,
and, blinded, / drew my horse back
into the slight shelter Of the wood,
and waited, gripping him by the bit.
Men ran back down the hill, seeking
shelter from the fury Of it, and bent
my head, soaked to the skin. For the
first time realized how tired was,
every muscle aching with the strain
of the long nights march, my head
throbbing from the awful heat Of the
early morning. l sat down in the
mud and water; my arm through the
bride rein, my head against the
trunk Of a tree, which partially pro-
tected my face from the beating rain. |
But there was no sleep possible.
My mind pictured the field of action,
reviewed the events leading up to this /,
hour, and, as surely, reverted to Claire |
Mortimer / had almost forgotten .
the sturdy downpour so intensely was
thinking, when courier came spur
ring forward, blinded by the storm,
yet riding recklessly. He must have
seen the group of men huddled at the
edge Of the grove, for he drew up his
horse, calling my name.
Major Lawrence, come from Cen
eral Maxwell" he shouted between
the crashes Of thunder. "You are
given command Of the right of the
inc, and will press on regardless Of
he storm until the enemy is met in
'orce. Dragons have been seen two
niles east. You understand, sir?"
YES" leading forth my horse.
Come on, lads, it's the top of the
ill! What about the artillery"
I'VE may not be able to move the
runs" he answered, but you are to
Keep your powder as dry as possible
Ind hold Clinton to the road. Dry
'owder will be sent as soon as the
torn breaks. That's all, SIR"
I could scarce see the fellow as his
lorse whirled, and went splashing
own the slope. Through the mist Of
ain the men gathered about were
1ere blotches.
"All right, you water-rats, come on"
sang out cheerfully. "WeIl give the
led-coats the butts Of our guns any
oW."
There was a faint cheer as the
renched figures sprang forward rae
1g after me. Twice we ran up against
mall parties Of horsemen, exchanging
hots, but these fell back, leaving the ]
Dad clear. BY dark we were at Eng
shtown, hungry and thoroughly worn
ut, and there we halted, sleeping I
pom our arms. All had in my hav- ;
rsack was single hard biscuit, I
fter munching which lay down upon /
le ground and fell instantly asleep.