River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1912-11-14

less Washington takes the bit in his
teeth and orders it. I'm glad the boys
cheered him; twill give the man new
| heart"
"You favor the joining of issue?"
why not? Were we ever in better
fettle? A retreating army is always
half whipped. and we can choose our
ground. Why, lad, it's reported Gin
tons line stretches out full twelve
miles, with train of baggage wagons
and battery horses, and camp follow.
ers enough for division. Twill be
easy work attending to them, and most
of his troops are Dutch and Tories
By daylight we came up with the
New Jersey militia, lying at rest along
the bank Of the Milestone river, wait
ing their turn to ford that stream, and
join Maxwell on the opposite shore.
From where | stood / could see the
thin lines of Continentals spreading
out like fan, as the skirmishers ad-
vanced up the opposite bluffs. Down
the trampled bank, men were strug,
Cling with light battery, and sudden
L
Farrell. He was mud from head to
foot, his face streaked With it, but lie
looked up with beaming eyes as I
spoke his name, and our hands
clasped.
Il thought you would be over there
with Maxwell" he said, pointing
across at the black dots, now clearly
distinguishable in the glow of sun
shine
L was left behind, and came up just
now with Morgan" / replied But I
am anxious enough to be with my own
fellows. What means that skirmish
line, Farrell? Are we already in touch
with Clinton?"
He swept the hair out of his eyes
with his great fist.
mo one knows exactly, but the Brit
ish are not far off, and are headed this
way. A scout came through with the
news two hours ago-Clinton has TAX
en- the road to Monmouth" He
chuckled grimly, glancing at my face.
and who think We the lad was who
told us?"
"Who?" my throat Tightening.
"The same you was so anxious about
few days back"
Mortimer! Eric Mortimer"
AYE, unless my eyes fail me al
ready, it was the boy"
"You are sure? You saw him?"
We'll, had a glimpse, as he came
up the bank here from the ford, his
horse dripping. 1t was dark still, and
he only stopped to ask the road. I
knew the voice, and the form-the lad
is as slender as a girl-then he went
by me, digging his horse with the
spurs, and lying close. He had ORA
goon's cape Tapping from his Shout
ders, but twas the boy all right. All!
there go the guns up the bank. Now.
perhaps, they'll let me take my fight
ing dogs across"
The way was open for me, at least,
and l swung up into the saddle, and
drove my horse down the slippery
shore into the water. The stream
was not deep, although the current
| flowed swiftly, and moment later
had found Maxwell.
YES" he said to my first question,
I'VE are going to fight, although it
may not be anything more serious
than skirmishing today. Washington
! has decided in spite of Lee, thank
God, and We'll have go at the Red
coats. Lafayette commands the ad.
vance, and Wayne will be up within
few hours. We are to skirmish for.
ward toward Monmouth Court House;
Clinton has turned that way"
"You learned that from a scout?"
Eyes; he just came through; one OF
Charles Lees men, I understood
blue-eyed, rosy-cheeked boy, who said
his name was Mortimer. He had rid.
den from CookstoWn, and was Keeling
in the saddle, but would go on. Your
men are over there, major, beyond the
clump of timber. In my judgment
I We'll accomplish little today, for
there is 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 tc
have helped my horse, but l rode slow
ly up the valley toward the WOOD
which served as my guide. Befort
/ reached the skirmishers, great drops
OF rain fell, and then downpour, ut
terly plotting out the landscape
Lightning flashed, the thunder unre
hitting, the rain a flood, water leapet
down the side of the hill cascades
and, blinded, l drew my horse bacl
into the slight shelter of the wood
and waited, gripping him by the bit
Men ran back down the hill. seekin;
shelter from the fury of it. and I ben
my head, soaked to the skin. For th'
first time l realized how tired l was
every muscle aching with the strain
of the long nights march, my hear
throbbing from the awful heat of thu
early morning. / sat down in tn
mud and water; my arm through tn
bride rein, my head against tn
trunk of tree, which paxtially Pre-
! 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 tc thi