The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-05-22

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an wake up the folks on his road an
start EN- movin'."
They landed and Solomon hid his
canoe in a thicket.
Before midnight they reached Rem
sens barn and about two o'clock en-
tered the camp on lathering horses. AS
they dismounted, looking back from
the heights of Brooklyn toward the
southeast, they could see a great light
from many fires, the flames of which
were leaping into the sky.
Guess the farmers have set their
wheat stacks aire," said Solomon.
They're all scairt an started fer
town."
General Washington was with his
forces some miles north Of the other
shore of the river. A messenger was
sent for him. Next day the comman-
der in chief found his Long Island
brigades in a condition of disorder and
panic. Squads and companies, eager
for 81 fight, were prowling through the
bush in the south like hunters after
game. A number Of the new connec-
ticut boys had deserted. Some of them
had been captured and brought back.
In speaking of the matter, Washington
said:
I'VE must be tolerant. These lads
are timid. They have been dragged
from the tender scenes Of domestic life.
They are unused to the restraints of
war. We must not be too severe"
Jack heard the commander in chief
when he spoke these words.
The man has a great heart in him,
as every great man must" he wrote
to his father. II I'M beginning to love
him. l can see that these thousands
in the army are going to be bound to
him by an affection like that of a son
for a father. With men like Wash
ington and Franklin to lead us, how
can we fail?''
The next night Sir Henry Clinton
got around the Americans and turned
their left flank. Smallwood's COM
mand and that of Colonel Jack Irons
were almost destroyed, twenty-five
hundred having been killed or taken.
Jack had his left arm shot through
and escaped only by the swift and eff
fective use Of his pistols and hanger,
and by good luck, his horse having
been "only slightly cut in the withers."
The American line gave way. It's I'M
seasoned troops fled into Brooklyn.
There was the end of the island. They
could go no farther without swimming.
With a British fleet in the harbor I'M
der Admiral Lord Howe, the situation
was desperate. Sir Henry had only to
follow and pen them in and unlimber
his guns. The surrender of more than
half of Washington's army would have
to follow. AT headquarters, the most
discerning minds saw that only a mir
acle could prevent it.
The miracle arrived. Next day a
fog thicker than the darkness Of a
clouded night enveloped the island and
lay upon the face of the waters. Calm
ly, quickly Washington got ready to
move his troops. That night, under the
friendly cover of the fog, they were
quietly taken across the East river,
with a regiment of Marblehead sea
dogs, under Colonel Glover, manning
the boats. Fortunately, the British
army had halted, waiting for clear
weather.
For nearly two weeks Jack was nurs-
ing his wound in Washington's army
hospital, which consisted of a cabin, a
tent, a number of COW stables and an
old shed on the heights of Harlem.
Jack had lain in a stable. Toward the
end of his confinement, John Adams
came to see him.
"Were you badly hurt?" the great
man asked.
Scratched a little, but I'll be back
In the service tomorrow" Jack replied,
you do not look like yourself quite.
/ think that 1 will ask the commander
in chief to let you go with me to Phila-
delphia. 1 have some business there
and later Franklin and | are going to
Staten Island to confer with Admiral
LORD Howe. We are a pair of snap
pish old dogs and need q young mar
like you to look after us. You would
only have to keep out of our quarrels,
attend to u luggage and make some
notes in the conference
So it happened that Jack went to