White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1933-05-04
CHAPTER XII
Which Is the Brief Record of Sundry
Thrilling Events. r..

HN--s~ 80 ~~o--S
On the twenty sixth Of July the main
body of the British landed on the
southwestern extremity of Long Island
at place called Gravesend. Around
It were groves and orchards in the
midst Of which were many stacks Of
wheat. These they burned, filling
wide arc of the sky with smoke. There
were nine thousand trained troops I'M
der Sir Henry Clinton.
Colonel Cabot and his regiment
we're in the threatened line. Then
followed month of anxious waiting
and hurried preparation under Gen.
eral Greene. Long stretches in the
American line back Of Brooklyn were
like the army at Cambridge in mid
summer. Mammoth conceit! An e1-
perience limited to bush fighting with
red men! Little patience with re-
straint! Every inferior officer con-
irving ways to win immortal fame for
himself and his command! A sportive
sallying out simply or in squads,
against orders! Thousands of these
men were like sheep huddIed for a
shearing.
These alarming truths the Com
mander in Chief discovered when hav
ing crossed the East river on the
twenty-fourth Of August he surveyed
the situation. General Greene was iii
In bed. Here was an army without a
leader.
The Chief put the brave old General
Putnam in command. The Connecticut
plowman, with no experience to fit him
for the task of estimating the danger
points in long line, was in situa
ton that would have taxed the genius
Of julius Caesar.
Washington was in semicircle of
fire drawing closer. Since the middle
Of June an armament, more formid-
had been gathering in the lower bay
of New York. In 1t were scores Of
warships, from heavy liners, with
tiers of massive cannon, to cutters
armed with small pieces. There were
hundreds of transports and provision
ships and an army of some forty thou
sand fighting men. Masts doomed into
the sky like stark trees in burned
area Of the wilderness. The great
hammer of British power was raised
for decisive blow and Washington
had no navy to help him. British gun
boats were heading into the harbor.
Report said that a big force of red
coats were landing on Staten Island.
The storm broke on the twenty.
sixth Of August. Out on the. Jamaica
road there was leak Id the line. A
brigade Of inexperienced militiamen,
lulled into sense of security by the
long delay, permitted themselves to
be surprised. No videttes had been
sent out to watch the enemy and give
warning! Cannon balls were suddenly
hurled upon them. Moments Of wild
confusion! Redcoats A galloping
rush of cavalry it's rifles blazing Bat
talions Of relocated infantry follow
ing to the run! The earth shook
Men were falling dead, others crying
out with pain. The inexperienced mil
itiamen were unequal to the shock.
They emptied their guns and ran.
Then every man for himself and hell
for all Death became the shepherd
of this warned but incorrigible flock.
They were like flushed birds before
the guns OF the huntsmen. Many were
killed, wounded, or captured. The
British poured through this great
growing hole In the line. That night
Clinton's force worked around the
Americans and turned their left flank,
capturing twenty-five hundred men
and many guns In the next few
days there was much heroic resistance.
Colin Cabot's regiment Of cavalry
headed charge on the British line.
They broke through but their losses
were heavy. New England regiments
sprang into the gap and widened it,
fighting as they ran. Many scurried
through to join the main body. threat
ened by the closing net, and pouring
northward to the East river badly rent
and shaken. Meanwhile General Wash
ington had been busy. Four days and
nights liz lldu spent III lIlc Sduule Wlln
only a few hours of rest. He had
Communicated all the boats on the
river.
He would make an effort to save the
army in crossing within cannon reach
Of the British gunboats and with a
great force of the enemy behind him
1t was a desperate hazard. Still the
Chief was like the pillar of iron
Neither his faith nor his indomitable
spirit had forsaken him. He was like
Moses and his people fleeing before the
hosts of Egypt. Was 1t miracle or a
freak of fortune that Immediately q
thick curtain of fog hung down from
the sky and covered the face of the
waters day and night, save for
which the wide river might have been
a redder sea than ever Moses faced
We may choose as we will but we can
not fail to be amazed by what came
to pass.
Colin, his coat torn by bullets, his
shoulder grazed, his right hand bleed
ing from saber cut, was still al
work Ho WAC on tho ferry landing