hero tales from american history-第7部分

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r　the　precise　work　which　was　necessary　at　Bennington；　and　he　and　his　men　fought　well　their　hand…to…hand　fight　on　that　hot　August　day；　and　carried　the　intrenchments　filled　with　regular　troops　and　defended　by　artillery。　It　was　a　daring　feat　of　arms；　as　well　as　a　battle　which　had　an　important　effect　upon　the　course　of　history　and　upon　the　fate　of　the　British　empire　in　America。



KING'S　MOUNTAIN

Our　fortress　is　the　good　greenwood；　　Our　tent　the　cypress　tree；　We　know　the　forest　round　us　　As　seamen　know　the　sea。　We　know　its　walls　of　thorny　vines；　　Its　glades　of　reedy　grass；　Its　safe　and　silent　islands　　Within　the　dark　morass。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Bryant。

KING'S　MOUNTAIN

The　close　of　the　year　1780　was；　in　the　Southern　States；　the　darkest　time　of　the　Revolutionary　struggle。　Cornwallis　had　just　destroyed　the　army　of　Gates　at　Camden；　and　his　two　formidable　lieutenants；　Tarlton　the　light　horseman；　and　Ferguson　the　skilled　rifleman；　had　destroyed　or　scattered　all　the　smaller　bands　that　had　been　fighting　for　the　patriot　cause。　The　red　dragoons　rode　hither　and　thither；　and　all　through　Georgia　and　South　Carolina　none　dared　lift　their　heads　to　oppose　them；　while　North　Carolina　lay　at　the　feet　of　Cornwallis；　as　he　started　through　it　with　his　army　to　march　into　Virginia。　There　was　no　organized　force　against　him；　and　the　cause　of　the　patriots　seemed　hopeless。　It　was　at　this　hour　that　the　wild　backwoodsmen　of　the　western　border　gathered　to　strike　a　blow　for　liberty。

When　Cornwallis　invaded　North　Carolina　he　sent　Ferguson　into　the　western　part　of　the　State　to　crush　out　any　of　the　patriot　forces　that　might　still　be　lingering　among　the　foot…hills。　Ferguson　was　a　very　gallant　and　able　officer；　and　a　man　of　much　influence　with　the　people　wherever　he　went；　so　that　he　was　peculiarly　fitted　for　this　scrambling　border　warfare。　He　had　under　him　a　battalion　of　regular　troops　and　several　other　battalions　of　Tory　militia；　in　all　eleven　or　twelve　hundred　men。　He　shattered　and　drove　the　small　bands　of　Whigs　that　were　yet　in　arms；　and　finally　pushed　to　the　foot　of　the　mountain　wall；　till　he　could　see　in　his　front　the　high　ranges　of　the　Great　Smokies。　Here　he　learned　for　the　first　time　that　beyond　the　mountains　there　lay　a　few　hamlets　of　frontiersmen；　whose　homes　were　on　what　were　then　called　the　Western　Waters；　that　is；　the　waters　which　flowed　into　the　Mississippi。　To　these　he　sent　word　that　if　they　did　not　prove　loyal　to　the　king；　he　would　cross　their　mountains；　hang　their　leaders；　and　burn　their　villages。

Beyond　the；　mountains；　in　the　valleys　of　the　Holston　and　Watauga；　dwelt　men　who　were　stout　of　heart　and　mighty　in　battle；　and　when　they　heard　the　threats　of　Ferguson　they　burned　with　a　sullen　flame　of　anger。　Hitherto　the　foes　against　whom　they　had　warred　had　been　not　the　British；　but　the　Indian　allies　of　the　British；　Creek；　and　Cherokee；　and　Shawnee。　Now　that　the　army　of　the　king　had　come　to　their　thresholds；　they　turned　to　meet　it　as　fiercely　as　they　had　met　his　Indian　allies。　Among　the　backwoodsmen　of　this　region　there　were　at　that　time　three　men　of　special　note：　Sevier；　who　afterward　became　governor　of　Tennessee；　Shelby；　who　afterward　became　governor　of　Kentucky；　and　Campbell；　the　Virginian；　who　died　in　the　Revolutionary　War。　Sevier　had　given　a　great　barbecue；　where　oxen　and　deer　were　roasted　whole；　while　horseraces　were　run；　and　the　backwoodsmen　tried　their　skill　as　marksmen　and　wrestlers。　In　the　midst　of　the　feasting　Shelby　appeared；　hot　with　hard　riding；　to　tell　of　the　approach　of　Ferguson　and　the　British。　Immediately　the　feasting　was　stopped；　and　the　feasters　made　ready　for　war。　Sevier　and　Shelby　sent　word　to　Campbell　to　rouse　the　men　of　his　own　district　and　come　without　delay；　and　they　sent　messengers　to　and　fro　in　their　own　neighborhood　to　summon　the　settlers　from　their　log　huts　on　the　stump…dotted　clearings　and　the　hunters　from　their　smoky　cabins　in　the　deep　woods。

The　meeting…place　was　at　the　Sycamore　Shoals。　On　the　appointed　day　the　backwoodsmen　gathered　sixteen　hundred　strong；　each　man　carrying　a　long　rifle；　and　mounted　on　a　tough；　shaggy　horse。　They　were　a　wild　and　fierce　people；　accustomed　to　the　chase　and　to　warfare　with　the　Indians。　Their　hunting…shirts　of　buckskin　or　homespun　were　girded　in　by　bead…worked　belts；　and　the　trappings　of　their　horses　were　stained　red　and　yellow。　At　the　gathering　there　was　a　black…frocked　Presbyterian　preacher；　and　before　they　started　he　addressed　the　tall　riflemen　in　words　of　burning　zeal；　urging　them　to　stand　stoutly　in　the　battle；　and　to　smite　with　the　sword　of　the　Lord　and　of　Gideon。　Then　the　army　started；　the　backwoods　colonels　riding　in　front。　Two　or　three　days　later；　word　was　brought　to　Ferguson　that　the　Back…water　men　had　come　over　the　mountains；　that　the　Indian…fighters　of　the　frontier；　leaving　unguarded　their　homes　on　the　Western　Waters；　had　crossed　by　wooded　and　precipitous　defiles　to　the　help　of　the　beaten　men　of　the　plains。　Ferguson　at　once　fell　back；　sending　out　messengers　for　help。　When　he　came　to　King's　Mountain；　a　wooded；　hog…back　hill　on　the　border　line　between　North　and　South　Carolina；　he　camped　on　its　top；　deeming　that　there　he　was　safe；　for　he　supposed　that　before　the　backwoodsmen　could　come　near　enough　to　attack　him　help　would　reach　him。　But　the　backwoods　leaders　felt　as　keenly　as　he　the　need　of　haste；　and　choosing　out　nine　hundred　picked　men；　the　best　warriors　of　their　force；　and　the　best　mounted　and　armed；　they　made　a　long　forced　march　to　assail　Ferguson　before　help　could　come　to　him。　All　night　long　they　rode　the　dim　forest　trails　and　splashed　across　the　fords　of　the　rushing　rivers。　All　the　next　day；　October　16；　they　rode；　until　in　mid…afternoon；　just　as　a　heavy　shower　cleared　away；　they　came　in　sight　of　King's　Mountain。　The　little　armies　were　about　equal　in　numbers。　Ferguson's　regulars　were　armed　with　the　bayonet；　and　so　were　some　of　his　Tory　militia；　whereas　the　Americans　had　not　a　bayonet　among　them；　but　they　were　picked　men；　confident　in　their　skill　as　riflemen；　and　they　were　so　sure　of　victory　that　their　aim　was　not　only　to　defeat　the　British　but　to　capture　their　whole　force。　The　backwoods　colonels；　counseling　together　as　they　rode　at　the　head　of　the　column；　decided　to　surround　the　mountain　and　assail　it　on　all　sides。　Accordingly　the　bands　of　frontiersmen　split　one　from　the　other；　and　soon　circled　the　craggy　hill　where　Ferguson's　forces　were　encamped。　They　left　their　horses　in　the　rear　and　immediately　began　the　battle；　swarming　forward　on　foot；　their　commanders　leading　the　attack。

The　march　had　been　so　quick　and　the　attack　so　sudden　that　Ferguson　had　barely　time　to　marshal　his　men　before　the　assault　was　made。　Most　of　his　militia　he　scattered　around　the　top　of　the　hill　to　fire　down　at　the　Americans　as　they　came　up；　while　with　his　regulars　and　with　a　few　picked　militia　he　charged　with　the　bayonet　in　person；　first　down　one　side　of　the　mountain　and　then　down　the　other。　Sevier；　Shelby；　Campbell；　and　the　other　colonels　of　the　frontiersmen；　led　each　his　force　of　riflemen　straight　toward　the　summit。　Each　body　in　turn　when　charged　by　the　regulars　was　forced　to　give　way；　for　there　were　no　bayonets　wherewith　to　meet　the　foe；　but　the　backwoodsmen　retreated　only　so　long　as　the　charge　lasted；　and　the　minute　that　it　stopped　they　stopped　too；　and　came　back　ever　closer　to　the　ridge　and　ever　with　a　deadlier　fire。　Ferguson；　blowing　a　silver　whistle　as　a　signal　to　his　men；　led　these　charges；　sword　in　hand；　on　horseback。　At　last；　just　as　he　was　once　again　rallying　his　men；　the　riflemen　of　Sevier　and　Shelby　crowned　the　top　of　the　ridge。　The　gallant　British　commander　became　a　fair　target　for　the　backwoodsmen；　and　as　for　the　last　time　he　led　his　men　against　them；　seven　bullets　entered　his　body　and　he　fell　dead。　With　his　fall　resistance　ceased。　The　regulars　and　Tories　huddled　together　in　a　confused　mass；　while　the　exultant　Americans　rushed　forward。　A　flag　of　truce　was　hoisted；　and　all　the　British　who　were　not　dead　surrendered。

The　victory　was　complete；　and　the　backwoodsmen　at　once　started　to　return　to　their　log　hamlets　and　rough；　lonely　farms。　They　could　not　stay；　for　they　dared　not　leave　their　homes　at　the　mercy　of　the　Indians。　They　had　rendered　a　great　service；　for　Cornwallis；　when　he　heard　of　the　disaster　to　his　trusted　lieutenant；　abandoned　his　march　northward；　and　retired　to　South　Carolina。　When　he　again　resumed　the　offensive；　he　found　his　path　barred　by　stubborn　General　Greene　and　his　troops　of　the　Continental　line。



THE　STORMING　OF　STONY　POINT

　　　In　their　ragged　regimentals　　　　Stood　the　old　Continentals；　　　　　Yielding　not；　　　　When　the　grenadiers　were　lunging；　　　　And　like　hail　fell　the　plunging　　　　　Cannon…shot；　　　　　When　the　files　　　　　Of　the　isles　From　the　smoky　night　encampment　bore　the　banner　of　the　rampant　Unicorn；　And　grummer；　grummer；　grummer；　rolled　the　roll　of　the　drummer；　　　　　Through　the　morn！

　　　Then　with　eyes　to　the　front　all；　　　　And　with　guns　horizontal；　　　　　Stood　our　sires；　　　　And　the　balls　whistled　deadly；　　　　And　in　streams　flashing　redly　　　　　Blazed　the　fires；　　　　　As　the　roar　　　　　On　the　shore　Swept　the　strong　battle…breakers　o'er　the　green…sodded　acres　　　　　Of　the　plain；　And　louder；　louder；　louder　cracked　the　black　gunpowder；　　　　　Cracked　amain！　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Guy　Humphrey　McMaster。



THE　STORMING　OF　STONY　POINT

One　of　the　heroic　figures　of　the　Revolution　was　Anthony　Wayne；　Major…General　of　the　Continental　line。　With　the　exception　of　Washington；　and　perhaps　Greene；　he　was　the　bestgeneral　the　Americans　developed　in　the　contest；　and　without　exception　he　showed　himself　to　be　the　hardest　fighter　produced　on　either　side。　He　belongs；　as　regards　this　latter　characteristic；　with　the　men　like　Winfield　Scott；　Phil　Kearney；　Hancock；　and　Forrest；　who　reveled　in　the　danger　and　the　actual　shock　of　arms。　Indeed；　his　eager　loveof　battle；　and　splendid　disregard　of　peril；　have　made　many　writers　forget　his　really　great　qualities　as　a　general。　Soldiers　are　always　prompt　to　recognize　the　prime　virtue　of　physical　courage；　and　Wayne's　followers　christened　their　daring　commander　〃Mad　Anthony；〃　in　loving　allusion　to　his　reckless　bravery。　It　is　perfectly　true　that　Wayne　had　this　courage；　and　that　he　was　a　born　fighter；　otherwise；　he　never　would　have　been　a　great　commander。　A　man　who　lack