rolf in the woods-第54部分

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a　man　stirred。



Twenty　of　those　known　to　be　expert　with　tools　were　provided　with

hammers　and　spikes　for　the　guns；　and　Rolf　was　proud　to　be　one　of

them。



In　a　night　of　storm　and　blackness　they　crossed　the　Saranac；

dividing　in　two　bodies　they　crawled　unseen；　one　on　each　side　of

the　battery。　Three　hundred　British　soldiers　were　sleeping　near；

only　the　sentries　peered　into　the　storm…sleet。



All　was　ready　when　McGlassin's　tremendous　voice　was　heard；

〃Charge　front　and　rear！〃　Yelling；　pounding；　making　all　the　noise

they　could；　the　American　boys　rushed　forth。　The　British　were

completely　surprised；　the　sentries　were　struck　down；　and　the　rest

assured　that　Macomb's　army　was　on　them　recoiled　for　a　few

minutes。　The　sharp　click；　click；　click　of　the　hammers　was　heard。

An　iron　spike　was　driven　into　every　touch　hole；　the　guns　were

made　harmless　as　logs　and　quickly　wheeling；　to　avoid　the　return

attack；　these　bold　Yankee　boys　leaped　from　the　muzzled　redoubt

and　reached　their　own　camp　without　losing　one　of　their　number。







Chapter　80。　The　Bloody　Saranac



Sir　george　Prevost　had　had　no　intention　of　taking　Plattsburg；

till　Plattsburg's　navy　was　captured。　But　the　moral　effect　of

McGlassin's　exploit　must　be　offset　at　once。　He　decided　to　carry

the　city　by　storm　　a　matter　probably　of　three　hours'　work。



He　apportioned　a　regiment　to　each　bridge；　another　to　each　ford

near　the　town；　another　to　cross　the　river　at　Pike's　Cantonment；

and　yet　another　to　cross　twenty　miles　above；　where　they　were　to

harry　the　fragments　of　the　American　as　it　fled。



That　morning　Plattsburg　was　wakened　by　a　renewal　of　the

bombardment。　The　heavy　firing　killed　a　few　men　knocked　down　a　few

walls　and　chimneys；　but　did　little　damage　to　the　earthworks。



It　was　surprising　to　all　how　soon　the　defenders　lost　their

gun…shyness。　The　very　school…boys　and　their　sisters　went　calmly

about　their　business；　with　cannon　and　musket　balls　whistling

overhead；　striking　the　walls　and　windows；　or；　on　rare　occasions；

dropping　some　rifleman　who　was　over…rash　as　he　worked　or　walked

on　the　ramparts。



There　were　big　things　doing　in　the　British　camp　　regiments

marching　and　taking　their　places　　storms　of　rifle　and　cannon

balls　raging　fiercely。　By　ten　o'clock　there　was　a　lull。　The

Americans；　from　the　grandfathers　to　the　school…　boys；　were

posted；　each　with　his　rifle　and　his　pouch　full　of　balls；　there

were　pale　faces　among　the　youngsters；　and　nervous　fingers；　but

there　was　no　giving　way。　Many　a　man　there　was；　no　doubt；　who；

under　the　impulse　of　patriotism；　rushed　with　his　gun　to　join　the

ranks；　and　when　the　bloody　front　was　reached；　he　wished　in　his

heart　he　was　safe　at　home。　But　they　did　not　go。　Something　kept

them　staunch。



Although　the　lines　were　complete　all　along　the　ramparts；　there

were　four　places　where　the　men　were　massed。　These　were　on　the

embankments　opposite　the　bridges　and　the　fords。　Here　the　best

shots　were　placed　and　among　them　was　Rolf；　with　others　of

McGlassin's　band。



The　plank　of　the　bridges　had　been　torn　up　and　used　with　earth　to

form　breastworks；　but　the　stringers　of　the　bridges　were　there；

and　a　body　of　red…coats　approaching；　each　of　them　showed　plainly

what　their　plan　was。



The　farthest　effective　range　of　rifle　fire　in　those　days　was

reckoned　at　a　hundred　yards。　The　Americans　were　ordered　to　hold

their　fire　till　the　enemy　reached　the　oaks；　a　grove　one　hundred

yards　from　the　main　bridge　　on　the　other　bank。



The　British　came　on　in　perfect　review…day　style。　Now　a　hush　fell

on　all。　The　British　officer　in　command　was　heard　clearly　giving

his　orders。　How　strange　it　must　have　been　to　the　veterans　of　wars

in　Spain；　France；　and　the　Rhine；　to　advance　against　a　force　with

whom　they　needed　no　interpreter。



McGlassin's　deep　voice　now　rang　along　the　defences；　〃Don't　fire

till　I　give　the　order。〃



The　red…coats　came　on　at　a　trot；　they　reached　the　hundred…

yard…mark。



〃Now；　aim　low　and　fire！〃　from　McGlassin；　and　the　rattle　of　the

Yankee　guns　was　followed　by　reeling　ranks　of　red　in　the　oaks。



〃Charge！〃　shouted　the　British　officer　and　the　red…coats　charged

to　the　bridge；　but　the　fire　from　the　embankment　was　incessant；

the　trail　of　the　charging　men　was　cluttered　with　those　who　fell。



〃Forward！〃　and　the　gallant　British　captain　leaped　on　the　central

stringer　of　the　bridge　and；　waving　his　sword；　led　on。　Instantly

three　lines　of　men　were　formed；　one　on　each　stringer。



They　were　only　fifty　yards　from　the　barricade；　with　five　hundred

rifles；　all　concentrated　on　these　stringers。　The　first　to　fall

was　the　captain；　shot　through　the　heart；　and　the　river　bore　him

away。　But　on　and　on　came　the　three　ranks　into　the　whistling；

withering　fire　of　lead。　It　was　like　slaughtering　sheep。　Yet　on

and　on　they　marched　steadily　for　half　an　hour。　Not　a　man　held

back　or　turned；　though　all　knew　they　were　marching　to　their

certain　death。　Not　one　of　them　ever　reached　the　centre　of　the

span；　and　those　who　dropped；　not　dead；　were　swallowed　by　the

swollen　stream。　How　many　hundred　brave　men　were　sacrificed　that

day；　no　one　ever　knew。　He　who　gave　the　word　to　charge　was　dead

with　his　second　and　third　in　command　and　before　another　could

come　to　change　the　order；　the　river　ran　red　　the　bloody　Saranac

they　call　it　ever　since。



The　regiment　was　wrecked；　and　the　assault　for　the　time　was　over。



Rolf　had　plied　his　rifle　with　the　rest；　but　it　sickened　him　to

see　the　horrible　waste　of　human　valour。　It　was　such　ghastly　work

that　he　was　glad　indeed　when　a　messenger　came　to　say　he　was

needed　at　headquarters。　And　in　an　hour　he　was　crossing　the　lake

with　news　and　instructions　for　the　officer　in　command　at　Burlington。







Chapter　81。　The　Battle　of　Plattsburg



In　broad　daylight　he　skimmed　away　in　his　one　man　canoe。



For　five　hours　he　paddled；　and　at　star…peep　he　reached　the　dock

at　Burlington。　The　howl　of　a　lost　dog　caught　his　ear；　and　when　he

traced　the　sound；　there；　on　the　outmost　plank；　with　his　nose　to

the　skies；　was　the　familiar　form　of　Skookum；　wailing　and　sadly

alone。



What　a　change　he　showed　when　Rolf　landed；　he　barked；　leaped；

growled；　tail…wagged；　head…wagged；　feet…wagged；　body…wagged；

wig…wagged　and　zigzagged　for　joy；　he　raced　in　circles；　looking

for　a　sacrificial　hen；　and　finally　uttered　a　long　and

conversational　whine　that　doubtless　was　full　of　information　for

those　who　could　get　it　out。



Rolf　delivered　his　budget　at　once。　It　was　good　news；　but　not

conclusive。　Everything　depended　now　on　MacDonough。　In　the　morning

all　available　troops　should　hurry　to　the　defence　of　Plattsburg；

not　less　than　fifteen　hundred　men　were　ready　to　embark　at　daylight。



That　night　Rolf　slept　with　Skookum　in　the　barracks。　At　daybreak；

much　to　the　latter's　disgust；　he　was　locked　up　in　a　cellar；　and

the　troops　embarked　for　the　front。



It　was　a　brisk　north　wind　they　had　to　face　in　crossing　and

passing　down　the　lake。　There　were　many　sturdy　oarsmen　at　the

sweeps；　but　they　could　not　hope　to　reach　their　goal　in　less　than

five　hours。



When　they　were　half　way　over；　they　heard　the　cannon　roar；　the

booming　became　incessant；　without　question；　a　great　naval　battle

was　on；　for　this　north　wind　was　what　the　British　had　been

awaiting。　　The　rowers　bent　to　their　task　and　added　to　the　speed。

Their　brothers　were　hard　pressed；　they　knew　it；　they　must　make

haste。　The　long　boats　flew。　In　an　hour　they　could　see　the　masts；

the　sails；　the　smoke　of　the　battle；　but　nothing　gather　of　the

portentous　result。　Albany　and　New　York；　as　well　as　Plattsburg；

were　in　the　balance；　and　the　oarsmen　rowed　and　rowed　and　rowed。



The　cannon　roared　louder　and　louder；　though　less　continuously；　as

another　hour　passed。　Now　they　could　see　the　vessels　only　four

miles　away。　The　jets　of　smoke　were　intermittent　from　the　guns；

masts　went　down。　They　could　see　it　plainly。　The　rowers　only　set

their　lips　and　rowed　and　rowed　and　rowed。



Sir　George　had　reckoned　on　but　one　obstacle　in　his　march　to

Albany；　an　obstruction　named　MacDonough；　but　he　now　found　there

was　another　called　Macomb。



It　was　obviously　a　waste　of　men　to　take　Plattsburg　by　front

assault；　when　he　could　easily　force　a　passage　of　the　river　higher

up　and　take　it　on　the　rear；　and　it　was　equally　clear　that　when

his　fleet　arrived　and　crushed　the　American　fleet；　it　would　be　a

simple　matter　for　the　war　vessels　to　blow　the　town　to　pieces；

without　risking　a　man。



Already　a　favouring　wind　had　made　it　possible　for　Downie　to　leave

Isle　au　Noix　and　sail　down　the　lake　with　his　gallant　crew；　under

gallant　canvas　clouds。



Tried　men　and　true　in　control　of　every　ship；　out…　numbering

MacDonough；　outweighing　him；　outpointing　him　in　everything　but

seamanship；　they　came　on；　sure　of　success。



Three　chief　moves　were　in　MacDonough's　strategy。　He　anchored　to

the　northward　of　the　bay；　so　that　any　fleet　coming　down　the　lake

would　have　to　beat　up　against　the　wind　to　reach　him；　so　close　to

land　that　any　fleet　trying　to　flank　him　would　come　within　range

of　the　forts；　and　left　only　one　apparent　gap　that　a　foe　might　try

to　use；　a　gap　in　front　of　which　was　a　dangerous　sunken　reef。　This

was　indeed　a　baited　trap。　Finally　he　put　out　cables；　kedges；

anchors；　and　springs；　so　that　with　the　capstan　he　could　turn　his

vessels　and　bring　either　side　to　bear　on　the　foe。



All　was　ready；　that　morning　of　September　the　11th　as　the　British

fleet；　ably　handled；　swung　around　the　Cumberland　Head。



The　young　commander　of　the　Yankee　fleet　now　kneeled　bareheaded

with　his　crew　and　prayed　to　the　God　of　Battles　as　only　those

going　into　battle　pray。　The　gallant　foe　came　on；　and　who　that

knows　him　doubts　that　he；　too；　raised　his　heart　in　reverent

prayer？　The　first　broadside　from　the　British　broke　open　a　chicken

coop　on　the　Saratoga　from　which　a　game…cock　flew；　and；　perching

on　a　gun；　flapped　his　wings　and　crowed；　so　all　the　seamen　cheered