FORTY FORT
There was to my mind something comical in the idea of circling around
the enemy to get possession of their canoes, for it would seem as if we
might thus appear to be playing with them as a cat does with a mouse.
In addition to the satisfaction we would have in so outwitting them,
was the fact that the manœuvre must perforce mystify the curs, until
they came to believe we were strong in numbers.
It was only necessary to make a wide détour toward the mountain,
travelling silently, in order to accomplish the purpose, and I begged
Master Bartlett to set about it without delay.
“Let each keep well on the heels of the man in front, so there may be
no danger in straying, and remember that silence as well as speed is
necessary, else we may find ourselves in trouble,” the old man said,
hurriedly, and then he led the way toward the east, we following his
instructions to the best of our ability.
Not until we were well on our way did I realize what this attempt to
play a trick might cost us. In event of our movements being discovered
before we had gained possession of the canoes, the enemy would be led
to believe we had a hiding-place further down the river, and might
spend much time trying to find it.
There was no danger that those in the tunnel would betray their
whereabouts carelessly, for all, even to the children, understood full
well how much of danger threatened; but if I had found the entrance to
Eben Towle’s hiding-place when searching for a canoe, it was more than
possible they might come upon it while hunting for us.
Therefore it was that I became seriously disturbed in mind, even before
we were well committed to the movement, and would have drawn back while
there was time, if it had been possible to explain to my comrades what
had thus suddenly occurred to me.
When I tried to stop the file in order to whisper a warning, however,
each fellow was so eager to come to a successful conclusion of the
venture, that he simply moved forward all the faster when I would have
detained him, and I could do no less than refrain from any further
efforts in that direction lest too much noise be made.
There was no longer anything comical to me in the attempt we were
making, for I questioned whether by such a venture the lives of those
who were hidden in the tunnel had not been imperilled without due
reason.
However, despite all my forebodings, we made the détour successfully,
gaining the river bank a full half-mile below where we believed the
enemy were searching for us, and then it was necessary to creep up
along the water’s edge until coming to the canoes.
And this also we did without detection, finding the frail craft on the
shore with never a man left to guard them.
Six canoes were there, and all these we took, our party embarking in
two, and towing the others well out into the stream, when, stopping
sufficiently long to slash the bottoms with our knives in such fashion
that they could never be repaired, we sent them adrift.
“Now we have forced those curs to stay on the same side of the river
with those whom it is our duty to guard, and who can say that they may
not find the tunnel before we return to defend it?” I said, gloomily,
as the last of the wounded canoes disappeared from view.
“We need have little fear of what they may do ’twixt now and sunrise,”
Master Bartlett said, curtly, as if he also had begun to question
whether we were acting wisely. “It will be well to midnight before they
give over searching the thicket for us, and as much more time must be
spent looking after the boats. In the meantime we shall have returned.”
“Ay, unless we come across those on the opposite shore who are strong
enough to hold us there,” I replied, and then held my peace, ashamed of
thus croaking like a bird of ill-omen.
We buckled down to the paddles, each one realizing by this time the
necessity of making all speed, and the light craft skimmed the surface
of the water like birds.
Then, at the very moment when we heard the report of a musket from the
shore where the enemy were searching for us, the bows of the canoes ran
up on the bank.
We had come into the very thick of John Butler’s wolves, and the lives
of those left behind depended, perhaps, upon our returning before
daylight.
“It was a fool’s trick for us to make this venture,” Giles March
whispered to me after the canoes had been hidden among the bushes
where we might find them again without too long a search, and we were
following at Master Bartlett’s heels.
I gripped his arm hard, but made no reply. He thus told me that much
the same forebodings had come into his mind as were in mine, and the
fact did not tend to render me any more cheerful.
We were all familiar with the country hereabouts, and, since it simply
remained to make our way over travelled roads, there was no reason why
we could not push on rapidly, save only when we might see others in
advance.
Nothing occurred to delay us, and it was yet early in the night when we
arrived near the log walls of Forty Fort; but, much to our surprise,
we saw sentinels on the walls, as if the place was being defended
against an enemy.
We came to a halt within the shadow of all that remained to mark the
site of Joseph Seddons’s house, and Stephen Morley said hurriedly:
“Let me go on to learn what I may of the situation, and, if possible,
have speech with Colonel Dennison. I am not counting myself a better
man than any other in the party; but, if being discovered, can explain
my reason for being here, on the ground that I have come to learn when
I am to report for duty in the army.”
“Go on, Stephen, and do not spend overly much time, for we may be
needed on the other side of the river,” Master Bartlett said, thus
showing that he, too, had grown anxious concerning the safety of those
whom we left behind.
While he was absent we kept well within the shadow of the ruins, not
daring to talk even in whispers, and listening intently for any sounds
from the opposite shore which might betoken that our secret there had
been discovered.
Stephen Morley had rare good fortune in his attempt to have speech with
those of our friends who yet remained inside the fort, as we learned
ten minutes later when he returned, and with him was none other than
Colonel Dennison himself.
The officer greeted each of us in turn as if we were old friends, and
it could be readily understood that he felt great relief of mind at
knowing there were yet alive in the valley those who were eager to
drive out the brutes who had brought us so much of misery and grief.
“I have told him nothing concerning ourselves,” Stephen Morley said,
and straightway Master Bartlett gave the colonel a brief account of our
doings since the battle, saying in conclusion:
“Here are six of us ready for whatsoever comes to our hands, and on
the other side are three more who will soon be able, please God, to
do duty. We count on holding together to defend the valley so far as
we may, and ask you if there is any chance we can do anything toward
repairing the ruin that has been wrought?”
“Indeed you can,” Colonel Dennison replied, eagerly, “and it gives
me new hope to know there are so many near at hand. What about the
stockade at Wilkesbarre?”
“It yet stands as when Colonel Zebulon marched out with his men; no
attempt has been made to destroy it, which seems to me exceeding
strange.”
“That is because the Tories who follow John Butler count on taking
possession of all the country roundabout, and in order to hold it will
have need of the fortified places. Because of the knowledge which the
enemy has that your party is on the other side of the river, and owing
to your attack upon the canoes to-night, the stockade here is defended
as if an immediate battle was expected. Only by the most fortunate of
chances did I happen to see Stephen Morley, and was able to get outside
without arousing suspicion. Let me tell you of the situation here, for,
in order to be of service in the valley, you must know of it.”
“First tell me, sir, if John Butler is holding to the terms upon which
you surrendered?” Master Bartlett interrupted.
“I believe he is trying hard to do so; but the savages are refusing
to recognize his authority. We have in the fort upwards of thirty
women and children, and fourteen men and boys, none of whom dare stray
outside the stockade lest the red brutes murder them. Unless something
can be done speedily, there is no question in my mind but that we will
all be massacred. John Butler has already admitted to me what I knew
full well, that he is unable to hold in check his wolfish followers,
and because of such fact, proposes to depart immediately with such of
his army as yet obey his commands.”
“How many of the red snakes will likely remain behind?” Master Bartlett
asked quickly.
“Butler has told me that not less than two hundred have already broken
away from him, therefore we can count on that number prowling around,
with this fort as a headquarters, and in such case every white person
remaining will stand in the shadow of death. I had despaired of being
able to effect anything; but since knowing you are near at hand, it
begins to seem as if we might be able to hold our own against them, if
nothing more. On the day before John Butler marches away, I will make
every effort to send all our people over the river, and believe he will
aid me in the task, because of being unable to hold to the written
promises he made before we surrendered.”
“But our hiding-place will not give shelter to half the number you have
named!” Giles March cried in dismay.
“I was not counting that either you or they should remain in hiding,”
the colonel replied, gravely. “You Minute Boys must take possession of
the Wilkesbarre stockade at once, putting forth every effort to hold
it for the coming of our people. That will give them a refuge until we
can get help from the outside, as I believe will be possible when the
situation is made known.”
“Can you give any guess as to when the people may come across the
river?” Master Bartlett asked.
“I shall try to send a messenger the day before, therefore do you be on
the lookout for him each morning shortly after sunrise. The greatest
danger is that these savages who have thrown off all allegiance to John
Butler will fall upon our helpless ones while they are crossing the
river, or when they land, therefore you must be on your guard against
anything of the kind.”
“Will you not come with them?” I asked, and the colonel replied:
“It is more likely I shall go with Butler, as the surest and quickest
way of getting to such portion of the country from which aid may come
to us.”
Then he went on to advise what we should do to hold the stockade, and
gave us to believe it might be possible to send by the women some
addition to our store of ammunition, but dampened our spirits in no
slight degree by stating that those who might join us would be without
weapons, since it had been necessary to deliver up their arms when the
fort was surrendered.
The interview was brought to a sudden end when the reports of half a
dozen muskets were heard from the other side of the river, and we could
see the glow of a fire which increased each moment until the flames
were leaping high in the air.
“They have discovered that the canoes are missing,” the colonel said,
hurriedly. “It is time for you to go, and I will get inside the walls,
for, because of their failure to take any prisoners, our people may be
in danger.”
Even as he spoke the colonel left us, keeping within the line of shadow
as he approached the stockade, and we started off at our best pace,
for the red wolves, seeing the call for help on the other side of the
river, were swarming out of the fort like bees from a hive.
Now had come the time when we had need of all our wits to save our
skins, owing to the fact that it was necessary to advance directly
down-stream where was no shelter. Except for the darkness we could
never have gained that place where the canoes had been hidden, because
Indians and Tories were running to and fro in greatest excitement, and
more than once were we on the verge of being discovered.
However, we did succeed in embarking, and then it was necessary to
paddle down-stream, keeping within the denser shadows of the western
shore a mile or more, before venturing to cross.
When, finally, we stood near the ruins of Eben Towle’s home, the
signal-fire was yet burning, and Master Bartlett said, in a tone of
satisfaction:
“The cowards at Forty Fort haven’t yet made up their minds that it is
safe for them to cross. Because of what we have done the whole boiling
of them are grown exceeding cautious, even though knowing full well
they have butchered nearly all in the valley.”
“And they will kill yet more before the women and children can be got
across to this stockade,” Stephen Morley added gloomily. “Those who
have declared they will not follow John Butler any longer are hanging
back only that they may slaughter the helpless ones in the fort, and
will not allow them to go away in peace.”
Such words were only in accord with what had come into my mind while
Colonel Dennison was talking so glibly of our holding the Wilkesbarre
stockade, when we had no more than seven muskets with which to arm the
defenders.
There was no good reason why we should stand outside where, at
any moment, we might be discovered by those whose canoes had been
destroyed, and Master Bartlett led the way into the tunnel, where we
were welcomed as if after a long absence.
As a matter of course we told of all we had seen and heard since going
out, and it was Mistress Morley who picked the first flaw in Colonel
Dennison’s plan.
“If all the people come over into this stockade, where will you find
food enough to feed them during such time as the colonel is searching
for those who may be willing to aid us?” she asked, and I, who had been
thinking only of the lack of weapons, cried thoughtlessly:
“It can’t be done! We shall only succeed in bringing death upon all
this party!”
“If we think first of our own safety, what becomes of the proposition
that the Minute Boys shall take it upon themselves to defend the entire
valley?” Master Bartlett asked, gravely, and I replied, hotly, thinking
more of Esther Hinchman’s life than any other:
“It is not defending the valley when we sacrifice our own to save
others! Here are so many who have come out alive from the slaughter,
and now shall we give them over to starvation, or the mercies of those
wolves, that strangers, whom we cannot defend or feed, shall come in?”
“It was the Minute Boys who were to do the work,” and Master Bartlett
spoke so calmly and slowly that I was near to crying out with vexation.
“You are the captain, and it is for you to say that when John Butler
abandons the women and children now in the fort to those of his
followers whom he cannot control, they shall not come here.”
For the moment I was silenced, and then it was that Esther Hinchman put
her hand in mine, as she said in a tone so low that none save me could
hear the words:
“It is better all of us meet death than refuse a share of what we have
to those who are in such sore need.”
After that, which was neither more nor less than a reproof, I could
say nothing, and because no one spoke again, we laid ourselves down to
rest, if indeed that might be possible when there was so much to make
us wakeful.
It must have been nearly daybreak before my eyes closed in slumber, and
when I awakened Esther Hinchman called for me to come where she was
sitting at the entrance to the tunnel, looking out over the water as it
sparkled in the sunshine.
“Why was I allowed to sleep so late?” I asked, taking a seat by her
side, and giving no heed to the others of the company.
“Master Bartlett said we should be careful not to disturb you, because
of your having remained awake so long,” she replied, in a whisper.
“Shall I get you something to eat?”
“Not now; I have no desire for food, and if the lack of appetite lasts,
it will be well, for we must go on short allowance when our company has
more mouths to feed.”
“Master Bartlett, Stephen Morley, Giles March, and Daniel have been out
since early light searching for game, believing the savages will not
venture across the river again until the day is older.”
It annoyed me because I had not been called upon to make one of the
party; but I choked back the petulant words which rose to my lips,
lest she might think I was accusing her, and then she began to speak
of Colonel Dennison’s plan, soon convincing me that there was no other
course for us to pursue than such as he had mapped out.
“Those at Forty Fort, and we here, are all of our people remaining in
the valley, and it is far better every one of us perishes by starvation
than that a portion of the number be abandoned to such fate as would
be theirs,” she said, softly, and I resolved then never to say another
word against the plan.
Toward noon the hunters returned, bringing with them two deer and
considerable small game, after which Stephen Morley took it upon
himself to go back into the thicket with a haunch of venison, that he
might roast it where a fire could be built with little danger of its
being seen from the other side of the river.
We ate heartily when the meat was cooked, despite the heaviness of our
hearts, for it had been a long while since any of us tasted warm food,
and then came the question of when we should take possession of the
stockade, all of us knowing only too well that within a very short time
after doing so, it would be necessary to defend ourselves against the
open attacks of those savages who defied John Butler’s authority.
There could be but one answer to such a question; it was necessary for
the safety of those who were coming to us for protection that we be
prepared to receive them at any moment, therefore must we move quickly,
and when Master Bartlett asked if I was willing to make another change
of quarters as soon as night should come, I replied heartily:
“The sooner the better, lest some of the red curs settle down in the
stockade before we can do so. I believe it is well for us to keep
secret the existence of this tunnel, however, so that at the last
extremity these women and children have a hiding-place not known to
others.”
There is no good reason why I should spend many words in telling of our
entering Wyoming Fort, from which we might never come alive.
As soon as the friendly darkness settled over the land, we left the
tunnel, carrying all our little store of food and ammunition, and
within an hour our sentinels were stationed on the walls.
The Minute Boys were on duty again, and my forebodings as to the future
were not so gloomy but that I felt a certain thrill of joy because we
had at last come out openly against the enemy.
“From this on, until our valley is freed from such as John Butler has
brought into it, and the colonies are free and independent, we will
hold together, if so be our lives are spared,” I said to Giles March,
and he replied, fervently:
“It is as you have said, Jonathan Ogden. We do not make much showing
as soldiers just now; but if our hearts remain true, the time will
come when we may hold up our heads with any in the colonies, so far as
military service is concerned.”
We talked much that night concerning what we would do, and how it might
be possible to supply ourselves with all that was lacking, for neither
of us was in the mood for slumber, and when the day dawned I went here
and there inside the stockade to see how the women, to whom the task
was entrusted, had provided for our welfare.
It could be seen at a glance how relieved all were at being able to
move about at will once more. The children were already romping to and
fro inside the enclosure, frolicking like so many lambs; the women
were clearing rubbish from such of the buildings as they had decided
we should occupy, and our wounded were lying on the ground where they
might feel the warm rays of the sun.
“It does a fellow solid good to be in the open air once more,” Elias
Shendle said, as I halted by his side. “I believe that a week’s
imprisonment in the tunnel would have put an end to me; but now I’m
counting on doing my full share of duty a couple of days later.”
Sam Rogers looked up with a bright smile, as he said, cheerily:
“It is well worth all the extra danger to be here, and I believe it
will be no more work to defend this place than it would have been in
the tunnel, where we must have been caught like rats in a trap if the
savages had got an inkling of our whereabouts.”
Esther Hinchman was darting here and there, bent on one duty or
another, looking so happy that in my surprise I asked what had come
over her, and she replied, cheerily:
“It’s the fresh air and sunlight, Jonathan Ogden. While we were in the
tunnel I felt as if I was turning into an owl; but now the feathers are
beginning to drop off,” and away she ran, as if we of Wyoming Valley
had never seen any who would do us harm.
“It is good for us all to be here,” Master Bartlett said, as he came up
to where I stood watching the children at play. “We can count ourselves
soldiers now, which was more than could be done while we skulked from
cave to tunnel, and the work which we have set ourselves seems well
begun.”
Then it was that Daniel Hinchman, who was standing guard, startled us
all by shouting:
“A canoe, in which are three people, is coming down the river! It may
be that Colonel Dennison has sent the messenger of which he spoke!”
We seized our muskets, those of us who were able to do duty, not
feeling inclined to be taken by surprise, and stood on the walls until
the craft was beached directly in front of the stockade, when we saw
that it brought a man and two women, all of whom came up the bank
staggering under the weight of heavy burdens.
“It is Andrew Hardy!” Stephen Morley cried. “He is one of my neighbors
whom I left in the army when having got a furlough. It may be the
Congress has begun to remember that a soldier should be allowed to
protect his wife and little ones when there are none others to look
after them.”
These newcomers were indeed messengers from Colonel Dennison, come to
say that John Butler, with such of his following as he could control,
would march out of Forty Fort on the following morning, and at the same
time our people in that stockade would make the attempt to join us.
Andrew Hardy and the women had not come to us empty-handed. They
brought two muskets, powder, and ball sufficient for perhaps fifty
charges, and twenty pounds or more of smoked pork--all that Colonel
Dennison could get together in a hurry.
The colonel had sent a message to the effect that the people would set
out from the stockade at daybreak; but that he was fearful an attack
might be made upon them, either when they landed, or while the canoes
were yet upon the river.
“Are you to go back?” I asked of Andrew Hardy, and he replied:
“I was told to remain and do duty in the company of Minute Boys until
such time as it becomes necessary to return to the army.”
“How does it happen that you got a furlough?” Stephen Morley asked.
“Five of us who live nearabout here were allowed leave of absence; the
others have gone in search of their families who, if they escaped death
at the hands of the savages, fled with those who succeeded in leaving
the valley before Fort Jenkins was taken.”
I had no curiosity regarding the man, nor was I inclined to spend my
time listening to what he might tell regarding the condition of affairs
at Forty Fort. The word which the colonel had sent regarding the
probability that our people might be attacked before it was possible
for them to reach the stockade was in my mind, and, motioning Master
Bartlett aside from the others, I said to him:
“I am of the mind that the two canoes which we took from the enemy,
together with the one we have been using, and that in which Hardy came,
had best be brought inside, so we may be able to put out in case the
savages pursue the helpless ones too closely.”
“It is a good idea, Jonathan Ogden, and it does me good to know you
can plan so well for the future. Stephen Morley and I will attend to
the work, and in the meanwhile you had best make ready for trouble. It
is my belief that we are like to have plenty of it before many hours
have passed.”
“Think you there may be danger before to-morrow morning?”
“Ay, lad, you may set it down as certain that some of those red sneaks
have seen Andrew Hardy and the women leave the fort, and will soon be
coming down the river to learn where they went.”
Then Master Bartlett called for Stephen Morley to aid him in bringing
up the canoes, and I set about such preparations for meeting the enemy
as it was possible to make.