|Finding it impossible to force his men to attack the barricade in the
face of this incessant fire, Lord Forrester did not attempt any further
advance for the present, but retiring to the end of the street, where
he was sustained by the dismounted dragoons and Honeywood's regiment,
directed Captain Preston to lead a party of men through a narrow passage
which he had observed to the back of the street, and, if possible, get
possession of Sir Henry Hoghton's house.
Captain Preston at once obeyed the order, but on reaching a
thoroughfare, called the Broadway, at the back of the houses, he found
his advance checked by the small barrier commanded by Captain Wogan.
However, he unhesitatingly attacked it, but was repulsed.
While heading a second assault he was struck down by a shot, and would
have instantly been cut to pieces if Captain Wogan, at the hazard of
his own life, had not dashed to his assistance, and saved him from the
swords raised against him.
Having succeeded in bringing off his wounded foe, the generous Wogan
consigned him to the care of a surgeon. But all aid was unavailing.
Preston, than whom there was not a better or braver officer in the
king's service, was dead.
Hitherto General Forster had taken no part in the defence, but during a
cessation of firing he rode up to the Churchgate battery, and called out
to Mackintosh in a loud authoritative tone.
“Brigadier! sally out at once with your Highlanders upon the enemy.”
“Na, na, general,” replied Mackintosh. “Were I to part my foot from the
horse they might be cut off.”
“I don't see why that should be,” rejoined Forster. “But if you are of
the foot, sally out with the horse.”
“I cannot obey you, general,” replied the brigadier; “and for this
reason. In sallying out, as you suggest, the cavalry wad have to pass
through the fire of our ain foot to their great detriment; and if they
failed in the attempt, they would be unable to retreat, and thus the
Highlanders would be pent up in the town.”
“I don't see the reason,” cried Forster, angrily; “but I perceive you
are resolved not to obey me.”
“I won't sacrifice my men, general,” rejoined the brigadier.
“Then you will take the consequences, sir,” said Forster; “for, by
Heaven! if I survive this day, and the king comes to his own, I'll have
you tried by a court-martial.”
Mackintosh shrugged his shoulders contemptuously.
Just then the firing recommenced, and Forester withdrew to vent his
anger elsewhere.
Learning that Mackintosh had stationed Captain Innes with a party of
Highlanders in Sir Henry Houghton's house, he immediately removed them,
without alleging any reason for the step, and ordered Captain Maclean,
with a company of gentlemen volunteers, to take the post.
V.--HOW THE TWO LARGE HOUSES IN CHURCH-STREET WERE TAKEN BY THE
ASSAILANTS.
|During Forster's altercation with the Brigadier, Lord Derwentwater
proceeded to the churchyard. He had now no fears respecting the countess
and Dorothy, for he knew they had reached the town-hall in safety.
Scarcely had he entered the churchyard, when he perceived Captain
Gordon, and calling him, said:
“You are the very man I want. Go instantly to the top of the
church-tower, and let me know the movements of the enemy.”
Captain Gordon obeyed, and as soon as he reached this exalted position
he looked carefully around.
We have already mentioned that the tower in question was singularly low,
but from its position it commanded an entire view of the operations.
From this post of observation Captain Gordon could see Brigadier
Honeywood with his regiment of dragoons stationed at the end of the
street, but he did not concern himself with them, his attention being
particularly attracted to the movements of Major Bland, with a large
party of dismounted dragoons, attacking the battery commanded by Lord
Charles Murray.
Lord Charles was defending himself vigorously and successfully, when
another party was seen approaching to attack him in the flank.
Thereupon Captain Gordon gave a signal to the Earl of Derwentwater, who
immediately put himself at the head of a hundred of his gentlemen and
hastened to Lord Charles's assistance.
Suddenly appearing in the back lane, and flanking the enemy with a close
fire, the earl quickly put them to confusion and flight.
But, while retreating, the dragoons burst open the door at the back of
Sir Henry Hoghton's garden, drove out Captain Maclean and the volunteers
placed there by General Forster, and took possession of the mansion.
Almost at the same time, the large house belonging to Mr. Eyre, on
the opposite side of the street, which had served as General Forster's
head-quarters, fell into the hands of Brigadier Honeywood.
On observing this, Captain Gordon immediately descended from the church
tower, and sought out General Forster, whom he found near the entrance
to the marketplace, and told him what had happened.
“By the possession of these two houses, general,” he said, “the enemy
have secured most commanding positions, which will not only afford them
shelter from our fire, but enable them to do us great damage. They must
be retaken at any cost, but I would recommend as the shortest way that
both houses be demolished by our cannon.”
“I cannot consent to their destruction, sir,” replied Forster. “The body
of the town is the security of the army. We must dislodge the enemy--not
destroy the houses.”
“But do you not perceive, general, that by this course you are affording
security to the besiegers,” said Captain Gordon. “Reinforcements are
sure to arrive, and then we shall never be able to drive out the enemy.”
“At all events, the attempt shall be made before I have recourse to
cannon,” rejoined Forster. “Let both houses be attacked in front and
rear--but mind! cannon must not be used.”
Scarcely able to control his anger, Captain Gordon went away.
On his return, he found that a vigorous attempt was being made by Lord
Derwentwater to dislodge the enemy from Sir Henry Hoghton's house, and a
sharp conflict was then going on in the garden.
An attempt was likewise being made to recover Mr. Eyre's house by a
large party of dismounted troopers headed by Charles Radclyffe and
Captain Shaftoe.
Brigadier Mackintosh would have quickly knocked down both these houses,
but on learning that General Forster had positively prohibited the use
of cannon, he desisted.