A FRIENDLY WARNING.
Arriving at headquarters, Enoch attracted but little attention.
The staff officers were discussing the information which had been
brought in from different sources, and speculating upon the probable
events of the coming day; but no one gave any heed to the young aid.
Thus it was that the boy learned, without the necessity of asking
questions, the different opinions of the Continental officers regarding
the advisability of attacking General Clinton and his well-organized,
well-disciplined, and thoroughly-seasoned troops.
Now and then Washington joined in the conversation; but as a rule
he remained apart from the others, as if in deep study, oftentimes
neglecting to answer a question, and Enoch noticed that his apparent
preoccupation occurred more often when his opinion was asked concerning
some point upon which his officers were divided in opinion.
Twice during the evening the commander-in-chief dispatched an aid to
some division, but gave no heed whatever to Enoch, and the boy began to
fancy that the general had forgotten the order relative to reporting at
sunset.
It was nearly nine o'clock in the evening when the commander-in-chief,
turning to the officer nearest him, said:
"Major, will you oblige me by riding to General Lee's quarters, and
saying to him it is my desire he shall have his troops ready to move at
a moment's notice?"
The officer bowed and left the tent, and then it was as if the
commander but had just seen Enoch.
"You were ordered to report at sunset, my lad."
"So I did, sir, and have been here ever since."
"It may be necessary to keep you on duty all night. Roll yourself in
one of those blankets, and lie down."
Enoch had no desire to sleep; but this was neither more nor less than
a command, and he obeyed.
Lying on the ground at the edge of the tent, behind the camp-table, he
would easily escape observation. But the novelty of his surroundings,
the fact that officers were entering and leaving the tent almost
constantly, and the belief that a battle was imminent--would, perhaps,
be fought on the morrow--drove from his eyelids the desire for slumber,
and he was an interested observer of all that occurred around him.
Couriers were coming in from the different divisions, bearing messages
which required immediate answers, and Washington was sending out aids
in every direction to gather information concerning his own troops and
the movements of the enemy.
Not until nearly midnight was the tent free from visitors, and then
the commander-in-chief began to write, using certain memoranda Enoch
had observed him making during the day, in the preparation of what were
evidently official documents.
It was while General Washington was thus employed, apparently to the
exclusion of everything else, and the silence which ensued was profound
as compared with the confusion of an hour previous, that sleep was
beginning to weigh upon the young aid's eyelids, when he heard a gruff
"Who goes there?" from the sentinel on duty, and then the reply:
"I am Dr. Griffith, chaplain and surgeon of the Virginia line, on
business highly important to the commander-in-chief."
There was a brief delay, after which Enoch heard a call for the officer
of the guard.
When that soldier arrived the boy heard the visitor repeat his words,
receiving as answer:
"It is impossible, sir, absolutely impossible. My orders are positive;
the general cannot be seen on any account."
"Present, sir, my humble duty to his excellency, and tell him that
Dr. Griffith waits on him with secret and important intelligence, and
craves an audience of only five minutes' duration."
This conversation could be plainly distinguished by those within the
tent, but so engrossed was the commander with his writing that he
apparently heard no word of it. He looked up in surprise, not unmingled
with disapprobation, when the officer of the guard entered.
The visitor's message was repeated, and the commander-in-chief said
almost impatiently:
"Admit him, major; admit him."
Enoch believed that he ought not to remain if the business to be
transacted was "secret;" but General Washington's orders had been for
him to lie in that place, and he did not dare suggest that he should
retire.
The visitor entered hurriedly, and with no slight confusion.
He was dressed in civilian's garb, but gave a soldierly salute, and
introduced himself by repeating that which he had told the sentinel:
"I am, your excellency, Dr. Griffith, chaplain and surgeon of
the Virginia line, and apologize for my intrusion, which would be
unwarranted but for information which has come to me in strictest
confidence. My informants are men of the highest character as citizens
and patriots, and they have stated positively that, of their own
knowledge, General Lee has made such arrangements with Clinton that he
will avoid any serious engagement to-morrow, if it be possible. I am
convinced of the correctness of this statement, your excellency, and
beg you will give it your closest attention."
Then saluting, and without waiting for a reply, Dr. Griffith left the
tent.
General Washington remained motionless as if in deep thought, until
Enoch began to fancy he had fallen asleep, and was startled when the
commander said sharply:
"Are you awake, my boy?"
"I am, sir," and Enoch rose to his feet.
"You have shown yourself to be a lad of keen perception, quick to
understand what others might fail to believe of importance. The
communication which you heard made was of a confidential nature. It is
never to be repeated!"
Enoch bowed; but did not reply.
"You are to ride at once to General Lee's quarters, and tell him that
it is my desire he shall have a small body of troops stationed very
near the British line to observe their movements, and give immediate
notice if there is any indication on their part of resuming the march.
Should this last occur they are to skirmish with the enemy in order
that our army may move into position, and General Lee will report to
me instantly he learns of any movement. You will also tell him that
you are directed by me to give the same order to Generals Maxwell and
Dickinson. Let me know if you thoroughly understand my meaning."
Enoch repeated almost verbatim the words of the commander.
"That is correct. Carry out the instructions with all possible haste,
and report to me how the orders have been received. In other words, you
will observe carefully the apparent effect which the command has upon
the several gentlemen. Call the officer of the guard."
Enoch obeyed by going just outside the tent and speaking to the
sentinel.
Then he returned, and a moment later the officer entered.
"Major," General Washington said, "this boy will be passed into my tent
to-night at whatever hour he may appear."
The officer saluted and withdrew.
"Now go, my boy, and do not spare your horse."
In half an hour from the time he left headquarters, Enoch was halted by
the sentinel in front of General Lee's tent.
"A messenger from the commander-in-chief," he announced, "with orders
to speak with General Lee at once."
Five minutes later he was repeating General Washington's words to the
officer who was suspected by many of not only being lukewarm toward
the cause, but absolutely an enemy to it, and he fancied the command he
brought was received with anything rather than satisfaction.
Twice during that brief time did Lee interrupt him to inquire if he was
repeating the commander-in-chief's exact words, and when he said that
his orders were to deliver the same message to Generals Maxwell and
Dickinson, the general asked sharply:
"Does his excellency think I have no aids in camp?"
"I don't know as to that, sir. I am only explaining to you my orders,
as I was told to do."
"You may say to General Washington that his commands will be obeyed
at once," Lee replied after a short pause, and intimated that the
interview was at an end by turning his back upon Enoch.
It was necessary the boy should linger in camp several moments in
order to learn the exact whereabouts of the other detachments; but once
this had been done, he set off at full speed, and twenty minutes later
reined in his horse as a familiar voice cried:
"Halt! Who goes there?"
"A messenger from the commander-in-chief to General Dickinson. Why, is
that you, Seth?"
"I ought to be pretty certain of the fact after tramping up and down
here for the last two hours," Master Graydon replied grimly as Enoch
leaped from his horse. "I shall be off duty in ten minutes, though,
which is more than you can say, I reckon, even if you _are_ an aid to
the commander-in-chief."
"Now, Seth, don't keep ringing the changes on that. You know I want
to be with you and Jacob; but there doesn't seem much chance of
accomplishing my purpose before the battle."
"Then you believe we are really to have one?"
"I think it is bound to come to-morrow."
"But to-morrow is Sunday," Seth exclaimed, as if doubting whether
armies would meet in conflict on the Sabbath.
"I don't believe they keep run of the days of the week in a time of
war. Where are General Maxwell's quarters?"
"He hasn't had any to speak of for quite a spell. If you want to see
him, though, he was lying under the same tree with General Dickinson
when I saw him last."
"Will you call the officer of the guard?"
"What for?"
"I want to speak with the generals."
"Well, why don't you go ahead and do it? I know you are on General
Washington's staff, and so it will be all right."
"It might for me, but not for you, Seth. I don't think a private
soldier is allowed to decide even in such a case as this. To save
yourself trouble you had better call the officer of the guard."
Master Graydon thought this a needless formality; but he followed his
friend's advice, and during the short time which elapsed before that
official made his appearance, Enoch asked:
"Where can I see you and Seth a few minutes before I leave?"
"Are you going right away again?"
"Just as soon as I deliver my message, and that may take ten or fifteen
minutes."
"If I am relieved before then, Jacob and I will find you. Say, do you
know General Dickinson sent a squad down to the house where we were
made prisoners, and I reckon they didn't use the Tory very softly. He's
here in camp under guard, and I heard he was likely to get it pretty
rough after what he did to us."
"Then the blow from the pistol didn't do him any serious damage?"
"I reckon he knew he got it, for his head is tied up, and he tried to
make the soldiers think he was so near dead he couldn't be moved."
The arrival of the officer of the guard put an end to the conversation,
and after stating the purpose of his visit, Enoch was escorted to where
the two generals lay on the ground as Seth had described.
By them his message was received far differently than it had been by
Lee.
"You may assure his excellency that we will be on the alert," Maxwell
replied promptly, and Dickinson said, in a tone of approbation:
"This begins to look like business. We can now have some idea of
General Washington's intentions."
Then both arose to their feet to carry out the order given, and Enoch
was left to his own devices.
Not only Jacob and Seth, but Greene the spy, met the young aid just as
he had mounted his horse preparatory to returning, and Enoch was plied
with questions as to the whereabouts and disposition of the main army.
General Dickinson, who was standing near by, gave orders for a certain
number of men to move nearer the British lines, and Greene said in a
matter-of-fact tone as he heard it:
"I reckon that's owing to the word you brought, lad. It means business,
and no mistake. Lee will have to show his cloven foot if he succeeds in
preventing an engagement during the next twenty-four hours."
"It doesn't seem possible he could, or would dare to try anything of
the kind," Enoch replied in a whisper.
"He will dare, I have no question; but whether he can or not, while
every officer and man in the army is eager to try conclusions with
the Britishers, is another matter. I allow we shall have hot work
to-morrow, boys, and if it so be, Enoch, that you pass anywhere near
us, pull up to give the latest news, for you are likely to see a good
bit of the engagement. Now, move on, my boy, for you have no right to
loiter here when your orders were to return at once."
Seth and Jacob reached up to clasp their comrade's hands, for all knew
they might never meet again in this world, but Greene cried sharply:
"None of that, lads; no bidding good-by to each other because we're on
the eve of a battle. Say 'Godspeed,' and let Enoch go."
Thus was avoided that which might have unnerved all three for the time
being, and Master Ball rode away through the darkness, feeling that he
was of service to the cause even though he might not stand before the
enemy with a musket in his hand.
It was nearly three o'clock when Enoch again entered the headquarters
tent, and found General Washington still busily engaged with his
writing.
Without waiting for questions he reported how, to the best of
his observation, the order was received by the generals, but the
commander-in-chief made no comment.
"Lie down again, boy, and sleep if you can. Wait! Has your horse been
cared for?"
"No, sir, I left him just outside the tent."
"Then see that he is fed. You may not have another opportunity for some
hours."
Enoch spent no little time in grooming the animal that had carried
him so swiftly and steadily, and was still engaged in the work when a
soldier came up hurriedly:
"The general wants to see you at once."
Hastening back to headquarters Enoch found the tent filled with
officers, and from their conversation understood that General Dickinson
had sent a courier to report to the commander-in-chief that the enemy
had commenced their march.
The boy waited several moments before Washington ceased giving commands
to those around him, and then turning to Enoch he said abruptly:
"Ride with all speed to General Lee, and order him to move forward and
attack the enemy unless powerful reasons should prevail. Tell him the
entire army have thrown their packs aside, and are advancing to his
support. Ride, lad, ride hard, and return to me when your work has been
accomplished."
Enoch obeyed, and once more was dashing across the country, this
time in such excitement as to be hardly aware of what he did, for he
understood that the battle was about to begin.
He found General Lee asleep, and the officer of the guard at first
refused to awaken him; but Enoch understood how important it was
the order should be delivered without loss of time, and insisted as
peremptorily as an experienced soldier might have done, upon being
allowed to repeat his message at once.
The order was received quietly--Enoch fancied with disapprobation--and
the only reply given was:
"Say to the commander-in-chief that his instructions shall be followed
to the letter."
Then without delay the boy rode back at full speed, passing on his
way several brigades which were being hurried forward, and finding
General Washington where he had left him, still in consultation with
his officers.
During several hours was the young aid forced to remain inactive,
and regarding this time, and the movements which were being made, the
details can best be described by quoting from an article in _Harper's
Magazine_, 1878:
"June 28th was the Sabbath.... The day was the hottest of the year.
At dawn General Knyphausen began to march with the first division of
the British army, which included the German troops, the 'Hessians,'
and the Pennsylvania and Maryland Loyalists. Clinton with the other
division--the flower of the army--did not move until eight o'clock, for
General Lee was so tardy in obeying the order of Washington that the
enemy had ample time to prepare for battle.
"When Dickinson gave notice of Knyphausen's movement the main body of
the Americans began to move immediately. Colonel Grayson, with his
own regiment leading the brigades of Scott and Varnum, had passed
the Freehold meeting-house, nearly three miles from Monmouth Court
House, before he received orders from Lee to push forward and attack
the enemy. The aid who brought the order advised Grayson to halt, for
he had heard on the way that the main body of the British army were
moving to attack the Americans. General Dickinson had received the
same information, which he communicated to Lee, when the latter pushed
forward with his staff across a narrow causeway near the parsonage, and
joined Dickinson upon the height close by. While he was endeavoring to
unravel the conflicting intelligence, Lafayette arrived at the head of
the advanced troops.
"Lee's whole command, exclusive of Morgan's sharpshooters and the
New Jersey militia, now numbered about four thousand men. The broken
country was heavily wooded up to the elevated plain of Monmouth. Lee,
satisfied that no important force of the enemy was on either flank,
pressed forward under cover of the forest, and formed a portion of his
line for action near some open fields. Then, with Wayne and others, he
reconnoitered the enemy. They saw what they supposed to be a covering
party of the British about two thousand strong. Wayne was detached with
seven hundred men and two field-pieces to attack their rear. Meanwhile
Lee, with a stronger force, endeavored, by a short road leading to
the left, to gain the front of the party, while small detachments,
concealed in the woods, annoyed their flanks.
"It was now nine o'clock in the morning. Just as Wayne was preparing to
make the attack, a party of American light-horsemen, advancing, were
directed to make a feigned assault upon some British dragoons seen
upon an eminence, and, by retreating, draw them into a position to be
received by Wayne. The maneuver was partially successful. The dragoons
followed until fired upon by a party under Colonel Butler, ambushed on
the edge of a wood, when they wheeled and fled toward the main army.
Wayne ordered Colonel Oswald, who was in command of his field-pieces,
to cross a morass, plant them on an eminence, and open fire on the
retreating dragoons, while he should press forward and attack them
with the bayonet. Wayne was prosecuting the maneuver with vigor at a
point about three-fourths of a mile eastward of the courthouse, with a
prospect of full success, when he received an order from Lee to make
only a feigned attack, and not to press on too precipitately, as it
might frustrate his plan for cutting off the covering party. Wayne was
exasperated; but he obeyed, only to be disappointed, for Lee really did
nothing.
"At that moment Clinton was informed that the Americans were marching
on both his flanks to capture his baggage-train. To avert the danger
he changed the front of his army, and prepared to attack Wayne with so
much vigor that the armies on the British flanks would be compelled
to fly to the succor of that officer. A large body of royal troops
approached Lee's right, when Lafayette, perceiving that a good
opportunity was offered to gain the rear of the enemy, rode quickly up
to Lee, and asked his permission to attempt the maneuver. Lee replied:
"'Sir, you do not know British soldiers; we cannot stand against them.
We shall certainly be driven back at first, and we must be cautious.'
"The marquis replied:
"'That may be, general; but British soldiers have been beaten, and they
may be beaten again; I am disposed to make the trial.'
"Lee so far yielded as to order Lafayette to wheel his column
and attack the enemy's left. At the same time he weakened Wayne's
detachment on the left by ordering the regiments of Wesson, Stewart,
and Livingston to support the right. Then he rode to Oswald's battery
to reconnoiter, when he saw a large portion of the British army
marching back on the Middletown road toward the courthouse. Apparently
disconcerted, he ordered his right to fall back. The brigades of Scott
and Maxwell on the left were already moving forward toward the right of
the royal forces, who were pushing steadily on in solid phalanx toward
the position occupied by Lee, with the apparent design of gaining
Wayne's rear and attacking the American right at the same time.
"General Scott now left the wood, crossed the morass, and was forming
for action on the plain, and Maxwell was preparing to do the same,
when Lee ordered the former to re-enter the wood and await further
orders. When Scott perceived the retrograde movement on the right,
mistaking the spirit of Lee's orders, he recrossed the morass and
retreated toward Freehold meeting-house, followed by Maxwell. When
Lee was informed of this movement he ordered Lafayette to fall back
to Monmouth Court House. The marquis did so with reluctance, and was
mortified to find that a general retreat had begun on the right under
the immediate command of Lee, and he was obliged to follow. The British
pursued as far as the courthouse, and halted, while the Americans
pressed on across the morass near the house of Mr. Carr, to the heights
of Freehold, and halted. The heat was intense, and in many places the
soldiers sank ankle-deep in the burning sand. The royal troops soon
followed, and Lee, instead of making a bold stand in his advantageous
position on the eminence, renewed his retreat toward Freehold
meeting-house. This produced a panic among the American troops, and
they fled in great confusion in the wooded and broken country, many of
them perishing as they pressed over the narrow causeway to cross the
broad morass. Others, struck down by the heat, were trampled to death
in the sand. At first both parties kept up a rambling cannonade; soon
nothing was heard but a few musket-shots and the loud shouts of the
pursuers.
"Lafayette, who knew Lee's ambition to supersede Washington in command
of his army, had watched his movements all the morning with anxiety,
for he was satisfied that Lee was either cowardly or treacherous."
During all this time Enoch had remained inactive, standing with the
bridle of his horse in his hand, ready to ride off at a moment's
warning, and with the sounds of the conflict ringing in his ears. It
seemed to him cruel that he should be deprived of the opportunity of
striking a blow for the cause at a time when he knew men were needed;
but General Washington, calm and collected, had given no heed to the
excited boy who remained almost at his elbow.
Suddenly the commander-in-chief turned, and said sharply:
"Ride forward, lad, and ask General Lafayette if he can send me any
information."
Gladly Enoch obeyed this command, and regardless of possible danger
urged his horse steadily ahead, stopping from time to time to ask of
the different troops where the marquis could be found.
It seemed to him as if he had been an hour performing the journey,
although in reality it was hardly more than ten minutes, when he drew
rein in front of Lafayette, and, saluting, said:
"General Washington wishes information as to the movements of the
enemy."
The marquis, looking anxious and troubled, glanced around him for an
instant as if trying to decide what words had best be used, and said
hurriedly:
"Tell General Washington that his presence here is of the utmost
importance, for in my opinion it is absolutely necessary he himself
direct the movements. Ride hard, boy; there is not a moment to be
lost."