hero tales from american history-第8节

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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　lacks　the　fondness　for　fighting；　the　eager　desire　to　punish　his　adversary；　and　the　willingness　to　suffer　punishment　in　return；　may　be　a　great　organizer；　like　McClellan；　but　can　never　become　a　great　general　or　win　great　victories。　There　are；　however；　plenty　of　men　who；　though　they　possess　these　fine　manly　traits；　yet　lack　the　head　to　command　an　army；　but　Wayne　had　not　only　the　heart　and　the　hand　but　the　head　likewise。　No　man　could　dare　as　greatly　as　he　did　without　incurring　the　risk　of　an　occasional　check；　but　he　was　an　able　and　bold　tactician；　a　vigilant　and　cautious　leader；　well　fitted　to　bear　the　terrible　burden　of　responsibility　which　rests　upon　a　commander…in…chief。

Of　course；　at　times　he　had　some　rather　severe　lessons。　Quite　early　in　his　career；　just　after　the　battle　of　the　Brandywine；　when　he　was　set　to　watch　the　enemy；　he　was　surprised　at　night　by　the　British　general　Grey；　a　redoubtable　fighter；　who　attacked　him　with　the　bayonet；　killed　a　number　of　his　men；　and　forced　him　to　fall　back　some　distance　from　the　field　of　action。　This　mortifying　experience　had　no　effect　whatever　on　Wayne's　courage　or　self…reliance；　but　it　did　give　him　a　valuable　lesson　in　caution。　He　showed　what　he　had　learned　by　the　skill　with　which；　many　years　later；　he　conducted　the　famous　campaign　in　which　he　overthrew　the　Northwestern　Indians　at　the　Fight　of　the　Fallen　Timbers。

Wayne's　favorite　weapon　was　the　bayonet；　and；　like　Scott　he　taught　his　troops；　until　they　were　able　in　the　shock　of　hand…to…hand　conflict　to　overthrow　the　renowned　British　infantry；　who　have　always　justly　prided　themselves　on　their　prowess　with　cold　steel。　At　the　battle　of　Germantown　it　was　Wayne's　troops　who；　falling　on　with　the　bayonet；　drove　the　Hessians　and　the　British　light　infantry；　and　only　retreated　under　orders　when　the　attack　had　failed　elsewhere。　At　Monmouth　it　was　Wayne　and　his　Continentals　who　first　checked　the　British　advance　by　repulsing　the　bayonet　charge　of　the　guards　and　grenadiers。

Washington；　a　true　leader　of　men；　was　prompt　to　recognize　in　W