FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157  
158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   >>   >|  
es; what is it?" "Compliments of General Lee, sir, and you will retire your troops toward the Freehold Meeting House, forming connection there with General Scott." "Retreat! Good God, man! we haven't fired a shot." "Those were the orders, sir. Is that Scott, over yonder?" Maxwell nodded, too angered for words. Then, as the courier galloped away, turned in his saddle. "By Heaven! I suppose we must do it, Lawrence. But what folly! What asininity! We've got the Red-coats hemmed in, and did you ever see a better field? Pray God, I may hear Washington when he comes up. I'd rather be dead then, than Charles Lee." We gave the orders, and the men fell back sullenly, swearing fiercely as they caught the rebellious spirit of their officers. Never have I suffered more than from the heat that poured down on us from that blazing sun; the gun barrels burned to the touch, and the tortures of thirst became terrible. In places we sank ankle deep in the hot sand, and beyond this came upon a broad morass almost impossible of passage. Men fell exhausted, and were dragged out by their comrades. Scarcely able to breathe in the hot, stagnant air, caked with foul mud to the waist, we attained the higher ground, and dropped helpless. Even from here the enemy were invisible, although we could see the smoke of their guns, and hear distant crackle of musketry. I sat up, staring through the heat waves toward the eminence on the left where Wayne's men remained, showing dimly against the trees. A group of horsemen were riding down the slope, heading toward our line. As they came into the sandy plain below, and skirted the morass, I recognized Lee in advance, mounted on a black horse flecked with foam. Twice he paused, gazing across the hills through levelled field-glasses, and then rode up the steep ascent to our rear. Maxwell met him not twenty feet from where I lay. "What does this mean, sir?" Lee thundered hoarsely. "Why are your men lying strewn about in this unsoldierly manner, General Maxwell? Are you unaware, sir, that we are in the presence of the enemy?" Maxwell's red face fairly blazed, as he straightened in the saddle, but before his lips could form an answer, a sudden cheer burst out from the crest of the hill, and I saw men leaping to their feet, and waving their hats. The next instant across the summit came Washington, a dozen officers clattering behind, his face stern-set and white, as he rode straight toward Lee. "W
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157  
158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   169   170   171   172   173   174   175   176   177   178   179   180   181   182   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Maxwell

 

General

 

saddle

 
Washington
 
officers
 

morass

 
orders
 

flecked

 

skirted

 

recognized


advance
 

mounted

 

helpless

 

dropped

 

staring

 
invisible
 

eminence

 

musketry

 

distant

 
crackle

remained

 
heading
 

riding

 

horsemen

 

showing

 

sudden

 

answer

 
straightened
 

leaping

 

waving


straight

 

clattering

 

instant

 

summit

 

blazed

 

fairly

 

ascent

 

ground

 

twenty

 

glasses


paused

 

gazing

 

levelled

 

manner

 

unsoldierly

 

unaware

 
presence
 

strewn

 

thundered

 

hoarsely