e
beaten path through what was known as the Black Swamp. It had rained
heavily. The cedar woods were soggy with moisture, the swamp swollen,
and the streams running a mill race. Through the summer heat, through
the windfall, over the quaking forest bog, tramped Laura Secord. It
may be supposed that the most of wild animals had been frightened from
the woods by the heavy cannonading for almost a year; but the hoot of
screech owl, the eldritch scream of wild cat, the far howl of the wolf
pack hanging on the trail of the armies for carrion, were not sounds
quieting to the nerves of a frightened woman flitting through the
forest by moonlight. It was clear moonlight when she came within range
of Beaver Dam and De Ceu's house. She had just emerged in an open
field when she was assailed with unearthly yells, and a thousand
ambushed Indians rose from the grass.

[Illustration: LAURA SECORD]

"Woman! A woman! What does a white woman here?" demanded the chief,
seizing her arm. She answered that she was a friend and it was matter
of life and death for her to see {362} Fitzgibbons at once. So Laura
Secord delivered her warning and saved the Canadian army. The episode
has gone down to history one of the national legends, like the story of
Madeline Vercheres on the St. Lawrence. Fitzgibbons posts his forty
men in place, and Ducharme, commander of the Indians, scatters his one
thousand redskins in ambush along the trail. Also, word is sent for
two other detachments to come with all speed.

June 24, at seven in the morning, Boerstler is moving along a narrow
forest trail through the beech woods of Beaver Dams. The men are
advancing single file, mounted infantrymen first with muskets slouched
across saddle pommels, then the heavy wagons, then cavalry to rear.
The timber is heavy, the trail winding. Here the long line deploys out
from the trail to avoid jumping windfall; there halt is made to cut a
way for the wagons; then the long line moves sleepily forward, yellow
sunlight shafted through the green foliage across the riders' blue
uniforms. Suddenly a shot rings out, and another, and another! The
forest is full of unseen foes, before, behind, on all sides, the
cavalry forces breaking rank and dashing forward among the wagons.
Boerstler sees it will be as unsafe to retreat as to go on. Sending
messengers back to Fort George for aid, he pushes forward into an open
wheat field. Fifty-six men have fallen, and the bull