and
was executed with so little noise and confusion, that Lieutenant Manning
waking at early dawn, found himself, excepting one soldier, left alone.
Stephen Green, the attendant of Captain Carns, lay near him, resting on
the portmanteau of his superior, and buried in profound sleep. Being
awakened he was ordered to mount and follow, while Manning, hastening
towards the fork, hoped to fall upon the track, and speedily rejoin his
regiment. Much rain had fallen during the night, so that, finding both
roads equally cut up, Manning chose at hazard, and took the wrong one.
He had not proceeded far, before he saw at the door of a log-house, a
rifleman leaning on his gun, and apparently placed as a sentinel.
Galloping up to him, he inquired if a regiment of horse and body of
infantry had passed that way? 'Oh, ho,' cried the man, (whistling
loudly, which brought out a dozen others completely armed, and carrying
each a red rag in his hat,) 'you, I suppose, are one of Greene's men.'
The badge which they bore, marked their principles. Without the
slightest indication of alarm, or even hesitation, Manning pointed to
the portmanteau carried by Green, and exclaimed--'Hush, my good
fellow--no clamour for God's sake--I have _there_ what will ruin
Greene--point out the road to Lord Cornwallis' army, for all depends
upon early intelligence of its contents.' 'You are an honest fellow (was
the general cry), and have left the rebels just in time, for the whole
settlement are in arms to join Colonel Pyle tomorrow (naming the place
of rendezvous), where Colonel Tarleton will meet and conduct us to
camp.' 'Come,' said the man, to whom he had first spoken, 'take a
drink--Here's confusion to Greene, and success to the King and his
friends. This is the right road, and you will soon reach the army; or
rather let me conduct you to it myself.' 'Not for the world, my dear
fellow,' replied Manning; 'your direction is plain and I can follow it.
I will never-consent that a faithful subject of his Majesty should be
subjected to the dangers of captivity or death on my account. If we
should fall in with a party of rebels, and we cannot say they are not in
the neighbourhood now, we should both lose our lives. I should be hanged
for desertion, and you for aiding me to reach the British army.' This
speech produced the effect he desired. The libation concluded, Manning
rode off amid the cheers of the company, and when out of sight, crossed
to the other road, an