Part 49 (1/2)
”Thomas is dead, Thompson and Irving taken, Arnold and Wayne wounded, the army a skeleton, what with losses by death, wounds, disease, and in prisoners.
”Had not Arnold broke into the Montreal shops and taken food and woolen clothing, I think we had been naked now.”
”Good heavens!” said I, burning with mortification, ”I had not heard of such a rout!”
”Oh, it was no rout, John,” said he carelessly. ”Sullivan marched us out of that h.e.l.l-hole in good order--whatever John Adams chooses to say about our army.”
”What does John Adams say?”
”Why, he says we are disgraced, defeated, dispirited, discontented, undisciplined, diseased, eaten up with vermin.”
”My G.o.d!” exclaimed Nick.
”It's true enough,” said Dave, coolly. ”And when John Adams also adds that we have no clothing, no beds, no blankets, no medicines, and only salt pork and flour to eat and little o' these, why, he's right, too.
Why not admit truth? Does it help to conceal it? Nenni, lads! It is best always to face it and endeavour to turn into a falsehood tomorrow what is disgracefully true today.
”So when I tell you that in three months our Northern Army has lost five thousand men by smallpox, camp fever, bullets, and privation--that out of five thousand who remain, two thousand are sick, why, it's the plain and d.a.m.nable truth.
”But any soldier who loses sleep or appet.i.te over such cursed news should be run through with a bayonet, for he's a rabbit and no man!”
After a silence: ”Who commands them now?” I asked.
”Gates is to take them over at Crown Point, I hear.”
This news chilled me, for Schuyler should have commanded. But the d.a.m.ned Yankees, plotting their petty New England plots to discredit our dear General, had plainly hoodwinked Congress; and now our generous and n.o.ble Schuyler had again fallen a victim to nutmeg jealousy and cunning.
”Well,” said I, ”G.o.d help us all in Tryon, now; for a vain a.s.s is in the saddle, and the counsel of the brave and wise remains unheeded. Will Guy Carleton drive us south of Crown Point?”
”I think so,” said Ellerson, carelessly.
”Then the war will come among us here in Tryon!”
”Straight as a storm from the North, John.”
”When?”
”Oh, that? G.o.d knows. We shall hold the lakes as long as we can. But unless we are reinforced by Continentals--unless every Colony sends us a regiment of their Lines--we can not hope to hold Crown Point, and that's sure as shooting and plain as preaching.”
”Very well,” said I between clenched teeth, ”then we here in Tryon had best go about the purging of that same county, and physic this district against a dose o' red-coats.”
Ellerson laughed and rose with the lithe ease of a panther.
”I should be on my way to Albany,” says he. ”You tell me there are horses at the Summer House, John?”
”Certainly.”
We shook hands.
”You find Morgan's agreeable?” inquired Nick.