Part 8 (1/2)

Half past eleven! It was time to start.

A negro, named Pompey, who sold cherries and strawberries to the garrison, was used as a guide. This shrewd darkey had got the British pa.s.sword for the night, by claiming that his master would not let him come in during the daytime, because he was needed to hoe corn. You will be glad to know that Pompey, as a reward for this eventful night's service, never had to hoe corn again, and that his master not only gave him a horse to ride, but also set him free.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pompey guiding General Wayne]

Wayne divided his little army into two main columns, to attack right and left, having detached two companies, with loaded guns, to move in between the two columns and make a false attack.

Each column was divided into three parts. A ”forlorn hope” of twenty men was to be the first to rush headlong into the hand to hand fight.

Then followed an advance guard of one hundred and fifty men, who, with axes in hand and muskets slung, were to cut away the timbers.

Last of all came the main body.

The silent band reaches the edge of the marsh at midnight, the hour set by Was.h.i.+ngton for the a.s.sault. {85} Wayne himself leads the right column, to attack by the south approach. The tide has not ebbed, and the water is in places waist deep. The marsh is fully six hundred feet across. No matter for that! Straight ahead the column moves as if on parade. Now they have crossed, and are close to the outer defense. The British pickets hear the noise, open fire, and give the general alarm. The drums on the hill beat the ”long roll.” Quick and sharp come the orders. The redcoats leap from the barracks, and in a few moments every man is at his post.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Wayne leads the a.s.sault]

Up rush the pioneers with their axes, and cut away the sharpened timbers the best they can in the darkness, while the bullets whiz over their heads. Then follow the main columns, who climb over, and form on the other side. Now they reach the second defense. They cut and tear away the sharp stakes. The bullets fall like hail. On, on, the two columns rush. They push up the steep hill, and dash {86} for the main fort on the top. On the left, the ”forlorn hope” has lost seventeen out of twenty men, either killed or wounded.

Meanwhile, Colonel Murfree and his two companies take their stand directly in front of the fort, and open a brisk and rapid fire, to make the garrison believe that they are the real attacking party. The redcoats are surely fooled, for they hurry down with a strong force to meet them, only to find their fort captured before they can get back.

Wayne is struck in the head by a musket ball, and falls. The blood flows over his face. He fears in the confusion that he has received his death wound.

He cries to his aids, ”Carry me into the fort and let me die at the head of the column.”

Two of his officers pick up their gallant leader, and hurry forward; but it is only a scalp wound, and Wayne returns to the fight.

Wayne's column scales the ramparts.

The first man over shouts, ”The fort's our own,” and pulls down the British flag.

The second main column follows.

”The fort's our own!” ”The fort's our own!” echoes and reechoes over the hills.

The bayonet is now doing its grim work. The darkness is lighted only by the flashes from the guns of the redcoats. The bewildered British are driven at the point of the bayonet into the corners of the fort, and {87} cry, ”Mercy, mercy, dear Americans!” ”Quarter! quarter!”

”Don't kill us! we surrender!”

At one o'clock the work was done,--thirty minutes from the time the marsh was crossed! As soon as they were sure of victory, Wayne's men gave three rousing cheers. The British on the war vessels in the river, and at the fort on the opposite side of the river, answered; for they thought that the attacking party had been defeated. The only British soldier to escape from Stony Point was a captain. Leaping into the Hudson, he swam a mile to the Vulture and told its captain what had happened. In this way the news of the disaster reached Sir Henry Clinton at breakfast.

{88} After the surrender, Wayne wrote the following letter to Was.h.i.+ngton:

Stony Point, 16th July, 1779, 2 o'clock.

Dear General,

The fort and garrison with Colonel Johnson are ours. Our officers and men behaved like men who are determined to be free.

Yours most sincerely, Ant'y Wayne.