CHAPTER XIX
DEFEAT OF THE ENGLISH
The explosion of the musket had been so unexpected that for the momentDave and Henry hardly knew what had happened. Dave felt something hithim on the bottom of his left cheek and putting up his hand withdrew itcovered with blood. Henry, too, was hit by a flying fragment of the gunbarrel which clipped off a lock of his hair. Poor Barringford lay likeone dead.
Before Dave could recover the Indians were on them, whooping as if theirvery lives depended upon it. One threw a tomahawk at Dave, but the aimwas poor and the weapon buried itself in the log which had sheltered ourfriends.
But just at this moment, when all seemed lost, the battleground shiftedand instantly thirty or forty English red-coats burst from the woodsdirectly behind the Indians. A volley rang out and four of the redmenpitched forward, shot through the back. Other bullets hit the log behindwhich our friends lay, but Dave, Henry, and Barringford were nottouched.
Attacked so unexpectedly from a new quarter, the Indians appeared dazed.They attempted to turn upon the English soldiers, but when two more werelaid low, they fled to one side, where there was a dense growth ofwalnuts. The soldiers at once made after them, and another skirmish tookplace in the forest.
"Are you hurt much, Sam?" asked Henry, when he had recoveredsufficiently to speak.
"I--I reckon not," was the gasped-out answer, after a long silence.Barringford opened his eyes and gazed ruefully at the gun stock whichlay at his feet. "Busted! Well, by gum! Didn't think Old Trusty would doit nohow. Ain't ye ashamed?" And he shook his head dolefully. He hadcarried the firearm for many years, as our old readers know, and to haveit "go back on him" like this hurt him more than had the explosion.
"It singed your beard pretty well," said Dave. "You can be thankful itdidn't blow your face to pieces."
"We must get out of here!" cried Henry. "See, the French are coming!"
Henry was right, the French column had suddenly appeared on the brow ofa neighboring hill. Those of the English who were in view received agalling fire and then the enemy came forward with a rush. Our friendswere glad enough to retreat, and join the main body of rangers oncemore.
Unfortunately for the English, Major Grant had divided his force and nowas the French commander came on he ordered that the smaller of theEnglish commands be surrounded. This was done, and though Major Grantdid his best to bring his command together again, it was impossible todo so. The English became hopelessly separated, and by the time thefighting came to an end the major and a large number of his officers andmen were made prisoners.
"We are catching it and no mistake," panted Dave, after another standhad been made, during which Barringford had provided himself withanother gun--one taken from the hands of a dead grenadier. "The Frenchmean business."
"Here they come again!" exclaimed Henry. "Look! look! they seem to havere-enforcements!"
Henry was right, and it must be admitted that the attack of the French,with the Indians on the left flank, was a superb one. The shock of thetwo armies coming together was terrific, and soon hand-to-handencounters were taking place in hundreds of places at once. Guns andpistols rattled constantly and the keen frosty air of late fall wasfilled with smoke. The grass being wet with dew many slipped and felland not a few soldiers were trampled to death by frightened horses. Itwas a scene not easily forgotten and reminded Dave strongly of thatother battle when General Braddock had suffered bitter defeat and death.
And bitter defeat was again to be the portion of the English. MajorGrant's force was not strong enough to resist the combined onslaught ofFrench and Indians, and at last word came to retreat, and in thegathering darkness the English fell back, taking with them a number oftheir wounded. How many of the wounded were left on that coldbattlefield to die from exposure will never be known. Snow was nowfalling and a wind came up that chilled every soldier to the bone.
"It's another Braddock victory," said Barringford, sarcastically, as helimped painfully along, a horse having stepped on the toes of his leftfoot. "Them reg'lars don't understand fightin' in the woods nohow. Yehev got to fight Injuns Injun fashion, an' French likewise. 'Twon't dono good to set yerself up like a target to be shot at."
"We have lost about three hundred men, killed, wounded and captured,"said Dave. "I wonder what General Forbes will say to that?"
"I fancy he's too sick to say much," said Henry. He spoke thus forGeneral Forbes had been on a sick bed for several weeks and had had tobe carried forward on a litter whenever his command moved.
The news that Major Grant's command had been whipped and driven back,and the major and many of his officers taken prisoners, was quickly sentto General Forbes, and at once a council of war was held. It was decidedthat the entire army should be sent forward without delay, and thesoldiers moved onward as rapidly as the state of the road permitted. Bythe time the re-enforcements arrived the French and Indians hadretreated to Fort Duquesne, for additional ammunition and generalsupplies, and to take care of their wounded and prisoners.
Once again Washington urged that a swift march be made on the fort. "Itis our only chance of success," he said. "In a few weeks winter will beon us and then the campaign in this wilderness must come to an end."
There was no disputing his words, for the snow continued to fall andwhen it did not snow it rained and the wind kept growing colder andcolder every day until even the most hardy of the soldiers began togrumble over the discomforts of camp life. Forward went the whole army,toiling painfully through the forest, where only an imperfect Indiantrail led the way. General Forbes was now weaker than ever and othersurged him to go back. But, full of determination, he refused, andcontinued to direct the movements of his army from his sick bed. Hisdevotion to duty was wonderful and something well worthy of beingremembered.
Dave and Henry suffered with the other soldiers. Frequently when nightcame they had to rest in clothing that was soaked through and through,and the one grain of comfort they extracted from their situation was thethought that each day's march brought them so much nearer to the spotwhere they supposed little Nell was being kept a prisoner.
"I won't complain if only we get her back," said Henry. And Dave agreedheartily.
It was now the middle of November, and winter had begun to set in inearnest. Ice was forming on every pool and slow-running brook and snowstorms were frequent, although none of them amounted to much. The nightswere the worst and many a large camp-fire did the soldiers build to keepthemselves warm. An advance guard was out constantly, to guard against asurprise, but no French or hostile Indians appeared.
Late one afternoon there were a number of shots fired in the distanceand half an hour later a small vanguard came in bringing with them anumber of French and Indian prisoners. These prisoners were closelyquestioned and from them it was learned that the French and Indians atthe fort were suffering greatly from sickness and from a lack ofsupplies,--the latter having failed to reach Fort Duquesne on account ofthe English victories in the north.
"If you hurry you may take the fort with ease," said one of theprisoners, who wished to curry favor with his captors.
This news was most encouraging and it was ordered that the main body ofsoldiers should push on again, leaving the artillery and supply wagonsto come up later. The news placed Dave and Henry in the best of spirits,and they pushed on as quickly as anybody, with Barringford beside them.
But progress was slow, for there were many hills to cross, and onretreating the French had left many fallen trees in the pathway, and inone spot was a dangerous pitfall, into which the enemy had thrownseveral wolves. A couple of grenadiers fell into this pitfall and weresadly bitten by the half-starved beasts before being rescued.
At last those in advance reckoned that they were now but one day'sjourney from Fort Duquesne. The ground looked familiar to Dave andpresently Barringford pointed out the spot where the young soldier andhis father had been re-united after the battle under Braddock.
Soon from a distance came a hurrahing, which e
very instant increased involume. "The fort is deserted! The French and Indians are retreating!"
"Can that be possible?" burst from Henry's lips. "Come, let us findout!"
He rushed forward, and Dave and Barringford quickly followed. Soon theywere in the vanguard, which was scrambling over fallen trees andbrushwood and climbing the last hill which separated the Englishsoldiers from the fort. There was a thick smoke ahead and presently theysaw a column of flame shoot up, followed by a dull explosion.
"They have fired the fort," said Barringford. "Reckon as how they'llburn everything they can't carry."
By the time the soldiers reached the vicinity of the stronghold the firewas burning low. Only a small portion of the stockade was gone, with oneor two small buildings and what had been left of the stores. An Indianwas found nearby, suffering from a broken leg, and he gave theintelligence that the French command had retreated down the Ohio. Somehad gone only a few hours before and others had left three daysprevious.
"And what of the prisoners they had?" asked Henry, as soon as he couldget the chance.
"The prisoners were taken away three days ago."
"Were there any little girls among them?"
"Yes, four little maidens. One from the south and three from the east,with two women and forty-one men," was the reply.
"Three girls!" murmured Henry. "One of them must have been Nell! Andthey took them off three days ago? Oh, Dave, I'm afraid we have lost herforever!"