CHAPTER VII.
The army under the command of General Bacon had succeeded inconcentrating the confederated tribes of the Peninsula, which had solong annoyed its flank and rear, at the falls of the Powhatan. Here theyhad erected a rude fortification, composed of fallen trees, having anentrenchment surrounding it, with the excavated earth thrown up as anembankment. This was situated upon an eminence commanding the more evenground on each side of a small stream, which ran nearly at right angleswith, and fell into the river below the falls. The army of the Colonistsarrived within sight of the Indian fires, just after the sun had sunkbehind the horizon. General Bacon's plantation[3] was situated but ashort distance from the very spot on which the savages had erected theirfort, and consequently he was well acquainted with the ground. Afterhalting a short time to examine the position of the enemy, he marchedhis troops to the open plain beneath their strong hold, in perfectsilence. Here they bivouacked for the night, with the intention ofstorming the intrenchments at the first dawning of the morrow. Everything was noiselessly put in readiness for this final struggle forsupremacy between the whites and the Aborigines. The latter hadcollected in overwhelming numbers, and seemed determined to make adesperate effort to regain their lost footing in the land of theirfathers, while the former, having daily improved in discipline, were inhigh health, buoyant with the youthful hope and courage, and impatientfor the dawn, that they might strike a blow at once, to answer the highexpectations of their friends at home, and terminate the war. Little didthey imagine that an army of those very countrymen was treading in theirfootsteps, under the command of Sir William Berkley, with the avowedpurpose of meting to them that chastisement which they were so impatientto bestow upon the enemy before them.
[Footnote 3: Historical.]
Their commander was not long left in ignorance upon this point, however,for scarcely had the columns made their arrangements for the night alongeach side of the small stream, before a courier from the capital wasbrought into his quarters, by one of the sentinels stationed upon theoutskirts of the encampment. He was the bearer of a proclamation, signedby Sir William Berkley as Governor of his Majesty's Colony in Virginia,in which Bacon and his followers were denounced as traitors and rebels,and commanded forthwith to lay down their arms and return to theirallegiance, under pain of death, and confiscation of their property. Thesurprise and indignation occasioned by this singular document had notsubsided, when another messenger was dragged into the presence of thecommander in chief. It was a negro, trembling from head to foot withvisible terror at the very uncivil treatment which he had received, andmore, perhaps, at the warlike preparations around, and the glaringeffects of the Indian fires on the hill. All attempts to gain anintelligible account of his mission proved for a length of time, utterlyunavailing, until Bacon, recognising something of old acquaintance inhis features, dismissed his attendants. He then quickly disclosed, inhis mongrel dialect, that he had been ordered to deliver a letter intothe general's own hands, and when no person was present. A greasy andrumpled document was then drawn from his pouch, which, notwithstandingits hard treatment, and discoloured exterior, Bacon instantly recognisedas the writing of Harriet Harrison. The date was rather more remote thanseemed necessary for its regular transmission to its presentdestination, which the sable messenger explained by stating that he hadbeen some days dodging in the footsteps of the army, but that as oftenas he approached it he had been frightened back again by the flyinghordes of savages, hanging upon their skirts. If Bacon felt disposed toindulge in merriment at the ludicrous detail of poor Pompey, thecontents of the note, which he now began to decipher by the light of alamp, speedily restored his gravity. Harriet briefly related to him thenature of the conversation she had held with Sir William Berkley at hisown house, and the treatment which Virginia suffered at his hands; sheconcluded by stating the preparations then making in Jamestown by theGovernor and his party, to pursue and capture, or cut them to pieces.This information was truly startling to the youthful general; thatconcerning Virginia was most moving; but the imminent peril of thosegallant spirits entrusted to his command required his immediateattention. He despatched a chosen mounted band on the instant, to scoutalong the late route of his army, far enough to ascertain whether thatunder the command of Sir William was within such a distance, as toenable him to interrupt the contemplated attack upon the savages at thedawning of the coming day.
Bacon's character was eminently prompt and decisive. He determined,should such be the case, to commence the attack upon the instant heshould receive such information.
Having provided for the safety and accommodation of Pompey, and orderedthe courier of the Governor into close but respectful keeping, hesallied out along the outposts, to examine the scene of futureoperations. The stars twinkled brilliantly in the heavens around thehorizon, but the glaring light of the savage fires upon the hill threwthe mellowed rays of the heavenly orbs into dim contrast immediatelyround the two camps. As he walked along the margin of the littlestream, upon the borders of which his own troops were stationed, towardthe river, the night-scene presented to his view was reviving andexciting to his imagination. The ascending columns of fire upon the hillreflected the trees and other objects upon its brow in gigantic shadowsover the plain beneath. The bright red light fell upon the broad sheetof water below the falls, in long horizontal rays, stretching far awayover its shining surface toward the opposite shore. The island in themiddle of the stream, a little higher up than the point at which hestood, was clothed in verdant impenetrable shrubbery--the darknessgathered around its shores more palpable from the contrast of theneighbouring fires. The roar of the falls fell monotonously upon hisear, ever and anon interrupted by the sharp shrill whoop of someover-joyous savage, engaged in orgies within the fort surmounting thehill. As he pensively stood upon the banks of the Powhatan, and surveyedthe illuminated scene immediately around, and the darker shadows of thehills stretching away in the distance and skirting the margin of theriver, the shining waves beneath his feet, and the dusky outlines of therocks and islands beyond, it little entered his imagination that uponthat romantic spot, in future time, there should spring up a noblecity--the capital of an empire state--that the natural lawns upon whichhe stood, would be exchanged for docks and quays--that the hills on hisright hand (which to a scholar might, even then, have recalled theAcropolis) should support classic colonnades, and spires pointing to theclouds; and that the diminutive stream upon the banks of which histroops were bivouacked, should receive, from the sanguinary battle inwhich he was about to engage, a name to outlive the very monuments ofhis generation.[4] Without these deeply interesting associations,however, the scene in its natural and unreclaimed features was eminentlycaptivating and romantic. No site in the country abounded more with boldand enchanting objects. On the one hand were the picturesque hills,[5]commanding a prospect seldom equalled, never surpassed, of landscapevaried with woodland, dell and meadow, through which the shining watersof the Powhatan were now visible, glowing like a sheet of fire, and nowlost in the shadows of the towering forests, as it held its deviouscourse beyond the reach of the reflected fires in the back ground.
[Footnote 4: The little rivulet skirting the south eastern end ofRichmond is called "Bloody Run" to this day.]
[Footnote 5: On one of these the present capital of Virginia stands.]
Our hero might have stood gazing upon this enchanting scene until thesound of the reveille in the morning had roused him from his revery, hadnot his quick eye caught a glimpse of moving lights within the Indianencampment. With hurried steps he retraced his way through the line ofsentinels, and issued immediate orders for his subordinates in commandto assemble in military council. He was satisfied in his own mind, as hewalked up the stream, that some unusual occurrence had taken placewithin the palisade of the Indians--perhaps the presence of his ownstationary columns, as they stood in their dark frowning outlines, hadbeen discovered by the ever cunning and watchful enemy. He had more thanonce stood in wonder at the apparent absenc
e of their usual stratagemsand devices. He supposed, however, that, trusting to their immensesuperiority of numbers, and the protection of their breastworks, theyhad resolved to risk an engagement, in which courage and strength aloneshould be the implements of victory.
The council of war had scarcely assembled, before they were astoundedwith the report of musketry in answer to the usual accompaniments of asavage sortie, in the most remote direction of the camp. General Baconissued his orders promptly and decisively. The columns whose rear hadbeen surprised by a sortie from the enemy, were, by a prompt movement,instantly wheeled into line, changing their front so as to face theassailants, while the mounted Cavaliers, under the command of youngHarrison, fiercely attacked them in flank. The desperate band ofwarriors were speedily driven within their breastworks. It was doubtlessonly their intention to harass the outskirts of the army, and then, byretreating, draw their pursuers within reach of the ambuscade stationedbehind the breastwork. They were pursued by the mounted troops, who hadno sooner driven them within the palisade, than they in their turnsuddenly wheeled and retreated upon the main body.
These sallies were kept up through the first watches of the night, withso much perseverance on the part of the enemy, and so much annoyance tothe ardent and impatient troops of the patriot army, that General Bacondetermined to give way to their martial ardour, and at once storm thestrong hold of the enemy.
The plan of battle in this straight-forward mode of warfare was simplein the extreme. Seldom had the Aborigines given their white enemies achance of testing the relative valour of the two races; and protected asthey were even now by a formidable breastwork, General Bacon did nothesitate as to the propriety of trusting to the discipline and skill ofhis soldiers, and the immense superiority of their arms, against thegreater numbers and defensive preparations of the enemy.
The fires within the palisade were apparently flickering upon theirdying embers, and an unsteady flash, gleaming at intervals, was the onlylight shed over the contemplated battle-ground. A profound quiet reignedwithin the camp of the enemy, indicative to the mind of Bacon of somenew treachery or savage scheme. Having warned his officers againstthese, he despatched mounted scouting parties to hover round both camps,and took every other human precaution against surprise; orders were nowissued preparatory to a general attack upon the enemy's entrenchments.
By a prompt evolution, his battalions of foot were wheeled into a solidcolumn of attack on the northern side of the stream, while the mountedCavaliers were stationed as a reserve on the right. The former weremarched in compact order, directly up the face of the hill, not atrumpet or a drum disturbing the silence of the funeral-like procession.The various colours of their plumes, as they waved in the night breeze,and the occasional glitter of burnished arms, as a flash of light fellathwart the solid phalanx from the flickering fires above, presented oneof the most striking scenes imaginable.
General Bacon assumed the immediate command of his columns in person. Hesat upon his impatient charger on the right wing, and examined theominous appearance of the enemy's camp with intense interest. Not awarrior's head was to be seen above the breastwork as they approached.All was silent, gloomy, and portentous; not a sound was heard, save themeasured tramp of his own troops, as they moved through the bushes.
Once indeed he thought he heard the wild shrill scream of a female, verydifferent in its intonations from the harsh voice of the savage squaw.But so many unearthly sights and sounds had haunted both his sleepingand waking hours of late, that he drove the impression from his mind,to rest with hundreds of others of like import.
When the front lines had arrived within some forty yards of the dark andfrowning breastwork, a sudden and momentary check was given to theirfarther progress. A rushing sound, as of the flight of many birds, andthe clatter of Indian arrows against their arms and persons,simultaneously struck upon their senses, followed by the fall of manysoldiers, and the short involuntary exclamations of pain, which, fromthe impulse of the moment, escaped the unfortunate individuals.
Trumpets and drums instantaneously broke the stillness of the march.Their martial notes reverberated over the surrounding solitudes inenlivening peals. The ill-omened birds of night flapped their wings, andswooped through the unsteady lights of the scene in utter dismay at thisuntimely invasion of their prescriptive dominions. These were quicklyfollowed by a discharge of musketry, poured into the formidablepalisade. It was scarcely discharged, however, before Bacon discoveredthe utter uselessness of such a waste of ammunition. He saw that thebreastwork was so constructed, that, while it admitted of the dischargeof missiles from within, it afforded a secure protection to itsoccupants against the musketry of their assailants. In the mean time hissoldiers were exposed to the murderous discharges of poisoned arrows.
In this emergency no time was to be lost; placing himself, therefore, atthe head of his troops, he ordered the walls to be torn down. These, asbefore related, were composed of large trees piled one upon another,with their green boughs still protruding in many places over the shallowintrenchment, and the earth excavated from the latter thrown up on theoutside against a rude wicker-work of fine bushes, filling up theinterstices of the trees. Trumpets sounded the charge, and the columnsmoved at a quick pace to the onset. Still not a savage head was seenuntil they had arrived at the very borders of the intrenchment. Heresome two hundred of the stoutest and ablest bodied of his soldiers weremarched up to the projecting limbs of the largest tree, forming thebasis of the breastwork. Bacon saw at a glance that if he could manageto seize hold of these projecting arms and turn the tree across thefosse, it would at once open the way for his mounted troops, and perhapscarry with it some forty or fifty feet of the palisade, and therebybring the opposing armies face to face. They had already seized theprojecting limbs, and were shaking the frail protection of the savagesto its very foundations, when simultaneously a thousand lights gleamedover forest, hill, and dale--A thousand voices united their shrillclamours in one deafening yell of savage ferocity. The troops engaged intearing down the breastwork instinctively loosed their hold, and flew totheir arms, as they threw their eyes upward to the spot whence theseblinding lights and deafening noises came. It was but the work of aninstant, for little more time were they permitted to examine,--they werecalled upon to act, and that vigorously, for their own preservation. Ina single instant, and apparently at a given signal, the whole of therude terrace surmounting the fortification literally swarmed withpainted warriors, each bearing in his left hand a pine torch, and in theother, a tomahawk, a war-club, or a battle-axe.[6] They sprang fromtheir commanding position into the midst of their assailants, andscattered themselves in every direction through that part of the armyalready advanced to the breastwork.
[Footnote 6: These were made of stones ground into the shape of our axe,with a groove round the centre for a handle made of withe.]
Human ingenuity could not have devised a mode of warfare bettercalculated to suit their numbers, position, time, courage, and limitedmeans of resistance. It at once rendered the mounted troopsuseless--prevented the colonists from using their fire-arms, becausethose immediately engaged were at too close quarters, while those at agreater distance were as likely to kill friends as enemies. The savagesdealt their murderous blows with wonderous rapidity and precision, andthough the hardy planters in the front ranks turned upon them with thebutt ends of their muskets, the savages had evidently the advantage. Theblazing fagots were often thrust into the very faces of their opponents,and while writhing under the confusion and agony of the fire and smoke,they were stricken down like helpless beasts.
Bacon saw the imminent peril of his troops, and though he was at firstastounded by the rapidity and daring courage with which the plan wasexecuted, he did not despair, nor yet sit listlessly upon his horse tosee his friends and countrymen slaughtered. He saw at a glance too thatonly the front columns were engaged--that a part of these must nownecessarily fall, but he determined at the same time, that their deathsshould be dearly avenged, and h
is remaining troops brought offvictorious. He immediately placed himself between the forces alreadyengaged and those rushing to the rescue. The latter he wheeled into lineimmediately in front of his mounted reserve, thereby changing theirfront to the flank of the contending parties, while their own right wingrested upon the top of the hill, and the left on the little streamalready mentioned. Having completed this evolution to his satisfaction,the mounted Cavaliers were brought round to the position just occupiedby the foot, so that they immediately faced the struggling combatants,and the latter were ordered to give way. The retreat was sounded fromthe brazen mouths of the trumpets over their heads, and Bacon in personand his mounted aids, rode furiously and recklessly among them, cryingfor them to fall back toward the line stationed on the right.
These various movements were but the work of a few moments. Meantime thepainted and ghastly warriors, rendered still more horrible by theflaring lights which they bore in their hands, and by the reekinginstruments of death which they swung over their head with such unerringprecision, were pouring over the walls upon the devoted band incountless hordes. So intently were they engaged, that the evolutions oftheir enemies had entirely escaped their attention; and indeed theColonists themselves, who were fighting hand to hand with the savages,had not observed the movement, until the voices of their commandersurged them to fall back upon the newly formed line. As Bacon hadcalculated, no sooner were the engaged troops made to understand theorders, and induced to recede, than a partial separation was effected,which was fatal to the Aboriginals. The retreating Colonists were almostimmediately under the protection of the line already braced in solidcolumn, and standing to the charge[7] ready for the expected pursuers. Acompany of the mounted Cavaliers was broken up into squads, and thesewere actively engaged in hewing down the pursuers, or cutting off theirretreat to the protection of the fort. In a short time a complete lineof separation was formed between the two armies, save where, here andthere, two athletic men of the opposite races, both having lost theirarms in the contest, struggled in the death gripe. Here an iron handedmechanist of the city clenched a warrior's throat--the eyes of thevictim protruding frightfully from his head in the glaring light, andhis tongue hanging from his mouth like that of a rabid animal, until hefell as a lump of clay among the hundreds of both parties who had gonebefore. There a grim warrior struggled with another, making desperateefforts to reach his knife, which the soldier as constantly struggled toprevent. Yonder among the heaps of slain, lay two of the differingraces, fallen to the earth in a mutual but deadly clasp, each holdingthe other by the throat, until the struggle became one of mereendurance, and, strange to say, the white man generally conquered.
[Footnote 7: The bayonet was just then coming into use, but was insertedinto a round piece of wood, which was thrust into the muzzle of themusket.]
While, however, these desperate personal struggles were occurring, thetide of battle was fast turning against the most numerous party. It waswith the greatest difficulty that Bacon could restrain the ardour andimpetuosity of the troops stationed in line for the protection of thedevoted corps which had led the van, the straggling members of whichwere momentarily retreating behind the solid bulwark of theircountrymen's pikes and bayonets. But no sooner was this duty of humanityperformed, and a complete line of demarcation distinctly drawn, than allrestraints were removed. A volley of musketry was poured among thescattering savages along the face of the hill, in order to convincethem that hereafter they would be kept at a respectful distance. Asimultaneous movement of horse and foot now swept the brow of the hill;the horse charged immediately in front of the palisade, while theinfantry drove in the extended line of savages at the point of thebayonet. The most inextricable confusion ensued in the ranks of the redwarriors. While the cavalry cut them down on one hand, and the bayonetsof the infantry transfixed them on the other, hundreds were tumblingover hundreds as they tumultuously leaped over the palisade. Some hungby the projecting bushes--others fell upon the terrace, and were castdown and trodden under foot by their companions; while multitudes werecut to pieces in making the attempt. In a short time the open field wasleft in complete possession of the whites--the brow of the hill wasliterally covered with the wounded and the slain, both of white and red.Yet the battle was not ended; hundreds upon hundreds had escaped withinthe fort. The savage force amounted at the commencement to somethinglike three thousand warriors of various tribes, and that of theColonists to about one thousand.[8] Bacon earnestly desired to spare theeffusion of human blood, and hazardous as the Indians were asneighbours, either professing friendship or enmity, he resolved to sendthem a flag of truce and propose a permanent peace upon condition oftheir abandoning the Peninsula for ever. He knew that they understoodthe sacred rights and privileges of that peaceful banner, for it hadalready been recognised among some of their own tribes. Accordingly ayoung and promising officer was thrust up to the top of the palisade. Hewaved his flag and laid his hand upon his heart in token of friendship,and grounded his sword in order to convince them that he came upon apeaceful errand, but instead of sending out their interpreter orprophet, he was treacherously murdered by a tomahawk--thrown some twentyyards by the hand of a warrior, and buried in his brain. All hopes ofpeace were now abandoned, and Bacon determined to complete the victorywhich he had commenced, and won thus far at the expense of so manyvalued lives.
[Footnote 8: Burke says 600.]
Orders were again issued for tearing down the palisade, while a chosenband of prompt and expert marksmen were stationed at the distance ofsome thirty yards, to shoot down the savages as they should show theirheads above the breastwork. Instead of the infantry being stationed toprotect the miners as before, the cavalry formed a column flanking themarksmen, so that they could at a moment's warning, rush in between thedescending hordes and the corps engaged in pulling down the barricade.
Again the trees composing the palisade were seized by the projectinglimbs, and a sudden wrench brought the earth piled against its outerside tumbling into the ditch beneath, and shook the whole fabric to itsfoundation. Again an ominous and inexplicable silence prevailed withinthe enclosure, which was the more remarkable, as there was left no knownmethod of escape, and by their own treachery to the officer who hadborne the flag of truce, they were reduced to the alternative of dyingin their ditches or desperately cutting their way through the solidphalanx which enclosed them on every side. Hitherto the marksmenstationed in front for the purpose of clearing the terrace of thesavages, as they should mount the breastwork from the inside, had littleto do. At length a group of savages displayed their painted faces abovethe barrier, apparently endeavouring to drag some unwieldy burden to thetop of the works. They were instantly shot down, but their places wereas speedily supplied by others. A faint but piercing shriek rent theair, which promptly arrested the attention of Bacon, Dudley, and youngHarrison, who sat upon their horses superintending the operations of theminers, and holding an occasional discourse among themselves. The voicecame evidently from a female, and reminded Bacon that he had once beforeduring the night heard a like sound from the same direction. He wavedhis sword to the marksmen stationed on his left, to withhold their fire,while his own attention and that of his two associates were intentlyrivetted to the occupation of the group ascending the wall from theother side. At this moment the large tree which the troops in front hadbeen some time shaking loose, came crashing over upon its limbs, andbringing with it those which had been piled above, thus exposing to viewthe interior of the fort, but not yet affording an uninterrupted passagefor the besiegers. The battalions of foot, however, were tumultuouslyrushing toward the breach, reckless of the interposing branches andtrunks of the prostrate trees, when Bacon, in a voice of thundercommanded them to halt! The very moment the fort gave way a sight wasrevealed to his eyes, and those of his two comrades, which made the hairrise on end upon their heads, and the blood in their veins run cold withhorror. The Indians, who had so long struggled to ascend the fort sometwenty or thirty yards from the breach, had a
t length succeeded, bearingone of the objects which so powerfully arrested the attention of theofficers on horseback. Two grim warriors supported between them the bodyof a woman of the European race, while a third stood behind her, on thetop of the palisade with uplifted tomahawk. With one hand he held theweapon suspended over the head of the drooping victim, while with theother, he pointed to the neighbouring breach in the breastwork, with alook and gesture that seemed to say, "advance, and her fate is sealed!"Although the light from the smouldering fires was dim and unsteady,enough was caught of the outlines of this figure to thrill to the veryheart-strings of the three spectators; she was upheld on either side bythe mere strength of her guards--her feet seemed to have sunk from underher--but her head was erect and turning with wonderful rapidity fromside to side, as she gazed with wild and glaring eyes upon the scenearound her. Her fair silken tresses fell unrestrained upon her shouldersor were blown about in fluttering streams, as the unsteady light fellnow in broad masses, and then in dim and shadowy rays. Her dress waswhite, and fell in ample folds around all that was left of a oncesymmetrical figure. Her features were ashy pale and attenuated to thelast degree of human wretchedness, her eye shot forth the wild flashesof a frenzied mind. She was entirely unconscious of her danger, andthough she seemed to examine the wild scene around, it was not with fearand trembling. A sickly smile played upon her death-like features, as ifshe rather took pleasure than suffered pain in these unusual sights, orsaw embodied before her in palpable form somewhat of the fleetingphantasmagoria which had so long eluded her senses, yet she wasspeechless--and so were the late combatants.
A profound and solemn silence prevailed throughout the ranks of bothparties. The fate of battle, or the life of an individual, was suspendedupon the results of the moment. It was soon interrupted, wildly,fearfully interrupted! The threatened victim burst into a convulsion offrantic laughter, the wild unguided tones of a voice once rich andmusical, were borne along the still night air, and resounded through thedark forest like some unearthly mockery of human merriment. As if athunderbolt from heaven had instantaneously stricken her dumb sheceased. The sounds of her own voice startled and astonished her; perhapssome dim rememberance of its former tones, as it rose and fell upon theair, floated darkly through her mind. The grim old warriors whosupported her, were impressed with awe and fear, and the veryexecutioner was almost overcome with his native superstitious reverence.The events we have just described occupied but a few moments oftime,--far less than we have taken to describe them. At this juncture,and while the three stern Indians maintained their posts, Wyanokeesprang upon the terrace, struck the tomahawk from the hands of the readyexecutioner--pushed him backward over the palisade, and threw herselfrecklessly upon the unfortunate lady, encircling her with her arms. Atthe same instant her two astounded countrymen fell lifeless from theterrace, pierced to the heart by the unerring balls of the sharpshooters.
The Colonial army now broke tumultuously into the fort. Here anotherthreatened victim had been held as a suspended pledge over their fires,for the safety of this their last strong hold, but so intense had beenthe interest excited in behalf of the unfortunate Mrs. Fairfax, thatlittle attention was bestowed upon him. It was none other than BrianO'Reily. When the breach was made in the fort, he was discovered in thecentre of the area, tied fast to a stake driven into the ground. Aquantity of resinous pine wood was built high up around his body, andhalf a dozen torch-bearers stood ready to apply the flame. The report ofthe muskets had no sooner announced the death of their comrades on thewall, than this pile was fired in a a hundred places. Already the victimbegan to writhe as the intolerable heat scorched his flesh, and thesmoke rushed into his eyes and throat. As the soldiers entered throughthe breach with Dudley, who had dismounted, at their head, he rushedtoward the suffering victim, and, assisted by his followers, hurled theburning brands upon the heads of those who kindled them.
Meanwhile Bacon had also dismounted. He saw that the contest would nowbe short, and giving his orders to Dudley, he leaped upon the palisadewhere Wyanokee was vainly endeavouring to support and restrain hisformer patroness, who had repeatedly and fruitlessly endeavoured tostand erect, and as often had fallen back into the arms of the Indianmaiden. As Bacon approached, his whole soul agitated with deep andthrilling emotions, she was sitting upon the wall, forcing herselffarther and farther back, like a frighted infant, into the arms of herprotectress. Her eyes stared wildly upon the approaching youth, and thelids fell not over the painfully distended orbs. She did not recognisehim, even when he approached within a few paces and kindly andsoothingly addressed her. At one moment she seemed about to make somereply, but the half formed words died upon her lips--they moved asthough she held the desired discourse, but no sound was audible. Thewild noise and confusion of the onset, breaking upon her ears, shestarted up and cried "Hah! see you not that the king's troops put thoseof the commonwealth to the sword? Behold his giant form weltering ingore! 'Tis gone! It was not he! No, no; I saw not the bloody hand. Itwas merely one of these puppet warriors dressed out to frighten babes.He lives! did he not tell me so, with his own lips? Do the dead tell theliving lies? That were a trick of the devil indeed." Again she burstinto a horrible and appalling laugh, fell back into the arms ofWyanokee, and her mortal pains and sorrows were for ever ended.
The long-disputed contest was now drawing to a close; the Indians foughtdesperately, as long as there was a hope left of repulsing the troopswhich rushed in at the breach, burning with ardour and roused toindignation by their wanton cruelties; but the superior arms and skillof the Colonists rendered the contest in a short time utterly desperateon the part of the besieged. When farther resistance was put out oftheir power, by the besiegers closing in upon them on every side, andthus confining their exertions within a narrow space in the centre ofthe fort, the stern warriors threw away their tomahawks and war-clubs,and fell prostrate on their faces. It was a moving sight to behold thesehardy veterans of a hundred battles, gradually encompassed by a moreskilful and powerful enemy, until they were forced to surrender thislast foothold upon the land of their fathers. Their prostrate attitudewas by no means intended to express an abject petition for mercy; it wasthe custom established by their people, and its impulse was utterdesperation. They neither desired nor expected quarter, but threwthemselves upon the earth, to signify their willingness to meet thetortures of their enemies. When placed under the vigilance of the troopsappointed to guard them until dawn, they sat like statues, not a muscleor feature expressing emotion of any kind.
Bacon stood over the body of his late kind and unfortunate patroness, asstill and motionless as his own prisoners, contemplating the sad changewhich a few short days had made upon her mild and benignant features,until reminded by Dudley that he had other duties to perform. The latterapproached and informed him that the garrison had surrendered. He heededhim not. He repeated his information, and touched the general upon theshoulder. Bacon started wildly for an instant, but seeing who spoke, ameaningless smile flitted across his features while he answered, "True,true, Dudley, I will attend you in a moment;" and was about to relapseinto his former mood, but rousing himself, he issued orders forpitching his own marquee, and then directed that the dead body of Mrs.Fairfax should be borne thither and deposited under its shelter with alldue respect. Till now, Wyanokee had sat near the cold and lifeless form.Not a tear was shed nor any other indication given that she had lost afriend, esteemed by her one of the first of the earth. There was,perhaps, just a perceptible expression of wildness and mystery in hersteady and abstracted gaze on vacancy, as if in thought she wasfollowing the departed spirit to the verdant forests and blossomingmeadows of the happy hunting-ground beyond the sky. It is true that shehad been somewhat instructed in the doctrines of our religion, but hehas made little progress in the study of mankind who does not know thatthe peculiar opinions--the forms of worship, whether of superstition orreligion, which have been infused into the mind in the tender years ofinfancy, will ever after give a tinge to the views of t
he recipient. ButWyanokee had by no means renounced the doctrines of her father'sworship, and however much her mind may have been worked upon while underthe influence of the whites, and of the imposing form and ceremonies ofthe Established Church, since her abjuration of their friendship, shehad imperceptibly lapsed into most of her aboriginal notions.
When the body of Mrs. Fairfax was laid out under the marquee of thecommander in chief, and a line of sentinels was established around itslimits, Wyanokee was the sole living tenant of the apartment. She satby the corpse, in precisely the same state which we have beforedescribed.
In a very short time from that in which Dudley announced the terminationof the conflict to his commanding officer, profound quietness reignedover the fort and brow of the hill, so lately the scene of bloodshed andstrife, save where it was disturbed by the movements of those engaged inburying the dead, and rescuing the wounded who lay suffering under theweight of their dead comrades.
Never had such a battle been fought in Virginia, either as regarded thenumber of Indians engaged, the consequences depending on the result, orthe sanguinary nature of the conflict itself. It was the last strugglefor supremacy between the whites and the Indians in the Peninsula.