With the Swamp Fox

s often given to whims, and this could well have been considered as simply a fancy on his part to indulge in the love for adventure.If he had contented himself with vague words concerning the poss

have little to fear from rebels."Now did I realize that this Tory lad was certain of his ground, else he would not have dared to speak in such strain, and the result was that I, rather than our prisoner, grew disheartened.Gavin Witherspoon also pricked up his ears at this bold speech from the lad who had heretofore been so cowardly as never to venture an opinion lest he make trouble [81] for himself, and the old man asked as he advanced toward the rascal threateningly:"What is it that has given you such a dose of courage, you Tory cur?"Sam winced, as if believing Gavin Witherspoon was about to strike him, and then, understanding an instant later that we were not of his kidney, who would ill-treat a prisoner, replied with a laugh which aroused all my anger again:"Your General Gates with his rag-tag and bob-tail of an army has been cut to pieces at Camden by Lord Cornwallis! What you are pleased to call the 'Cause,' is now wiped out from the Carolinas!"We three sat speechless with dismay, gazing at each other questioningly, apprehensively, as the young Tory told a story which we at the time believed to be true, and afterward came to learn that no part had been exaggerated.General Gates, who believed himself to be more of a soldier than was the fact, had moved from Rugely's Mills on the [82] evening of the 15th, with his entire force, never so much as sending scouts in advance to learn whether the enemy might be in the vicinity. His raw recruits were suddenly met by a volley from the British skirmishers, and, retreating so far as seemed necessary for safety, lay upon their arms until morning.When the sun rose any other general than Gates would have known he was defeated, even before trying the issue. His men, unused to service, were formed in the swamp with the reserve only a few hundred yards in the rear of the battle line. Perhaps not one out of ten of these had ever been under fire, and opposed to them were picked soldiers—the best to be found in the king's regiments stationed at Charleston and Camden.At sunrise General Gates ordered the advance of the Virginia militia, who were met by the redcoats with such a deadly volley that the division retreated before more than half of them had discharged [83] their muskets. The North Carolina militia followed the disgraceful example, as did also the cavalry, and a charge by the British horse completed the rout.Only the Continentals under command of De Kalb held their ground until further resistance would have been madness, and the battle of Camden had been half fought, and wholly lost.No wonder Sam Lee was triumphant.To us who heard the story it seemed as if his boast that the Cause had been killed in the Carolinas was neither more nor less than the truth, and for a moment I fancied it our duty to return without loss of time to warn General Marion.Now it may seem strange to whosoever shall read these lines, that we believed so readily all the Tory told us; but we had good cause for credulity.Old soldiers among us—and the men of my mother's family had been in arms from the time the colonists first began resistance against the king's oppression—had again [84] and again argued that General Gates was not a skilful officer, despite his victory at Saratoga.When it was known that General Marion, who up to the time of taking command in the Williamsburg district had been only a colonel, was to leave the staff of Gates, our people predicted a disaster similar to what it seemed had just occurred.Therefore, when Sam Lee, liar and coward though he was naturally, gave us an account of the battle with so much of detail he could not have invented, we, unfortunately, had no choice but to believe the tale.It was Gavin Witherspoon who first regained sufficient composure to understand what should be done, and he soon showed the Tory that, however hardly our people had been used, it would not avail him under the present circumstances."It seems to me necessary we keep this young cub with us, however disagreeable the association may be, and do you lads [85] lash him on the saddle in such fashion that he will not be able to make his escape without assistance."Although believing for the moment that we ought to return immediately to General Marion, I obeyed the old man's order, and now it was that the look of satisfaction and exultation began to vanish from the coward's face.He had counted on our so far losing heart as to make an attempt at currying favor with him, or, at least, pass him by, and our thus guarding against the possibility of escape was by no means to his liking."What is to be done?" I asked when the lad was secure, for I now realized, as did Percy, that Gavin Witherspoon should be given the command of our squad."We shall push on as was at first intended, keeping our wits well about us, lest we be surprised by others of this fellow's kidney, who are making haste to join Barfield. After having accomplished [86] that for which we were sent, if it be possible, there will be time enough to repeat the disagreeable story."I am making an overly long story of what should be told in fewer words, prompted to do so because of the fear which beset me at this time and caused the matter to seem of more importance than it really was.We pressed forward two hours or more, Percy and I riding either side of the prisoner, and Gavin Witherspoon keeping in advance.Then we were come, as nearly as could be judged, to the vicinity of the Tory camp, and might no longer with safety use the horses.Still acting under Gavin Witherspoon's command, we picketed our steeds in the thicket, leaving them and the prisoner to the charge of Percy, while the old man and I pressed forward to reconnoiter.This work occupied a full hour, and the time was by no means wasted, because [87] when it had expired we were well informed as to the number of Barfield's men.To the best of our belief there were not less than eight hundred Tories fairly well entrenched at Dubose Ferry, and Gavin said to me as we turned to retrace our steps:"There will be no fighting this night, unless we are driven to it, for neither General Marion nor Major James, however brave they may be, will make the attack with such odds against us, particularly while it is certain this same force of Tories will be reinforced before nightfall by those whom we drove into the swamp."A similar thought was in my own mind, and therefore I made no reply.It was necessary we rejoin our friends before they should have come so far as to put themselves in a dangerous position, and Gavin and I hurried back to where we had left Percy.We had no difficulty in finding the place where we tethered the horses, and once [88] there the cold sweat of fear broke out upon my forehead.Percy, and prisoner, and the