Marching on Niagara Part 31

Dave and Lapp had been given up for lost by their friends who had escaped from the wrecking of the batteau, and their re-appearance was hailed with delight.

It was General Prideaux's plan to land some distance from Fort Niagara, and then lay siege to the place. The soldiers disembarked as silently as possible, the trees, rocks and bushes keeping them well hidden from those in the fort. Then, while several companies were left behind to guard the boats and baggage, the rest of the army moved through the woods, the engineering corps going ahead, to throw up entrenchments as soon as such a move seemed necessary.

The old fort, which was speedily to see its last days under French rule, stood on the right bank of the Niagara River, where that picturesque stream empties into Lake Ontario. It was both large and strongly built, after the fas.h.i.+on of French fortification of that period. Within the outer defenses were several buildings of considerable importance, for this fort had stood as a guardian of lake and river for many years.

The commander at the fort was Captain Pouchot, an able French officer, who had seen service for many campaigns. He had under him a force of about six hundred soldiers--trained veterans who could boast of more than one victory. Up to a short while before, there had been other soldiers in this vicinity, but not dreaming of an attack--for his Indian spies had this time failed him--the French officer had allowed these to depart--to Venango and other trading posts, and to several of the nearby Indian villages. It was mid-summer, and traders and Indians hated to do military duty when they could bring down game and make trades.

CHAPTER XXIX

THE BATTLE NEAR THE FALLS

"We are certainly in for a fight now, Henry!"

It was Dave who spoke, as he examined the priming of his new gun, to make sure that the weapon was ready for use. "That little brush day before yesterday woke the French up, and they will sail into us heavily--if they can," he added.

"Well, we came to fight," returned Henry, as he, too, looked his weapon over. "And I guess we can be thankful, all things considered, that we are here to do them battle and not killed, or laid up as Sam Barringford is."

"I hope Sam pulls through and that quickly."

"The surgeon said he would--if he'll keep quiet for a while. But it's like putting a torch to gun-powder to keep him quiet when there's a scrimmage in sight,--he's such a born fighter."

The two young soldiers were standing behind a breastworks which had been thrown up early that morning. The first works thrown up by the English engineering corps had proved untenable and the French had fired on them with disastrous effect. But now they were comparatively safe; and the English gunners were serving their various cannon steadily and effectively, knocking the logs of the fort into bits with almost every discharge.

The fort had been under bombardment for several days, and the young soldiers had been out on the firing line three times. But only one of these times had been of any consequence and that was when a French cannon ball, hitting some loose stones, had sent the latter in their faces, scratching them both on each cheek and blinding a soldier standing between them.

The bombardment had been opened at rather long range, for General Prideaux had not known the exact strength of the French garrison. Now the worthy English general was dead, having been killed on the second day by the unexpected explosion of a sh.e.l.l as it was being fired by some English gunners from a small bronze mortar, generally called a coe-horn.

The killing of General Prideaux placed the command of the expedition in the hands of Sir William Johnson, who up to this time had been giving all of his attention to the Indians who had volunteered to aid their English brothers. Johnson was as quick to act as he was brave, and having stationed his Indians where he could call upon them at a moment's notice, had the English make another advance on the next day, which brought the cannon to bear directly on the most vital parts of the fort.

Captain Pouchot was now thoroughly alarmed, and under cover of darkness, sent out messengers in various directions, to bring up the soldiers, traders, and friendly Indians from Venango, Presqu'ile, Detroit, and other points. These different forces were to join together at some point near Lake Erie and then sail down the Niagara River to the vicinity of the Falls, where they were to disembark and then march forward with the idea of attacking the English from the rear.

Having sent forth his messengers the French commander now undertook to do his best until the reinforcements should arrive. The English attack was answered with spirit, so that day after day the air was filled with shot and sh.e.l.l, hurled either into the fort or from it.

The attack Dave had mentioned came late that afternoon and was followed by another on the next day and still another two days later.

It was hot work, for the July sun blazed down with unmitigating vigor, and had the young soldiers not been toughened to a life in the open they would have done as many of the English grenadiers did, fallen down in the entrenchments exhausted. There was a continual demand for water and it was fortunate for all that a good supply was close at hand. This same supply more than once saved the fort from burning down.

Both Dave and Henry had hoped to gain permission from General Johnson to go off in search of little Nell, taking several friends with them. But when they broached the subject the brave-hearted Irish commander shook his head.

"It will do you no good, young men," he said, kindly. "Stay with me, and if we win out--as we must--I will do all possible to rescue the children."

The general was sure of a victory and his spirit proved contagious to all under him. As the days went by the bombardment of the fort continued, until Captain Pouchot had lost fully half a hundred of his garrison. Impatiently he awaited the reinforcements from up the river.

But if he had expected to catch Sir William Johnson napping he was sadly mistaken. The commander of the English forces was thoroughly wide-awake, and had his scouts out in all directions, and these included a dozen old backwoodsmen and fully a score of Indians who could be depended upon to do their best, no matter what the risk. It may be as well to mention that among these scouts was White Buffalo, who had followed from Oswego to Fort Niagara, not alone to aid Sir William Johnson but also to a.s.sist the Morrises to find little Nell.

The attack on the fort had begun on the seventh of July. On the twenty-fourth word came in through the spies that a force of French and Indians were coming down the river from Lake Erie. This body of soldiers, traders and Indians was twelve hundred strong, and was commanded by several French officers of note. The traders were of the most savage and lawless kind and many of them were in the habit of dressing like the Indians and smearing their faces with the same war-paint.

The word concerning this body came in late in the day and that night General Johnson ordered forward a large part of his force, including some grenadiers, some rangers and his Indians. The troops were cautioned to move forward without making unnecessary noise, and to be certain of what was taking place before opening fire.

"Now for some real fighting!" cried Dave. "This won't be any such play as besieging the fort."

"Well, that hasn't been play to my notion," answered Henry. "At least it wasn't play when that cannon ball came and blinded poor Campbell."

"Well, I'm with ye, lads!" came a voice from behind them, and turning swiftly they beheld Sam Barringford standing there, rifle in hand, and with his throat done up in a bandage.

"Where in the world did you come from?" e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.ed Henry. "Why, you ought to be in the hospital!"

"Not by a jugful, Henry! I'm well enough ag'in, I can tell ye--though I allow as how my neck's a bit stiff."

"How did you get here?"

"Came up on a boat that brought some ammunition. Reckon I'm jest in time, too, eh?"

"You ought to take it easy, Sam," said Dave. "You've done enough--"

"Cut it short, lad; I can't sit still when thar's a scrimmage on--no two ways about it. Besides, I promised your folks to stay with ye, remember thet,--an' I'm bound to keep my promise. Come along, an' tell me what ye've been up to sence we parted company."

As they trudged forward, along the Indian trail which led along the bluff on the east side of the Niagara River, the youths related their various adventures. Barringford was astonished to learn how Dave had been nearly drowned and starved and how Henry and others had come up just in the nick of time.

"It's the work of an all-wise an' all-powerful Providence, thet's what it is, lads," he said, reverently. "When we can't help ourselves it does seem jest like an arm reached down out o' the clouds to give us a lift."

On and still on went the soldiers, some keeping to the trail and others skirting the river and the thick forest beyond. To those who had been on guard duty during the day it was a tiresome tramp, but the life of the soldier, as I have had occasion to say before, is not all glory, but is usually a mixture of one-tenth glory and nine-tenths work and duty-doing.

At last came the welcome command to halt. The soldiers were now less than a mile away from the falls and in the stillness of the early morning the great body of falling waters could be distinctly heard--a m.u.f.fled roar which keeps on day and night now just as it did in those days and just as it has done probably for centuries upon centuries.

The rangers to which our friends belonged came to a halt in a little grove of trees and both Dave and Henry were glad that they were not called upon to do picket duty. They sank down to rest, and despite the undertone of excitement observable on every hand, fell into a light slumber, from which Barringford did not arouse them until it was absolutely necessary.

When they awoke there was a fierce yelling in the distance, followed by a number of scattering shots. The fight had opened between the Mohawks on one side and the Iroquois on the other. Soon the French traders leaped into the fray, and then the soldiers on both sides followed.

The French and their allies had come around the falls by the portage trail and the battle began at some little distance below the falls. The Indians fought like so many demons, both sides taking as many scalps as possible. Soon the forest and the open s.p.a.ce were filled with gun-smoke.

"Forward!" came the cry. "Forward! We must drive them back! They must never reach the fort!" And forward went our friends, and in a moment more Dave, Henry, and Barringford found themselves in the very thickest of the fray.

Dirty looking traders confronted them, several Dave had seen before, on the Kinotah, and some of these tried their best to bring down the son of the English trader they so hated. But Dave was un-touched, although one bullet did pierce his jacket. The rush of the English rangers was successful and soon the Frenchmen scattered to the right and the left.

But now a body of French soldiery was coming forward on the double-quick. The rangers had no time to reload their weapons, and so leaped forward for a hand-to-hand contest, such as soldiers of to-day know little or nothing about, where bayonet met clubbed musket and sword the long and equally dangerous hunting knife of the pioneer, and where many a contest was settled in short order with the naked fist, if no better weapon was handy. It was a time to bring out "real grit" in the best meaning of that term.

Henry had discharged his gun and was now trying to club off two French soldiers who had attacked him with their bayonets. He struck one of the enemy on the head, sending him reeling, but the force of the blow made him lose his balance and he too fell, but only upon his knees.

"Ha! now we have you!" cried another French soldier, close by, as he saw Henry slip, and lowering his bayonet he charged on the youth, intending to run him through on the spot!

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