CHAPTER X

ON BREED'S HILL

It was somewhere near about this time when our numbers were slightly increased by the arrival of a portion of Colonel Stark's regiment, and I verily believe that the coming of those men did more to dishearten us than if they had stayed away. After having had sight of such a small force, a few of the faint-hearted cried out in anger, declaring we were to be left to our fate, or that some one had blundered in sending us where there could be no question but that an a.s.sault would be provoked.

Hiram allowed no one to say aught against our leaders in his hearing. He aroused us all by calling this man a coward, and accusing another of showing the white feather, when any grumbling was indulged in, fairly shaming the timorous one into silence by declaring that he who raised his voice in protest against embracing the first opportunity to measure strength with the Britishers, despite the fact that the odds were greatly against us, was an enemy to the Cause. He even went so far as to declare, although he had no knowledge regarding it whatsoever, that heavy reinforcements were already on the way from Cambridge.

Just at that time I was giving more heed to the spectacle before me, than to the great disparity in numbers between the Britishers and ourselves. The barges laden with red-coated men, who stood or sat immovable as statues with the sunlight glinting on their accouterments like tiny flashes of lightning, came on steadily. The oarsmen worked with the greatest precision, while the _Lively_ and the _Falcon_ swept with iron hail all that tract of land between Breed's hill and the point.

It was a wondrous sight, the landing of those troops at Morton's point.

Even though they were enemies, and were come to grind us yet further into the dust, I could not but admire the military exactness with which they disembarked and moved in heavy lines straight up on what we sometimes called Morton's hill, as if the whole force was one gigantic piece of machinery instead of being formed of human atoms.

General Howe was in command of the Britishers, as we afterward learned, and he acted as if intending to take matters in the most leisurely way possible, for after all the troops had arrived and ascended the hill, huge tubs containing punch made from spirits, and baskets seemingly filled to repletion with food, were brought ash.o.r.e from the barges, while we who were thirsty and hungry could look down upon those red-coated men as they were allowed to stretch themselves at ease upon the ground, eating and drinking at their pleasure.

The sight was one well calculated to cause us greater desire for food and drink than before, if indeed that could be possible, and for a time I believed General Howe had done this for no other purpose than to tantalize us, thus showing how different was the care taken of those hired men who served the king only for the money to be gotten thereby, and us who were struggling to free our land.

Afterward I came to learn that the reason for the long halt on Morton's hill was that the troops had brought with them cannon b.a.l.l.s too large to be used in their pieces, and the delay in making an attack was enforced that this mistake might be rectified by sending to Boston for what was needed.

By the time the lobster backs had come to an end of their sumptuous dinner, we on Breed's hill were heartened by seeing the remainder of Colonel Stark's regiment and all of Reed's corps coming forward on the double quick, and then those grumblers who had declared we had been sent to this place that we might be sacrificed, were forced to hold their peace, for the dullest among them must have understood that General Ward had sent to us all the men that could safely be spared from the posts nearabout.

"How many think you we shall number after yonder troops come up?" I asked of Hiram, and he put the figure at about three thousand. I have since seen it set down that the whole number of our people, including those who came to cover the retreat, did not exceed four thousand.

I felt better in mind after Hiram had replied to my question, believing that we would be somewhere near even in point of numbers; but within ten minutes that sense of security had vanished, for I saw yet another fleet of barges coming out from Boston town laden with infantry, marines, and grenadiers.

Hiram could not but note the look of dismay which came over the faces of the Minute Boys on seeing these reinforcements, for he said laughingly, as if the whole matter was a gigantic joke:

"General Howe must indeed be a prudent man. The king's governor has said that a British soldier is the equal of five such rag-tag as makes up our army, and yet he doesn't deem it wise to come toward us until his army is increased by two thousand or more. Let us say there are five thousand lobster backs yonder and on the water, yet 'twixt now and nightfall we shall show them that little more than half the number of our people can play hob with the whole blooming outfit."

Then he fell to whistling Yankee Doodle, that tune which the Britishers had set for the purpose of making sport of our people, and it was well he took it up just then, for more than once during the battle which followed did I hear our fifers and drummers screaming and beating out those notes of derision, as if to tell the red-coated hirelings that Yankee Doodle had indeed come to town, and come to stay even longer than might be pleasant.

The British reinforcements arrived at Madlin's ship-yard, some of them remaining on the sh.o.r.e at the point of disembarkation, and others marching to join those on Morton's hill.

Now truly did it seem as if the prudent General Howe had made all his arrangements for wiping us off the face of the earth, and yet he lingered like the small boy that stands naked on the brink of a stream of icy water, knowing he must plunge in sooner or later, but dreading woefully to do so.

All of us who had worked during the night, and a considerable number of those who had just come up, were ordered to take post within the redoubt, and it cheered me wondrously to see with Colonel Prescott, Doctor Warren, that kindly gentleman who never pa.s.sed a lad without a friendly smile or word, and who had many for us Minute Boys as we filed in striving to look as much like soldiers as possible.

As nearly as I can now remember, our two artillery companies were between the breastwork and the rail fence on the eastern side, and a small number of men lined the cartway on the right of the redoubt. The Connecticut and the New Hampshire men were at the rail fence on the west side of the redoubt, and there were two or three companies drawn up on the main street at the base of our hill.

Now up to this point I can speak with considerable of certainty, having Hiram at my elbow to point out this movement or that; but once we were fronting the Britishers, and the fumes of burning powder a.s.sailed my nostrils, I lost all knowledge of what was being done save immediately around me, and there were times, when the fight grew hottest, that I could not for the life of me have told you what I did or said.

This much I must set down in justice to our Minute Boys of Boston: It was not a cheerful position even for tried soldiers to be in, this seeing the flower of the king's troops marching up the hill, well fed and well armed, outnumbering us two to one, while we who had never even seen warfare, hungry and thirsty to such point that our tongues were parched dry, and with but a scanty supply of ammunition, stood behind our breastworks awaiting what surely seemed must be little less than a slaughter of us all who loved the Cause.

I dare venture to say that every fellow in my company understood full well all the danger that menaced, and yet not one of them flinched; each lad did a man's full duty, and performed, I might say, more than is demanded of a soldier.

It was near to three of the clock in the afternoon before General Gage was ready to wipe us out. Then we saw those long lines of red moving steadily forward, and my heart leaped within me when our fifers blew all their breath into the tune of Yankee Doodle, while an hundred or more of us sang that song which the Britishers had written as a cheap way of showing their contempt for those people who had been loyal to the king until he and his ministers, by cruel oppression, drove them to this so-called rebellion.

"Don't fire until they are within seven or eight rods," I heard officer after officer caution us as we stood there with muskets ready for that oncoming line of red. "When you can see the whites of their eyes, aim at their waistbands, and remember that the finest coats cover the commanders, who it were better to pick off than if you shot half a dozen men."

Again and again was that command repeated, and even while it was being dinned into our ears so emphatically, Doctor Warren, seeming to think we Minute Boys might show the white feather, came up to us as we stood where we could peer over the breastwork, and said:

"Steady, lads, it is not the number that counts, but the spirit.

Remember that every British bullet does not find its billet; but see to it that all of yours strike the target. You lads smelled burning powder off Hog island when the odds against you were greater than they are now, and came off victorious, as you will this day if you hold true to your training."

"Never fear, doctor, but that the lads will give a good account of themselves!" Hiram cried in a cheery tone. "A little bit of red acts on them much the same as it does on a bull, and the Minute Boys won't be the first to turn tail, that I promise you."

"There is no need of a promise, my lad. I know it full well; but between now and when you open fire is a vexing time, during which many a good man has lost his head, therefore have a care just at this moment."

Now despite all the warnings that had been given, there were some in the redoubt who could not stand inactive while those lines of red were coming so steadily upon us, and I know full well how the men who disobeyed the command must have felt, for it was only by the greatest exercise of my will that I could prevent myself from pulling the trigger as I stood there, peering over the intrenchments, my musket leveled full at a fellow who had seemingly more of gold lace than cloth in his uniform.

The Britishers were well within gunshot when three or four men at my right, overcome most like by nervous excitement, discharged their weapons.

Then it was that Colonel Prescott, leaping from the platform on which he had been standing, cried out that he would shoot the first man who fired before word was given, and at the same moment Colonel Robinson ran around the top of the works knocking up the leveled muskets so that we might not be tempted to fire.

It seemed as if we were wasting time in allowing the enemy to come so near before giving them a taste of our quality; but because of the rating which Colonel Prescott had given those who offended, I no longer had any desire save to await the word of command.

Steadily but surely the red-coated lines advanced until it was as if they would literally over-run us while we remained inactive. I had again leveled my musket at the man who wore such a plentiful supply of gold lace, and it seemed to me as if he was no more than two yards away, although as a matter of course the distance was much greater, when Colonel Prescott shouted:

"Fire! my men, take aim and fire!"

Never before nor since have I seen such effective results. It seemed to me as if whole squads went down. There were great gaps in the line through which I could see as far as Morton's point, and the gra.s.s was strewn with blotches of red until it was like as if a carpet of crimson had suddenly been thrown over it.

Immediately our muskets were discharged we reloaded, firing whensoever we could, and by this time such of the Britishers as were yet on their feet answered us with a volley that did little or no execution, because of being aimed over our heads.

There was the rattle of musketry close about us; the heavy booming of cannon from the king's ships, and from the guns General Howe had brought with him. It was as if all the sh.o.r.e of Boston town had suddenly been lined with great guns belching forth fire and shot, while the smoke settled down over us and over those scattered ranks in front of the intrenchments, parching our throats and burning our eyes until we could no longer see anything before us.

Then it was that the fever of battle took possession of us; I was conscious only of loading and discharging my musket as rapidly as possible. Now and then shrieks of agony came to my ears, mingled with the volleys of great guns and the rattle of small arms, which seemed only a natural accompaniment to the din, and to the blood-thirstiness which a.s.sails one at such times.

Once I understood, as if looking down upon two figures with whom I had no connection, that Archie was speaking; but I neither heard the words nor made any answer, and could not tell whether he turned away, or remained there talking, when suddenly a great shout went up, and everywhere around me men were crying:

"The lobster backs have turned tail! They have got all of Yankee Doodle they needed!"

Our people cheered wildly. Some even threw down their weapons to dance about as do children, and, coming fairly to my senses, I leaned over the breastwork seeing, as the smoke cleared away, those men who had so lately come up to over-run us, fleeing like frightened sheep, leaving behind them here and there squads of dead or wounded comrades, some of whom shrieked with pain, and others, striving to follow in the retreat, crawling on hands and knees, dragging after them shattered limbs, staining the gra.s.s with crimson, until one could almost fancy that even amid the fumes of powder it was possible to detect that acrid odor which comes from blood.

In my delirium it was as if I had lived a whole life-time fighting, struggling to force back those soldiers of the king who fought only for the wage they received, caring naught for the righteousness of their cause, and yet, as I was told, we had not been at the work above ten minutes.

Ten minutes! and in that time we had forced back full twice our number!

We, the rag-tag of the colonies, had in fair fight against great odds beaten all the men they had sent to slay us, and this in the face of that furious fire from ships, and from the batteries in town!

While I stood there craning my neck to view the results of our own blood-thirstiness, I gave heed only to the victory which we had won, never thinking what might be the cost until Hiram plucked me from behind, and, turning, I saw lying here and there within the redoubt one and another of our people writhing in pain, or lying stark and still in death.

Strange though it may seem, until that moment I had not believed our friends might have suffered. In my foolishness I fancied, if indeed I gave it a thought, that we had come out from that storm of lead without a scratch, and all my exultation vanished beneath a chill that was like unto fear.

"How many of our poor fellows have been cut down?" I cried, and there must have been in my voice that which told Hiram I was near to showing the white feather, for he shouted harshly, and as if in anger:

"It's no affair of yours, Luke Wright, how many have paid for the love they bear the colonies! The battle is but just begun, and many another among us will follow them before the day has come to a close!"