第 34 节
作者:江暖      更新:2021-02-19 20:44      字数:9321
  in use in the second regiment; and he was seldom; perhaps never; seen to
  draw     it。  His   messmates      told   a  story;   whether     true  or   not   is  of  little
  consequence; as it shows the public opinion。 The sum of this story was;
  that on one occasion he attempted to draw it; but it was so rusty he could
  not   extricate   it   from   the   scabbard。     He   had   a  reason   for   this   apparent
  singularity; a long sword might have tempted him; a small man; to act the
  common   soldier;   and   he   appeared   to   place   no   reliance   on   his   personal
  prowess。 Gen。 Greene depended entirely upon him for intelligence。  Now;
  intelligence      is  the  life  of  an   army。    Sumter     and   Greene     were    then   at
  variance; and if Sumter gained any; he would not condescend to let Greene
  know it; but take advantage of it himself。 Lee; whose particular business it
  was to furnish Greene with intelligence; was always too fond of seeing his
  men and horses in good plight; to expose them to hardships。 Marion's were
  for every day's use。
  An anecdote worthy to be recorded happened at the brick house at the
  Eutaw。      Capt。   Laurence      Manning;      since   adjutant    general    in   this  state;
  marched at the head of the legion infantry to batter down the door of the
  house。 Intent on this single object; and relying confidently on his men; he
  advanced   boldly   up   to   the   door;   when;   looking   behind   him   for   the   first
  time; behold his men had deserted him。 He stood for a moment at the side
  of the door; revolving what was to be done。  Fortunately a British officer;
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  Capt。 Barry; opened the door gently to peep out; and Manning seizing him
  fast by the collar; jerked him out。 He then used him as an ancient warrior
  would   have   done   his   shield;   and   the   enemy;   fearing   to   shoot   least   they
  should kill Barry; Manning escaped without a shot being fired at him from
  the house。
  During the struggle of the present year; (1781) Capt。 Wm。 Allston; of
  True Blue; on Little river; All Saints parish; served under Gen。 Marion。 He
  was   a  firm  patriot   and good   soldier; indeed   he  may  well   be   enumerated
  among the martyrs to the cause of his country; for having been seized with
  a fever in camp; he had scarcely time to reach his home; where he expired
  at   a   middle   age。   He   left   behind   him;   by   his   last   wife;   two   sons   and   a
  daughter; his eldest son he named after the illustrious Washington; and he
  has since proved himself to be highly worthy of that distinction。 In this son
  will   be   readily   recognised   the   distinguished   artist;   Washington   Allston;
  whose   pencil   has   bestowed   celebrity   upon   the   place   of   his   birth;   and
  whom every American should be proud to claim as his countryman。
  Towards the conclusion of this year; Maj。 Edward Hyrne; one of Gen。
  Greene's aids; was commissioned by him to negociate a cartel of exchange
  of prisoners in Charleston。 He had to conduct this with Col。 Balfour; who
  was   haughty   and   unreasonable   as   well   as   cruel;   his   demands   were   so
  exorbitant;   that   Maj。   Hyrne;   after   waiting   upon   him   several   times   with
  much patience; at length declared they were utterly inadmissible; and took
  his leave。 Returning to his lodgings; he wrote a note to each British officer
  on parole in town; informing him he must prepare to follow him into the
  country the next day。 His firmness or good policy had the desired effect;
  Balfour's quarters were soon besieged by at least forty officers; many of
  whom were   of   higher rank than himself;   and Major   Hyrne   succeeded   to
  the extent of his wishes。
  The   party   under   Major   John   Postell;   which   was   ordered   out   on   the
  29th January in this year; and succeeded in taking eleven British waggons
  with     soldiers'    clothing      at   Keithfield;     consisted     with     the   officers;
  commanding   of   thirty…eight   men。*   They   carried   off   what   clothing   they
  could;   and   what   they  could   not   they  burnt。   What   was   carried   away   was
  sold for a division; and bought in; as it appears; in continental dollars; on
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  the 2d February; 1781。
  * This statement is confusing。 To paraphrase; Postell's party (which
  made this attack) consisted of thirty…eight supernumerary officers。  A。 L。;
  1997。
  The prices of a few are inserted; sixteen blankets were sold。 1 Bought
  by Major Postell for 1590 1 do。 Capt。 Wm。 Capers 2200 1 do。 (the lowest
  priced) by Capt。 Thomas Potts; 900 1 Loaf of sugar; Francis Greene; 2000
  1 Coat by Capt。 Capers; 6210 1 Knife and fork; A。 Simons; 700 1 Pair of
  Stockings; Capt。 Capers; 800 &c。 &c。 &c。
  Most      of   this   party    were    supernumerary        officers;    who     placed
  themselves under the command of Major (then Captain) Postell; who was
  justly   considered     as   one  of   the   most  enterprising     officers   in  Marion's
  brigade。  Of   these   thirty…eight   men;   the  only  survivor   is   Richard   Greene;
  who has been long a respectable and opulent planter on Black river。 The
  account of sales is in the hand writing of Capt。 Thomas Potts。 There is a
  list   of   the   names   of   the  thirty…eight;   many   of   whom   fought   then     and
  afterwards with great bravery。  John Futhey; then a lieutenant; after being
  promoted to a captaincy was killed in a skirmish at Avant's ferry on Black
  river。 Thomas Potts; jun。 a lieutenant; was twice wounded。 John M‘Bride;
  father of the late friend of the author; Dr。 James M‘Bride; was always at
  his post。 What a loss to science was the early death of the son? Capt。 Wm。
  Capers was imprisoned by Balfour in the upper story of his ~provost~; and
  made his escape by slipping past the keeper at night when he brought their
  scanty  supper   to   the   prisoners。   He   had   then   to   descend   a   steep   flight   of
  stairs and pass the guard at the bottom。 Luckily he stumbled at the head of
  the   stairs   and   fell   to   the   bottom;   and   the   guard   mistaking   him   for   the
  keeper;   raised   him   up   and   gave   him   much   consolation。   He   had   only   to
  refrain from speaking and to utter a few groans; which being an indistinct
  tone of the voice; made no discovery; and the guard suffered him to pass。
  A friend furnished him with a small boat to pass Cooper river; but now the
  difficulty was to get through the British guard ships which lined the river。
  Being      a  pretty   good    mimic;     he  bethought      himself    of  assuming      the
  character of a drunken sailor ~going on board his own ship~; and acted his
  part so admirably well; that he was suffered; though often threatened; to
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  pass   through   the   whole   fleet。   Capt。   Capers   lost   no   time   in   joining   Gen。
  Marion;      with    whom     he   fought    bravely    in  the   ranks   until   the  general
  advanced down into St。 Thomas' parish; where he commanded a company;
  and   where   he   had   left   property  at   the   mercy  of   the   enemy。*   Capt。   Wm。
  Capers; and his brother G。 Sinkler Capers; were often afterwards the terror
  of   the   enemy;   who   had   early   oppressed   and   imprisoned   them;   for   G。   S。
  Capers had also made his escape from the ~provost~。
  * The following is a curious fact in natural history。 When Capt。 G。 S。
  Capers returned to his plantation in 1782; it had been completely stripped
  of all live stock and poultry; except one cock。 When the British chased him
  he had always taken refuge under a kitchen low to the ground。 This bird
  was carefully preserved。 After the war; it was the fashion for ladies to wear
  scarlet cloaks; and so strong was his recollection (must it be so called) of
  the colour of the British uniform; that whenever he saw ladies in scarlet
  cloaks; he would squall   out; as such   birds usually do   at sight of danger;
  and run directly under the kitchen。
  Francis     G。   Deliesseline;     the   present    sheriff   of   Charleston     district;
  joined Marion when a boy; and made if possible a still more surprising and
  narrow   escape   out   of   the   same   ~provost~;   but   as   the   narrative   would
  expose certain names which he wishes concealed; he has declined giving it
  publicity。 At so early an age; none behaved better than Deliesseline; and
  no one   has   refreshed   the   author'