Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled — John Shaqi
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy FulfilledRichardson, Major (John)
History
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
The attention of the group where this unpleasant scene had occurred, and
indeed of all parties, was now diverted by the sudden appearance of the
American boat, as, shooting past the head of the island, which had
hitherto concealed her from the view of the assembled crowds, her spars
and white sails became visible in the far distance. A slight and
favorable breeze, blowing off the shore which she still closely hugged,
had now apparently sprung up, and, spreading all her canvass, she was
evidently making every effort to get beyond the reach of the battery
(whither Lieutenant Raymond had returned), under whose range she was
unavoidably impelled by the very wind that favored her advance. Owing to
some temporary difficulty, the gun-boat, just ordered by the commodore
to follow in pursuit, was longer than suited the emergency in getting
under way, and when she had succeeded in so doing, nearly half an hour
elapsed before, owing to the utter absence of wind, as well as the
rapidity of the current, she could be brought by the aid of her long and
cumbrous sweeps to clear the head of the island. The American, now
discovered to have a small detachment of troops on board, had by this
time succeeded in getting out of the range of a fire, which although
well directed had proved harmless, and, using every exertion of oar and
sail, bade fair, favored as she was by the breeze which reached not the
canvass of her enemy, to effect her escape.
Concern sat on every brow, and was variously expressed--loud yells
marking the fierce disappointment of the Indians, and undisguised
murmurs that of the more disciplined troops. Coupled with this feeling,
among the officers at least, naturally arose the recollection of him to
whose apparent neglect this escape of the enemy was to be attributed,
until at length the conduct of Lieutenant Grantham was canvassed
generally, and with a freedom little inferior to that which, falling
from the lips of Captain Molineux, had so pained his sensitive
brother--with this difference, however, that in this instance they were
the candidly expressed opinions of men arraigning the conduct of one of
their fellows apparently guilty of a gross dereliction from duty, and
not, as in the former they had seemed to be, with any ungenerous
allusion to his fidelity.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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