Peggy Owen, Patriot: A Story for GirlsMadison, Lucy Foster
History
Peggy Owen, Patriot: A Story for Girls
Madison, Lucy Foster
Philadelphia (Pa.) -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction
Sir Henry Clinton was to set sail for Savannah, Georgia, which had
fallen into the hands of the British in December of the preceding year.
The province, after being overrun by the army in an incursion of savage
warfare, appeared to be restored to the crown, and now Charleston was to
be taken and South Carolina restored to its allegiance by the same
method. North Carolina and Virginia were to follow in turn, and the
campaign in the South concluded by a triumphal march back through
Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, until Washington would be
between the two British armies. Then, with an attack from New York
simultaneous with one from the rear, the Continentals would be swept out
of existence. This, in brief, was the British plan of campaign for the
ensuing year, and the English commander-in-chief was setting forth for
its accomplishment.
Colonel Owen’s determination to go with his chief seemed to grow firmer
the more Harriet pleaded with him to stay, and the day after Christmas
they set sail in the schooner “Falcon.” Reinforced by Admiral Arbuthnot
with new supplies of men and stores from England the British were
jubilantly sure of success, and set forth with their transports under
convoy of five ships of the line.
“We shall have our horses with us, anyway,” declared Harriet, who
brightened up wonderfully once they were under way, and addressing Peggy
with the first gleam of good humor that she had shown since it had been
decided that they should accompany her father. “I saw to it that they
were sent aboard with the cavalry horses, on one of the transports. I
dare say there will be a chance for rides. At any rate ’twill not be so
cold as it hath been in New York.”
“I suppose not,” agreed Peggy sadly. She was calling all her resolution
to aid her to bear this new trial.
The early part of the voyage was extremely fortunate. The sea was
smooth, the sky clear, the air sharp but kindly. To Peggy’s surprise she
was not at all sick, and her spirits rose in spite of her sorrow at her
separation from her mother. With the closing in of the night of the
fourth day out, however, they fell in with foul winds and heavy weather.
The wind began to whirl, and the sea to lift itself and dash spray over
the schooner until the decks were as glassy as a skating pond. The
temperature fell rapidly. All day Sunday the ships went on under this
sort of weather which was not at all unusual for the time of year, but
the next day the weather began to quiet, and the waves sank gradually to
a long swell through which the vessels went with ease.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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