Rodney, the Ranger, with Daniel Morgan on Trail and BattlefieldLane, John V. (John Veasey)
History
Rodney, the Ranger, with Daniel Morgan on Trail and Battlefield
Lane, John V. (John Veasey)
Morgan, Daniel, 1736-1802 -- Juvenile fiction; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction
It will be recalled that Gates had weakly consented to terms which
allowed Burgoyne's soldiers to be transported to England on condition
they should not fight against America. He was so eager to secure a
surrender, that he evidently did not stop to consider that these
soldiers could be used in England to replace those stationed there,
who in turn could be sent to America. Shrewder men were quick to see
the mistake and to take advantage of any circumstance to prevent it.
Such a circumstance was afforded by Burgoyne himself, who, not liking
the quarters assigned to him in Massachusetts, had declared the terms
of the surrender had been broken. Moreover, when the Americans were
ready to let the troops go on their arrival in Massachusetts, the
British would not provide transportation, and by the time they were
ready the Americans had various pretexts for not complying with the
terms of the surrender. The British declared their opponents acted in
bad faith. Undoubtedly many Americans believed England would act in
bad faith if she could get the troops back.
Zeb's attitude on this question was that of many Americans. "I don't
care to argue the matter," he said. "I can if necessary; the argyments
been't all on one side."
Zeb would always be lame from his wound, in fact this had forced him
to leave the army. "The Rangers aren't what they were," he told
Rodney, "since Morgan was given another command. He was the king pin.
He had a way o' seein' the Rangers got what belonged to 'em. They knew
it, an' thar was nothin' they wouldn't do for him. I mind one day he
was ridin' past whar some o' the men were at work clearin' a road. Two
of 'em were tryin' to roll out a big rock an' a little squirt of a
sergeant was bossin'. 'Why don't ye help the men?' Morgan shouted at
him. 'I'm an officer, sir,' says the sergeant. 'Oh yes,' says Morgan.
'I didn't think o' that,' an' he jumped off his horse an' helped the
men roll out the rock."
Rodney's work that fall often required him to visit the prisoners'
encampment. One day, as he was passing a cabin, he heard some one call
in a faint voice for help. He rushed in and found a man lying on the
floor. He helped the man to his bed and as he did so saw that he was
none other than his old acquaintance, the "Chevalier."
While Allison did not feel so bitter against this man as formerly, for
the reason that his recent experiences had brought him knowledge of
bigger rascals than he had ever supposed this man to be, yet his
feelings were far from being friendly. He nevertheless ran for the
camp doctor and waited until he had declared the man out of danger for
the present. Rodney heard his advice to the patient, that he keep very
quiet and free from excitement, as otherwise his next attack might
prove fatal.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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