St. George's Cross; Or, England Above AllKeene, H. G. (Henry George)
History
St. George's Cross; Or, England Above All
Keene, H. G. (Henry George)
Channel Islands -- History -- Puritan Revolution, 1642-1660 -- Fiction
Here the men got up and moved off in search of cider, which was being
served out by the Governor's orders at a neigbouring farm-house. But
their conversation mingled with the young Captain's thoughts as,
wearied with the marchings and countermarchings of the day, he dozed in
the still night air, lulled by the fire at his feet. Deep slumber must
have followed, for he started from dreams of tumult to feel the
vibration of air caused by a round-shot passing over his head. The wind
had fallen to an almost complete calm: a light breeze of autumn morning
breathed keen over the barren moor; bugles were sounding, drums
rattling, men shouting as they collected their accoutrements and fell in
under arms.
Four-and-twenty guns from the nearest ships were playing upon them,
answered briskly by the little militia batteries that lined the bay.
Gunboats began to stand in, laden with red-coated marksmen discharging
their new pattern fire-locks. The militiamen on their part waded into
the sea and gave such answer as they could from their clumsy old
matchlocks: making good the deficiency--so far as noise was
concerned--by shouts of vituperation; and calling on their assailants as
"Rebels," "Traitors," and "Murderers of their King." The landing was
frustrated for the time.
The next day was occupied in rapid movements from one part of the island
to another, in order to meet feigned attacks by the enemy who were ready
to turn any of those diversions into a real assault, on finding the
Jersey people unprepared. The Lieutenant-Governor had no choice but to
distract and weary his men, marching them backwards and forwards to S.
Aubin, S. Clement, and Gorey, according as the invaders appeared at one
or other of those landing-places. The militiamen were worn out by these
tactics, and were moreover of the class on whom Carteret's oppressive
taxations had long pressed with an almost intolerable weight. On the
third day their strength was reduced both by fatigue and desertion; and
in the afternoon, after more demonstrations a real landing took place in
S. Owen's Bay, the original point of attack. Carteret, as soon as he
perceived what was intended, galloped up his cavalry, ordering up a
battalion of militia in support, under his cousin, the Seigneur of S.
Owen. The English infantry formed upon the beach, and advanced to the
attack with terrible shouts and cheers. The first troop of Carteret's
horse met them boldly, and delivered a headlong charge; but the men who
had fought Rupert and Goring were not to be intimidated by a handful of
untrained cavaliers. The troopers were received with a volley that
emptied several saddles; and retired, leaving several of their number
dead and carrying off Colonel Bovil, a gallant English officer by whom
they had been led, and who soon after died of his wounds. The second
troop failed to support them, but guarded the retreat as the troopers
drew off without renewing their charge. Meanwhile, the militia who
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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