Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty EstablishedMusick, John R. (John Roy)
History
Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty Established
Musick, John R. (John Roy)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
"I do, captain, God knows I do!" Sukey cried warmly, and the haughty,
cruel Captain Snipes passed away, the victim of God's vengeance.
The day after the wreck of the _Xenophon_, news came from Baltimore of
the repulse of the British fleet and army. It was a day of general
rejoicing. A squadron was to be sent to guard the coast and relieve
Fernando at Mariana. For some time he had been asking to be attached to
some western regiment with his recruits. He received official notice
that he had been assigned to a Kentucky regiment under Colonel Smiley,
and, with the notice, came a commission to the rank of major. Fernando
was ordered to join the regiment at Nashville, Tenn., to act under
General Jackson in the South.
The war was shifting to the South; and the western and southern troops
were hastening to its defence. Fernando notified his men of the order
and Sukey volunteered to go with them. Job also enlisted as cook; but
Terrence, having been notified that _Privateer Tom_ ready for sea, once
more bade them adieu, and departed for Philadelphia, taking Mr. Hugh St.
Mark the gunner with him.
Fernando went to the great white stone house, which had been repaired
and again occupied by Captain Lane and his daughter. Captain Lane and
Morgianna were alone in the large sitting-room when he entered. The
captain was convalescent, but not wholly recovered from his attack of
rheumatism.
"So you are going away?" said Captain Lane when Fernando had told him of
his last order.
"Yes, captain, a soldier belongs to his country."
"I know it. I don't blame you one bit. So you will serve under Jackson.
Well, I don't think another ship will venture to bombard Mariana. Have
you sent the prisoners to Baltimore?"
"Yes, sir, all save Lieutenant Matson. I took his parole, and he still
remains in the village, I presume, during his pleasure. He will be
required to report once a week to Baltimore, but that need not be
in person."
The captain was silent. While speaking, Fernando kept his eyes from the
face of Morgianna. He could not look at her and be a witness to the glow
of joy which he knew must warm her cheek on being informed that her
lover was to remain. She quietly left the apartment while he was
conversing with the captain, and when he left, he found her alone in
the hall.
It was almost dark; but her face in its beauty seemed to illumine the
hall. He took her hand in his own, and felt that same old thrill of five
years before.
"I am going away, Miss Lane," he said, "and I cannot go without bidding
you adieu and telling you how much I appreciate your brave, noble,
self-sacrificing efforts in caring for the wounded."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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