The Yankee Tea-party; Or, Boston in 1773Watson, Henry C. (Henry Clay)
History
The Yankee Tea-party; Or, Boston in 1773
Watson, Henry C. (Henry Clay)
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Anecdotes
"The latter course would have been attended with great loss, but might
probably have been effected. The forward division had no alternative but
to fight. Facing out in every direction, they sought shelter behind the
trees and returned the fire of the enemy with spirit. In the beginning
of the battle, the Indians, whenever they saw that a gun was fired from
behind a tree, rushed up and tomahawked the person thus firing before he
had time to reload his gun. To counteract this, two men were ordered to
station themselves behind one tree, the one reserving his fire until the
Indian ran up. In this way the Indians were made to suffer severely in
return. The fighting had continued for some time, and the Indians had
begun to give way, when Major Watson, a brother-in-law of Sir John
Johnson, brought up a reinforcement, consisting of a detachment of
Johnson's Greens. The blood of the Germans boiled with indignation at
the sight of these men. Many of the Greens were personally known to
them. They had fled their country, and were now returned in arms to
subdue it. Their presence under any circumstances would have kindled up
the resentment of these militia; but coming up as they now did, in aid
of a retreating foe, called into exercise the most bitter feelings of
hostility. They fired upon them as they advanced, and then rushing from
behind their covers, attacked them with their bayonets, and those who
had none, with the butt end of their muskets. This contest was
maintained, hand to hand, for nearly half an hour. The Greens made a
manful resistance, but were finally obliged to give way before the
dreadful fury of their assailants, with the loss of thirty killed upon
the spot where they first entered. Major Watson was wounded and taken
prisoner, though afterwards left upon the field.
"In this assault Col. Cox is said to have been killed; possessing an
athletic frame, with a daring spirit, he mingled in the thickest of the
fight. His voice could be distinctly heard, as he cheered on his men or
issued his orders, amid the clashing of arms and the yells of the
contending savages.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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