The Life of General Francis Marion — John Locke — John Shaqi
The Life of General Francis Marion
John Locke · en
The infantry and cavalry employed on the occasion, were to approach the town
at different points, after midnight, and at a signal from the latter,
to commence the attack. Unfortunately, the cavalry did not get up in time,
owing to some fault of their guide. The infantry arrived
at the appointed moment, and dreading the dangers of delay, charged at once
into the town, which they found utterly unprepared for an attack.
Colonel Campbell, the commander, was made prisoner in his bed;
adjutant Crookshanks, major Irwin, and other officers were sound asleep
at a tavern belonging to a genteel family, with whom
they had spent the evening with great hilarity. A detachment of our men
approached the house and surrounded it. Soon as the alarm was given,
the officers leaped out of bed, and not waiting to dress,
flew into the piazza, flourishing their pistols and shouting to the charge.
Major Irwin, with more courage than discretion, fired a pistol, and would have
tried another, but just as he had cocked it, he was stopped short
by the stroke of a bayonet, which ended him and his courage together.
Adjutant Crookshanks, acting in the same heroic style, would have shared
the same fate, had it not been for an angel of a young woman,
daughter of the gentleman of the house. This charming girl was engaged
to be married to Crookshanks. Waked by the firing and horrid din of battle
in the piazza, she was at first almost 'reft of her senses by the fright.
But the moment she heard her lover's voice, all her terrors vanished,
and instead of hiding herself under the bedclothes, she rushed into the piazza
amidst the mortal fray, with no armor but her love, no covering
but her flowing tresses. Happily for her lover, she got to him
just in time to throw her arms around his neck and scream out,
"Oh save! save major Crookshanks!" Thus, with her own sweet body
shielding him against the uplifted swords of her enraged countrymen!
Crookshanks yielded himself our prisoner; but we paroled him on the spot,
and left him to those delicious sentiments which he must have felt
in the arms of an elegant young woman, who had saved his life
by an effort of love sufficient to endear her to him to all eternity.
It was told us afterwards of this charming girl, that as soon as we were gone,
and, of course, the danger past and the tumult of her bosom subsided,
she fell into a swoon, from which it was with difficulty
that she was recovered. Her extreme fright, on being waked
by the firing and horrid uproar of battle in the house,
and her strong sympathy in her lover's danger, together with the alarm
occasioned by finding herself in his arms, were too much
for her delicate frame.