CHAPTER III.THE MIDNIGHT ARREST. Sweet were the slumbers of Monsieur Laudonniere, commandant of the Fortress of La Caroline. Anxious was the wakening of Stephen La Genevois, the conspirator, who, in garbing himself after the fashion. of the Indian, had not succeeded in clothing his mind in the stolid and stoic nature of his savage companion. They watched together in one of the inner chambers of the fortress. They had not restricted themselves to watching merely. Already had La Genevois made his purpose known to one of his ancient comrades. The name of this person was La Croix. He was one of the trusted followers of Laudonniere, whose superior cunning alone had saved him from suspicion, even that of D'Erlac, at the detection of the former conspiracy. La Croix, in the absence of the latter, was prepared for more decisive measures. He was one of those whose insane craving for gold had surrendered him, against all good policy, to the purposes of the conspirators. He was now in charge of the watch. As captain of the night, he led the way to the gates, which, at midnight, he cautiously threw open to the two companions of La Genevois. Fourneaux and La Roquette had been waiting for this moment. They were admitted promptly and in silence. Darkness was around them. The fortress slept,-none more soundly than its commander. In silence the outlaws led by La Croix, all armed to the teeth, made their way to his chamber. The sentinel who watched before it, joined himself to their number. They entered without obstruction and without noise; and, ere the eyes of the sleeper could unclose to his danger, or his lips cry aloud for succor, his voice was stifled in his throat by thick bandagings of silk, and his limbs fastened with cords which, at every movement of his writhing frame, cut into the springing flesh. He was a prisoner in the very fortress, where, but that day, he exulted in the consciousness of complete command. A light, held above his eyes, revealed to him the persons of his assailants;-the two (supposed) Indians, two of the outlaws whom he had banished, and others, whom, for the first time, he knew as enemies. When his eyes were suffered to take in the aspects of the whole group, he was addressed, in his own tongue, by the leading conspirator. "René Laudonniere;" said Stephen La Genevois, in bitter tones, "you are in our power. What prevents that we put you to death as you merit, and thus revenge our disgrace and the murder of La Genrè?" The wretched man, thus addressed, had no power to answer. The big tears gathered in his eyes and rolled silently down his cheeks. He felt the pang of utter feebleness upon him. "We will take the gag from your jaws, if you promise to make no outery. Nod your head in token that you promise." The prisoner had no alternative but to submit. He nodded, and the kerchief was taken from his jaws. "You know us, René Laudonniere?" demanded the conspirator. "Stephen La Genevois, I know you!" was the answer. "'Tis well! You see to what you have reduced me. held a trial upon me in my absence. You have You have sentenced me and my companions to outlawry. They are here. You see around you none but those on whom you have exercised your tyranny. What hope have you at their hands and mine? Savage as you have made me in aspect, what should prevent that I show myself equally savage in performance. The knife is at your throat, and there is not one of us who is not willing to execute justice upon you. Are you prepared to do what we demand?" "What is it?" "Read this paper." The light was held close to the eyes of the prisoner, and a paper placed near enough for perusal. The instrument was a commission of piracy-a sort of half-legal authority, common enough in that day, to the marine of all European countries, under maxims of morality such as made the deeds of Drake, and Hawkins, and other British admirals, worthy of all honor, which, in our less chivalric era, would have consigned them very generally to the gallows. As Laudonniere perused the document, he strove to raise himself, as with a strong movement of aversion;-but the prompt grasp of La Genevois fastened him down to the pillow. "No movement, or this!"-showing the dagger. "Have you read?" "I will not sign that paper!" said the prisoner, hoarsely. "Will you not?" "Never!" "You have heard the alternative!" Laudonniere was silent. "You do not speak! Beware, René Laudonniere. We have no tender mercies! We are no children! We are ready for any crime. We have already incurred the worst penalties, and have nothing to fear. But you can serve us, living, quite as effectually as if dead. We do not want your miserable fortress. We are not for founding colonies. It is your ships that we will take, and your commission. We will spare your life for these. Beware! Let your answer square with your necessities." La Genevois!" said the prisoner "Even this shall be pardonedyou shall all be pardoned-if you will forego your present purpose." "Pshaw!" exclaimed the person addressed "This to me! I scorn your pardon as I do your person! Speak to what concerns you, and what is left for you to do. Speak, and quickly too, for the dawn must not find us here. "I will not sign!" said the prisoner, doggedly. "Then you die!" and the dagger was uplifted. "Strike-why do you stop?" exclaimed Fourneaux,-"We can slay him, and forge the paper." His threatening looks and attitude, with the stern air which overspread the visage of La Genevois, and, indeed, of all around him,contributed to overcome the resolution of the wretched commander. Besides, a moment's reflection served to satisfy him, that the conspirators, having gone too far to recede, would not scruple at the further crime which they threatened. "Will my life be spared if I sign? Have I your oath, Stephen La Genevois? I trust none other." "By G-d, and the Blessed Saviour!-as I hope to be saved, René Laudonniere, you shall have your life and freedom!" "Undo my hands and give me the paper." "The right hand only," said Fourneaux, with his accustomed timidity. "Pshaw, unbind him!" exclaimed La Genevois;-"unbind him, wholly. There, René Laudonniere, you are free!" "I cannot forgive you, La Genevois-You have disgraced me forever;" said the miserable man, as he dashed his signature upon the paper. "You will survive it, mon ami," replied the other, with something like contempt upon his features. "You are not the man to fret your self into fever, because of your hurts of honor. And now must you go with us to the ships. We will muffle your jaws once more." "You will not carry me with you," demanded the commander, with something like trepidation in his accents. "No! You were but an incumbrance. We will only take you to the ships, and keep you safe until we are ready to cast off.-To your feet, men, and get your weapons ready. Softly, softly-we need rouse no other sleepers. Onward,-the night goes!—away!" At dawn, the vessels of La Caroline, under the roving commission extorted from Laudonniere, might be seen far down the river of May, their white sails gleaming through the distant foliage. At the same 'moment, with head bowed upon his breast, that unhappy commander turned his footsteps from the banks of the river, and, conscious only of his own disgrace, walked slowly towards the fortress, which still slept, in utter ignorance of the scene, which, but three hours before, had taken place within its walls. ON READING MISS BARRETT'S POEMS. SWEET as the god-enchanting, golden song Upon the sapphire-paven street among The thronging angels-when, from out his lyre, Was rained, in lofty piles of echoing thunder, Which rapt the stars with brighter newborn wonder The lightning of his song which filled the sky, And, on the music-troubled ether-sea, T. H, CHIVERS, THE MAKION FAMILY. NO. IX. THE PARTISAN GENERAL. "The painted savage with a shaven beard, "And seem the tiger's tooth, the vulture's ravening bill." THE INDIAN WARS OF MARION. We resume our narrative of the Indian wars, with which either history or tradition connects our hero-and, in the next campaign, we shall proceed by a light less dubious than that which has hitherto guided our steps, but still rendered somewhat prismatic by the romance of Weems. The expedition of Montgomery, although it had wrought the destruction of many Indian towns, and the death or captivity of many savage warriors, yet left the war unquenched, and the peril to the whites perhaps more imminent than ever. After the capitulation of Fort Loudon, on the Tennessee River, and the perfidious massacre of a portion of its garrison, on their march to Fort Prince George, the war-cloud again approached South-Carolina; and the energetic and patriotic Lieutenant Governor Bull took prompt measures to meet the crisis. Expecting an out-break of the savages, instigated by Lewis Latinac (or Lentiniac as the name is printed in the S. C. Gazette,) he kept the Royal Scots, under Major Hamilton, and the militia on the frontier, in a posture of defence, and again applied to General Amherst for military aid. He did not wait, however, for the arrival of the regular troops. The corps of Rangers, consisting of seven companies, was ordered to com. plete its complement of seventy-five men to each company, and despatched, under the command of Major Wm. Thomson, to the post of danger. Major Thomson received his commission on the 27th of September, 1760. The captains of the corps originally, were Grinnan, Brown, Watts, Pearson, Russell, Bosher, and McNeal; but, while on their tour of service, we find the commanders of companies enumerated as Captains Thomas Bosher, Charles Russell, Archibald McDonald, Lazarus Brown, John Dargan and John Watts, and Lieutenant John Thomson, in place of the late captain Seabury. Among the subalterns was lieutenant Adam McDonald. The Rangers arrived at Fort Prince George, Oct. 15, 1760, taking the place of the Royal Scots, on the frontier, who returned to Charleston, Dec. 3d, 1760, and, in April following, embarked to rejoin General Amherst, in Canada. A Provincial regiment* of one thousand men was also raised and The authority or commission for raising this regiment, is an interesting relic of the past, which we found recorded in an old volume of miscellaneous records in the office of the Secretary of State, at Charleston, and we append it here: sent to the Congarees, under the command of Col. Thomas Middleton, a brave and accomplished provincial officer. In this regiment, our hero, Marion, held a commission as Lieutenant, under the immediate SOUTH-CAROLINA: By the Hon. Wm. Bull, Esq., Lieut. Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over the said Province. To Thomas Middleton, Esq., [Ducit Amor Patria.] WHEREAS, in the present situation of affairs, it is thought necessary, for the immediate protection of the several inhabitants of this Province, to raise a regiment of Foot, to consist of one thousand men, besides officers, in which three Provincial Companies, called the Buffs, are to be incorporated as part of said regiment; and I, reposing special trust and confidence in the loyalty, courage and good conduct of you, the said Thomas Middleton, have commissioned, constituted and appointed, and by these presents, do constitute, commission and appoint you, the said Thomas Middleton, to be Colonel of the said Regiment, which said Regiment you are to teach, train, muster and exercise, according to military discipline; And you are to follow and obey all such orders and instructions as you shall, from time to time, receive from me or the Commander-in-Chief, for the time being, according to the rules and discipline of war; and, in pursuance of the trust hereby reposed in you, all inferior officers and soldiers belonging to the said Regiment are hereby strictly required and commended to obey you as Colonel of the same. This commission to continue during pleasure. By His Honor's command. Given under my hand Seal, at Charlestown, this sixteenth day of September, Anno Domini, 1760. WILLIAM BULL. WILLIAM MURRAY, Deputy Secretary. We copy from the same record the following memorial of the dates of commission, issued to the different officers of this Regiment. "Commission, from His Excellency, the Lieutenant Governor, to Henry Laurens, Esq., to be Lieutenant Colonel of the said Regiment, dated the 16th day of September, 1760. John Moultrie, Major; Joseph Lloyd, Quarter-Master, Peter Bacot, Pay-Master, Sept. 16. John Grinnan (of the Rangers), William Moultrie, Sept. 16; Owen Roberts, 17th; John Ainslie, 18th; Elias Vanderhorst, 20th; and John Blamyer, Oct. 17th, Captains. Thomas Bell, Sept. 18th; John Lloyd, 19th; Thomas Savage, 20th; Joseph Lloyd, 21st; Andrew Williamson, 22nd; Joseph Levy, 23d; James Coachman, 24th; FRANCIS MARION, 25th; Josiah Tattenall 16th; Jeremiah Terry, 26th; Wm. Mason; Oct. 3; Wm. Pattridge, 4th; Moses Thompson, 6th; John Bell, Nov. 7th, Lieutenants. David Bailey, Sept 19th; John Mathews, 20th; Thomas Vanderdussen, Roger Kelsall, 26th; Wm. Ward Crossthwaite, 24th; Bellamy Crawford, 25th; Benjamin Ward, 28th; James Conner, Oct. 7th; John Huger, Nov. 12th, Ensigns. John Creighton, Captain Lieutenant, (and Adjutant) Oct. 8th; Thomas Lennox, in place of Moses Thompson, 10th; and John Remington, 17th, Lieutenants. Wm. Loocock, Surgeon, and Benjamin Ward, Surgeon's Mate, 13th. The So. Ca. Gazette gives also Edward Wilkinson and Arthur Howe, Lieutenants, James McDonald, Ensign, and Michael Kalteisen, Wagon-Master-General. The uniform of the Regiment was blue, turned up with scarlet, made in the same manner as that of the Light Infantry of His Majesty's Royal or First Regiment of Foot. "Many gentlemen of character and very considerable property, propose to go with Colonel Middleton's Regiment, and join it at the rendezvous, at Amelia Township. Their dress will be the same as the Regiment, except as to color, which they have agreed shall be altogether deep green."-So. Ca. Gazette, Sept. 1760. |