Читать книгу Wild Nat, the Trooper; or, The Cedar Swamp Brigade онлайн

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“Good morning,” answered Hunt. “There goes a noble fellow,” continued he, speaking to his wife. “This is the third time he has brought important intelligence of the movements of the British. Where is Simon? He must start directly.”

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It was about one o’clock in the afternoon, when fifty British soldiers, under the guidance of Timothy Turner, set out for the rendezvous of the Whig partisans, going with the avowed intention of “driving them like sheep before them into Charleston, or else leave their mangled carcasses to rot on the spot where they fell.”

Plenty of time was before them, for the troop was well-mounted and could get over the distance in a few hours; but there was danger of getting to the spot too soon. Well acquainted with the roads thereabouts, the tory determined to lead the men by a circuitous and rather unfrequented route, which, though it was some miles further, afforded this advantage—none of the whigs would thus see the body of horse, and consequently, could not give the alarm which should prevent the patriot muster from taking place. By it, too, he could penetrate through the pines and station the whole force so as to surround his unsuspecting countrymen.