The Fall of British Tyranny Part 15

COL. ALLEN. The same--the very man.

GEN. PRESCOT. Then rebels you are, and as such I shall treat you, for daring to oppose Lord Paramount's troops, and the laws of the land.

COL. ALLEN. Prisoners we are, 'tis true--but we despise the name of a rebel--With more propriety that name is applicable to your master--'tis he who attempts to destroy the laws of the land, not us--we mean to support them, and defend our property against Paramount's and parliamentary tyranny.

GEN. PRESCOT. To answer you were a poorness of spirit I despise; when rebels dare accuse, power that replies, forgets to punish; I am not to argue that point with you: And let me tell you, sir, whoever you are, it now ill becomes you thus to talk--You're my prisoner--your life is in my hands, and you shall suffer immediately--Guards! take them away.

COL. ALLEN. Cruel insult!--pardon these brave men!--what they have done has been by my orders--I am the only guilty person (if guilt there be), let me alone suffer for them all. [_Opening his breast._] Here! take your revenge--Why do you hesitate?--Will you not strike a breast that ne'er will flinch from your pointed bayonet?

GEN. PRESCOT. Provoke me not--Remember you're my prisoners.

COL. ALLEN. Our souls are free!--Strike, cowards, strike!--I scorn to beg my life.

GEN. PRESCOT. Guards! away with them--I'll reserve you for a more ignominious death--your fate is fix'd--away with them.

COL. ALLEN. [_Going off._] Be glutted, ye thirsters after human blood--Come, see me suffer--mark my eye, and scorn me, if my expiring soul confesses fear--Come, see and be taught virtue, and to die as a patriot for the wrongs of my country.

[_Exeunt PRISONERS and GUARDS._

SCENE II. _A Dungeon._

COL. ALLEN. What! ye infernal monsters! murder us in the dark?--What place is this?--Who reigns king of these gloomy mansions?--You might favour us at least with one spark of light--Ye cannot see to do your business here.

OFFICER. 'Tis our orders.

COL. ALLEN. Ye dear, ye brave, wretched friends!--now would I die for ye all--ye share a death I wou'd gladly excuse you from--'Tis not death I fear--this is only bodily death--but to die noteless in the silent dark, is to die scorn'd, and shame our suff'ring country--we fall undignify'd by villains' hands--a sacrifice to Britain's outcast blood-hounds--This, this shakes the soul!--Come then, ye murderers, since it must be so--do your business speedily--Farewell, my friends! to die with you is now my n.o.blest claim since to die for you was a choice deny'd--What are ye about?--Stand off, ye wretches!

OFFICER. I am order'd to lay you in irons. [_They seize him._] You must submit.

COL. ALLEN. What, do you mean to torture us to death with chains, racks and gibbets? rather despatch us immediately--Ye executioners, ye inquisitors, does this cruelty proceed from the lenity I shewed to the prisoners I took?--Did it offend you that I treated them with friendship, generosity, honour and humanity?--If it did, our suff'rings will redound more to our honour, and our fall be the more glorious--But remember, this fall will prove your own one day--Wretches! I fear you not, do your worst; and while I here lay suff'ring and chain'd on my back to the damp floor, I'll yet pray for your conversion.

OFFICER. Excuse us, we have only obey'd our order.

COL. ALLEN. Then I forgive you; but pray execute them.

_Oh! my lost friends! 'tis liberty, not breath, Gives the brave life. Shun slav'ry more than death.

He who spurns fear, and dares disdain to be, Mocks chains and wrongs--and is forever free; While the base coward, never safe, tho' low, Creeps but to suff'rings, and lives on for woe!_

[_Exeunt GUARDS._

SCENE III. _In the Camp at Cambridge._

_GENERAL WASHINGTON, GENERAL LEE, and GENERAL PUTNAM._

GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Our accounts from the Northward, so far, are very favourable; Ticonderoga, Chamblee, St. John's and Montreal our troops are already in possession of--and Colonel Arnold, having penetrated Canada, after suff'ring much thro' cold, fatigue and want of provisions, is now before Quebec, and General Montgomery, I understand, is in full march to join him; see these letters.

[_They read._

GEN. LEE. The brave, the intrepid Arnold, with his handful of fearless troops, have dar'd beyond the strength of mortals--Their courage smil'd at doubts, and resolutely march'd on, clamb'ring (to all but themselves) insurmountable precipices, whose tops, covered with ice and snow, lay hid in the clouds, and dragging baggage, provisions, ammunition and artillery along with them, by main strength, in the dead of winter, over such stupendous and amazing heights, seems almost unparallelled in history!--'Tis true, Hannibal's march over the Alps comes the nearest to it--it was a surprising undertaking, but when compar'd to this, appears but as a party of pleasure, an agreeable walk, a sabbath day's journey.

GEN. PUTNAM. Posterity will stand amazed, and be astonish'd at the heroes of this new world, that the spirit of patriotism should blaze to such a height, and eclipse all others, should outbrave fatigue, danger, pain, peril, famine and even death itself, to serve their country; that they should march, at this inclement season, thro' long and dreary deserts, thro' the remotest wilds, covered with swamps and standing lakes, beset with trees, bushes and briars, impervious to the cheering rays of the sun, where are no traces or vestiges of human footsteps, wild, untrodden paths, that strike terror into the fiercest of the brute creation.

_No bird of song to cheer the gloomy desert!

No animals of gentle love's enliven!_

GEN. LEE. Let Britons do the like--no--they dare not attempt it--let 'em call forth the Hanoverian, the Hessian, the hardy Ruffian, or, if they will, the wild Cossacks and Kalmucks of Tartary, and they would tremble at the thought! And who but Americans dare undertake it? The wond'ring moon and stars stood aloof, and turn'd pale at the sight!

GEN. WASHINGTON. I rejoice to hear the Canadians received them kindly, after their fatigue furnish'd them with the necessaries of life, and otherways treated them very humanely--And the savages, whose hair stood on end, and look'd and listen'd with horror and astonishment at the relation of the fatigues and perils they underwent, commiserated them, and afforded all the succour in their power.

GEN. LEE. The friendship of the Canadians and Savages, or even their neutrality alone, are favourable circ.u.mstances that cannot fail to hearten our men; and the junction of General Montgomery will inspire 'em with fresh ardour.

GEN. PUTNAM. Heavens prosper 'em!

_Enter OFFICER and EXPRESS._

OFFICER. Sir, here's an Express.

EXPRESS. I have letters to your Excellency.

GEN. WASHINGTON. From whence?

EXPRESS. From Canada, sir.

GEN. WASHINGTON. From the army?

EXPRESS. From the headquarters, sir.

GEN. WASHINGTON. I hope matters go well there.--Had General Montgomery join'd Colonel Arnold when you left it?

EXPRESS. He had, sir--these letters are from both those gentlemen.

[_Gives him the letters._

GEN. WASHINGTON. Very well. You may now withdraw and refresh yourself, unless you've further to say--I'll dispatch you shortly.

EXPRESS. Nothing further, sir.

[_Exeunt OFFICER and EXPRESS._

GEN. WASHINGTON. [_Opens and reads the letter to GENERALS LEE and PUTNAM._] I am well pleased with their contents--all but the behaviour of the haughty Carleton--to fire upon a flag of truce, hitherto unprecedented, even amongst Savages or Algerines--his cruelty to the prisoners is cowardly, and personal ill treatment of General Montgomery is unbecoming a General--a soldier--and beneath a Gentleman--and leaves an indelible mark of brutality--I hope General Montgomery, however, will not follow his example.

GEN. LEE. I hope so too, sir--if it can be avoided; it's a disgrace to the soldier, and a scandal to the Gentleman--so long as I've been a soldier, my experience has not furnish'd me with a like instance.

GEN. PUTNAM. I see no reason why he shou'dn't be paid in his own coin.--If a man bruises my heel, I'll break his head--I cannot see the reason or propriety of bearing with their insults--does he not know it's in our power to retaliate fourfold?