pioneers of the old southwest-第25部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


o　the　facts；　whatever　may　be　conjectured　as　to　the　identity　of　the　officer。　See　Draper's　King's　〃Mountain　and　its　Heroes；〃　pp。　52…54。


Ferguson　had　his　code　towards　the　foe's　women　also。　On　one　occasion　when　he　was　assisting　in　an　action　carried　out　by　Hessians　and　Dragoons；　he　learned　that　some　American　women　had　been　shamefully　maltreated。　He　went　in　a　white　fury　to　the　colonel　in　command；　and　demanded　that　the　men　who　had　so　disgraced　their　uniforms　instantly　be　put　to　death。

In　rallying　the　loyalists　of　the　Back　Country　of　Georgia　and　the　Carolinas；　Ferguson　was　very　successful。　He　was　presently　in　command　of　a　thousand　or　more　men；　including　small　detachments　of　loyalists　from　New　York　and　New　Jersey；　under　American…born　officers　such　as　De　Peyster　and　Allaire。　There　were　good　honest　men　among　the　loyalists　and　there　were　also　rough　and　vicious　men　out　for　spoilswhich　was　true　as　well　of　the　Whigs　or　Patriots　from　the　same　counties。　Among　the　rough　element　were　Tory　banditti　from　the　overmountain　region。　It　is　to　be　gathered　from　Ferguson's　records　that　he　did　not　think　any　too　highly　of　some　of　his　new　recruits；　but　he　set　to　work　with　all　energy　to　make　them　useful。

The　American　Patriots　hastily　prepared　to　oppose　him。　Colonel　Charles　McDowell　of　Burke　County；　North　Carolina；　with　a　small　force　of　militia　was　just　south　of　the　line　at　a　point　on　the　Broad　River　when　he　heard　that　Ferguson　was　sweeping　on　northward。　In　haste　he　sent　a　call　for　help　across　the　mountains　to　Sevier　and　Shelby。　Sevier　had　his　hands　full　at　Watauga；　but　he　dispatched　two　hundred　of　his　troops；　and　Isaac　Shelby；　with　a　similar　force　from　Sullivan　County　crossed　the　mountains　to　McDowell's　assistance。　These　〃overmountain　men〃　or　〃backwater　men；〃　as　they　were　called　east　of　the　hills；　were　trained　in　Sevier's　method　of　Indian　warfarethe　secret　approach　through　the　dark；　the　swift　dash；　and　the　swifter　flight。　〃Fight　strong　and　run　away　fast〃　was　the　Indian　motto；　as　their　women　had　often　been　heard　to　call　it　after　the　red　men　as　they　ran　yelling　to　fall　on　the　whites。　The　frontiersmen　had　adapted　the　motto　to　fit　their　case；　as　they　had　also　made　their　own　the　Indian　tactics　of　ambuscade　and　surprise　attacks　at　dawn。　To　sleep；　or　ride　if　needs　must；　by　night；　and　to　fight　by　day　and　make　off；　was　to　them　a　reasonable　soldier's　life。

But　Ferguson　was　a　night　marauder。　The　terror　of　his　name；　which　grew　among　the　Whigs　of　the　Back　Country　until　the　wildest　legends　about　his　ferocity　were　current；　was　due　chiefly　to　a　habit　he　had　of　pouncing　on　his　foes　in　the　middle　of　the　night　and　pulling　them　out　of　bed　to　give　fight　or　die。　It　was　generally　both　fight　and　die；　for　these　dark　adventures　of　his　were　particularly　successful。　Ferguson　knew　no　neutrals　or　conscientious　objectors；　any　man　who　would　not　carry　arms　for　the　King　was　a　traitor；　and　his　life　and　goods　were　forfeit。　A　report　of　his　reads：　〃The　attack　being　made　at　night；　no　quarter　could　be　given。〃　Hence　his　wolfish　fame。　〃Werewolf　〃　would　have　been　a　fit　name　for　him　for；　though　he　was　a　wolf　at　night；　in　the　daylight　he　was　a　man　and；　as　we　have　seen；　a　chivalrous　one。

In　the　guerrilla　fighting　that　went　on　for　a　brief　time　between　the　overmountain　men　and　various　detachments　of　Ferguson's　forces；　sometimes　one　side；　sometimes　the　other；　won　the　heat。　But　the　field　remained　open。　Neither　side　could　claim　the　mastery。　In　a　minor　engagement　fought　at　Musgrove's　Mill　on　the　Enoree；　Shelby's　command　came　off　victor　and　was　about　to　pursue　the　enemy　towards　Ninety…Six　when　a　messenger　from　McDowell　galloped　madly　into　camp　with　word　of　General　Gates's　crushing　defeat　at　Camden。　This　was　a　warning　for　Shelby's　guerrillas　to　flee　as　birds　to　their　mountains；　or　Ferguson　would　cut　them　off　from　the　north　and　wedge　them　in　between　his　own　force　and　the　victorious　Cornwallis。　McDowell's　men；　also　on　the　run　for　safety；　joined　them。　For　forty…eight　hours　without　food　or　rest　they　rode　a　race　with　Ferguson；　who　kept　hard　on　their　trail　until　they　disappeared　into　the　mystery　of　the　winding　mountain　paths　they　alone　knew。

Ferguson　reached　the　gap　where　they　had　swerved　into　the　towering　hills　only　half　an　hour　after　their　horses'　hoofs　had　pounded　across　it。　Here　he　turned　back。　His　troops　were　exhausted　from　the　all…night　ride　and；　in　any　case；　there　were　not　enough　of　them　to　enable　him　to　cross　the　mountains　and　give　the　Watauga　men　battle　on　their　own　ground　with　a　fair　promise　of　victory。　So　keeping　east　of　the　hills　but　still　close　to　them；　Ferguson　turned　into　Burke　County；　North　Carolina。　He　sat　him　down　in　Gilbert　Town　（present　Lincolnton；　Lincoln　County）　at　the　foot　of　the　Blue　Ridge　and　indited　a　letter　to　the　〃Back　Water　Men；〃　telling　them　that　if　they　did　not　lay　down　their　arms　and　return　to　their　rightful　allegiance；　he　would　come　over　their　hills　and　raze　their　settlements　and　hang　their　leaders。　He　paroled　a　kinsman　of　Shelby's；　whom　he　had　taken　prisoner　in　the　chase；　and　sent　him　home　with　the　letter。　Then　he　set　about　his　usual　business　of　gathering　up　Tories　and　making　soldiers　of　them；　and　of　hunting　down　rebels。

One　of　the　〃rebels〃　was　a　certain　Captain　Lytle。　When　Ferguson　drew　up　at　Lytle's　door；　Lytle　had　already　made　his　escape；　but　Mrs。　Lytle　was　there。　She　was　a　very　handsome　woman　and　she　had　dressed　herself　in　her　best　to　receive　Ferguson；　who　was　reported　a　gallant　as　well　as　a　wolf。　After　a　few　spirited　passages　between　the　lady　in　the　doorway　and　the　officer　on　the　white　horse　before　it；　the　latter　advised　Mrs。　Lytle　to　use　her　influence　to　bring　her　husband　back　to　his　duty。　She　became　grave　then　and　answered　that　her　husband　would　never　turn　traitor　to　his　country。　Ferguson　frowned　at　the　word　〃traitor；〃　but　presently　he　said：　〃Madam；　I　admire　you　as　the　handsomest　woman　I　have　seen　in　North　Carolina。　I　even　half　way　admire　your　zeal　in　a　bad　cause。　But　take　my　word　for　it；　the　rebellion　has　had　its　day　and　is　now　virtually　put　down。　Give　my　regards　to　Captain　Lytle　and　tell　him　to　come　in。　He　wiil　not　be　asked　to　compromise　his　honor。　His　verbal　pledge　not　again　to　take　up　arms　against　the　King　is　all　that　will　be　asked　of　him。〃*

*　Draper；〃King's　Mountain　and　its　Heroes；〃　pp。　151…53。


This　was　another　phase　of　the　character　of　the　one…armed　Highlander　whose　final　challenge　to　the　backwater　men　was　now　being　considered　in　every　log　cabin　beyond　the　hills。　A　man　who　would　not　shoot　an　enemy　in　the　back；　who　was　ready　to　put　the　same　faith　in　another　soldier's　honor　which　he　knew　was　due　to　his　own；　yet　in　battle　a　wolfish　fighter　who　leaped　through　the　dark　to　give　no　quarter　and　to　take　nonehe　was　fit　challenger　to　those　other　mountaineers　who　also　had　a　chivalry　of　their　own；　albeit　they　too　were　wolves　of　war。

When　Shelby　on　the　Holston　received　Ferguson's　pungent　letter；　he　flung　himself　on　his　horse　and　rode　posthaste　to　Watauga　to　consult；　with　Sevier。　He　found　the　bank　of　the　Nolichucky　teeming　with　merrymakers。　Nolichucky　；Jack　was　giving　an　immense　barbecue　and　a　horse　race。　Without　letting　the　festival　crowd　have　an　inkling　of　the　serious　nature　of　Shelby's　errand；　the　two　men　drew　apart　to　confer。　It　is　said　to　have　been　Sevier's　idea　that　they　should　muster　the　forces　of　the　western　country　and　go　in　search　of　Ferguson　ere　the　latter　should　be　able　to　get　sufficient　reinforcements　to　cross　the　mountains。　Sevier；　like　Ferguson；　always　preferred　to　seek　his　foe；　knowing　well　the　advantage　of　the　offensive。　Messengers　were　sent　to　Colonel　William　Campbell　of　the　Virginia　settlements　on　the　Clinch；　asking　his　aid。　Campbell　at　first　refused；　thinking　it　better　to　fortify　the　positions　they　held　and　let　Ferguson　come　and　put　the　mountains　between　himself　and　Cornwallis。　On　receipt　of　a　second　message；　however；　he　concurred。　The　call　to　arms　was　heard　up　and　down　the　valleys；　and　the　frontiersmen　poured　into　Watauga。　The　overhill　men　were　augmented　by　McDowell's　troops　from　Burke　County；　who　had　dashed　over　the　mountains　a　few　weeks　before　in　their　escape　from　Ferguson。

At　daybreak　on　the　26th　of　September　they　mustered　at　the　Sycamore　Shoals　on　the　Watauga；　over　a　thousand　strong。　It　was　a　different　picture　they　made　from　that　other　great　gathering　at　the　same　spot　when　Henderson　had　made　his　purchase　in　money　of　the　Dark　and　Bloody　Ground；　and　Sevier　and　Robertson　had　bought　for　the　Wataugans　this　strip　of　Tennessee。　There　were　no　Indians　in　this　picture。　Dragging　Canoe；　who　had　uttered　his　bloody　prophecy；　had　by　these　very　men　been　driven　far　south　into　the　caves　of　the　Tennessee　River。　But　the　Indian　prophecy　still　hung　over　them；　and　in　this　day　with　a　heavier　menace。　Not　with　money；　now；　were　they　to　seal　their　purchase　of　the　free　land　by　the　western　waters。　There　had　been　no　women　in　that　other　picture；　only　the　white　men　who　were　going　forward　to　open　the　way　and　the　red　men　who　were　retreating。　But　in　this　picture　there　were　womenwives　and　children；　mothers；　sisters；　and　sweethearts。　All　the　women　of　the　settlement　were　there　at　this　daybreak　muster　to　cheer　on　their　way　the　men　who　were　going　out　to　battle　that　they　might　keep　the　way　of　liberty　open　not　for　men　only　but　for　women　and　children　also。　And　the　battle　to　which　the　men　were　now　going　forth　must　be　fought　against　Back　Country　men　of　their　own　stripe　under　a　leader　who；　in　other　circumstances；　might　well　have　been　one　of　themselvesa　primitive　spirit　of　hardy　mountain　stock；　who；　having　once　taken　his　stand；　would　not　barter　and　would　not　retreat。

〃With　the　Sword　of　the　Lord　and　of　Gideon！〃　cried　their　pastor；　the　Reverend　Samuel　Doak；　with　upraised　hands；　as　the　mountaineers　swung　into　their　saddles。　And　it　is　said　that　all　the　women　took　up　his　words　and　cried　again　and　again；　〃With　the　sword　of　the　Lord　and　of　our　Gideons！〃　To　the　shouts　of　their　women；　as　bugles　on　the　wind　of　dawn；　the　buckskin…shirted　army　dashed　out　upon　the　mountain　trail。

The　warriors'　equipment　included　rifles　and　ammunition；　tomahawks；　knives；　shot　pouches；　a　knapsack；　and　a　blanket　for　each　man。　Their　uniforms　were　leggings；　breeches；　and　long　loose　shirts　of　gayly　fringed　deerskin；　or　of　the　linsey…woolsey　spun　by　their　women。　Their　hunting　shirts　were　bound　in　at　the　waist　by　bright