Elsies Vacation and After Events | Page 8

one came in haste to tell them of the large
land force coming against the town from the rear, and presently in the
woods and grain fields could be seen the scarlet uniforms of the British
and the green ones of the French."
"Oh, how frightened the people in the town must have been!"
exclaimed Grace. "I should think they'd all have run away."
"Most of them did," replied her father; "but some sick and feeble ones
had to stay behind--others also in whose care they were--and trust to
the supposed humanity of the British; a vain reliance it proved, at least
so far as Admiral Cockburn was concerned. He gave up the town to
pillage and rapine, allowing the doing of such deeds as have consigned
his name to well-merited infamy.
"But to return to my story: Major Crutchfield, the American
commander, resolved that he and his four hundred and fifty men would
do what they could to defend the town. They were encamped on an
estate called 'Little England,' a short distance southwest of Hampton,
and had a heavy battery of seven guns, the largest an eighteen-pounder
cannon.
"Major Crutchfield was convinced that the intention of the British was
to make their principal attack in his rear, and that Cockburn's was only
a feint to draw his attention from the other. So he sent Captain Servant
out with his rifle company to ambush on the road by which Beckwith's
troops were approaching, ordering him to attack and check the enemy.
Then when Cockburn came round Blackbeard's Point and opened fire
on the American camp he received so warm a welcome from
Crutchfield's heavy battery that he was presently glad to escape for
shelter behind the Point, and content himself with throwing an
occasional shot or rocket into the American camp.
"Beckwith's troops had reached rising ground and halted for breakfast
before the Americans discovered them. When that happened Sergeant
Parker, with a field-piece and a few picked men, went to the assistance
of Captain Servant and his rifle company, already lying in ambush.

"Parker had barely time to reach his position and plant his cannon when
the British were seen rapidly advancing.
"At the head of the west branch of Hampton Creek, at the Celey road,
there was a large cedar tree behind which Servant's advanced
corps--Lieutenant Hope and two other men--had stationed themselves,
and just as the British crossed the creek--the French column in front,
led by the British sergeant major--they opened a deadly fire upon them.
A number were killed, among them the sergeant major--a large,
powerful man.
"This threw the British ranks into great confusion for the time, and the
main body of our riflemen delivered their fire, killing the brave
Lieutenant-Colonel Williams of the British army. But the others
presently recovered from their panic and pushed forward, while our
riflemen, being so few in number, were compelled to fall back.
"But Crutchfield had heard the firing, and hastened forward with nearly
all his force, leaving Pryor and his artillerymen behind to defend the
Little England estate from the attack of the barges. But while he was
moving on along the lane that led from the plantation toward Celey's
road and the great highway, he was suddenly assailed by an enfilading
fire from the left.
"Instantly he ordered his men to wheel and charge upon the foe, who
were now in the edge of the woods. His troops obeyed, behaving like
veterans, and the enemy fell back; but presently rallied, and, showing
themselves directly in front of the Americans, opened upon them in a
storm of grape and canister from two six-pounders and some Congreve
rockets.
"The Americans stood the storm for a few minutes, then fell back,
broke ranks, and some of them fled in confusion.
"In the meantime Parker had been working his piece with good effect
till his ammunition gave out. Lieutenant Jones, of the Hampton artillery,
perceiving that to be the case, hurried to his assistance; but seeing an
overwhelming force of the enemy approaching, they--Parker's men--fell

back to the Yorktown Pike.
"Jones, who had one cannon with him, found that his match had gone
out, and rushing to a house near by he snatched a burning brand from
the fire, hurried back, and hid himself in a hollow near a spring.
"The British supposed they had captured all the cannon, or that if any
were left they had been abandoned, and drawing near they presently
filled the lane; then Jones rose and discharged his piece with terrible
effect, many of the British were prostrated by the unexpected shot, and
during the confusion that followed Jones made good his retreat,
attaching a horse to his cannon, and bearing it off with him.
"He hastened to the assistance of Pryor, but on drawing near