Whig Against Tory | Page 5

a short time passed before the latter were glad to retreat.
"The savages having retired, the men were ordered to throw up a breast
work, near the place, to shelter themselves from the guns of the fort.
This was done expeditiously. Trees were felled, and drawn to the spot
by some; while others were employed in throwing up earth.
"During these labours of the Americans, the enemy continued to annoy
them, by throwing shells from the fort."
William. "Pray, father, what are shells? I have read of them; but I do
not know more than that they are a kind of shot."
Gen. P. "Shells are often called bombs, a word which signifies great
noise; because, when they burst, they make a great noise. They consist
of a large shell of cast iron, which is round and hollow. A hole is made
through the shell to receive a fusee, as it is called; this is a small pipe,

or hollow piece of wood, which is filled with some combustible matter.
When a bomb is about to be fired, it is filled with powder, after which
the fusee is driven into the vent, or hole of the shell."
William. "How are bombs fired, father?"
Gen. P. "They are thrown from a kind of cannon called a mortar. It has
its name from its resemblance to a common mortar. The lower part of
the mortar is called the chamber, which contains the powder. When
fired, the powder in the chamber not only sends the bomb, but at the
same time, sets fire to the fusee, which continues to burn slowly, as it
passes through the air, and the calculation always is, to have the fire
from the fusee reach the powder in the shell, at the moment the latter
reaches the ground. It then bursts, and the scattering fragments of iron
often do horrible execution."
William. "Did you say, father, that mortars Were short guns?"
Gen. P. "Land mortars are quite short; sea mortars, or such as are used
on board vessels, are longer and heavier, because they are usually fired
at greater distances. A land mortar, which will throw a shell thirteen
inches in diameter, weighs thirteen hundred weight; the weight of the
shell is about one hundred and seventy-five pounds; it contains between
nine and ten pounds of powder; and is fired by means of about the same
quantity of powder."
William. "Pray, father, who invented bombs?"
Gen. P. "The inventor is not known; they have been in use since the
year 1634.
"Some years after the above affair, Crosby himself related the manner
in which the soldiers contrived to escape unhurt. When a shell rose in
the air, every one would stop working, and watch its course, to
ascertain whether it would fall near him. If it appeared to approach so
near, as to endanger any one, he would dodge behind something, till it
had burst, or passed by."

John. "Father, could a soldier dodge a cannon ball?"
Henry. "Why, John! I should think you knew enough, not to ask so
foolish a question."
Gen. P. "Not so bad a question neither, master Henry; under some
circumstances, a cannon ball might he avoided."
William. "Not when it is first fired, father."
Gen. P. "True; but when it has nearly spent its force, a person might
easily get out of its way. But even when a ball only rolls along the
ground, apparently slow, it would be dangerous to attempt to stop it:
especially if large. I recollect to have read of a soldier, who saw a ball
rolling towards him, which he thought to stop with his foot; but, poor
fellow! it broke his leg in an instant.
"Some of the American soldiers at St. Johns, were too intent upon their
labour, to pay much attention to the shells. Crosby was one. All on a
sudden, a fellow-soldier near by called out in a tone of thunder, 'Crosby!
look out! take care! take care!' Crosby looked up, and directly over him,
a shell was descending."
[Illustration]
"He had but a minute to think--he dropped flat upon the ground, and the
shell just passed over him. 'A miss,' thought he, 'is as good as a mile;'
but he said, after such a warning, he kept one eye upon the enemy.
"The rude fortification was soon completed, and served as a shelter till
night, when the American troops silently departed. Taking to their
boats, the next day they reached the Isle Aux Noix?"
William. "Is not that a French name?"
Gen. P. "Yes; my son--a name given to the Island, while the French had
possession of it. Do you know where it lies?"
William. "It is a small island, near the northern extremity of Lake

Champlain."
Gen. P. "Right. It is pronounced Eel-o-nwar; and