emain with the boats, instead of
acting as spy, and nothing save the fact that Joshua Barney had placed
him second in command could have kept him at Pig Point when it seemed
to him that he might be able to accomplish much elsewhere.

When the first of those who had been sent down stream returned, I also
began to feel uneasy in mind. The report came that the entire force of
Britishers was embarking on barges and small boats, with half a dozen
6-pounders and as many mortars, which showed that it was expected we
would make some resistance, and it angered me to hear the men talking
as if we were to do no more than set the flotilla on fire when the
enemy hove in sight.

"It seems to me that we might worry them some," I said to Darius, when
he had spoken in much the same tone as the others. "Forty or fifty men
posted along the shores would make them a little trouble, I reckon."

"Ay, lad, an' effect about as much as so many wasps. We might shoot
down a few men; but could not even delay the advance, an' what would
be gained? Their five thousand soldiers would make it mighty warm for
our people on the shore, an' when it came to killin', I'm thinkin'
they'd be able to do the most execution."

Before he ceased speaking I understood how foolish had been my words;
but I was burning with such a desire to inflict some injury upon
those to whose account could be laid the destruction of our property,
that I was not really responsible for the speech.

It was on the evening of the day when Joshua Barney left us, that I
began to be sensible of the suspense in which one would necessarily be
at such a time. If the enemy came upon us suddenly, it might be
possible for them to capture all hands of us, as well as carry away
the boats, and this last would be considered more of a disaster than
the first.

Twenty of our men were posted at different points on both sides of the
stream to act as sentinels, and the remainder distributed among the
fleet in such a manner that the flames could be started in very short
order.

Neither Lieutenant Frazier nor Darius proposed to turn in on this
night. They were to keep on the move from one sentinel to another, in
order to make certain each man was doing his duty, and we lads were
ordered to have a meal prepared for them at midnight.

Shortly after sunset another of our people came up the river with the
report that a portion of the enemy's force had started and it began to
seem as if a night attack