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The Life of General Francis Marion-Part8_M.L.Weems(1759-1825)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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to her soul, as if she would have pressed him to death, she cried out --



"O praise! praise! praise God for ever! my son has a father yet!"

Then wildly darting round her eyes in quest of her deliverers, she exclaimed,



"Where! where are those blessed angels that God sent to save my husband?"

Directing her eyes to Jasper and Newton, where they stood



like two youthful Samsons, in the full flowing of their locks,

she ran and fell on her knees before them, and seizing their hands,



kissed and pressed them to her bosom, crying out vehemently,

"Dear angels! dear angels! God bless you! God Almighty bless you for ever!"



Then instantly, for fear of being overtaken by the enemy,

our heroes snatched the arms and regimentals of the slain,



and with their friends and captive foes, recrossed the Savannah,

and in safety rejoined our army at Purysburgh, to the inexpressible



astonishment and joy of us all.

Chapter 8.



The count D'Estang, with the French fleet, arrives to attack Savannah --

our army marches and joins him -- fatal effects of D'Estang's politeness --



biographical dash of young colonel Laurens -- curious dialogue

betwixt him and the French general -- unsuccessful attack on Savannah --



the brave Jasper mortally wounded -- is visited by the author

in his last moments -- interesting conversation --



dies like a Christian soldier.

Could the wishes of our army have availed, those gallant soldiers,



(Jasper and Newton) would long have lived to enjoy their past,

and to win fresh laurels. But alas! the former of them,



the heroic Jasper, was soon led, like a young lion, to an evil net.

The mournful story of his death, with heavy heart I now relate.



Scarcely had he returned from Georgia, laden, as aforesaid, with glory,

when an express came into camp, and informed that the count D'Estang



was arrived off Tybee. Instantly we struck our tents and marched

for the siege of Savannah. On arriving near that fatal place, we found



that the French troops, with their cannon and mortars, had just come up.

Oh! had we but advanced at once to the attack, as became skilful soldiers,



we should have carried every thing before us. The frighted garrison

would have hauled down their colors without firing a shot.



This I am warranted to say by the declaration of numbers of their officers,

who afterwards fell into our hands. But in place of an immediate



`coup de main', the courtly D'Estang sent a flag, very politely

inviting the town to do him the extreme honor of receiving their surrender.



The British commander was not much behindhand with the count

in the article of politeness, for he also returned a flag



with his compliments, and requested to be permitted four and twenty hours

to think of the matter.



If the ASKING such a favor was extraordinary, what must the GRANTING of it

have been? But the accomplished D'Estang was fully equal to such douceurs



for he actually allowed the enemy four and twenty hours

to think of surrendering!



But instead of THINKING, like simpletons, they fell to ENTRENCHING,

like brave soldiers. And being joined that very day by colonel Maitland



from Beaufort, with a regiment of Highlanders, and assisted by

swarms of negroes, decoyed from their masters under promise of freedom,



they pushed on their works with great rapidity. According to

the report of our troops who were encamped nearest to them,



nothing was heard all that night, but the huzzas of the soldiers,

the lashes of cow-hides, and the cries of negroes.



I never beheld Marion in so great a passion. I was actually afraid

he would have broke out on general Lincoln. "My God!" he exclaimed,



"who ever heard of any thing like this before! -- first allow an enemy

to entrench, and then fight him!! See the destruction brought upon



the British at Bunker's Hill! and yet our troops there were only militia!

raw, half-armed clodhoppers! and not a mortar, nor carronade,



nor even a swivel -- but only their ducking guns!

"What then are we to expect from regulars -- completely armed



with a choice train of artillery, and covered by a breast-work!

For my own part, when I look upon my brave fellows around me,



it wrings me to the heart, to think how near most of them are

to their bloody graves."



In fact, Marion was so outrageous, as indeed were all of us,

that we at length begged colonel Laurens to speak to the count D'Estang.



And here I must beg the reader's pardon a moment, while I inform him

that this colonel Laurens (son of President Laurens) was a very extraordinary



young Carolinian.

On a trip to London, he fell in love with, and married



a celebrated belle of that city. It would seem that he was very much taken




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