A Soldier of Virginia by Burton Egbert Stevenson
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A SOLDIER OF VIRGINIA
A TALE OF COLONEL WASHINGTON AND BRADDOCK'S DEFEAT
BY BURTON EGBERT STEVENSON
1901
TO THE MEMORY OF THE GALLANT MEN WHO FELL WITH DUST OF FAILURE BITTER ON THEIR LIPS THAT OTHERS MIGHT BE TAUGHT THE LESSON OF THE WILDERNESS
CONTENTS
I. LIEUTENANT ALLEN GROWS INSULTING
II. THE STORY OF FONTENOY
III. IN WHICH I INTRODUCE MYSELF
IV. THE ENDING OF THE HONEYMOON
V. THE SECRET OF A HEART
VI. I AM TREATED TO A SURPRISE
VII. I DECIDE TO BE A SOLDIER
VIII. A RIDE TO WILLIAMSBURG
IX. MY FIRST TASTE OF WARFARE
X. THE FRENCH SCORE FIRST
XI. DREAM DAYS AT RIVERVIEW
XII. DOROTHY MAKES HER CHOICE
XIII. LIEUTENANT ALLEN SHOWS HIS SKILL
XIV. I CHANCE UPON A TRAGEDY
XV. WE START ON A WEARY JOURNEY
XVI. THE END IN SIGHT
XVII. THE LESSON OF THE WILDERNESS
XVIII. DEFEAT BECOMES DISHONOR
XIX. ALLEN AND I SHAKE HANDS
XX. BRADDOCK PAYS THE PRICE
XXI. VIRGINIA BIDS US WELCOME
XXII. A NEW DANGER AT RIVERVIEW
XXIII. THE GOVERNOR SHOWS HIS GRATITUDE
XXIV. A WARNING FROM THE FOREST
XXV. I FIND MYSELF IN A DELICATE SITUATION
XXVI. A DESPERATE DEFENSE
XXVII. I COME INTO MY OWN
XXVIII. AND SO, GOOD-BY
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"I DO NOT LOVE HIM, TOM"
"FOR SHAME, GENTLEMEN!"
"STEWART, LISTEN!"
THE SAVAGES POURED OVEB THE THRESHOLD
A SOLDIER OF VIRGINIA
CHAPTER I
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Soldier of Virginia by Burton Egbert Stevenson
- 2: And Allen laughed an insulting laugh
- 3: Upon this Allen fell to cursing again
- 4: And Preston turned back to Allen
- 5: And Allen looked over my shoulder with a curse
- 6: And swore that Allen should yet pay dearly
- 7: I turned and glanced again at the sentries
- 8: Trying in vain to keep their powder dry
- 9: And the Coldstreams still advanced
- 10: We went direct to Williamsburg
- 11: How did you leave them all at Riverview
- 12: He made his way back to Kincardine
- 13: It was this daughter who named the estate Riverview
- 14: They were those of Mistress Patricia Wyeth
- 15: Nor did he greatly regret Riverview
- 16: Except that oftentimes they spoke of me
- 17: He applied the duty thus enjoined to the Fontaine family
- 18: Fontaine before and we after them
- 19: Sir Godfrey Kneller painted him and Miss Evelyn
- 20: It was just after my tenth birthday
- 21: You mean you have gambled it away
- 22: The whispering and sobbing came suddenly to an end
- 23: I heard her voice ask in a moment
- 24: But the sobs would come in spite of me
- 25: Fontaine took charge of our affairs
- 26: Saith the Lord he that believeth in me
- 27: Despite the wild behavior which marred his later clays
- 28: And my father's conduct was never ungentlemanly
- 29: At the time I came to Riverview
- 30: Gump stared at me in astonishment
- 31: So lonely was my life at Riverview
- 32: You look as though you saw a ghost
- 33: To think that you should be Dorothy
- 34: And I'll wager that when you come to live at Riverview
- 35: Hoping doubtless to distract my thoughts
- 36: Dorothy standing by with eyes demurely downcast
- 37: Washington receiving me very kindly
- 38: The day came when we were to leave Williamsburg
- 39: Pass his rapier neatly through it as it shot down past him
- 40: They reached Venango on Christmas Day
- 41: And Governor Dinwiddie stumbled toward us
- 42: But when Dinwiddie raised his eyes
- 43: There was Ensign Carolus Gustavus de Spiltdorph
- 44: The courier slipped from his horse
- 45: Trent himself met cold welcome
- 46: This man is Ensign Marie Drouillon
- 47: Admirably suited for intrenchment
- 48: Colonel Washington left half of his personal baggage behind
- 49: As he tumbled over the breastwork
- 50: And we sent a volley full into them
- 51: For I had come to love Peyronie dearly
- 52: Vanbraam read them aloud by the light of a flickering candle
- 53: Captain Mackay and his men remained at Winchester
- 54: There sat Dorothy in a dainty gown of Covent Garden calico
- 55: I would read Dorothy some bits of Mr
- 56: Because he had his commission from the crown
- 57: Of whom many now came to Mount Vernon
- 58: For one day there came riding up to Riverview Mr
- 59: And that the next earthquake would swallow up the whole town
- 60: Newton has promised me to overlook your behavior
- 61: I could no longer stay at Riverview
- 62: On what income will you support her
- 63: Which brings me back again to the camp at Winchester
- 64: Colonel Marsh had stopped one day at Riverview
- 65: One of the best known of the traders
- 66: For a moment Washington said nothing
- 67: Found in Captain Polson's company John Langlade
- 68: Langlade pressed his lips together
- 69: Franklin and the Philadelphia Assembly
- 70: Spiltdorph and myself crossed the creek on the bridge
- 71: And I tripped up Spiltdorph beside me
- 72: Spiltdorph sadly shook his head
- 73: Said Spiltdorph to the stranger
- 74: Lieutenant Colonel Burton with the independent companies
- 75: Peyronie laughed louder than ever
- 76: Peyronie smiled more blandly than ever
- 77: And killed and scalped a straggler now and then
- 78: Captain Orme looked at me quickly
- 79: Both French and Indians had been present
- 80: All the next day we remained at Thicketty Run
- 81: We were to ford the Monongahela at Crooked Run
- 82: And lay down beside Spiltdorph
- 83: Four thousand feet moving to the drum tap
- 84: The underbrush became more dense
- 85: I saw that Spiltdorph was not with us
- 86: Hotter and hotter grew the fire
- 87: And ran past Burton with upraised sword
- 88: When the mob of regulars became a mere frenzied rabble
- 89: A tumbrel drawn by two maddened horses dashed by
- 90: And Orme jumped down beside him
- 91: But who were not placed on sentry duty
- 92: And among them I saw Lieutenant Allen
- 93: Where their manoeuvres count for nothing
- 94: Contrecoeur granted the request with great reluctance
- 95: And as Beaujeu gave the signal
- 96: At his heels came other teamsters
- 97: That his valor might have counted
- 98: To see this gallant man lying there
- 99: Orme turned away for a moment to master his emotion
- 100: The speaker was Colonel Henry Innes
- 101: Washington smiled disdainfully
- 102: Colonel Washington and Lieutenant Stewart
- 103: Colonel Washington was much better next morning
- 104: And how is everything at Riverview
- 105: I had no reason to wish Polete any harm
- 106: And was confined alone to Riverview
- 107: Polete will hold a meeting to night over there in the woods
- 108: A brace of pistols would avail nothing against that mob
- 109: Ouh freedom an' plenty lan' t' lib on
- 110: And I saw them eyeing Polete distrustfully
- 111: And I caught him by the collar and pulled him to his feet
- 112: The House of Burgesses has just met
- 113: They roamed the forest for miles around
- 114: Not till then did I believe it was Polete
- 115: Reckon it's all obah wid ole Polete
- 116: And I rubbed my eyes in bewilderment
- 117: Whom I sent to the negro quarters to bring reinforcements
- 118: Brightson and I looked over the collection
- 119: When a call from Brightson startled me
- 120: And rejoined Brightson at his loophole
- 121: And hastened back to Brightson
- 122: I heard Brightson mutter to himself
- 123: And I glanced at Brightson where he sat
- 124: And there entered who but Dorothy
- 125: And I called aloud for Dorothy
- 126: Dorothy had left me alone a moment with my thoughts
- 127: Far dearer than a hundred Riverviews