The fort and its enclosures were soon
filled with the sounds of preparation, and the little army was
formed rapidly.
"We will fight by your side, of course," said Henry, "but we
wish to serve on the flank as an independent band. We can be of
more service in that manner."
The colonel thanked them gratefully.
"Act as you think best," he said.
The five stood near one of the gates, while the little force
formed in ranks. Almost for the first time they were gloomy upon
going into battle. They had seen the strength of that army of
Indians, renegades, Tories, Canadians, and English advancing
under the banner of England, and they knew the power and
fanaticism of the Indian leaders. They believed that the
terrible Queen Esther, tomahawk in hand, had continually chanted
to them her songs of blood as they came down the river. It was
now the third of July, and valley and river were beautiful in the
golden sunlight. The foliage showed vivid and deep green on
either line of high hills. The summer sun had never shown more
kindly over the lovely valley.
The time was now three o'clock. The gates of the fort were
thrown open, and the little army marched out, only three hundred,
of whom seventy were old men, or boys so young that in our day
they would be called children.
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