Prev | Current Page 323 | Next

Altsheler, Joseph A. (Joseph Alexander), 1862-1919

"The Scouts of the Valley"

Henry had already seen
enough to know the immense value of enthusiasm, and the little
army full of zeal would accomplish much if the chance came.
Besides the young captain, William Gray, there was a lieutenant
named Taylor, who had been in the battle at Wyoming, but who had
escaped the massacre. The five had not met him there, but the
common share in so great a tragedy proved a tie between them.
Taylor's name was Robert, but all the other officers, and some of
the men for that matter, who had known him in childhood called
him Bob. He was but little older than Henry, and his earlier
youth, before removal to Wyoming, had been passed in Connecticut,
a country that was to the colonials thickly populated and
containing great towns, such as Hartford and New Haven.
A third close friend whom they soon found was a man unlike any
other that they had ever seen. His name was Cornelius Heemskerk.
Holland was his birthplace, but America was his nation. He was
short and extremely fat, but he had an agility that amazed the
five when they first saw it displayed. He talked much, and his
words sounded like grumbles, but the unctuous tone and the smile
that accompanied them indicated to the contrary.


Pages:
311 312 313 314 315 316 317 318 319 320 321 322 323 324 325 326 327 328 329 330 331 332 333 334 335