Heemskerk was sanguine.
"Something will be done this time," he said. "Word has come from
the great commander that the Iroquois must be crushed. The
thousands who have fallen must be avenged, and this great fire
along our border must be stopped. If it cannot be done, then we
perish. We have old tales in my own country of the cruel deeds
that the Spaniards did long, long ago, but they were not worse
than have been done here."
The five made no response, but the mind of every one of them
traveled back to Wyoming and all that they had seen there, and
the scars and traces of many more tragedies.
They reached the camp on Lake Otsego the next day, and Henry saw
that all they had heard was true. The most formidable force that
they had ever seen was gathering. There were many companies in
the Continental buff and blue, epauletted officers, bayonets and
cannon. The camp was full of life, energy, and hope, and the
five at once felt the influence of it. They found here old
friends whom they had known in the march on Oghwaga, William
Gray, young Taylor, and others, and they were made very welcome.
They were presented to General James Clinton, then in charge,
received roving commissions as scouts and hunters, and with
Heemskerk and the two celebrated borderers, Timothy Murphy and
David Elerson, they roamed the forest in a great circle about the
lake, bringing much valuable information about the movements of
the enemy, who in their turn were gathering in force, while the
royal authorities were dispatching both Indians and white men
from Canada to help them.
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