登陆注册
5633100000037

第37章

THE PROVINCIAL MUSTER.

"WILLIAM SHIRLEY," said Grandfather, "had come from England a few years before, and begun to practise law in Boston. You will think, perhaps, that, as he had been a lawyer, the new governor used to sit in our great chair reading heavy law-books from morning till night. On the contrary, he was as stirring and active a governor as Massachusetts ever had. Even Sir William Phips hardly equalled him. The first year or two of his administration was spent in trying to regulate the currency. But in 1744, after a peace of more than thirty years, war broke out between France and England.""And I suppose," said Charley, "the governor went to take Canada.""Not exactly, Charley," said Grandfather;" though you have made a pretty shrewd conjecture. He planned, in 1745, an expedition against Louisburg.

This was a fortified city, on the island of Cape Breton, near Nova Scotia. Its walls were of immense height and strength, and were defended by hundreds of heavy cannon. It was the strongest fortress which the French possessed in America; and if the king of France had guessed Governor Shirley's intentions, he would have sent all the ships he could muster to protect it."As the siege of Louisburg was one of the most remarkable events that ever the inhabitants of New England were engaged in, Grandfather endeavored to give his auditors a lively idea of the spirit with which they set about it. We shall call his description The Provincial Muster.

The expedition against Louisburg first began to be thought of in the month of January. From that time the governor's chair was continually surrounded by councillors, representatives, clergymen, captains, pilots, and all manner of people, with whom he consulted about this wonderful project.

First of all, it was necessary to provide men and arms. The Legislature immediately sent out a huge quantity of paper-money, with which, as if by magic spell, the governor hoped to get possession of all the old cannon, powder and balls, rusty swords and muskets, and everything else that would be serviceable in killing Frenchmen. Drums were beaten in all the villages of Massachusetts to enlist soldiers for the service.

Messages were sent to the other governors of New England, and to New York and Pennsylvania, entreating them to unite in this crusade against the French. All these provinces agreed to give what assistance they could.

But there was one very important thing to be decided. Who shall be the general of this great army? Peace had continued such an unusual length of time that there was now less military experience among the colonists than at any former period. The old Puritans had always kept their weapons bright, and were never destitute of warlike captains who were skilful in assault or defence. But the swords of their descendents had grown rusty by disuse. There was nobody in New England that knew anything about sieges or any other regular fighting. The only persons at all acquainted with warlike business were a few elderly men, who had hunted Indians through the underbrush of the forest in old Governor Dummer's War.

In this dilemma Governor Shirley fixed upon a wealthy merchant, named William Pepperell, who was pretty well known and liked among the people.

As to military skill, he had no more of it than his neighbors. But, as the governor urged him very pressingly, Mr. Pepperell consented to shut up his ledger, gird on a sword, and assume the title of general.

Meantime, what a hubbub was raised by this scheme! Rub-a-dub-dub! rub-a-dub-dub! The rattle of drums, beaten out of all manner of time, was heard above every other sound.

Nothing now was so valuable as arms, of whatever style and fashion they might be. The bellows blew, and the hammer clanged continually upon the anvil, while the blacksmiths were repairing the broken weapons of other wars. Doubtless some of the soldiers lugged out those enormous, heavy muskets which used to be fired, with rests, in the time of the early Puritans. Great horse-pistols, too, were found, which would go off with a bang like a cannon. Old cannon, with touchholes almost as big as their muzzles, were looked upon as inestimable treasures. Pikes which, perhaps, had been handled by Miles Standish's soldiers, now made their appearance again. Many a young man ransacked the garret and brought forth his great-grandfather's sword, corroded with rust and stained with the blood of King Philip's War.

Never had there been such an arming as this, when a people, so long peaceful, rose to the war with the best weapons that they could lay their hands upon. And still the drums were heard--rub-a-dub-dub! rub-a-dub-dub!--in all the towns and villages; and louder and more numerous grew the trampling footsteps of the recruits that marched behind.

And now the army began to gather into Boston. Tan, lanky, awkward fellows came in squads, and companies, and regiments, swaggering along, dressed in their brown homespun clothes and blue yarn stockings. They stooped as if they still had hold of the plough-handles, and marched without any time or tune. Hither they came, from the cornfields, from the clearing in the forest, from the blacksmith's forge, from the carpenter's workshop, and from the shoemaker's seat. They were an army of rough faces and sturdy frames. A trained officer of Europe would have laughed at them till his sides had ached. But there was a spirit in their bosoms which is more essential to soldiership than to wear red coats and march in stately ranks to the sound of regular music.

Still was heard the beat of the drum,- rub-a-dub-dub! And now a host of three or four thousand men had found their way to Boston. Little quiet was there then! Forth scampered the school-boys, shouting behind the drums. The whole town, the whole land, was on fire with war.

同类推荐
  • 谷山笔麈

    谷山笔麈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson

    Anecdotes of the late Samuel Johnson

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 英吉沙尔厅乡土志

    英吉沙尔厅乡土志

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 六菩萨名亦当诵持经

    六菩萨名亦当诵持经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道德真经义解

    道德真经义解

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • Revolution and Counter-Revolution

    Revolution and Counter-Revolution

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 婚然心动,首席刻骨爱

    婚然心动,首席刻骨爱

    【新文《男神挚爱,天后很迷人》求收藏,已经更新了哦!】陆宸修,B市名媛争相追逐的黄金单身汉,外界盛传他还是处/男,只爱江山和男人!夏昕,时尚杂志社编辑,追求者无数,可她都视若无睹,直到意外再次遇见了陆宸修!而一场有预谋的车祸却将他们硬生生分离!再见面,她和别的男人正在举行订婚,他上前夺过钻石戒指并将它踩在脚下,笑得一脸冰冷,“夏昕,你别忘了,我们还没离婚呢!你这是想犯重婚罪?!”“陆总,你在说什么?难道我们之前认识?”他步步为营,只为帮她恢复记忆!当她记忆恢复后,却意外得知了自己的身世之谜!原来她的亲生父亲居然是…——————————————————————————陆宸修,“时间真的是一场很美丽的轮回,它让我更加看清楚了自己的心!”夏昕,“我对你的爱,只会随时间的推移变得越发浓烈!”PS:这是一篇腹黑暖男陆宸修VS夏昕的甜蜜暖心爱情故事…
  • 最后一片净土

    最后一片净土

    混在娱乐圈的初中,面对里面的尔虞我诈如何坐到面面俱到,而只是个小助理的她,又如何得到明星们的青睐,爱好创作的她究竟会不会成为娱乐圈里的一名大将?而面对自己的感情生活,她会怎么样?
  • 神迟

    神迟

    一场盛典,令无数强者角逐,掀起血雨腥风!一段恩怨,让木野重归故地,只为父母清白!阴谋与谎言背后,隐藏着什么?木野跌入漩涡,凭一副完美残躯,逆流而上!鲜血铸通途,浴战火,谱史诗。尘封的真相就此揭开,等待着他的,将是光与影的抉择。木野冷面向天,静待诸神降临。
  • 穿越之腹黑王爷倾城妃

    穿越之腹黑王爷倾城妃

    一朝穿越,她是相府千金,却要嫁给一个落魄的王爷。那门、那窗、那……这还是人呆的地方吗!!!
  • 狼的孩子雨和雪

    狼的孩子雨和雪

    本书是日本著名动画导演细田守首部原创小说,根据其动画电影《狼的孩子雨和雪》改编而成。《狼的孩子雨和雪》是细田守于2012年推出的作品,在日本上映时备受好评,创下40亿日元票房的佳绩。该片荣获第16届日本文化厅媒体艺术节优秀动画奖、第34届横滨电影节评委会特别奖、第36届日本电影学院奖最佳动画电影奖等多项大奖。故事讲述了大学生花爱上了以人的外貌生活的“狼人男子”,两人相爱并有了爱情结晶,分别起名为“雪”和“雨”的姐弟俩有着不为人知的秘密——作为狼人后代的他们自出生起便同时拥有人和狼两副模样。原本在城市一角安静生活的一家四口,突然遭遇父亲——“狼人男子”的离世,失去爱人的花决定带着姐弟俩搬到远离城市的小山村居住。可是,如何独力抚养狼人的孩子们健康成长、如何面对人与狼血统的身份认同问题?花付出了太多的泪水与汗水,而渐渐长大的“雨”和“雪”到底要如何选择自己的人生?
  • 转生为猫

    转生为猫

    人生苦短,在吴小威看来亦是如此,告别人世的他,已经厌倦了碌碌无为的一生。儿子不孝以及妻子的抛弃,更让他觉得做人没意思。在阴间做投胎选择时,他选择了成为一只猫。不过,变成猫却依然有很多的坎坷等待着他。
  • 兽妃难驯:邪王请接招

    兽妃难驯:邪王请接招

    她,23世纪的金牌驯兽师,却一朝穿越成为都尉府痴傻嫡女凤离忧的身上。坏境还没熟悉过来就被许配给冰山面瘫靖王,独守空房还守来狠厉刺客,恶毒婆婆阴招不断,尼玛,她只是想好好的活着啊,不料宫斗与家斗频频袭来,各种阴谋与阳谋慕名而涌……【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 凤傲九天之世子妃狠蠢萌

    凤傲九天之世子妃狠蠢萌

    女主就是二十一世纪的一枚国家运动员兼吃货,有一天突然发生意外穿越了,成了丞相嫡女,一个月黑风高的夜晚,她去追小偷,一个男的突然冲出来,因为一场意外不小心劫了她的色……更悲催的是,她居然不知道那男的是谁?算了,失忆得了,于是她开启“失忆”之旅。接着,她又邂逅了帅帅哒世子,就住在她家对面,又冷又帅的世子爷经常做出让她误会的事情,让她怦然心动……一枚吃货女穿越到古代与清冷世子的爱恋,是喜是忧?文内揭晓。推荐我的其它文《第99封情书:倒追校草大人》、《重生傲娇妻:总裁大人,我错了》
  • 老子能无限召唤

    老子能无限召唤

    这是一个充满尔虞我诈的游戏世界,无时无刻都上演着财富与权力的争夺,强者生,弱者死,可当伴随着他的穿越到来,一切竟悄然改变…叶辰:竟然有人敢他妈动老子的城池?鸣人大哥,出去搓个大玉螺旋丸招待一下!片刻过后,只见城池外一片狼烟…叶辰:哪个不长眼的家伙敢他妈招惹老子公会?桐人大哥,出去耍个星爆气流斩伺候一下!片刻过后,只见公会大厅一片狼藉…叶辰:什么玩意?八大公会竟然合并为百万雄狮准备取我首级?琦玉老师,麻烦您嘞!片刻过后,只见战场上尸骨无存…一时间,整个游戏世界风起云涌,哀嚎声不绝于耳:“这他妈是哪来的变态召唤师?”