The Deserter: A Romance of the American Revolution, Chapters VIII-IX [pp. 726-732]

SOUTHERN LITERARY MESSENGER.
the will of their Creator. Crime had no hand in their
poverty.
Birdsall made a thousand assertions derogatory to
his rival; but mere assertions, particularly when invented by interested meanness, prove nothing.
But why was Colonel Brookville or his pampered favorite proud? Had they a right? No. Truth would
find it as hard to answer that question in their favor as
the previous one, against Champe's.
"Why were they proud? Because their marble founts
Gushed with more pride than do a wretch's tears?
Why were they proud? Because fair orange mounts
Were of more soft ascent than lazar-stairs?
Why were they proud? Because red-lined accounts
Were richer than the songs of Grecian years?
Why wer, they proud? again, we ask aloud,
Why, in the name of glory, were they proud?"*
As Colonel Brookville's health amended, that of his
daughter's evidently declined. She did not, however,
confine herself to her room —she would stot; she had
been deeply, and, as she thought, wantonly injured;
and her wounded womanly pride would not yield. But
her cheek, with every passing day, grew paler; the
interesting pensiveness of her beautiful eye of blue
had sunk into an expression of dejection; and her
hitherto elastic step became faint and lingering. Any,
but sordid self-interested witnesses-even the deserter
himself would have decided that her hopes were blighlted, and that her days of joy were past. Her mother
was alarmed, and though she had heretofore been mute
on the subject, fearing the displeasure of her husband,
and disapproving of her daughter's preference for
Champe,-now boldly interceded, and besought the
Colonel not to force her to wed Birdsall.
But Brookville grew angry, stormed, decided that
Loudoun county was too dull a winter's residence for
his daughter, whose malady he said required change of
scene more than anything else; and forthwith made
preparations for removing to Richmotnd.
Thither they accordingly went. The Christmas
holydays were spent there in the gaiety of the townincreased in consequence of the legislature being in
session at that period; but ere the festivities of NewYear were ended, a sudden check was opposed to all
enjoyment. The traitor.rnold had resumed his activity
in the service of his new master. His undeniably superior talents were displayed on a new theatre. He had
made his famous descent upon Virginia! He was within
a short distance of the seat of goveirnment! Confusion
ensued; and flight was the order of the day. Even
the governor (Jefferson) was obliged to flee for personal
safety and narrowly escaped.
Then commenced those scenes of devastation and
rapine-of indiscriminate destruction of property, both
public and private-that ended only with the stay of
the mighty Lost One in Virginia: proving at once the
debased state of the mind of him who had raised his
arm against his country, and the great talent that ena bled him with so small a force as he commanded, to com mit a series of bold depredations upon the strongest
state in the infant Union.
Among those who fled from Richmond on his approach,
were Colonel Brookville and his family. Like many
others they retired from one place to another, scarcely
*Keats.
knowing-so rapid were the movements of the Britishl Brigadier —whither to flee for safety. At length
they tookl up their residence at Petersburg, the Colonel
preferring merely to keep out of the way of the enemy
until tranquillity might be restored to that section of
the country, rather than return to his villa, for which,
since he had left it, his dislike had been greatly strengthened. Added to this, he wished, if possible, to preserve
some property he possessed in that part of the state
from the marauders-for neither Arnold, or General
Philips, who afterwards took the command, deserve a
better title. But his belief, that the British would, in
order to secure a retreat when necessary, confine their
operations to the banks of James river, was erroneous.
After joining and superseding Arnold, Philips had
been instructed by Cornwallis, now advancing from
the south, to join him with his whole force at Petersburg: but as the Baron Steuben attempted to prevent
him from entering the latter place, Colonel Brookville
did not remove from it at the first intimation of the
approach of the British. Steuben, however, soon found
that all the resistance he had it in his power to offer
would be ineffectual; and Philips entered the town
that he at least, was never to leave alive,* successful as
was his every act in Virginia.
It was in a narrow road leading from this place that
Colonel Brookville's carriage was overtaken, and he
and Mr. Birdsall unceremoniously taken from it and
sent hack as prisoners, while their captors seized every thing it was practicable to carry off, not excepting the
horses; leaving the females of the party to take care
of themselves.
In this situation, they would have followed the cap tives; but the number of troops that now poured out
of the town, in pursuit of those who were to have op posed them, rendered this step impossible. On the
contrary, a compact body of the cavalry now entered
the road in which they were, compelling them to seek
safety in fleeing before them, or in adopting the alterna tive of crossing the fence at the roadside-and flying
through the fields.
The latter method, was, however, scarcely practica ble; for the fences were high-and the horse came
rapidly on, in a column that filled the road from side to
side; and, if they attempted to climb the rails, would
overtake them before they could accomplish their de sign. On the other hand, they must necessarily soon
be overtaken if they went on; and, after nearly ex hausting their strength in the violent exertion to escape
in the latter manner, they with great difficulty got
into the fields-half breathless through fatigue and
apprehension.
Intent upon their object, the horsemen passed swiftly
on, without heeding them; but still their return was
prevented by the appearance of other troops, who had
by this time left Petersburg; particularly some infantry,
who now deployed along the road through which the
dragoons had just passed. They then endeavored to
return to Petersburg by taking a course through the
fields; but were again disappointed, as the fence was
by this time thrown down in several places; and par ties of stragglers, dismissed from duty and already
beginning to feel the effects of the liquor they had
*The British General died of a fever, ten days after entering
Petersburg in triumph.
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