History of Barton Landing

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Excerpt from History of Barton Landing: An Address Read Before the Orleans County Historical Society August 27, 1892 They were told first, that they were to pre serve the strictest order, second, not to have the least idea of plunder, third, to observe the most profound silence, and fourth, to take no Spiritous liquors with them. He then most earnestly commended all to the protection of Him who is the disposer of all events. In the forward boat Col. Barton posted himself with a pole ten feet long and a handkerchief attached to the end, so that his boat might be known. They passed three British frigates and so near that they heard the sentinel's cry of all is well. By skillful maneuvering he eluded observation and gained the shore. He left a man to guard each boat and dividing his party into five divisions. Marched to the house which was one mile distant. Silently and cautiously they reached the house, Quam. The negro body servant kept close in the track of his master Conceive the situation at a short distance was a body guard, and the Bay was lined with British ships. The British senti nel to his surprise found his arms pinioned to his side, his musket seized and himself in a stern voice threatened with instant death if he made the least noise. Learning from the affrighted guard the situation of the British General's room, after having placed his men to guard against an escape. Col. Barton with his negro servant reached the door which was fastened, the negro whose head was hard as a cannon ball made one plunge, and burst through the door, Col. Barton sword in hand rushed into the room and perceiving a person sitting on the side of the bed, rubbing his eyes, clapped his hand on his shoulder and asked if he was General Prescott and receiv ing answer that he was, told him that he was a prisoner and must go immediately with him. The British General demurred somewhat, andon the repetition 01 a sterner command to start immediately, somewhat hastily inquired, my God, Sir, must I go naked? Was again required to go, and in his night clothing, he tramped barefooted to the shore. The march to the boats was a hasty one, and the phrase that there is but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous was well illustrated. The British General was marched between Col. Barton and a Captain, with an arm around the neck and shoulder of each of his attendant guards, on the way to the boats they had to pass through a patch of blackberry bushes, which scratched his aristocratic legs, and as the sharp thornes in a democratic way drew patrician blood the haughty General made streuous efforts to rise higher between his at tendants, and looked about as if meditating an attempt for liberty, but the command of silence reiterated in a loud stern voice, and a h. Sty glance at the keen determined eyes of the Continental Colonel, accompanied with the ¿ashing of a drawn sword in the hands of a cool, determined o¿icer, convinced the cap tared General that discretion was the better part of valor and additional proof, if any was needed. Was furnished in the resolute be Thus did they cross. And march away, havior of his captors, one of whom, pistol in Where Prescott's hosts encamped lay. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully, any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.