University of Virginia Library

16. How the Boys fought the Privateersmen
BY JOHN FONTAINE (1708)

ABOUT two o'clock in the afternoon, they accomplished making a breach in the wall of this same northeast tower. We could see them at work with iron bars. While they were so engaged my children fired upon them. They formed a sort of rampart with a mattress on the top of a large basket, such as is used in the country for carrying peat. They knelt behind this rampart, and fired as fast as they could one after the other, without daring to show their noses.

The enemy still continued at work with their long poles and firebrands endeavoring to set the roof on fire. When the smoke had subsided a little, I hit upon a position from which I could see to take aim at their hands, as they raised them above their intrenchment to guide the poles.

I fired, and I thought I hit them, but as they still persevered in their work I began to think it probable that I had not put a sufficient charge in the piece, so when I loaded again I put in a double quantity of powder. I had no sooner loaded than I had the opportunity of aiming at a hand I saw raised. I fired, but my piece was overloaded, and it burst, by which unfortunate accident I was thrown down with much violence. Three of my ribs and my right collar-bone were broken, and the flesh of my right hand was much torn. I was so completely stunned that I had no power to move, or even to breathe for some seconds.

My wife saw me fall, and she naturally concluded

I had been struck by a ball from the enemy. She ran to my assistance, and raised me up without making any noise whatever. As soon as I was able to articulate, I told her how it had happened. After I was prostrated, my dearest wife assumed the command. She had an eye to every thing. She went round to furnish ammunition as it was required, and she gave courage as well by her exhortations as by her example.

My sons defended the breach by an incessant fire from behind their mattress rampart. At last, a grenade was thrown in at the breach, which ran under the basket. It overturned the whole affair, but without doing any harm, thanks be to God, except giving the boys a fright which made them abandon their post; but only for a very short time.

One of them ran to me, in great dismay, to tell me that the hole was as large as any door, and that the enemy were entering by it. The other boys were still firing from the dormer windows.

I immediately rose from my bed, and asked them to give me a pistol ready. cocked and loaded, which I took in my left hand, the right being useless. I called my family around me, and I said to them, "I see, my dear children, that we must be overpowered by the great number of those who are attacking us. It is inevitable; but we will not stand quietly to be killed like dogs. Let us rather sell our lives dearly, and die like lions." I was advancing towards the breach while I said these words.

As soon as I had done speaking, my poor boys re-entered the room, and took up their old position without a word or a gesture indicative of fear. They replaced their basket and mattress, exposed to the fire of more than ten muskets. It was, indeed, a melancholy

sight! At the same time, I was gratified with their display of unflinching courage. Blessed be thou, O my God! who preserved them from injury amid such a shower of balls.

When they resumed the fire, the enemy retreated from the breach, and did not dare to show their heads, or even their hands. This caused all their fire to be thrown away; for, by not raising the butt-end of their muskets, they carried too high, and the shot went far above us every time. Seeing that we did not give way in the least, they began to tire of our obstinate resistance. They might possibly have heard me speak to the children, and it is very certain they overrated our force extremely. From the constant fire in all directions, as well as upon the main point of attack, they concluded that we must have at least twenty men. They called out to us to surrender, and they would give us good quarter.

I held a conversation with my wife and children, and we determined, at any rate, to hear what terms they offered. The firing was stopped on both sides, and I advanced to the breach to hold parley with them. One of the lieutenants came forward and took aim at me. My second son, Peter, saw what he was about, before I observed him. He immediately caught hold of me and drew me to one side, barely in time to save me from being the victim of their treachery; for the ball passed within two or three inches of my stomach.

I was extremely indignant, and said, "Ah ! you traitors ! was it then merely with the view of surprising me, that you proposed a parley ? Fire upon these traitors, my sons. Fire, I say." The boys obeyed me without loss of time, and fired upon the deceitful miscreants. I had foolishly exposed myself to a very

great danger, by placing confidence in the good faith of an enemy whom I might have known was destitute of all honorable feeling. The ever watchful providence of God again interposed for my deliverance.

We kept up an incessant fire for another quarter of an hour, when the enemy called out to us again, and made a second offer of good quarter. I reproached them with their recent perfidy, and told them I could not trust persons who had already attempted to betray the confidence I had reposed in them.

They then threatened that, if we refused to surrender, they would throw a barrel of powder in the breach and blow us all up.

"I have three or four at your service here," said I, "and I intend to scatter their contents over this floor and the inner hall, and whenever you are pleased to enter, I will throw a lighted turf upon it, and make you dance. You may depend upon it, I will not perish without you."

The desperate tone of this reply made them repeat once more their offer of good quarter. So we had a cessation of hostilities on both sides. Their proposition was, that they should have the plunder, to which I assented. I demanded life and liberty for myself and all who were with me.

He was to guarantee life and liberty to all of us, and to promise on their part the most strictly honorable deportment while in possession, and they were to have the plunder. They swore to the observance of these terms. I then had the doors opened, and ranged myself, my wife, my sons and four servants in regular order, to surrender our arms to the Commander, as he entered.

Oh, God! our Preserver ! thou knowest, and none

else can know the state of my feelings at that moment, to see my beloved wife and dear children, at the mercy of enemies, fourteen of whom we had wounded. Oh! what everlasting praises do we owe to thee for our preservation. It was thou who restrained our bloodthirsty enemies from executing the vengeance which they had sworn against us. Oh, my God! I beseech thee to sanctify the lives which thou hast so miraculously preserved, and assist us to devote them to thy service!

The Commander, and a good many of the men came in, and seeing only five youths, and four cowherds, they looked anxiously around, and asked me where all my men were, evidently fearing an ambuscade.

"You need not fear anything dishonorable from me," said I, "you now see our whole garrison." "Impossible," said he, "these children could never have kept up all the firing."

My wife then spoke to him, and said, "I am in hopes, sir, that the fact of so few persons having made this gallant defence, will be an inducement to you whom I trust we shall find a man of honor to treat us with the more consideration." Struck with her courage the Commander ordered a guard to protect us, and contented himself with sweeping away what remained of our place.