No sooner had we arrived where an uninterrupted view of the river could be had, than we saw half a dozen vessels with as many barges coming down the stream as if from the direction of Williamsburg, and, favored by the wind, were shaping their course directly toward the Gloucester shore on that side the point opposite where we were.
Then it was that the guns of Gloucester joined with those of York, and as these heavy pieces were discharged it seemed to me that the very ground trembled, while over all hung smoke from the burning powder until it was as if a heavy cloud had suddenly gathered, shutting out the light of the sun.
This fleet which was coming down the river apparently giving no heed to the king's ships that lay in the stream, was hardly more than two miles away, and as we lads gazed at the vessels breathlessly, trembling with excitement, I fancied I could see the uniform of our Virginia militia. Then my heart sank within me, for both the Guadaloupe and the Charon were slipping their cables that they might swing around in such position as to deliver broadsides upon those who were advancing so boldly.
There is no good reason why I should not set down now the facts instead of waiting until we came to learn of them later.
This fleet which was coming down the York river was manned by a French Legion, by French marines, and by a brigade of Virginia militia under General Weeden, the whole under command of a French officer. They had been sent to lay siege to the British encampment at Gloucester, for our General Washington was not minded any of the soldiers under command of Lord Cornwallis should make their escape, now that he held them as one might say in the hollow of his hand.
Although we could not see anything in the rear of York village, we knew full well, because of the incessant cannonading, that our people must be advancing by land as well as by water, and the one question in our minds was whether a battle might be fought that very day, for then, as can readily be understood, we had no idea that a regular siege was to be begun before York.
It was when the British vessels slipped their moorings to pour a broadside into the little fleet of Americans that Pierre Laurens saw clear before him the plan which we should follow, and running with all speed toward where the skiff had been hidden in the foliage, he shouted to me:
"Make haste, Fitz, make haste! Now is the time when we can gain the village with but little danger of attracting unpleasant notice, for while the Britishers have their hands full with trying to hold our people back, two lads like us may slip in without heed from friend or foe."
"But why shall we strive to enter York?" I cried, growing timorous once more. "If there is to be a battle it were safer we stayed here, rather than took our chances of being killed by cannon ball or musket-shot from our own people."
"It is not allowed that we shall stay here, Fitz Hamilton!" Pierre cried almost angrily. "Do you forget that Uncle 'Rasmus, with that Tory prisoner of his, yet remains in York awaiting our coming and needing us most sorely? Even though it were certain we would be shot immediately after gaining old Mary's cabin, then are we bound to keep on. Are we to stay here simply to insure our own safety, when Saul is in the Britishers' guard-house exposed to even as much danger as we would be with Uncle 'Rasmus?"