The bewildered state of his mind, and the suddenness of the occurrence, gave the major barely time to observe the messenger to be a country lad, meanly attired, and that he held in his hand one of those toys which are to be bought in cities, and which he now apparently contemplated with the conscious pleasure of having fairly purchased, by the performance of the service required. The soldier turned his eyes to the subject of the note. It was written on a piece of torn and soiled paper, and in a hand barely legible, but after some little labor, he was able to make out as follows- "The rig'lars are at hand, horse and foot." [Footnote: There died a few years since, in Bedford, Westchester, a yeoman named Elisha H-- This person was employed by Washington as one of his most confidential spies. By the conditions of their bargain, H-- was never to be required to deal with third parties, since his risks were too imminent. He was allowed to enter also into the service of Sir Henry Clinton, and so much confidence had Washington in his love of country and discretion, that he was often intrusted with the minor military movements, in order that he might enhance his value with the English general, by communicating them. In this manner H-- had continued to serve for a long period, when chance brought him into the city (then held by the British) at a moment when an expedition was about to quit it, to go against a small post established at Bedford, his native village, where the Americans had a depot of provisions. H-- easily ascertained the force and destination of the detachment ordered on this service, but he was at a loss in what manner to communicate his information to the officer in command at Bedford, without betraying his own true character to a third person. There was not time to reach Washington, and under the circumstances, he finally resolved to hazard a short note to the American commandant, stating the danger, and naming the time when the attack might be expected. To this note he even ventured to affix his own initials, E H, though he had disguised the hand, under a belief that, as he knew himself to be suspected by his countrymen, it might serve to give more weight to his warning. His family being at Bedford, the note was transmitted with facility and arrived in good season, H-- himself remaining in New York. The American commandant did what every sensible officer, in a similar case, would have done. He sent a courier with the note to Washington, demanding orders, while he prepared his little party to make the best defense in his power. The headquarters of the American army were, at that time, in the Highlands. Fortunately, the express met Washington, on a tour of observation, near their entrance. The note was given to him, and he read it in the saddle, adding, in pencil, "Believe all that E H tells you. George Washington" He returned it to the courier, with an injunction to ride for life or death. The courier reached Bedford after the British had made their attack. The commandant read the reply, and put it in his pocket. The Americans were defeated, and their leader killed. The note of H--, with the line written on it by Washington, was found on his person. The following day H-- was summoned to the presence of Sir Henry Clinton. After the latter had put several general questions, he suddenly gave the note to the spy, and asked if he knew the handwriting, and demanded who the E H was "It is Elijah Hadden, the spy you hanged yesterday at Powles Hook." The readiness of this answer, connected with the fact that a spy having the same initials had been executed the day before, and the coolness of H--, saved him. Sir Henry Clinton allowed him to quit his presence, and he never saw him afterwards.] Dunwoodie started; and, forgetting everything but the duties of a soldier, he precipitately left the house. While walking rapidly towards the troops, he noticed on a distant hill a vidette riding with speed. Several pistols were fired in quick succession; and the next instant the trumpets of the corps rang in his ears with the enlivening strain of "To arms!" By the time he had reached the ground occupied by his squadron, the major saw that every man was in active motion.
Feldúlt lelkiállapotában, s mivel pillanatok alatt lezajlott az egész, az őrnagy alig figyelhette meg a küldöncöt: rosszul öltözött falusi gyerek volt, valami játékszert szorongatott, amilyet a városokban árusítanak; kifelé menet boldogan nézegette, nyilván azzal a jóleső tudattal, hogy teljesítve megbízatását, becsületesen rászolgált a jutalomra. Az őrnagy most szemügyre vette az üzenetet. Szakadozott, piszkos cédulára írták, alig olvashatóan; némi fáradsággal mégis sikerült kibetűznie a következőket: "Az angol lovasok és gyalogosok útban vannak." Dunwoodie összerezzent; katonai kötelessége száműzte minden egyéb gondolatát; azonnal kirohant a házból. Míg a csapat felé sietett, észrevette, hogy egy távoli dombon szélsebesen nyargal az egyik őrszem: néhány pisztolylövés dörrent gyors egymásutánban; a következő pillanatban meghallotta a csapat trombitáit, mint vérpezsdítő hangon "Fegyverbe" szólítják a katonákat. Mikor arra a helyre ért, ahol svadronja táborozott, az őrnagy lázas mozgolódást tapasztalt emberei között.