Produced by Al Haines
For Love of Country
A Story of Land and Sea in the Days of the Revolution
1908
Copyright, 1898,
All rights reserved.
Society of the Sons of the Revolution,
And those kindred organizations whose chief function is to cultivate a spirit of patriotism and love of country in the present by recalling the struggles and sacrifices of the past.
Since the action of this story falls during the periods, and the bookdeals with personages and incidents, which are usually treated of inthe more serious pages of history, it is proper that some brief word ofexplanation should be written by which I might confirm some of theromantic happenings hereafter related, which to the casual reader mayappear to draw too heavily upon his credulity for acceptance.
The action between the Randolph and the Yarmouth really happened, thesmaller ship did engage the greater for the indicated purpose, much asI have told it; and if I have ventured to substitute another name forthat of the gallant sailor and daring hero, Captain Nicholas Biddle,who commanded the little Randolph, and lost his life, on that occasion,I trust this paragraph may be considered as making ample amends. Theremarkable fight between those two ships is worthy of more extendednotice than has hitherto been given it, in any but the larger tones(and not even in some of those) of the time. As far as my informationpermits me to say, there never was a more heroic battle on the seas.
Again, it is evident to students of history that the character ofWashington has not been properly understood hitherto, by the verypeople who revere his name, though the excellent books of Messrs. Ford,Wilson, Lodge, Fiske, and others are doing much to destroy the popularcanonization which made of the man a saint; in defence of mycharacterization of him I am able to say that the incidents andanecdotes and most of the conversations in which he appears areabsolutely historical.
If I have dwelt too long and too circumstantially upon the Trenton andPrinceton campaigns for a book so light in character as is this one, itmay be set down to an ardent admiration for Washington as man andsoldier, and a design again to exhibit him as he was at one of the mostcritical and brilliant points of his career. Furthermore, I find thatthe school and other histories commonly accessible to ordinary peopleare not sufficiently awake to the importance and brilliancy of thecampaign, and I cherish the hope that this book may serve, in somemeasure, to establish its value.
I have freely used all the histories and narratives to which I hadaccess, without hesitation; and if I have anticipated a distinguishedarrival, or hastened the departure of a ship, or altered the date of anaval battle, or changed its scene, I plead the example of thedistinguished masters of fiction, to warrant me.
In closing I cannot refrain from thanking those who have so kindlyassisted me with advice and correction during t