166. Wading on to victory.--For about a week the Americans had to
wade in ice-cold water, sometimes waist deep, sometimes nearly up
to their chins. While wading, the men were obliged to hold their guns
and powder-horns above their heads to keep them dry. Now and then
a man would stub his toe against a root or a stone and would go
sprawling headfirst into the water. When he came up, puffing and
blowing from such a dive, he was lucky if he still had his gun. For
two days no one could get anything to eat; but hungry, wet, and cold,
they kept moving slowly on.
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