Weird Tales/Volume 3/Issue 4/True Courage

True Courage

When the American army was at Valley Forge, in the winter of 1777, a captain of the Virginian line refused a challenge sent him by a brother officer, alleging that his life was devoted to the service of his country, and that he did not think it a point of duty to risk it, to gratify the caprice of any man. His antagonist gave him the character of a coward throughout the whole army. Conscious of not having merited the aspersion, and discovering the injury he should sustain in the mind of those acquainted with him, he repaired one evening to a general meeting of the officers of that line. On his entrance he was avoided by the company, and the officer who had challenged him insolently ordered him to leave the room, a request which was loudly re-echoed from all parts. He refused, and asserted that he came there to vindicate his fame; and, after mentioning the reasons which induced him not to accept the challenge, he applied a large hand-grenade to the candle, and when the fusee had caught fire, threw it on the floor, saying, "Here gentlemen, this will quickly determine which of us all dare brave danger most." At first, they stared upon him for a moment in stupid astonishment, but their eyes soon fell upon the fusee of the grenade, which was fast burning down. Away scampered colonel, general, ensign, and all made a rush at the door simultaneously and confused. Some fell, and others made their way over the bodies of their comrades; some succeeded in getting out, but for an instant there was a general heap of flesh sprawling at the entrance of the apartment. Here was a colonel jostling with a subaltern, and there fat generals pressing lean lieutenants into the boards, and blustering majors and squeaking ensigns wrestling for exit; the size of the one and the feebleness of the other making their chance of departure pretty equal, until time, which does all things at last, cleared the room, and left the captain standing over the grenade with his arms folded, and his countenance expressing every kind of scorn and contempt for the train of scrambling redcoats, as they toiled and bustled, and bored their way out at the door. After the explosion had taken place, some of them ventured to return, to take a peep at the mangled remains of their comrade, whom, however, to their great surprise, they found alive and uninjured. When they were all gone, the captain threw himself flat on the floor, as the only possible means of escape, and fortunately came off with a whole skin and a repaired reputation.