Some Hessian soldiers, with much brutal laughter, were reeving ropes over the arm of the tree, and, just as the officers came along, six struggling forms were drawn up high above the heads of the crowd.
The party paused for a moment, and were about to pass on, their faces showing how deep was their horror at the scene, when one of them exclaimed: "There is an Irish officer, in uniform, among the prisoners! This cannot be suffered, Hamilton.

The Irish have several of ours prisoners in the town, and they would rightly retaliate by hanging them on the battlements." General Hamilton and the others pressed forward.
"Colonel Hanau," the general said to a Hessian officer, "you surely cannot be going to hang this young officer?
The general can never have included him with the others ?" "The general's orders were precise," the Hessian said coldly.

"Twelve peasants and one officer were to be hung, and afterwards quartered." "It is monstrous!" General Hamilton exclaimed.

"I will go back to the general, and obtain his order for the arrest of the execution." "You will be too late, sir," the Hessian said coldly.

"I have my orders, and before you are half way to the general's camp, that prisoner will be swinging from that bough." "I order you to desist, sir, till I return," General Hamilton said.
"As I do not happen to be in your division, General Hamilton, and as I have received my orders from the commander in chief, I decline altogether to take orders from you." Walter, who had resigned himself to his fate, stood watching the altercation with a renewed feeling of hope.