Elizabeth-Town gazette. [volume] (Elizabeth-Town, N.J.) 1818-1821, 1820-11-21
INTERESTING EXTRACT.
Extract from Professor Siiliman's Tour, taken
from Review of that work.

from Review of that work.
SWORDS HOUSE AT SALTWATER
Ten o'clock, +. M.--We are now 90 mem.
lorable ground. Here much precious blood
was shed; and now, in the silence and sol.
|itude Of very dark and rainy night-the
family asleep, and nothing heard but the
Irain and the Hudson, gentiy murmuriDs
aloDg, am writing in the very house,
aud my table stands on the verv spot in
the room where General Frazer breathed
his last. Oh the 9Th Of Oct. l777.
He was MORALLY wounded 10 the last oil
the two desperate battles fought OH the
oeighboring heights, and ia the midst oil
the conflict, vas hEossh: 10 this house By
the soldiers. Before me lies one of the
bullets, shot on that occasion; they are
often found in ploughing the battle field.
| Blood is asserted, by the people of the
house, TO have been visible here, on the
floor, till very recent period.
| General Frazer was high in command
in the British army, and was almost idol
lied by them they had fhe utmost con-
fidence 10 his skill and valour, and that
the Americans entertained similar opin.
ion of him is sufficiently eyinced, by the
following anecdote, related to me at Ball
sion Springs. in 1891 by the Hon. Rich
ard Brent. then member of Congress
from Virginia, who derived the fact from
General Morgan's own mouth.
In the battle Of October the 18th, the
last pitched battle that was fought be-
tween the two armies, General Frazer,
mounted on an iron grey horse, was very
conspicuous. He was all activity, cour-
age, and vigilance, riding from one part Of
his division TO another, and animating the
troops by bis example. Whenever he was
present, every thing prospered, and when
confusion appeared in any part Of the line,
order and energy we're restored by his
arrival
Colonel Morgan, with his Virginia ri
fIemen, was Immediately opposed TO Fra
|zer's division OF the army.
II had been concerted before the COM
mencement of the battle, that while New
Hampshire and the New York troops, at
tackled the British left, Colonel Morgan
with his regiment of>Virginia rifemen,
should make circuit so as to come up
90 the British right, aud attack them
Therein this attempt he was favoured
lby woody hill, to the foot of which the
British right extended. When the at
tack commenced on the British left, g true
10 his purpose, Morgan, at this critical
moment, poured down, like torrent from
the hill aud attacked The right of the enc.
my 10 froot and faux" The right wing
soon made a movement 10 support the left.
which was assailed with increased vio-
lence, and while executing this movement
General Frazer received his mortal
wound.
In the midst Of this sanguinary battle,
Colonel Morgan took few Of his best Ri
flemen aside men 10 whbse fidelity, and
fatal precision of aim, he could repose the
most perfect confidence, aud said to them
g that gallant officer is General Frazer /;
| admire and respect him but it is neceS
sary that he should die-take your sta
tions 10 that wood, aud do your duty /"
Within few moments General Frazer
fell, mortally wounded.
How far. such personal designation is
Unsuitable, has often been questioned, but
those who vindicate war al all, contend
that to shoot distinguished officer, and
thus to accelerate the conclusion of a
bloody battle, operates to save lives, and
that It is, morally no worse TO kill an H.
lustrious, than an obscure individual; q
Frazer, than common soldier; Mel.
son, than common sailor. But there i.
something very revolving to human feel.
ings, 10 mode of warfare, which con
verts its ordinary chance into species o.
military execution. Such instances, were
however, frequent, during the campaign
of General Burgoyne and his aid, Sir
Francis Clark, and many other Britist
officers, were victims of American marks
manship.
/ The Baroness Reidesei, the lady o.
/ Major General the Baron ReideseI, il
some very interesting letters Of hers, pub
llisIed al Berlin 10 1900, aud in part re.
published in translation, in Wilkinson.
memoirs, states that She, with her three
little children, (for she had with this ten
der charge, followed the fortunes Of heI
Husband, across the Atiautic, and through
the horrors of the campaign occupied
this house, which was the only refuge
within protection Of the British army
The rooms which it contained remain. Il
| this day, as they then were, although some
other rooms have beeu since added.
| The house stood at the time, perhaps
one hundred yards from the river, at tht
foot Of the hill it was afterwards remov
ed TO the road side, close by the river
where II now stands.
II The Baroness, with her little children
foccun;ed The room In which we took tea