Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1840-03-24

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the boys intelligence was but too true. The
very elite Of the American army, FIVE thousand
picked officers and men, were in full retreat,
closely pursued by the enemy. The frs, in
quiry of the Chiefwas for Major General Lee,
who commanded the advance, and. who soon
appeared, when a warm conversation ensued,
that ended bv the Major General being order
cd TO The rear. During this interview, an in
cident OF rare and c~liivalric interest occurred
Lieut.. Col. Hamilton, aid 10 the Gcnoral-in-
Chlei, leapcd from his horse, and drawing his
sword, addressed the General with, 1--WE are
'betrs ed your Excellency and this army are
betrn N and the moment has arrived when
evef, 'ffisc friend OF America and her cause
must be ready 10 die in her defence" Wash
ington, charmed with the generous enthusiasm
of his favori,e aid, yet deeming the same was
ill-ilmed, pointing TO the Colonel's horse, that
was cropping the heritage, unconscious oftAc
great scene e%nacling around him, calmly OBJ
served, Colonel Hamilton you will take your
horse"
The Gcneral-in-Chief now set himself in
earnest about restoring the fortunes ofthe dav.
lie ordered Col. Ramsey with his regiment,
to check the advance of the enemy, which SER
vice was CALAMITY performed while the Cen
eral, in person, proceeded TO form his second
line. lie rode, on the morning of the 2sth of
June, and for that time only during the war, a
white charger, that had beenprcsentcd to him.
From the oyerpowerIng heat Of the day, and
the deep and sandy nature of the soil, the spir-
tied horse sank under his rider, and expired on
the spot. The Chief was instantly Iemountcd
upon a chesnut blood mare, with a flowing
name and tail. 1t was upon this beautiful an
lmal covered with foam, that the American
General flew along the line, cheering the sol
diers in the familiar and endearing language
ever used by the officer to the soldier Of the
Revolution, of "Stand fast, my Joys, and re-
ceive your enemy, the Southern troops are ad-
vancing to support yc." The person Of w
iSGToN, always graceful, dignifed, and com
handing, showed to peculiar advantage when
mounted it exhibited, indeed, the very beau
ideal of a perfect cavalier. The good Lafay-
cite, during his last visit to America, delight
ed to discourse of the "times that tried mems
souls" From that veneratcd friend of our
country we derived a most graphic description
OF Washington and the field of battle. Lafay-
cite said AT Monmouth ] commanded a d.
vision, and it may be supposed was pretty well
occupied, still | took time, amid the roar and
confusion of the conflict, TO admire our below
ed chief, who, mounted on a splendid charger,
rode along the ranks amid the shouts of the
soldiers, cheering them by his voice and ex-
amples, and restoring to our standard the for
tune Of the fight. | thought then, as now,
continued the good Lafayette, that never had
! beheld so superb a man.
Among the incidents ofthis memorable day
may be considered, on the part ofthe British,
the death Of the Hon. Colonel Monckton, a
brother of Earl Galway. II is said that this
gallant and accomplished officer had greatly
injured his fortune by the designations incident
to a long ~sojourn in city quarters and that, in
consequence, he exposed himself recklessly
on the 2sth of June. lie was much regretted
in the British army.
On the part of the Americans, the fate of
the young and brave Captain Fauptleroy, Of
the Virginia line, was remarkable. He was
on horseback, at a well near a farmhouse,
waiting his turn, while the fainting soldiers,
consumed by a thirst arising from their exer-
lions on the hottest day supposed ever to have
occurred in America, were rushing, with fran
Tic cries, TO the well, implofing for water
The captain, with the point of his sword rest
ing on his boot, his arm leaning Oh the POM
mel, continued TO waive his turn, when a can
non shot, bounding down the lane that lead to
the farmhouse, struck the unfortunate officer
near the hip and hurled him TO the ground a
~lifeloss corse. The lamented Fauntleroy was
descended from one Of the old and highly re-
spected families Of Virginia. Leaving the
comforts Of home and the delights Of a large
circle of friends, this gallant young soldier re-
paired to the standard of his country early in
the campaign of'76. He was highly respect
ed in his grade, and his untimely fate was
deeply mourned in the American army.
Needless of the remonstrances and entrea-
ties ofhis officers, the Commander-in-Chie
exposed his personto every danger throughout
the action Of the 2sth Of June.
The night before the battle Of Monmouth, a
party of the general officers assembled, and ro-
solved upon a memorial to the Chief, praying
that 10 would not expose his person in the APP
preaching conflict. His high and chivalric
daring and contempt for danger at the battle Of
Princeton, and again at Germantown, where
his officers seized the bTidl ofhis horse, made
his friends the more anxious for the preserya-
ton OF the success Of the common cause.
twas determined that the memorial should
be presented by DIR. Clarke, the companion m
arms OF Col. Washington in the war OF 30
but Clark at once assured the memofiallsis
that while their petition would lie received as
a proof Of their afiectionate regard for their
Generals safety, II would not weigh a feather
in preventing the exposure OF his person,
should the DAY 90 against them, and the pres
ence OF the Chiefbecome important at the post
ofdanger. DR.. G.. then related the romantic
and imposing incidentof the old Indians proph-
ecy. as il occurred on the banks Of the Ohio in
! 1870, observing that bred as he himself was ia
the rigid discipline Of the Kirk of Scotland, he
possessed as liule superstition as any one, but
that really there was something ia the air and
manner OF an old savage chief delivering bis
oracle amid The depths Of the forest, that time
or Circumstance would never erase from his
memory, and that be believed with the lawny