The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-10-05

| they were 10 the melting mood, and familiar
with the atrocities of war, might have been
| touched for a moment with sentiments Of hu-
| manitv, with feeling of regret and shame
at the character of a war which made no dis
| tinciion between fortress and church.
Was there not 4 movement and slight
| rustling noise within that enclosure OF black
ened walls Some avowed that they mad
seen female form retreating from the ruins.
Perhaps (others suggested) gust of wind
eddying through the building had thrown
down some unconsumed fragments oilrame
work. The party turned their horses heads
| towards their destination, and moved on 81
lent and thoughtful, There was more faith
in ghosts in those days than at present. and
This little circumstance had seized strongly
the imaglnaiions of a number OF the men, but
they were ashamed to ask aloud what il might
mean, and what it foreboded to the enterprise
on hand, and onward they pressed, feeling
mat their time was precious. So profound
had the darkness become, and so binding and
bewildering the falling snow, which came
thicker and faster, and struck iull in their ia
ces and eyes, that they were more than two
hours in reaching Springfield, only one third
of their journey. The road was badly
checked with snow, and every minute added
TO its difficulty, and now rain and hail min-
gled formed crust that cut the horses legs
badly, and threatened soon TO become entire
ly impossible. A consultation was held on
the question. whether the expedition should
proceed, and decided almost unanimously
in The affirmative. On, therefore. dashed our
bold troopers, and fiercer every hour baltled
the elements that resisted their progress.
o night and darkness! ye are wondrouS
s:rohg-'
Sleep sweetly and securely. thou toll worn,
vet calm and placid man, Father OF thy coun-
try and last earthly hope Of ireed0m-sleep
well, thy God defends thee. and no counsel
formed against thee shall prosper. Till thy
work is done thou art immortal, and the stars
in their courses shall fight against thy coun-
iry;s foes and thine.
Opening the journal OF an officer then in the
army. he thus describes the storm OF that
night, as noticed at the American encamp-
ment-'The weather has been remarkably
cold and stormy. Last night VIC experienced
one Of the most tremendous snow storms ev-
er remembered, no man could endure lis
violence many minutes without danger oi
| his life Several marques were torn as
sunder and blown down over the officers
heads in the night. and some OF the soldiers
were actually covered, while in their tents,
and buried like sheep under the snow. My
comrades and myself were aroused from
sleep by the calls of some officers fer assistance
Their marquee had blown over, and they
we're smothered in the storm, before they
could reach our marquee, only few yards.
and their blankets and their baggage were
nearly buried in the snow. This morning
the snow is about six feet deep, which 81
| - rOaI pc n n n
d supply of provision The old people say
that they never before or since saw such
showing il fell not in fakes. but in thick
masses and avalanches, that broke from the
SKY.
In the face Of this conflict of elements
Hayner and his troop with perseverance
and courage worthy ola righteous cause,
pressed on. While crossing the Shor. Hills,
SD ficrcely did the tempest howl around them
| that il seemed as il uneariEly voices mingled
with il, and the stOutest troopers trembled
but their indomiiablc leader urged them on
Something in the conduct of their guide a
bout this time, awakened suspicious as TO
his fidelity, and the Dragons were formed
into a hollow square, and he was compelled
10 ride in the middle, under a threat Of IN
slant death ifhe attempted 10 escape. or Ut
tered a cry. BY unheard- of eXerhons they
al length reached the skirts Of Bottle Hill. or
Madison, as it ts now called. This was
within five miles Of Washington's head quar-
tiers. but the night was very far spent. Two
roads here presented, one running directly
through the Town, the other skirted il At a
short distance on the left They took the
latter 10 avoid observation ard had proceeded
about n hundred yards, when a sleigh, drawn
apparently by fresh and powerful horses.
dashed along the other and the direct road
and was soon out of sight. IL was al once
concluded that they had been followed by
some one suspicious of their designs, and
that now the alarm would be raised at head
quarters before they could possibly arrive
Several Of the soldiers declared that female
drove the sleigh, and that it was the very
one whom they had alarmed at the church
at EIizabei htown, but this was laughed al
by the rest, However, all agreed that the
| game was Up, and after aDight oil unparalleled
toll and suffering, Rayner, reluctlah'iy or
dered a retreat and thus ended the expect
tIon for the capture Of Washington put Tor
the almost miraculous intervention oil Heaven
that plot might have been successlui' ana
| in the most critical situation oil the army
already described, the result must have IN
evitably have been the termination oil the con
teSt between lie 'hS
country. The reader. iffamiliar with rev.
dictionary history, will remember tina! in
more than one instance the IDEA of abduc-
TING prominent officers from the encmy's
camp had been successfully carried out; and
that it failed in the case We have been rela-
ting. was owing only 10 remarkable inter
pos lion ofProvidence.
The attempt to capture General Washing
ton is not, we believe, mentioned in the his
tories of that period which we have been ac-
customed 20 read. The fact may be found
slated, however, in Howe's Historical Collec-
lions OF New Jersey; work OF great merit
evincing unweavering industry OF research
gathering its facts on the spot where they
occurred, and from The lips olihose who were
witnesses or actors in the case, whenever this
has been possible. Much yet remains un
sung;' much OF revolutionary incident, wor-
thy OF the minstrePs lofiiest numbers, is even
unwriften, and is found Ouly among the rec
Iolloc,ione nj ancient DPoDle From persona