Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1848-04-06
entertainments.
From the Union Magazine.
Surrender of Detroit.
BY MRS. MARIA SHELDON.

. BY MRS. MARIA SHELDON.
There is much unwritten romance, and un
written history too, in this Peninsular State. III
borders have been the theatre OF war; lis interior
the hunting ground of the red men, that noble
though savage race, who have passed away from
before the pale faces till even in Michigan, blu
few years since their home, an Indian is u rare
sight
Coming to Michigan when mere child, while
the fort yet remained, and was occupied by q
small body of troops, and the rereiLte and the
evening guns seemed the alarum- notes orwarand
having passed the bright morning OF existence IN
these western wds, have peculiar peachaRt
for all the "reminiscences of those 'other days -
Would that mine were The pen of a 'reNdy writer,
that could wildly portray the spir-strring scenes
of the past and thus rescue from oblivion incidents
whose very memory brings life back again.
My story loving propensity was delightfully."-
gratlfed during recent visit to the western part
of the State, by meeting Mrs Me, an old
French lady, who lived in Detroit during the last
war.
Mrs Nc is fine specimen orhe old school
Franco. Americans. Her parents were among the
early settlers of Detroit, aud were both French
but amid the changed vlcssitudes, Of which that
city was the doomed theatre, they became so thor
oughy Amercanzed, that at the commencement
of the last war with England, Mr. Dubois and his
sons enrolled themselves under the banner of
stripes and stars with all the characteristic en-
thusasm Of their nation.
Marie the eldest daughter, was married. year
or two before the war, 10 Mr. Nc -, young
Scochman, who espoused the American cause as
warmly as his French rlatiyes.
Mrs Nc must have been beautiful in her
youth; even now her form is remarkably straight
and well proportIoned, her carriage graceful, and
her manners kind and afiable; her features are
regular, her hair abundant, glossy, and black as
the ravens wing; and if her eyes were, in youth,
more sparkling Than they now are,-woo 10 those
who came within the influence Of their laughing
gIances. Like most of the human family, her life
has been one of many changes; and now, widow
ed, but not desolate, she is passing the evening of
her life by the hsarhsiones Of her prosperous and
dutiful children
| had heard that the old lady possessed strong
memory, and was good story-teer, and had Of.
ten met her at the houses Of common friends when
etiquette would not allow me TO mOnopolize her
attention. AT last we met at her daughters house:
Now thought I, I'VE are but family party how
would like 10 hear her tell of Detroit in olden
time, especially Of Ilul's surrender but a fear
that such spirt-slrring "reminiscences might not be
agreeable, still kept me silent. Curiosity at length
got the better of poIitencss, and ! ventured "to
suppose that Mrs Nc remembered the surren-
der of Detroit perfectly we'll
Remember il Oh yesP said she, her black
eyes sparkling with animation, Il remember it as
well as if 1t happened yesterday
DO tell me all the particulars, will yon' and
how the city looked them exclaimed, as much
animated by anticipation as she was by RETROSPECT
lion.
with all PLEASURE she replied, but it is a long
story, and you Will need very much patience
Having assured her my stock oil patience IN tins
case was neNhruslabe, The old lazy gave me The
following narrative;
Detroit, in 1872, scarcely deserved the name
Of town, Tor it was IN reality but small village
The old town had been burned to the ground, and
the Inhabitants we're obliged TO bnd such houses
as their means would allow and these were neither
elegant nor convenient. Awater was then the
principal street; and the dwellings there were
quite compact. A lew houses were scattered,
here and there, on the other streets; and around
the whole, which small compared with its
present dimensions, was slockade Of tall plckes,
as protection from the Indians Between the
town and the fort was beautiful esplanadc, where
The troops were drilled and exercised, Then came
'he io't, WIN It's srasscoVefed sldes' ana deep
oI ,h h., "''u "'a "Uonu l,o ''P " .'
c,r VIC a"o'V i y, ".' "N9
,bo T rop, "u',, anu u.o.o III 'e meSI S''' y.
conr, Win srove D"I. nnJ Jun ahn ",oOnu "u"'
sides If tho cnn,onmen, vero dwellnrs If oGicers,
and soldiers, families. The other two sides were
harracks Al the ives, end of the town, near the
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