The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-29


The Women of de american Revolution by Ehza
beth f. let, author of "The Characters of Schiller
County Rambes," Sc; , vols. New York, Baker
Scrbner
These books will be hailed by our fair countrywomen
with warmth Of feeling and an exuberance OF enhus-
asm which will prove alike credabe to their patriouc
sentiments, as well as highly gratifying to the intelligent
and talented auhoress One of the remarkable and sr-
king characteristics in great struggle for freedom was
The courage herosm, DEVOTION and selfsacrhcng spflt
which was manifested py the wives daughters, and ie
male relatives OF the heroes and sages of the revolution
In that great movement The patriotic women OF our
county paused, hestated, or faered, but with
indomitable courage and Spartan herosm avowed their
eternal hatred to tyranny and oppression, and on the
altar of their country took the vow 10 God and lib
ery! In the volumes before we have numerous
instances OF devotion, virtue, and exalted sentiment
SURPRISING any that are to be found the pages OF
fiction, the ideal conceptions which llumne the
fascinating story of romance The women OF rev.
ouuon realities they were no creations OF the
poet or the novellsl they lived, moved, and had
being and they the embodiment OF all that was
noble, brave, generous, and chlvalric Deeply I'M
bued with the glowing sentiments OF Liberty ana III
dependence, they sang songs OF freedom 10 'e chn III
the cradle the boy going to schools to the husband
shoudeng his gun; the brother about starting TO JON
his company and the lover in the last embrace; and
while the kiss OF love yet warm on the check, she
whispered in his ear, "For me, and God and Liberty"
In these entertaining and highly instructive volumes
we have sketches OF more than hundred and twenty
five women who devoted their energies and resources to
the revolutionary cause Truly has Mrs Ele said that at
the period of which write herc time for the
tre in the domestic sanctuary of that love OF civil liberty
which afterwards kinded into flame, and shed light
on the world The talk of matrons IN American homes,
was of the peoples wrongs and the tyranny that OPP
pressed them ill the who had grown to manhood,
with strengthened aspirations towards better state OF
nla,l III a,{a,}
rights stood up prepared to defend them to the utmost,
Patriotic mothers nursed the infancy OF freedom. Their
counses and their prayers mingled with the deliberations
that resulted i'll nations assertion OF IT'S independ-
ence They animated the courage and confirmed the self
devotion of those who yeniurel all in the common
They frowned upon instances OF GOODNESS or back
wartness and in the period of deepest gloom, cheerei
and urged onward the responding They willingly shared
inevitable dangers and privaons, elnquished without
regret prospects of advantage to themselves and parted
with those they loved better than life not knowing when
they were to again II is almost impossible now to
appreciate the vast influence of womans patriotism upon
the destines of the infant republic History do it no
JUSTICE for history deals with the workings oil the head,
rather than the heart
We can only dwell upon individual instances of mag
nanmity fofttude self sacrifice, and heroism, bearing
the impress of the feeling of revolutionary days, indicative
of the spirit which animated all; and to which, IN It's
various and multiform exhibitions, not less in
ebted for national freedom than 10 the swords OF the
patriots who poured out their blood. Mrs. El!c in
preparing this work, has conferred national beneht for
her industry. zeal, and perseverance indebted
for knowledge of those great women who assisted in
achieving independence. Their lives, characters and
noble deeds would have been buried in oblivion, had
ot the auihoess undertaken the almost hopeless task.
We are surprised at the numerous facts and anec-
do,es which she has collected; and in the compIa-
ton of her work, she has with praseworhy candor
rejected the fabulous, the raliionary doubtful and
tanned only the truthful and the well. authenticated fact
The sketches Of Mary Washington and Martha Washing
ton, the mother and wife OF the Father OF his Country;
Esther Reed, Mercy Warren, Catharne Green, Dorothy
Hancock Susanna Livingston, and host OF others, will
be perused with eagerness and delight by all who love
contemplate the female character in all its beauty orti
ude, nobleness, virtue. devotion, and loneliness. We
lay before readers the memoir of
MARY DRAPER,
one of those glorious women of the revolution whose
soul was filled with love of liberty and patriotism
When the news reached Connecticut that blood had been
shed, Putnam, who was at work in the field, left his
plough the furrow, and started for Cambridge without
delaying to change his apparel Stark was saving pine
logs without a coat: he shut down the gate OF his MILL
and commenced the journey 10 Boston in his shirt sleeves
The same spirit prevailed far and The women
lack ing not their share OF patriotic zeal, active in
preparations encourage assist, and sustain them Among
many whose perseverng exerons ready and Efficient
who knew her. She the vile OF Captain Draper, of
Dedham, Massachusetts, and lived farm. Her
house, which always home for the destitute while
occupied by her. yet standing, and is owned by of
her descendants. 1t her abode to the age of
hundred years Mrs. Draper felt the deepest sympathy
for the hardshps inevitably encountered by the newly
raised troops and considered the means she possessed
not as her own property. but belonging to her dis
ressed country. When the first call to arms sounded
throughout the land, she exhoied her husband lose
no time in fastening to the of action, and
with her own hands bound knapsack and blanket on
the shoulders of her only stripping of sixteen
bidding him depart and do his duty. To the entreat-
les of her daughter, that her young brother might re-
main at home to be their protector, she answered that
every able 10 aid the belonged to the country
"He is wanted and must go. You and |, Kate have
also service TO do Food must be prepared for the hun
gry for before tomorrow night hundreds, hope thou
sands, will be their way to join the continental forces
Some who have travelled far will need refreshments and
you and |, with Molly, must feed many as we can"
This undertaking, though of small labor, presently
commenced. Captain Draper thriving farmer. His
granares well filed and his wife's dairy was her
special and pride. All the at her com
mand in requision to contribute to her benevo-
lent purpose Assisted by her daughter and the domes-
tic she spent the whole day and night and the succeeding
day in baking bread. The OF that day were not
the small in use, but suited for such an
borhooI BY good fortune two of these monster ovens
appertained 10 the establishment is frequently the
case in New England. These were in full