Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-08-26


beth f. Eilet, in taro polunes. Nsu
York. Baker s ScriJner.
In drawing the portrait Of feminine lowell
ness il is much more difficult to present an
accurate likeness than Of The holder ana more
prominent features Of the ether sex. Tile
lines are not 50 strongly drawn, the shades
are more easily blended and, while there ii
! every thing to love and admire there Is but
little to relate. With this disadvantage. aud
the still greater difficulty Of obtaining au-
thentic information concerning women whose
lives we're principally passed il the privacy q
domestic life, Mrs. Ellet has succeeded III
making most interesting book, and We have
in these unpretending volumes perhaps the
only memorials rescued from oblivion of the
noble women Of the Revoluton-women who
should not only be admired but initiated -
While filing with dignity and grace the high-
est station, giving their aid ard counsel to
soldiers and statesmen, we sec them pursuing
with untiring energy their domestic duties,
the care and instruction Of their children, and
the superintendent Of large plantations while
their husbands were fighting the battles d
their country. These were the wives and
mothers who, by their example and sympathy
urged on the patriots Of rs, and not nnfre-
quently by their ii genuity and resolution
prevented surprise or favored an escape
1t was not uncommon for delicate and timid
females to rise at midnight, and penetrate
forests to give their friends an intimation Of
danger. There is one instance recorded of a
young girl, sixteen years Of age, making her
way through woods, across marshes and
creeks fording a deep river until the water
reached her neck, to tie American camp. to
give the alarm of an attack, and, while cold
and wet, setting about the preparations at
once to provide food for the soldiers who had
just returned from fatiguing excursion
There is no sketch more full OF rom antic in
terest than the history of Mary Slocumb, Of
our own State. Her maiden name was Hooks;
she was born in the County of Berthe, North
Carolina, in 1760. She was present at one
of the hloodiest battles Of the Revolution.
where the united regiments Of Coils. Lilling-
ton and Caswell encountered Mcdonald at
Moore's Creek. We will give part Of th
story in her own words:
"The men all left on Sunday morning
More than eighty went from this house with
my husband =
"And l slept soundly and quietly that
night, and worked hard all the next day /;
but ] kept thinking where they had got to-
how far; whore and how many Of the regulars
and tories they would meet, and could not
keep myself from the study ] went to bed
at the usual time but still continued to study
As lay whether waking or sleeping knew
I nod {,
dream, (shc used the words unconsciously of
a poet not then in being) saw distinctly
body wrapped in my husbands guard cloak
bloody dead; and others dead and woun-
ded on the ground about him. | saw them
plainly and distinctly. ! uttered cry, and
sprang to my feet on the floor; and so strong
was the impression on my mind that ] rush
ed in the direction the vision appeared, and
come up against the side of the house. The
fire in the room gave little light, and gazed
in every direction TO catch another glimpse OF
the scene. / raised the light; every thing
was still and quiet. My child was sleeping.
but my woman was awakened by my crying
out Or jumping on tho floor. If ever felt
fear it was al that moment Seated on the
bed. reflected few moments, and said
aloud. 4 must 60 to him told the woman
could not sleep, and would ride down the
road She appeared in great alarm; but |
merely told her to lock the door after me and
look after the child ! went TO the stable,
saddled my mare, as feet and easy nag as
ever travelled; and in one minute We were
tearing down the road at full speed. The
cool night seemed after nile or twos gall
lop to bring reflection with it; and asked
myself where | was going, and for what pur-
pose? Again aud again ] was tempted to
turn back; but was soon ten miles from
home, aud my mind became stronger every
mile | rode [ should find my husband dead
or dying, was as firmly my presentiment and
conviction as any fact in my life When daJ
broke was some thirty miles from home
/ knew Tie general route our little army ex-
pected to take and had followed them with
out hesitation. After sunrise came upon
group of women and children, standing ant
sitting by the road side, each one of then
showing the same anxiety of mind / felt
Stopping few moments, inquired if tht
battle had been fought They knew moth
limo
again | was skimming over tho ground
through a country thinly settled, and very
poor aud swampy; but neither my own spir.
its nor my beautiful nag's failed in the least
We followed the well marked trail Of th,
troops
"The sun must have been well up, say
eight OF nine o'clock, when heard SOUND
Ike thunder, which knew must be cannon
Ii was the first time | ever heard a cannon
| stopped still, when presently the cannon
Numbered again. The battle was then fight
ing. What fool my husbasd could not
be dead last night, and the battle only fight
ing now? Still, as | am SO near, will e
on and see how they come out. So away We
went again faster than ever; and found by
the noise Of guns that was near the fight
| Again | stopped could hear muskets,
could hear rifles, and could hear shouting
| spoke to my mare and dashed on in the di.
rcction Of the firing, and the shouts west
louder than ever The blind path | hal
been following brought me into the Whining
ton road leading from Moore's Greek Bridge
a few hundred yards below the bridge, a
few yards from the road, under cluster O
trees, were lying perhaps twenty men. They
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