The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-03-08

led with private note, in which the Com
mandeT-in- Cliief told him that tbs letter Of
instruction was 10 be- read, remembered aud
destroyed, aud the commission used IA gain
tle more intimate Confidence Of the General
Hove.
About two o'clock, on the morning Aner
the interview Just desGribed two Hentnclu,
posted al the Whitehall landing place had
been driven underH loose shed, near the
landing, hya torrent Of rain which was pour
ing from The rlonda, III Illuminated at-- short Ia
teryals with vivid flashoa at lightning. Their
conversation had been for some time inter
ruptcd only by the rapid peala Of thunder,
which, following each Hash came rolling
heavily alaag the earth, whsn sad'leRly, ~
the glare Of flash Of lightning, which shown
on every object, they discovered human fig
ure paasing close by thcn through the rain,
towards the gunrdh0uac, which stOOh near the
spot now occupied by the United States Rev
who goes there r exclaimed both aenti-
nels, IN the samc instant and iftho stranger
/ did not hear the clink at their muskets -
each WAS cooked, IL was because the roar Of
/ the falling rain oye1oWcrcd the sound
! a friend, was the reply,
Advance and give the countcrsign
! The demand was complied with, and the
stranger passed ou. AZ the g,iArdhouse he
was again challenged, aud having given the
counter-gn, entered the rude building, and
placed a sealed note IN the hands Of the Off
Ger M the guard. II WA an order ifoIh the
Commandcr-in.Chicf himself directing the
officer 20 furnish the bearer, Lieutenant Fol-
gcr,witl such meH and assistance ~ he might
require.
The officer glanced NJ the trcnchcd figure
before him, with a look half doubting-but
in his hand was the signature OF Washington,
n''il Che party who presented Il, though APP
parcnty mere boy, wore a dilapidaicd uni
form OF the rank indicated in the order
What do you require, sir 2 hc inquired
aflor moments hesitation.
First inform me Of the state Of the tide,
replied Folgcr, ~ we thall now call him.
The tide is now at fhe cbb,--in an hour il
will hO low water
'Good--lct me- have two hoats. two mon,
and three oars. BE ready instantly, aa wish
to take advantage of the heavy darkness that
now hangs over the river; the shower Is pass-
ing away, and by the time YOU are ready,
there will be no lightning TO bctray US
The order was obeycd, Fogcr directed
the men 10 enter one of the boats, while he
with single oar, sprang into the other lie
.. then ma lo his own PROV fast 90 the stern Of
the first and ordered them 10 tow him into
the stream Having reached distance 10
preclude the possibility OF being sven from
either shore, the oarsmcn, hy Eolgcr's direc-
ton, turned their course up thU ~ ar, against
the current, guided GA their way hy OCCASION
al lights which appeared on shore. Thus
they proceeded, all nearly opposite Corlacr's
Hook, when the Lieutenant, in low voice,
called halt, seized his oar, cast or the tow
line, and ordered the men Ia return. Wait
ing with his oar in the scull, until they were
quite out ofsight our young hero theu turn
4Ed -hiA llTuu- -tuyarlla- ilr -enlamumcnt nf tho
enemy, aud with vigorous arms Piled for tho
shore.
There is at times pathos even in degrrda-
ton, ~ the world cstccms IT, The character
oias has been stamped as infamous in the
lexicon of warfare, and its doom has been
written IN the most iguominious OF punish
mcnts; yet that spirit which has the daring
10 confront usage, and the rirtue TO scoru
false theory, and take upon itself the inky
mantle of disgrace, in a cause 80 holy as that
of human emancipation, becomes in the very
act, Of universal admiration aud awe Such
was the attitude occupied hy our young hero,
who, although he went forth under the puise
of secrecy known only 20 Washington him
self and with name got his own. assumed
the responsibility ofdisgrarc. consequent up
on exposure, and an ipuomnious death If
detected IN his mission. Custom pronounced
him guilty of violating the honest usagcs of
war, and yet strange anomaly-no war was
ever carried on without the use of tliis sys-
tenn of espionage.
Before this young man lcit the quiet pur-
suits the green hills, and the sweet valleys
of his native State 10 offer up his life ON the
altar Of his country, his true soul had borne
the snecra and tannis Of tnry associates. Ers
cry one of the original States was more or
less infested with those detested cxcrescences
and even Massachusetts, and Connecticut were
not free from them. Some by spccious and
snoQthed faced hypocrisy pretended to favor
the cause of freedom, wrought like serpents
in the grass, and brought many spirit TO an
untmely doom, or torturing imprisonment
others, more bold, gave intelligence openly
to the enemy and others again were reward
ed for their iOydifg with commissions or war
rants in the service of their royal master, tho
good King George Among these was one
whose pullet name dwells not now in my
memory--we will call him Cobra for our
present purpose He was own cousin to the
young patriot whom know rs Harry Fol
ger, and many n time had this eowardly and
trcacherous soul striven to coerce by threats
and contumely the noble spirited youth, to
his own base level. His efforts were vain
thorn and ncttle could not thrive a soil in
tended by nature for better truits,-the fra
grance OF the rose would not mingle with the
stralnonium, and the tory saw the playmate
of his childhood enrolled among the martyrs
Of Liberty, while he was plotting destruction
| to her altars
These two had grown up side by side to-
gether--they had conned the same lessons
read from the same book wrought in the
same field, and one occasion, when Cobra, in
the recklessnpss of his nature had venturcd
INTO the water beyond his depth, aud would
have drowned, his younger companion with
that generous impulse which always clarac-
terizes the true nobility Of manhood, plunged
into the wave at the risk of his own life, and
bore him the means OF reaching the shore in
safety. How much discordant materials could
grow from the same culture, leave to phi
losophy To determine. II is my purpose, in
this sketch, to state only the facts.
Soon after the departure of young Folger,
None knew the time of his going, nor his
whereabout, and few paused to inquire, though
many heart beat lighter and many a 'arnaer
felt satcr in his chateIs, IN ts5bFa-s TtTscTrrc-