Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-12-24

telgence from his scouts. Not long was he
kept in suspanse, however, for of two parties
who had been sent out, one came in and re-
ported that the American army were already
under arms-their artillery in line, and their
horse posted, as though waiting for an assault.
Scarcely crediting the report, the Adjutant
was about giving the order to advance, when
from the hitherto silent camp he heard the
bugles sounding the assembly, the ominous
roll of the drum, and the tramping Of feet as
regiment after regiment took position In a
moment after, this was succeeded by the rat
Ting of musketry, and the flash and roar of a
dozen cannons A few of the balls struck in
the immediate vicinity of the general and his
party, throwing the dirt into the faces of some
of his men, but, fortunate for them, doing no
injury. The skirmishing b. low led the Eng
sh commander TO believe that bis other
scouting party had been intercepted: and for
a moment or two he felt an extreme desiae to
dash forward in the darkness, with his entire
force, and chasti,e the insolent rebles Con
yinced, however, that the Americans were
ready to give him warm and gallant recep-
ton, and that any attempt to dislodge them,
or TO attack them in position, prepared as they
evidently were for him, would be fool-hardy
and dangerous in the extreme, the order was
reluctantly given to retraet, and the troops
of Il naughty British general, irrtated BY
disappointment, returned to their quarters in
Philadelphia as quietly and harmlcssly as
they had issued from it only few hours be
terwards expressed himself, "more like par
Gel of fools than body of men who had march
ed cut to attack a foe" One party of th,
scouts which had been sent out, had succeeded
as we have seen, in rejoining the main bod
before il commenced its retreat; but anothe
party of eight had been cut off-three Of then
having been killed by the musketry of tn
Americans and the rest were taken prisoners
AS for Marshall, the spy, who had been sen
down to penetrate the camp Of Washingto
he was taken prisoner in the act of making hi
escape; and being recognized as a tory of tn
rankess and deepest dye, as well as spy h
was next day tried and hung in the presenc
of the army.
Thus, in this instance, by the timely susp
cion and warning Of woman, was the ann
hiIation of the American army prevented, an
; Washington saved to see the liberties of h
country firmly established. No suspicion {
Lydia Hannah's agency in the affair ever en-
tered the mind of the Adjutant General; thc
he told her distinctly that he believed that tn
American General had been advised of th
movements through the medium of some PEI
) son connected with the house, though he en-
lirey acquitted her of the act
? On Wasnington's entering the city of Phi
! laI nh nft tc kp Rriti ic
! he took occasion TO call upon Mistress Har
] nah, when he again thanked her most hear
lily for the important service she had rende
ed to the country, saying that he should a
, ways remember her with kindness and affe,
n ton, and promised to look after the interest
4 her son, who was in the army, and whom i
Afterwards promoted for his gallant behaviC
l on several occasions.