Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-09-15
nlislellaueous.
THE HEARTS, SACRIFICE.
BY LAWRENCE LABREE.


/ g!ories which our brave armies plucked
/ from the bristling bayonets of the enemy
yet he had been withheld from joining the
ranks by aged and infrm parents, whose
only support and comfort he was As he
looked upon the feebleness of their old age.
and thought of the perils they would be
exposed to with no defender of their help
lessness, he would sigh for the destinies OF
his country, and resign himself to the du-
ties of the small farm that was their only
support He could not desert them and
leave them to the mercy of the vagabond
stragglers from the enemy's camp, and
worse traitors to his own country In
stances were too fresh on his memory of
reverend heads and hoarv locks having
been crushed to the dust by midnight
! plunderers and assassins, and his love for
| the authors of his being, left him nothing
but prayers for his oppressed country.
But he had other affection growing in
his breast like spring flowers, shedding a
perfume of holiness upon his spirit, like
the Christians inspiration. There exist
| ed, since their childhood, an attachment
| between him and the only daughter of a
widow who resided but a few rods from
his fathers and that attachment had ri
pened to mutual declaration of love when
the parties became sufficiently old to ap-
preciate the glow of true devotion A
time was set for the consummation of their
vows, which was the 25th of December,
i776, at the time Washington was making
his perilous but triumphant passage across
the Delaware, amid floating ice, and suf-
fering from the intense cold of the sea-
son.
The two families were now united, Geo
removing the bride and her mother to the
house of his father. But still he was not
happy-he could not Danish from his mind
an oppressive anxiety for the welfare of
his country, and the doubtful struggle
which she was maintaining in the hopes of
acquiring that freedom for which every no
bic heart SO warmly prayed.
In week after the night of the passage
of the Delaware, Washington met de-
tachment of the enemy at Princeton which
he defeated with small loss, with the ex
ception of several officers, among whom
was the gallant and brave Gen Mercer
while that of the enemy was upwards of
one hundred killed, and the remainder,
about three hundred, taken prisoners
The General then settled into winter quar-
ters at Morristown. which he did not leave
until the latter end of May, with an army
amounting to but little over seven thous-
and men, although Congress had offered
recruits bounties in land with increased
pay.
At this time George burned to enlist
In the ranks of his countrymen, and share
their suferings and their glory But his
young wife looked in his face with weep
ing eyes, whose eloquence, added to the
infrmites of his parents, deferred him
from the sacrifice Besides as the roads
became more passable, and the season
more temperate, robberies and midnight
excursions of struggling Hessians and
skinners were more frequent. and the
house Of one Of their neigh bors had been
rilaced. the inmates brutally murdered
and set on fire within sight of their friends
wao could offer them no assistance, expec
ting, as they did, every moment to meet q
similar fate.
Ia this state of inquietude passed away
the summer. until the intelligence reached
George of the engagement between the
American and English armies at Brandy
wine, on the llth September. when the
republican forces were compelled to retire
after a DAYS hard lighting, VITA loss that
was estimated at three hundred killed, a
bout six hundred wounded. and between
three and four hundred made prisoners
This reverse of the American arms ar
oused anew the patriotic feelings of Geo
and he at once communicated his inten-
tions to his father who offered no impedi
ment to his Immediately Joining the army
and helping to retrieve what had been so
unfortunately lost.
$50, my SON." said he g | am beyond
service, myself, but, like Abraham of old,
am willing to offer my son TO the sacri-
fee. Let the plea of protection to your
parents be no longer an excuse to keep
you from the ranks of those brave and de-
voted men who follow Washington, but
receive our blessing, and bid farewell to
your young wife, whose love of her coun-
try | am sure cannot be less than her af-
lection for yourself If you fall, it is in
a just and holy cause"
This was heroic advice, but nowise un-
comron In the mouths of our venerable
sires George communicated his design
to his mother, and afterwards to his wife.
but the latter would not listen to his argu-
ments. and went and besought him not to
leave them to the mercy of the mercenary
robbers that overrun the country In the
neighborhood of the British armies -
Earnestly did he plead the sufferings of
his countrymen aud the necessity of his
presence among those who were battling
for the blessings Of liberty-to nothing
would she listen-no argument could con-
vince her. What was single arm in the
mighty strife Despairing and impatient,
our hero resolved to leave for the army
the ensuing night. and for this purpose he
made sll necessary preparation for his Sc
cret departure His gun and knapsack
were deposited In the barn, and a letter Of
farewell written, which he would leave 10
be read after his departure
Midnight at length came, melancholy
and lonely to George, but he arose from
his bed, to which he had retired in the
early part of the evening to lull suspicion,
and kissing his wife sfeetionately as she