The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1855-10-16
THE wrFEs SACRIFICE. =
An incident at the Battle Of Germantown.
by rAwRENcr LAsnEE.


country. He was ardent and patriotic, and
thirsted to be sharer in these glores which
our brave armies plucked from the bristling
bayonets of theenemy; yet he has been with
held from joining the ranks by aged and firm
parents, whose only support and comfort he
was. AS he looked upon the feeblencss Of
their old age, and thought Of the perils they
would be exposed to, he would sigh for the
destinies of his country and resign himself to
the duties of the small farm that was their
only support. He could not desert them, and
leave them on the mercy Of the vagabond
stragglers from the encmys camp, and worse
traitors TO his own country. Instances were
too fresh in his memory Of reverend heads and
lloarY locks having been crushed to the dust
ty .ussInigh. plundsls and assissAs. end his.
I6ve Tor the authors d bis being left him noth
ing but prayers for his oppressed country.
But he had other affections growing in his
breast like spring flowers, shedding perfume
of holiness upon his spirit, like the Christians
inspiration. There had existed since their
childhood, an attachment between him and
the only daughter of widow who resided but
few rods from his fathers; and that attach
ment had ripened to mutual declaration of
love, when the parties became sufficiently old
to appreciate the glow of true devotion a
time was set for the consunation Of their
VOWS, which was tho evening Of the mernora-
BILE 25th of December, 1873, ut tho time
that Washington was making his perilous
triumph across the Delaware, amid the font
ing ice, and suffering from the intense cold
of the season.
ha 4tvo 70 srI
removing his bride aud her mother to the
house Of his father. But still he was not hap.
py-hc could not Danish from his mind an--v-
prcssive anxiety for the welfare Of hiscountry,
and the doubtful struggle which she maintain
cd in the hopes Of acquiring that freedom for
which every heart so warmly prayed
In week from the night of the passage Of
the Delaware, Washington met a detachment
of the enemy yat Princeton, which he defeated
with small loss, with the exception Of sever
al officers, among whom was tho gallant and
brave General Mercer, while that of the che
my was upwards Of hundred killed and the
remainder threo hundred, taken prisoners.--
The General then retired to winter quarters
ut Moristosn, which he did not leave until
tho latter end Of May, with al array a,poan-
ting TO but little ever seven thousand lnon
although Conegsss Lad offered recruits, bonn-
tics in land with increased pay.
At this tinc George bUraca % enlist n tho
ranks Of hie couutsy:aen, aud share sl.eirsuf-
teF.ns5 atG I-Icr s--. 7rr r77is trarT.. WI
looked in LIS face with weeping eyes, whoae
eloquence added to tho inirmitics Of his par
cnts deferred him from the sacrifice Besides
as the roads became more passablc, and the
season more temperate, robberiee and mid
night excursions of struggling Hefsians and
skinners were more frequent, and the house
of one Of their ncighbors had been pillagai,
the inmates brutally murdered, and tho dwcl-
ling set on fire, within sight Of their friends
who could offer no assistance expecting as
they did every moment to meet similar fate.
In this state of inquietude passed away the
summer, until the intelligence reached George
of the engagement between the American
and English armies at Brandywine, on the
18th of September, when the republican for
ces were compelled TO retire aftera days hard
| fighting, with loss that was estimated at
three hundred killed, about six hundred woun-
ded, and between three and four hundfeed
made prisoners.
This reverse of the American arms aroused
anew the patriotic feeling Of George, and be
at once communicated his intentions to Ills
father, who offered no impediment 10 his inn
mediately joining the army and helping to
retrieve what had been SO unfortunately lost.
'Ge, my son, said he, 4 am beyond service
! myself; but, like Abraham of old, ! am will
ling to offer my son to the sacrifice. Let the
plea of protection to your parents be no long
er an excuse TO keep YOU from the ranks Of
those brave and devoted men who follow
Washington, but receive cur hleseing, and
bid farewell to your young wife, whose loye
of her country | am sure cannot be less than
her affections for yourself Ii you fail L is III
a just and holy cause.
This was heroic advice, but no wise uncori-
mon in the mouths of our venerable sircs--
George communicated his design to his IA tn
er, and afterwards to his wife; but the laster
would not listen TO his arguments, and wcpt
and beseeched him not to leave them to the
mercy of the mercenary robbers that overran
the country in the neighborhood of the Brit
ish armies. Earnestly did he plead the suf-
ferings of his countrymen and the necessity of
his presence among those who were battling
for the blessings of liberty-to nothing would
! she listen-no argument could convince her.
What was a 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 all necessary prepara-
tions for his secret departure. His gun and
knapsack were deposited in the barn, and a
letter Of farewell written which he would leave
to be read after his departure.
Midnight at length came, melancholy and
gloomy to George; but be arose from bis bed,
TO which he had retired in the carly part of
evening to hull suspicion, and kissing his wife
affectionately rs she lay asleep he harried,tc
the barn, accounted himself as well as his few
equipments would allow, and was soon on his
way 10 join the army. He had not far to
travel, as Washington had encamped within
eighteen miles Of Germantown and but hall
that distance from his own residence, and Gro
daylight on the first of October, he had pre-
sented himself within the lines Of tho Amsri-