The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-12-01

The lessians.
| Professor Schilaczcr, Of Germany, has
made u collection Of letters written home by
the Icssian officers and soldiers who were
employed by the British Government in our
Revolutionary war. The work is said to
throw much light on some features of that
great struggle, and gives the views of 70.
rcigne-s on the habits and manners of that
portion Of our people with whom they came
in contact. Some Of these letters, published
in the Northern journals, are very pictu-
rescue and familiar.
One of these letters, written December
| 18th, l777, from Schaytikok, on the IIud-
son river, says that it is "a village inhabited
by Dutchmcn, all of them well to do, but
very selfish people" The officer adds tha!
here the troops had 20 sniler, for the first
lime, from horse stealing, which he calls a
damned habit, never ccasng to annoy us
during the rest of the march, The people
consolingly observed that we had either sto-
! len them ourselves, or had bought them from
people attached to the English, who had
| stolen them from the patriots; therefore
\ thsy. .hsd the right % claimy them wh6sovcf
! they could be found, according to common
law! Inc application OF this fine principle,
however, did not much care about the dcn-
tity, for not only the Canadian but also our
own imported German horses were claim
ed ,"
The village Of Undertook, Columbia
county, (Mr. Van Buren's residence is de-
scribed by the Hessian as consisting OF
about seventy houses, 'thc inhabitants in
general, all of Dutch origin, are good peo-
pie, though very sclfinterestcd, and covet.
Gus for money. All they sold was incredibly
high" We wonder if the people in that
section still retain these characteristics OF
their fathers?
Our llcssian speaks in arden. terms OF
American women Of that day. Slim and
well proportional in stature pretty little
feet and fine hands and arms; neck and
shoulders beautifully white; complexion
fresh aId healthy, without needing any
rouge; white teeth; charmingly red lii ;
bright and lively eyes; Il natural grace
merry and sclf.conildent face; dresS,s well
made and becoming, and liking ccanl'n rs S
above all.
"Ihey arc mostly seen" hc adds, with
out any covering on the head at the most,
they put Oh n little hood. Here and there
you will meet country nymph with her
hair ilying loose, or bound with a coorcd
ribbon. When leaving the house for a visit,
they will wcar--be the hut wherein they
live ever 50 poor-a slken mantIla over the
shoulders, and put on gloves. They arc yc.
ry cxper, in 'enyeloping themselves coquct.
ishy in these mantilas : one Of the white,
well shaped arms will always bctray itself
They have, on these occasions, neat and
very engaging little bonnet on the head, un-
der which they understand how to look forth
with their brilliant, miSchiey0us eyes, in
quite a bcwitching way. In the English Co.
iehies the bellies have fallen in love with
pink mantillas, either Of silk or wool
Dressed in this fashion, these girls arc run
ming, dancing, skipping about, Offering a
friendly greeting to one, and always ready
for suappish answer when indiscretely ad-
dressed.
Thus we saw them cverywherc-stanl-
Ing in scores on the road which we passed
over, laughing mschcyously at US, or offer.
ing Us sometimes, with mock courtesy, an
apple At first we believed them to be city
girls, or at least the daughters Of the
wealthier inhabitants of the poorest farm
ers, whose ciotheS ana not te"'e TIC least
doubt about their situation
I'm attractive picture OF the tar damscls
Of that day, which one would hardly rccog-
nzc IN the lew withcred, passed ana sIUop-
ing forms that Time has LEFT,
Ono OF the most interesting OF the letters
is dated at Cambridge, Nov ID, after the
battle Of Saratoga. The Nessian has been
taken prisoner, with plenty more ot his
countrymen, and OF the British, and OF
the British, ana o' course IS not likely to be
IN very complimentary mood towards the
American army. Nevertheless he says some
things which make us feel prouder than ever
oil the glorious patriots oil that day' =" hen
marching through the American camp,
says he, "aIl the regiments, together with
the artillery, were drawn up IN a line OF
battle. Not single one was regularly cloth
ed in regimen'aIs. Every one OF the men
wore the clothes wherein he used to 60 to
church INTO the held or the tavern. They
had, however, the appearance oil true sol
d'erss, well disciphned, ana with such militia
ry air that not much seemed wanting to ac-
comp!lsh success, Al muskets were provi-
dcd with bayone,s, and the sharpshooters had
rifles. They stood so motlonless in the line
that we were perfectly astonlshcd. Not n
single one of them permitted bimsclf to utter
any remarks to one of his fellow soldicrs-and
what is much more, all OF them were formed
by sweet nature so tall, so fine and muscu-
lar that it did ones heart good to look at
them, and we were all delighted by the view
of SO fine set of men. 1t is really my OPT
mon, that in regard to stature and beauty Of
male population, British America is cxcelling
nearly all the European countries"
The llessian speaks of the wigs worn by
some of the Americans as very ludicrous
but he adds "Thc masters and head owners
Of these wigs are usually gentlemen between
fifty and sixty, who apparently have now
for the first time in life, marched to the
dcrcd, therefore. that many of them are
looking queer enough in their equipments,
at least when viewed by an European sol
der. But on the other hand they showed