Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-03-28

ficer, the young lady was stricken down
by an epidemic. which ravaged alike on
the young, the hopeful and the beautiful,
as it did on the withered and the deiiled,
and her hopeful page Of: life was closed
suddenly and forever.
THE OATH OF VALLEY FORGE.
It was at VALLEY Forge that sling
ton, by order of Congress, adnipi9ered
the oath of allegiance 10 the general Off
GERS The Major Geferals stood around
the Commando in Chief, apd took hold
of Bible togsfss according t the usu-
al custom; but a$Wasbington lbegan to
adaf 4'sterit oaH deliberately with
drew his land. his singular movement
was repea,Sd, ,apd II 50 Of "a a manner that
all the ofiedNsFflsd,. apd WgAingtoR2
Iinquiring into themeaNhg oflS Nancy,
Lee replied" AS to King GeSr94 | am
willing to absolve myself from ALL llegi-
ance to him, but have some seruples& bout
the Prince of Wales" The strangeness
of this reply was such that the officers
burst into broad laugh, in which Wash
ington himself was obliged to join. The
ceremony was Of course interrupted. 1t
was renewed as soon as a composure was
restored proper for the solemnity of the
occasion, and Lee took the oath with the
other officers.
Charles Lee received a commission in
the Brisish army when but eleven years
of age. When turned Of twenty, he made
| four campaigns in America, and in the
French war, and was wounded in the as
sault on Ticonderoga. He displayed great
skill and bravery in the service, and re-
ceived the rank of Colonel. Leaving
America he served with distinction under
Burgoyne, in Portugal, against the Span
iards.
When peace came he returned from En-
gland, and projected two new British colo
nies-and one on the Ohio below the Wa
bash, and the other OF the Illinois; and
though he was baffled in his scheme by
the ministers rejecting his proposition, yet
continued to take lively interest in the
concerns of the colonies. His vigorous
style, both in speech and writing, was dis
tinguished by pointed satire and scorching
invective, and savored of high republican
principles. He evidently foresaw the
American contest.
In 1864 Lee went to Poland, and was
appointed Major General in its army
he presented sword which had belonged
to Oliver Cromwell to Loniatowski; who,
he observes, though king, is great
admirer of that extraordinary .man.' He
performed campaign against the Turks,
travelled extensively and returned to En-
gland in 1910. His known sentiments
and his ability as writer led to the au-
thorship of the letters of Junius being as
cribed to him. In 1878 be came to Amer
lea, travelled much, made the acquaintance
Of the leading men, and embraced with
ardor the patriotic cause.
Fixing his affections on the new world,
he purchased an estate in Virginia.
| When the Revolutionary war broke out,
Lee was appointed Major General. His
valuable services in the cause are too well
lzr, require skateh of them: but
with his merits we're faults not less strik-
ing, which was to be ascribed to an i'll
regulated mind, for his patriotism is not
to be doubted After the affair at Mon
mouth, for which he was by court mar
tial suspended from any command for a
twelve-month, he retired to his estate in
Berkely county, Virginia, which he called
Prato Kio. Here he lived more like a
hermit than citizen of the world, or a
member Of the civilized community. His
house was little more than a shell, with
out partitions, and containing scarcely the
necessary articles Of furniture for the most
common use. To a gentleman who visi
ted him in his forlorn retreat where he
found kitchen in one corner, bed in
another, books in third, and saddle and
harness in a fourth. Lee said, 6 Sir, it is
the most convenient and economical esta-
| blishment in the world. The lines of
chalk which you see on the floor mark
the division of the apartments, and I can
sit in any corner and give orders without
moving from my chair"
Farming proved Improbable. Lee'left
his place in the autumn Of 1882. and made
visit to Baltimore. He remained there
but a few days, when he went to Philadel-
! phia, where he had scarcely established
himself in lodgings when he was attacked
| by fever which terminated his life on the
| I'd Of October, at the age Of tifty-one. In
the delirium of fever, the last words he
was heard to say we're" Stand by me
my brave grenadiers !" In will that he
had written were directions that his body
should not be buried in any charchyard
nor within a mile of any Presbyterian bu-
rial ground.