The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-10-18
THE DAILY DISPAICn,


colee'on - ,,ba were employed by the Brit
,.h Government In our Revolutionary war Inc
-, 4, .sid to throw much light on some features
- ,h., sreat struggle and gives the views OF tor
.,sners of the habits and manners OF that portion
~ our people with whom they came in contact
Some Of these letters published in the Northern
Journals are very picturesque and familiar.
One Of these letters, written December H. i"''
from Schaytkok, on the Hudson river say 'n"' 4"
il {" village inhabited by Dutchmcn, all OF 'le'n
well to do but very selfish people Inc iies'.'"
f1scer adds that here the troops had 10 sunei Tue
sr.t time from horse stealing, which he cans
s,,,ned habit never ceasing to annoy us curing
tho rest of the march. The people eohsoilhgi!
oh.arved that we had either stolen them ourselves
or had bought them from people attached 10 the
English. who had stolen them from the patrols :
therefore thew had the right TO claim them where
sver thew could be found, according TO common
laui The application of this fine principle now
ever did not much care about the identity, Tor not
only the Canadian but also our imported German
horses were claimed"
The village of Undertook Columbia County
Mr. Van Buren's residence)--is described by the
Hessian as consisting Of about seventy houses, the
inhabitants in general all of Dutch origin are good
money. All they sold was incredibly high" We
wonder If the people of that section stu retain
those characteristics of their fathers
Our Hessian speaks in ardent terms Oh inc
American women of that day Slim and well
proportioned in stature; pretty little feet and
fine hands and arms ; neck and shoulders beauti-
fully white complexion fresh and healthy without
needing any rouge white teeth, charnngiy red
roll ora T.
~ and self confident face dresses well made and
becoming, and liking cleanliness above all
.sTbey are mostly seem he adds without any
ering on the head; at the most they put on little
hood Here and there you Will meet country nyinph
with hair lying loose, bound with u cOored ribbon
When leaving the house for visit, they viii wear
be the hut wherein they live everssO pOOr-a sllken
maptilla the shoulders and put on gloves Ihey
are very expert in enyeloping themselves coquettls
ly in these inantillas of the white well shaped
arms will always betray itself They have on these
occasions neat and very engaging little bonnet on
the head, under which they understand how TO look
forth with their brilliant mlschevoUs IN quite
bewitching way In the English Colonies the bellies
have fallen in love with pink mantas either OF silk
wee Dressed IN this fashion, those girls are run
ming, dancing skipping about offering friendly greet
ing to one and always ready for snappish answer
when indiscreety addressed.
Thus we saw them everywhere-standiugi i'll scores
on the ROAD, which passed over laughing misclle-
vously at offering sometimes with mock cour-
tesy apple At first we believed them TO be city
least the daughters the Wsdltnttr lllaDl-
tans ofthe country but they were the daug hters
OF the poorest farmers whose clothes did not leave
the least doubt about their situation"
An attractive picture of the fair danscls of that
day, which one would hardly recognize in the few
withered, palsied and STOPPING forms that Time
has left.
One Of the most interesting of the letters is da
ted at Cambridge, Nov. 15 after the battle of Sara
toga The Hessan has been taken prisoner with
plenty of his countrymen, and of the British,
and of course is not likely to be in very compi-
mentary mood towards the American army. Ney-
ertheless he says some things which make us feel
prouder than Of the glorious patriots of that
day. "When marching through the American
camp" says he, "al the regiments, together with
The artillery, were drawn upin line of battle. Not
single one was regularly clothed in regimentals
Every one of the men wore the clothes wherein he
used to go to Church. into the field, or the tavern.
They had however, the appearance of true sol
ders,' well disciplined and with such military air
that not much seemed wanting to accomplish sue
eess All muskets provided with bayonets
and the sharp-shooters had rifles They stood so
motionless in the line that really astonis-
ed. Not single of them permitted himself to
utter any remark to of his -soldiers-and
what is much more, all of them were formed BY
sweet nature, so tall, fine and muscular 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 opinion, that in regard OF stature and
beauty of the male population British America is
sxcelling nearly all the European countries"
The Hessan speaks of the wigs worn by some of
the Americans very ludcrous but he adds -
The masters and head owners of these wigs are
usually gentlemen between fifty to sixty who ap-
parently have for the first time in life marched
10 the sound of the calls skin. 1t will not be won
dered, therefore, that many of them are looking
queer enough i'll their equipments at least when
reviewed by an European soldier. But on the
other hand they show conspcuously enough the
spirit that guided them when taking to rifle and
powderhorn. 1t is no laughing matter at all to
meet them-particularly in the woods they are
very expert in taking their aim with perfect sang
Jro'd. really think that the whole people have
natural talents for warfare, and that they would
make excellent soldiers. In general l owe il TO
all the forces there to state that when we marched
down their front, there not single man who
exhibited any rancor, hatred or sign of scorn or
who uttered a word of exultation or malicious pas
sion They behaved as if they paraded to give us
s mark of honor"
Such Is an account by Hessan enemy of the
American soldiers of the Revolution One cannot
feadit without new admiration of the plain and I'M
pretending, but stern and fearless patriots and war
riors OF that immortal period No doubt if the al
hea powers wish to try the experiment they will
ma a few more left of the same Sort