Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1857-08-27
ANECDOTE OF THE REVOLUTION.
Written by Lady eighty years of age.l

About fifteen years ago, there appeared
in one of our Boston papers an article Civ
ing an account of a woman, who, in the mid
die of the night, in 1775, guided John Han
cock, Samual Adams, and Paul Revere,
through the woods Of Lexington, distance
of three or four miles, to protect them from
pursuit of the British. A brief memoir of
the woman referred to, Mrs. Vallette, was
|segan many years age which has since 1Re hGen
son sol of IT Milliken, containing many little
items and facts known only to those who
were in Boston when the British were in
possession of the place.
Dr. Snow, in his interesting History Of
Boston, after speaking of the troubles of the
town, says:
s'The solemnity of these sad times was
heightened by the occurrence of fire, on
Wednesday, August 10th. It broke out,
between 10 and II P. NJ, in large brick
dwelling house belonging to Mr.. Milliken
and Mrs Campbell, in Fish street, five or
six doors north of Mountfort's corner, at the
foot of North square. The lower part Of the
house was in flames before the distressed
tenents were apprised of it. Several escap-
ed out of the window, some naked and much
burnt, and five others perished in the flames,
three women and two small children. The
house was entirely consumed, with part Of
a bake-bouse. The inhabitants speedily as
sembling, with their usual dexterous man
agement, happily put stop to the further
progress of the flames. Earl Percy politely
offered the services of some soldiers who
could be depended upon, but was informed
that the regulations of the town rendered
their assistance unnecessary"
We give the following details of the fire,
as they have been told to us and repeated to
others, we might almost say, thousands of
times.
Mr.. Milliken, Scotchman by birth, and
warm Royalist, was considered Tory, and,
as he owned farm and part of mill at the
Eastward, he determined to leave Boston.
Previous to his departure, he let a part Of
his house to a Mrs. Murphy, the wife of a
Capt Murphy, then at sea: and in the care
of Mrs. Vallette, his poor lame daughter
with broken back, he left her two little
sisters Mrs. Vallette was then twenty
years old, and had been married two or three
NCehS, uGT uuSDdutl was lueu etG Sot.
= Capt. Murphy arrived home on the 10th
of August, 100, and his wife invited some
of her friends to supper, in the evening"
The supper was cooked in room where
there had been no fire for many years, if
ever; there was probably a fault in the
chimney. Mrs. Vallette had some of her
acquaintance to drink tea and pass the even
ing, which detained her up later than usual
She had retired to her chamber, was undress-
ed, and sat by the side of the bed, taking
off her stockings, when she heard the cry of
''fre' Immediately under her window; get
up, get up, your house is in flames" Rails
ing her eyes, she saw the light bursting in
to her chamber, and catching the arm Of her
little sister, who lay sleeping, she dragged
her to the door, opened it, and found the
stairs on fire. Still holding on to her sister,
who was hardly yet awake, with presence of
mind she shut the door and made for the
window, where the crowd outside were hold
ing up beds, and screaming Jump, jump"
After pushing and almost throwing her be-
wildered sister from the window, she STEP
ped back and took from chair dress to
wrap around her, as she was only in her