Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1858-08-05

little said nothing, for he was too much
in love with Mary to betray her father;
but all other questions he answered
with q promptness that proved he had
large share of good sense to make up
for his uncouth appearance. fr"'
ssAnd you wish to serve in tho army -
said Washington, kindly.
"Such is my intention, your cxellen-
cy, if you think my services worthy of
regard.
awe are always glad to receive such
good re ruits in the cause of freedom as
thou art The service thou hast rem
lllered -isa great one 70 the American
cause. Capt4id oSliEiIs AII0A ne u
congratulate you! for such is the COM
mission you henceforth hold in the con-
tinental army" .'.
The heart of the new made officer was
too full to express his thanks, but he
resolved to prove by deeds, and not
by words. that he was worthy of Wash
| ington' s consideration. er,
The Commander in chief saw that some
| immediate steps must be taken not on
ly to take lphia-which. as learn
ed by the dispatches brought by Doc
little, the enemy were determined to
pessess-but to arouse the spirit of
the nation that had now sunk to de-
spondency. He resolved to anticipate
the British, and cross the frozen Della
ware, on the night of the Goth of De-
cember, where he learned that a large
body of Uessions were encamped.
He followed up his plan with emf
nent success for the attack being to-
tally unexpected, more than nine hun
dred of the en- my were taken prison
ers of war. He recrossed the river
again, and though his shadow of an
army was weary and exhausted, he de-
termined to make an attack on the
British forces at Princeton. Here he
had the good fortune to kill sixty and
take three hundred prisoners more
| This good fortune served to dispel the
gloom that had settled over the Amer
lean cause.
1t is an undoubted fact, that Mala-
chi Doolittle held colonefs commits
sion in the army before the close of
the war, which took place when Great
Britain acknowledged the independence
of the United States, November 30,
1882.
On the banks of the river Raritan
some ten years after the incidents de-
tailed in our story, there stood fine
house, built in the style of the Eliz-
abethian period-the residence of Col
Doolittle and family, who was now one
of the wealthiest farmers Of the coun-
try. He was one of the most hospitable
! of men, and neither friend or stranger
could pass his door without being asked
to take mug of the Colonefs good ci-
der, or if it happened to be about tea
time, a cup of tea and slice of short
cake, made by the fair hands of his wife
Molly.
There was an old man: too, who sat
in the cosiest place by the fire side, who
for long time after the close of the
war, would advocate the cause of the
King and talk about having somebody
arrested for stealing a sorrel horse-at
which his daughter would wink silly to
her husband-but he finally came to the
F conclusion as peace and plenty crowned
the land of freedom, that George Wash
incton was not so much of rebel after
all. ........-. -.-.....- .
There was an old lady, too, who ap
peared to never grow tired of praisius
her son-in- law; and a little boy, the very
image Of his mother, who, at the clos'
of many a summers day, would climl
, ubon his fathers knee, and say with ;
tone of earnest entreaty:
"Now, pa, do tell me all about Ensigr
Spencer, and general Washington, ant
the Hessians, and how you hooked grand
pas horse, and listened for soldier"
willingly, my son." the Colone
would reply, '.but I have related tn
story so often, should think you knew
it by heart" Yet son and heir often re
lated it over and over again.
- Such is one of the many incident
: connected with the dark hours of TIL
Revolution. Though purchased wit
the blood of thousands, it left the legac
o of freedom to mankind, and few in thos
! s'times that tried mems souls" acquire
greater fame in the American caus
> than Malachi Doolittle the blacksmith,
g apprentice.