Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-31
VOL. NO. 35.


perty. Her house interrupted the progress oi
an important siege and the American COM
mander limited, with great embarrassment, to
a lady to whom the patriotic cause owed much
that its destruction would in all probability in
sure the capture of the enemy. "The smile
with which the communication was received
gave instant relief to the embarrassed officer.
Mrs. Motto not only assented, but declared
1 that she was 'gratfed with the opportunity OF
| contributing to the good of her country, and
should view the approaching scene with de-
light shortly after, seeing by accident the bow
and arrows which had been prepared to carry
combustible matter, she sent for Lee, and pre-
| senting him with bow and its apparatus,
which had been imported from India, request
ed his substitution of them, as better adapted
for the object than those provided" The
house was burned down before her eyes the
British garrison surrendered and after the
captors had taken possession, Mrs. Motto sig
nalized the occasion by presiding, with femi-
nine grace, at grand dinner of the officers.
In one instance this self-abnegation is sub
|
tron in the palmy days of Rome. William
Martin was killed at the Augusta; and Brit
ish officer rode out of his way to crafty his
hatred of the rebels, by conveying the intelli-
gence rbruptly to the bereaved mother. "You
had SON" said he, tin the army at Augusta
I saw his brains blown out on the field of bat
tlel' The American dame did not blanch.-
| Her countenance was calm, whatever strife
may have been going on within; and looking
steadily at the rufian, she answered, "He
could not have died in nobler causel"
| 1t must be said, however, that instances of
rufiianism of this kind were comparatively few
for period of civil war. The heroic actions
of the women were in most cases unpunished,
and the author is amusingly unconscious OF
the generosity of the adverse party. AT a
time when the failure Of ammunition began to
be yexatiously felt in the American army, sup
plies of this grand necessary of war were Sc
creted by the patriots in hollow trees, and
other such places. The store given to Colonel
Bratton was confded by him during an occa-
sional absence to the care of his wife; but the
circumstance in some way OF other became
known, and detachment of the enemy was
sent to secure ii. Mrs. Bratton was made
aware of their near approach and "immedi-
ately laid a train of powder from the depot TO
the spot where she stood, and when the de-
tachment came in sight, set fire to the train,
and blew it up. The explosion that greeted
the ears of the foe informed them that the OBJ
ect of their expedition was frustrated. The
| officer in command rritated to fury, demanded
who dared to perpetrate such an act, and
threatened instant and severe vengeance upon
the culprit The intrepid woman to whom he
owed his disappointment answered for herself
| 1T was who did it, Let the consequence be
what it will glory in having prevented the
mischief contempla ted by the cruel enemies
of my country" The deed was committed
with an impunity very common in that war in
the case of ladies.
Let us come now to some anecdotes Of more
stirring adventure. A quiet etunobtrusive-look-
| ing house in Philadelphia, inhabited by qua
ker pair of the name of Darrah, was chosen by
the British officers as place for private confe-
| renee and one evening of meeting the indi-
yidual in command exhibited SO much anxiety
to get the family early to bed, that the alarm
of Lydia Darrah was excited. She could not
rest that night She heard in imagination
sounds of feet from the midnight council; and
at length getting up, she stole like shadow
ut the door of the room, and heard the reading
Of paper containing the plan of attack upon
the American army..at White Marsh on the next
day but one. Lydia crept back to bed, and a
knocking at her door soon announced to her
that the mysterious guests were departing
She shut up the house, and collected her
thoughts. Information must be given to her
countrymen of the impending destruction
but by whom To employ her husband would
be to place him in imminent jeopardy; and
Lydia determined to be herself the messenger.
Early in the morning, taking an empty sack
with her for the ostensibe purpose of procu-
ring -four for the family, she went to head
quarters obtained General Howe'swritten per-
mission to pass the British lines, and then
walking through the snow to Frankford, de-
posited her sack at the mill. She then pressed
forward towards the American outpoats; but
luckily falling in with an officer on the way,
she delivered her fateful tidings. Lydia re-
turned home with her sack of -four the same
day,and the baffed British never could imagine
10 whom they owed this unfathomabe treach-
cry.
The following is an anecdote of the wife OF
Colonel Thomas -" Early in the war, Cover
nor Rutledge sent quantity of arms and am
intuition to the house of Colonel Thomas, to
be in readiness for any emergency that might
rise on the frontier. These munitions were
under guard of twenty-five men, and the
house was prepared TO resist assault. Colonel
Thomas received information that large party
of tories, under the command of Colonel Moore
of North Carolina, was advancing to attach
him. He and his guard deemed ii inexpedien
to risk an encounter with force so much su
perior than their own, and they therefore re-
tired, carrying off as much ammunition as pos
sible. Josiah Culbertson, a son-in-law of Col
onel Thomas, who was with the little garrison
i woudnot go with the others, hut remained il
the house. Besides him and YOUTH the onl.
inmates were women. The tories advanced
and took up their station; but the treasure wa
: not to be yielded to their demand. Their cal
+ for admittance was answered by an order Il
, leave the premises, and their fire was receive,
without much injury by the logs of the house
The fire was quickly returned from the uppe