Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-12-28
A New Anecd3te Of washing


Mountain Boys, as rear guard of st.
Clair's retreating army, alter the
evacuation of Ticonderoga, beat back
q whole brigade of the hotly pursuing
British in the battle Of Hubbardton,
and thus saved, probably, that luck
less Generals entire forces, hurrying
on just in front, from route or capture
who came like o thunderbolt on the
flushed foe in mid battle ut Benning-
ton, and secured the victory for the
wavering and half beaten Stark, and
who finally was everywhere known
as one ofthe best looking, most hero
ic, and accomplished military officers
of the Continental army-that Col.
Warren was an especial favorite OF
Gen. Washington.
TA;s preliminary, however, is here
introduced less on account of any par
ticular pertinacity most of it may
have To the subject than for the.pur-
pose of explanation, and securing a
reader appreciation and credenee of
the interesting personal aneedote
which is about to be related, and
which, it is confidently believed, has
never before appeared in print.
One son of Col Warner still sur
wives. or was surviving few years
ago, an unpretending resident of
Lower Canada, from which-though
then seventy-fve years old, but very
active, and in full possession of all
his strong native facplties-he came
to the capital of Vermont with the
object of petitioning the legislature
for compensation for some lands for
merly granted to the heirs Of Colonel
Warner, but unwittingly trenched
upon by subsequent grants; and it
was then and there that the writer Of
this reminiscenee was introduced TO
him, and held several very interesting
conversations.
In one of these conversations, while
speaking OF the private affairs Of his
father, Colonel Warner, be frankly
said that the Colonel was very
thoughtIess about pecuniary matters
that he not only expended in the
cause of the country, or aiding the
needy families of his soldiers, all his
avsilab!e properly, but contracted
many debts, which finally compelled
him, 4 short time before his death, to
place mortgage on his homestead,
amounting at least to over nine hun
dred dollars, and causing the family q
great deal of oppression and uneasi-
ness. But Of this depressing load
they were at length suddenly reliev-
cd in the occurrence ofan unexpected
incident, and one which formed, as
well it might, quite an era IN their
family history But we will let Mr..
Warner, whose Christian name, we
believe, was that of his father, Seth,
relate the memorable incident in ques-
ton in his own language, which by
the id of the minutes before US, wo
knoU we can repeat substantially, and
we think very near literally, as he
made gse OF It.
1t was, he said, in the month of
September, 1889, the fall that Gen.
Washington made his tour throug Oh
the eastern states. We had kept our
selves tolerably well posted about the
progress OF this tour, and heard that
he was to be in New Haven or Hart,
ford, Conn, somewhere near the time
at which the event l am going to re
late to you took place. But as either
Of these places was quite number oI
miles from Woodbury., where we lived
we had no more idea Of seeing him
than the man in the moon. My ell
der brother, Israel Putnam Warner
then 4 man grown, and myself, Lad
of twelve or thirteen, were both living
with my mother at that time. And
at the particular time of tho day
refer to, Israel was in the yard groom
ing fathers old war horse, which he
had been compelled to go with ia thel
through all his campaigns to take care
of; for the fiery and proud old fellow
would never let anybody but his mas
ter, the Colonel, and his son Israel
mount or cone near him, though he
had cow got so much tanned down By
old age that ne would behave quite
decentIy with me or any body. | was
in the house with my mother, who
happened to be unusually downeast
that day, and was brooding over our
family embarrasments, and had Just
been saying:
mo, no, Seth, 1 can never pay, nor,
with our means, hardly begin to pay,
this dreadful mortgage. And as
hear it is about to DO foreclosed, we
must now soon be driven from ouI
pleasant home, where we have lived
81 long, and, until your fathers death
so happily. My husband, the Colonel
fought as we'll as the bravest of them,
and did all he could and more than
his part, for the good cause, they all
are willing to allow; and 1 know very
well that he wore. himself out in the
service, and was thus brought to q pre-
mature grave. And yet here is his
family almost on the verge of begga-
ry."
Tears here started in mothers eyes
which 80 touched me that | rose and
went to the window; when, to my sur
prise, | saw entering the yard two
well mounted stranger gentlemen,
whom, from something about their
general appearance, 1 took to be old
military officers of pretty high rank
or, at least, one of them, who was
large and had a very commanding
look. Having significantly beckoned
mother TO my side, she gazed out at
the new comers q moment in silence,
when she suddenly gave start, and
with an excited air, exclaimed:
"Seth, just take notice of that noble
looking oneI Why, he looks ever so
much Ike the picture | once saw of
But no; that surely can't bel"
"Well, ut any rate, mother, he must
be man OF some consequence; for see