The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-11-02
The Boy Patriots.
A REVOLUTIONARY INCIDENT.


History is filled with the deeds of the
med of the Revolution, nor are the patri-
otic women forgotten by the journals of
'76; but where is the historian that tells of
the boys of thai period? There were boys
in the Revolution, boys of noble patriot
ism and dauntless spirits, boys who would
not become traitors. though the rack and
the gibbet confronted them; boys who
toiled with an endurance and boldness un-
equaled in the annals of a nation, for the
Independenee.s the "Old Thirteen."
Let us relate an instance: 1t was in the
year lT77. Philadelphia was in the hands
of Lowe and his inhnlnau soldiery, while
the field of Brandywine gave the Ameri-
can people an evidence OF British human
ity. The peopleof Pennsylvania anl Dele
aware were mt the mercy of their foes
Bands OF Hessian dragons secured the
vicinity of Philadelphia for miles around,
and committed acts which would disgrace
a Vandal.
On the evening" of an autumn day group
OF boys, ranging in age from twelve to
seventeen years, were gathered together
on the steps oi d tenantless storehouse in
the little village of Newark, Delaware
The town seemed lonely, and with the ex-
ception OF the youthful band referred 10,
not human being met the eye. All the
men capable oi bearing arms had left their
homes 10 join the army OF Washington on
the SchuylkIil. a youth OF sixteen years
mounted ON Il barrel, was giving an account
oi The disasters uf Brandywine. James
Wilson, The narrator, was a bold boy, en-
thusiastlc III his love Tor the American
cause, and Possessed of no little intelli-
gence. Ills bright blue eyes and fiaxen
hair gave him ALI ettelninate appearance,
but underneath that plain homespun jack
et, throbDcd heart that never quaileu III
danger, nor slrul,u be.ore an obstacle.
lis father VA, a commander OF the Dell
aware reg uiar troops, ana his mother was
dead. Ine boy concluded his narration,
and WAS eeeply ialnentiAH that ne could
hot join the army.
II AHA not old enough said he, "but had
! IA nIusket, wouiu not sianu idly here,
with my hands hanging useiessiy by my
siue. 4 have spent Iearly u week tryil.Y
10 hnd one, bat my efforts have been OF
no avail. strongly suspect that old Tory
Livingston has st. era. Al his house, but
s,s nuperuii.s no one 70 trespass on his land,
/ ain ul.aDle 10 say positively. III there
are any boys that wIli ilel p ine, Will search
his house this hislIt. lIe has no one 10
help him except ms son George, and We
can easily ni;tiias. A4.l.'
The Whole party Immediately volunteer
Ell, ana The young heroes soon started fof
The mousse oi lne tory.
Livingston had long been suspected of
haIDofnIS ifitlsn spies, and some OF his
iorhler iiti,nfcrs li:',i reported that he kept
up "A Regular correspondence wiki we DrI,-
loil coliiiiailuer. ~ uiI events he Was cUn-
sidered by The Wings as ii dangerous man,
alu therefore aroIueu. Ills house was sit-
uated u shUrtsdislaIIce from W hile CLAY
creek, Oh me SluG UI u steep hill, and sur
rounded on ;sii SIDES by taiIi trees. ii was
just such pace .tS one might suppose
suiiaDie lor ;iie pooling Vi Lreason. A. the
titiie james WILSON and his Little Dauu le,t
LIIe deserted stofeiOuse III the Village oI
Newarh, uiisk hau gwen place 10 The dark
er siitues oi HI5Ai; stlii IL Was not Gark,
INC new moon Was s.IInlug brightly Iii The
clouds, ailu every object was perfectly dis
Iinguis.iabie. Al length lhey gained a
bank ol the creek, ana slowly ioilowins
the winding path, soon came TO little low
JridSe which crossed II little shallow rivu
Iet leading into White Gay. liere they
stepped, anu " ilsun and one OF his com
laiiluHs Went forward TO reconuoitIe.-
ney had not Proceeded far before they
heard footsteps. Cnncealing themselves
behind a Tree, they discovered that the
person ippI oachiilS Was George Living
| sion, The tory son. Wilson darted out
AND seized Inn uy the iieck, anu il4e lwo
boys soon dragged nlm 10 the spot where
| III. y had leltiheir companions. The tory )
son was struck dumb with fright when he
| found himself liz tAe nilast ot the whole
/, group Of boy heroes, with the vice like
gap Oh JaEIes i.li,I FraIikon either arn.--
lie Was 50 1ris hte4ea AL their threats that
! lac promised to tell them all, if they would
not injure him
The blue eyes of James glistened with
! Joy, and he soon gained from the tory >
son Il revelation that stamped his father Il
,raitor o. the most appalling character.-
They discovered ti.at OH Livingston not
only kept up ii correspondence with the
| British cumniiindcr, bat thai he had so
| plotted in his tral,orous designs Thai the
village of Newa.k Gas to be burned to
| ashes, and its women and children lett eX-
'lia al al
| 20 receive as his reward, tie land wnereon
the village stood, and I'M annual pension
from lhe Dritish government.
But stranger than ALL the plot was to be
tory's son had been aptured, while he wis
going on an errand to tory Heighbors's 5,
about TWO miles distant. The little band
of heroes learned, too, that the Britt, il
troops had secured their horses in Living,
ston's stable, and intended to descend the
| creek i'm large boat. There were twenty
OF them beside theircaptain. Major Brad
stone, the leader of the band, was i'm tenn
per and heart "a through demon, and did
not scruple i'm his cruelty to destroy the
slumbering infant or sickly wife. Not n
few in that youthful band of patriots trent
bled for widowed mother or defenceless
sister. Some were for departing immedi-
ately, but James Wilson, still retaining
his grasp on the tory's son, ordered all to
be silent. The prisoner was tied hand and
foot, thick handkerchief put over his
mouth to prevent his calling assistance,
and a stout cord fastened to his breast and
| wound about tree. Wilson then told his
little band to follow him, and in few mo-