Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-07

REMINISCENCE OF GENERAL SCOTT

One evening after our rubber said to
the General, There is one question l have
often wished to ask you but have been
restrained by the fear that it might be
improper" The General drew himselfup,
and said in his emphatic manner .'Sir,
you are incapable of asking an improper
question" | said, "You are very kind !;
but if my inquiry is indiscreet | am sure
you will allow it to pass unanswered" 81
hear you, Sir he replied. "Well, then.
General, did anything remarkable happen
to you on the morning of the battle of
Chippewa? ?' After brief but impressive
silence he said, .'Yes, Sir; something did
happen to me--something very remarka-
BILE. l will now for the third time in my
| life relate the story
The 4th OF July, 1914. was one of ex-
treme heat. On that day my brigade
| skirmished with British force command
ed by General Rail, from an early hour in
the morning till late in the afternoon.
We had driven the enemy down the river
some twelve miles to Streets Creek. near
Chippewa, where we encamped for the
night, our army occupying the west, while
that OF the enemy was encamped on the
east side of the creek. After our tents had
been pitched, | observed flag. borne by a
man in peasants dress, approaching my
marquee, He brought letter from a lady
who occupied large mansion on the OPP
posite side of the creek, informing me that
she was the wife of member of Parlia-
ment, who was then at Quebec; that her
children, servants, and a young lady friend
were alone with her in the house; that
General Rail had placed sentinel before
her door; and that she ventured, with
great doubts of the propriety of the request,
to ask that / would place sentinel upon
the bridge to protect her against stragglers
from our camp. | assured the messenger
that the lady request should be complied
with. Early the next morning the same
| messenger, bearing white flag, reap
peared with note from the same lady.
thanking me for the protection she had en-
joyed, adding that, in acknowledgment
OF my civilities, she begged that would,
with such members of my staff as chose
to bring with me, accept the hospitalities
of her house at breakfast which had been
prepared with considerable attention, and
was quite ready. Acting upon an impulse
have never been able to analyze or COM
prehend. called two of my aids, Lieuts.
Worth and Watts, and returned with the
messenger to the mansion already indicat-
ed. We met our hostess at the door, who
ushered US into the dining-room, where
the young lady previously referred to was
already seated by the coffee-urn. Our
hostess, asking to be excused for few
minutes, retired, and the young lady i'm
mediately served our coffee. Before we
had broken our fast, Lieut. Watts rose from
the table to get his bandana (that being
before the days of napkins), which he left
in his cap on a side table by the window,
glancing through which he saw Indians
approaching the house on one side, and
red-coats approaching it on the other, with
an evident purpose of surrounding it and
| us, and instantly exclaimed, General, we
are betrayed Springing from the table
and clearing the house, | saw our danger,
and remembering Lord Chesterfield had
said, Whatever it is proper to do, it is
| proper to do well, and as we had to run,
and my legs were longer than those of
my companions, | soon outstripped them
As we made our escape we We're fired at,
but got across the bridge in safety.
III felt so much shame and modification
at having so nearly fallen into trap. that |
could scarcely fix my mind upon the duties
which now demanded my undivided atten-
ton. knew that | had committed an
indiscretion in accepting that singular in
vitation, and that if any disaster resulted
from it richly deserved to lose both my
commission and my character. | constant
ly found myself wondering whether the
lady really intended to betray us, or
whether we had been accidentally observ-
ed. The question would recur even amidst
the excitement of battle. Fortunately my
presence and services in the field were not
L. D;,,lo
had been engaged at intervals for several
hours so that when my brigade, with
Towson's artillery, were ordered to cross
Streets Creek my nerves and confidence
had become measurably quieted and re-
Chippewa. That belongs to and is part of
the history of our country 1t is sufficient
to say that at the close of the day we were
masters of the position, and that our arms
were in no way discredited. The. British
army had fallen back, leaving their
wounded in our possession. The mansion
which had visited in the morning was
the largest house near, and to that the
wounded officers in both armies were car
ried for surgical treatment. As soon as |
could leave the field went over to look
| after my wounded. | found the English
officers lying on the first-iloor, and our
own on the floor above. | saw in the low
er room the young lady whom | had met
in the morning at the breakfast table her
white dress all sprinkled with blood. She
had been attending to the British wounded.
On the second floor, Just rs | was turn
ing into the room where our officers were,
met my hostess.
Zone glance at her was quite sufficient
to answer the question which had been
asking myself all day. She had intended
to betray me, and nothing but the accident
of my aid rising for his handkerchief saved
us from capture.
Years afterward, in rejecting upon
this incident, was led to doubt whether
| had not misconstrued her startled man.
ner as suddenly encountered her. That
unexpected meeting would have OCCASION
cd embarrassment in either contingency
and it is so difficult to believe lady of
cultivation and refinement capable of such
|