Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-03-15
NTOWN, JUNlATA COUNTY. iPENN'Ar MARCH Is, 1871

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Of my companions, l soon outs stripped
them. As we made our escape we we're
fireda:, but got across the bridge in safety
al felt so much shame and mortifica
ton at having so nearly fallen into a
drop, that could scarcely fix my mind
upon the duties which now demanded my
undivided attention. knew that had
committed great indiscretion in accept.
ing that singular invitation, and that if
any disaster resulted from it, richly de-
served to lose both my commission and
my character. / constantly found my
self wondering whether the lady really in
tended TO betray US, Or whether we had
been accidentally observed. The question
would recur even amidst the excitement
of battle. Fortunately my presence and
services in the field were not, required
until Generals Porter and Ripley 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 been measuraLly quieted and restor-
ed. / need not describe the battle of
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 dis
credited. The British army had fallen
back, leaving the wounded in our posses
sion. The mansion which had visited
in the morning was the largest house
near, and to that the wounded officers in
both armies were carried for surgical
treatment As soon as | could leave the
field went over to look after my wound
eG. found the English officers living
on the first-loor, and our own on the
floor above. saw in the lower room
the young lady whom | had met in the
mornin. at the breakfast-ta6le, her white
dress all sprnkled with blood She had
been attending to the British wounded.
On the second floor, just as ! was :urn-
ing into the room where om officers were,
| met my hostess.
,"One glance at her was quite sufficient
to answer the question which had been
asking myself all day. She lad intend
ed TO bctray me, and nothing but the
accident of my aid rising for his hand
kcrchief saved us from capture.
Years afterward, in rejecting upon
this incident, | was led 10 doubt whether
had not misconstrued her startled
manner as suddenly encountered her.
That unexpected meeting would have
occasioned embarrassment in either CON
tingency; and it is SO difficult to believe
a lady of cultivation and refinement cap
able of such an act, that am now, near
ly half acentury after the event, dispos-
ed to give my hostess the benefit of that
doubt
"And now, Sir added the General,
''this is the third time in my life | have
told this story. do not remember to
have been spoken to before on the sub
ject for many years He Looked at me
and seemed to be considering with him
self few moments, and then: "Re-
membering your intimacy with General
Worth, need not inquire how you came
to knowledge of our secret
"Well. General" l replied, 81 have
kept the secret faithfully for more than
forty years, always hoping to obtain your
own version of what struck me as a most
remarkable incident in your military
life. "-Harper's .Mdga=iae.