The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-02-20

sured the messenger that the lady's request |
should be complied with. Early the same |
morning, the same messenger, bearing a
white flag, reappeared with a note from the
same lady, thanking me for the protection
she had enjoyed, adding that in acknowledge
ment of my civilities, she begged that 1
would, with such members of my staff rs
chose to bring with me, accept the hospi-
talities of her house at breakfast which
had been prepared with considerable atten-
ton, and was quite ready. Acting upon an
impulse which 1 have never been able to
analyze or comprehend, 1 called two of my
aids, Lieutenants Worth and Watts, and re-
turned with the messenger to the mansion
already indicated. We met our hostess at
the door, who ushered us into the dining
room, where breakfast awaited us, and
where the young lady previously referred to
was already seated by the coffee-urn. Our
hostess, asking to be excused for few min
utes, retired, and the young lady Immediately
served our coffee. Before we had broken
our FAST Lieutenant Watts rose from the
table to get his bandana (that being before
the days of napkins), which he had left in
his cap on a Siderable by the window, glanc-
ing through which he saw Indians approach
ing the house on one side and red-coats ap-
preaching it on the other, with an evident
purpose of surrounding it and us, and in
stantly exclaimed, General, g 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, 1 soon outstripped
them. AS we made our escape we were fired
at, but got across the bridge in safety.
''I felt so much shame and modification at
having SO nearly fallen into a trap, that I
could scarcely fix my mind upon the duties
which now demanded my undivided atten-
ton. knew that had committed great
indiscretion in accepting that singular invi-
| tation, and that if any disaster resulted from
it 1 richly deserved both to lose my commits
sion and my character. l constantly found
myself wondering whether the lady really
! intended to betray us, or whether we had
been accidentally observed. The question
would recur even amid the excitement of
battle. Fortunately my presence and ser
vices in the field were not required until
| Generals Porter and Ripley had been en-
gagged 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 restored. L 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
discredited. The British army had fallen
back, leaving their wounded in our possession.
| The mansion which had visited in the morn
ing 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. l found the English officers
lying on the first floor, and our own on the
floor above. I saw in the lower roo N the
young lady whom met in the morning at the
fa1I harx 1rao oil III 1a1
with blood. She had been attending to the
British wounded. On the second floor, Just
as was turning into the room where our
officers were, met my hostess.
"One 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 afterwards, in rejecting upon this
incident, was led to doubt whether 1 had
not misconstrued her startled manner as I
suddenly encountered her. That unexpected
meeting would have occasioned embarrass-
ment in either contingency; and it is SO
difficult to believe a lady of cultivation and
refinement capable of such an act, that am
now, nearly half a century after the event,
disposed 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. 1 do not remember to have been
spoken to before on the subject for many
years." He looked at me, and seemed to be
considering with himself few moments, and
then said-''Remembering your intimacy
with General Worth, need not inquire how
you came to knowledge of our secret"
''Well, General" I 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."