Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1871-03-02

The Battle of Chippewa--One of
General Scott's "Reminiscences.
Thurlow Weed writes in Harper, for
nE..,l - WfAAA ~ ~

March: % A<JOO aA0APAAO
s.One evening after our rubber said
to the General: sThere is one question
/ have often wished to ask you, but
have been r8tfaiiled by the fear that
it might yb6 ! impropery The General
drew himself up and said in bis emphat-
ic manner Sir, you are incapable of
asking me an improper question: /
said, sYouare very kind : but if my
inquiry isindisereet / am srire you viii
allow it to pass unnotieed.' 4 hear you
sir he replied. Well then, Geneal,
did anything remarkable happen. to!
Chippewa Ok 81 IA brief but impres-
sive silence, he said: Yes sir, some
thing did happen to me--somethiHg
very remarkable. will now for the
third time in my life relate the story:
The 4th day Of July, 18H, Mas 6One
of extreme ieat~ On that day INV
brigade skiElnished with a British force
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 were encamped on the east
side of the river. After our tents had
been pitched I observed a flag, borne
by man in PEASANTS dress, approach
ing my marquee. He brought a letter
from lady who occupied q large man
sion On the opposite side of the creek,
informing me that she was the wife o.:
a member of Parliament, who was at
Quebec; that her children, servants,
and a young lady friend We're alone
with her in the house that General
Riall had placed sentinel before her
door; and that she yentured, with
great le doubts q & Of 81 The propriety Of the the
sentinel upon the bridge to protect her
from stragglers from our camp.
/ assured the messenge that
thelady' request shouid be complied
with Early the next day the same
messenger, bearing white flag, reap
peared with note from the same lady
thanking me for thep protection she hafl
enjoyed, adding that in acknowledg-
ment of my civilities, she begged that
/ would, with such members ofmy:.stafi
as chose to bring with me, accept the
hospitalities other house at a breakfast
which had been prepared with consider.
able attention and was quite ready.
Acting upon an impulse which / have
never been able to analyze or compre-
hend, l called two of my aids, I.ieuten-
ants Worth aiid Waits, and returned
with the messenger 10 the mansion al
ready mentioned. We met our hostess
at the door, she ushered us into the d.
ming room, where, breakfast awaited
us, and where the young lady previous
ly referred tDwas already seated by the
coffee urn. Our hostess, asking to be
excused, for few rnoh1epts, refired and
the young lady immed ediately served our
coffee. Before we Had broken cur fast.
Lieutenant Watts rose from the table
to get his bandana, Chat being before
the days of napkins) which he had left
in his eapsena q side table by the wind
Ow, gianciflg through which he saw
Indians approaching the house on one
side and Red-coats on the ether, with
the evident purpose of surrounding it
and us, and instantly exclaimed Gen
eral, we are betrayeri!' Springine from
the table and clearing the house, / saw
our danger, and as we had to run. end
my legs We're longer than my compan-
lens soon outstripped them. AS we
escaped we were fired at, but crossed
the bridge in safety. y =
i felt SO ashamed and mortified at
having SO nearly fallen into tran tI,af
1 could scarcely fix my mind upon the
duties which now demanded nv undi-
vided attention. I knew that / had
committed great indiscretion in ac-
cepting that singular invitation, and
that if any disaster resulted from IT I
richly deserved to lose both nv COM
mission and my character. 1 constant
1y found myself wondering, whether
the lady really intended to betray us.
or whether we had been accidently ob.
served. The question would recur ey-
en- amidst the excitement of battle.
Fortunately my presence and services
in the field were not required untiT
Generals Porter and Ripley had been
engaged at intervals for several hours !:
so that when my brigade, with Town,
sends artillery was ordered to cross
Street's'creek, my nerves had become
measurably quieted and restored. 7
need notdescribe the battleof Chippewa.
That belongs to and is part Of the