Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-06-20
THE WIFE OF BENEDICT ARNOLD.
BY JAMES PARTON.

BY JAMES PARTON.
We catch our first view of this I'M
happy lady on a bright May day, in
IT'S, when she took part in famous
and splendid pageant at Philadelphia
She was then a beautiful girl of eighteen
Miss Margaret Shippen-the daughter
of an opulent and ancient Philadelphia
family, and one of the reigning bellies
of that town. Her ancestors were
among the first Settlers in Pennsylvania,
and her great grandfather was the first
Mayor OF Philadelphia. In the course
of time the family had acquired great
possessions and, laying aside the
the Church of England. During the
MES and the King, which ended IN the
her father, the head of the family, was
inclined to the Kings side.
1t was May the 18th, 1778. For many
months the British army had been
CHARTERED in Philadelphia, commanded
by Maj. Gen. Sir William Howe.
The General had now been superseded
and was about to return to England.
The officers of the army, wealthy
class who had nothing to do, seized the
occasion of his retirement to amuse
themselves by giving grand festival
IN his honor and this was the day on
which it was to be held.
The affair began with a grand regatta
upon the Delaware river, or rather a
long procession of galleys and barges,
filled with officers and ladies, which
were rowed slowly down the whole
length of the city, in an avenue formed
by the shore crowded with spectators,
and line of men-of-war and transport
ships, gaily dressed with flags and
streamers. At half past four in the af-
ternoon, the barges began to move, the
oars keeping time to the martial music,
and when they had arrived opposite
Market street, they all laid upon their
oars, while the band played "God save
the King;" after which the soldiers
gave three cheers. Continuing their
course, the company were conveyed
past the city to where a grand totrna-
ment was to take place; and it was in
this portion of the entertainment that
Margaret Shipper shone. A spacious
field, surrounded by troops, had been
prepared for the contest. Upon one
side was stationed all the bands of music
in the army. There were two pavilions,
with rows of benches, one above the
other, filled with the most distinguished
ladies Of the city.
On the front seat of each of these pa
beautiful young aides Pennsylvania
could boast. They were dressed in
Turkish costume-trowsers, tunics and
\ L Il.
the favors with which they intended to
reward the knights who were to con-
tend in their honor. Among these
lovely maidens sat Miss Margaret Ship
pen. One of the knights who figured in
the tournament was Capt. Andre, her
familiar acquaintance. Little could
either of them have thought, on this
bright day, how fatally their destinies
were involved.
The trumpet sounded. The herald
appeared. The challange was delivered,
and the contest occurred; which ended
without loss of blood, to the satisfaction
of al concerned At the conclusion of
the tournament the company were
ushered into a magnificent ball room,
decorated, we are told, by eighty-fve
mirrors, and lighted by thirty -four
branches of wax candles. The ball was
opened by the fourteen bellies in Turkish
dress, and their fourteen knights-one
Lieutenant Sloper being the knight
who led Miss Shipper out to dance. At
ten o'clock, the windows were thrown
open, and a splendid display of fire
works was exhibited.
At twelve, large folding doors, which
had hitherto been concealed, were sud-
denly thrown open, which revealed a
gorgeous saloon, two hundred and ten
feet long, forty feet wide, and twenty
two feet high, with three alcoves on
each side. This was the supper room.
Upon the table there were twelve hun
dred dishes. As the guests entered the
room, great number of black slaves in
Oriental costume, ranged in two lines,
bowed to the ground. This vast apart
ment was one splendor of wax lights,
flowers, ribbons, flags, mirrors, and sill
yer plate. One of the regular toasts of
the occasion was, miss Shipper and
her knight" After supper the company
returned to the ball room, and kept up
the dance till four in the morning,
reaching their homes about sunrise.
The festival, as Maj. Andre remarks,
was the most splendid ever given by an
army to its chief. And little, indeed,
had that chief done to deserve it. An
old officer of the British army, who
perceived the folly of paying such ex-
Jravagant honors to a General who had
won no victories, said sadly: What
will Washington think of all this 2"
Exactly month from that day the
British army evacuated Philadelphia,
and away they sped across Jersey, with
Gen. Washington at their heels. A
day or two agter body of American
troops marched in, commanded by Gen.