The Republican journal., 1876-03-02
Centennial Sketches,
A WOMAN OF '76.

| need OF praise. In Othef words, thel
deeds, their heroic lives. have never beer
sufficiently recounted, for to relate th'
bare facts of their history would be to be
stow upon them the highest glory
1t was not alone in buoyant endurance
of fearful burdens. in passive forbearanc,
under brutal insult and tyranny, in Low
ingly supporting the hearts of the patrio
soldierv-these are exhibitions of woman
nature common to all nations and to every
age - the terrible struggle Tor American
independence seems to have called fortl
exceptional phases of womanhood, and We
find the tender flesh and delicate nerves
the quick brain and impressible heart ac
lively engaging in the deadly strife a;
soldiers in actual battle, like Capt. Mol
Oh the heated field of Monmouth, or Deb
orah Lawson serving in uniform through
the war; as scouts, like Emily Geiger
under Greene in the Carolinas, and as
spies and saviors OF men, like Lydia Dar.
rah, in Philadelphia. who, fleeing through
the winter night, snatched the American
army at Whitemarsh from sudden destruc.
ton.
In those sections OF the country which
became at any time the seat Of war, and
especiallyin in such as suffered most severe
lv by the bitter partisan strife between
Wings and Tories, did the women mani
fest surprising gallantry; and for this rea-
son the states of the South produced some
Of the most remarkable cases Of female
daring.
Mrs Ellet, by her loving endeavors to
collect and save the scattered and dying
traditions of these heroic women, has rem
dered a service for which successive gen
erations will not cease to be thankful; but
it is evident that even her faithful research
must have failed to discover all the women
whose deeds brought them greatlocallame.
One of those who thus escaped her notice
is the subject of this sketch.
At the outbreak OF the Revolution there
lived, on the banks Of the Sandy Creek
in the old North State, Il widow with five
Young children. Her lately bereayed
home was sumptuous for the times, and
she held large possessions in lands and
mills Her husband. Colonel John Me-
Gee had been a person ct influence in his
section-a man of wealth and widely ex-
tended business relations His young
widow now carried on the plantation, the
mills, and the store. and proved herself Il
thrifty and efficient manager
She was in many respects Il remarkable
woman. Her tine figure and commanding
bearing were the eXponents OF Il noble and
dauntless heart, mind keen, energetic,
and resolute. Her presence of mind was
wonderful; and, through all the wild Vi
cissitudes of her life, she was never at Il
loss for expedients to accomplish her will.
Her deep intense nature made her Il noble
friend, but Il dangerous enemy; while her
bold, daring and unconquerable determin-
alton more than offset the disadvantages
of her sex. Yet, she was in no way un-
womanly; through all her life no voice of
reproach was ever lifted against her from
any respectable source. When the war
came on she espoused the Wing principles
with enthusiasm; but woe to the luckless
Tory who crossed her path! General
Gray, in manuscript letter, now seventy
years old, says that she depised the very
name of Tory, and if she ever prayed for
one it must have been in the language of
the one hundred and ninth psalm. Her
maiden name was McFarlane, and she
held, in strong force, the sturdy charac-
teristics of her Scotch ancestors.
OOIOIel NlCUcc llttu DCcll all CAUtUSlNC Z
trader, and most of the business at the
store was carried on by barter. He re-
ceived deerskins. turs. beeswaX, all such
articles as could be easily handled; and
when the time came to replenish his stock
he would load this produce on wagons,
travel to Petersburg and exchange it tor
goods. On all these expeditions he ac-
companied the train on horseback and,
while his drivers slept by the teams, he
himself would seek a lodging in some
neighboring house. His wife had learned
his methods Of business, and the names OF
his friends on the route, and now that she
was widow she was determined that the
hand of the master should not be missed
Soon after her husbands death she
started on her first expedition, and made
a safe and successful journey to Peters
burg. On the first day of her return it
began to snow. Toward evening the
wind rose to a gale, the snow blew in
binding gusts, and lay heavy and thick
upon the ground. Through all the wild
night the faithful woman remained beside
the teams, inspiring the drivers and en-
couraging the beasts. When the dull,
gray daylight returned, the storm was
still increasing, and the wagon teams
made short stages and long rests.
The widow saw the situation was des-
perate; she now concluded to leave the
wagons to follow as they could, and push
on alone to apace of safety Armed with
pistols and dirk, tor she was in Tory
country, she started out into the binding
waste Of snow. Her stout, faithful mare
caught the spirit of the struggle. and
through the early part of the day plunged
sturdily onward. About noon she entered
wide tract of forest-whose desolation
was unbroken by single house, and
whose thick growth of pines cast heavy
shadow upon the dim Ii ght of day. Here
the force of the gale was somewhat brok-
en-. but the snow piled in huge drifts
about the trees, and it was impossible to
detect the road. The caprice OF the wind
opened wide avenues between the trees
where the footing was easy; and she often
mistook one OF these for the road riding
on between narrowing walls of snow, un-
til some instinct told her she was wrong
At last the fading light struck sudden
terror to her heart She looked at hel
watch; it was late in the afternoon
What should she do? Her noble beast
was sadly tagged, and she knew not
which way to turn. But to remain was
to perish just then she remembered
hearing that the largest limbs OF the
pines are always on the southern side
With an inward shout of exultation she
plunged on once more with this for her
guide, Every moment was precious, fol
darkness was coming on with fearful
strides, when she would no longer be
able to distinguish one limb from an.
other. She piled her trembling mare
with the whip; she coaxed with pleading
voice and patting hand; she begged ano
scolded-when suddenly it grew lighter
and her eyes saw nothing but the weird
bewildering face of the snow. The mare
felt the change at once, and. pushing OF
with redoubled energy, soon brought hcl
rider to safety and bright freside.
The fair hand of the young widow Nc
Gee belonged to woman of many per
sonal attractions, and held in its GRASP