Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-01
For the Vermont watnhmai
A True Story Of the Revolution.

OF late many revolutionary "reminiscences
have been told and written, to remind us of
the bravery, courage, and skill which our
ancestry exhibited in "the times that tried
mems souls" The following anecdote of
my great aunt Eunice Locke is bona fde
fact, and shows that there was an anti-Brit-
ish spirit in the women as well as the men
of l77G. We give the story in her own words ::
"Late in the afternoon of one of the
last days of May, in the year rs, when
was few months short of fifteen years old,
notice came to Townsend, Mass, where my
father used to live, that fifteen soldiers were
wanted.
=" The training band was instantly called
out and my brother that was next older
than | was one that was selected. He did
not return till late at night, when we were
all in bed. When | arose in the morning |
found my mother in tears, who informed me
that my brother John was to march next
day after tomorrow morning at sunrise. My
father was at Boston in the Massachusetts
Assembly. Mother said that though John
was supplied with summer clothes, he must
suffer for winter garments. There were, at
this time no stores and no articles to be had
except such as each family could make itself
"The sight of mothers tears always
brought all the hidden strength of body and
mind into action. instantly asked what
garment was needed. She replied Panta-
looms
Oh, if that is ALL said l. We will spin
and weave him pair before he goes
"' But said my mother, the wool is on
the sleeps back and the sheep are in the
pasture Immediately turned to younger
brother and bade him to take the dish of
salt and call them to the yard.
"Mother replied Poor child, there are no
sheep-shears within three miles and half
"H have some small shears at the loom,
said |.
"'But you can't spin and weave it in so
short time
81 am certain that we can, mother
"'How can you weave it i? There is a
long web of linen
"'No matter; can find an empty loom
"By this time the sound of the sheep
made me quicken my steps towards the yard.
requested my sister to bring the wheel and
cards, while went for the wool. | went to
the yard with my brother, and secured a
white sheep, from which | sheared with my
loom shears half enough for web. We
then let her go with the rest of her fleece.
sent the wool in by my little sister, aud
Luther ran for a black sheep, and held her
while cut off wool for my filling and half
my warp, aud then we allowed her to go
with the remaining coarse part of her fleece.
"The wool thus obtained was duly carded,
spun, washed, sized and dried loom was
found few doors off the web got in and
wove, the cloth prepared, cut and made, two
or three hours before my brothers departure
that is to say, in forty hours from com
mencement, without help from modern i'm
provement.
81 felt no WEAKNESS, | wept not; | was
serving my country, | was relieving my poor
mother, | was preparing a garment for my
darling brother. The garment finished, |
retired to my room and wept until my over.
charged heart was relieved"
This young girl lived to see nearly eighty
three years. She was woman of great
energy and intelligence with mind aud
heart sparkling with good-humor and kind
feelings, and was the mother of six children
Being fitted out her brother went to fight
for freedom. He was young man of great
energy and vigor served many campaigns il
the army of the revolution; was at Dorches
ter Heights December, 1776, at Bennington
in l777, at the battle at White Plains, auc
at many other places; was sergeant
Partly for the benefit of his health and partl,
to serve his country he joined privateer
and died of Yellow fever at the island o
Antigua, March 22d, 1888, not quite twenty
two. With such spirit to cope with, neet
we wonder that Burgoyne did not execut,
his threat of marching through the heart o
| America