The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-08-04
A PHILADELPHIA HEROINE
How Lydia Durrah Saved Wash
iugton'e Army from Surprise
at White Marsh.

w a66 Lu0 DElIlSu oIAy uCAU e~0
session Of Philadelphia, General
Howe's headquarters were in Second
street, the fourth door below Spruce,
in house whicl was before occu-
pied by General Cadwallader. Di-
rec ly opposite resided William and
Lydia Durrah, members of the So
ciety of Friends. A superior officer
of the British army, believed to be
the Adjutant General, fixed upon
one Of their chambers, y back room,
for private conference; and two of
them frequently met there, with fire
and candles, in close consultation.
About the End of December, the Ad-
jutant General told Lydia that they
would be in the room at o'clock
and remain late, and that they wished
the family to retire early to bed, add
ing that when they were going they
would cali her to let them out and
extinguish their fire and candles.
She accordingly sent all the family
to bed, but, as the officer had been so
particular, her curiosity was excited
She took off her shoes and put her ear
to the keyhole of the conclave, and
overheard an order read for all the
British troops to march out late in
the evening of the 4th and attack
General Washington's army, then
encamped at White Marsh. On hear
ing this she returned to her chamber
and laid down.
Soon after the officers knocked at
the door, but he rose emily at the
third summena, having feigened her
self asleep. Her mind was so much
agitated that from this moment she
could neither eat nor sleep, sup
posing it to be in her power to save
the lives of thousands of her fellow
ccuntrymen, but not knowing how
she was to convey the Information to
General Washington, not daring to
confide it to her husband. The time
left, however, was short. She quick
ly determined to make her way as
soon IS possible to the American out
posts. Size informed her family that
as she was in want of flour, she
would 90 to Frankford for some her
husband insisted that she should
take the servant maid with her, but
to his surprise she posi- lively refused:
She got access to General Howe and
solicited what he readily granted. a
pass through the British troops on
the lines. Leaving her bag at the
mill, she fastened towards the
American lines and encountered on
the way an American Lieutenant
Colonel (Craig) of the light horse,
who with some of his men, was on
the lookout for Information. He
knew her and inquired where she
was going. She answered in quest OF
her son, an officer in the Ameri an
army, and prayed to the colonel to
alight and walk with her. He did
so, ordering his trools to keep in
sight. To him she disclosed her
secret, after having obtained from
him a solemn promise never to be-
tray her individually, as her life
might be at stake with the British.
He conducted her to house near
at hand, directed something for her
to eat, and hastened to headquarters,
when he made General Washington
acquainted with what he had heard.
Washington made, of course all prep.
aratiOn for battling the meditated
surprise. Lydia returned home with
her flour; sat up alone to watch the
movement of the British srsops;
heard their footsteps: but when they
returned, in few days after, did no,
dare to ask question, though solici-
tous to learn the event. The next
evening the Adjutant-General came
in, and requested her to walk up to
his room, as be wished to put some
questions. She followed him in ter
ror; but when he locked the door,
aud begged her, with an air Of mys.
terry, to be seated, she was sure that
she was either suspected or had been
betrayed. He inquired earnestly
whether any of her family were up
the last night he and the other off
Ger met. She told him that they all
retired at eight o'clock. He observed:
II know you were asleep, for ]
| knocked at your chamber door three
times before you heard me. l am en-
tirely at a loss to imagine who gave
General Washington Information Of
our intenden attack, unless the walls
of the house could speak. When We
arrived at White Marsh we found al
their cannon mounted and the troops
prepared to receive US, and we have
marched back like parcel of fools. =
Philadelphia Quarterly OF 1927.