The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-12-05

. ROMANCE or THE REVOLUTION RECALLED
BYA PICTURE FOUND IN BUFFALO.
An Erie pal special says: Miss Jennie
Hazen, OF Angola township, was passing a
secondhand picture-dealer's store in But.
falo a few days ago, when she noticed
a picture that was striking likeness
of herself. Looking at the reflection
of herself in the window ana then
upon the old painting. the resem-
bisnce was wonderful. The young lady
on her return home told her friends
that some one had been painting her pic
ture with her torn arrayed in the style oithe
last century. and some OF the family went
10 Buffalo. and upon seeing the picture
were amazed. Their bewilderment was IN
creased by decipbering the name Jennie on
the back OF the painting, and they pur-
chased 1t and sent It to the young lady,s
Grandmother i'm this city, Mrs. DR.. NJ. d:
Clark, who recognized it as the portrait OF
her grandmother, Jennie Elizabeth McMl-
cbael. an intrepid Philadelphia girl, whose
adventures during the Revolutionary Pc
Rod were told at thousands OF tiresldes by
the grandfathers and grandmothers OF the
present generation.
The original Of the old picture was born
in Philadelphia, and was the daughter OF
DIR. McAllister, a surgeon in the Continent
al army. When about seventeen years OF
age she met Edward McMichael, young
British officer Of a Scotch regiment, who
had taken shelter from a storm at the
seminary where she was being educated.
If was case of love at first sight, and
although her father was an uncompromls-
a D.:, 10 and prifiSl, abe
decided TO give up all and follow him.
They eloped. were married on the same
night Of their flight, and when her nus
bands regiment was sent TO CANADA soon
after she accompanied him.
During the war Captain McMiehael I'M
dertook a mission very similar to that OF
Msior Andre, and being captured, he was
sentenced to death, shooting being permit
ted instead OF hanging. He was treated
with the greatest courtesy, and MS wIe
was permitted TO visit him as often as she
pleased She resolved to effect his deliver
ence. and the day before the execution was
to take place she concealed files about her
person, and while apparently hanging over
the prisoners PROSTATE form In great GRIEF
she was filing away at the iron shaekles that
held his wrists and ankles. Her plteous
cries drowned the noise OF the file, and in
a few hours she succeeded In freeing him
Of his chains.
AT midnight the Provost Marshal en-
tered and informed Captain McMichael
that the efforts made to save him had failed,
and that orders had been received to exc
cute the sentence OF death at daybreak.
The Young wife's shrieks deeply affected
the official, and when she asked him to
leave her alone with her husband for five
minutes he withdrew. Returning In ten
minutes he found the woman CONFUSED
with grief and powerless to speak, ana he
gently took her arm and escorted her 10
the dwelling she had occupied during her
husbands incarceration. Ten minutes
later a sentry came in and said
that the woman Just led from the
building in an apparently faintlng con-
dltion had run away rs soon as the FRO
vost had left her. The Provost. alarmed,
made a visit to the prisoners room and
was considerably relieved 20 find his pris-
oner safe. He was lying on the bed IN ms
uniform, the red sleeves OF which could be
distinctly seen upon the arm thrown over
his head. He had fallen into sleep-his
last sleep on earth, they thought, and so
did not arouse him.
Just before daybreak the clankIng OF
arms was heard outside, and the prisoner
was seen to SILVER as he lay. 1t was the
firing party.
"Captain McMichael," said the Provost
Marshal, I" it is time"
There was no answer.
"Come, McNlichael. meet this like a
brave soldier"
Then the form arose, and, to the aston
iShment Of the party, they beheld Jennie
McMichael in her husbands uniform. She
had changed clothes with him and he had
escaped. A hot pursuit was made, but
McMichael was far away, and was within
the British lines.
Mrs. McMichae's father would not in
tercede to save her from punishment, but
he consented TO take and rear her infant
son, John, who grew up to be loyal
American and the founder OF large fami-
" OF McMichaels, which exists to-day in
Philadelphia. The authorities, however.
decided TO release Mrs. McMichael upon
her promise to retire from the Continental
lines and never return.
Many other incidents in Mrs. McMichaePs
life are related by her friends. After the
war she lived at Buffalo with her husband,
and when he died she went to live near
Hamilton, Ontario, and was presented with
considerable land. She lived TO a great
age, and upon a tombstone in little lot on
the farm she owned is the following in
scrlption
sacred 70 the Memory Of
JENNIE r. MCMlCHAEL,
Daughter of DIR. MCALLIsTER, Of Phila.
A Noble Girl "a Brave Wife. and Unhappy Mother.