Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1883-07-26

HoW Lydia D,Trah Sared lFdshiagtoH's
Army From Surprise at White Marsh
When the British army held posses
sion of Philadelphia, General Howe's
headquarters were in Second Street,
the fourth door below Spruce, IN a
house which was before occupied by
General CadwalIader. Directly oppo-
site resided William and Lydia Dur.
rah, members of the Society of Friends.
A superior officer of the British army,
believed to be the adiutant general,
fixed upon one of their chambers, n
back room, for private conference +;
and two of them frequently met there,
with fire and candles, in close consul
tation. About the ID of December
the adjutant general told Lydia that
they would be in the room ut 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 call her to let them out and eX-
tinguish their fire and candles. She
accordingly sent all the family to bed (;
but, rs the officer had been SO particu-
lar, her curiosity was excited. She
took OIL her shoes, and put her ear to
the keyholc Of the conclavc, and over
heard an order read for all the British
troops to march out late in the even.
ing of the 4th and attack General
Washington army, then encamped ut
White Marsh. On hearing this she
returned to her chamber and laid
down.
Soon after the officers knocked at
the door, but she rose only at the third
summons, having feigned herself asleep.
Her mind was so much agitated that
from this moment she could neither
eat nor sleep, supposing it to be in her
power to save the lives of thousands
of her fellow countrymen, but not
knowing how she was to convey the
information to General Washington,
not daring to confde it to her husband.
The time left, however, was short. She
quickly determined to make her way
as soon as possible to the American
outposts. She 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 positively refused. She
got access to General Howe and solici.
ted, what he readily granted, 4 pass
through the British troops on the lines.
Leaving her bag at the mill, she hast
ened 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 American army,
and prayed to the colonel to alight
and walk with her. He did so, order
ing his troops to keep in sight To
him she disclosed her secret, after hav-
ing obtained from him q solemn pro-
mise never to betray her individually,
as her life might be at stake with the
British.
He conducted her to a house near
at hand, directed something for her to
eat, and hastened to headquarters,
when he made General Washington
acquainted with what he bad heard.
Washington made, of course, all pre-
paration for battling the mcditated
surprise. Lydia returned home with
her flour sat up alone to watch the
movement Of the British troops; heard
their footsteps but when they re-
turned, in few days after, did not
dare to ask q question, though solici-
tous to learn the event. The next
evening the Adjutaut General came
in, and requested her to walk up to
his room, as he wished to put some
questions She followed him in terror ::
but when he locked the door, and
begged her. with an air Of mystery, to
be seated, she was sure that she was
either suspected or had been betrayed.
lie inquired earnestly whether any Of
her family we're up the last night he
and the other officer met she told
him that they all retired at 3 o'clock
lie observed, 81 know you were asleep,
for ! Knocked at your chamber door
three times before you heard me
am entirely at loss to imagine who
gave General Washington information
of our intended attack unless the walls
of the house could speak. When we
arrived at White Marsh, we found all
their cannon mounted, and the troops
prepared to receive us, and we have
marched back like a parcel of fools. F."
philadelphia Quarterly Of 1927.