The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-10-02
An Attempt to Capture George
Washington.


Washington.
Clinton, it is known, made many attempts
to capture Washington, believing that If he
was taken prisoner the war would be
brought to a successful close. He well
knew that he was the pillar of fire by night
and the pillar of cloud by day to the strug-
Cling patriots, and that the news of his be-
| ing prisoner in the hands of the British
would not only totally dishearten the i'm
poverished colonists, but palsy the energies
of their friends in the English Parliament.
How many schemes were attempted we shall
probably never know We only know
that Washington received many letters
warning him Of his danger. He doubtless
had many narrow escapes, the plans of the
enemy being thwarted either by the warning
that he received, or from unforeseen cir
cumstances-all the work of that Divine
Providence that from his first entrance into
the army had watched over him. That he
has not left record of some of these in de-
tail is not very singular, when we remem-
Der the character of the man; but the fol-
lowing has been handed down by the in
habitants residing near these headquarters
a. Itlo bli1Cs NV iOou al Gulo pOTlOQ Tall
along the river from Newburg to South
Windsor, though both are on its shore, and
only mile apart. A bold bluff one hun
dred feet or more high made an almost pre-
cipitous descent to the river nearly the en-
tire way, rendering the construction of q
road very difficult and expensive work.
But midway between the two places the
Quassaick Creek burst through this heavily
wooded bluff, and plunged into the river be-
tween banks more than hundred feet high,
revealing dark and gloomy gorge.
Two or three hundred feet from the shore
this chasm swung back on one side in huge
semicircle, inclOsing a sweet little valley
which is known as the Vale of Avoca. In
this secluded valley lived a man named Et-
trick Behind his house the hill rose grad
ually, and stretched away to the west, the
chasm gradually lessening in depth, till at
the distance of half mile or more it became
SO low and narrow that it was spanned by
bridge. Though .Ettrick's house lay within
short cannon-shot of Washington's head
quarters, and in a line almost directly south,
and about the same distance from the river,
it required circuit of nearly two miles to
reach it by road. The tide set up the creek
close to the dwelling, and a boat FROM it
could be sent by strong rowers into the Hud-
son in five or ten minutes. In an hour or
more it could be carried into the gorge of the
Highlands, and in less than an hour after
to the British ships that lay below West
Point. In fact, boat well-manned could
get within British protection in less than two
hours after leaving Ettricks house. 1t will
be seen, therefore, that if Washington could
lie decoyed into Ettrick's house and cap
tured he would be under the British guns
before ever he was missed at his own head
quarters The plan was to have strong
guard come up in the night and lie con-
cealed in this gloomy gorge, and seize
Washington while at dinner in Et-
tricks house, to which he had been invited.
Ettrick protested. to be a warm patriot,
though some looked ON him with suspicion
Whether he was really traitor from SYM
pathY with the Tories or became corrupted
by British gold is not known. He was visit
ed stealthily by Tories, and his daughter
overheard them talking together one day
about taking Washington prisoner. Soon
after, her father told her that he had invited
Washington to dine with him on certain
day. She Immediately connected this with
the conversation she had overheard, and
suspected 1t was plot to capture Washing
ton. She at once sought private audience
with the latter, and telling him her suspic-
ions, requested him not to eome to dinner.
He, however, determined to ascertain defin-
itely If there was such black-hearted
traitor within his lines, and within hearing
of the bugles of his own headquarters. So
on the day appointed he rode around to Et-
tricks, but ordered detachment of his
Life-Guard, dressed in English uniform, to
follow at some distance, and never lose sight
of the house, and at about the dinner hour,
which was late, to march up to it. They
did so, and Ettrick, mistaking them for the
British and Tories, stepped up to Washing
ton. and laying his hand on his shoulder,
said, General, believe you are my prison
erF' 81 believe not, sir; but you are mine -
was the reply, as the Life Guard filed rapid
ly into the room. He was Immediately
marched off and locked up. This threw the
| daughter in paroxysm of grief. She had
not anticipated such a result. She had given
no possible information-simply told her
suspicious to Washington, and asked him to
stay away from dinner. She did it to save
Washington and spare her father, but not
to bring the latter to the gallows; and she
hesought the former not to repay her
fidelity by hanging her father. If it had
been personal matter he could easily
have forgiven it, but the blow was
aimed at his country, and that he would
not have forgiven in an only son. Still,
every instinct of his heart revolted against
rewarding so cruelty the devotion of the
daugter His whole noble, chiyalric nature
was aroused when she Eesought him not to
repay her for saving his life by des oting her
to fate infinitely worse than death. 1t was
an act that it was simply impossible for him
to do, and though terribly pressed by the
sense of duty to his country, he resolved TO
keep the whole matter secret, except, per-
haps as he consulted with few personal
friends, and released the traitor on the con-
dtion of his leaving the country. This he
accepted, and fled to Nova Scotia, and moth
ing is known of his subsequent fate-J. T.
Headley, in Harperss Magazine for October.