The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-06-16
Hours with Men and Women Of
the Revolution.
nnApquARrERs AT MonRrsrowN.

|
Copyrighted, 1888, By Funk & Wdgnals
In the eastern suburbs of the village OF
Morristown, New Jersey, stands the modest
mansion used by Washington as the head
quarters of the army in the winter of ITO.
so. 1t is as well preserved, with patriotic
care, as it was when, in September, 1S4S,
passed night under its roof in the enjoy
ment of the hospitality of its proprietor,
the Hon. Gabriel Ford, who, lad of four
teen years, lived there with his widowed
mother when the Continental army was
tented and hutted near by during terrible
winter encampment.
The general and his suite occupied the
whole house excepting two rooms on the
eastern side of the main passage in which
Mrs. Ford and family lived. The lower
front room on the left of the door was the
generals dining room and the apartment
| Immediately oyer it was used as abed-room
| when Mrs. Washington was at head
quarters. In that room / slept. The same
carpet, dark and OF a rich pattern, was on
the floor that was trodden by Mrs. Wash
ingLon and her husband nearly seventy
years before; also two or three pieces of
furniture which their c. es bclcd and their
hands had touched.
| | went to Judge Ford S at an early hour
in the evening, and rich were the bless
ings of most interesting information which
Il. a., A..
uuf1irs (" -srvVr'rs rttffy three uottrs.
''Where was the army encamped9' l in
quired.
'The main body occupied the southern
slope of Kimball's Mountain, the nearest
| quarters about two miles from here" he
said. "They were near enough to be easily
called into sudden acton by sentinels
placed at points between headquarters and
the camp. Several times during the winter
night alarms set the camp in motion to-
ward headquarters. On such occasions the
Life Guard would rush to the house, barri.
cade the doors and throw up the window,
and there they would remain until troops
from the camp reached headquarters and
the cause of the alarm was ascertalned
These occasions were very annoying tC
Mrs. Washington and my mother, who
were obliged to lie in bed, sometimes fol
hours, with their room full of soldiers anC
the winter air entering the open Window
and piercing through their drawn cur
talns."
THAT winter was very cold one, was /
not?" inquired.
"rhe hardest winter | ever knew" sal,
the Judge. early in January the snoy
was from four TO six feet deep. o, hoy
the poor soldiers suffered. They were ye
in tents, and did not get into the huts unit
in February. The roads were almost i'm
passable, and so difficult was il to trans
port provisions to the army, that some
times the poor fellows would be six or cigh
days without meat. New York harbo
r froze oyer so firmly that British troops wit
cannon passed over the ice-bridge from tn
city TO Staten Island, "a distance OF min
!, miles,"
I "You spoke of the Life Guards rushin
into the house. l suppose they were ST
toned very near?"
Yes, they occupied about fifty log hui
in the large meadow few rods from Il
&c house. They were about two hundred an
fifty strong. A fine set of fellows the
were, and thoroughly trained. Before Il
snow became so deep, Count Pulaski oXe
clsed his legion in that meadow. Some
p their feats were wonderful. The dexteri
of the count in handling his horse and pi
tol was amazing. | have seen him, Will
his horse was at full speed, discharge h
pistol, throw it up in the air, catch it
the barrel, then hurl it forward as II at
fleeing enemy, Then, without checkil
his horse, he would slip one foot from Il
stirrup,and leaning over toward the groul
recover his pistol, and wheel into line wi
as much precision as if he had been e
gagged in nothing more Than the manag
ment of his steed.
"was not General Schuyler at Morr
.I town awhile in the sprlng?' l asked.
Iij "He came from Philadelphia at the clC
of February, at the request of WashingtC
Schuyler was in Congress. He was
J, most trusted counsellor and friend Of
Commander-in-Ch who desired his I
vice on the arrangement of the campai
for the coming season. He came with
wife, and his daughter Elizabeth, a char
70 ing young woman, took a house, that
yet standing, near the railway station, a
there they entertained most Hospitality d
ing the few weeks they remained Sc
IL, after their arrival, Colonel Hamilt
Washington's secretary, became acquain
with the daughter, was smitten by her !
sonal charms, her ylyacity and her accoI
'c' lishments, ana fell desperately in love v
her He passed almost every evening v
> h'r