The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1888-06-09
Hours With Men and Women Of
the Revolution.
THE RESCUED BABY.

lCopyrighte6, 1888, Jv Funk & Wogndits.
In the summer of 1871 efforts were mad,
by the British military authorities in New
York and in Canada to seize the persons O
distinguished citizens in the State, In orde
to hold them as hostages or for exchange
General Philip Schuyler and Gov. Georg,
Clinton were specially designated for suct
attempts Armed parties were sent out oi
the city stealthily for such purposes, and
Tories in the interior were so employed.
The person of General Schuyler was par.
ticularly coveted. He was not only the
foremost man In the State in the extent OF
his influence, but was then member OF
the Continental congress and one of the
most trustworthy officers in the service OF
his country. He had been the efficient
| commander of the Northern Department
in opposing and checking the British inva-
sion of New York from Canada in 1777,
until he was displaced by the lntrigues of
men in and out Of Congress He was now
out of the military service, and was Lying
at his elegant home in the southern su-
burbs of the city of Albany, but he was ac-
lively engaged in assisting the General
Government in its financial operations, and
in providing supplies for the armies. In
these labors he was the most trusted and
efficient assistant of Robert Morris, who
had lately been appointed Superintendent
of Finance or Secretary of the Treasury.
So vigilant was Schuyler at at all times in
the public service that he was called "rhe
Eye of the Northern Department" Or
his retirement from the army he was furn-
ished with guard of six soldiers for the
protection of his person. At the time we
are considering, Schuyler was employed by
Washington in ntercepting communica
tions between General SiI Henry Clinton
in New York and General Sir Frederick
EIaldimand of Canada.
The munificent rewards that were secret
" offered by the British for the seizure OF
prominent persons. and the promise Of
plumber, had excited the cupidity of the
Tories in the vicinity of Albany. Several
seizures had been attempted, and some had
been accomplished by them. Among the
boldest of the leading Tories In active ser
vice was John Walter Meyer, collegue oi
the notorious marauder Joe Bettys. He
was employed TO abduct General Schuyler.
Accompanied by a gang of Tories, Cana
dians and Indians, he repaired to the neigh
| borhood of Albany, but, uncertain how
well General Schuyler might be guarded,
he lurkcd among the pine shrubbery in the
vicinity for eight or ten days. He seized a
Dutch laborer, and learned from him the
exact position of affairs at Schuyler's
house, and extorting an oath of secrecy
from the man he let him go, The Dutch
man appears to have made mental reser
yation, for he gave Schuyler information
of his experience. A Loyallst, who was
the Generals personal friend and was cog
infant of Walter Meyers designs, also gave
him warning. Thus forewarned, the Gen
eral and his family were constantly yigi
LIANT, and the guards were kept continuall'
on duty, three at time.
At the close of a sultrY day in Angus
General Schuyler and his family were sit
ting in the front hall of the mansion. ThI
servants were dispersed about the premises
The three guards, retired for the night
we're asleep in the basement room Of th'
house, and the three who were on duty,o
pressed 10y the heat, were lying on the coo
grass in the garden. A servant announce,
to the General that a stranger desired t
speak to him at the back gate. Tn,
strangers errand was at once comprehend
ed. The doors of the house were immedi
tely shut and close-barred. The family
the General ran TO his bedchamber for hi
arms. From the window he saw the hous,
surrounded by armed men. For the pur
pose of arousing the guards on the gras
and perclance to alarm the town, lac fire,
a pistol from the window.
The assaiants burst open the doors. A
the same moment Mrs. Schuyler perceive,
that in the confusion and retreat from tn
ball ker infant child, only a few month
old, had been left in the cradle in the nur
sery below. Perennial care subdued all fear
and the mother was flying to the rescue o
her babe when her husband inlerfered an,
prevented her. Her life was of more con
sequence than That Of the infant Thei
thirl daughter rushed down the two flight
of stairs, snatched the still slseping infan
from the cradle, and few with II towar
the great tower staircase. One OF the In
dians hurled sharp tomahawk at the fly
ing girl, but il effected no further harr
than slight cut in the dress a few iHche
from the head Of the babe, and wound 8
the mahogany raj! of the stair case. o
the stairs she met Walter Meyer, who, SUI
posing her TO be R servant, explained,
''wenchl wench Where is your mas
erS"
= With great presence of mind the eour'
geous sister answered;
''0one to alarm the town"