Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1888-06-20
HOURS WITH MEN AND WOMEN OF THE
REVOLUTION.
HEADQUARTERS AT MoRRIsTowN.

: copyrighted, 1888, By Funk & WdgndHs.]
In the eastern suburbs of the village o
S Morristown, New Jersey, stands tn
imodest mansion used by Washington Al
. the headquarters of the army in the winte
3 of 1779-80. 1t is as we'll preserved, will
patriotic care, as it was when, in Septem
+ ber, 1S48, passed night under its roo
t in the enjoyment of the hospitality of itl
J proprietor, the Hon. Gabriel Ford, who. 8
, lad of fourteen years, lived there with hil
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 her family lived. The lower
front room on the left of the door was the
generals dining room and the apartment
Immediately over it was used as bed
room when Mrs. Washington was at head
: quarters. In that room l slept. The same
carpet, dark and of rich pattern, was on
; the floor that was trodden by Mrs. Wash
ington and her husband nearly seventy
J years before; also two or three pieces o.
furniture which their eyes beheld and theil
hands had touched.
I went to Judge Ford's at an early houl
in the evening, and rich were the blessings
of most interesting information which re.
ceived from the lips of the octogenariar
during sitting of fully three hours.
"Where was the army encamped ?" 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 easi.
ly called into sudden action by sentinels
placed at points between headquarters and
the camp. Several times during the winter
might alarms set the camp in motion toward
headquarters. On such occasions the Life
Guard would rush to the house, barricade
the doors and throw up the windows. Five
soldiers with their muskets cooked were
generally placed at each window, and there
they would remain until troops from the
camp reached headquarters and the cause
of the alarm was asoertained. These occa-
sions were very annoying to Mrs. Washing
lie in bed, sometimes for hours, with their
rooms full of soldiers and the winter air
entering the open windows and piercing
through their drawn curtains"
"Ihat winter was very cold one, was it
not" inquired.
"The hardest winter l ever knew" said
the judge. "Early in January the snow
was from four to six feet deep. o, how
the poor soldiers suffered They were yet
in tents, and did not get into huts until in
February. The roads were almost impas-
sable, and so difficult was it to transport
provisions to the army, that sometimes the
poor fellows would be six or eight days
without meat New York harbor froze
over SO firmly that British troops with
cannon passed over the ce-bridge from the
city to Staten Island, distance of nine
miles,
"You spoke of the Life Guards rushing
into the house. l suppose they were
stationed very near"
"Yes they occupied about fifty log huts
in the large meadow few rods from the
house. They were about two hundred and
fifty strong. A fine set of fellows they
were, and thoroughly trained. Before the
snow became so deep, Count Pulaski exer-
cised his legion in that meadow. Some of
their feats were wonderful. The dexterity
of the count in handling his horse and
pistol was amazing. l have seen him,
whilst his horse was at full speed, discharge
his pistol, throw it in the air, catch it ty
the barrel, and then hurl it forward as if at
a fleeing enemy. Then, without checking
his horse, he would slip one foot from the
stirrup, and leaning over toward the
ground, recover his pistol, and wheel into
line with as much precision as if he had
been engaged in nothing but the manage
ment of his steed"
"Was not General Schuyler at Morris
town awhile in the spring ?" 1 asked.
"He came from Philadelphia at the close
of February, at the request of Washington.
Schuyler was in Congress. He was the
most trusted counsellor and friend of the
,1ar oh, 30 aIx
on the arrangement Of the campaign the
coming season. He came with his wife,
and his daughter Elizabeth, charming
young woman; took house, that is yet
standing, near the railway station, and
there they entertained most Hospitality dur
ing the few weeks they remained. Soon
after their arrival, Colonel Hamilton,
Washington's secretary, became acquaint-
ed with the daughter, was smitten by her
personal charms, her vivacty and her ac-
complishments, and fell desperately in love
with her. He passed almost every evening
with her.
cat LENGTH" said Judge Ford, ga funny
event took place. The colonel seemed to
think much of me, and, by permission of
the general, would furnish me with the
countersign that l might remain at play in
the village and return after dark, when the
sentinels were set. One evening l was
coming home about nine o'clock, and had
passed the sentinel, when l recognized the
voice of Hamilton in reply to the soldiers
demand
"Who comes there p
81 stepped aside and waited for the COL
onel to accompany me to our house.
"Hamilton came up to the point of the
sentinel's presented bayonet to give the
countersign. He had quite forgotten. He
had spent the evening with Miss Schuyler,
and thoughts of her undoubtedly expelled
the countersign from his mind. The SOL
} dier-lover was embarrassed. The sentinel
! knew him well, but was stern in perform
} anco of his duty. Hamilton pressed his
, hand to his forehead and tried to summon
J the important words from their hiding
| place, but, like the faithful sentinel, they
were immovable. Just then he deserted
: me in the darkness.
} "'Ah, Master Ford" he said, is that
, you?' in an undertone, and, stepping aside,
he called me to him and whispered
"'Give me the countersign.'
81 did SO, when Hamilton, stepping in
front of the soldier, gave it to him. The
t sentinel believing that his superior was
. testing his fidelity, kept his bayonet un.
| moved.
y i
r do you not shoulder your musket ?'' asked
i Hamilton.
"Will that do, oolonel?' inquired the
= sentinel, in reply.
"It will do for this time, let me pass.'
s'The sentinel reluctantly obeyed the il
f legal command, and we passed on. Th,
= lovers were married before the next Christ
o mas. You know the rest. Hamilton wa.
shot by Burr. His widow, understand, il
a yet living, over ninety years of age"
''She is" replied. "She is living will
her affectionate daughter, Mrs. Holley, il
j Washington City. expect to see her in
/ few weeks"
. "Did not distinguished Spanish gentle
e man die here during that spring." 1 inquir
q ed.
/, eyes," said Judge Ford, 'sHe came will
the Chevalier de Luzerne, the French Min
lister. early in April. His name was Miral
lles-Don Juan De Miralles-a Spanish
graudee. They remained at headquarterl
for sometime. A ball was given in homo
of the minister at the Morris Tavern, which
was attended by General and Mrs. Wash
g ington, all his officers, General and Mrs
Schuyler and their daughter, Governo
Livingston and his wife, and many othe
g people of quality. Miralles was prdstratet
r by a heavy cold at the time and RENAME,