Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-07-27

Washington and her husband nearly 20
years before also two or three pieces of
furniture which their eyes beheld and their
hands had touched.
went to Judge Fords at an early hour
in the evening, and rich were the blessings
Of most interesting information which re
ceived from the lips Of the octogenarian
during a sitting Of fully three hours.
where was the army encamped = in
qured
THE main body occupied the southern
slope of Kimball's Mountain, the nearest
quarter, about two miles from here he
said. They were near enough to he east
ly called into sudden action 10y sentinels
placed at points between headquarters and
the camp. Several times during the win
ter night alarms set the camp in motion
toward headquarters. On such occasions
the life Guard would rush to the house. bar
ricade 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 army reached headquarters and the
cause Of the alarm was ascertained. These
occasions were very annoying to Mrs.
Washington and my mother, who were
obliged to 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.
THAT winter was a very cold one, was
it not = | inquired
"The hardest winter | ever knew said
| the judge. Early in January the snow
was from four to six feet deep. o, how
| the poor soldiers suffered They We're yet
| in tents and did not get into huts until
| in February The roads were almost i'm
! passable, and 50 difficult was it to transport
/ provisions to the army, that sometimes the
| poor fellows would Ice six or eight days
without meat New York harbor froze
over so firmly that British troops with can
non passed over the ice bridge from the
| city to Staten Island, n distance of nine
miles.
"You spoke of the Life Guards rushing
into the house. | suppose they were sta
toned very near :"
Yes they occupied about fifty log huts
in the large meadow few rods from the
house. They were about 2jO strong \
fine set of fellows they were and thorough
ly trained Before the snow became SO
deep. Count Pulaski exercised his legion
in that meadow. Some of their feats were
wonderful. The dexterity of the count in
handling his horse and pistol was amazing.
/ have seen him, whilst his horse was at
full speed. discharge his pistol, throw it in
the air, catch it by the barrel, and then
hurl it forward as if at 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 management of his steed'
WAS not General Schuyler at Morris
town awhile in the spring = | asked
"He came from Philadelphia at the close
Of February at the request of Washing
ton. Schuyler was in Congress He was
the most trusted counsellor and friend of
the Commander-in- chief, who desired his
advice ON the arrangement of the campaign
the coming season. He came with his wife
and his daughter Elizabeth, a charming
Young woman, took IA 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, Col Hamilton, Washing
tons secretary, became acquainted with the
daughter, was smitten by her personal
charms her vivacity and her accomplish
ments, and fell desperately i'll love with
her. He passed almost every evening with
her.
AT length, said Judge Ford, "a funny
event took place. The colonel seemed t0
think much of me, and, by permission Of
the general would furnish me with the
countersign that might remain at play in
the village and return after dark, when
the sentinels were set. One evening | was
coming home about nine o'clock, and had
passed the sentinel, when | recognized the
voice of Hamilton in reply to the soldier,
demand
"'Who comes there !
Il stepped aside and waited for the
colonel to accompany me to our house.
Hamilton came up 10 the point of tn,
sentinel's presented bayonet to give the
countersgn. He had quite forgotten. He
had spent the evening with Miss Schuyler
and thoughts of her undoubtedly expelled
the couutersign from his mind The sol
dier was embarrassed. The sentinel knew
him well, hut was stern in performance o
his duty. Hamilton pressed his hand t,
his forehead and tried to summon the i'm
portant words from their hiding place, but
like the faithful sentinel they were i'm
movable just then he deserted me in tn,
darkness.
"'Ah Master Ford, he said, is tina
you Z in an undertone, and stepping aside
he called me to him and whispered
"'Give me the countersgn
IL did so, when Hamilton, stepping il
front of the soldier, gave it to him. Tn
sentinel, believing that his superior wa
testing his fidelity, kept his bayonet un
2 moved
- - have given you the countersgn, VIII
do you not shoulder your musket aske
Hamilton
"'Will that do, colonel : inquired tn
sentinel, in reply.
1T will do for this time, let me pass.
Z THE sentinel reluctantly obeyed the lille
, gal command and we passed on, The loy
ers were married before the next Christ
, mas. You know the rest Hamilton wa
shot 10y Burr. His widow, | understand
: yet living, over 30 years of age
b "She is, | replied. ''She is living witt
her aifectionate daughter, Mrs. Holley, i
elegant retirement in Washington city.
expect to see her in few weeks.
1 did not distinguished Spanish gentle
man die here during that spring y | in
, quired.
!, Yes" said Judge Ford "he came wit
the Chevalier de l.uzerne, the French Mini,
ter, early in April His name was Mralle
Don Juan DE Miralles-a Spanish graz
dee. They remained at headquarters ia
I some time A ball was given in honor {
the minister at the Morris tavern, whlc
was attended by General and Mrs Wasl
= ington, all his officers, General and Mr.
: Schuyler and their daughter, Governor LiN
= ngstone and his wife, and many other pc,
:, pile Of quality. Miralles was prostrated b
. heavy cold at the time and remained
. bed at headquarters He grew worse RAJ
idly, and a day or two before the first
a May he died, and was buried in the litt
I cemetery of the Presbyterian church. Dul
ing his illness, Mrs Washington admins
tered to his wants with her own hands,
= Spanish priest, who was one of his atten'
5 ants, performed the ceremonies at his fun
e eral The coffin was borne to the grave q
: the shoulders of four artillery officers
Is full uniform followed by Washington an
. Luzerne and their respective suites an
d many citizens. It is said the Spaniard va
c very rich. | remember looking upon h
II dead body with wonder, awe and admir-
ton, as it lay in state as we say, in d
room where we are now sitting, in his ric
't ly -ornamented open coffin, lined with fin
~ cambria and covered with black velvet Il
stead of "A shroud he was in full dress su
a. of scarlet embroidered with gold lace
s. three cornered gold laced hat, "A cued wi