Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1888-05-25
NO.2I.

Molly one Of the hest Of women. had
locked up several TURKEYS for her familv's
use, but gladly let me have three Of tn, M
Tor the General with which ! returned to
headquarters.
"Who went to that Christmas dinner p"
inquired
Il cannot remember all. 80 he said Sit
ting in silence for "A while in summoning
memory to the front, he said
There were two young French officers
from Ruchambeaus army at Newport
Governor George Clinton and his wife or
daughter SOME gentlemen aud their wives
from the neighborhood Molly Clinton
(whO YOU know was the mother Of Dewitt
Cliuton), and the staff officers two Of them
with their wives. Colonel Hamilton, Wash
ington's secretary, was at Albany, where
he had married General Schuyler's da ugh
ter only ten days before and did not re-
turn until after the holidays There were
about twenty at the table, which was set in
the biggest room in the house Besides
poultry, there was beef and mutton. AZ
ter dinner spiced wine was passed round,
followed 10y pies, puddings, apples, nuts aud
cider | was detailed as sergeant, to
take charge Of the Life Guard band, which
played lively tunes during the feast aud
50 ! saw all that was going on in the room,
for we were stationed in the passage
through which each guest went to the din
ing room.
On such occasions Colonel Hamilton gen
orally sat at the head Of the table, but now
being absent, the General presided at one
end Of the table himself, and Lady Wash
ington at the other end She was short
stout built and good little woman. We all
loved her. Before the guests sat down,
the General, standing, asked blessing
with solemn tones and closed eyes Old
Billy, Washington's body servant, whose
head appeared like bunch Of white sleeps
wool, was the chief waiter ON that occasion,
and moved with great dignity. In the
evening some of the young people Of the
village were invited in, aud all indulged
in innocent amusement, particularly in dane
ing until nine o'clock, when the company
broke up. Captain ColfaX, who command
ed the Guard, was guest at the dinner.
We all had a good time
Sergeant Knapp gave me many other in
teresting "reminiscences of his life as IA
guardsman and fingered until the sun
had set and the twilight was fast deepen
ing | bade the venerable patriot farewell
when he said
ooh, forgot to tell you the best part Of
the story of the Christmas dinner at head
quarters. There was "A pretty and proud
little girl in the village named Anna Brew
ster, then in her teens, but less than three
feet high She refused Lady Washington's
invitation to the dinner because she sup
posed it was given only to crafty the curl
osity of the other guests. She soon found
out her mistake, for Lady Washington call
ed at her mothers house, aud little Anna
was afterward very often at headquarters.
When she grew to full womanhood she was
only yard high She lived a maiden un-
til she was - years old and then died. Per
feet in form. sweet in temper, she was he
loved by everybody. Anna Brewster was
the smallest woman in America"
1t was dark when | left the old guards
mans door, and rode back to Newburgh in
the light of full moon. / met Sergeant
Knapp once afterward 1t was at IA cee-
bration at Newburgh of an historical event.
There was civic and military procession.
! was invited to ride in baruuche with
Sergeant Knapp aud the orator Of the day.
The sergeant and were invited guests
He had a conspicuous seat on the platform,
and when the orator had finished his ad-
dress l was invited to introduce the vener-
able guardsman to the people. The audi
ence testified their respect and reverence
| for the hero bv hurrahs which almost
! brought echoes from Beacon Hill and the
Storm King, looming up from the Hudson
not far off. on the crests of which Sergeant
Knapp had seen signal fires blazing during
the old war for Independence. And when,
an hour later, this last survivor of Wash
ington's Life Guard arose at the public ban
| quet to depart, with a solemn but firm
voice he invited the whole company to his
| funeral just four months 10 a day from
that time, when he was a little past 90
years Of age, his spirit took its flight and
many who were at the feast were mourn
ers at the burial His remains were inter
red near the tall flagstaff at Washington's
headquarters at Newburgh. Over them
stands chaste mausoleum of brown sand
stone, fashioned by the eminent sculptor,
the late Henry X Brown. 1t was erected
by Company +, 18th Regiment Newburgh
Guards, in the early summer of 1860
BENSON j. LOSING. LID.