The morning call., 1890-12-25
BRAVE GIRLS OF
THE REVOLUTION.
One Wrestled With an Indian,
Another Fooled the Tories.
A Young Woman Who Would Not Allow the
savages to Carry Away Her Best Hat.
Delivering an Important Message.

MMEN families. Inhabited the lovely Mo-
hawk Valley. A fairer landscape did not
exist. but despite its beauty it soon became
the theater of stirring and bloody
scenes. 1t was the battle-ground where
the Indian waged relentless warfare on the
patriot settler, and every rod of it was trod-
den by the willy and sangninary foe. The
people who then dwelt in this region were
mixture of hardy New Englanders and
Dutch. the Van Alstines belonging to the
latter race; but all we're equally brave. the
women vying with the men in deeds of
heroism and devotion.
Mrs. Van Alstine, the mother, had passed
through some Of the most thrilling scenes
of Colonial history, and, dwelling on the
New York frontier. in the midst OF savage
alarms, she had reared family of fifteen,
and lived to count almost 100 years of life
Her eldest daughter, Betty, was a childwho
Inherited her mothers bravery and deter
mination. She was still in her teens"
when Sir John Johnsnn, the famous Tory
leader of the Mohawk Valley, descended on
the patriot settlement at the head of band
of Tories and Indians intending to complete
the work of devastation which Brant had
begun the previous year.
Everybody had cause to fear these merci-
less marauders, who sometimes plundered
friend as we'll as foe, and it was expected
that the Van Alstines, being stanch patri-
ots, would be among the first visited by the
invaders. During Brants invasion the fam
lily had been compelled to seek safety on an
island in the river near by, and, from The
shelter afforded by this retreat, see the
houses of their neighbors in flames, their
own home being spared by miracle. When
xxJop vnI, nd I,iS
actually ON the march the suffering patriots
began
TO QUIT THEIR HOMES.
"You wont go this time, will you, motherY
asked Betty, her eyes kndling with
indignation as she looked up into her
mothers face
I'VE haven't decided what to do" was the
matron's reply. I'VE will know Tomorrow.
ii we are alive till then"
behind the lovely hills of the Mohawk, a
band of yelling Indians burst upon the little
settlement, and in "A few moments the Van
Alstines were surrounded. Escape was not
to be thought of now, it was too late.
Mrs. Van AlSiine knew that 1t would be
useless to argue with the sayages, and
thought that the best way TO deal with them
would be to let them have their way so long
as they did not attempt any personal lndig-
mites. In short time they swarmed into
VIC uOuoSs DiCuhiuS CNClN luluS UlcdhdDit,
and the mother saw her most valued arti-
cles, nearly all of which had been brought
from the old homestead in Holland, dem0l-
ished and the floor strewn with the frag-
ments. In vain did the girls try to save
from destruction q handsome mirror. In
response to their pleadings the savages led
In a colt from the family stables, and CONF
PEELED il to walk over the glass, wrecking it
completely. after which they placed the
frame around the animals neck.
There was one article which Betty Van
Alstine was guarding with watchful eyes.
This was new hat which her father had
brought her from Philadelphia, and, being
a present, it was highly priced. AT the first
alarm she had placed 1t in a basket which
she had secreted in the darkest Iecesses of
the CLOSET, in hopes that it might escape the
Indians eyes.
But alas for Betty's care! the red search
ers esDIed the closet, and in a moment the
basket was brought forth and young war
rior was making off with the trophy when
the patriot girl bounded after him and
seized her property.
''You can't have my things!' exclaimed
Betty, as the Indian turned to resent the in
reference, and then a sharp struggle en-
sued, which was watched with delight by
the other marauders, who left their work of
plunder and gathered around the pair.
Betty Van Alstine was stout girl, used
to the hard knocks of border life, and the
warrior soon discovered that he had no
I1edu dHtdSoUlSt. he WAS 10 rein.
Quish his hold on the basket which
BETTY DID NOT GIVE UP
For moment, and all at once he found him.
self sprawlng Oh the ground, having been
pushed down by the determined girl who
bore her hat off in triumph to the shouts Of
the red spectators.
Having regained possession of her prop
erty, Miss Van Alstine ran off and threw it
into pile OF hemp, and when her purSuer,
the young warrior, came up she reappeared,
ready TO renew her defense OF the hat But
abashed at the shouts of derision from his
companions, the Mohawk withdrew from
the contest and Betty was left in possession
of the prize of battle.
She stood guard over the hemp pile until
the Indians went away, after destroying
every thing but the house itself, and when
the young warrior looked back he saw her
waving at him the one object which, above
all others. he wanted as trophy of the de-
scent upon the house of the "i5rave White
Squaw," name which Mrs. Van Alstne
had already earned.
From that eventful day Be,ty's hat en-
joyed a notoriety 1t had not had before, and
1t is said that long afterward-when the
colonies had secured their independence and
when Betty had little house hold of her
own-a Mohawk Indian came to her home
and laughingly recalled the gallant defense
OF the Philadelphia bonnet" Strange to
say he was the same warrior who had tried
her mothers house.
But the historic Mohawk Valley did not
furnish the only girl patriot of the Revolu-
ton. There is an old saying that General
Greene EXCHANGED his Northern laurels
for Southern Willows" 1t is true that he
met with many reverses during his famous
campaigns in the Car0linaS, and more than
once was compelled to flee from a victorious
foe; but these defeats do not detract from
his greatness.
nurinp M Of &c nh he bad
Lord Rawdon at his heels. as it We're, Gen
eral Greene was DESTROYS of sending a mes
sage to General Sumter, the GamecOck of
the Revolution" who was then on the
Wateree with his detachment Greene was
anxious to form junction with Sumter, be-
lieving that, combined, the American forces
might fall upon RawdOn with success, as he
had divided his army and seemed to offer
himself as an easy prey.
In vain did Greene look for some one to
carry the message. The country between
him and Sumter was full of Tories, who
never neglected an opportunity to shed the
blood of Wings as the patriots were termed.
The bravest men in the neighborhood
shrank from carrying the dispatch, and
Greene was despairing when a young girl
PRESENTED HERSELF AT HEADQUARTERS.
" l hear that you want to send message
stranger 80 will take 1t to him. My name
is Emily Geiger, and want to do something
for my country"
The patriot General was Thunderstorm,
but at the same time he hailed her PROPOSE
ton with unbounded delight
know the country through which will
have to pass" continued Emily, land if you
will trust me with this message [ promise to
place it in Sumter's hands,"
Accordingly General Greene wrote letter
which he gave the fearless gill, at the same
time telling her its contents, which she
was to communicate verbally to Sumter in
case of accidents; and with the paper
carefully concealed, Emily Geiger mounted
her horse and rode away. She had en-
barked OIL dangerous journey, but this did
not deter her. Her way led through some
unbroken country, and over ground infested
by British and Tories, and on the second
day she was halted by some of Lord Raw
don's scouts, who refused to believe her art
fully contrlved answers, and conducted her
into their camp.
Confronted by the new danger, Emily
Geger's daring did not desert her. She re-
called (pnpral Grppna,s ipctructions and