The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-12-20
AN AMERICAN HEROINE.
How Emily Geiger Carried General
Greene's Message to Sumter
Her Dangerous Ride.

Xxi UduHtiuuc AiuCs
There is an old saying that General
Greene exchanged his Northern lau-
rels for Southern willows" II is true
that he met with many reverses dur
ing his famous campaigns in the Car
olinas. and more than once was conf
PEELED to flee from a victorious Zoe, put
these defeats do not detract from his
greatness.
During one of his retreats, when he
had Lord Rawdon at his heels, as IL
were, General Greene was DESTROYS OF
sending a message to General sum
ter, the "Gamecock of the kevolu-
tion,n who was then on the Wateree
with his detachment. Greene was
anxious to form a conjunction with
Sumter, believing that combined
the American forces might fall upon
Rawdon with success, as he had
divided his army and seemed to olfer
himself as an easy prey.
In vain did Greene look for some
one TO carry the message. Thecountry
between him and Sumter was full Of
Tories, who never neglected an OPP
portunity to shed the blood OF Wings,
as the patriots were termed. The
bravest men in the neighoorhood
shrank from carrying the dispatch,
and Greene was despairing when a
young girl presented herself at his
headquarters.
~ hear that you want to send a
message to General SUMTER said the
beautiful stranger. II will take it to
him. My name is Emily Geiger, and
| want to do something for my coun-
try
The patriot general was thunder
struck. but at the same time he hailed
her proposition with unbounded de-
light.
II know the country through which
I will have to pass continued Emily,
land if you will trust me with the
message | promise to place it in Sum
ter's hands,
According General Greene wrote a
letter which he gave the fearless girl,
at the same time telling her its con-
tents. which she was to communicate
verbally to Sumter in Ease OF acci-
dents; and with the paper carefully
concealed Emily Geiger mounted her
horse and rode away. She had en-
barked ON a 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 Rawdon's
scouts, who refused to believe her art
fully contrived answers and conducted
her into their camp.
Confronted by the new danger,
Emily Geiger's daring did not desert
her. She recalled General Greene's
instructions, and when she had been
placed in a room, there to remain
until she had been searched by
one of her own sex, she made
up her mind what she would
do. A Tory had been dis
patched for the woman who was to
search the suspected girl, and before
he had returned with her Emily ate
up G~reene's written instructions to
Sumter, piece by piece. 1t was her
only hope to escape punishment, II
not death, and at the same time keep
Greene's designs from becoming
known to the enemy.
When the Tory woman arrived
Emily was carefully searched, but
nothing damaging was found on her
person, and as she refused to disclose
the secret she was suspected of having
in her possession the Tories were com
PEELED to set her at liberty. Even
then she was released under protest.
and when she rode off was secretly
followed, but taking a roundabout
route she deceived her foes, and soon
afterward galloped into Sumter's
camp, much to the surprise and de-
light of that officer.
One of the historians of the Revolu-
ton has truly said that ''the salvation
of the army was due more than once
to the watchfulness and tact of woln-
an and we have thought to rescue
from the annals of that trying period
the name of one of its young heroines
Emily Geiger.
Sensible Christmas Hints.
Buy no more than you can afford.