Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-02-21

his side near the heart. With wild
and heartrending cry she fell upon her
knees and clasped him in her arms. His
glazing eyes sought her countenance,
and as she kissed him he whispered:
Load the cannon, Mollie, and avenge
my death"
That will, John,'' she cried.
She looked at him again. He was
dead. Tenderly relinquishing her grasp
of the beloved form she arose to her
feet, dashed tears from eyes that now
began to flash with anger, and with an
heroic mien took her station at the can
non, and rammed home charge with
the strength of a giant.
With hat removed from his head
Washington, who had been most SYM
pathetic witness of the scene, rode up
and said:
MY dear girl, can not express in
words my admiration and gratitude.
God bless you
81 am only doing my duty, your Ex-
cellency," cried Mollie, raising her eyes
but moment, and then ramming the
charge with redoubled vigor.
Throughout the hotly contested en-
gagement on and about the little
wooded hill, Mollie was the most eff
Gent cannoneer for the Americans.
Even amid the roar and smoke of that
memorable conflict the soldiers turned
their eyes toward her with admiration
and gathered encouragement from her
dauntless valor. She looked remarlza-
bly, beautiful, and even grand, as she
sent messenger after messenger of
death amid the ranks of the enemy,
while her golden hair fell in attractive
confusion over her shoulders and her
handsome eyes were filed with the
ardor of battle. Men could not fly when
a woman showed such bravery.
But at last the British came on with
great force, having cavalry and infantry
skillful with the bayonet, and the
Americans were obliged to retire across
morass to another eminence, to which
Washington, after taking leave of Mol
lie, had ridden, and had there placed
the main army in battle array.
True to his word, General Lee was
the last man to leave the advanced posi-
ton. His first retreat, for which Wash
ington so severely rebuked him, has
been the subject of much dispute. 1t is
claimed for Lee that the confusion of
his troops was largely due to the fact
that it was difficult to direct their move
ments on ground badly cut up into
woods and morasses, and that he re-
treated because he found that he had at
tackled not a mere covering party, as he
had at first supposed, but the main body
of the enemy. On the contrary, Wash
ington had promised to come to his aid
with an ample force, and Lees attitude
toward his chief both on the field and
subsequently was eminently disrespect-
full. He was tried by court-martial,
and his sentence was suspension from
the army for one year. 1t proved to be
the close of his career as military man.
The Americans were not driven from
the second eminence, and after another
sharp conflict the arrival of darkness
caused cessation of hostilities. Dur
ing the night the British very quietly
retired, and the next morning the Amer
leans, to their great surprise, saw de-
serted camp.
The sun was risen scarcely an hour
when General Greene, accompanied by
Mollie Pitcher, approached the tree al
the foot of which, stretched on his
cloak, Washington had passed the
night. The Chief was
still under the tree, and beside him
stood his aid-de-camp, Alexander Ham.
ilton, afterwards the famous statesman,
and Generals Lafayette, Knox and Cad
walader. The distinguished men sa-
luted the brave woman with much re-
spect and stood with uncovered heads
while Washington conferred upon he1
the commission of sergeant and praised
her Spartan courage.
Turning to his Generals, Washington
concluded with these words, spoken
with great emotion:
Gentlemen, nation whose women
are capable of such valor can never be
conquered"
At the recommendation of Washing
ton Congress placed Mollie on the list
of half-pay officers for life, and during
the remainder Of her days she was pop
ularly known as Captain Molly"
]. A. BoLLEs.