The National tribune., 1892-02-11


fs-g " hogany bookcase with 4
|. !. |. |. !.
.srsla TX folding desk. above
9ESSS ian which and TO the right
LEyffG sSN ~ and left are seen the
~ %fg8EA - knobs Of two drawers
EtbH f. lliFA y plain panel occupying
ss1.14 a. 80. the space between them;
glSzEltf JE.I-T q above these drawers are
Mkfltfs5SE.N s.'l p = the book shelves.
~ VI VI ID -l.1g / bought this piece Of
80 ~ W. furniture at an auction.
Esz-SSE Il M One day while changing
F@seGAh H -. its position by pushing
~ ~SA4Aa - at the back of il. my
thumb CHANGED to press upon what appeared to
be a knot felt the wood yield, but attached
no importance TO that until passing in front
saw that the panel between the drawers had
moved forward aud disclosed third drawer
evidently intended for secret one. / pulled
il out eagerly and saw in IL cylindrical tin
box. Removing cap at the end Of this box
I found within mass Of old, yellow papers.
The first thing that met my eye was a COM
mission 10 Eben rockingham, Captain of the
TIL Connecticut Foot; all of the other papers
were sewed together, aud on them was written.
| in remarkably legibe hand narrative, OF
| which the following is a copy:
+" i am - Feb. %, 1929, and old for that age
my memory is weakening-cXcept for what
happened 30 years ago this night. can never
/ forget that / wish ] could. / had 4 light
j
heavy ever since. Perhaps il j write an ac-
count Of what occurred then my mind will
lose a shadow of its burden. AZ all events 10
will pass the time for me and the reading Of 10
may DO the same for others after | have gone.
Fifty years ago was a Captain in the -th
Connecticut Foot. We were stationed IN one
] Of those posts which, with wide intervals be-
tween them, marked on the map dotted line
extending from the Hudson near White Plains
/ 10 Long Island Sound, aud which formed the
American part Of the famous Wcstchester
/ Lines These were the picket-lines of the two
armies. In most cases they were within five
/ miles OF each other and the belt OF land be.
/ tween them was the scene Of a warfare constant,
but so petty that it has found no place in his
! tory.
1--WE were poorly commanded, and the advan-
| tare was with the British until January, 1919.
when our old Colonel was removed. His sue
/ cessOr, man Of great talent, soon Bothered our
affairs When he inspected my post, saw him
for the first timo and could scarcely believe that
| he was really our Colonel. lie had the hight
and figure OF boy and face by no means ma
ture. He was in fact at that time only % years
of age. But we soon forgot the impression
which his youth produced for his actions
showed the wisdom expected from age.
During his command the enemy had not
| even one successful skiTmish TO boast of, aud
we made them lament the loss Of many Of
| those small dctachments which had been sta
toned in block houses, manOrial mansions
and other buildings as were adapted to defense
/ Many were the nocturnal surprises which he
coutrivcd, and il was one Of them which made
/ the cath Of February the most terrible day in
/ the calendar for me- A heavy snow fell dur
/ ing the afternoon Of that day; but the sky
cleared at sunset and as the moon was full
there was plenty Of light at IL o'clock, when
we began our march in three companies. max
] isns 4ln 81 nnfz
/ less aud not a word was spoken. We simply fol-
4 lowed few well-instructed men who acted as
| our guides. No attempt was made 10 keep a
military formation, which in fact would have
/ been impossible, for our course lay through a
4 dense wood.
after three hours Of vcxatious struggling
with bushes and the branches Of trees, We were
| halted aud formed in cleared ground near the
/ summit Of hill which protected us from the
observation Of any one on is other side, where
! lay the object Of our expedition. That was u
fortified mansion not q quarter Of a mile per-
/ haps, from where we stood.
had hardly completed the formation Of my
company, when ] received an order to turn ID
! over 20 the First Lieutenant and report 10 the
I Colonel. found him bshind some thicl, bushes
on the crest Of the hill, from which could be had
a complete view of that part Of the house aud
4 It's grounds visible on the New York side for
] IN passing through the woods we had turned
/ the enemy aud were in his rear. ] could SEQ
I only the roof the house, for numerous ever
greens closely surrounding u completely hid its
4 body. il stood in the center Of a square, about
an eighth Of a mile on each side, bounded by a
/ hedge which grew as high as the shoulders OF
q man. Between this hedge and the hill which
concealed Our force the ground was free from
any shelter sufficient 10 allow as many as 10
men in body 10 approach nearer ;han we were
without being seen by sentinel who walked
20
never for whole minute losing sight Of the
ground we would have 10 pass over in order 10
reach the house.
There were four scntinels one on each side
OF the square. On account Of the rise and fall
Of the ground aud the manner in which the
trees aud bushes grew, not one could see any
part Of the house except lis roof nor could one
be seen by another except at the angles where
the sides met. Ia the problem we had 10 solve
il followed, then, that IL one Of the sent!nels
were TO be eliminated by sleep. death. or any
other cause al time when those on the posts
contiguous 10 hs were distant from the point.
Of junction with il, our detachment might
march across the space left uuguarded aud actu
ally enter the doors Of the house without being
seen 10y the other sentiuels.
Under such circumstances the side upon
which we looked was the best 10 attempt, be
cause the ground ia front OF u WAS more suit
able for rapid marching and there was a wide
gap Ia the hedge, through which passed "A road
that after several turns ended iu front OF ia,
house. You aud ! q" said the Colonel, " must ge
on the other side Of that hedge without being
seen by the sentinel Follow me closely aud a,
what do" 10 threw Of his cape aud uufasteu
ing two large white sheets which were attached
10 his belt gave inc one aud took the other. ~,
were in line with the left corner of the square
aud could see the sentiucls on the sides which
joined there. We watched them awhile: they
invariably met at the junction of their posts
the one arriving first always waiting for Ia,
other. They appeared 10 exchange few
words, and then started on their return tours a
the same time. After these sentinels had sepa
rated aud each accomplished about one third o
las tour. the Colonel walked a few PAGES TO Tia
right, 50 a 10 be beyond the range Of the eye o
the one on our left. Then wrapping his shee
around him, the moment he saw the one ia
D front Of US looking away from our position, n
I ran forward, covered good part OF the distaEc
G 10 the hedge, and threw himself on his sid
4 with his face towards the sentinel. Wheneve
the latter moved forward his eyes we're sure 4
be for "A few minutes removed from the spac
we wished 10 pass over. and then We wOult
make an advance, for / followed the Colonel a
/ directed, aud The instant we thought an ObseT
walton might be made in our direction, W
threw ourselves on our sides, aud, wrapped il
= the sheets il would have been difficult, al tina
5 distance aud in the moonlight to have dis
Q tiHguished Us from the snow In a short tim
Q we were within 10 PAGES Of the hedge. In from
Of us lay number OF rocks whose bare head
: were above the snow.
Sten On the STONES - said the Calouel ssyo