Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-03-04
A QUAKER HEROINE
Exploit Of a Woman During
the Revolutionary
War.
The Good Work OF Lydia OAR
rach tor the American
Cause.
Learning Lord HOwe'S Plans
ehe Warns Washington
Of Danger.


i0naries write her down tor the know
ing and reading Of all men. But the dis
unctiOn of such an appellauOn applied
to herself, probably never entered the
little Quaker womans head as she set
herself theoretically to work TO serve
her country and to save her country
men in the long ag'. And the idea OF
the distinction of having a heroine as
one OF the mothers OF Philadelphia back
Ia revolutionary times has pretty gen
orally dropped out Of the Consciousness
Of the present generation of jewellers
in the good OLD Quaker town"
1t was ust one hundred ana fifteen
years ago this December that LYDIA
Dauach earned for hersem the title be
slowed upon her in the books which
devote themselves TO keeping green the
memories of departed worthless, says
the Philadelphia Times. The curious
part of the tale is that whereas the
Helcns, the GATHERINGS, the Marys lund
the various madames celebrated in song
and story nave most of them earned
their distinction by stirring up strife
and bringing about wars and rumOrs OF
nars, this little Quaker woman, Friend
LYDIA, distinguished herself by prevent
ing battle, or at least by doins what
might be called reducing military en-
counter to the lowest terms.
Early school training has impressed
upon the mind Of the American youth
the fact that the winter Of lI1I-IS was,
in the textbook phrase, the gloomiest
period of the Revolutionary War. The
fortunes OF the little Continental army
struggling to make good the daring as
seruons Of the reyered Declaration
had been far from brilliant. Liberty
seemed about to be crushed, and tnat
in the very cradle IN which 1t had been
born; and great were The apprehensions
that the principles of government
would be deprived OF the American col
onies as vantage ground from which
to work
The main actors OF the military dru-
ma were gathered almost within rhe
present confines OF Philadelphia. Howe
ana CORVALLIS on one side and Wash
lngton Lafayette ad Pulaski on the 9th
or, were in such near neighDorhoOds
that If they had had the advantage
OF modern railway facilities n halt
hours ride would have enabled them to
exchange calls between the mimical
eucampmcnts
But the British had decidedly the
best of the bargain As strangers and
visitors they would nave been entitled
TO ihis under ordinary circumstances
but in the case in point they had walked
in and helped themselves. In military
phrase their army, under Lord HOVE,
had occupied Philadelphia and tnat
IN the face Of decided though inetfect-
ual objections on the part OF the Amer
lean residents and armed forces. The
mann body of the stranger troops was
located ut Germantown The remain
der made themselves merry IN the so
Cial life of what was then the heart
Of the city Old ST. Georges church,
on Fourth street was turned into a rid
ing school Tor the pleasure OF the red
coated captorS Of the town and The de-
vout Methodist congregation sent to
tutyruiza with their Baptist brethren
i'm ucghboriu- church until such time
as il pleased the visitors to render their
house of worship to them again. Balls
and r0utS dinners and dances, kepl the
British officers going until shrewd old
Or Franklin dryly remarked one day
hat Howe had not taken Philadelphia
So much rs Philadelphia had taken
Howe"
Meanwhile, Washington and his i'm
poyenshyd followers were shiyei1ng in
their encampment cut at White Marsh,
beyonl Chestnut Hin They We're poor
and wretchCd, but their spirit was I'M
conqueable, and the result was the
long list of small engagements in and
around Philadelphia which distinguished
the revolutionary campaign in PennSyl-
yaula for that year. The British were
good soldiers rs We'll rs jolly fellows.
Their social proeliviues bul seldom I'M
telfered with their business of war.
They kept a watohful eye on the wary
American General ana never missed au
opportunity to harass his dimished ar
my.
In The early part Of December, l5'1
the Tune TO direct another blow ut the
Col1uUI forces seemed 10 the English
leaders to have arrived. and the plans
We're laid which lel up TO the engage
meut Of EDGE Hill 1he affair was too
srght to be set down in history as one
of tbc eventual stepping stones OF the
War Of Independence uny LEGAL his
tDrtaus. on those whose care for exact
ness has transcribed amy vulgar am
biuon to BE handled and read by the
multitude have taken the time and
Suate to speak If the EdGe Hu sktr
uiSn. That Tie ir.tish s,uerats plans
filled St ruIhument ANA thIt Edge h1i.
ington. Lafayette and Pulaski on the 9th
as name o. almost as great import
In the American as in the English sto-