Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1896-04-02

IN American Jeanne u Are.
About twelve miles from Boston. on
the road to Concord, stands fine old
house, surrounded by a beautifully kept
farm, says the New York Mail and En-
press. Just at the back of this old
time mansion is a magnificent pine
grove from which the place takes its
name. "Pinc-Grove farm" Here live
the descendants Of an American Jeanne
dare. Deborah Sampson by name.
whose history taken from the gene
alogy of the Sampson family. is unique
and thrilling.
This revolutionary maid. left to the
care of strangers at a tender age. with
mind far ahead of her time and class,
until she was 90 did the farm drudgery
required of a bound ART the
pigs and chickens and milking the
cows. She had passion for reading
but little opportunity to indulge it. She
gained enough knowledge. however, 10
teach a public school in Middleboro
where the curriculum was comprised
in The New England Primer a spell
ing book, the psalter and new tesla
ment.
The repeated invasions of popular
rights on the part of King George and
his ministers made a strong impression
OH Deborah Simpsons mind She
drank deep CT the fountain of patriotic
inspiration that fell from the lips Of
the fiery Otis, the devoted Warren and
the dauntless Adams. Her blood leaped
as she heard the news of the Boston
tea party. Then came Lexington and
Bunker Hill-and one fine summer
morning the scholars in the little Mid
dleborc schoolhouse found their teacher
gone. She had spun herself a suit Of
mems clothes, taken the name of Full
Ter. and ran away to the wars.
The girl was mustered into the ser
vice at Worcester and in company with
a large number of recruits marched to
join the army at West Point. There
she was placed in Capt. Webb's COM
pany of light infantry. in Col. Shep-
herds regiment and Gen. Patterson 5
brigade Here her civilian suit was
cAtHduScu lOl tIlc continental uIllIOl
In her first experience on the field
the attack of the enemy was unexpect-
| ed and furious, and a man at her side
was shot dead. However, she suffered
less from fear than from fatigue, thirst
and the heat of the day. She served in
the French army under Count Rocham-
| beau-all told by her in vivid terms
and participated in the march of the
whole allied army under Washington
! to protect New York. resulting in the
siege of Yorktown. These exposures
brought on severe cold together with
exhaustion and blstered hands. HeI
delicate appearance and having nc
beard was often noticed, and she was
called the "smock- faced boy" but her
sex was never suspected. She Wen!
through three campaigns, sharing in
all the hardships and was twice
wounded
At last being overtaken with a ma
lignant fever. and being brought to thc
verge of death. the attending physician
discovered that the brave laddie" wa:
a woman, bue he sacredly guarded the
secret, save to the matron. who had he1
removed to her own apartments ant
nursed with the greatest care.
On her departure for camp after thi'
illness, for the purpose Of being dis
charged, the doctor wrote letter t
Gen. Patterson, disclosing the secret
The general. who had had the youns
woman as aidde-camp on his staff, wa
greatly astonished, but treated her witt
utmost kindness, giving her an honor
able discharge. Miss Sampson wa
granted pension. On returning hom
she did not Immediately make hersel
known among her relatives, but a
length resumed female apparel and EN-
pigments. II few months she wa
married and became the wife OF Ben
jamin Gannett of Sharon and lived t.
rear family of three children.
At the age of 81 she died at her HON
in Sharon where she had sustained tn
character of an exemplary wife an
mother as well as gallant and devot
ed patriot.