The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-08-05
AN INCIDENT OF %.
THE REVOLUTION.
'~O>O~O>OO~O~,

WHILE Gen. Howe, with his Brit
w ish army, held possession of Phil
adelphia, and Gen. Washington, with
the few half-starved troops under his
Immediate command, was encamped at
place called White Marsh, few miles
distant from the city, an incident oc-
CURED which, though seemingly tri-
fling in itself, may have had an" i'm
portant bearing upon the destiny of the
whole country.
Lieut.. Col. Craig, commanding q de-
tachment of light horse, was ordered to
approach the enemy's lines and hover
near them, In the capacity of videttes,
to pick up any intelligence that might
be of value to the army. While en-
gagged in this important duty one cold,
raw day in December, an orderly called
his attention to a woman who was COM
ing up the road.
The officer watched her as she as
cended the hill, and when he perceived,
by her stopping and looking frightened,
that she had discovered his command,
he rode forward and called out, in reas-
surfing tone:
advance, madam-you have nothing
to fear from true soldiers"
The lady, who was well wrapped up
in plain, warm garments, with hood
that quite concealed her features at a
short distance, now came forward,
without hesitation, to meet the colonel,
as if satisfied from his language and
appearance she had nothing to fear.
When near enough for him to distin-
guish the features that were turned
full upon him, he exclaimed, in tone
of surprise:
"Mrs. Darrah, as I live! Why, what
on earth can have brought you, all
alone and unprotected, into this dan
gerous locality?"
"Thee knows, FRIEND" she replied, in
the Quaker style, II have son in the
American army-who is, like thyself,
an officer under George Washington
and a mothers heart yearns toward
her offspring, even though he has de-
parted from the ways of his fathers"
"You were going then to seek him ?"
II was; but perhaps thee would carry
message for me, and let me turn back
to the city," said the lady, but still with
a cautious, hesitating air.
1T will afford me great pleasure to
oblige Lydia Darrah in any way!"
bowed the gallant colonel.
"Thank thee, friend-thee is verv
kind. If thee will dismount then and
walk with me a little way l think will
tell thee what have to say, which is a
secret I would not like to have any
other persons hear.'
! The colonel assented, and, riding back
to his men, gave his horse in charge of
one of them and ordered them to keep
in sight Of him; but not to approach
near enough to overhear an ordinary
conversation. He then returned to the
lady and they began their walk down
the road, in an opposite direction to
that which she had come. For short
time she maintained a deep silence,
with her face averted, and, as the officer
fancied, with her whole frame trem-
bling with secret emotion.
Friend Craig" she at length began,
with something like sigh, and speak
one communicating some startling fact,
"thee must hasten at once to George
Washington and tell him thee has GER
tain information that, on tomorrow
night, large body of British soldiers
will secretly march out of the city for
the purpose of surprising and captur-
ing him and all his men. Not to mys-
tify thee, friend, and that thee may
attach all due Importance to this in
formation, I will now inform thee that
I, Lydia Darrah, overheard an order
read between two high officers to the
effect of what I have stated. Thee must
also know that the man called Gen.
Howe has come to abide in the house
opposite my husbands, and that for
some reason, to us unknown, two men.
one of whom is supposed. to be called
the adjutant general, have come over
t. William Darrah's several times, and
held private conferences in one of the
back rooms Of our dwelling. Last night
these two men came again and one Of
them told me he wanted all my family
to go to- bed early, and that when thew
should get ready to leave, which might
be late, they would call me to let them
out. 's2s 80 e2sss,eg.sy %.gssssss v ~
'.'Well. Friend Craig, i sent the whole
family early to bed, - requested to do.
but myself felt very anxious to know
what was going on Of so much impor-
lance, and 80 did what never did be-
foGe took of my shoes, walked on tin
tos to the door of the room where these
man wers, put my ear to the key-hole,
and listened and heard what have IN
formed thee Ct =" q. s
tfissss u u