The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-10-01

lingering gaze OF the stuarts upon their
ancestral isle. and the winds Of old ocean
never bore % F'atnerland a sadder or
more permanent adieu.
BECAME EXILEs.
"Iis devoted and unfortunate followers
sought refuge from the brutal and in-
furiate vengeance OF the government IN
every available means of escape from the
island. Self-exiled from their native land.
they focked IN crowds TO the continent
and these western shores. constituting
no small element OF tho new population
of this embryo American republic Of re-
publics.
Among tho American omgrants were
Flora Mcdonald, her subsequent hus-
band. ana many Of their class, who be-
came residents Of North Carolina. and
by a singular perversity ~ fate on the out
set Of the American Revolution as Tory
partieans Of the Hanoverian House IN
its argrpssions upon Colonial right in
volved themselves IN unsuccessful war
with the Carolina patriots and consequent
uuon their defeat exiled themselves from
their adopted home and returned 70 live
and die I'm their tative highlands under
the protecting reign ~ the Guelphs.
Hugh Mercer WIS another or those
exies Tie was then a youth OF twenty
y
Ing been educated as physician. we find
him in the army Of the Pretender al the
battle OF Cul0deu. Ilo could not have
been there from anv svmpathios with the
religious faiths Of the pretcnder, nor We
may confidently aver I'm view OF his
subsequent career in America. with the
Stuart's theory Of royalty and loyalty.
We have no record Of his presence with
the Highland army on the southern march
and as the battle Of Culloden was fought
in the immediate yiciEage Of his r1ternal
home. We may well suppose that he be-
came united with It on the eve of the
disastrous overthrow.
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
"The opportunities for professional in-
structions usefulness and distinction in-
cident TO The hourly duties N the surgeon
Of the army iu actual service I'm the field
are $50 tempting 10 medical men chat their
official association can never be regarded
as any sure index of particular sympathy
with its political or national purposes.
and We may very easily and naturally
attribute young AIcrcer's temporary cm-
yl0ymcnt on the forces of the Proioudor
90 sentiments OF humanity iu n laudahlo
ambition for present active usefulness
and future professional distinction and
success.
"Bo this however. MS ~ may. he WIS
none Che less involved in the peril of his
degraded associates and he avaiIcd HIM
self of The earliest opportunity for escape.
and. cmbardng from Inverness. made his
home in America He settled iu Penn
sylvania as 90 practitioner Of medicine.
bot in less than a decade after his arrival
ne made his first appearance in American
history in the army Of General Br7ddock
on his unfortunate march 10 Fort On
Quesnc He may have entered this service
as surgeon. but in the progress of the
campaign De- appears n captain in the Nir-
ginia contingent. and participated il the
steady galIautrv and skill of the Cond-
uontals which constitutes the only lining
10 the dark clouds Of that disastrous
march.
a NARROW ESCAPE.
Severely wounded and lCft behind by
his retrcatng company ho narrowly os-
capped with his 'ifc from the savage foe.
Finding refuse iu the hollow of a tree.
around which bis purru-rs paused to rest
De foilcd the pursuit. and after 20 weary
and lonely march through one hundred
miles of forest inallv recruited with the
remainder of his command az Fort Cum
bcrlaud.
'puIiEg this pcriiJas march ho support
cd himself ON Che leaves and roots ln his
pathway. and Zoo tine extremely Of the
famine found 20 palltablc and uourishiug
meal in tho body OF 70 rattlesnake. which
#as the only available game in his reach
'ln the spring of the next year Cap
tain Mercer was again engaged iu another
advance through the forest under COM
maud of colonel john Armstrong which
-csultci iu the dispersion of large
'rdiau forco at kHicniug one of their
frontier towns near Fort Du Ouoguo. 1To
had again distinguished himself Lv his
gallautrv and unsurpassed yaIor. but
was again severely wounded. and renewed
his experience of threading the wilder
ness almost alone. wounded and half
perlshed
His services during thcso Indian cam
rdiens were esteemed OF $50 high "a grade
ot MORT That Oh" corporation of Philadel-
phl' honored him with the presentation
of q medal
or SHORT DURATION
'Morcu's residence iu PENNSYLVANIA
was of short duration. his permanent
American home WAS i'm the now historic
town Of Fredericksburg. Va. INCORPORATED
in ll2i and named after Prince Frederick
then Prince OF Wales. then "a small village.
but second only to williamsburg. the
CAPITAL Of the Colony as 90 centre or co.
lonial social and political life.
Among this people Hugh Mercer
found cOngenial home and won "a hold
upon their confidence and esteem second
scarcely TO .hat Of their own great WASH
ingtcn. The associations Of their Indian
campaigns had established a friendship
and intimacy between them which was
never broken, and We have the record OF
not unfrcqucnt visits OF Mercer 10 Mount
Vernon. not less for friendly intercourse
than for the purpose OF conference and
consultation about matters Of public in
tercst
AN English traveller iu 11Y pdublished
I'm LOrdOu am account Of his visit To- the
colonies just prior 20 tho Revolution. and
thus speaks:
" 7 arrived in Fredericksburg and nut
mp no the inn kept by one Weodon. who
is now 20 general officer in the American
army and was then very active and
Jealous in blowing -ne flames ~ scdition
In Fredericksburg 7 called won very
intimate friend Dr. Hugh Mercer. phy-
sician OF great merit and cmnence and
as 70 man possessed oi almost every yir-
tue and accomplishment
4 BRIGADIER GENERAL.
CDR. Mercer was afterwards n briga-
dicr GenrIl in The American army. 20
accept which appointment. r have rea-
son 10 believe. he was greatly influenced
by General Washington, with whom he
had been long I'm intimacy and bonds Of
friendship. For DR. Mercer was gene
rally Of "a just and n moderate way or
thinking and possessed OF principle be-
ing uncommon among those with whom
ha .p1Itn rlrod