The evening times., 1898-07-01
HERoINES OF PAST WARS.
Women's Efforts in the Rev olutiOn
and Civil Rebellion.

Dear Jobn-Tbe Apaches attacked the house
and shot six Of them. The others went away
ammunition YOUR LOVING WIFE.
That was a type of the women of the
pioneer times. Mrs. Draper. of Dedham
Mass. sent her husband and her sixteen
year-old son to the army in the Revoiu-
ton. Then she called in the neiShbors
and began baking bread and pies. WHICH
she kept on a long table before her gate.
for the refreshment of ali hungry Amer
ican soldiers who passed that way. Ar
er the battle of Bunker Hill. when the
scarcity of ammunition induced Wash
.ngton to call for all available pewter and
lead Mrs. Draper came to the front
again. Pewter was dear to the heart of
the New England housekeeper. and she
had one of the fines: collections in that
part of the country. Without mo-
ment's hesitation she melted 1t down. and
not content with furnishing the material,
she obtained mold and made the pew
ter into bullets. which she forwarded to
the army. Then a new want arose. The
men were insufiiciently clothed. Mrs.
Draper had piles of domestic cloth stored
away for family use: but she brought it
out and made II into soldiers coats. Her
splendid stock of sheets and blankets was
transformed into shirts. and even her
own flannel clothing was altered to mems
garments. Mrs. Draper was only one
woman among thousands like her. The
famous Mrs. Motto willingly sacrificed
her handsome home that the American
commander might rout the British.
Another act of sterling heroism at that
time was the. giving up of tea by Ameri-
can women: but it was left to pretty Peg
gy Stewart. of Annapolis to carry the
tea fight to the limit. When her hus-
bands bark, named after her. the. Peg
gy Stewart. came in with a cargo of tea
she ordered both tea and bark to be
burned in the harbor. and forced her hus-
band 20 hold the torch with which the
fire that destroyed her property was
kindled.
Women risked their lives as coolly as
men, and many an American victory was
due to woman's wit and daring. In nu-
merous instances women defended and
saved the precious stores of ammunition
distributed in different places. so that all
would not fall into the enemys hands
and when the ammunition could not be
saved the women. in some cases. follow
ed the example of Col. Bratton's wife
set fire to 1t. The stories of Barbara
Freitchie and Molly Pitcher are well
known. Capt. Molly fought bravely: but
no less brave was she who waved the
Stars and Stripes about the rebel host
in Fredericktown.
Bravery of the highest quality was
shown throughout the civil war on the
part of women of both Sides and the spir-
it is still living in the hearts Of American
women today. They are not now called
upon to show their courage by daring
Deeds but their testimony speaks for it.
self. The occasion finds them ready to
meet 1t. They send their sons and hus-
bands, brothers and sweethearts to the
front, and, though they may do 1t with
a tear. 1t Is hidden in the smile that
cheers them on, and when the farewell
scene arrives. the last words are to do
their duty. Who can tell but that the
plucky deeds on water so far may not
be due to the memory Of the parting
words from women's lips s?-Detroit Free
Press.