The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12

England was n woman 3 rOllOI nOnOr, COmpll6u
by Donald Mackenzie and giving the names OF all
English women Of the Victorian era who have
made themselves famous by deeds of moral or
physical courage. Such n roll OF honor for
American women would DO q thrilling chapter
OF American history; but 1t would necessarily be
incomplete. for of many interesting figures we
have only tantAlizinR fragmontary record.
From memoirs, diaries. and old letters enough
comes down to us to give us an idea Of the tone
of the women of the Revolution, and the moth
ers stand out as horoically as any Spartan
woman. A Mrs. Martin voiced the general feel
ing when q British officer asked her whether she
had a son.
IL have seven"
"Where are they =
Fighting for their country"
A of them I"
"All.''
The officer sneered. well, you sent enough"
he said.
Mrs. Martin looked him squarely in tho tacA
II wish l had fifty sons to send against you"
Such instances pile up before the searcher,
and there were mothers drawer still. One of
them sent an only son to the siege of Augusta.
A British soldier, full of hatred for the rebels.
rode out Of his way after the battle to tell the
woman Of her sons denth. She met him at the
door, and. without a word OF warning. he brutally
You had a son. 1saw his brains blown out
The mothers form grew rigid, but she said
proudly:
There are mothers in the land to-day as brave
as she, II n cause like hers should call; and. even
the mothers have been brave and stopped their
tears. Women's work was needed more in tho
supplies andn well.6lled Treasury. and wherever
women were needed. there they were found.
and her fe.year.oid SON to the army. Then she
called in her neighbors and began baking bread
and And pies ess: Which tnt ,S she 1 KEPT on long e table S} D before
American soldiers who passed that way;
all available pewter, and lead, the same
Mrs Draper came to thS frent again. Pewter
keeper. and she had one Of the finest collections
In New England but without a moments hest
tntion she melted 1t down. and, not content with
furnishing the material. she obtained a mould
and made the, pewter into bullets. which she
The men wore insuficiently. clothed. The indie.
f~atlgable Mrs. Draper had piles OF domestic
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.
She was Only ono ,o wom an. among mona, thopSapds
given signal evidence OF, patriotism. was at one
time obliged to leave her HANDSOME home.
T whi her fG res 'RtS s5li IN a h farmho Mss' b MGtt ot 'G 9Re
American lines. The American commander be-
came convinced that the only way Of routing
but he h%ositstsd to mention this to tho patri,
Although the place was dear to her. and was
almost her only property. she assured the com.
furnished him the bow and arrows by which
combustibies were to be carried to the roof, and
her home and fortune burned TO ashes.
Not all OF the revolutionary women had
they could: and SO many Of the girls pledged
themselves never TO accept the attentions Of
try that there was really no merit in a young
mans going to the front. He vas between wee devil
b boen n SSTd SH"ii than to face The British. "ouiu nave
American women gave up tea. too; and in that
W Vent further than tkkaatt IN The tea dGht. She
was the pretty wife Of Anthony stewart. a mer;
cargo OF tea, she ordered both tea and bark to
band to hold the torch with which tho fire which
destroyed his property was kindled.
ready to give up in those war days. They risked
their lives as coolly as mon; and many an
daring. Dozens OF times American troops were
saved from capture by the warnings OF a wo'
Lydia, DarrSh, the Philadelphia Quakeress.
while her uncle, was, entertaining British Of
d aSss'' S aE %Siie a p Mamrs 10 c'ggfhs o i taS A RUmc
in the night and walked through the
S w.rn,n to o the reached A%sfif Rsr h camp; ars sHVGb et tGs
daybreak without being discovered. Diccy
LAngston Of North Caroline rode across country
/ in the night and swan the swollen river in
5 order TO warn American troops that the British
, would be upon them in tho morning. The list
{ is that of tho women who risked their lives to
I save patriots concealed on their premises,
, saved tho precious stores of ammunition which
were distributed in different places, so that all
when the ammunition could not DO saved the
I women, In some instances. followed the exam
munition was hidden in their yard, and the
! British got pews o. 1t. co.: bra1ton was forced
/, there n rse wS SsG no n dsn %:tS for ES'R her. s She ep Ia Tiy a tral mn" al
powder from the place where the ammnnition
: y w&' a hidd to an1 1'h s1 e"S %S spprH pTsmS on ioS 'r eKDio
sion, and when the raging English soldiers
s s@6I %o 56s hS wso bse eiS E wSr eb GEn yepT sip Ry S onS
announced detantly:
"ididit q: ana r b 8 the consequences what thoy
EyOry, one, knows tho stories Of Barbara
Freitchie and Molly Pitcher. Several contes
\ whoever Captain Molly was, she fought royalty
8 and whoever il may have been who waved III.
ericktown, deserves a place on Tho honor roll.
!; There were women other than Captain Molly
/ who could fight in tho ranks. In the war OF tht
8 Revolution Deborah Sampson disguised hersel
! as a man, enlisted under the name OF RobOr
r hero for three years. She volunteered for seyora
: hazardous duties, was wounded on the heat
u Surgeon BInney OF PhnHdelphie discovered he
9 secret and had her removed to his home. but di'
9 not speak OF his discovery even to tho younI
I" soldier. When she was strong enough h
Il sent her, sim n the role q hober
a when she stood before Washington Afto
o he read the doctors letter. But the Genera
n wa. as considerate. as the surgeon. He merel
praised young Shirtliffe's bravery, and CAV
o him honorable discharge from the army. De
d borah went home 70 sharon and married. Ate
n the war she WAS called TO Philadelphia and r.
ceiVed 4 pension for bravery on the hold.
y IVA WOman's Creek" in GeoEgiA wa