The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-03-29

June. We cauSnt rnem ana administered
the sound thrashing which has gone
down in books as the battle of Mon
mouth. After years service lieu
tenants commission was granted me-
but for no especially gallant service.
General Washington must have near
ly finished breakfast when arrived
that morning for scarcely had | taken
the last sip of coffee when he entered
He seemed strangely sad in counte-
nance but spoke most kindly and with
some warmth and cheer in his words
"Lieutenant Rogers. have alrendv
thanked yon for Your efforts during the
mission from which yon returned some
two weeks ago. hut now, sir. there is n
greater service which you may be able
to DO for your country and for me- 1t
Is an undertaking of great danger and
So make no demand. You shall decide
whether or net Tou care TO take il upon
Your shoulders. You are native Of
New York, are you n0t:'
"Of Greenwich village, yet l know
every corner Of the island of Manhat-
tan. or did up to year and half ago,
when left to join the army
time and mine to lay plans before you
will ask if You are willing to go az n
spy into the city, starting within day
or two perhaps today? There will be
more for You to risk than for one who
is not known there, but your lnowl-
edge of the lay of the land will afford
advantages which one not knowing the
place could i'll afford TO he without, and
especially i'll the event Of danger. ask
again, will you go:''
"Certninly. sir, and gladly" longed
to be active again. Camp life was not
suited to my tastes, but l thought of
all this 50 quickly that the conversation
was not interrupted, and without wait
ing for his excellency to unfold details
asked boldly enough "What. if may
ask. are your plans?"
For month past have been in
communication with certain persons
who are loyal to our cause and who re-
side on the island. Although Clinton
has gone to the south. there are rumors
afioat to the effect that Knyphausen,
who has been left in command, desiring
no doubt to win fame for himself, is
considering plans for an attack. Up to
a week ago / thought little of this, rs
his force is weak, but his men are be-
coming uneasy. and he may deem it
wise to strike q blow ut almost any
time. The service which desire of you
is to reach New York and then, by
using caution. learn Of the British in
tentions. I have thought it advisable
for the man who undertakes this work
to carry false dispatches to Knyphausen
They will purport to come from a
friend, one Alexander McLair Of Phila-
delphia, and will contain supposed in
formation with respect to patriot plans
and in return will request from him
similar disclosures respecting the much
talked about attacks on the American
forces A pass from me should carry
you to the vicinity of Elizabethtown or
beyond. but should you use the name Of
McLair too soon there will be no great
harm done, as in that case you would
be brought back here. The papers which
1 desire to send will be ready in an
hour, and could you arrange to leave SO
quickly you might start this morning
and could, think, reach Paulus Hoeck
by nightfall. The road in that direction
is good one, and by noon tomorrow,
even if you are required 10 wait for
some hours. you could be ready to take
your leave Of Knyphausen and thcn re-
turn here as quickly as seems wise.
II shall never be more ready for the
start than now, general" I replied.
knowing nothing more to say.
-4Wait, then, until Colonel Hamilton
has done with preparing the documents.
and you can be off, and, 80 saying,
Washington bowed. took my hand,
shook it vigorously and then was out Of
the door, suppose to the lines, which
he inspected in person every morning.
Colonel Hamilton must have worked
with haste. but trust had been in no
way careless. for he entered the room
in less time than his excellency had in
dicated. Nothing beyond the salutes
passed between U.s. Taking my coat and
hat from their peg in the hall and stow
ing the papers away, I left headquar-
ters and after brisk walk was soon at
my cabin again. An hour was required
for me to arrange matters and to don a
suit of gray homespun, the same which
I had worn to Albany. McLair, as
have indicated. was civilian and could
hardly be expected to possess military
messenger, and also it would be easier
for me to get beyond the American
lines thus attired. even though had a
Pass. than try attired as a British off,
Ger. as would at some point on my re-
turn be compelled to take the road lead.
ing toward Morristown.
The orderly succeeded in borrowing
a saddle of q pattern unlike that used
in the cavalry, and before 8 o'clock
had dashed past headquarters and was
on the main road to Newark. need
not describe this ride, because it would
seem tame compared with the events
which befell me before the midnight
hour. Indeed fear as I think Of it
even now and smile sometimes that
might have met death before morning.
It was toward o'clock and the sun
well down when drew rein in front Of
one Of the several Hoeck taverns. With
voro1, z<c - pook x~o~A ia. IL