The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-03-09
YOUNG PATRIOTS.
chiIdren's Part In the War Of the
Revolution.

Colonial Danes and Lecturer OF
| American History
| Children played an important part ir
/ the war for independence.
The first martyr TO the cause Of lib
erty was a little Boston boy, and in the
closing scene at Yorktown a slight form
| stepped forward-a lad Of 1s-and re-
ceived the fallen British standard
Through the struggle in Rhode Island
/ two young girls, whose husbands were
with the army. performed all the labor
on the farm, taking their babies with
them TO the field. Dorcas Matteson pill
lowed hers in the grass, while Emma
Aldrieh Graded hers in the bough OF
tree.
Wodman says that during the attack
on Fort Montgomery. in October. III,
Rebecca Rase. years Of age, flew to
save her stock of rag dolls, which she
hid in a maple sugar trough, regardless
of the balls which screamed all around
her.
We have all heard of the horrible
atrocities of the Indians. A little boy
in Vermont climbed into the great
chimney when his family fed from the
whooping savages. They made roar
ing fire. and he came tumblng down
upon the hearth-a suffocated corpse.
Boys and girls seem to have been
the same one hundred years ago as
they are now. They were active at the
Boston massacre and in the burning OF
effigies in South Carolina. The streets
swarmed with them. They had to be
taken into account by friends and foes.
When Ethan Allen set forth to thrash
the Tory printer, Rivington, of New
York, who had been abusing the patri-
OTIS in his paper. a crowd of boys gath
cred around the tall figure in furnished
regimentals and loudly cheered the
hero. But no fight came off, and the
| disappointed boys were Disguised with
Allen.
A boy was at the head of the mob in
ITS. Those too young to bear arms
found ways to show their zeal for lib
erty. They worked in the trenches
they drove their teams when fortified
lions were built, they acted as scouts.
! One of the best accounts of our army
on Dorchester Heights was written by
jeremiah Baier. but II years old, whC
tended his fathers horses through tina
night of anxiety. when the British at
tack was expected.
When Barrett was leading his minute
men to meet the British at Concord hi!
grandson. IA years old, was marching
with the village lads to remove thu
powder the kings troops had come t.
| capture.
| Just as Fort Montgomery SURRENDERED
to the British assault, Beverly Gar
rison, boy of IA, was team!ng can
non to the outworks. He refused Il
leave his team and was captured.
When the British held Rhode ISLAND
the inhabitants suffered greatly from
the plundering enemy. At last the boys
all along the shore formed into com
panies to protect their parents prop
erty. They acted with great bravery
although the eldest of them was only
sixteen.
At the British descent upon Connec
ticut the Yale College boys turned gu
in full force. led by Aaron Burr.
In the meantime the girls did servict
as scouts and spies. When the war wal
carried into the southern states it be
came unusually bitter. for it was {
war between neighbors and families.
Tory feeling was strong; while the
royal army was near many concealed
themselves in the swamps, and ther
the girls were of service. They carried
food to their fathers. often going t.
them at night, always at the risk o
their own lives. and of betraying tn
hiding places of their dear ones.
When De Platt was imprisoned il
New York his daughter was so persist
ent in her pleadings with Sir Henri,
Clinton that ne was glad to release hi
captive.
A Connecticut mother sent all of he
sons, the youngest but IA. He soon re
turned. as he had no musket. She said
Go back. and take a gun from tn
enemy"
Hundreds of boys enlisted at IA.
large part of the force at Bunker Hill
were mere lads. and one-third of tn
heroic defenders of Fort Mif1in wer
under l6.
Stephen Martindale weighed but
pounds. but he found all through tn
battle of Bennington.
Nyal Knapp was an officer OF Wash
ington's Life Guards at Is, and VIII
liam Naplay was the same age ant
their commander.
Alexander Hamilton at Ii was writing
articles discussing the advantages o
open rebellion against the mother coun
try. He was then a student in King
now Columbia-college. He, with tif
teen students. went to Captain Lambs
offering to assist in securing the can
non that defended the city
The British men-of-war in the stream
fired upon them. but the little ban,
brought away every gun.
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