The evening times., 1900-04-18

Colonel Terhune's long association with
General Washington gave him an unsur-
passed opportunity to study his character
and il was his expressed opinion that the
principal element of Washington's pre-emi-
nent ability was the application Of his
practical, accurate. and untailing common
sense to every question that could be
brought before ii. He said tome one
time: General Washington's mind was
always fairly quick in reaching conclu-
sions; sometimes he was wonderfully alert.
He would never do nor could he be induced
10 do, what he thought was not the best
under the circumstances. II was seldom
that he made a mistake in reading char
acter i remember that during that hard
winter we had at Morristown. the army
was alarmingly reduced by the expiration
of the term of service Of the men and by
smallpox. One bright day a number of US
were with General Washington on the pa
rade ground when We saw a man crossing
the open space some distance away. The
commander in chief looked at him a mo-
ment or two, then. turning back to US.
said: DO you see that gentleman yonder?
Well, he is British colonel. That is what
he is. depend upon it.
I'VE proposed Immediately that he be
dc d spy Out bhc SchSi1I eesiO VIC
could make him more useful to us in an
other way Leaving the company. he re-
turned to his tent and presently sent for
the inspector general. To the latter Wash
ington said THAT British officer will pre-
sent himself as gentleman from the coun-
try. who has been prevented from visiting
camp by sickness in his family and by en-
barrassing business circumstances, and he
regrets that he did not come here before
this. You will probably find him too pa
triotie for comfort and deeply interested in
freeing this country from the British.
Take him at his word. As soon as the
troops can be assembled-for we have
enough for one good regiment-we will
have them march in review for his benefit.
| will send you an order to inspect such
and such a regiment of the line. Invite
him to go with you. II is his object in
coming here to find out the number of men
we have so that General Clinton may know
whether to attack us here in camp.
A Remarkable Inspection.
I" The country gentleman repeated his
story almost verbatim with what General
Washington had said he would say. Then
the inspector general received his order to
inspect a certain regiment. The "coun-
try gentleman" was only too glad to ae-
company him. The inspection passed on
very successfully. Then soon afterward
came another order to inspect a certain
other regiment. The wondering inspector
general went to the parade ground that
had been chosen for the inspection OF this
regiment, followed all the time by the
visitor and again went through the whole
affair just as he had before, except that
all the colors and officers had been
changed and to the casual viewer it was
an entirely different body Of men. This
occurred just nine times during that day,
and when the visitor left that evening
he was cordially invited to remain over
night and be with the inspector general
the next forenoon, while he completed
the inspection of the army. Before go
ing however, he expressed himself as
very much surprised and highly pleased