The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1912-10-22

"ipihg, and IN motherly anxiety for
the safety of her boy cried ONT.
Dodge. John, dodge" And it is more
than likely that John. as we'll as his
young comrades who were then ex-
p~erlencing their first battle. did some
ilVely lodging. At any rate he came
saIely out Of the struggle and
promptly shared in the victory that
drove Lord DunmOre from Nireinia
and saved the Albemarle counties
from invasion from the North.
ON February goth. IS, the famous
battle or Moore's Creek Bridge was
lought near Wilmington, which de-
1eated the Tories in North Carolina.
and convinced the British that fur
ther attempts at this time to CONQUER
the state were useless. SO towards
the end Of May, ClintOn's fleet sailed
from the mouth Of the Cape Fear TO
charleston, 5. 6, where his intention
was to capture that city. Gen. Lee
and Gen. Howe of the Continental
army fastened Immediately to the
defense OF Charleston, and among
the soldiers who followed them was
John koen. Here again the British
were defeated. Col. Moultrie's pal
mettO fortificatons proving an effec-
tive defense by sea, and Thompson's
South CarOl1n1anS and Clark'S North
Carolina troops bravery repeiling the
enemy by land. Here koen fought
with the North Carolina soldiers, and
here possibly, he witnessed the
brave deed by which Sergeant Jas
per won undying fame.
The British fleet, repulscd in the
attempt to capture Charleston, sailed
northWard, the danger of invasion that
for six months had threatened the
South was over: and we find many of
the soldiers in North Carolina releas-
ed from duty and returning to their
homes.
But John Koen's heart was filled
with boyish love and admiration for
the brave Commander in Chief of the
American Army who at this time was
sore beset by the enemy in the North.
So sh%ouldering his musket he march
ed away to offer his services to Wash
ington. We DO not know whether he
Dol part in the battles of Long
Island n White Plains, or no; but
from his Own account, as related by
him to his family, he did nave the
glorious honor of helping to win the
victory at Trenton on Christmas
night, 1875.
Most Of us are familiar with the
famous picture washington Crossing
the Delaware herein the famous
tNINt" - oip1NtN0
a small boat that seems about to be
dashed to pieces by the heavy waves
and the pounding cakes of ice. But
according to Col. kOen, who was with
Washington on tina momentous eve,
no boats were used in making the
crossing. The river was frozen over,
and the soldiers in order TO keep their
footing on the icy surface. iald down
their muskets on the frozen food
- hon, - ayN Sc To n
jersey shore. At times the ice bent
SO dangerously beneath the heavy
tread of the men hat they
tarily expected to be submerged be-
meath the dark waters. But the
dangerous crossing was safely made,
the British and Hessian troops who
were spending the night III drinking
and ]carousing at Trenton were cap
tured, and a great victory won lor the
American army.
Some time in the spring Of iii,
young Koen must have returned 70
his home in PasuuOtank; for We II
IN the Colonial Records. at this time
the account of his enlistment, O. ms
promotion to a corpOrals rank. n
tha statement that he served tor
three years. -,
According to the freside tales told
by Col. Koen to the family IN the olG
KOen homestead, he was with Gates
army, that under the gallant leader
ship Of Arnold and Morgan won TOT
| the new born nation the miSn'E VIC
tory of Saratoga, which on OCT. -
177I forced the unlutky RurgoNne 10
surrender and gained for US the
nouerful aid of France. And IN the
winter of '71-'12, we find him again
with Washinston's army UNDERGOING
the hardships and priEations OF the
torturing days al Valley Forge
Il have seen the tears tilcAIhg
down my srandfatheI's cheeks When
he told Of the cruel sufferlnsS me
| soldiers underwent that aWIul VIII
ter" said his granddaughter y ,he
writer And | used TO n Al see
49, . crown man weep. And often IN
~ childish fashion | Woul 70" lhal
war should never bring a tear 10 my
ayes, Little did | dream lneh .ha,