Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-29
signal. The four surviving bandits were
taken out and hanged at once.

Every one course Is Iamlllar Win
the tragic story of Maj. Andre. the
young oficer sent by the British TO ne
gotiate the treason of Benedict Arnold.
who was captured when the plot was
frustrated and hanged as a spy But
only very few are aware OF the fact
that indirectly the capture OF Andre
was due to a woman's intuition
During the operations OF the American
army in the vicinity OF the Hudson.
Lieut.. John Webb, an aid on Washing
tons stan. was a frequent visitor at
the mansion OF Gerard G.. Beekman, at
Peekskill. One day Lieut.. Webb left q
valise containing an amount OF gold and
one of his uniforms with Mrs. Beekman.
asking her not TO give IL TO any one
without a written request from himself
or his brother Samuel
Some two weeks later neighbor
named Joshua Hett Smith came riding
up for the iieutenant's grip and talked 30
convincingly that MIR. Beekman was
about 10 give IL TO him. when his wife
interfered. Smith got impatient
why, Mrs. Beekman." he said. you
know me very well. Jack didn't give
me that request for his valise because
he was in a hurry and didn't have time
TO write II. But now he needs his uni
form right away and must have II. II
isn't as IL you were giving the valise to
stranger.
But Cornelia Beekman's feminine sixth
sense told her that something was
wrong.
1T is true that / know you very
well, Smith," she rejoined. sternly. Too
well to let you have Sans property"
Mr.. Beekman himself was inclined to
side With Smith. but his wife remained
firm and finally the visitor rode on
discruntied.
Smith called for Lieut.. webbs valise
on the very day % Andres flight. Andre
himself was in hiding in Smiths house.
Smith. II seems, had heard Lieut.. Webb
tell about the grip and its contents that
afternoon at the tavern, and knoweig
that Webb and Andre were both OF the
same size had determined to get the
patriot officers uniform for the British
spy.
Had Andre made his dash for New
mander-in- chief himself there 10 no
doubt that the American outposts would
have facilitated instead OF hindered his
progress. and that he would have reached
the British lines scot-free. That he did
not get Webb's uniform 10 due solely to
the keenness and determination or an
American matron.
other deeds OF individual hardihood
women without number There. for In
stance. is the story OF Mrs. Jane Thomas.
mother of seven Continental soldiers,
who learned that the tories were GO
ing to surprise small patriot force
at Cedar Spring, s. c.. and who rode
sixty miles in one night to apprtse
them. with the result that when the
tories made their attack they founo
themselves ambushed.
There also Is the story OF similar
service performed by Lydia Darrah.
with 0esults of far more moment To
the patriot cause. Mrs. Darrah was Q
Quakeress with whom a number OF
British officers were quartered during
the occupation Of Philadelphia. The
Darrah house was opposite the head
quarters of Lord Howe. and for that
reason was sometimes used for the
reading of general orders to the omcers.
On one occasion Mrs. Darrah wa
fortunate enough to overhear an orosf
read for the troops to make a nigns
; attack on Washington's army, which
} was then encamped at White Marsh.
Lydia ran the British lines and apprised
the Americans. SO that when the British
came UP they found their enemy with
his cannon mounted. his troops under
, arms and so prepared at every poinS
. to receive the attack that they had &C
. fall back without striking blow Had
the attack been successful Washing
toms army, the flower OF the Conu'
l mental forces. would have been scat
, tered and the war very possibly
terminated.
These two episodes. In which women
: conveyed intelligence of the enemy's
movements. are by no means isolated
{ instances. They are merely examples
! given by reason Of the unusual hardf-
hood shown or the gravity OF the issue
, involved.
: Women gave their services In mani
: fold other ways well. Elizabeth
Zane. at the siege of Fort Fincastie-
later Fort Henry-on the present site
+ OF Wheeling, w. Va, crossed zone
! of fire swept by the rifles of 300 saw
ages carrying an apronfui OF powasss
main works the fresh supply OF am
munition saving the garrison from tne
necessity of surrender.
. Catherine Schuyler. wife OF the
famous general, set fire to vast acre
age of wheatfields on the SCHUYLER ss-
tate to prevent them from falling into
the hands of Bureoyne upon mis- al
vance from Fort Edward to Saratoga
Mrs Esther Reed of Philadelphia de-
: fed the British, who were at that time
. in possession of her home city. oy
clothing and raising funds for the
American army at Valley Forge. Upon
her death the work was continued cS
! Mrs Sarah Bache, daughter OF BenJa-
, min Franklin. Hundreds OF other
! philadelphia women secretly cooper
> ated.
generals-notably Martha Washington and
Mrs Nathaniel Greene-accompanied tneif
husbands in every campaign, ana oio
everything in their power to alleviate the
ha ships OF the soldery. Mrs. Washing
ton even went through the cruel winter Al
Valley Forge, where her ministrations
are said TO have saved many lives stu
other women went into British prisons
and prison ships to save the sick and
wounded American prisoners.
*
. Mrs. Elizabeth jackson, mother or An
j drew Jackson, in fact. died from prison
fever contracted while engaged In this
! work of mercy among the American CAP
tives at Charleston.
! Mrs Mercy Warren, the leading blue
: stocking of the time. shares with Thomas
Paine the distinction Of leading the intel
lectual movement for liberty.
Mary Draper invented the pewter bull
let, which came into use after the supply
of lead was exhausted, and thousands OF
patriotic women the country over sur
rendered their prize pewter utensils 60
be melted up for ammunition.
Mrs Rebecca Motto. whose splendid
mansion between Charleston and Camden.
S. c., was turned into a fort by the Brit
ish instructed the besieging Americans TO
set the structure afre by shooting blax-
ing arrows onto the roof. The result was
that the British were smoked out though
the mansion itself was reduced to ashes.
But the most bizarre service of all was
rendered by Handy Betty Hager, known
also as Betty the Blacksmith. who rent
ted guns and artillery for the patriotic
armies. Betty was a natural mechanic,
whose latent abilities were developed IN
the employ Of Samuel Leverett. a black