Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-02-25
By WILLARD

After the battle Of Bunker Hill, New
York and New Jersey became the
principal Revolutionary backgrounds,
though the final issue was decided In
virginia. New Jersey was the central
state. and 1t was there for a great por-
tion of the struggle the commander In
chief, General Washington, was pres
ent In person.
One morning-it was the winter aft
or the one in which the Americans suf-
fered SO severely at Valley Forge and
the cause of American independence
was at its gloomiest point-a young
soldier stepped up to the sentry pacing
before the door of the Morristown
headquarters, and, being stopped by
the sentry, he said that he had been
ordered to report in person to the COM
mander In chief. Passing into the
house, he was directed to a little room
In the rear of the building used by
the general for his Office. Entering the
room, he found Washington writing at
his desk. The general turned. The
Young man saluted, stood at attention
and said:
General, l I'M Private George Mar
cey."
"Ah! You are the man Captain Ham
ilton tells me is familiar with every
hill and dale in this region. l have a
mission for you, but n on which I
cannot order you, for you will have to
20 in disguise and If captured will be
hanged for a spy. Are you ready to
assume the risk"
II am, general"
"very well. There is in Elizabeth
ter, Catherine, is a stanch patriot.
She has given me valuable informa-
ton of the enemy's movements, but
for a month past nothing has come
from her. l am anxious to know If
any trouble has befallen her, and it
Is important that l continue to receive
the information she has been sending
me, Go to Elizabethtown, find Miss
Tracy and bring me whatever word
she may have to send me. Take the
road from here to Orange, and from
there proceed due south to Elizabeth
town. You will find the Tracy home
on the outskirts Of the town In the
direction Of your approach. You will
find no great force of British troops at
Elizabethtown, but they doubtless
have outposts from New York there.
Go, and success attend your efforts"
That the general realized the dan
ger into which he was sending the
young soldier was manifest, SO he
grasped his hand at the final words.
Then Marcy left his commshder, who
resumed his work.
An hour later Private Marcy, dress
ed as a countryman and carrying a
basket of winter vegetables ON his
arm, was passed out Of the American
lines by Captain Alexander Hamilton
Of Washington's staff and proceeded
on his journey. Reaching a point now
called Summit, from which he could
look down on the lower ground, he
paused to view the scene before him,
then descended to Orange, where he
obtained refreshments at the tavern.
Meanwhile a violent snowstorm had
get in, and, tsavel being INSTRUCTED,
be resolved 20 await its abatement
That night a bowling wind piled the
snow in drifts and rendered progress
doubly difficult.
The next morning the wind had
ceased, and the sun came out, though
Without warmth. Marcy struck out
fr Elizabethtown, but a few miles
Instant, reaching the outskirts about
U O'clock. Approaching the Tracy
aOuse, he young man Knocked at the
pOor. A negro servant answered the
unmons, and Marcy asked if any
ne would buy his vegetables. Mar
~, seeing a young lady in a living
pom, pushed In there and began to
oacit trade. When the negro went
gack to the kitchen Marcy asked II
re girl was Catherine Tracy and be-
= 70 Informed that she was made him
Ell known.
MISS Tracy till then had not had any
formation for the general since her
W communication. But tie night be-
" some British officers were stop
us at her fathers boise, and she
~ heard them asking about the roads
~ distances to Trenton. From these
Fqulrles and other data dropped by
omcers she judged that a consider
{ " force was to be moved from New
Tk to some point southwark, prob
: Philadelphia.
e Eow' If Marcy had returned imme-
Y r'ey to General Washington with
: information all would have been
~ The region round about Eliza
E,.oWn was not occupied either by
s+AH british or Americans, and he would
mad no gantlet to run. His trou-
was he found Miss Tracy so attrac-
Ma he wa.s loath to part with her.
uade an excuse to himself for not
E'mg away that the snow was SO
una his coming through 1t had so