Year: 1876

The Galaxy.


1t was while at these headquarters
a bold attempt was made to capture
Washington. Clinton was very anx-
ious TO get possession of his person,
and Washington received many let
ters W arning him of his danger. But
with all the plans that were laid,
none seemed to be so easy of execu-
ton rs the one that was foiled here
by the patriotism of young lady,
the daughter Of one Ettrick, who
professed to be warm patriot, but
those who knew him best looked ON
him with suspicion. This man and this
spot were selected to effect Washing
tons capture. The plan proposed
was to have a boat ready, and a party
of Tories secreted in the woods near
by when Washington should be in
vited to dinner. His daughter over
heard conversation that exposed
his plot, and informed Washington
of her suspicious, and begged him
not to accept the invitation Of her
father to dinner.


The dinner hour was to be late, so
that it would be dark before the meal
was over. Then the seizure was to
be effected. and the captives borne
off to the bosom of the Hudson.
The boat, manned by strong rowers,
would easily have reached the Eng
lish vessels below West Point before
Washington would be missed. In
stead of declining the invitation he
accepted it, but in the meantime or
dered detachment of his life guard
to march to the place just at evening,
and present themselves at the door.
While Ettrick was engaged in CON
versation with his distinguished
guest, he heard footsteps and the low
command of their leader, and
supposing them to be the
detachment of Tories he rose,
and laying his hand on Washing
toms shoulder, said:


81 believe, General, you are my
prisoner.


81 believe, not, sir, but you are
mine," was the reply, as the life
guard closed around him.


He was Immediately marched Oft
and locked up. This threw the
daughter into paroxysm of grief.
She did not anticipated such a re-
suit. She had gwen no posi- We IN
formation-s simply told her suspi-
cions to Washington, thinking the
only result would be to make him de-
cline the invitation. That he would
make her kindness to him the cause
of punishment to her father she did
not for momeut dream, and she be-
sought him not to repay her fidelity
to him by the imprisonment and
death of her father. If it had been
mere personal matter, Washington
would doubtless have suffered the
man to go unmolested; but the blow
was not aimed at him, but at his
country, and this he would not have
forgiven in an only son. Still every
instinct in his nature revolted against
inficting needless suffering on the
daughter who had acted so nobly.


If it had become known, however,
it is doubtless if even Washington's
influence could have saved the
wretch whose crime was tentold
worse than that of Arnold. A drum
head courtmartial and swift death
were what he richly deserved.
Washington, however, kept the
whole matter quiet, except to a few
personal friends, and after short
confinement relesed him on the
promise that he would leave the
country. To this he gladly consent
ed, and escaped to Nova Scotia.
The secrecy which Washington
maintained in regard to it for the
daughters sake doubtless kept it from
becoming part of the history OF the
time, but there is no doubt of its
truth among the old revolutionary
families of this region.