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JACOB ALTER.
June 20th, 1833.
Mr. Gilder offered a resolution, authorising the City Commissioners to occupy the north side of the Draw- bridge Wharf, for the purpose of landing paving stone, for the use of the city, which was adopted.
Common Council concurred in the amendments of the Select Council to the resolutions passed at last meet- ing relative to the statue of Stephen Girard.
The resolution reported by the Committee on the memorial of Frederic Graff, (published among the pro- ceedings of the last Councils, ) was considered and adopted.
The report of the Committee, charged with superin- tending the printing of the ordinances of the Corpora- tion, was read, the report accepted, and the Committee discharged.
The Councils, in joint meeting, now went into an election of Superintendent of the Girard College build- ings; and the applications from the following candidates were read :- Adam Traquair, Josepli Strahan, John M. Ogden, Joseph Ogden, Joseplı Morris, Wm. Garrigues, Jacob Souder, George Senneff, John Hicks, Tiberius Jefferson Bryant, and Mr. Corfield. The tellers having reported that 28 votes were received, of which 16 were given for Jacob Souder; he was declared to be duly elected.
And the Councils adjourned.
LONGEVITY .- One of the most interesting objects which attracted our attention, at the Fourth of July ce- lebration on Thursday last, was the appearance of an old veteran leaning on his staff, and recounting to circles of interested hearers, tales of olden time. His name is MICHAEL STEFFY, and is upwards of one hundred and five years of age. He resides in Cocalico township in this county, and although bearing about him many of the marks of his extreme age, he is as active as many whom we have seen whose heads were whitened by the snows of eighty winters. As evidence of this, we need only state, that he walked from Adamstown to Lancas- ter, a distance of between 20 and 30 miles, in part of two days. He was in the battle of Trenton, and there received several severe sabre wounds. At the battle of Germantown, his captain was killed by his side. He has worked since the revolution, as a common laborer, but says he has never drunk one quart of spirituous li- quors. Standing as such men do, monuments of a past age, they should receive the respect and attention to which their situation so peculiarly entitles them. - Ma- rietta Advocate.
DELAWARE AVENUE.
At a meeting of proprietors of wharves, &c. on the River Delaware, held at the Merchant's Coffee House, on Monday the 8th instant, in relation to an avenue in contemplation to be opened, the following gentlemen, were named as Committees in each square.
They will please to meet as early as convenient and report their proceedings at the Merchants' Coffee House on Friday next, at 11 o'clock, when the proprietors will again meet to receive said report.
From Vine to Race street-John Britton, Thomas Wright, James McClure.
From Race to Arch street-Jacob Ridgway, Jacob R. Smith, Charles Harper.
From Arch to Market street-Nathan Bunker, Tho- mas Reeves, Jr. William Platt.
From Market to Chesnut street-John B. Newman, Samuel Grant, Benjamin Jones.
From Chesnut to Walnut street-Thomas P. Cope, Joseph R. Evans, Samuel L. Shober.
From Walnut to Spruce street-Richard Willing, Thomas Fassitt, Robert Martin.
From Spruce to Pine street-Paul Beck, Jr. George Blight, Joseph Johnson.
From Pine to South street-R. W. Sykes, Lewis Clapier, Allen Cuthbert.
JACOB RIDGWAY, Chairman. GEORGE BLIGHT, Secretary.
THE REGISTER.
PHILADELPHIA, JULY 20, 1833.
Three new omnibuses have commenced running. The Stephen Girard and Independence leave the Coffee House and Schuylkill alternately every half hour, so that in connection with those previously established, a passage either way may be obtained every quarter of an hour. The new line proceeds through Walnut and Spruce streets. A stage also leaves the Navy Yard, for Kensington every hour, and vice versa. It passes through Second street.
Printed every SATURDAY MORNING by WILLIAM F. GED- DES, No. 9 Library Street. Philadelphia; where, and at the PUB. LICATION OFFICE, NO. 17 FRANKLIN PLACE, subscriptions will be thankfully received. Price FIVE DOLLARS per annum, payable annually by subscribers residing in or near the city, or where there is an agent. Other subscribers pay in advance.
HAZARD'S REGISTER OF PENNSYLVANIA.
DEVOTED TO THE PRESERVATION OF EVERY KIND OF USEFUL INFORMATION RESPECTING THE STATE.
EDITED BY SAMUEL HAZARD.
VOI .: XII .- NO. 4. PHILADELPHIA, JULY 27, 1833. NO. 291.
REVOLUTIONARY ADVENTURE. We copy the following interesting paper from the "New England Magazine." The circumstances are new to us.
The leading events of the war of Independence are familiar with every American, but many incidents, full of adventure, yet remain to be disclosed. There are those yet living who remember the following story:
The American authorities found much difficulty in disposing of their prisoners. They had no posts regu- larly fitted for the purpose, and they could suggest no better means for securing them than to place them un- der guard in a thickly settled part of the country, where the inhabitants were most decidedly hostile to the En- glish. The town of Lancaster in Pennsylvania, was of those selected for this purpose. The prisoners were confined in barracks, enclosed with a stockade and vi- gilantly guarded. But in spite of all precaution, they often disappeared in an unaccountable manner, and no- thing was heard of them till they had resumed their places in the British army. Many and various were the conjectures as to the means of their escape; the officers inquired and investigated in vain; the country was ex- plored to no purpose; the soldiers shook their heads and told of fortune-tellers, pedlers, and such characters, who had been seen at intervals; and sundry of the more cre- dulous could think of nothing but supernatural agency; but whether man or spirit was the conspirator, the mys- tery remained unbroken.
When this became known to Washington, he sent Gen. Hazen to take this responsible charge. This en- ergetic officer, after exhausting all resources, resorted to stratagem. He was convinced that, as the nearest post was more than a hundred miles distant, the prison- ers must be aided by Americans; but where the suspi- cion should fall, he could not even conjecture-the re- proach of toryism being almost unknown in that region. Having been trained to meet exigencies of this kind in a distinguished career, as colonel in the British army, his plan was formed at once, and communicated to an officer of his own, upon whose talent he relied for its successful execution. This was Capt. Lee,* whose cou- rage and ability fully justified the selection.
The secret plan concerted between them was this: It was to be given out that Lee was absent on furlough or command. He, meantime, was to assume the dress of a British prisoner, and having provided himself with information and a story of his capture, was to be thrown into the barracks, where he might gain the confidence of the soldiers, and join them in a plan of escape. How well Capt. Lee sustained his part may be inferred from the fact, that when he had disappeared and placed him- self among the prisoners, his own officers and soldiers saw him every day without the least suspicion. The person to whom I am indebted for most of these parti- culars, was the Intendant of the prisoners, and familiar with Lee; but though compelled to see him often in the discharge of his duty, he never penetrated the disguise. Well it was for Lee that his disguise was so complete. Had his associates suspected his purpose to betray them, his history would have been embraced in the proverb, "dead men tell no tales."
For many days he remained in this situation, making no discoveries whatever. He thought he perceived at times signs ofintelligence between the prisoners and an old woman who was allowed to bring fruit for sale with. in the enclosure. She was known to be deaf and half- witted, and was therefore no object of suspicion. It was known that her son had been disgraced and punish- ed in the American army, but she had never betrayed any malice on that account, and no one dreamed that she could have the power to do injury if she possessed the will, Lee watched her closely, but saw nothing to confirm his suspicions. Herdwelling was about a mile distant, in a wild retreat, where she shared her misera- ble quarters with a dog and cat, the former of which mounted guard over the mansion, while the latter oc- casioned superstitious fears, which were equally effect- ual in keeping visiters away.
One dark stormy night in autumn, Lee was lying awake at midnight, meditating on the enterprise he had undertaken, which though in the beginning it had re. commended itself to his romantic disposition, had. now lost all its charms. It was one of those tempests, which in our climate so often hang upon the path of the de- parting year. His companions slept soundly, but the wind which shook the building to its foundation, and threw heavy splashes of rain against the window, con spired with the state of his mind to keep him wakeful. All at once the door was gently opened, and a figure moved silently into the room. It was too dark to observe its motions narrowly, but he could see that it stooped towards one of the sleepers, who immediately rose; next it approached and touched him on the shoulder. Lee immediately started up; the figure then allowed a slight gleam from a dark lantern to pass over his face, and as it did so, whispered, impatiently, "not the man-but come!" It then occurred to Lee that it was the oppor- tunity he desired. The unknown whispered to him to keep his place till another man was called; but just at that moment something disturbed him, and making a sig- nal to Lee to follow, he moved silently out of the room.
They found the door of the house unbarred, and a small part of the fence removed, where they passed out without molestation; the sentry had retired to a shelter where he thought he could guard his post without suf- fering from the rain; but Lee saw his conductors put themselves in preparation to silence him if he should happen to address them. Just without the fence ap- peared a stooping figure, wrapped in a red cloak, and supporting itself with a large stick, which Lee at once perceived could be no other than the old fruit woman. But the most profound silence was observed; a man came out from a thicket at a little distance and joined them, and the whole party moved onward by the guid- ance of the old woman. At first they frequently stop. ped to listen, but having heard the sentinel cry "all's well," they seemed re-assured, and moved with more confidence than before.
They soon came near to her cottage under an over- hanging bank, where a bright light was shining out from a little window upon the wet and drooping boughs that hung near it. The dog received them graciously, and they entered. A table was spread with some coarse provisions upon it and a large jug, which one of the soldiers was about to seize, when the man who conduct-
* Who was this Capt. Lee ?
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[JULI
ed them withheld him. "No," said he, "we must first proceed to business." He then went to a small closet, from which he returned with what seemed to have been originally a Bible, though now it was worn to a maho- gany color and a spherical form. While they were doing this, Lee had time to examine his companions; one of them was a large quiet looking soldier, the other a short stout man with much of the aspect of a villain. They examined him in turn, and as Lee had been obliged formerly to punish the shorter soldier severely, he felt sume misgivings when the fellow's eyes rested upon him. The conductor was a middle aged harsh looking man, whom Lee had never seen before.
As no time was to be lost, their guide explained to them in few words, that before he should undertake his dangerous enterprise, he should require of them to swear upon the Scriptures not to make the least attempt to escape, and never to reveal the circumstances or agents in the proceeding, whatever might befal them. The soldiers however insisted on deferring this measure till they had formed some slight acquaintance with the contents of the jug, and expressed their sentiments on the subject rather by actions than words. In this they were joined by Lee, who by thistime had begun to con- template the danger of his enterprise in a new and un- pleasant point of view. Ifhe were to be compelled to accompany his party to New York, his disguise would at once be detected, and it was certain he would be hanged as a spy. He had supposed beforehand, that he should find no difficulty in escaping at any moment; but he saw that their conductor had prepared arms for them, which they were to use in taking the life of any one who should attempt to leave them-and then the oath. He might possibly have released himself from its obligations, when it became necessary for the interests of his country, but no honorable man could well bear to be driven to an emergency, in which he must violate an oath, however reluctantly it was taken. He felt that there was no retreating, when there came a heavy shock as of something falling against the sides of the house; their practised ears at once detected the sound of the alarm gun, and their conductor, throwing down the old Bible which he had held all the while impatiently in his hand, directed the party to follow him in close order, and immediately quitted the house, taking with him his dark lantern.
They went on with great despatch, but not without difficulty. Sometimes their footing would give way on some sandy bank or slippery field; and when their path led through the woods, the wet boughs dashed heavily in their faces. Lee felt that he might have deserted his precious companions while they were in this hurry and alarm; but he felt that as yet he had made no discove. ries, and however dangerous his situation was he could not bear to confess that he had not nerve to carry him through. On he went, therefore, for two or three hours, and was beginning to sink with fatigue, when the bark- ing of a dog brought the party to a stand. Their con- ductor gave a low whistle, which was answered at no great distance, and a figure came forward in the dark- ness, who whispered to their guide and then led the way up to a building which seemed by the shadowy outline to be a large stone barn. They entered it and were severally placed in small nooks where they could feel that the hay was all around them except on the side of the wall. Shortly after some provisions were brought to them with the same silence, and it was signified to them that they were to remain concealed the whole of the coming day. Through a crevice in the wall, Lee could discover as the day came on, that the barn was attached to a small farm house. He was so near the house that he could overhear the conversation which was carried on about the door. The morning rose clear, and it was evident from the inquiries of horsemen, who occasionally galloped up to the door, that the country was alarmed. The farmer gave short and surly replies, as if unwilling to be taken off from his labor, but the
other inmates of the house were eager in their questions, and from the answers, Lee gathered that the means by which he and his companions had escaped were as mys- tericus as ever.
The next night, when all was quiet, they resumed their march, and explained to Lee that, as he was not with them in their conspiracy, and was accidentally as- sociated with them in their escape, they should take the precaution to keep him before them, just behind the guide. He submitted without opposition, though the arrangement considerably lessened his chances of es- cape. He observed, from the direction of the stars, that they did not move in a direct line towards the De. laware, but they changed their courses so often that he could not conjecture at what point they intended to strike the river. He endeavored, whenever any pecu- liar object appeared, to fix it in his memory as well as the darkness would permit, and succeeded better than could have been expected, considering the agitated state in which he travelled.
For several nights they went on in this manner, being delivered over to different persons, from time to time; and as Lee could gather from their whispering conver- sations, they were regularly employed on occasions like the present, and well rewarded by the British for their services. Their employment was full of danger; and though they seemed like desperate men, he could ob- serve that they never remitted their precautions. They were concealed days in barns-cellars-caves made for the purpose, and similar retreats, and one day was passed in a tomb, the dimensions of which had been enlarged, and the inmates, if there had been any, ba- nished to make room for the living. The burying grounds were a favorite retreat, and on more occasions than one they were obliged to resort to superstitious alarms to remove intruders upon their path; their suc- cess fully justified the experiment, and, unpleasantly situated as he was, in the prospect of soon being a ghost himself, he could not avoid laughing at the expe- dition with which old and young fled from the fancied apparitions under clouds of night, wishing to meet such enemies, like Ajax, in the face of day.
Though the distance to the Delaware was not great, they had now been twelve days on the road, and such was the vigilance and suspicion prevailing throughout the country, that they almost despaired of effecting their object. The conductor grew impatient, and Lee's companions, at least one of them, became ferocious. There was, as we have said, something unpleasant to him in the glances of this fellow towards him, which became more and more fierce as they went on; but it did not appear whether it was owing to circumstances or actual suspicion. It so happened that on the twelfth night, Lee was placed in a barn, while the rest of the party sheltered themselves in the cellar of a little stone church, where they could talk and act with more free- dom, both because the solitude of the church was not often disturbed even on the Sabbath-and because even the proprietors did not know that illegal hands had added a cellar to the conveniences of the building.
The party was seated here as the day broke, and the light, which struggled in through the crevices, opened for the purpose, showed a low room about twelve feet square, with a damp floor and large patches of white mould upon the walls. Finding probably, that the pavement afforded no accommodations for sleeping, the worthies were seated each upon a little cask, which seemed like those used for gunpowder. Here they were smoking pipes with great diligence, and, at inter- vals not distant, applying a huge canteen to their mouths, from which they drank with upturned faces, expressive of solemn satisfaction. While they were thus engaged, the short soldier asked them in a careless way, if they knew whom they had in their party? The others started, and took their pipes from their mouths to ask him what he meant. "I mean," said he, "that we are honored with the company of Captain Lee, of
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1833.]
the rebel army. The rascal once punished me, and I never mistook my man when I had a debt of that kind to pay. Now I shall have my revenge."
The others hastened to express their disgust at his ferocity, saying, that if, as he said, their companion was an American officer, all they had to do was to watch him closely. They said that, as he had come among them uninvited, he must go with them to New York, and take the consequences; but meantime, it was their interest not to seem to suspect him, otherwise he might give an alarm, whereas it was evidently his intention to go with them till they were ready to embark for New York. The other person persisted in saying that he would have his revenge with his own hand, upon which the conductor, drawing a pistol, declared to him that if he saw the least attempt to injure Capt. Lee, or any conduct which would lead him to suspect that his dis- guise was discovered, he would that moment shoot him through the head. The soldier put his hand upon his knife, with an ominous scowl upon his conductor, but seeing that he had to do with one who was likely to be as good as his word, he restrained himself, and began to arrange some rubbish to serve him for a bed. The other soldier followed his example, and their guide with- drew, locking the door after him.
The next night they went on as usual, but the manner of their conductor showed that there was more danger than before; in fact, he explained to the party that they were now not far from the Delaware, and hoped to reach it before midnight. They occasionally heard the report of a musket, which seemed to indicate that some movement was going on in the country. Thus warned, they quickened their steps, and it was not long before they saw a gleam of broad clear light before them, such as is reflected from calm waters, even in the darkest night. They moved up to it in deep silence; there were various emotions in their breasts; Lee was hoping for an opportunity to escape from an enterprise which was growing too serious, and the principal objects of which were already answered; the others were anxious lest some accident might have happened to the boat on which they depended for crossing the stream.
When they came to the bank there were no traces of a boat on the waters. Their conductor stood still for a moment in dismay; but recollecting himself, he said it was possible it might have been secured lower down the stream, and, forgetting every thing else, he directed the larger soldier to accompany him, and giving a pistol to the other, he whispered, "if the rebel officer attempts to betray us, shoot him; if not, you will not, for your own sake, make any noise to show where we are." In the same instant they departed, and Lee was left alone with the ruffian.
He had before suspected that the fellow knew him, and now doubts were changed to certainty at once. Dark as it was, it seemed as if fire flashed from his eye, now he felt that revenge was within his power. Lee was as brave as any officer in the army; but he was un- armed, and though he was strong, his adversary was still more powerful. While he stood, uncertain what to do, the fellow seemed enjoying the prospect of re- venge, as he looked on him with a steady eye. Though the officer stood to appearance unmoved, the sweat rolled in heavy drops from his brow. He soon took his resolution, and sprang upon his adversary with the intention of wresting the pistol from his hand; but the other was upon his guard, and aimed with such preci- sion, that had the pistol been charged with a bullet, that moment would have been his last. But it seemed that the conductor had trusted to the sight of his weapons to render them unnecessary, and had therefore only loaded them with powder; as it was, the shock threw Lee to the ground; but, fortunately as the fellow dropped the pistol, it fell where Lee could reach it, and as his adver- sary stooped, and drawing his knife from his bosom, Lee was able to give him a stunning blow. He imme- diately threw himself upon the assassin, and a long and
bloody struggle began; they were so nearly matched in strength and advantage, that neither dared unclench his hold for the sake of grasping the knife; the blood gush- ed from their mouths, and the combat would have pro- bably ended in favor of the assassin, when steps and voices were heard advancing, and they found them- selves in the hands of a party of countrymen, who were armed for the occasion, and were scouring the banks of the river. They were forcibly torn apart, but so ex- hausted and breathless, that neither could make any explanation, and they submitted quietly to their captors.
The party of the armed countrymen, though they had succeeded in their attempt, and were sufficiently triumphant on the occasion, they were sorely perplexed how to dispose of their prisoners. After some discus- sion, one of them proposed to throw the decision upon the wisdom of the nearest magistrate. They accord- ingly proceeded with their prisoners to his mansion, about two miles distant, and called upon him to arise and attend to business. A window was hastily thrown up, and the justice put forth his night-capped head, and with more wrath than became his dignity, ordered them off; and, in requital for their calling him out of bed in the cold, generously wished them in the warmest place. However, resistance was vain; he was compelled to rise; and, as soon as the prisoners were brought before him, he ordered them to be taken in irons to the prison at Philadelphia. Lee improved the opportunity to take the old gentleman aside, and told him who he was, and why he was thus disguised; the justice only interrupted him with the occasional inquiry, "Most done?" When he had finished, the magistrate told him that his story was very well made, and told in a manner very cre- ditable to his address, and that he should give it all the weight it seemed to require. And Lee's remonstrances were unavailing.
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