Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the RevolutionGrant, Anne MacVicar
History
Memoirs of an American Lady: With Sketches of Manners and Scenery in America, as They Existed Previous to the Revolution
Grant, Anne MacVicar
Indians of North America; New York (State) -- Social life and customs -- To 1775; Schuyler, Catalina, 1701-1778 or 1779
When his lordship got matters arranged to his satisfaction, he invited
his officers to dine with him in his tent. They gladly assembled at the
hour appointed, but were surprised to see no chairs or tables; there
were, however, bear-skins spread like a carpet. His lordship welcomed
them, and sat down on a small log of wood; they followed his example,
and presently the servants set down a large dish of pork and pease. His
lordship, taking a sheath from his pocket, out of which he produced a
knife and fork, began to cut and divide the meat. They sat in a kind of
awkward suspense, which he interrupted, by asking if it were possible
that soldiers like them, who had been so long destined for such a
service, should not be provided with portable implements of this kind?
and finally relieved them from their embarrassment, by distributing to
each a case the same as his own, which he had provided for the purpose.
The austere regulations, and constant self-denial which he imposed upon
the troops he commanded, were patiently borne, because he was not only
gentle in his manners, but generous and humane in a very high degree,
and exceedingly attentive to the health and real necessities of the
soldiery. Among many instances of this, a quantity of powdered ginger
was given to every man; and the sergeants were ordered to see, that
when, in the course of marching, the soldiers arrived hot and tired at
the banks of any stream, they should not be permitted to stoop to drink,
as they generally inclined to do, but obliged to lift water in their
canteens, and mix ginger with it. This became afterwards a general
practice; and in those aguish swamps, through which the troops were
forced to march, was the means of saving many lives. Aunt Schuyler, as
this amiable young officer familiarly styled his maternal friend, had
the utmost esteem for him; and the greatest hope that he would, at some
future period, redress all those evils that had formerly impeded the
service, and, perhaps, plant the British standard on the walls of
Quebec. But this honour another young hero was destined to achieve;
whose virtues were to be illustrated by the splendour of victory, the
only light by which the multitude can see the merits of a soldier.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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