University of Virginia Library

83. A Lady in Battle
BY MADAME RIEDESEL (1777)

ABOUT two o'clock, we heard a report of muskets and cannon, and there was much alarm and bustle among our troops. My husband sent me word that I should immediately retire into a house that was not far off.

I got into my calash with my children, and when we were near the house, I saw on the opposite bank of the Hudson, five or six men who aimed at us with guns. Without knowing what I did, I threw my children into the back part of the vehicle, and laid myself upon them.

At the same moment the fellows fired, and broke the arm of a poor English soldier who stood behind us, and who, already wounded, sought a shelter. Soon after our arrival a terrible cannonade began. The fire was principally directed against the house, where we had hoped to find a refuge.

This was probably because the enemy inferred from the great number of people who went towards it, that this was the headquarters of the generals. In reality none were there except women and crippled soldiers.

We were at last obliged to descend into the cellar, where I laid myself in a corner near the door. My children put their heads upon my knees. An abominable smell, the cries of the children, and my anguish of mind, did not permit me to close my eyes during the whole night.

On the next morning the cannonade began anew, but in a different direction. On an inspection of our retreat, I discovered that there were three cellars, spacious and well vaulted. I suggested that one of them should be appropriated to the use of the officers, who were most severely wounded, the next to the females, and the third to all the rest of the company.

We were just going down, when a new thunder of cannon threw us again into alarm. Many persons who had no right to enter threw themselves against the door. My children were already at the bottom of the staircase, and every one of us would probably have

been crushed to death, had I not put myself before the entrance and resisted the intruders.

Eleven cannon-balls passed through the house, and made a tremendous noise. A poor soldier who was about to have a leg amputated, lost the other by one of these balls. All his comrades ran away at that moment, and when they returned, they found him in one corner of the room in the agonies of death.

I was myself in the deepest distress, not so much on account of my own dangers as of those to which my husband was exposed. He however frequently sent me messages inquiring after my health. Major Harnage's wife, a Mrs. Reynell, the wife of the good lieutenant who had on the previous day shared his soup with me, the wife of the commissary, and myself were the only officers' wives at present with the army.

We sat together, deploring our situation, when somebody entered. All my companions exchanged looks of deep sorrow, whispering at the same time to one another. I immediately suspected that my husband had been killed. I shrieked aloud, but was immediately told that nothing had happened to my husband. I was given to understand by a sidelong glance that the lieutenant had been killed.

His wife was soon called out and found that the lieutenant was yet alive, though one of his arms had been shot off, near the shoulder, by a cannon-ball. We heard his groans and lamentations during the whole night: they were dreadfully reechoed through the vaulted cellars. In the morning he expired.

My husband came to visit me during the night. This served to diminish my sadness and dejection in some degree. On the next morning, we thought of making our cellar a more convenient residence.

Major Harnage and his wife, and Mrs. Reynell took possession of one corner, and transformed it into a kind of closet by means of a curtain. I was also to have a similar retreat; but I preferred to remain near the door, that I might escape more easily in case of fire.

I had straw put under my mattresses; and on these I laid myself with my children, and my female servants slept near us. Opposite to us were three officers, who, though wounded, were determined not to remain behind, if the army retreated. All three swore they would not depart without me, in case of a sudden retreat, and that each of them would take one of my children on his horse.

One of my husband's horses was constantly in readiness for myself. He thought often of sending me to the American camp, to save me from danger. I declared that nothing would be more painful to me than to live on good terms with those with whom he was fighting. Upon this he consented that I should continue to follow the army.

However the apprehension that he might have marched away, repeatedly intruded itself into my mind. I crept up the staircase more than once, to confirm or dispel my fears. When I saw our soldiers near their watch fires, I became more calm, and could even sleep.

The danger in which my husband was, kept me constantly in the most unpleasant state of mind. I was the only one who had not lost her husband, or whose husband had not been wounded, and I asked myself very often, "Is so much happiness reserved for me alone?"

This reflection was so much the more natural, as he was day and night in the very jaws of death. He

never passed a whole night in his tent, but sat by the watch-fires. This alone considering the coldness and dampness of the ground might have been sufficient to have killed him.

The want of water continuing to distress us, we were extremely glad to find a soldier's wife so courageous as to fetch some water from the river. This was an occupation from which the boldest might have shrunk, as the Americans shot every one who approached it. They told us afterwards that they spared her on account of her sex. At last the capitulation was talked of, and a cessation of hostilities took place.