use to that end."

"I just wish he'd been sent back to England," said Walter. "But please
tell us the rest about the battle, Brother Levis, won't you?"

The captain willingly complied.

"It was a dreadful battle," remarked Evelyn with a sigh, as his story
came to a conclusion.

"Yes, one of the most hotly contested of the war," he assented, "and
resulted in victory to the Americans in spite of Lee's repeated
assertion that the 'attempt was madness.'

"All the other American generals did well, the country resounded with
praises of Washington, and Congress passed a unanimous vote of thanks to
him 'for his great and good conduct and victory.'"

"It was in this battle Captain Molly fought, wasn't it?" asked Rosie.

"Yes," the captain replied; and, noticing the eagerly inquiring looks of
Grace and Walter, he went on to tell the story.

"Molly was the wife of a cannoneer who was firing one of the
field-pieces, while she, disregarding the danger from the shots of the
enemy, made frequent journeys to and from a spring near at hand, thus
furnishing her husband with the means of slacking his thirst, which must
have been great at such work in such weather.

"At length a shot from the enemy killed him, and an order was given to
remove the cannon, as there was no one among the soldiers near who was
capable of its management.

"But Molly, who had seen her husband fall, and heard the order, dropped
her bucket, sprang to the cannon, seized the rammer, and, vowing that
she would avenge his death, fired it with surprising skill, performing
the duty probably as well as if she had belonged to the sterner sex.

"The next morning General Greene presented her--just as she was, all
covered with dust and blood--to Washington, who gave her the commission
of sergeant as a reward for her bravery; in addition to that he
recommended her to Congress as worthy to have her name placed upon the
list of those entitled to half-pay during life.

"The French officers so admired her bravery that they made her many
presents. Lossing tells us that she would sometimes pass along their
lines and get her cocked hat full of crowns. He also says the widow of
General Hamilton told him she had often seen 'Captain Molly,' as she was
called, and described her as a red-haired, freckle-faced young Irish
woman, with a handsome piercing eye."

"Papa, did she wear a man's hat?" asked Grace.

"Yes, and also an artilleryman's coat over her woman's petticoats.