aroness, further on, "when they desire to
collect their troops together, place burning torches of pitch upon the
hilltops, at which signal every one hastens to the rendezvous. We were
once witnesses of this when General Howe attempted a landing at Boston
in order to rescue the captive troops. They learned of this plan, as
usual, long beforehand, and opened barrels of pitch, whereupon for
three or four successive days a large number of people without shoes and
stockings, and with guns on their backs, were seen hastily coming from
all directions, by which means so many people came together so soon that
it would have been a very difficult thing to effect a landing.

"We lived very happily and contented in Cambridge, and were therefore
well pleased at remaining there during the captivity of our troops. As
winter approached, however, we were ordered to Virginia [because of the
difficulty of providing provisions], and in the month of November, 1778,
set out.

"My husband, fortunately, found a pretty English wagon, and bought it
for me, so that as before I was enabled to travel comfortably. My little
Gustava had entreated one of my husband's adjutants, Captain Edmonston,
not to leave us on the way. The confiding manner of the child touched
him and he gave his promise and faithfully kept it. I travelled always
with the army and often over almost impassable roads....

"I had always provisions with me, but carried them in a second small
wagon. As this could not go as fast as we, I was often in want of
everything. Once when we were passing a town called Hertford [Hartford,
Connecticut], we made a halt, which, by the by, happened every fourth
day. We there met General Lafayette, whom my husband invited to dinner,
as otherwise he would have been unable to find anything to eat. This
placed me in rather an awkward dilemma as I knew that he loved a good
dinner. Finally, however, I managed to glean from what provisions I had
on hand enough to make him a very respectable meal. He was so polite and
agreeable that he pleased us all very much. He had many Americans in his
train, though, who were ready to leap out of their skins for vexation at
hearing us speak constantly in French. Perhaps they feared, on seeing us
on such a friendly footing with him, that we would be able to alienate
him from their cause, or that he would confide things to us that we
ought not to know.

"Lafayette spoke much of England, and of the kindness of the king i