iiUu \ he rv^ieniless Urpli aTi Sophia JobnsoTi. Ig^i, aass_JiJAL_ Book . 'g ^ •^^^ ^-^yf^A #.-♦-<»• -^ ' \ -. * • » .- kV L 6 ■ THE Flu ENDLESS OliniAN, AN Al'FECriNG NAllUATIVE OF TUB TRIALS A N D A F F L I C T I O N S * OK SOPHIA JOHNSON, THE EARLY VICTIM OF A CRUEL STEP-MUTHER. MITT VVhose Afflictions and Singular Adventures |irobably exceed t^iosc of any oilier [^ American Female living, who lias been doomed in early life to drink deep of the cup of sorrow. NEW- YORK: PRINTED FOR THE PU13LSIHER &. I'Rol'RlE'lOR, S. JOHNSON. 1812. EsZ / J6^ 60574 Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year of our Lord, 1842, by Sophia Johnson, in the Clerk's Office, for the Southern District of New-York. THE FRIENDLESS ORPHAN, &c I was born of reputable, but not very wealthy pa- rents, in a thinly settled villas^e in Montgomery Coun- ty, State of N. v., in the year 1798, and from which period I have ever been the child of bitter allliction, and one whom misfortune thus early appeared to have marked as her own. When but six months old it was my unhappy lot to be bereaved of my mother, an age at which it cannot be supposed that I could be very sensible of her affection for me, or of my irreparable loss by her death. I had then but one brother, two I years older than myself; my father lived a widower about eighteen months, in which time 1 have no reason to doubt but that both myself and brother were the chief objects of his regard and and affectit)n; but un- fortunately for both of us, before I had attained the age of three years, he again married, when still almost helpless, I was committed to the charge of a step-mo- ther, and one whom, if the opmions of the friends of my own dear deceased mother can be relied on, was much her inferior, in maternal love and affection ; but of the good and bad qualities of the former 1 was not able correctly to judge, until of an age the better to do so, which was of an age quite early enough to learn 6 by bitter experience, the difference of treatment which ' children would naturally expect to receive from Iheir own dear mothers, and that which many of them nioje unfortunate, would doubtless receive from their affec- tionate step-mothers. As regarded myself it must suf- fice for me to say, that I soon found myself so great an object of wanton cruelty and neglect, as to satisfy me that there must be a great difference, in some instances at least, between natural and assumed pa- rental affection. The evil and overbearing spirit of my step-mother, and her lack of regard for his off- spring, could not escape the notice and resentment of my beloved father, and betAveen him and her, finally severed every cord of love and affection. With a kind and indulgent father to protect us, my beloved brother and myself, had much less to fear from the effects of the ungovernable passion of one, who seemed only to view us with a degree of perfect hatred. Bat alas, of this only remaining friend, (our father) it was the will of Heaven finally to deprive us. By his sudden death, when in the eleventh year of my age, I became a poor friendless orphan. By this melancholy and unexpect^ ed event, I was lefl no other home than that for which • by the death of ray honored father, I could no longer feel much attachment; dreary and unpleasant as it * had become, however, I no other had I then, to which I could fly for succor, and no other real friend remain- * ing to sympathize with me in my afflictions, but an on- (^ ly brother, yet too young to afford me that protection which my situation oft required. It was with him however that 1 was yet permitted to mingle my tears, when smarting under the chastising rod of one, by reason of whose inhumanity, deserved not the endear- ing name of mother. It would indeed, be too heart- rending to my kind readers, were I attempt to par- ticularize every instance in which I was made the sub- ject of her outrage and abuse ; it ought to be suffici- ent for me here to say, that I was not only compelled in the coldest winter weather, to go thinly clad and without shoes, but often inhumanry denied good and wholesome food suflicient to satislV tlic cravinsrs of na- tiirc, and rrequciitly most severely cliastised for the smallest, and oft lor no oftence al all. Mv not less uiirortiinate brother, althoii'^ii older than mvself, seldom laileil to receive his share of the reproach and abuse of one, wlu), for his father's sake, if lor no other, was entitled in some small degree, at least, to her rcs^ard and alFection ; but, happily for him he soon attained an age which enabled him to seek abroad that rr])ose, which his native home, and once leaceable and happy abode of his deceased parents, no Ioniser afibrded him. It was soon after the commencement of the late American War: that he became old enough to enlist is a soldier, in t!ie servico of his country ; and which, for reasons already mentioned, he was llrmly resolved to do; when about to take the important step, he communicated to me, and to me only, his intentions, which at the tlioui^jit of being thereby left entirely friendless, produced in me, as might be supposed, a s!iock so severe that I was not able lor some time to overcome ; but viewing his interest and my own, iiiseperable, and on the reflection tiiat it micrht prove advantageously to him, not only as regarding his pre- sent, but future welfare, I became more reconciled and consented to the separation. It was early in the morning of the Hth of August 1814, that my alVcctionate brotiier, with a heavy heart ind tearful eye, bid me adieu, and soon after with a mmber of other new recruits proceeded from Green- bash (near Albany) to the West, to assist in the de- ence of some of the American frontier settlements, hen supposed to be most in danger of invasion. I had low reached the sixteenth year of my age, an age at ►vhich my brother probably thought me better able to Drotcct myself, or he would have been less willing to lave left me unj)rotected, in the power of one, Irom .vhose hands he ^vell knew from past experience, I lad no reason to expect an increased share of mercy, brtunately for me, however, by the kind will of a Di- 8 vine Providence, I soon found after his departure, that I was not left so entirely friendless as I at first ima- gined ; the kind and tender-hearted wife of a respect- able farmer (who resided in the same village, and whose only son had too previously enlisted in the service of his country) from the moment that she heard of the departure and destination of my brother, and the un- pleasant and lonely situation in which I was left, ma- nifested an unusual degree of interest in my welfare, and proved my faithful friend and adviser in everything immediately relating to me, until she thereby became an object of the jealousy of my hateful step-mother : who, not insensible of her harsh treatment toward, and total disregard for me, became suspicious (as she well might) as to the cause and motives of the attachment which my newly acquired friend and myself, had form- ed for each other From the moment of the discovery of our intimacy, my mother-in-law seemed more intent on abridging my liberties, and to prevent my having intercourse with any one, residing beyond my prescribed bounds. I had long flattered myself, that as I grew older, and more advanced towards the years of womanhood, I should be treated with less severity, and with a respect more becoming my age ; but even in these reasonable ex- pectations, I found myself mistaken, for it appeared that neither the remorse of conscience, or respect for my age or sex, could in any way diminish the domi- neering and overbearing spirit of my step-mother ; in- deed when I had almost reached the seventeenth year of my age, I found myself blessed with but few more indulgences, and enjoying but a little more liberty than the most degraded felon incarcerated within the gloomy walls of a prison. It might be truly said that I at this period, began to feel more sensibly the loss of my liberty, and to thirst for that freedom, which I thought it not very improb- able, my dear brother was then contending for, with the invading armies of a foreign tyrant, and yet, as j regarded myself, probably but a little less tyrannical! than she, who professed to bciiiy Step-mother and the widow of my beloved deceased FutliiT ) The more frequently that my thoughts returned to my brotlier, the more I lamented his absence, and h)ui/ed for tlie arrival of the happy moment ^vhen I could greet his -welcome return — but, whether that hapj)y moment would ever arrive, I began seriously to doubt, as since his departure, I had not received any direct intelli- gence of him, although I was inlormed that accounts were almost daily received from the lines, ol' battles fought, and victories won. After an absence of nearly two years, the son of the female friend of whom I have spoken, safely returned home, but was unable to give me any information respecting my brother, more than that if he had enlisted to serve during the war, some time might yet elapse before his return. After remaining a while longer in a state of suspense, as regarded the fate of my brother, and without any flattering prospects of a cessation of hostilities, either at home or abroad, I at length formed (what many may esteem the icild project) of attempting, alone, and un- protected, to sojourn to the far west in quest of my brother on whom alone my future happiness depended; and so great was my anxiety to learn his fate, that I felt myself both able and willing to endure privations, and to surmount almost every difficulty, that mi-jht present to impede me in my hazardous journey. My iirst step after having thus resolved, was to seek a private inter- view with my female friend, and to communicate to her my newly devised plan, which, when first disclosed, met her decided disapprobation, not only as highly pre- sumptuous, but in her opinion, quite impracticable. But finding me resolute and determined, and with the hrm belief that I possessed an ability to accomplish it, she tinally yielded, but with the advice that if I should really attempt it, for ray greater personal safety and as the best means to avoid insult (the whole western coun- try being at that period fdled with soMier.s, travelling to and from their appointed posts) that I should travel in disguise, clad in male apparel, and as nearly corrcs- 2 10 ponding with that of the uniform of a^ American soldier, as possible, not omitting even the musket, and knapsack, as the latter would be convenient for the conveyance of many small necessary articles, as well as a complete suit of female apparel, in readiness to assume instantly, should circumstances require it, and finally, that I should leave home in the most secret man- ner, disclosing my viev^s to no one ; to which friendly advice I expressed my willingness to accede in every part, my friend promising me that when all was ready, she would furnish me with a soldier's suit throughout, and which she believed v^^ould prove an exact fit, being the same worn by her son. in his late expedition. All things necessary being soon provided, and I at- tired and equipped as above described, I left home, in the best of spirits, an hour before day, without the knowledge or most distant suspicion of any one but my confidential friend, with the trifling sum of five dol- lars, only, in my pocket. As the most plain and direct route to the place of my intended destination, I had concluded to travel the great western stage road, lea- ding from Albany to Buffalo ; I was sensible that the very trifling sum with which I had provided myself to defray my expenses on the way, would prove quite in- suflicient, without expended with very great prudence, and I too depended some on the generosity of my coun- trymen, who might suppose me, by my external ap- pearance, no other than one of those brave spirits about to engage in the defence, and maintenance of those rights, in which every true American would consider himself equally interested. In the performance of the few first miles of my jour- ney, I was, I must confess, under considerable appre- hension that I should be suspected, and the deception discovered as regarded the character that I had as- sumed, but having succeeded in reaching Whitesboro, in safety, and on my way thither, having been tw^o or three times accosted with no other appellation than " my brave fellow soldier," &c. My fears in that res- pect soon in a great measure subsided, and I began my- self to doubt whether I should be recognized or sus» 11 peeled cither by my brother, or step-mot lier, if intro- duced to them as tli« character that I was attt'iii|itini( to personate ! I tarried all njtflit at a respectal)le pub- lic house in Utica, at wliich also lodged lour sohlicrs direct from the lines, and recently discharn of a speedy and general engagement withiiu' enemy. With many of the privates I conversed freelv on sub- jects relating to the war; and the position occupied by the said Fifth Brigade, of the Tliird Division, and by whom, the information that I had the day previous received at Auburn was confirmed ; as the contents of my pur.>;e wa.s now reduced to a single ' half doll;. r. I solicited and obtained a passacfc to the suburbs of Buffalo in a private carriage, and at about the hour of 3 P. M., as we approached the lines, the country began to bear the melancholy proofs of the ravages and devastation of war, and evervthincr t ■ indicate, that: tlie actual scene thereof could not be far distant : and a little before sunset, we arrived fair in view of the star spangled banners of the American camp, located a small distance on the left of the vilhii^e oflJulialo. The important moment had now arrived, in wfiich it became necessary for me to use my utmost skill in the performance of the deceptive part in which 1 had engaged, and in which I soon found that the character Tvhicb I had assumed, as well asthe American uniibrm with which I had disi^uised myself, was of great bene- fit to me, as thereby I was enabled the next morning, while in search of my brother, to jiass in and out of camp, and to mingle with, and freely to converse (when occasions required it) with my 'iellow soldiers," without the least hazard of the exposure of my sex! My first object (from the information that I had pre- viously received) was to make all possible inquiry throughout the said Fifth Briirade, for mv brother, anil which before the hour of l':^, was crowned with suc- cess, for fifteen minutes previous to that hour it was my good fortune to meet hi(n face to face ! and with ■whom, altiiough the first private interview that 1 was 14' permitted to hold was short, yet, it was as may be supposed, of the most interesting and affecting nature, for while he recognized in me the features of his be- loved sister, yet so effectually had I disguised myself, that it was some time before he could become satisfied that I was really the person whom I represented my- self to be; but, when fully convinced that I was no other, by a recurrence to past events, and by a melan- choly relation of the inhuman treatment that I had, in his absence, received from our unworthy step-mother, he became very sensibly affected, assuring me that I should not return home, until such time as he should be able to accompany me, My brother had not as I apprehended, enlisted to serve during the war, but there were almost eleven months of the time, for wiiich he had enlisted, yet to expire, and the important question arose at our next interview, how, and in what manner I was to be em- ployed, until the arrival of the period when he would be able, agreeable to his proposal, to accompany me home. Many different kinds of employment was sug- gested, in which I could engage, but as I still remain- .;.ed disguised, and my true character thereabouts un- known to any one but him, and myself, there was no plan proposed with which I was more satisfied, than that I should offer my services and become a soldier in good earnest, and enlist in a company of infantry of the same regiment, to which he was attached, for the short term of six months. To this my brother was un- • willing to assent, until assured by me that I could easily perform every duty imposed on me, and by re- cent experience, was ])Ositive that I could as fearlessly and expertly, charge and discharge a musket, as to perform any other part of the manual exercise, and even in case of a close engagement with the enemy, be- lieved in that particular I should not be found wanting in courage 1 — with this firm belief, and final consent of my brother,! immediately offered myself in the cha- racter that I proposed to personate, and without any suspicion on the part of the commanding officer, that 15 I was any other, and as such, as readily expressed his willin<;ness to accept my services. Having in more ihan one instance since I h'ft the place of my birth, jocosely boasted of my su})crior couraire, I did not iniairine that the tinRMvould so soon arrive in which that courage would be ])Ut to the (est! but so it happened, as the day ^ollo^vin^ that on which I eidisted, (Jen. Brown was by order of the Comman- der-in-Chief, (iicu. Wilkinson,) directed to cross Nia- £:ara river, with the troops under his conunand, and demand, the immediate surrender of the Hritisli Fort Erie ; and which by the enemy was instantly complied with, without resistance — hut a few miles therefore, near Chippeway, there were intrenched a very considerable body of the enemy which Gen. B. was next ordered to dislodge, but in the attenjpt of which the two contending armies met in an open field where an obstinate and bloody contest ensued, and con- tinued for more than two hours. I was part of tlie time eni^aged in the heat of the battle, and when I saw the killed and wounded lyinc: on my ri::^ht side and left, I felt my whole person invaded with a dei^ree of fear and trembling, to which 1 had never before been accus- tomed ! were however finally victorious, and drove the British from the field, with the loss of upwards of 500 men, and with a loss on our part, of but 328 ! at tho moment of the termination of the bloody engagement, my brother hastened to learn my fate, and seemed over- joyed to find that I was still numbered ainonj,^ the liv- ing, and to learn from me that during tlie contest 1 had so bravely acted my [)art. Having so fortunately escaped injury in the first bat- tle in which it was my fortune to engage, my spirits he- came so much exhilirati'd thereat, with an increased desire as a heroine, to achieve in the cause of my coun- try, more than what had pnjbably ever before been per- lormed or attempted by my sex, I began soon to niani- ifest a dei;ree of impat ence for the arrival of another opportiinity in a similar manner, to test my valor! in which I was in a very few days gratified. On the me- 16 morable 25th of July, 1814, took place the desperate and bloody engagement at Bridge water, near the ca- taract of Niagara and in which it was unfortunately iny lot (as it proved) to take an active part — unfortu- nately, I say, because the effects of a most serious wound which I received on that occasion, will (in proof of my willingness to engage in the defence of my coun- try's rights) accompany me to my grave / that memo- rable engagement, probably, proved one of the most severe and warmly contested, that was fought during the last war. The American force was far inferior to that of the British, their loss in killed and wounded, was, in consequence equal, if not superior to that of the latter, among whom was General Brown and Scott, and many other valuable officers (wounded) and among the privates seriously, or mortally wounded, it was my misfortune to be numbered, at nearly the close of the battle, I unfortunately received a bullet wound in my arm. I was conveyed immediately thereupon by two of my comrades (by the sides of whom I had been en- gao^ed) in almost a fainting condition, to the Hospital, already filled with many more seriously wounded than myself, and where on the examination of my wound, the Surgeon pronounced the amputation of my arm in- dispensably necessary, to save my life. Fortunately for me, at this critical moment, my brother, having heard of my misfortune, arrived, and by representing himself my brother, solicited, and ob- tained the consent of my commanding officer to have me removed, previous to the operation, to the house of a friend, a short distance therefrom, where by every precautionary means used by me (assisted by my brother) to prevent the discovery of my sex, the pain- ful operation was performed by a neighboring surgeon — and when the wound had become sufficiently healed, and I had gained sufficient strength to endure it, my brother having obtained leave of absence from the ar- my for a few days.conveyed me to Williamsville, a small village situated eleven miles from the village of Buf- falo ; having previously advised me on the way to im- n prove the opportunity to cxcliaiiirc the suit of clothiiii; with which 1 had disi,^uised inyseir, tor the one still in my possession, and the one more aj)propriate to niv sex. At Willianisville my brotlier was so lortunale'as to obtain respectable be)ard lor me at llie house of a far- mer, to whom, ami to wliose family, 1 was introduced as his sister, -who bein*^ an ivalid, was anxious to im- prove a situation more remote from tlie scene of war than the one recently improved by me. With this fa- mily it was my brother's intention that I should abide (unless unforeseen circuuistanccs should render a re- moval necessary) until the ,ex|)iration of the time for which Jie liad enlisted, when, a-^reeable to what lie had proposed to me, he was to accompany me back to that home, for which I yet felt but very little attachment, although once the peacealjle mansion of my ])eloved father, and w here, w hilo with him, 1 had enjoyed re- pose and internal serenity. At my new home in Wil- lianisville, I spent my time very pleasantly, the whole family proved kind and airreeable, and in consequence of my being- disenabled by the loss of a limb, w Duld not in a single instance accept of mv proflered servi- ces, however light and easy to perform ; my most re- markable adventures, in the active part that 1 jiad so recently taken on the held of battle, or tlie true cause of the loss of my arm, was a secret that I thoui,dil it would be unwise in me to divulge to them, as thereby I knew that it was not improbable that thev mi^'ht form a less favorable opinion of me. Althoiiuh tiiev liad kindly refused to accept of my services in the per- formance of anything laborious, yet when my bodily strength became perfectly restored, for my ()wn pa.s- time, as well as to lessen the burdi-n of my brother in defraying the expense of my l)oard, as there were but few schools near, I engaged in the instruction of their youngest children, in their hrst le.ssons of reading; an occupation which 1 have, indeed, ever since fol- lowed from that period to the present for a li\ eli- hood. It is here worthy of remark, tbat although thus far 18 1 had been the subject of great afflictions, and drank of the cup of sorrow to its very dregs, yet not until in the course of the time spent with this pious and agree- able family, did I obtain possession of that jewel of inestimable value— that which produces a consolation that will mitigate the sorrow of life, soften the rugged road of disappointment, guide the poor penitent to the path of peace,when war tempestuous lowrs, and threa- tens the captive with instant destruction; a balm w hich heals the sting of the foul monster death, and is a pass- port to life everlasting — it was religion ! — and that re* ligion which is not to be attained by church formali- ties or a show of grace, but by fervent and unceasing- prayer. To you, my dear reader, and to every other one, permit me to recommend it as the ''one thing need- ful." I remained with the above mentioned pleasant fami- ly, perfectly happy, and a welcomed guest, until the 4th of April following, when the time of my brother's ser- vice having expired, after receiving an honorable dis- charge, he, agreeable to his promise, repaired immedi- ately to my place of abode, to advise me of his readi- ness to commence our premeditated journey homeward, from which he had been three, and I between one and two years absent, and which on our journey thither I found much more expeditious [improving the mail coach, or some other vehicle almost the whole way] and far less lonesome and dreary, than when travelled by me alone the fourteen months previous. It was about 12 at noon when we reached our journeys end, and the neighborhood of that home, which at another time, and under any other but the then existing circum- stances, would doubtless afforded us much joy and sa- tisfaction. The news of our arrival soon spread throughout the village, and although it was perfectly well known to most of those who had been our near- est neighbors, how and in what manner my brother had been employed in his absence, yet, the great mys- tery was, where I had been ! from whence returned in company with my brother ! and in what I could pos- sibly have been engaged to cause the loss of my arm! 19 an idle curiosity wliich lu-ither my brother or invsoli' felt at that time much dispost-d to gralily. As soon as possible after luy return, my first and greatest object, was, not to visit the loathsome abode of my step-mother ! hut to hasten to that t>f one who had been my rail friend, in my darkest hours of desponden- cy and tribulation, and whom 1 found eiijoymi,' tiiat degree of health that 1 could have wished her, as but a small reward for the kind services that she had ren- dered me. To her, and her ah)ne, I unhesitatingly imparted every important particular of the siiii^uhir and astonishing adventures that had attended me du- ring my absence ; it w as at the hospitable mansion of this much respected friend, that hotli my brother, and myself, were invited to consider our hctme, until such time as wc should be othcrwaysprovided for, and which kind invitation we thankrully accepted of, and, as re- garded myself, fearless of the displeasure that it once ■would have caused, in the mind of one, to whom I con- sidered myself in no way indebted, hut for that disre- gard which she had manifested for me, and to which alone might be attributed that degree of regard and respect which my friend and benefactress appeared still to entertain for me. Nearly one week passed after our return, before either my brother, or myself, could conceive it a duty, or feel in any way inclined so far to trouble ourselves, as to call on our step-mother, to receive either her blessings, or, what was more probable, additional proofs of her ill-will and total dis- regard for us, although she was at that time the only occupant of the mansion in which we had both spent many happy moments while receiving the fond cares of a doting parent. As the pecuniary reward received by my brother, for his late military services, could not as mii^ht be sup- posed amount to a very considerable sum, l*roviilence dictated that we should not remain too long idle, ])ut be on the look-out for some future emplcsment, that might allbrd us, at least, a humble subsi.stence : as re- garded myself, although it had been tlie will of Provi- dence that I should in t^he prime ol life, be deprived of 20 one of my useful and precious limbs, yet, that same kind and unerring Providence, had thereby directed me to the best and only means by which my desired object could be effected", which was that of continuing in a profession in which I had so recently been suc- cessfully engaged, (to wit:) an instructress ofyouth-= while my brother concluded to turn his attention to that of farming, of which, by early experience, he had some knowledge. By the influence and kind interpo- sition of my female friend, and in consideration of my being unable (by the loss of my arm) to attend to anymore laborious business, I succeeded with but very little difficulty in obtaining a school, composed, at the commencement, of a sufficient number of pupils to answer present purposes ; and in which pleasing em- ployment, I have ever since (upwards of twenty-five years) been almost constantly and satisfactorily en- gaged, apartof the time within my own native village, and the remainder but a few miles therefrom ; ever carefully concealing from all,but my kind benefactress, (and a few confidential friends to whom I have withm the last few months disclosed it) the great secret of my extraordinary adventures in early life, as contain- ed in the preceding pages. It was but six months since that I was called to de- moan the loss of my beloved and only brother, a loss, as might be supposed, quite irreparable to me, as he was the only near and dear connexion that I possess- ed for many years, and one who from the years of my earliest child-hood, had proved peculiarly affectionate and kind to me ; as I had no other to whom to look for support and protection, after the death of my fa- ther, so in older life he has been my chief dependence. In furnishing my readers with the most important and interesting particulars of my early life, I have neces- sarily acquainted them at the same time with those of my lamented brother, they were indeed so interwo- ven, that they could not be well seperated. After his return from his expedition to the west, by strict appli- cation to business, as an Agriculturist, he became highly respected, and having tnarried at the age of 21 thirty, by his industry accumulated sufTicicnt property to enable him to alio rd decent support to his numer- ous family; he was indeed a brother most worthy to be beloved and respected by me, havinii: ahvays mani- fested for me, to his dyinii; day, a <;reat dei^ree of regard and alfection, not only on account of my having been in early life the unhappy subject of the most severe and better persecution of an unfeeling step-uiolher, but the sad misfortune (the loss of a limb) that atten- ded me in my endeavours to escape from the elfects of her ungovernable passion ! for the reasons above men- tioned, he has, while living, ever declared to me that I should never want for decent support while his life was spared, and he in a condition to afford it to me ! But, alas, he has been taken from me, and what ren- ders the event still more melancholy, near the peri- od, I fear, when it is not improbable I shall most want his proffered assistance. Having now reached the advanced age of between forty-five and fifty, and finding myself, by reason of my inHrmatics, less able to support myself tlian form- erly, as additional aid, I have finally, with some degree of reluctance, yielded to the advice and persuasions of some of my most valuable and respected friends (to whom I but recently accpiainted with the facts) to have my interesting adventures published, and pre- sented to the public, and which I assure my readers I have now done without exaggeration, or in a single instance, a wilful perversion of truth ; but with the flattering prospects that the trilling profits arising from the sale (by wiiich I am alone to be benefited) will serve in some measure to supply my wants and allevi- ate my sorrows in the declining years of my life — to all I could therefore say, wdio shall be pleased to become the purchasers of my Narrative, that they will not only (as 1 sincerely hope they may) be entertained and perfectly satisfied with its contents, but receive a still further satisfaction in the assurance that the profits j)roiUu'ed by its publication and sale, will be faithfully applied io the present and future wants of their respected fricrd,, « The Authoress. CONCLUDING REMARKS, Should there be any doubts in the minds of the readers of Miss Johnson's Narrative, as regards the truth and possibiUty of her escaping the discovery of her sex, when so exposed as sh& must have been in her lonely and unprotected journey to the west, and more particularly when most seriously and actively engaged on the battle field, we not only quote her own remarks in that respect but subjoin a somewhat similar, but still more ex- traordinary instance of female valour and achievement. In the first place Miss J. observes (in confirmation of what &he has sta- ted) that from her own experience she became perfectly satis- fied, that a female might at any time, with proper precaution, pass disguised in male habiliments before the most penetrating eyes, and without causing the most distant suspicion of her sexl and further remarked, that she doubted not but at that moment, there were many females travelling, by both sea and land, in the semblance of males ! The still more remarkable instance to which we have alluded, is that relating to the celebrated he- roine, Mrs. Gannett, of Sharon, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, who, when in the eighteenth year of her age, at the period when our Revolutionary struggle commenced, the newa of the carnage which had taken place on the plains of Lexington, reached her father's dweUing. The sound of the cannon at the battle of Bunker Hill, had vibrated on her ears ; yet, instead of diminish- ing her ardor, it only served to increase her enthusiasm in the sacred cause of liberty, in which cause she beheld her country engaged. She privately quitted her peaceful home, and the ha- biliments of her sex, and appeared at the head quarters of the American army as a young man, anxious to join his efforts to those of his countrymen, in their endeavors to oppose the inroads and encroachments of the common enemy. She was received and enrolled in the army by the name of Robert Shurtliffe. For the space of three years she performed the duties and en- 23 (lured the linrclships and fatigues of a soldier, durinjT which lime she gaiucd the coufidcnce of her oflicers by her expcrtncss and precision in the manual exercise, and by her exemplary conduct. She was a volunteer in several hazardous enterprises, and was twice wounded by musket balls. So well did she contrive to conceal her sex, that her companions m arms had not the least suspicion that the bloomini^ soldier fighting by their sides was a female; till at length, a severe wound, which she received in battle, and which had well-nigh closed her earthly campain, oc- casioned the discovery. On her recovery she (juitted the army and became intimate in the families of Gen. AVashiniJton and other distinguished oflicers of the Revolution — at the close of the war she petitioned the American Congress for a pension, which was granted her and which she enjoyed until the day of her death. Soon after the termination of the war she was married, and became the motlicr of several children, some of whom arc still living in the state of Massachusetts. i_£da'l2 t i » i 1 4 I I