(al)c jTavmcv's jHontljli j bisitor. 



71 



Washington's Farewell lo !iis Army. 



DECEMBER 4th, 1783. 



Cin tyrants but liy tyr.vits coiupier'tl bn, 



And iVeedimi ti:id no cliam|iioii and iiii child, 

 Six;!) 113 CiilU(iU)ia s:\w arise, H hull she 



S|ji-.in:; furlll as Rillas, arm'iJ and undetiled ? 

 Or Ulu^t°sucll [iiinds bi_- nnurUh'd in tlie wild, 

 Deep ui the u.noncd forest 'niiJat liie rotir 

 or cal ir.icts. wlii-re nuri<ir>g JV iture smiled 

 On inf.int WibHi.vGTuN '/ Has eartii no more 

 Such seed within lier breast, or Kuroiie no eucIi shore ? 



IJyiioN. 



Tlie KevolulioK was over. The ei^ht jears' 

 coiitiirt hail ci'a.^eil, and tlio wanior.s were now 

 to se|parate Ibrever, tinning' Ihfir vvea|ioiis iiilo 

 liliHi'jh shares, unci their i;ain|is into worl<-sho|)S. 

 'I'he s|>ertaele, though a snbhnie and j^loriotis 

 one, was yet attended with sorrowrid hehngs — 



of 



Tor, alas I'iii the remains of that jfallant army 

 ]iatri(>l sohJiers imvv ahcait todishand without pay 

 — willuiiit sii|,|inrt, stalked |ioverty, want and dis- 

 ease— the coniiiry liad not ihe means to he grate- 



The details of the eondrliou ol luaiiy ol the 

 oPrieel-s and soldiers at that period, according to 

 history and the oral iraditton, were nielaitcholy 

 to the extreme. Possessing' no means of patri- 

 monial hilieritaiice to Call hack n|)on— thrown 

 out of even the perilons siiiipurt ol' the soldier 

 at the commencement of wiiiler, and hardly lit 

 for any other (Inly than that of the camp— their 

 Hituution can he as well imagined as described. 



A single instance, as a sample of the situa- 

 tion of the ollirers, as relate, I of the conduct of 

 JSaron Steidnii, may not he amiss. When the 

 main body of the arioy was flishaiided at New- 

 l)ur;;h, and the veleran soldiers were bidding a 

 parting farewell to each other, licnlenant colonel 

 Cochran, an aged soldier of the New Hampshire 

 line, remarlieii, with tears in hi^ eyes, as be shook 

 hands with the Baron : 



"For myself, 1 coidd stand it; hut my wife 

 .-md daughters are in the garret ol' that w retched 

 tavern, and 1 have no means of removing them." 

 "Come, come," said the Baron, "doii'l give 

 way thus, 1 will pay my respects to Mrs. Coch- 

 ran and hrr daughters." 



When l!-e good old soldier left them, then- 

 counieiianccs were warm with gratiliide : lor he 

 had left them all he bad. 



In one of the Uhorie Islaml regiments were 

 several companies of brack troops, who had serv- 

 ed throughout the whole war, and their bravery 

 and discipline were unsurpassed. The l5aroii 

 observed one of these wounded negroes on the 

 whaii; at Newhurgh, apparently in great distress. 

 " What's the matter brother soldier?" 

 " Whv, master J5aron, 1 want a dollar to get 

 bonis w'ith, now the Congress has no tiirlber use 

 for me." 



The Baron was absent a few minutes a!id re- 

 turned with a silver dollar, which he had bor- 

 rowed. 



" There, it is all I could, get— taUe it." 

 The negro received it svithj"y, hailed a sloop 

 which was passing down the river to New York, 

 and, iis he reached the deck, took oft' bis hat, and 

 said-- 



"God bless Master Baron.'* 

 These are only single illustrations of the con- 

 dition of the arr'iiy at the close of the war. In- 

 deed, Washingloii had ibis in view, at the close 

 of his tkrewell address to the army at Rock Hill, 

 in November, 178:5. 



" And being now to coii'dnde these, his last 

 iniblic ortlers, to lake bi,s ullijiiate leave iii a short 

 lime of the military character, and to hid a final 

 iidien to command, he can only again ofter m 

 their heh.ili; his commendations lo their country, 

 andliis prayer 10 the God of armies. 



" May a'uple jnslk-o be done ibeni here and 

 may the choicest of heaven's favors, both here 

 and herealter, aitend ihose who, under divine aus- 

 pices, have secured innumerable blessings (or 

 others." 



With these wishes, and this benediction, the 

 cotmnancler-in-chief is about to retire from ser- 

 vice. The curtain of separation will soon be 

 di'aw n, !.nd liie military scene to lirm will be clos- 

 ed tiirever ! 



The closing of this "miliUiry scene," I am 

 about lo relate. 



New York had been occupied by \Vashii)gton 

 oil the '.i5lli November. A few days atPM-, lie no- 



litied the President of Congress, which body was 

 llien in ses.sion, at Annapolis in .Mary laiid, that as 

 ihe war was now clo.>e<l, he stnndil consider it bin 

 duly to proceed thence, and surrender to that bo- 

 dy ihe commission which be had received Irom 

 them more than seven years helore. 



'i'he morning on the 4ih of December, 1/83, 

 was a sad and heavy one lo the remnant ol the 

 Americaiiarmy in tin: city of New Vork. I'he 

 noon of that d'lv was lo witness the larowell ol 

 Washington— he was to bid adien to his military 

 comradt^s forever. Tlie ollicers ba<l been with 

 him in the solemn council, the privates who had 

 longhl f.nd charged in the '■ heavy tight," under 

 bis orders, were''to bear his commainlsiio longer 



the niaiilv form and dignilied countenance ol 



the "great captain" was lieiicetbrth lo live only in 

 their memories. 



As the hour of noon approached the whole 

 garrison at the reipiest of Washington hiinsell, 

 was put 111 motion and marched down Broad 

 street to Francis' tavern, his head (piarters.— lie 

 wished to take leave of private soldiers alike Willi 

 • be c.lficers and hid them all adieu.— His layorite 

 liglil mlantry were drawn up in the line facing 

 ii'rwards Pearl street, to ihe loot of White Hall, 

 wflere a barge was in readiness to convey him to 

 Powel's Hook. 



Within the dining room of tlie tavern were as- 

 sembled the geneiut anil Held otiicers lo take their 



tarewell. 



Assembled there were Knox, Greene, bteuben. 

 Gales, Clinton and others who had served with 

 him laithfully and truly, in the "tented field;" 

 but alas! where were others who had enlered ihe 

 war with bira seven years betore. — Their bones 

 crumbled in the soil" from Canada to Georgia. 

 Montgomery had yieldeil up his life at Uuehec, 

 VVoosler at Oanbury, Woodhull was barbarously 

 murdered whilst a prisoner al the battle ol Long 

 Island, Mercer fell mortally wounded at Prince- 

 ton, the brave and chivalric Laurens, after dis- 

 playing the most heroic courage in the trenches 

 at Yorktown, died in atriHing skirmish in South 

 Carolina, the brave hut eccentric Lee was no 

 longer living, and Putnam, like a helpless child, 

 was stretched upon the bed of sickness. Indeed 

 the bailie-field and lime had thimicd the ranks 

 whi.-h had entered with him in the conflict. 



Washington entered ihe room— the hour of 

 separatinghad come. As he raised his eye, and 

 glanced on the faces of those assembled, a tear 

 coursed down bis cheek, and his voice was trem- 

 ulous as be sainted them. Nor was he alone- 

 men, 



" Albeit unused to the raeliing mood," 

 stood around him, whose uplilicd liands to cover 

 their brows, told that the tear which they in vain 

 altempted to conceal, bespoke the anguish they 

 could not hide. ^ . 



After a moment's conversalion, Washington 

 called I'or a glass of wine. It was hroughl to him 

 —turning to his officers be thus addressed them — 

 " Willi a heari full of love and gratitude I now 

 take my final leave of you, I most devoutly wl^h 

 your l.i'tter days may be prosperous andliappyas 

 your former o"nes have been glorious and honora- 

 ble, lie then raised the glass lo bis lips, drank, 

 and ailded, "I cannot come lo each of yon to take 

 my leave, but shall be obliged to yon, if each ol 

 jo'u will take me by the hand." 



Geu. Kno.v, who stood nearest, burst into tears, 

 ami advanced— incapable of ntteraiice.— Wasb- 

 iie'lon m-asped him by the hand, and embraced 

 him. The officers canie up sini:ess>vely ami took 

 an aireclionat.- leave. No words were ,^l'"!i''i'' 

 but all was the '• silent eloquence o( tears. What 

 well' mere words at such a scene ? Nothing, h 

 was the feeling of the heart- thrilling, though 

 unspoken. 



When the last of the officers had embraced 

 him, Washingtoi) left the room Ibllowed by hi> 

 comrades, and pas.sed ihrongb the lines ol ligbl 

 infantry. His step was measured— bis head uii- 

 covereil, anil the tears flowing thick and la-t, as 

 he looked fiom side to side iit the veterans to 

 ,\ horn he now bade adieu torever. Shortly an 

 event occurred more toncbing than all the rest. 

 A <:igantic soldier who had stood by his side ai 

 TreiUon, stepped forth from the ranks, and ex- 

 tended his hand. 



"Farewell, mv beloved general, farewell !' 

 Washington graspeil his baud in convulsive 

 emolioiis, in Iiotb of his. .AH discipline was now 



at an end, the officers could not restrain the men, 



as they rushed lorwaid lo take Washington by 

 ihe band, and the sobs and tears of the soldiers 

 told liovv deeply engraven upon their attections 

 was the love of their (rommaiider. 



At length W'ashinglon left lor the bark Pi 

 Whitehall, and entered it, At the first stroke ol 

 the boat, he rose, and Uirning to the companions 

 of bis glory, by waiving his bat bade llieni u si- 

 lent adieu ;' their answer was only in tears; offi- 

 cers and men, with glistening eyes, watched the 

 receding boat till the liirni ot' their noble com- 

 mander was lost in the distance. 



Contrast the liirewell of Washington to his ar- 

 my at White Uall, in 17&3, ami the adieu of Na- 

 poleon lo his army at Funlarnbleaii, in l!^J4! 

 The one had accomplislied every wish of his 

 liyjivt — his noble exertions had achieved the in- 

 dependence of his country, and he longed to re- 

 tire lo the bosom of his home — his amliition was 

 sali^fie^l. He longhl for no crown or sceptre, luit 

 tor eijiialiiv and ilie mutual happiness of his lel- 

 low beings. No taint of lyraimy, no breath of 

 slander, no whisper of ilnplicity, marred Ihe fair 

 [iroportions of bis public or private life— but 

 '' He was a man, 

 We ne'er shall look upon his like again." 



The olher great soldier was the disciple of sel- 

 fish ambition. He raised the iron weaiioii of war 

 to crush, only that he might rule. What to him 

 were the cries of the widows and orphans? Ha 

 passed to a throne by making the dead bodies of 

 iheir protection his s'tepping stones. Ambition- 

 self, were the gods of idolatry, and to thetn he 

 sacrificed hectacombs of bis fellow men for the 

 aggrandizement of j.ersonal glory. Enthusiasm 

 points with fearful wonder lo the name ol Napo- 

 leon, whilst justice, benevolence, licedoin, and 

 all the concomitants which constitute the tiuo 

 happiness of man, shed almost a divine halo 

 round the name and character ot Washington. 



Things to be aimed at on a Farm. 



1. To exhibit a considerable ambition to he 

 esteemed a goed farmer, to contribute all that 

 can be done to the slock of hniiiaii happiness, 

 and which may be imdertakeii with profit to 

 himself and beiiefil to the commun'ity. 



•2 To make a compost ot one pari of stable 

 manure and two pans of earth, or other (iioperly 

 decomposed matter; insiead of using long ma- 

 nure from the snhic, in its green state. 



3. To use manure siiiead and ploughed m, 

 and not to apply it green in the bill- particularly 

 with potatoes; as, by this iiractice, the crop sail- 

 fers both in ciuantity and qiialiiy, especially in dry 



seasons. . j ,• i j 



4 Where a crop of gram is wanted trom lana 

 to be laid down in grass, the belter plan is to sow 

 grass seed in September, after tukmg oft the 

 arain crop, and ploughing in the stubble. Grass 

 seed should be sown' thick ; from two to three 

 pecks of timothy and a bushel ol re<l top shoiiia 

 be allowed lo the acre. 



.5 All barns should, i! possible, bo provided 

 with cellars— iiart for roots and part for manure ; 

 ami should be made warm and comlorlable.— 

 This will operate, too, as a saving ol lood.— 

 There should also he water at Inind. 



6 Improvements should be made on a (arm 

 on a good scale, and with liberal outlay, it prac- 

 ticable, instead of laying out smpltts funds m 

 biivini.' more land. . , 



7 There should ho a systematio comse o 

 culture of the land; there sliouhl be a pleimlu 

 pl.iniin;? of fruit and ornamental trees, and all 

 the -mall fniiis should be in abundance, at le.ast 

 for the u:^efiil, insect-destroying birds, it not lor 



'"'s'^Deep plouehing, gr«d in general, should 

 be resorted to as a reinedy for the washing ot 

 Ihe land on hill-sales-it absorbs the water that 

 falls upon tbesurfaci-. 



<) To plant iniDioduclive and waste lands 

 with trees— such as locusts, for posts, &c. 



10. Not to be alarmed at scieiitmc, or wiiat 

 are more commonly denoted " hooU farmers and 

 "gentlemen larmers ;" ihcse arc the greatest pub- 

 lic benefactors, as their experiments " «" ''^^t 

 upon .some thing exceedingly valuable to the 

 'island still" farmers, who are often inonced by 

 them to move on, and to be imi>roving m ibeir 



'"iV'to keep all tools in good order, and in 

 their proper place when done with, and not in 



