be the last to deny; but that they were in the main a quarrelsome,
intractable, mutinous, and mischief-making element in our armies during
the Revolution, is not to be gainsaid. I know, of my own knowledge, how
their fractious and insubordinate conduct grieved and sorely disheartened
poor Montgomery while we lay before Quebec. I could tell many tales, too,
of the harm they did to the cause in New York State, by their prejudices
against us, and their narrow spite against General Schuyler. So
mischievous did this attitude become at last--when old General Wooster
came to us with his Connecticut troops, and these set themselves up to be
independent of all our plans or rules, refusing even to mess with the
others or to touch Continental provisions and munitions--that Congress had
to interfere and put them sharply back into their proper places.
Jerseymen, Pennsylvanians, Virginians, and men from the Carolinas will
bear me out in saying these things about the New England soldiery. I speak
not in blame or bitterness. The truth is that they were too much akin in
blood and conceit to the English not to have in themselves many of the
disagreeable qualities which had impelled us all to revolt against
British rule.

When the lieutenant had ordered the horses to be brought out for a start,
I went back into the house. The women had been weeping, I could see. Lady
Johnson had softened in her mood toward me, and spoke now some gentle
words of thanks for the little I had done. When I told her, in turn, that
her escort would henceforth be more considerate in his conduct toward her,
she was for a moment pleased, but then tears filled her eyes at the
thoughts of the journey before her.

"When I am out of sight of this house," she said, sadly, "it will seem as
if my last friend had been left behind. Why could they not have left me at
the Hall? I gave them the keys; I yielded up everything! What harm could I