Page:The Hessians and the other German auxiliaries of Great Britain in the revolutionary war.djvu/122

 104 the gallows at home. Now he was quite sad at leaving Fredericksburg, though it was to return to the army at Philadelphia. For this, however, he had personal reasons. “It was surely a great thing to enjoy so much friendship, yes, love, I may say, from people whose enemies we were, and against whom we were soon again to act as enemies. Yet, said a fair one, who was very favorably inclined to me, and whom I shall always respect and honor: ‘would God you could stay here, and that I might never be so unhappy as to part from you; as I may have to do to-morrow, and perhaps forever. But go where duty and honor call you, and be ever happy!’ This was magnanimity such as does not dwell in all rebels, for she was a good American in her feelings, beautiful and rich.” No wonder the lieutenant counted the miles as he marched away from Fredericksburg.

The private soldiers reached Philadelphia a few days later than the officers. Of their reception by the populace one of the corporals writes in his diary: “Big and little, old and young, stood there to see what sort of mortals we might be. When we came directly in front of them they looked sharply at us. The old women howled dreadfully, and wanted to throttle us all, because we had come to America to rob them of their freedom. Some others, in spite of all the scolding, brought brandy and bread, and wanted to give them to us, but the old women would not allow it, and still wished to strangle us. The American guard that had us in charge had received orders from Washington to lead us all about the town, so that everybody should see us; but the people crowded in on us with great