Page:The part taken by women in American history.djvu/145

118 midst of war scenes, Elizabeth Schuyler passed her early childhood. As the daughter of so worthy and distinguished a man as General Schuyler, she received an education superior to that of most Colonial girls, she with her sisters being sent to New York to school. Afterwards returning to the Schuyler house at Albany, on a memorable afternoon, in October, 1777, she met young Alexander Hamilton, the brilliant aid-de-camp on her father's staff. The friendship so formed between "Betsy" Schuyler and Alexander Hamilton during his short stay in Albany was not destined to end there, although it was a period of almost two years before they met again.

When news of the battle of Lexington came "Betsy" was at Saratoga with the rest of the family. War had begun and in the days that followed she lived in the midst of army talk and army doings, for generals, officers and aids-de-camp were coming and going continually at the Schuyler mansion. But later on, John Schuyler was appointed to Congress and went to live at Philadelphia with his family. The headquarters of the army during the campaign of 1779-80, were at Morristown, some fifty miles from the Schuyler's Philadelphia home, and to Morristown Betsy Schuyler very shortly journeyed to visit her aunt. Headquarters were gay at that time, Washington's household being composed of a brilliant company. Washington and his wife sat opposite each other in the center of the board, and on both sides of them almost continually, were ranged many distinguished visitors. Impetuous young Aaron Burr was of the party, the elegant Baron Steuben and the splendid Duke Lauzun. In this illustrious group of men Alexander Hamilton shone as the bright particular star, and naturally the one of whom Betsy Schuyler saw the most during her visit to Morristown was Alexander Hamilton. As it happened, her stay at Morristown was happily prolonged, her father being invited by the commander-in-chief to come to headquarters as his