"...Raising a glass to his eyes and surveying the American works on the hill, surprise was visible in his countenance, but without seeming to lose his usual gravity, on which he prided himself, Clinton handed the magnifier to his companion, barely remarking as he did so, 'The Yankees can shovel gravel, if they can't do any thing else!' After a brief survey, Gage lowered the glass with an oath, expressing his astonishment that the rag-tags, as his friend had dubbed them, could have accomplished so much in so little time...."
Jeptha Root Simms (1807 – 1883) was an American historian best known for chronicling the settlement of upstate New York. In 1846, he published "The American Spy" based on the history of the great American spy of the American Revolution, Nathan Hale.
The American Revolution brought out upon the stage of action many men of distinction and worth, who are, as yet, but little known to the general reader; not a few of whom were gallant sons of New England. Of this number was the hero named in the following pages, whose real character is here by no means overdrawn. A desire to interest readers in the early history of the country, and at the same time do justice, in some degree, to the ennobling virtues of a brave man, has prompted the writing of the following tale, a greater proportion of which will be found not doing violence to truth than it is usual to meet with in pictures to which imagination has lent its assistance.
Jeptha Root Simms (1807 – 1883) was an American historian best known for chronicling the settlement of upstate New York. In 1846, he published "The American Spy" based on the history of the great American spy of the American Revolution, Nathan Hale.
The American Revolution brought out upon the stage of action many men of distinction and worth, who are, as yet, but little known to the general reader; not a few of whom were gallant sons of New England. Of this number was the hero named in the following pages, whose real character is here by no means overdrawn. A desire to interest readers in the early history of the country, and at the same time do justice, in some degree, to the ennobling virtues of a brave man, has prompted the writing of the following tale, a greater proportion of which will be found not doing violence to truth than it is usual to meet with in pictures to which imagination has lent its assistance.
