Ten American Girls From History

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TEN AMERICAN GIRLS
FROM HISTORY

BY
KATE DICKINSON SWEETSER

AUTHOR OF
"TEN BOYS FROM HISTORY"
"TEN BOYS FROM DICKENS"
ETC.

ILLUSTRATED BY
GEORGE ALFRED WILLIAMS

[Illustration: Publisher's device]

HARPER & BROTHERS PUBLISHERS
NEW YORK AND LONDON

[Illustration: MOLLY PITCHER]

TEN AMERICAN GIRLS FROM HISTORY

Copyright, 1917, by Harper & Brothers
Printed in the United States of America
Published October, 1917

TO
EDITH BOLLING WILSON

"THE FIRST LADY OF THE LAND"

A DESCENDANT OF POCAHONTAS, THE INDIAN
GIRL OF THE VIRGINIA FOREST WHO LINKS
THE FLOWER OF EARLY AMERICA WITH
THE "NEW FREEDOM" OF TODAY, THIS
BOOK IS CORDIALLY DEDICATED.

CONTENTS

PAGE

FOREWORD xi

POCAHONTAS: THE INDIAN GIRL OF THE VIRGINIA FOREST 1

DOROTHY QUINCY: THE GIRL OF COLONIAL DAYS WHO HEARD
THE FIRST GUN FIRED FOR INDEPENDENCE 36

MOLLY PITCHER: THE BRAVE GUNNER OF THE BATTLE OF
MONMOUTH 71

ELIZABETH VAN LEW: THE GIRL WHO RISKED ALL THAT SLAVERY
MIGHT BE ABOLISHED AND THE UNION PRESERVED 86

IDA LEWIS: THE GIRL WHO KEPT LIME ROCK BURNING; A HEROIC
LIFE-SAVER 125

CLARA BARTON: "THE ANGEL OF THE BATTLEFIELDS" 143

VIRGINIA REED: MIDNIGHT HEROINE OF THE PLAINS IN PIONEER
DAYS OF AMERICA 174

LOUISA M. ALCOTT: AUTHOR OF "LITTLE WOMEN" 207

CLARA MORRIS: THE GIRL WHO WON FAME AS AN ACTRESS 236

ANNA DICKINSON: THE GIRL ORATOR 271

ILLUSTRATIONS

MOLLY PITCHER _Frontispiece_

POCAHONTAS SAVES CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH _Facing p._ 4

MISS VAN LEW BRINGING FOOD TO THE UNION SOLDIER IN
THE SECRET ROOM " 108

IDA LEWIS " 128

VIRGINIA GOES FORTH TO FIND HER EXILED FATHER " 194

FOREWORD

The loyalty of Pocahontas, the patriotism of Molly Pitcher and Dorothy
Quincy, the devoted service of Clara Barton, the heroism of Ida Lewis,
the enthusiasm of Anna Dickinson, the fine work of Louisa Alcott--all
challenge the emulation of American girls of to-day. Citizen-soldiers
on a field of service as wide as the world, young America has at this
hour of national crisis its chance to win recognition for fidelity,
for bravery, and for loyal service, with victory for American ideals
as its golden reward, in a world "made safe for democracy."

My first aim in bringing the lives of these ten American girls from
history to the attention of the girls of to-day has been to inspire
them to like deeds of patriotism and courage. Second only to that
purpose is a desire to make young Americans realize as they read these
true stories of achievement along such widely varying lines of work,
that history is more thrilling than fiction, and that if they will
turn from these short sketches to the longer biographies from which
the facts of these stories have been taken, they will find interesting
and absorbing reading.

May the book accomplish its twofold object, and so justify its
publication at this time of the testing of all true Americans.

KATE DICKINSON SWEETSER.

August 1, 1917.

TEN AMERICAN GIRLS FROM HISTORY

POCAHONTAS: THE INDIAN GIRL OF THE VIRGINIA FOREST

Sunlight glinting between huge forest trees, and blue skies
over-arching the Indian village of Werewocomoco on the York River in
Virginia, where Powhatan, the mighty "Werowance," or ruler over thirty
tribes, was living.

Through Orapakes and Pamunkey and other forest settlements a long line
of fierce warriors were marching Indian file, on their way to
Werewocomoco, leading a captive white man to Powhatan for inspection
and for sentence. As the warriors passed into the Indian village, they
encountered crowds of dusky braves and tattooed squaws hurrying along
the wood trails, and when they halted at the central clearing of the
village, the crowd closed in around them to get a better view of the
captive. At the same time there rose a wild clamor from the rear of
the throng as a merry group of shrieking, shouting girls and boys
darted forward, jostling their way through the crowd.

Their leader was a slender, straight young girl with laughing eyes
such as are seldom seen among Indians, and hair as black as a crow's
wing blown about her cheeks in wild disorder, while her manner was
that of a happy hearty forest maiden. This was Matoaka, daughter of
the Werowance Powhatan, and although he had many subjects as well as
twenty sons and eleven daughters, not one was ruled so despotically as
was he himself, by this slender girl with laughing eyes, for whom his
pet name was Pocahontas, or in free translation, "little romp."

Having established themselves in the front row of the crowd the girls
and boys stood eagerly staring at the prisoner, for many of them had
never seen a white man before, and as Pocahontas watched, she looked
like a forest flower in her robe of soft deer-skin, with beaded
moccasins on her shapely feet, coral bracelets and anklets vying with
the color in her dark cheeks, while a white plume drooping over her
disordered hair proclaimed her to be the daughter of a great chief. In
her health and happiness she radiated a charm which made her easily
the ruling spirit among her mates, and compelled the gaze of the
captive, whose eyes, looking about for some friendly face among the
savage throng, fastened on the eager little maiden with a feeling of
relief, for her bright glance showed such interest in the prisoner and
such sympathy with him as was to endear her to his race in later
years.

The long line of braves with their heads and shoulders gaily painted
had wound their slow way through forest, field, and meadow to bring
into the presence of the great "Werowance" a no less important captive
than Captain John Smith, leader in the English Colony at Jamestown by
reason of his quick wit and stout heart. The settlers having been
threatened with a famine, the brave Captain had volunteered to go on
an expedition among neighboring Indian villages in search of a supply
of corn. The trip had been full of thrilling adventures for him, and
had ended disastrously in his being taken prisoner by Opechancanough,
the brother of Powhatan. The news of Smith's capture having been
carried to the great Werowance, he commanded that the pale-faced
_Caucarouse_, or Captain, be brought to him for sentence. And that was
why the warriors marched into Werewocomoco, Opechancanough in the
center, with the firearms taken from Captain Smith and his companions
carried before him as trophies. The prisoner followed, gripped by
three stalwart Indians, while six others acted as flank guards to
prevent his escape, and as they passed into Werewocomoco they were
greeted by yelling savages brandishing weapons and surging forward to
get a better glimpse of the white captive. The procession halted for a
few minutes at the village clearing, then moved slowly on to
Powhatan's "Chief Place of Council," a long arbor-like structure where
the great Werowance was waiting to receive Captain Smith.

The crowd of boys and girls followed in the wake of the warriors until
the Council Hall was reached, when they all dropped back except their
leader. Pushing her hair from her low brow, that she might see more
clearly, and walking with the erectness of a Werowance's daughter,
Pocahontas entered the hall and stood near her father where she could
not only watch the white captive, who appealed strongly to her fancy,
but could also note Powhatan's expression as he passed judgment on the
prisoner.

With inscrutable reserve and majestic dignity the great ruler bowed as
the captive was led before his rustic throne, where he reclined in a
gorgeous robe of raccoon-skins. On either side of the Council Hall sat
rows of dusky men and women, with their heads and shoulders painted
red, some of the women wearing garments trimmed with the white down
from birds' breasts, while others wore long chains of white beads
about their necks.

It was a picturesque sight for English eyes, and fearful though he was
of foul play, the Captain could not but appreciate the brilliant
mingling of gay colors and dark faces. As he stood before the Chief,
there was a clapping of hands to call an Indian woman, the Queen of
the Appamattock, who brought water to wash the captive's hands, while
another brought a bunch of feathers to dry them on. "What next?"
Captain Smith wondered as he watched further preparations being made,
evidently for a feast, of which he was soon asked to partake.

Under the circumstances his appetite was not keen, but he felt obliged
to pretend to a relish that he did not feel, and while he was eating
his eyes lighted up with pleasure as he saw by her father's
side--though he did not know then of the relationship--the little
Indian girl whose interest in him had been so apparent when he saw her
in the village. He dared not smile in response to her vivid glance,
but his gaze lingered long on the vision of youth and loveliness, and
he turned back to his meal with a better appetite.

The feast at an end, Powhatan called his councilors to his side, and
while they were in earnest debate Captain Smith knew only too well
that his fate was hanging in the balance. At last a stalwart brave
arose and spoke to the assemblage. The captive, so he said, was known
to be the leading spirit among the white settlers whose colony was too
near the Indians' homes to please them, also in his expedition in
search of corn he had killed four Indian warriors with "mysterious
weapons which spoke with the voice of thunder and breathed the
lightning," and he had been spying on their land, trying to find some
secret means by which to betray them. With him out of the way their
country would be freed from a dangerous menace, therefore he was
condemned to death.

Doomed to die! Although he did not understand their words, there was
no misunderstanding their intention. Immediately two great stones were
rolled into the hall, to the feet of Powhatan, and the Captain was
seized roughly, dragged forward and forced to lie down in such a
position that his head lay across the stones. Life looked sweet to him
as he reviewed it in a moment of quick survey while waiting for the
warriors' clubs to dash out his brains. He closed his eyes. Powhatan
gave the fatal signal--the clubs quivered in the hands of the
executioners. A piercing shriek rang out, as Pocahontas darted from
her father's side, sprang between the uplifted clubs of the savages
and the prostrate Captain, twining her arms around his neck and laying
her own bright head in such a position that to kill the captive would
be to kill the Werowance's dearest daughter.

[Illustration: POCAHONTAS SAVES CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH]

With horror at this staying of his royal purpose, and at the sight of
his child with her arms around the white man's neck, Powhatan stared
as if at a hideous vision, and closed his ears to the sound of her
voice as her defiant Indian words rang out:

"No! He shall not die!"

The savages stood with upraised weapons; Powhatan sat rigid in the
intensity of his emotion. Watching him closely for some sign of
relenting, Pocahontas, without moving from her position, began to
plead with the stern old Chief,--begged, entreated, prayed--until she
had her desire.

"Let the prisoner go free!"

Through the long Council-room echoed Powhatan's order, and a
perfunctory shout rose from the savage throng, who were always quick
to echo their Chief's commands. Captain Smith, bewildered by the
sudden turn of affairs, was helped to rise, led to the beaming girl,
and told that the condition of his release from death was that he
might "make hatchets and trinkets" for Pocahontas, the Werowance's
dearest daughter. So his deliverer was the daughter of the great
Chief! With the courtly manner which he had brought from his life in
other lands he bent over the warm little hand of the Indian maiden
with such sincere appreciation of her brave deed that she flushed with
happiness, and she ran away with her playmates, singing as merrily as
a forest bird, leaving the pale-faced _Caucarouse_ with her royal
father, that they might become better acquainted. Although she ran off
so gaily with her comrades after having rescued Captain Smith, yet she
was far from heedless of his presence in the village, and soon
deserted her young friends to steal shyly back to the side of the
wonderful white man whose life had been saved that he might serve her.

During the first days of his captivity--for it was that--the Captain
and Powhatan became very friendly, and had many long talks by the
camp-fire, by means of a sign language and such words of the Algonquin
dialect as Captain Smith had learned since coming to Virginia. And
often Pocahontas squatted by her father's side, her eager eyes intent
on the Captain's face as he matched the old ruler's marvelous tales of
hoarded gold possessed by tribes living to the west of Werewocomoco,
with stories of the cities of Europe he had visited, and the strange
peoples he had met in his wanderings. Sometimes as he told his
thrilling tales he would hear the little Indian maid catch her breath
from interest in his narrative, and he would smile responsively into
her upturned face, feeling a real affection for the young girl who had
saved his life.

From his talks with Powhatan the Englishman found out that the great
desire of the savage ruler was to own some of the cannon and
grindstones used by the colonists, and with quick diplomacy he
promised to satisfy this wish if Powhatan would but let him go back to
Jamestown and send with him warriors to carry the coveted articles.
This the wily Indian ruler promised to do, and in return offered him
a tract of land which he did not own, and from which he intended to
push the settlers if they should take possession of it. And Captain
Smith had no intention of giving either cannon or grindstones to
Powhatan, so the shrewd old savage and the quick-witted Captain were
well matched in diplomacy.

Meanwhile, Powhatan's interest in his white captive became so great
that he gave him the freedom he would have accorded one of his own
subjects, even allowing Pocahontas to hunt with him, and when evening
came she would sit by the great fire and listen to her Captain's
stories of his life told with many a graphic gesture which made them
clear to her even though most of his words were unintelligible.

Then came a day when the captive was led to a cabin in the heart of
the forest and seated on a mat before a smoldering fire to await he
knew not what. Suddenly Powhatan appeared before him, fantastically
dressed, followed by two hundred warriors as weirdly decorated as he
was. Rushing in, they surrounded the frightened Captain, but quickly
dispelled his fears by telling him that they were all his friends and
this was only a ceremony to celebrate his speedy return to Jamestown,
for the purpose of sending back cannon and grindstones to their Chief.

This was good news. The Captain showed hearty appreciation of the
favor, and at once said his farewells. Powhatan, the inscrutable, who
bade him a dignified good-by, repeated his promise to give him the
country of the Capahowsick, which he did not own, and said he should
forever honor him as his own son. Then, with an escort of twelve
Indians, Captain Smith set out for Jamestown, and beside him trudged
Pocahontas, looking as resolute as if she were in truth a forest
Princess escorting her chosen cavalier through the wilderness.

As they picked their way along the rough trail, the Captain told her
such tales of the settlement as he could make clear to her and
repeated some simple English words he had been trying to teach her. As
he talked and as she said over and over the words she had learned,
Pocahontas gripped his arm with rapt interest and longed to follow
where he led. But night was coming on, it was unwise for her to go
beyond the last fork of the trail, and so, reluctantly, she parted
from her new and wonderful friend. But before she left him she darted
to the side of a trusty warrior and gave a passionate command, then
started swiftly back on the long wood path leading to Werewocomoco.
The next night no one could make her laugh or join in the dances
around the big fire, nor did she show any likeness to the
light-hearted, romping, singing little tomboy, ringleader among her
playmates. Pocahontas had lost a comrade, and her childish heart was
sore at the loss. But when the warriors returned from Jamestown she
became merry and happy again, for had the _Caucarouse_ not sent her
back strings of beads more beautiful than any she had ever seen
before, such as proved surely that he had not forgotten her?

The truth of the matter was, that on reaching the colony, Captain
Smith showed the Indians a grindstone and told them to carry it back
to Powhatan, but when they tried to lift it and found its great weight
they were utterly disconcerted. Then the wily Captain showed them a
cannon purposely loaded with stones, and had it discharged among the
icicle-laden trees, which so terrified the savages that they ran away
and refused to take another look at it. Then Captain Smith cleverly
suggested that they carry back trinkets in place of the articles which
were so heavy, and the Indians went happily away without the promised
gifts, but bearing many smaller things, some of which the Captain was
thoughtful enough to suggest be given to Pocahontas as a slight token
of his appreciation of her great service to him.

Little he dreamed, man of the world though he was, that the small
courtesy would mean as much to the Indian maiden as it did, nor could
he know that from that hour the dreams of Pocahontas were all to be
built around the daily life of the pale-faced men in the Jamestown
settlement. Even when she joined her playmates in her favorite games
of Gus-ga-e-sa-ta (deer buttons), or Gus-ka-eh (peach-pit), or
even,--tomboy that she was,--when she turned somersaults with her
favorite brother Nantaquaus and his comrades, she was so far from
being her usual lively self that the boys and girls questioned her
about the reason. In reply she only flung back her head with an
indifferent gesture, and walked away from them. Later when the great
fires blazed in Council Hall and Long House, she sought the trusty
warrior who had accompanied Captain Smith to Jamestown, and he gave
her such news of the settlers as he had heard from the Indians who
loafed about Jamestown. They were on friendly terms with the white
men, who let them come and go at will as long as they were peaceful
and did not try to pilfer corn or firearms.

Winter came with its snow and zero weather, and Pocahontas heard of
great hunger and many privations among the colonists. She held a long
secret conversation with the Indian warrior who knew of her interest
in the pale-faced _Caucarouse_, then, at twilight of a bitter cold
day, she stole out from her wigwam, met the warrior at the beginning
of the Jamestown trail, and after carefully examining the store of
provisions which she had commanded him to bring, she plunged into the
gloomy wood trail with her escort, hurrying along the rough path in
the darkness, until she reached the rough stockade guarding the
entrance to the settlement.

The man on watch, who had heard many glowing descriptions of the
maiden who had saved his Captain's life, recognized her at once and
admired her exceedingly as she stood there in her dusky imperiousness,
demanding to see the Captain. Astonished, but pleased at her coming,
Smith quickly came to greet her and was enthusiastic in his thanks for
the provisions she had brought. Then by the flare of a torch he showed
his eager guest as much of their little village as could be seen in
the fast-falling darkness, enjoying her questions and her keen
interest in such buildings and articles as she had never seen before.
She responded to the Englishmen's cordiality with shy, appreciative
glances and would have liked to linger, but it was too late for her to
remain longer, and the colonists crowded around her with expressions
of regret that she must leave and renewed thanks for her gifts. Then
Pocahontas and her Indian escort started back toward Werewocomoco,
taking the trail with flying feet that her absence might not be
discovered.

From that day she often found her way to Jamestown, carrying stores of
provisions from her father's well-filled larder, sometimes going in
broad daylight, with rosy cheeks and flying hair, after her morning
swim in the river, at other times starting out on her errand of mercy
at twilight, always protected by a faithful warrior who was on terms
of intimacy with the settlers and felt a deep pride in their
admiration for Pocahontas, whom they called "The Little Angel," and
well they might, for they would have gone without food many a time
during that bitter winter but for her visits.

As for Powhatan, he was too well accustomed to the forest excursions
of his "dearest daughter," and to having her roam the neighboring
country at will, to watch her carefully. He knew that his daughter was
safe on Indian territory, never dreaming that she would go beyond it,
and as her guide was loyal, there was no one to prevent her from
following out her heart's desires in taking food to her Captain and
his people.

But as time went on and Powhatan heard more of the wonderful firearms
and useful articles possessed by the white men, he became not only
bitterly jealous of them, but determined to secure their arms and
articles for his own use. "So when the valiant Captain made another
visit to Werewocomoco and tried to barter beads and other trinkets for
corn, the old chief refused to trade except for the coveted firearms,
which the Captain declined to give. But he did give him a boy named
Thomas Salvage, whom Powhatan adopted as his son, and in exchange gave
Smith an Indian boy, Namontack. Then there were three days of feasting
and dancing, but of trading there was none, and Captain Smith was
determined to get corn." He showed Powhatan some blue beads which took
the Indian ruler's fancy and he offered a small amount of corn in
exchange for them, but the Captain laughed scornfully. Those beads
were the favorite possession of Kings and Queens in other countries,
why should they be sold to Powhatan? he asked. Powhatan became
eager--offered more corn. The Captain hesitated, shook his head, and
played his part in the transaction so well that when at last he gave
in, he had secured three hundred bushels of corn for the really
worthless beads!

In the following months the Indians threw off their mask of
friendliness for the colonists and began to steal the firearms so
coveted by Powhatan. For some time the white men were patient under
the annoyance, but when knives and swords began to go, a watch was set
for the thieves, and nine of them were caught and detained at the
Jamestown fort, for Captain Smith suspected treachery on Powhatan's
part and determined to hold them until all the stolen articles were
sent back. In return the Indians captured two straggling Englishmen
and came in a shouting throng to the fort clamoring for the release
of the imprisoned Indians. Out came the bold Captain and demanded the
instant freeing of the settlers. His force and tactics were so
superior to those of the savages that they were obliged to give up
their captives. Then the Captain examined his Indian prisoners and
forced them into a confession of Powhatan's plot to procure all the
weapons possible from the colonists, which were then to be used to
kill their rightful owners. That was all the Captain wanted of the
Indians, but he still kept them imprisoned, to give them a wholesome
fright. Powhatan, enraged at hearing of the failure of his plot
against the white men, determined that his warriors should be freed at
once. He would try another way to gain his end. From his rustic throne
in the Council Hall he sent for Pocahontas. She was playing a game of
Gawasa (snow-snake) with two of her comrades, but left them instantly
and ran to the Council Hall. Long and earnestly Powhatan talked to
her, and she listened intently. When he had finished a pleased
expression flashed into her black eyes.

"I will do what you wish," she said, then ran back to join in the game
she had left so suddenly.

The next morning she went swiftly along the forest trail now so
familiar to her, and at length approached the settlers' stockade and
demanded audience with the Captain. He was busy chopping trees at the
other end of the settlement, but dropped his ax at the summons and
hurried to bid the little maiden welcome with the courtly deference he
always showed her, whether he really felt it or not. With folded arms
and intent silence he listened to her plea:

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