Page 113 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

REPORT ON THE PICTURE GALLERY. 109
soldiery who wore wooden shoes. The harbor was blockaded,
and the La Payette brig was compelled to stay a week, during
which WASIIINGTON visited the city, which was illuminated on
the joyful occasion.
Mr. AMES continued on the privateer for two seasons, during
which they sent to New London several good prizes-some of
which, however, were destroyed by the troops under the traitor
ARNOLD, when he invaded the country in the autumn of 1781,
captured Fort Griswold, inhumanly butchered the garrison, and
burned the town and shipping in the harbor. Engaging on
board a merchantman bound for Bermuda, he was unfortunately
made a prisoner on his way home, by a refugee ship, and carried
back to Bermuda, and detained thrce months. After the peace
of 1783, he engaged on an English ship for a three years cruise,
during which time he visited, among other places and countries,
Madeira, Gibraltar, Turkey, Surinam in South America, and
Guadaloupe in the West Indies. At Guadaloupe he had the
yellow fever, and barely escaped death.
Returning to his native country, he went to school three
months, and soon aftcr married Sarah Hall, and settled near
Albany, N. Y., as a farmer. At the age of thirty, he became
a preacher in the Wesleyan Methodist Church, and soon after
moved to Steuben, in Oneida county, N. Y., where he continued
to preach until he reached the age of about seventy-five years.
In the summer of 1844, Mr. AMES, with thrce of his children,
moved to Wisconsin, and in Oregon, Dane county, bought
320 acres of government land, and where he still resides.
His aged companion died in 1851, in the 89th year of her age.
Mr. AMES has six sons and four daughters living, all of whom
are heads of families, except the youngest daughter, who with
undivided affection devotes her lifc to administering to the wants
of her aged parent.
A friend asked Mr. Anrss if he remembered WASIIINGTON?
"Yes," he replied emphatically, "and old STEUBEN too."
After a short pause, during which his memory reverted to the
scenes and sufferings of the Revolution, and the big tears