And indeed it was that noblest of all heroes of the Revolution, after Washington, the General to whose genius the capture of Burgoyne was owing, and who was yet superseded in the hour of his triumph by the intrigues of the unscrupulous Gates, around whose brows the laurels were placed that really belonged to Schuyler. The baroness in her memories has left us this little incident, illustrative of the real nobility of the man.
In Schuyler’s tent, in which the baroness soon found herself, she was greeted with respectful cordiality by a young lady, one of the most beautiful creatures she had ever seen, who was introduced to her by the General as “Mademoiselle Diane de Cavannes, the betrothed wife of my cousin, Captain Schuyler.”
Sitting down to dinner, the baroness was soon after introduced to a remarkably handsome young officer of hussars, as the cousin in question, who entered while they were at table.
The conversation was carried on indifferently in English, German, and French, for every one at table seemed to be a good linguist, and before half an hour had passed the baroness felt as happy as if she had been among intimate friends instead of being, as she really was in an enemy’s camp, her husband and all his army prisoners.
While they were still at table, however, an incident occurred which showed that war was not at rest entirely.
A disturbance was heard outside, some shouting, the reports of two muskets, followed by the gallop of a horse near the tent.
Adrian Schuyler jumped up, at a signal from the General, and went out to see what was the matter. The baroness full of vague fears, as was natural to a lady in her lonely position, remained silent and absent minded, in spite of the assiduous attentions of her host and Mademoiselle de Cavannes to continue the conversation.
It was not long however before she was reassured by the entrance of Adrian, who was accompanied by Baron Reidesel himself.
“Ah, mon ami,” exclaimed the anxious wife, “I feared some terrible thing had happened to thee.”
The baron, after bowing to General Schuyler, whom he seemed to know, explained the disturbance in a few words.