When the full meed of recognition to which she is entitled, is given by the historian to the part which woman played in the founding and evolution of the colony of Georgia into one of the sovereign states of the American union—when her part in the bloody tale of the achievement of American Independence is fully told and final justice done on history's page to the hardships which she suffered in freedom's name, to her marvellous courage, to her fortitude, to her patience, to her self-denial and heroic sacrifice, then will the poet find new themes for epic song, the artist fresh riches for his easel, the romancer a new field for historical fiction and every patriotic American a deeper veneration for the flag whose primal baptism was of blood so precious and heroic.

As a curtain-raiser to the story of the heroines of the Revolution, two notable women of colonial days appear and claim the tribute of more than a passing mention by reason of the picturesque place which they occupy in the early history of the province, and because of the unique and momentous service which they rendered to the colony of Georgia.

When General Oglethorpe, dreaming of an empire of the west, attempted to secure a treaty with the aborigines and permission to plant his colony on the virgin soil of Georgia, it was a woman's hand that unlocked the door and bade him enter. It was a woman's diplomatic tact and ascendant influence with the Indian tribes that accomplished the cession of Georgia. Mary Musgrove, an Indian, the wife of a Carolina planter, negotiated with Tomichichi, the Yamacraw Chief, for the sale of the territory whose boundaries ran from the Savannah to the Altamaha and westward to the mythical "South Seas,"—a body of lands so vast that the Georgia of to-day is but a minor part of the territory originally ceded.

Thus we find that the first real estate agent that ever closed a "deal"—the biggest that ever was or ever will be in Georgia—was a woman, and the first Georgia manufacturer was a woman as well—Mary Camuse, the wife of Lewis Camuse.

From the business tact, enterprise and industry of Mary Camuse resulted the first recorded exportation to England of the first manufactured article which left our shores, forty-five pounds, two ounces avoirdupois weight of silk, cultivated and woven by her hand.

A glance at the minutes of the trustees of the colony reveals this quaint and interesting entry:

The art of wearing silk, with grace and elegance, could, I feel assured, be taught to any one who might seek to profit thereby, by the stately matrons whose names adorn the roster of the Atlanta Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, but the art of winding silk, such as the trustees encouraged by their bounty, is, I very much fear, at this time in Georgia what we might call one of the "lost arts."

Passing from Mrs. Musgrove and Mrs. Camuse to the Georgia women of the Revolution, I beg leave to state that I have sought in this paper to give only such names and incidents as are authenticated by historical reference or by well established tradition. I am by no means assured that the list is full,—indeed, I am strongly inclined to the opinion that it is largely incomplete, notwithstanding the somewhat exhaustive research which has been made in ancient archives and time-worn histories.

It is generally accepted that the most conspicuous figure among the Georgia women of the Revolution is the famous Amazon of Elbert County, the redoubtable Nancy Hart. She was undoubtedly the foremost fighter from the ranks of the colonial dames North or South, and her brave and thrilling exploits were indubitably of a rank and character to entitle her to an exalted place in the American temple of fame.

The portrait of Nancy Hart while in repose, is that of a formidable warrior—when in action, she must have been a female Apollyon, dire and terrible, a veritable incarnation of slaughter and threatenings. Six feet in height, cross-eyed, ungainly in figure, redheaded, big hands, big feet, broad mouth, massive jaw, sharp of tongue and rude in speech, she was a picture before which a Redcoat, a Tory, or a bachelor, well might quail. "She was a honey of a patriot but the devil of a wife," is the reading of the record—the tribute of a neighbor who lived in the bloody times which made her known to fame.

It is related that in later years, a resolution was introduced in the legislature of Georgia providing for an equestrian statue of General Jackson—representing his horse in the act of plunging forward, the warrior pointing his sword with martial eagerness towards the foe—to be placed in the capitol of Georgia. A patriotic member of the body arose in the assembly and protested that he would not vote for the resolution unless the legislature should likewise authorize a painting of Nancy Hart fording the Broad River with a tory prisoner, bare-headed and bare armed, her dress tucked up, her jaws set, her big hands suggestively pointing the musket at her cringing captive.

It does seem a matter for regret that some such recognition is not given by the State to the daring and valor of this Georgia heroine. The history of no other nation can boast of a braver or more invincible woman, and it should be a matter of state pride among Georgians to honor her memory and commemorate with painter's brush, or sculptor's chisel, her splendid and heroic achievements in the cause of American Independence.

The fame which Nancy Hart achieved as a fighting patriot is perhaps equaled by Jane Latouche Cuyler as the political heroine in Georgia, of the Revolution. This picturesque and remarkable woman was the widow of Telemon Cuyler, a wealthy mariner. She lived at the corner of Bull and Broughton streets in Savannah. Mrs. Cuyler was of French descent and inherited the fiery and mercurial temperament of her Gallic ancestors. She is accorded the distinction of being the first patriot at Savannah to don a liberty cap, which she persistently wore, to the grim displeasure, and despite the intimidating attitude, of the crown governor, Sir James Wright. Political meetings were held by the patriots at Mrs. Cuyler's house and it is said, that at one of these assemblies, a resolution was passed which afterwards formed the basis of the action of the Provisional Congress in declaring Georgia's adherence to the revolting colonies and her purpose to join with them in armed resistance to the authority of the English crown.

At the fall of Savannah, she was taken to Charleston under an escort of Continental troops and after Charleston had surrendered to Sir Henry Clinton, the Commissary General of Georgia is said to have caused her to be transported to Philadelphia, where her expenses were paid by the commonwealth of Georgia in recognition of her valuable services to the patriots' cause. So active was her participation in fanning the flame of revolution and in fomenting armed resistance to the encroachments of the Crown that Sir James Wright is stated to have offered a reward for her capture and delivery to the British authorities. She died in New Jersey after the Revolution, having lived, however, to see the independence of the colonies for which she had striven with such fervor and eclat, brought to a happy and successful issue.

After the fall of Savannah, the Continental prisoners were crowded by the British on board ships lying at anchor in the Savannah River. These ships were veritable pest houses and many of the prisoners died of infection and for the want of proper sustenance. Mrs. Mordecai Shefthall made it her mission to go out in boats provisioned and manned by her negroes to make the rounds of these floating prisons and administer such aid and bring such delicacies as she could command to the imprisoned patriots. This brave and noble woman endeared herself to the Continental captives and in consequence of these missions of mercy and her brave solicitude for the unfortunate prisoners, she acquired the beautiful soubriquet of "the Angel of the Prison Ships."

Yet another woman who administered to the wants and necessities of these unfortunate soldiers was Mrs. Minis. General Shefthall himself a Captain, records two important ministrations which she rendered to his succor and comfort. He says: "In this situation I remained for two days, without a morsel to eat, when a Hessian officer named Zaltman, finding that I could talk his language, removed me to his room and sympathized with me on my situation. He permitted me to send to Mrs. Minis, who sent me some victuals."

But an equally important service—more of a luxury perhaps than a necessity, but a most delightful luxury to a gentleman—followed, when on application to Col. Innis, General Shefthall, records: "I got his leave to go to Mrs. Minis for a shirt she had taken to wash for me, as it was the only one I had left, except the one on my back, and that was given to me by Captain Kappel, as the British soldiers had plundered both mine and my son's clothes."

In the time allotted for this paper, I have not the opportunity to discuss at length the character and adventures of Mrs. Johnathan Bryan who, amidst constant danger from marauding Tory bands, successfully operated and managed her husband's plantation while he was fighting for the cause of liberty; nor to deal with the exciting and romantic career of Sarah Swinton McIntosh, nor to depict the quaint personality of Winnifred McIntosh, Spinster, the brave and loyal sister of the dashing "Rory"; nor to draw the picture of Mrs. John Dooly, the tragic murder of whose husband by the Tories is said to have fired the soul of Nancy Hart with the fierce flame of vengeance against the brutal Royalists, who with fire and sword lay waste the unprotected homes of the patriots.

I, therefore, close this crude and hasty sketch with a romance of the Revolution, a tale which must appeal to every heart because of its human interest, its bloody setting, its gratifying sequel and by reason of the fact that one of your own members is a lineal descendant of the heroine of this pleasing and delightful romance of love and war.

My story is a note from the life of Sarah Ann Jones who was sent from Burke County, Georgia, to Savannah to a boarding school for young ladies kept by gentlewomen in sympathy with the Royalist faction of the colony. So far did the school management display its royalist sentiment that the school girls were coerced into knitting socks and making shirts for the enemy during the hours for play and recess, and were sternly instructed to be true and loyal servants to the King. This coercion only made the colonial girls more devoted secretly to the cause of liberty, and when Savannah fell into the hands of the British, the times were past when educational advantages could be considered and our little school friend was sent for, and brought home, where it was thought she could find a safer asylum. With three brothers in the army, and all her heart with them, she was happy to be at home. But she was destined to do more for the cause of liberty than fell to the lot of every quiet maiden of those eventful days. She was sent for not a great while after her return home to go at once to Beech Island, near Augusta, to the plantation of Mrs. Sherwood Bugg to help nurse her brother, Captain John Jones, who had been severely wounded and who had been brought there, along with many other wounded soldiers, to be nursed back to life again by every kindly ministration known to the helpful women of these stirring times.

And so she went and helped to nurse her brother, and there the long, anxious days were crowned by a budding romance.

Captain Jones was able again to enter the fight for freedom, and then it was that his lovely young sister, Sarah Ann Jones, found time for seeing much of the youngest son of her hostess, Sherwood Bugg, Jr. Love soon bound the young soldier with silken strands, their troth was plighted and with the consent of both families their marriage was arranged for. Nothing marred their plans and the young couple settled after their marriage, on land in Columbia County, Georgia, granted their families for services rendered during the struggle of 1776 when young girls and mere boys (too young for regular soldiers) found an opportunity for working for the cause of their country as nobly as ever did the soldiers of the line.

Today in a little home of one of your members are to be found two very plain, solid, old mahogany tables that span these years reaching back to the Revolution, that belonged to this young couple—a fitting table on which to pen a love letter and the best exponent of the character of Revolutionary times, serving not one, but five generations, and even now in daily use.

This little romance lends additional charm to the beauty and strength of these old tables, and today, they tell us of the force and nobility of earlier days and a simpler life.—James Waddy Austin. Read before Atlanta Chapter by Mrs. Joseph Morgan.