She constantly migrated with
the troops; and it was seldom that they became stationary for two days
at a time but the little cart of the bustling woman was seen driving
into the encampment loaded with such articles as she conceived would
make her presence most welcome. With a celerity that seemed almost
supernatural, Betty took up her ground and commenced her occupation.
Sometimes the cart itself was her shop; at others the soldiers made her
a rude shelter of such materials as offered; but on the present
occasion she had seized on a vacant building, and, by dint of stuffing
the dirty breeches and half-dried linen of the troopers into the broken
windows, to exclude the cold, which had now become severe, she formed
what she herself had pronounced to be "most illigant lodgings." The men
were quartered in the adjacent barns, and the officers collected in the
"Hotel Flanagan," as they facetiously called headquarters. Betty was
well known to every trooper in the corps, could call each by his
Christian or nickname, as best suited her fancy; and, although
absolutely intolerable to all whom habit had not made familiar with her
virtues, was a general favorite with these partisan warriors. Her faults
were, a trifling love of liquor, excessive filthiness, and a total
disregard of all the decencies of language; her virtues, an unbounded
love for her adopted country, perfect honesty when dealing on certain
known principles with the soldiery, and great good nature.
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