The Story of Cornwallis's Buckles years of age. This is the story as it came to me and as I wrote it for The New York Sun of October 8, 1938: ANN GOT HER COW; BUCKLES, TOO Cornwallis Friendly to Persistent 'Little Rebel' in Revolution By Helen Burr Smith During the revolutionary war, when the British Army was camped near Philadelphia, a party of soldiers invaded the farm of Major Rudolph at Darby, a little south of the city. Upon discovery of their seizure of the prize cow of the farm, claimed as the property of Major Rudolph's little daughter, Ann, the child implored the soldiers to give back her favorite cow. Her plea unheeded, little Ann jumped upon her pony and rode swiftly to the camp to see, personally, the Commander-in-chief of the British Army. She was held at the first outpost for questioning by the guard. Her insistence that she must see the general at once, together with her state of extreme excitement and determination, influenced the officer to let her pass, fearful lest she might have a message from some one of the Loyalists, knowing Gen. Washington with his regiments was in the neighborhood. Cornwallis was dining with several British officers when the announcement "A little girl with a message for the general" was made. "Let her come in at once," said the general and Miss Ann Rudolph entered. "Well my little girl, I am Gen. Cornwallis," said the gentleman kindly. "What have you to say to me?" "I want my cow," answered little Ann. This brought forth an uproar of laughter, but the child remained unperturbed. The general asked questions as to how she happened to come alone to a British camp; had she no father or brothers for such an errand? The child told Cornwallis frankly that her father was in Gen. Washington's army, but now a prisoner; her two brothers were Capt. Michael Rudolph, with Light-horse Harry Lee, and Capt. John Rudolph, with Gen. Gates. "Father and brothers all in the Continental army, then you must be a little rebel?" said Cornwallis. "Yes sir, if you please, I am a little rebel but I want my cow," said little Ann. "You shall have your cow and a souvenir of this interview," replied Cornwallis. Thereupon removing his brilliant knee buckles, he put them in the child's hand with the statement, "Cornwallis can appreciate courage and truth even in a little rebel." He then instructed an orderly to go with the child to find her cow and to detail a man to drive her home. 184