Now some, to prove she was a goddess! In all the pomp of war. That drums and merry fifes had play'd And Cunninghamt himself convey'd Great Wayne, by soft compassion sway'd, But takes the fair afflicted maid Received redress from Wayne, When drums and colours, cow and calf, All in a cloud of dust were seen And pack-horses with fowls came by, Sublime upon his stirrups rose And drove the terrour-smitten cows, But sudden see the woods above Pour down another corps, All helter skelter in a drove, Like that I sung before. Irving and terrour in the van, Came flying all abroad, And cannon, colours, horse, and man, Ran tumbling to the road. Still as he fled, 'twas Irving's cry, "Run on, my merry men all-for why?" The shot will not go thro'. As when two kennels in the street, In gushing streams together meet, So met these dung-born tribes in one, And so to Newbridge they ran on- Poor Parson Caldwell, all in wonder, And mourn'd to Wayne the lack of plunder, For 'twas his right to seize the spoil, and A cant appellation given among the soldiery to the corps that have the honour to guard his majesty's person. + Provost-Marshal of New York, who attended the drum ming of her out of the regiment and city. Five Refugees ('tis true) were found Stiff on the block-house floor, But then 'tis thought the shot went round, And in at the back-door. Earl of Stirling. In his dismay the frantic priest* You'd swore, to see his lab'ring breast, I view a future day, said he, And great achievements think on, This solemn prophecy, of course, His horse that carried all his prog, His corn-stalk whiskey for his grog, Blue stockings and brown breeches. Lest this same warrior-drover, Wayne, The gallant act of André's captors could not fail of calling forth a ballad: Then up stepp'd this young gentleman, John Paulding was his name; "Come, tell me where you're going to, also from whence you came." "I bear the British flag, sir; I've a pass to go this way; I'm on an expedition, and have no time to stay." Then up stepp'd those young gentlemen, and bid him to dismount; "Come tell us where you're going to, give us a strict account; For we are now resolved that you shall ne'er pass by." On strict examination, they found out he was a spy. Caldwell, a minister at Elizabethtown, appointed QuarterMaster-General to the rebel army. +Lafayette, a French coxcomb in the rebel service.-Note, London e 1., 1781. He begged for his liberty, he plead for his discharge, And oftentimes he told them, if they'd set him at large, "Here's all the gold and silver I have laid up in store, But when I get down to New York I'll give you ten times more." "I scorn your gold and silver, I've enough laid up in store, And when that is all spent and gone, I'll freely fight for more; So you may take your sword in hand and gain your liberty, And if that you do conquer me, O, then you shall go free." "The time it is improper our valour for to try, For if we take our swords in hand, then one of us must die; I am a man of honour, with courage brave and bold, I fear not the face of clay, although it's clothed in gold." He saw that his conspiracy would soon be brought to light; He begg'd for pen and paper, and asked leave to write A line to General Arnold, to let him know his fate, And begg'd for his assistance; but alas, it was too late. When the news it came to Arnold, it put him in a fret; He walk'd the room in trouble, till tears his cheeks did wet; The news it went throughout the camp, likewise throughout the fort; He called for the Vulture, and sailed for New York. Now Arnold to New York has gone, a fighting for his king, And left poor Major André, on the gallows for to swing; When he was executed, he look'd both meek and mild, He look'd on his spectators, and pleasantly did smile. It moved each eye with pity, caused every heart to bleed; And every one wish'd him released, and had Arnold in his stead. He was a man of honour, in Britain he was born; To die upon the gallows most highly he did scorn. Here's health unto John Paulding! so let your voices sound, Fill up your flowing glasses, and drink his health around; Also to those young gentlemen who bore him company; Success to North America, ye sons of liberty! The territory of the present state of Vermont was for some time a contested possession between New York and New Hampshire, the former colony claiming sixty townships, grants of which had been given by the latter. The occupants of the soil were inclined to set up for themselves, and, in 1777, declared their independence.__New York would not give up her claim, New Hampshire insisted on her demands, while the third neighbor, Massachusetts, asserted a right to two thirds of the territory in dispute. The spirit of the contest has been happily embodied in a ballad of a later date, published anonymously, but attributed to the poet Whittier. THE SONG OF THE VERMONTERS, 1779. Ho-all to the borders! Vermonters, come down, With your breeches of deer-skin, and jackets of brown; With your red woolen caps, and your moccasins, come, To the gathering summons of trumpet and drum. And, arming for battle, while canting of peace; Still seek to divide us, and parcel our lands;- Does the "old bay State" threaten? Does Congress complain? Swarms Hampshire in arms on our borders again! Bark the war-dogs of Britain aloud on the lake! Let 'em come;-what they can, they are welcome to take. What seek they among us? The pride of our wealth Is comfort, contentment, and labour and health, Our leaders themselves are our own fellow-men, Who can handle the sword, or the scythe, or the pen. Our wives are all true, and our daughters are fair, With their blue eyes of smiles, and their light flowing hair; All brisk at their wheels till the dark even-fall, Then blithe at the sleigh-ride, the husking, and ball! We've sheep on the hill sides; we've cows on the plain; And gay-tasseled corn-fields, and rank-growing grain; There are deer on the mountains; and wood-pigeons fly From the crack of our muskets, like clouds on the sky. And there's fish in our streamlets and rivers, which take Their course from the hills to our broad-bosomed lake; Through rock-arched Winooski the salmon leaps free, And the portly shad follows all fresh from the sea. Like a sun-beam the pickerel glides through his pool; And the spotted trout sleeps where the water is cool; * Hon. Meshech Weare, Governor of New Hampshire. Governor Clinton of New York, and Hon. A. Ten Broek, President of the New York Convention. Or darts from his shelter of rock and of root At the beaver's quick plunge, or the angler's pursuit. And ours are the mountains, which awfully rise And ours are the forests unwasted, unshorn, Than the sweet summer zephyr, which breathes over slaves. Hurra for VERMONT! for the land which we till Must have sons to defend her from valley and hill; Leave the harvest to rot on the field where it grows, And the reaping of wheat for the reaping of foes. From far Michiscoui's wild valley, to where Poosoomsuck steals down from his wood-circled lair, From Shoeticook river to Lutterlock town,- If ye rule o'er our land, ye shall rule o'er our graves; Our vow is recorded-our banner unfurled; In Rivington's Royal Gazette of March 24, 1781, we find the following advertisement : This day are published, price six shillings, neatly printed, Cow CHACE. Complete in three cantos. Published on occasion of the Rebel General Wayne's attack on the Refugees' Block House, on Friday, July 21, 1780. With the AMERICAN TIMES. In which are delineated the Characters of the Leaders of the American Rebellion. Amongst the principal are, Franklin, Laurens, Adams, Hancock, Jay, Duer, Duane, Wilson, Pulaski, Witherspoon, Reed, MeKean, Washington, Roberdeau, Chace, &c. &c. &c. Also, Yankee Doodle's Expedition to Rhode Island; and a Lampoon, or the Bloodless Encounter between the Generals Howe and James Gadsden. We are enabled to furnish our readers with a specimen of the leading poem in this collection, from the copy in the valuable American Library of Col. Peter Force of Washington. It appears, from the following earlier and fuller announcement of the title, to have been published in England, and may have been written in that country. "On Saturday morning next will be published, price 2s., The American Times, a Satire in three parts. In which are delineated the characters of the leaders of the American Rebellion. Amongst the principal are, Franklin, &c. (as already given). By Camillo Querno, Poet Laureate to the Congress. Facit indignatio versum-JUVENAL. Printed for the author, and sold by William Richardson, opposite Salisbury street, in the Strand, 1780." We extract the "characters" of Robert and Gouverneur Morris. The advertisement forms part of the Upcott Cuttings. No indication is given of the title of the paper from which it is taken. What spectre's that with eyes on earth intent, And conscience goad thee with her thousand stings. A pompous nothing, mingles in debates; The spirited resumé of many of the events of the war, entitled American Taxation, was written by Samuel St. John, who was born and died in New Canaan, Conn. He was on one occasion, in 1781, carried off with others from Middlesex (now Darien) across the Sound to Oyster Bay, and thence to the Provost, New York. They were imprisoned eighteen days and then exchanged. St. John wrote an account of the affair in verse, from which we extract a passage. In boats the ferry soon we passed, I guess, as e'er the devil knew. To the Provost we then were hauled, AMERICAN TAXATION. While I relate my story, Americans give ear; The cruel lords of Britain, who glory in their shame, The project they have lit on they joyfully proclaim; "Tis what they're striving after, our rights to take away, And rob us of our charter in North America. There are two mighty speakers, who rule in Parliament, Who always have been seeking some mischief to invent, 'Twas North, and Bute, his father, this horrid plan did lay, A mighty tax to gather in North America. He search❜d the gloomy regions of the infernal pit, To find among those legio.s one who excell'd in wit, To ask of him assistance, or tell them how they may Subdue without resistance this North America. Old Satan, the arch traitor, resolved a voyage to take, Who rules sole navigator on the burning lake; He takes his seat in Britain, it was his soul's intent, Great George's throne to sit on, and rule the Parliament, His comrades were pursuing a diabolic way, He tried the art of magic to bring his schemes about, At length the gloomy project he artfully found out; The plan was long indulged in a clandestine way, But lately was divulged in North America. These subtle arch-combiners address'd the British court, All three were undersigners of this obscene report There is a pleasant landscape that lieth far away, There is a wealthy people, who sojourn in that land; Their churches all with steeples, most delicately stand; Their houses, like the gilly, are painted red and gay; They flourish like the lily in North America. Their land with milk and honey continually doth flow, The want of food or money they seldom ever know: They heap up golden treasure, they have no debts to pay, They spend their time in pleasure in North America. On turkeys, fowls, and fishes most frequently they dine, With gold and silver dishes, their tables always shine, They crown their feasts with butter, they eat and rise to play, In silks their ladies flutter in North America. With gold and silver laces, they do themselves adorn, The rubies deck their faces, refuigent as the morn! Wine sparkles in their glasses, they spend each happy day In merriment and dances, in North America. Let not our suit affront you, when we address your throne, O king, this wealthy country and subjects are your own, And you their rightful sovereign, they truly must obey, You have a right to govern this North America. O king, you've heard the sequel of what we now subscribe, Is it not just and equal to tax this wealthy tribe? The question being asked, his majesty did say, My subjects shall be taxed in North America. Invested with a warrant, my publicans shall go, The tenth of all their current they surely shall bestow, If they indulge rebellion, or from my precepts stray, I'll send my war battalion to North America. I'll rally all my forces by water and by land, My light dragoons and horses shall go at my command, I'll burn both town and city, with smoke becloud the day, I'll show no human pity for North America. Go on, my hearty soldiers, you need not fear of ill— There's Hutchinson and Rogers, their functions will fulfil They tell such ample stories, believe them sure we may, That one half of them are tories in North America. My gallant ships are ready to hoist you o'er the flood, And in my cause be steady, which is supremely good; Go ravage, steal, and plunder, and you shall have the prey; They quickly will knock under in North America O George! you are distracted, by sad experience find The laws you have enacted are of the blackest kind. I'll make a short digression, and tell you by the At Plymouth shore they landed, the twenty-first of June; The savages were nettled, with fear they fled away, And peaceably they settled in North America. We are their bold descendants, for liberty we'll fight, The claim to independence we challenge as our right, "Tis what kind heaven gave us, who can take away! Kind heaven, too, will save us in North America. We never will knock under, O George, we do not fear The rattling of your thunder, nor lightning of your spear: Though rebels you declare us, we're strangers to dismay; Therefore you can't scare us in North America. To what you have commanded, we never will consent; Although your troops are landed upon the continent; We'll take our swords and muskets, and march in bright array, And drive the British rustics from North America. We have a bold commander who fears not sword nor gun, The second Alexander, his name is Washington, A gallant train of footmen, who'd rather die than yield; A stately troop of horses train'd in a martial way, Proud George, you are engaged all in a dirty cause, Our riches you intended should pay the mighty score, Who now will stand your sponsor, your charges to defray, For sure you cannot conquer this North America? I'll tell you, George, in metre, if you attend awhile, We forced your Sir Peter from Sullivan's fair isle; At Monmouth too we gained the honours of the day The victory we obtained for North America. Surely we were your betters, hard by the Brandywine; We laid him fast in fetters, whose name was John Burgoyne, We made your Howe to tremble with terror and dismay, True heroes we resemble in North America. Confusion to the tories, that black infernal name, We'll send each foul revolter to smutty Africa, A health to our brave footmen, who handle sword and gun, To Greene, Gates, and Putnam, and conquering Washington; Their names be wrote in letters which never shall decay While sun and moon doth glitter in North America. Success unto our allies in Holland, France, and Spain, Who man their ships and gallies, our freedom to maintain, May they subdue the rangers of proud Britannia, And drive them from their anchor in North America. Success unto the Congress of these United States, Who glory in the conquest of Washington and Gates; To all, both land and seamen, who glory in the day, When we shall all be freemen in North America. Success to the legislation that rules with gentle hand, To trade and navigation, by water and by land; May all with one opinion our wholesome laws obey, Throughout this vast dominion of North America. YANKEE DOODLE. The tune of Yankee Doodle is said to have been composed by a Dr. Shackburg, attached to the British Army, in 1755, when the troops of the northern colonies marched into Albany, preparatory to the attack on the French posts of Niagara and Frontenac. The habiliments of these recruits presented a strange contrast to the orderly appointments of the English soldiery, and the music to which they marched was as antiquated and outré as their uniforms. Shackburg, who possessed some musical knowledge, composed a tune for the new-comers, which he told them was one of the most celebrated of those in use by the army. To the great amusement of the British, the provincials accepted the gift, and "Yankee Doodle " became very popular among them. The tune was not original with Shackburg, as it has been traced back to the time of Charles I., in England. In the reign of his son we find it an accompaniment to a little song on a famous lady of easy virtue of that date, which has been perpetuated as a nursery rhyme Lucy Locket lost her pocket, But the binding round it. A little later we have the first appearance of that redoubtable personage Yankee Doodle. He seems even at that early stage of his career to have shown his characteristic trait of making the most of himself Yankee Doodle came to town, It is not impossible, however, that Yankee Doodle may be from Holland. A song in use among the laborers, who in the time of harvest migrate from Germany to the Low Countries, where they receive for their work as much buttermilk as they can drink and a tenth of the grain secured by their exertions, has this burden Yanker didel, doodel down That is, buttermilk and a tenth. This song our informant has heard repeated by a native of that country, who had often listened to it at harvest time in his youth. The precise date when Father and I went down to campcannot, we fear, be fixed with accuracy; but from internal evidence may be assumed to have been in 1775. Our copy of the words is from a broadside in a collection of "Songs, Ballads, &c., purchased from a ballad printer and seller in Boston in 1813," made by Isaiah Thomas. The variations and additional stanzas in the notes are from a version given in Farmer and Moore's Historic..l Collections of New Hampshire, iii. 157. THE YANKEE'S RETURN FROM CAMP. Father and I went down to camp, Along with Captain Gooding, And there we see the men and boys, As thick as hasty pudding. |