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I \ ^-i.-' % ^, L^-') I h- m: f*.. eo-wi'*^iiiii^*'i iiCii ;i!: ."":«iiiiii;i;iiiii«''» # ly"'.!!-'"''*:' A GALLOP AMONG * I f v. i* AMERICAN SCENERY; OR, SKETCHES OF American Scenes and Military Adventure BY AUGUSTUS E. SILLIMAN. A. S NEW YORK: . BARNES & CO.. _m_& "3 William Street. 1881. /a^/yx TO HENJAMIN D. SILLIMAN THIS LITTLE VOLUME IS AFFECTIONATELY INSCRIBED, BY HIS BROTHER 1 CONTENTS. Banks of the Potomac, The Country Pastor, .... Mount Vfrnon The Medical Student, . . • • The Resurrectionists, Old Kennedy, the Quartermaster, I, Old Kennedy, the Quartermaster, II, Old Kennedy, the Quartermaster, III, Old Kennedy, the Quartermaster, IV, The Partisan Legion, . . • • Hudson River, Night Attack on Fort Erie, Battle of Lunoy's Lane, Lake George and Ticonderoga, . Montreal, The Nun, ....■• Cataracts of Niagara, Mount Holyoke, . . ■ • • White Mountains, .... Bass Fishing off Newport, . Brenton's Reef, . • • • Old Trinity Steeple, . . . . PAOE. I 7 12 22 34 44 51 56 64 73 99 104 112 122 130 134 137 143 147 161 168 (— VI CONTENTS Old SciPio, The Pequot, Captain Kidd, Spiritiana : No. I. — Hydrachos No. II.— Winter, A Peep Over the Blue Ridge, . . . • The Dead Man's Sermon, A Trip Through Long Island Sound : No. I.— Hell Gate, No. II.— Burning of Fairfield and Danbury, No. III.— Night Alarm No. IV.— "The Boys," . . . ■ No. V. — The Unfortunate Lover, j^Q VI.— Adventure on the Mississippi, . j^Q VII. — New London and Stonington, The Blind Officer, Greenwood Cemetery, . • • • Appendix, . . • I' At IK. i8i 187 191 .98 216 220 349 355 261 265 271 273 279 283 293 305 1 I ■J i8i 187 191 198 216 220 349 ass 361 365 271 273 279 283 293 305 J* -1 'k PREFACE. HE /(irgtr part of this volwe {noxv long out of print) xvas published many years since. The various sketches of which it is composed were tvritten for recreation, amid the cares of business ; reviving, as they did, recollections of attractive scenery and passages of military and naval history, the latter made specially interesting to the tvritcr by oral narratives of persons themselves engaged in them. When the booh was written, we had little of military history except that of the Revolution, and the events of ''the War of 1812" ivere cherished tvith deep regard by the public; but since then, the smoke and carnage of the Mexican War, and the gigantic horrors of the conflict ivith the South, have thrown them almost entirely in the shade. It is hardly necessary to say that most of the dramatis personce ivhich figure in these sketches are ideals, improvised for the purpose of telling their various stories, nor that in a zuork so tinged by the imagination a degree of poetic license is taken to give continuity to the narration. To occupy some idle hours, the writer has prepared this edition; adding to it a number of chapters not contained in the first. June, 1881. BANKS OF THE POTOMAC. UMBER State Street.''^ Storm without. Apartment, strewed with sundry bachelor appur- tenances, frojtting on the Battery; a gentleman in dressing-gown and slippers, measuring the room with hasty strides, exclaims iinpatiently : Northeast, by the flags of the shipping in the bay ! Northeast, by the chill rain dashing on the window paries ! Northeast, by the weather-cocks on all the steeples, from St. Paul's to the dog- vane on the stable end! Northeast, by the ache of every bone in my body ! Eheu ! What's to be done ? No going abroad in this torrent. I've read all the landlady's little library. How shall I kill the enemy f I'll whistle ; vulgar. Sing; I can't. There are the foils and the gloves. Pshaw I I have no friend to pom- mel or pink ; besides, the old lady in the room below has 7ierves. Whew! how it pours! I' II— I' II— stand and look out into the street. Jupiter ! how near the bread-cart came to going over the chimney-sweep. Poor Sooty— how he grtns ! He owes the worm, no silk, whatever obligations his rags may be under to the sheep. Poor fellow! Halloa! ho! blackey ; catch this quarter, and get you a hot breakfast. There goes that confoimded battery gate again! bang! bang! night and day. Alas ! me miserable. What shall I do ? The spirit of ennui rides me as thoroughly as did the " old man of the sea," Sinbadthe *0n this street, at chat time, were the residences of the ilite of the city. I 1 BANKS OF THE POTOMAC old lady's -''-"''"^■JZT^><.m^ The tin spout is choked, Z:LC:::iseaLpen,.el.sin,^^^^^^^^ Hu,n-what shall! do f ^*^^^^__ ^^^„„,„ ,f „y last down and give my friend « ""tonethhisehairnp to t,te ta^U -'^^^-^ttw .„ the fender, and proceeds ,o nib his pen) Now for U iWrites). ^ ______——, the argu- You well recollect, my dear Tit d tr^d"C you to make a short journey ments 1 usea, lu i"vj« j „^„r an!;wer: slave; ""ere, the. ^erv ^^^^.^^^ .^^^^^^^^ ^^^.^ veoman, and the grim cannuu u thp sword Mattered wheels; the "ayonet and prumng-hook. ^h sw rd and the ploughshare, rest without a name You well reco> ect th.t'l reproached you. the rather, w.th too ^ - '- ,or the green fields and .'-t e|™s -u"d ^^ u -c cot irxuiri^tV::^-!::: seethe -a I I sseth his legs y it {Writes). , the argu- ort journey our answer: ill recollect :, alone ; that IS but a flash ; tocity to that ig foot-print : the monarch chain of the a wain of the nterlock their »ok, the sword ou well recol- :oo great love Dur rustic cot- ed in the doc- e thy immortal BANKS OF THE POTOMAC 3 part transferred, on its exit from its present habitation, to one of those huge trees towering into the blue ether; that there, in the sunny mornings of summer, for sonnets which do en- liven thy library, I should hear the joyous call of the robin, the shrill whistle of the scarlet oriole ; for sparkling wit, the dew of night glittering on thy leaves in the early sunbeams ; for wise old saws and dreamy legends, venerable moss gath- ering upon thy trunk and branches ; while, alike in the even- ing wind or howling blast, thou shouldest stand firm against casuistry or dictation. "Wilt go?" "Wilt join me? "- with soft persuasion murmured I. ''My business" quoth thou. " Presto," quoth I ; and without more ado started in my usual heels-over-head fashion alone on my journey. I swept over the broad breast of the Delaware ; dashed down the enemy-insulted Chesapeake; bounded through the city of riots and beauty, and came down on my feet at the cottage of my whole-souled friend, Tom B , on the banks of the Potomac. The afternoon of my arrival was warm and still, and everything in nature, even the birds, seemed wrapped in indolent repose. Slowly sauntering through the long vistas of sycamores and elms which adorn- ed the grounds in picturesque avenues, the airy East Indian cottage of my friend suddenly broke upon my sight, peer- ing from a whole load of flowering vines and sweet-briers, tall white lilies and moss roses, from thick beds of myrtle at their feet, climbing into the half-open lattices, while two tow- ering pines almost crossed their extended branches above its lowly roof. I stole quietly through the open door, examin. ing the choice Italian landscapes hanging upon the walls of the airy grass-matted hall ; slid through the drawing-rooms, stopping for a moment to scan the crouching Venus and dy- BANKS OP THE POTOMAC riadiator on their pedestals, to admire the exquisite Z^i^cl Dolc^ the lovely Claude, the Cenc. and E, beneath their silken tassels ; and, -"-^ ^^ X^fj. 1 4-v,o Vino-p old Newfoundlander, oer- luxurious repose, lay the huge ^^^ f^'^^^^ nard," and his favorite pointer, " Soho. The mild breeze bore in the sweet perfume o^ the ^on.> ^^^^of fltCTd e^ 1:7 ora%e trees, released iZ hi Xt •; conhnement, displayed their golden fru., from their w ^ tempting profusion. I heave of the broad chest, and the masses ot rave pavTng around the white forehead of the sleeper, as they wer slowly lifted by the play of the passing wmd hou^h it ire a sin to disturb him, so, drawmg ou my ci- gar case, fetched myself on the settee at his side, com- BANKS OF THE POTOMAC exquisite :enci, and upon the rass ham- 2sta. His ket, huge 3 corner of leir plump inipe, with IS the back t, beneath egs in like ider, " Ber- the honey- i Potomac, )y the occa- ier of some rface. The d with box, ;mbroidered ;es, released golden fruit, )rofusion. I )uld not but le measured raven locks ;per, as they ng wind. 1 [ig out my ci- lis side, com- placently reclining my head upon its arm. Whiles watching the blue smoke of my " cigar," as it slowly wreathed and floated above my head, whiles watching the still dreamy flow of the river, and whiles— if I must confess it— cogitat- ing which had been the wisest, myself the bachelor or Tom the married man, Tom, myself, the dogs, forming a toler- ably correct picture of still life, a still life that remained un- broken for some half hour, when through the glass doors of the drawing-room a beautiful boy of three or four years came galloping into the piazza, and bounding towards the dogs threw himself full length upon the shaggy Newfound- lander, manfully striving to pull open his huge jaws with his little hands. The Newfoundlander, opening his eyes, saw me, and raising himself on his legs gave a low growl, while the child, relinquishing his hold upon the ears to which he had clung as the dog arose to his feet, came slowly up to me, and placing his plump little hands upon my knee, looked curiously and inquiringly into my face, his golden locks falling in a profusion of ringlets down his su- perb sunburnt shoulders. I was charmed with the confi- dence, and innocence, and sweetness beaming from his gaze, and took him upon my knee, his hand playing with my watch-guard, while his beautiful blue eyes remained fixed in the same look of curious inquiry on mine. I said it was a pi(j -re of still life. Tom, aroused by the dog, slowly lifted his head over the edge of the hammock, rubbed his eyes as if uncertain whether he were in a dream, as I calmly and silently returned his astonished gaze, and then, with a single swing, was at my side, both of my hands clasped in his. The next moment, I fancy, the picture was other than still life. r^ I ! g BANKS OF THE POTOMAC Why Should I tell you of the tea-table, loaded with del- icacies in the matted hall, as the soft evening sunset poured its last rays through if. of the symmetrical ^^^l^ f^^^ snowy whiteness; the Grecian features; the dark. Andalu- sian eyes, beaming with kindness from behind the ghtter.ng silver at its head? Why. that the youngster, fed by he handkerchief in the high chair at his mother's side pertm- aciously kicked his tiny red shoes about him m frohc glee while my little knight of the golden locks d.d the duty of the trencher at his father's elbow ? Why, that as the shades of evening faded into twilight, the young gentry were snugly ensconced in their little bed, the mother's soft cheek pressed against the forehead of the eldest as he lisped his evenmg prayer ? And why . as soon-" like twin roses on one stalk - as they were wrapped in innocent slumber, we sat m the fading twilight, talking over old scenes and boyish recollec- tions, retracing our steps back to those days which, softened by the lapse of time, appear divested of everyth.ng save brightness and sunshine ? Why , but to tell you that we we.e aroused from those retrospections by the sound of the church-going bell, musically chiming in the distance. THE COUNTRY PASTOR. THE slow toUing-now almost dying away, and now striking more strongly upon the ear-arose from tlie church in the neighboring v.Uage, where my friends were in the habit of worshipping, and where they were to have the opportunity on that evening of hearingthevo.ee of their time-honored pastor-an opportunity wh.ch h.s great age and increasing infirmities had made equally rare and valuable. I gladly accepted the invitation to join them as aside from a desire to see the aged man, of whom I had so' often heard, if there is a time for devotion more conso- nant to my feelings than another, it is when the quietness and serenity of a summer's evening dispel all external impres- sions, and everything appears in unison with harmony and benevolence. , ^^ « As we walked the short half mile between the cottage and the church, the stars shone in beauty amid the still rosy tints of the west ; the night-hawk stooped towards us as he wheeled in his airy circles ; the whip-poor-will in the adjom- ing meadows sounded his mournful note, and the crickets with the chirping frogs in the neighboring ponds, sustained a ceaseless chorus. Arrived at the churchyard, we picked our way among the old brown tombstones, their quaint de- vices contrasted here and there with others of more mod- ern pretensions in white marble, and entering the church took our seats in silence. We were early ; but, as the g THE COUNTRY PASTOR church gradually filled, it was interesting to watch group after group, as it noiselessly measured the a.sles, and sunk nu etly upon the cushioned seats. Now and then a pa.r of bright eyes would glance curiously around from beneath a gay bonnet, and astray tress be thrown hastily as.de, but Ls! those clad in the habiliments of woe, too, too often moved phantom-like, to their places; the lights, as they r V ; momentary glare on their pale and care worn faces Iking more dark the badges which affection as assum as a tame index of inward grief. The slow toll of the b^ ceased; the silence became more d^^?^/" ""^ cough, the rustling of a dress, the turn of a leaf, alone ''^I^C:^^^ - gently and sweetly, and Si THE COUNTRY PASTOR 9 the voluntary floated softly and mist-like over the assembly, rising, falling and undulating, with like dreamy harmony, as if the ^olian harp were answering, with the passmg airs playing among its strings, the ocean laving his pebbly shores, till, gradually rising and increasing in depth, it grandly and solemnly ascended upwards, thrown back, re- ^ verberated from the walls of the circular dome above us, in deep and distant thunders. All became again silent. The venerable form of a man of four-score years, his hair bleached with the sorrows of eighty winters, rose slowly in the pulpit; and as, with eye. closed, yet lifted to Heaven, he feebly supported himself with outstretched arms upon its cushion, we heard, almost in a whisper : " Let us pray, my brethren," fall tremulously from his lips. Nought but the perfect stillness enabled us at first to hear the sentences, pronounced with evident and painful effort; but, as he advanced in prayer, that almost whisper became firm and distinct, and his pallid cheek lighted up with a hectic flush, as he waxed eloquent in the presence of his IM^aker His* venerable features appeared to glow almost with inspiration, and the hearts of the mourners beat more calmly, as they felt themselves carried into the Divine presence. More thoughtless than the swallow that skims the summer skies must he have been, who could have heard that prayer, and not have joined with reverence in its solemnity. His closing words still ring upon my ear, and long w'" remain stamped upon my memory. -My children: your fathers, and your fathers' fathers, have listened to my voice. Generations have passed by me to their long account, and still I have been left, and still my THE COUNTRY PASTOR voice hath arisen fron, this holy place Woe! woe is me if ^y Master hath looiced upon me as a siack -^ unwo hy servant to his people. But a few short days, and th tern bling voice, that still strives to teach h.s blessed will, shall be hushed, his tottering form be laid beneath the mould .om whence it came •, but. with the last tones o th.s qu.v ering voice, the last grasp of these trembUng hands, 1 ex te"d to you this sacred volume, as your guide to happmess in this, your surest light into the world to come. "The sneers of human reason and vain philosophy will de- sert you assuredly, my children, as you stand upon the edge of that awful precipice, where each of you al.ne must take the fated plunge into the deep darkness of the future; but this shall make clear your passage as brightest noon-day. My children .-I look back upon you as I speak; my hand is Tnthe door-latch; my foot upon the threshold-oh! when your short days, like mine, are numbered, may you, with the same reliance in his mercy, say Amen ! ' , As the service ended, it was good to see the k.nd-hear ed feeling with which the congregation gathered around the venerable man, for he was pure, and sincere, and true , and of a verity, as he said, his voice had ansen among them above the infant's wail, at the baptismal font; had jomed them with cheerfulness at the marriage feast ; and st.U been heard in solemn sympathy at the side of the dark and s.len erave. It was the last time that he addressed them. Not many days, andanothervoicepronouncedthebunalserv.ee 71 dead in that green churchyard, and the form of the good old man was covered from their s,ght beneath .•|4-e cod . ' , ^_.„...d to our rntla^e home, the crescent moon THE CO UN TRY PAS TOR II voe is me, unworthy this trem- will, shall the mould this quiv- lands, 1 ex- I happiness was streaming in silvery brightness, the constellations and galaxy resplendent with " living fires," and the far, far worlds, rolling in immeasurable distance, as twinkling stars, trembled upon our human vision. The dews of night were moist upon the grass, as we remeasured the lawn that led to the cottage, where, after planning our visit for the following morning to Mount Vernon, we soon were wrapped in con- tented and grateful repose. )hy will de- Dn the edge must take [uture; but t noon-day. my hand is —oh! when ou, with the dnd-hearted around the id true ; and imong them ; had joined md still been rk and silent . them. Not burial service form of the Lght beneath rescent moon ,111 MOUNT VERNON. i 1 i THE sun raised himself in a huge globe ol fire above the eastern horizon, as my friend's spirited bays stood saddled at the door of the cottage, pawing, champing the bit, and playfully endeavoring to bite the black boy who held them. Fmishing an early breakfast, we were soon m our saddles and full gallop on our journey ; the dogs m an ecstacy of delight, bounding along at our sides, overhaulmg and putting in bodily terror every unfortunate cur that came in their way, as they sportively tumbled him over old Ber^ nard, with glistening eyes and wagging tad bestnd.ng m grim fun the prostrate form of the enemy. We passed rap- fdly through the rough-paved streets of Alexandna, watch- ing eagerly for its famed '■"'.•!- at th< r casements and clearing the town were soon on the rustic road that leads to the sacred place of America. The meadows were glistening in the mornmg dew ; the sweet perfume of the clover filled the air; the white da.sy and delicate cowslip danced over their luxuriant grassy beds^ as the fresh morning breeze fanned them in its passage ; and amid the seaof melody, high above the merry goss.p of the bob-link, the chattering volubility of the mockmg-b.rd, h,s yellow-spotted breast swelling with delight h.s keen eye gazing into the distance, the saucy "you.an t-see-nte of the Ladow lark sounded in merry challenge; wh.le the clear "whistle" of the quaii from the gol^vn v...^ai MOUNT VERNON n fire above bays stood , champing :k boy who 3re soon in dogs in an )verhauling ir that came er, old Ber- estriding in i passed rap- idria, watch- lements, and I that leads ig dew; the white daisy ; grassy beds, passage; and yossip of the king-bird, his tiis keen eye ee-nte" of the lile the clear leat'field was echoed'by his eager companion far down in the green vales, as they stretched softly and gently into the distance, in the long shadows of the early morning. Oh ! let him that would scan the benevolence of the Creator, leave his restless bed in the sweltering city, and walk forth with the day in its youth; for verily, like man, it hath its youth, its manhood MOUNT VERNON. and its old age, and the sweetness of morning is the youth of the day. The hedges on the road-side were covered with a tangled mass of verdure, from which wild vines and green ivy crept to the surrounding trees, wreathing gracefully their trunks and branches; the undergrowth loaded with wild roses and honey -suckles. The graceful fleur-de-lis, curving its blue 1 I 1 i MOUNT VERNON LTar:rSri ^n the^adcs wH,e now and Fat ^^"^^ 5 , t^ their pastures, the horses, with tails fhpn as we cantereu u^ i."*^* v .,, :„ into the broad fieMs nth y ^^^ hearty, happy- thing ^^«"«^^ 7;„^;' „/ ^ong to their agricultural labors, looking negroes, trudging a g corning," as -^ "'CuS uin^'oTsratairMount Vernon, rnrZr o. -ergrowth -. other res^..^as .Ud and untamed as ^^;;2'rSSZo.l the deep placed foot in them. Silence re^ ^^ ^'^nTdtr^or.^ : tSathirpo. the s,nir ::."iryi:rrd-dtru„.^^^^^ -t with nothing to |;;-ePt °- P™^^^^^^^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^„ ^^^ 'TaVrwitr on r,udicrous, hall-drunken gravity, -:;:he air as il ^^"^'^'^ ^^^^ rt:ir::ergrrr-^ '4 M I I MOUNT VERNON 15 I pond-lily, . fragrance, y bottoms, lie now and s, with tails ^, till, arriv- would look ;allop down )m. Every- arty, happy- Itural labors, morning," as te teeth and irs, to mount, A ride of ount Vernon, jr respects as ige had ever igh the deep lorses as the> , of the squir- ck rap-rap of back glanced eyesight. We Now and then, le mast in the , stupidly star- unken gravity, our progress: lort about, and i in the air, gal- lop off with desperate precipitation into the depths of the forest. Journeying a mile or two farther, we came upon the porter's lodges at the entrance of the domain proper, which were old and ruinous. Proceeding still farther, over a very bad and rough carriage-road, we came suddenly in view of the Potomac; and Mount Vernon, with its mansion- house and smooth, green lawn, lay extended before us, Fort Washington's battlements and cannon-filled embrasures in stern silence guarding it from the opposite side of the river. Fastening our horses, under the guidance of a grey-head- ed old negro, born in the family of General Washington, we entered the ^.awn and came upon the rear-front, if the term may be allowed, of an old-fashioned manuon, surmounted by a cupola and weather-cock, semi-circular piazzas extend- ing around from each end, connecting it with the kitchen and servants' apartments. Various buildings, all bearing the impress of time, were scattered about, evidently in archi- tectural order and plan, and the two large gardens, rendered interesting by the flowers and plants still bloommg in the , beds where they had been placed by the hands of th^ Gen- eral, extended back to the forest from which we had just emerged. As we stood for a moment looking at the old building, we almost expected to see the yellow travelling carriage of his "Excellency," with its four beautiful bays and liveried out-riders, draw up at the great hall door in its cen- tre. Having sent in our address, we received permission to enter and burvey the interior. We were struck with its ex- treme simplicity, the lownes3 of the walls and ceilings, and the bare floors, which were waxed— not, as with us, carpet- ed. The sides of the rooms were composed exclusively of wooden panels, upon which hung some old oil paintings. |l'!l MOUNT VERNON the corners. ^ moment, as we passed r»,ir nttention was arresteu lui ci, » enclosed in a glass case It was he k y^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^^ -^^TC^^^^^^ convene of generous. >" ° f ^fj^ji,,,, J3hip of rats and spiders, dungeons ^^ere, from ^^^^^^^ ^^ ^^^ p^^^ ^"^'""^ItlT g'f -^ oop-hole in its lofty towers. • rs::a thetrtep o. the casualpassengerupon the cause- "'!. Masses de Latude, tmy-t.o years V^^^^ '^'"'l^^l ,-,. iLlores good Christians to intercede for him, that he :':;'ie Tor'e embrace his poor old father and mother, . One siae oi t & marble, presented by with a sculptured man^«>n I' - - ^ ^ J^ ^^_^^^^^^^^ Lafayette ; the other wa^ cov ^^ ^^^^^.^ ^^^^^ books, while from the third, its g aside, was suspended a portrait of the then family, y • Cut out from a common China pitcher. MOUNT VERNON 17 :he Dutch, ^ which is ;on. Curi- ae mantels, stately dis- beaufets in 5 we passed key of iron 3astile, that oppression, )f their day :ourtier, the :e, letters de dent and the congerie of and spiders, I of the poor lofty towers, on the cause- er in the Bas- r him, that he and mother, if s ornamented presented by ses containing curtain drawn mily. by Chap- ler. man. The figures of the portrait, as large as life, presented a lady of middle age, clad in mourning, surrounded by a group of children advancing into youth. It was well exe- cuted, and in the dignified and saddened serenity, in the simple and natural grouping, and the pure and unaffected expression of the countenances, an American in any part of the world would have at once recognized a family group of the more intellectual and refined of his own country. As we walked through the various rooms, from which the fam- ily had withdrawn, we were so overcome with the illusion — the work-basket with its scissors and thread, the half-opened book lying upon the table, the large Bible prominently, not ostentatiously, in its place, the portraits on the walls, the busts on their pedestals, all causing such a vivid impression of present life and being — that we almost expected to see the towering form of the General entering the doorway, or passing over the green lawn spread between us and that Potomac which he had so often viewed from the same win- dows. We were at first disappointed at not seeing in some conspicuous place his sword, but our disappointment van- ished as we were referred to and read this clause in his last testament : *•' To each of my four nephews I bequeath one of the swords of which I may die possessed. These swords are accompanied with the injunction not to unsheath them for the purpose of shedding blood, except it be for self-defence, or in defence of their country and its rights ; and, in the latter case, to keep them unsheathed, and prefer falling with them in their hands to the relinquishment thereof." Passing through the great hall, ornamented with pictures of English hunting scenes, we ascended the oaken stair- iti ' i mww MOUNT VERNON I^ u i.tctride- we stood at case,wHh Hs carved and ^^^^^^^ ^ the bed the door-we P-^^^^J^J^^'nothing in the lofty dran>a where he died were before us^ ^^ ^^^^ ^„^, 3,,„e. of his existence surpassed^>-g exposure, in overseemg The cold which he had taken ^^^.^^^^^^^ ^^^j,„ do- some part of h>s g™"'; ;f ; ,,a, advanced in the course „esticren,ed>es *''' J!';^ ,'P^,a„i form of the d.sease of of two short days mto that lr>g ^^^^^^^^ ,^^ ,.„ ^o take the throat, laryng.t.s Itbeca ^_^.^_^^^^ .„^^^„ay to his bed. His ^.^'"f '7" best medical skill of the sur. summoned, and, ass,stedb^thebe^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^.^ ^^^ , rounding country, -^aus ed al ^^.^^^^^ ^^,„„ d, without affording h,m reUe • ^^^^^.^^ ^^^^^.^d •, thoughingreatd>stress tothe V ^^^^^.^^ ^p„„ but i? became evident, from the deep g^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ the countenances of the -ed'^^^l the disease had fast- was hopeless ; advancmg '- J^/^ ^ooUing with perfect led itself with 'i-'ily «;': X ,.ound him, he said: calmness upon the sobb-g g -up ^ ^^ .^.^^^^^ ^^^^ .. Grieve not, my friends t ^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^^ p„d. fi„t , the debt which we all ° ^rs. Washington I ,„ resigned to the event. -^'^ I,,, directed one to to bring him two -^^^l^^L, hands, as his last testa- be burnt, and placed the «;^- ^ ^^^„,,ions to Mr. Lear, h.s „ent, and then gave ^°""= f ;';';^djustment of his business secretary and relat.ve, as to the a , ^.^^^^^^^^^ ^^, ^,, affairs. He soon ^'^-J'^^Jl more frequent and violent, i„ the paroxysms wh.ch b cam ^^^,^^^^ ^.^ ^^ ^„^„_ ,e, Mr. Lear, who was by ^ ^^ j^^^d, " I fear 1 g>ve you with kindness, but ^^^^^^^^^ ,, , duty that we all owe, great trouble, sir ;-but pe v MOUNT VERNON 19 one to another. I trust— that you may receive the same attention — when you shall require it." As the night waned, the fatal symptoms became more im- minent, his breath more labored and suffocating, and his voice soon after failed him. Perceiving his end approach- ing, he straightened himself to his full length, folded his own hands in the necessary attitude upon his chest, placing his finger upon the pulse of the left wrist, and thus calmly prepared, and watching his own dissolution, awaited the summons of his Maker. The last faint hopes of his friends had disappeared. Mrs. Washington, stupefied with grief, sat at the foot of the bed, her eyes fixed steadfastly upon him ; Dr. Craik, in deep gloom, stood with his face buried in his hands at the fire ; his faithful black servant, Christo- pher, the tears, uncontrolled, trickling down his face, on one side, took the last look of his dying master ; while Mr. Lear, in speechless grief, with folded hands, bent over his pillow on the other. Nought broke the stillness of his last moments but the suppressed sobs of the affectionate servants collected on the stair-case, the tick of the large clock in the hall, as it meas- ured off, with painful distinctness, the last fleeting moments of his existence, and the low moan of the winter wind, as it [swept through the leafless, snow-covered trees. The labor- ling and wearied spirit drew nearer and nearer to its goal ; [the blood languidly coursed slower and more slowly through its channels — the noble heart stopped — struggled — ^stopped — fluttered — the right hand slowly slid from the wrist upon which its finger had been placed — it fell at the side — and the manly effigy of Washington was all that remained, extended upon the death-couch. MOUNT VERNON '° ., those who leave a Sick room; a sup- We left that room as those ^ ^ ^^^^ ^, ,„,t,„c. pressed whisper alone escap d us, ^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ Le silence and awe, »« J* ^;^f,;,,,„ded the antique sta>r- its place behind us. W« »f " J^ j„ „o„t d the mans.on case and emerged "P°" ^/J^ ,", „( „ees, we approached Passing through several copP-- ^^ ^^^ ^p,„ ,„h ot a the sepulchre where res'h.srer^. ^^^^^^^^ ^y vault composed of br.clcje " <1 ^^^^^^^^^. ^^ ^^, ^ates of open iron-work, « ere tv S ^.^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ marble, in one of «'>'=';,;"j:i'th remains o, him "who „f the republic, were depos. ed t ^^ ^^^ ^^^_^^^ ^^ - «"•' ^" -^^'11:^.::' mto the b^ck wa,, o the :rorbtang'i:black letters simply tH.smscnpt.on. •'The remains of Gen'l George Washington." . 1 ^f the man whose jus- There rested all that «- m-ta °' ,^^^ ^^^^,,^3 i„ his- tice, virtue and patr,ot>sm meet ^.^ ^^^ ,,„th-stone ,,,y. There, w.thm the smok ^^^_^^^ ^^^^^ „oulderedtherema,nsof that ^^^^^^^^_ .^ ^^^ whether in the bat le or m *e ^ ^^ ^^^ ^^.^^ ^^,^^^^„, „, dissensions of pub "= g otless purity. • social life, shone «f ;'7,.;7Xer, between the trees, m The Potomac gl.ttered l.ke U , ^^ ^.^^ ^^^^^^ ^^,,^1^ the noonday sun, at o-^J-^^^ ^,, ,v.irp of the wren, „oved the leaves upon the "^^J ; ^^,, of the thrush, rhedrowsyhumofthelocust>equ ^^^^^^^_^^^^ - ^- "CrbureCcoTbagT lay still, motionless, far, of life ; and those nug far trom voiceless. MOUNT VERNON 21 om ; a sup- o{ instinc- d firmly to itique stair- le mansion, approached en arch ot a ,rotected by lagi of white nth the arms ){ him " who hearts of his ;k wall of the iscription : lan whose jus- ,arallels in his- ■n hearth-stone, m, whose spirit, I, in the fierce liet relations of rity. reen the trees, in Id breeze gently ;hirp of the wren, ote of the thrush, that showed signs lU, motionless, far, We were struck with the truthfulness of the "Sweet Swan of Avon," as we saw above the sarcophagi (free pas- sage to which was open over the large iron gates) the clay- ey nest of .he martin, or common house-swallow, built in the corner of the ceiling, where, in perfect security and confidence, she fed her chirping brood, directly over the head of the departed hero. Pure, indeed, was the air; " nimbly and sweetly " did it play upon our senses. Oh ! bard of England, as, standing upon that hallowed spot, the spirit of the unfortunate Banquo whispered again to our memories his words to the murdered Duncan : " This guest of summer, The temple-haunting martlet, does approve, By his lov'd mansionry, that the heavens' breath, Smells wooingly here : no jutty, frieze, buttress, Nor coigne of vantage, but this bird hath made His pendent bed, and procreant cradle : Where they Most breed and haunt, I have observed, the air • Is delicate." We lingered at the tomb, and with reluctance withdrew, as the advancing day warned us of our homeward-returning ride. The setting sun, streaming in radiance through the trees, measured in long shadows the persons of the two men dis- mounting at the cottage door, from whence they had de- parted so buoyant and joyous in its mo'-ning brightness. That setting sun, sinking beneath its gorgeous bed of crim- son, gold and purple, left those men more chastened, true, more elevated, from their pilgrimage to the shrine of him I whose name is the watchword of human Liberty. % THE MEDICAL STUDENT. >!ll Hil ill! i T REMAINED several weeks on my friend Tom's plan- I "• • -^o- thP rmirse of life that he pursued, X tation, enjoy mg the course ui m^ t which was entirely consonant to my tastes. His plan- tation consisted of about three hundred acres prmcipally laid down in wheat, Indian corn and tobacco though some of it still remained in meadow and woodland. This, with a handsome productive property in the neighboring towns of Alexandria and Washington, afforded him an abundant income to indulge his liberal, though not extravagant, tastes. He usually arose at five in the morning, mou - Ws horse, and rode over the plantation, overseeing and gi -ruc- tions to the laborers ; and returning, was met by r. 'ng wife and beautiful children at the breakfast-table , alter which, he again applied himself to business until eleven, when he threw all care aside and devoted himself to pleas- ure or study for the remainder of the day. He thus avoid- ed the two extremes to which country gentlemen are liable, over-work on the one hand, or ennui on the other. His library, the windows commanding a view of twenty miles down the Potomac, was crowded with a varied store of gen- eral literature, among which I observed, shining conspicu- ously, the emblazoned backs of Shakspeare and the worthy old Knight of La Mancha. History, Travels, the Classics, English, French, Spanish and Italian, and works on Natural History and general science, were marshaled on their re- THE MEDICAL STUDENT 23 Pom's plan- e pursued, His plan- principally lOugh some This, with iring towns n abundant Sfanl, tastes. • Viis horse, -Lruc- • >. '-ng tabic , after mtil eleven, lelf to pleas- ; thus avoid- en are liable, other. His Aventy miles store of gen- ng conspicu- d the worthy the Classics, :s on Natural on their re- spective shelves. There was also a small but very select medical library, for my friend had taken his degree in that profession, and, although relieved from the necessity of practising for support, he was in the habit of attending gra- tuitously on the poor in the neighboring country. Marble busts of Shakspeare, Milton and Columbus, stood on pedes- tals in the corners of the room, and fine old portraits of Cervantes, Lope de Vega, Dante and Ben Jonson, besides an exquisite gem of Ruysdaels, hanging over the fire-place, adorned the walls. On one side of the room, fronting the entrance, an efifigy in complete polished armor of the fif- teenth century stood erect and grim, the m.ailed gauntlet grasping the upright spear, while on a withered branch above it was perched, with extended wings, a superb Amer- ican tagle in full preservation, his keen eye appearing to flash upon the intruders at the entrance. In the centre, on the soft thick carpet, which returned no sound of footsteps, was a circular table surmounted with an Argand lamp and writing apparatus, on one side of which was one of those ex- quisitely comfortable lounging chairs that admit of almost every position of ease, and on the other a crimson fauteuil stuffed with down, which Tom laughingly said was for the peculiar benefit of his wife when she saw fit to honor his sanctum sanctorum with her presence. He tasked his in- vention to the utmost to make my time agreeable. Horses, dogs, guns, books, everything, were at my disposal. Among other excursions, he proposed, a few days after my arrival, that we should take a run down the Potomac in his boat. Now this boat was none other than a beautiful clipper-built schooner-rigged yacht, of about seven tons burden, with a very ample cabin in her centre, and from the gilt eagle on IP !l THE MEDICAL STUDENT A tl.p riudv pennant streaming at her mast- her stern, and the gauay p ^^.^_ T c^ ^vnrpssino- myself when I hrst saw ner, laid eyes on. In so ^P";;' :„d very gracious nod from T received an approbatory ana vciy s Old Kennedy" a regular old salt, with one arm, for whom Old Kenneay, 5 ^^ ^^^^ Tom had built a cottage on his estate, ana ro beauty personified, a beauty which he could the more read- ily appreciate from the fact that the far greater part of h. tfm was devoted to her decoration. " Many a t.me says Tom, " have i found him lying by himself on the banks looking at her in admiration with half-open eyes; and I much doubt whether my Mary looks more b-ut.fu to me than does her namesake, as she floats yonder, to old Ken- "''But to come to our story. We appointed the following day for our excursion, and having first ascertamed that Walter Smith, an old friend, whose plantation was a couple of miles below, would join us, we early the next mormng got up our anchor, and under the influence of a smackmg breeze were soon cutting our way down the r.ver the white canvas stretching clean and taught out to the stays our long pennant streaming proudly behind us, and our lit- tle jack shaking most saucily from its sle.der staff at the bowsprit, as we merrily curveted and jumped over the waves. Running down to a point on Smith s plantation, we got him on board, and were soon under way again, he water bubbling and gurgling into our scuppers as we lay down to it in the stiff breeze. Occasionally she would sweep gunwale under when a flaw would strike her, but old Ken- j • 1 , n— ,1- ...'-iil'i b>-inf her lip with a long curving nedy, wide awuKc, wwui^ .j. .uj, ..-. -1 THE MEDICAL STUDENT 25 her mast- f her mim- that 1 ever st saw her, nod from , for whom )m she was more read- part of his time," says the banks, yes; and I itiful to me to old Ken- le following rtained that vas a couple gxt morning a smacking le river, the to the stays, , and our lit- r staff at the )ed over the 's plantation, ay again, the srs as we lay ! would sweep , but old Ken- long curving sweep as gracefully as a young lady sliding out of the waltz in a crowded ball-room, till, stretching out again, she would course along, dancing over the mimic waves with a coquetry equal to those same fair damsels when they find an unfor- tunate wight secure in their chains. We were all in fine spirits, Tom's negro boy, seated at the heel of the foremast, showing his white teeth in a delighted grin as old Kennedy, with his grave face, played off nautical wit at his peculiar expense. We saw a number of ducks, but they were so shy that we could with difficulty get a shot at them, but we now and then succeeded in picking half a dozen snipe out of a flock as it rose from the shore and flew across our bows. We continued running down the river in this way for three or four hours, passing now and then a fisherman or other craft slowly beating up, but towards noon the breeze slack- ened ; we gradually lost our way, merely undulating, as the wind fanned by us in light airs, till finally it entirely subsided, our long pennant hanging supinely on the shrouds, and the water slopping pettishly against our bows, as we rested tranquilly upon its surface. The after part of the yacht was covered with an awning which, although suffi- ciently high to prevent its obstructing the view of the helmsman, afforded us a cover from the rays of the sun, so that we lay contentedly reclining upon the cushions smoking our cigars, enjoying our refreshments and reviving old rec- ollections and associations ; for it must be confessed that we ...^ three, in our student days, had " rung the chimes at mid- I night." I had not seen Smith for several years. He was a descendant of the celebrated partisan officer who com- manded a dashing corps in the Revoluti-on, and inherited, in a marked degree, all the lofty courtesy and real chivalry IfTr '!!jl' THE MEDICAL STUDENT ■ 1 ,K-,t officer He was exceedingly well that characterized that "fh'=<"^- . ^ i,„ieed, so read in the military ^'^^'^y ^'"^ ^^^^U should the sig- thoroughly imbue w,thn.taorU, ,^^^ ^^ ^^ ^^^^ nalof war ri"^ '^^"Sh -the — ^ , t „„d loot in rr; ^^ M irLr t his acquaintance was the Stirrup. ^} ij^^rly painful and exciting in L reUoosVlrom the care of my guardians at a very early been let loose irom ,^ traveling n. a age, • ""-^^ '*-^ / ;: : /:,er Europe, determined to A p trhea the rLantic legends of Germany in her own d 'torests-, to study the painters and sculpt-s of to y , • ^;i. to S1V nothing of visions of dark-c>ea "■■rrse" 'i'p ^d faiHes floating through the girls of Seville, sy p i^^j ^t adventures in the :~ f^CcI wSat Lonl., Ifell in with and Tdly availed myself of the opportunity to take apartments fn the same house with my friend Tom and h.s fellow-stu- de smith, both Americans, and both completn,g a course of medicaleducation by attending the lectures of the cele- '1:?h:ppe:er;hat on the very first evening that we came together, in conversation upon the peculiar features oHhdr profession, I expressed a desire to visit a dissecfng- i„g.room, never having been in one in my own country Smith immediately invited me to accompany them to the lecture on that evening, which was to be delivered .n the rotunda of the college, and where, by going at an early hour, rav curiosity could be satisfied, besides the opportunity at ^- -J lingly well , indeed, so luld the sig- of no man and foot in ntance was i exciting in ;it. Having a very early iveling in a jtermined to to climb the y in her own tors of Italy of dark-eyed through the ;ntures in the 11 in with and :e apartments lis fellow-stu- ting a course -s of the cele- ening that we juliar features itadissecting- own country. T them to the livered in the t an early hour, jportunity that T//E MEDICAL STUDENT 27 I should have of hearing that eminent surgeon. So, putting on our hats and taking our umbrellas in our hands, we plunged into the dense fog and groped our way over the greasy pavements to the college. It was a large building in a dark and retired court, with something in its very ex- terior sepulchral and gloomy. Entering the hall door, we ascended one pair of stairs, stopping for a moment as we passed the second story to look into the large rotunda of the lecture-room. The vacant chair of the professor was standing near the wall, in the rear of a circular table of such peculiar construction as to admit of elevation and depres- sion in every part. This table was the one upon which the subjects were laid when under the hands of the demon- strator. Two skeletons, suspended by wires from the ceil- ing, hung directly over it. The room was as yet unoccu- pied and silent. Ascending another flight of stairs, we came to a third, secured at its entrance by a strong oaken door. This appeared to put a stop to our further ascent, but, upon a small bell being pulled, a sort of wicket in the upper part of the door was cautiously drawn aside, discov- ering the features of a stern, solemn-looking man, who, ap- parently satisfied of the right of the parties to enter, drew one or two heavy bolts, and dropping a chain, admitted us. A small table was placed at the foot of the stairs, at which, by the light of a lamp, this gloomy porter was perusing a book of devotion. Ascending the stairs, it was not until three several attempts that I was enabled to surmount the effects of the effluvia sufficiently to enter the green baize door that opened into the dissecting-room. As it swung noiselessly to behind me, the first sensation produced by the sight was that of faintness, but it almost immediately sub- Hill 1 !l g THE MEDICAL STUDENT ^■A.A There appeared a sort of profanity in speaking :;li and I found^self unconsciously asking .uest.ons of corpses in different stag scalpels in examining dents were silently engaged with their scaipeis aenij wc y wonderful human •' ,• • . fV.P rnnrse of the disease which had n:t~r.":H:frai. habitation. I Observed ::: Ihe professors, in his gold s.ectades. poi-t-g -t- a number of the students, gathered around «- ;' J^J^^^^ jects. the evidences of an ossificaUon of the g ' -■"'j'^ which had, after years of torture, necessar.ly te™'"^'^^ he ife of ;he sufferer. There was alnK,st as "-h .nd v d- uality in those corpses as if they had been """^ , "'"j "_ quired the most determined effort on my part to d.ves rny self of the idea that they were sentient and aware of all tha sell oi tnc recollect, part cularly, one was passing around them I ■•«™";^'; P . ^^ ^.^ ^^e which was lying nearest the door as I entered , it body of a man of about forty, with l.ght ha>r and fa.r com- petion. who had been cut down in the -. ^t o ^^ '^^ His face was as full and his skin as wh.te as if he had been merely sleeping, but the knife had passed around h> loatdown'his body, and then in sections cross-ys, internal muscles having been evidently exposed, and the THE MEDICAL STUDENT 29 skill temporarily replaced during the casual absence of the dissector. There was something peculiarly horrid in the appearance of that corpse, as, aside from a ruffianly and dis- solute expression of the features, the gash around his throat conveyed the impression that it was a murdered man lying before me. A middle-aged female was extended just be- yord, her long hair hanging down over the end of the table, but not as yet touched by the hand of the surgeon. While just beyond her, the body of an old man, from which the upper part of the skull had been sawn to take out the brain, appeared to be grinning at us with a horrid sort of mirth. In another part of the room, directly over which the black- ening body of an infant was thrown across a beam like a piece of an old carpet, was extended the body of a gigantic negro ; he lay upon his back, his legs somewhat apart, one of his arms thrown up so as to rest upon the top of his head, his eyes wide open, his nostrils distended and his teeth clenched in a hideous grin. There was such evidence of strength, such giant development of muscle, such appear- ance of chained energy and ferocity about him, that, upon my soul, it seemed to me every moment as if he was about to spring up with a frantic yell and throw himself upon us; and wherever I went about the room my eyes involuntarily turned, expecting to see that fierce negro drawing up his legs ready to bound, like a malignant demon, over the inter- vening space. He had been brought home for murder on the high seas, but the jail-fever had anticipated the hand of the executioner, and his body of course was given over to the surgeons. A far different object lay on the floor near him. It was the body of a young girl of about eleven or twelve years old. The poor little creature had evidently iiii i; :1 ; THE MEDICAL STUDENT flexor muscles 'n-'^; '-;'„,, , ,;,„„ed by the foot, rocked forward and backward reproachfully rt,e sunken blue eyes s-n".-™ ;'"">- ,, ,^^, ,, „,J, „po„ us frou, the -^^^^^ \ , Bengal tiger, savage contrast, was th™ " U« _^^ _^^__ ,^^ which had died a day or two before y his talons extending an inch "eyond h^ P^w^ -d ^ .bout his huge distended ,aws a,^s,ckl> eyes P ^^^^ portraiture of disease and Pa.„nd a n^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ been my lot to witness m s"«^""- J ^ ^^^ <,f ing the dead around them. I thought t M he well if some of those who sneer at the profession would be well ii som ^^^^^^^^ ^^ could look in upon one of ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^,,,,3 ,, .Ueviate which its followers are subjected m their enori fhp sufferings of their fellow-men. Is th hour for the lecture approached, the students, one bv one dosed their books, washed their hands, and descend- ed to h lecture-room. We descended with the rest, and a we passed the grim porter, at thebottomof the ~ ' I observed in the corner behind him a number of stout bludg eons bsidesseveral cntlassesand muskets. A popular com- motion a short time previous, among some of the well-.nten- "o d but ignorant of the lower classes, had u.duced the :e:eityof:autio„.andthispreparationforres,stance En tering the lecture-room, we took our places on the th.rd or fourth row of seats from the demonstrator's tab e, upon :h h a subject was lying, covered with a wh.te sheet, and THE MEDICAL STUDENT 31 :tion of the I in death, y the foot, proachfully ler, in most engal tiger, menagerie, d there was as perfect a it has ever There was try, a sort of ley spoke, it 5 of disturb- time that it le profession r ordeals to s to alleviate students, one and descend- lie rest, and as e stair-case, I : stout bludg- popular corn- he well-inten- induced the sistance. En- 1 the third or s table, upon lite sheet, and had time, as the room gradually filled, to look about us. Besides the students, Smith pointed out to me several able professional gentlemen, advanced in Ufe, who were attracted by the celebrity of the lecturer. Shortly after we had taken our seats, a slender, melancholy-looking young man, dressed in deep mourning, entered the circle in which we were seat- ed, and took his place on the vacant bench at my side. He bowed reservedly to my companions as he passed them, but immediately on sitting down became absorbed in deep sad- ness. My friends returned his salute, but did not appear inclined to break into his abstraction. At the precise mo- ment that the lecture was announced to be delivered, the tall form of the eminent surgeon was seen descending the alley of crowded seats to his chair. The lights in the various parts of the room were raised suddenly, throwing a glare on all around ; and one of the skeletons, to which an accidental jar had been given, vibrated slowly forward and backward, while the other hung perfectly motionless from its cord. In his short and sententious manner, he opened the subject of the lecture, which was the cause, effect, and treatment of that scourge of our country, consumption. His remarks were singularly lucid and clear, even to me, a layman. After having gone rapidly through the pathology of the dis- ease, consuming perhaps some twenty minutes of time, he ; said : " We will now, gentlemen, proceed to demonstration [upon the subject itself." I shall not readily forget the scene [that followed. As he slowly turned up the wristbands of [his shirt sleeves, and bent over to select an instrument from the case at his side, he motioned to an assistant to withdraw the sheet that covered the corpse. Resuming his erect po- ^ition, the long knife glittering in his hand, the sheet was i I THE MEDICAL STUDENT neath the plain white musUn cap 1 ^^^ ^^^^_ -ests even the ™c.t r— " ^^e^p.s ^^^^^^ ^^ n,on,entanly checked the buy .^ .^ethroat-at when I heard a gasp-a choking ^^ ^,^^. ^^^^ •j^. onrl the next instant, tne yu"' 5 ,1 n,y side, ^d'he-^ ^j,,,, Ws arms wildly upwards and to me rose to h- '«;'•' ^,,, ,,„3ed every man's heart shrieking m a tone of agony .j^ ,;^<,.^/^<•-r / "- in that assembly "--'Y.^;;,]' L„,ost upon those in rrf hC" AU ^init —nation and conlusion. rreirone^esent who knew ^^^^^0, ot the students *>-- ^ "jfj^;:: S^rishes of Lon'- f riends. He was rem one of the d. g^p^ ^^^^^^^^^ don, and two weeks bej- ''"'^J- _^„^^ ,,,, „„ther lay was much attached and by fatal ,^ He ^'''^"'^^twratdrettL^and insensible, and was immediately raised, du ;«^ • ^ animation was at carried into an ^^'i^'^^ ™:::;i* ^ ^e stared vacant- .engthrestoredtoenableh.- ost . ^ ^ ^^^^ ^^ ,y about h.m h g-at Jef ^^ _^^_^^_^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^"'^'t'lru-cC and the lifeless corpse again en- ture was of course cio ^^^^ trusted to hands to replace >t m ,ts tomb Th y J ^^ on the following day was ^^^^^-^^-^J^^,, ^nd fell have ™--':,.P;"^tto,;a:ing fever, accompanied with almost immediately nto a raging , ^_^^ fierce and violent delirium ; his lever grauua y herce anu v London for the his deUrium at intervals ; but when i THE MEDICAL STUDENT 33 continent, three months after, he was rapidly sinking under the disease which carried off his mother— happily in a state of helpless and senseless idiocy ; and in a very short time after, death relieved him from his misery. The whole scene was so thrilling and painful, that, connecting it in some measure with my introduction to Smith, his presence always recalled it to my memory. THE RESURRECTIONISTS. ijil: !;:ll i^rlmnP-s our conversation natur- . S we returned to 0''rU>6s^s^o ^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ .^^^ A ally turned "P-fXm "caution necessary in the ."Tsiet o —ical examination. Smith '"*'%''"rthe1aS ^the same distinguished gentle- received mto th^ "-"^ „,,, then beginning to man whom we had just ^^^"^ ^^^ich was neces- rise to eminence and notice an ad^^ntage w ^^^^ ^^^ sarily confined to a very few ^n o- o ^^^^ ^^^ ,ormy "'^^^ J^^^rS^.^ofrdTing relative in the ing been called to the beas parlor firr, r»». Hno-er was quietly sitting ^l lu'- f country, as Dr. Huger was q y ^^^^.^^ ^.^^ ^^ absorbed in his studies he »^^ J°"^^^ \ .^ ^j^.^f . Up- the street door, and rising, went to answer ^aU-drowned - opening ^^Z:^^:i::^;::tX ... two men, horses, presented itselt at s , • • ,vith water, Im wMchwasin'the garret, received the two guineas THE RESURRECTIONISTS 35 ation natur- we had just issary in the on. Smith ctor Huger, I. ited Europe, les, and was ished gentle- beginning to ch was neces- he dark and his wife hav- -lative in the he parlor firr , urried ring at liimself. Up- ; half-drowned , and two men, ng with water, le if he wanted e, they opened was enveloped the dissecting- le two guineas which they had demanded, and withdrew. The affair was not unusual, and Dr. Huger, resuming his book, soon forgot the transaction. About eleven o'clock, while still absorbed in his studies, he heard a violent shriek in the entry, and the next instant the servant-maid, dashing open the door, fell senseless upon the carpet at his feet, the candle- stick which she had held rolling some distance as it fell. Perceiving that the cause of alarm, whatever it might be, was without, he caught up the candlestick, and, jumping over her prostrate form, rushed into the hall, where an ob- ject met his view which might well have tried the nerves of the strongest man. Standing half-way down the staircase was a fierce, grim-looking man, perfectly naked, his eyes glaring wildly and fearfully from beneath a coarse shock of dark hair which, nearly concealing a narrow forehead, par- tially impeded a small stream of blood, trickUng down the «ide ')f the face from a deep scratch in the temple. In one hand he grasped a sharp long belt-knife, such as is used by riggers and sailors, the other holding on by the bannister, as he somewhat bent over to meet the gaze of the doctor rushing into the entry. The truth flashed across the mind of Doctor Huger in an instant, and with admirable presence of mind he made one spring, catching the man by the wrist which held the knife, in a way that effectually prevented his using it. " In the name of God ! where am I ?" demanded the man in a horror-stricken voice, " am I to be murdered ?" ^'Silence; not a whisper," sternly answered Dr. Huger, looking him steadily in the eyes. " Silence, and your life is safe." Wrenching the knife, from his hand, he pulled him by the arm passively along into the yard, and hurrying through the gate, first ran with him through one alley, then I I TIiii n;ii>e PM-, -d ' Jj" „„^^,„„,,, .„, men, answering the descr ptio ^^^^^_ *^^^ ^'^^I'of fhet: r ;^ ttet^i-od of Wa. noon m one ot the low u intoxication, pin,; thatonehadsunWoa stu^^^^^^^^^^^ ^_^ ^ and had, in that -t-*'""' ^^^;,;\J,^„g been previously 3aeU by his -mpamons ^ ^^ - ,^ ^^^^^,, ,^^^ ,^^ placed in h,s "-'^'f^^^'^^J.f sensibility, and that, in addi- confinement upon h, «'"™ '° .^^ ,,,,i,ed the two tion to the poor wretch s clothes, tney guineas for his body. i^ements of suffering It is certainly P-^- f;» f JJJ^, ,i„„tion of the grave •^T^-'Vblt l:: rWhX the spirit, released from ,nd,spensably "pessary ^^^^^^^_ ^^^ p^^^^, its confinement, l.es m the Umbo ^^^^ ^ tory of the C''*"""' .rofvTrtu al 't me and distance --'--"^^rtraUtr^onVrained in heavenly annihiuucu, 11. ="--!'- - THE RESURRECTIONISTS 37 delight through the myriads and myriads of worlds roUing in the vast sublimity of space ; whether summoned from a course of evil, it shudders in regions of darkness and deso- lation, or writhes in agony amid flaming atmospheres ; or whether its germ of life remains torpid, as in the wheat taken from the Egyptian pyramids, thousands of years exis- tent, but apparently not sentient, must, of course, be to us but the wild theories of imagination, and so remam m the darkness with which, in inscrutable wisdom, the Almighty has enveloped it. But that the Spirit can look with other than indifference, if not loathing, on the perishing exuviae of its chrysalis existence, which, to its retrospective gaze, presents little other than a tasking house of base necessities, a chained prison of cruel disappointments, even to our human reason, clogged as it is with bars and contradictions, appears hardly to admit the opportunity of question and of consequence. To that Spirit its disposition can but be a matter of indifference. Still, to the surviving friends, whose affection canaot sepa- rate'mind from matter, those forms, lying in the still and silent tomb, retain all their dear associations ; and surely, it most gravely becomes the members of that profession, which, next to the altar, stands foremost in benevolence, that the deepest prudence should be exercised in this gloomy rite required by the living from the dead. But, upon reflection, we should hesitate to speak in terms of disparagement of the human body ; for, of all of the physical works of God, which we think we can comprehend, it bears most strongly the impress of design, in its wonder- ful, complex, and perfect adaptation, of means to ends. In it we recognize machinery of exquisite order, temporarily ! !! THE RESURKECTIOXISTS ^ . ^ n^ \\ in communion with the furnished to the Spir.t to place t " c .^ ^^^ other material works of God, so i^at by ^^ ^,.^^^ increase in ^^;^^:^Jr: ::f^ y- '"Ue minds. rnl"sr;i"S, we reel to he the e.hanst.ess fountain of benevolence and love^ ^^ ^^.^ ^^^^ We have lean-d toj ;- ^^^^^^ ^^^,, ^^^^ j^^,.„^ ,,. into what we call Senses ^„„tinuous reconstruction ; .ended for its P-^-:.-;, : J rnTth-.h which, by and two, more noble, s.ghta ^ the Deity. contemplation of h.s creat.on, ^"^ ";;°; PP^j^i, opriate The inferior, though necessary sens , each w PP P,^^^_^ ^''""'•^"".ts^Lrnover :dt of pleasure to, and its proper hm.ts,funsh a ^^^ _^,^.^ ^^^^^^^, are servants o. the soul , ^^^_^^ ^^^^ .^ ^,^^^^ ^^ ^^.^ emanation from the Deity, wn „oodness, his works, and through them ^'P?''-'^'";" °' ' ^^.^er stiU-if ,ove and elevation to Intel gene ^^ J ,^ ES::;:;?^=^"b;:STd^:d^ onowy vc ^iKncr it haclr" through the voice ol God s";— ^^'^^^ f^^^^^^^^^^ aesplingly in what ""sl noi this continual conmct which the sou Taiiins with the lower senses that -— .s^sc o • ^ probation here?-the dual nature that Paul con.pla>n of^ ^ But let us turn from this sad picture for a moment to t ;d its organ. The Spirit din the its • nobler senses— to vis lull THE RESURRECTIOXISTS 39 mimic telescope, the eye, on the surrounding world, and instantly, reflected on the retina through the little pupil, it beholds, pictured as if by magic, oceans, mountains, forests, rivers, valleys, tropic vegetation, arctic snows, parents, children, friends-all the machinery of life and being, now stationary, now floating in ever changing panorama-pan- orama, itkf alone, fraught with study for ages, till, with the declining sun, darkness insensibly draws its veil around, and all is lost to view, all hushed in silence. But in the darkness, the Spirit still seeks its proper stimulus, the light, and elevates its gaze up to the o'erhang- ing canopy. Again, the little optic mirror, faithful to its purpose, performs its duty ; now reflects the blazing glories of the starry firmament, the constellations moving on in their appointed journeys in silent majesty ; the moon in serene splendor, sailing amid her sister planets through the cold blue ether, now struggling with, now joyously passing through, the tly ing clouds, temporarily obscuring her, to cast again her soft and benignant light on all the world beneath ; apt portraiture of the soul in her struggles with the murky clouds of sense. Amazed, the delighted Spirit begins to reason. It reasons out the Lens, places it auxiliary to the little mirror ; and straight it finds the distant stars increase in brilliancy ; that some are nearer,* and that other stars appear, - which were not there before." In exultation it enlarges its artificial aid, and then present themselves far distant in the dark o'erhang- ing chasms, other and yet other stars; and far beyond them still, fleecy, fog-like nebula. It increases the optic stimulus and the dim light is resolved to glittering " star dust," the * Planets. 1 ; liii' THE KESUKKtCTlOXtSTS '° . ,t .dds yet Other power, and lo! the star dust to stars. It ^^^JJ ^^ ft™,aments, firmaments fleecy' nebute expand "^f"!'" ' ,^1 .vorlds; here sen- ,.„rious wHh suns - '^; 7; ^or ; here in colors of tiUating in the.rown proper s.lveP ^^^^._^^ ^^.^^ orange, gold, and pale blue -Pj ';;; „ess of regal dia- .ubyandcmerald,blazu,gma hego g ^^^_^^^^^^ ^^^.^^ dem,' firmaments, -mP-'d « th J '> ^ ^^^.^ first met its uneducated gaze shut as P ^^ ^^^ ButdoestheSp-nt^ ere^to a„d^^^.^^^^^^ which its •tis but in Its novmate. vv continuously ex- intelligence reasons orth, and whchG ^^^ ,^ tends in exact accordance w,th>s pat ^^^,,^^3 ^,^;,^ still onward, plunges y^'.^^P^ ;^ "^'^.f, ..st congeries. o( space, and sweeps ■" -"^^'^^ ^„„„,,,,3 „,riads o( islands, continents of wor Ids. m.ll on , c ^,.^5^,^33 worlds, which, like huge sUr.y - J^^^,_ ,„3,,, „„ ,3 aerial ocean; -<» ^'' "^^ untold themselves to its the blazing g>°"" ^'^^^"J";; beginning of education in enchanted gaze! This is but tn s ._^ .^^ the Deity ; but the first lisping ol the P study of the Infinite ! .^, ^^^^ Kor does the spirit confin^^^^^^^^^^^ of other of nor to unassisted vision m '", jj ^ut with micro- nature's great volume open spread^^e^^^^^^^^^^ ,,, _en rtth i't fett h sl'L and studies with eagerness the beneath Its leei , "^vv bottom of * See Nichols' Stellar Universe, pp. 72, 73- THE RESURRECTIOMSTS fighti 41 the single tne infusoria millions, sporting and fighting n. tne sinj liquid drop ; invisible nothings to its naked eyesight, through magnifying power springing into entity and benig; d.s- covers the gaudy unsuspected plumage on the insect swn.g; detects the crystal's angles; with its prism, even dissects and delightedly holds suspended, quivering in its con- stituent colors, light itself, its own natural stimulus; scoops from the ocean of Eternity a drop, and calls it time ; and weighs in like exquisite balance the minute grain and dis- ' tant worlds. Yet this little eye, this retina, this organ so indispensable, the key to open these wondrous mysteries, is . a part and but a portion of the much-despised body. 1 But what were all this to the gentle Spirit whose law is ^ love love which tends continually back to its great Creator, who' Himself is love, if, locked up in loneliness, it could not, through the sense of hearing, receive the tones of tender- ^ ness, gentleness, devotion-the interchange of thought with 4 other intelligences-hear the mother's deep accen^ of affec- tion. the prattle of the child, the gentle voice of Charity, the glorious harmonies which float it away as if by magic, until in ecstacy it is merged and almost lost in the unseen Infinite ; or the louder and terrific crash which frightens it cowering into more immediate apprehension of the Deity . Doubtless the body is the servant of the soul ; but the con- nection of a minister of such necessity, provided by the Infinite, may well startle us when we reflect to what account we shall be held for its abuse and injury; injury inevitable when in the least degree we o'erstep the bounds of rigid temperance; injury that paralyzes the harmony of action, which is its appointed function. ' ^ A nebula in the constellation •' Aquarius " is estimated to be 42 THE RESURRECTIONISTS three thousand six hundred millions of miles in extent. One m " Lyra " to be distant from the earth forty-seven thousand bilhons of miles; another, in the constellation "Triangulum," seven- teen thousand biUions of -niles. The nearest (!) star to our system is Alpha, in " Centaurus,' which is computed to be twenty billions of miles distant. Our own Solar system, although it is five thousand seven hundred millions of miles in diameter, is a mere point in the Universe. (Bouvier's Astronomy.) » This magnificent scene presents itself near " Kappa," in the constellation " Crux." See Bouv. Ast., pp. 250-284. For others, see Nichols' Stellar Universe, p. 172. » While it is hopeless for us to form even a faint idea of these awful distances, yet we may make a feeble effort at approximation towards their reality, by considering that a railroad car, traveling night and day, at the rate of twenty miles an hour, would require three hun- dred millions of years to reach the star " Sirius ; " (Bouvier's Ast.)- that with the electric fluid flashing through space at a velocity of twenty thousand miles a second, it would alike require, were such transmission possible, ninety years to convey a telegraphic message to star 6r, "Cygni;" and thirty years to Alpha "Centaun," the nearest fixed star to the earth. (Bouvier's Ast.) * The flies which I had observed were all distinguished from each other by their colors, their forms and their manners. Some were of the color of gold, others of silver, and others of bronze ; these were spotted, those striped ; some were blue, some green, some dull, and others shining. In some, the head was rounded like a turban, in others lengthened into a point like a nail ; in some it appeared dark like a spot of black velvet, in others it sparkled like a ruby. We may therefore conclude, by analogy, that there are animals which feed on the leaves of plants like the cattle in our meadows, which recline in the shade of hairs imperceptible to human eyes, and which drink from their glands, formed like suns, liquid gold and silver. Every part of a flower must present them with spectacles of which we have no idea. The yellow antherje suspended on white threads appear to them like double bars of gold balanced on col- umns more beautiful than ivory ; the corallae like vaults of rubies and topazes, of immeasurable extent ; the nectaria like rivers of sugar ; ! i THE RESURRECTIONISTS 43 the other parts of the blossom like cups, urns, pavilions and domes, which the architecture and workmanship of men have never imitated. * * * The animals which live beneath their rich reflections must have ideas very different from ours concerning light and the other phe- nomena of nature. A dew-drop, filtering through the capillary and transparent tubes of a plant, appears to them like a thousand foun- tains ; collected into a globule at the extremity of one of its hairs, it is "a boundless ocean ; and when evaporated in the atmosphere, an aerial sea. (St. Pierre, " Studies of Nature r) OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTERMASTER. (Constitution and Guerriere.) (See Frontispiece.) No. I. THE sun became more and more powerful as it ascended towards the meridian, and was reflected with efful- gent intensity from the mirror-surfaceof the river. As we bent over the side and looked far down into the deep vault reflected from above, and saw our gallant little yacht, with her white sails and dark hull, suspended with even minute trac- ery over it, we could almost imagine ourselves with the Ancient Mariner, " in a painted ship upon a painted ocean." The white sand-banks quivered and palpitated in the sultry glare, and the atmosphere of the adjoining swamps hung over them in a light blue vapor, the deadly miasma, their usual covering, dissipated in the fervent heat, while the silence was unbroken, save by the occasional scream of the gull, as it wheeled about in pursuit of its prey, or the quick alarmed cry of the kingfisher, hastily leaving some dead branch upon the shore to wing its way farther from the object of its terror. The black boy, in perfect negro elysium, lay stretched fast asleep, with his arm resting upon one of the dogs, in the blazing sun on the forecastle ;] while we ourselves reclined upon the cushions with our refreshments before us, indolently puffing our cigars under the awning : Old Kennedy, perched OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 45 upon the taffrail, coxswain fashion, with the tiller between his legs. While thus enjoying ourselves, like true disciples of Epicurus, the guitar was taken from its case in the cabin, and accompanied by the rich tones of Walter Smith, "Here's a health to thee, Mary," in compliment to our kind hostess, swept over the still surface of the river till dissipated in the distance, and anon the " Wild Huntsman," and " Here's a health to all good lassies," shouted at the pitch of three deep bass voices, bounded over the banks, penetrating the deep forest, causing the wild game to spring from their cov- erts m consternation at such unusual disturbance of its noon- tide stillness. " We bade dull care begone, and daft the time away." Old Kennedy, seated at the tiller, his grey hair smoothed down on one side, and almost falling into his eyes, his cheek distended with a huge quid of tobacco, which gave an habitual drag to a mouth whose expression indi- cated surly honesty and resolution, was a perfect portrait of many an old quarter-master, still in the service, while his scrupulously clean shirt, with its blue collar open at the neck, discovering a rugged throat encircled by a ring of grey hairs, and his white canvas tVowsers, as tight at the hips as they were egregiously large at the ankles, indicated the rig in which he had turned up for the last thirty years to Sun- day muster. The old seaman had seen a great deal of serv- ice, having entered the Navy at the opening of the difficul- ties with the Barbary powers, and had been engaged in sev- eral of the signal naval actions which followed in the subse- quent war with Great Britain. Previous to that time, he had been in the [employ of Tom's father, who was an extensive shipping merchant at Alexandria, and now, in his old age, influenced by an attachment for the son, who had built a fi I I 46 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER snug cottage for him on his estate, and, vested with the full control of the yacht, he had been induced to come down to spend the remainder of his days on the banks of the Poto- mac, enjoying the pension awarded by government for the loss of his arm. I had previously had the hint given me, that a little adroit management would set him to spinning a yarn which would suit my fancy. So, watching a good opportunity, knowing that the old man had been with Hull in his fight with the Guerriere, I successfully gave a kick to the ball by remark- ing : " You felt rather uncomfortable, Kennedy, did you not, as you were bearing down on the Guerriere, taking broadside and broadside from her, without returning a shot? You had time to think of your sins, my good fellow, as con- science had you at the gangway ? " " Well, sir," replied he, deliberately rolling his tobacco from one side of his mouth to the other, squirting the juice through his front teeth with true nautical grace—" Well, sir, that ere was the first frigate action as ever I was engaged in, and I am free to confess, I overhauled the log of my conscience to see how it stood, so it mought be I was called to muster in the other world in a hurry ; but I don't think any of his shipmates will say that Old Bill Kennedy did his duty any the worse that day, be- cause he thought of his God, as he has many a time since at quarters. There's them as says the chaplain is paid for the religion of the ship, and it's none of ihe sailors' business ; but I never seen no harm in an honest seaman's thinking for himself. Howdsomever, I don't know the man what can stand by his gun at such time, tackle cast loose, decks sanded, matches lighted, arm-chests thrown open, yards slung, ma- .•„_- ;_ iu- — .,^.nTr,,.o t->r,w^'»»*-V^<^v«: nnssinp" ammunition OLD KEXXEDW THE QUARTER-MASTER 47 buckets, ship as still as death, officers in their iron-bound boarding caps,cutlashes hanging by lanyards at their wrists, standing like statues at divisions, enemy may-be bearing down on the weather-quarter — I say, 1 doesn't know the man at sich time, as won't take a fresh bite of his quid, and give a hitch to the waistbands of his trowsers,as he takes a squint at the enemy through the port as he bears down. And as you say, at that particular time, the Guerriere (as is French for sojer) was wearing and manoeuvering, and throwing her old iron into us, broadside and broadside, like as I have seen them Italians in Naples throw sugar-plums at each other in Carnival time. Afore she was through, tho', she found it was no sugar-plum work, so far as Old Ironsides was con- sarned. You obsarve, when we first made her out, we seen she was a large ship close hauled on the starboard lack, so we gin chase, and when within three miles o^ her took in all our light sails, hauled courses up, beat to quarters and got ready Tor action. She wore and manoeuvered for some time, endeavoring to rake, but not making it out bore up un- der her jib and topsails, and gallantly waited for us. Well, sir — as we walked down to her, there stands the old man (Hull), his swabs on his shoulders, dressed as fine in his yel- low nankin vest and breeches, as if he was going ashore on leave — there he stands, one leg inside the hammock nettings, taking snuff out of his vest pocket, v s*ching her manoeu- vres, as she blazed away like a house a-fiic, j;?t as cool as if he was only receiving complimentary salutes. She burnt her brimstone, and was noisy, but never a gun fires we. Old Ironsides poked her nose steady right down for her, carry- ins: a bank of foam under her bows like a feather-bed cast loose. Well, as wx neared her, and she wears first a-star- MP \i\ l 48 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER board, and then a-larboard, giving us a regular broadside at every tack, her shot first falls short, but as we lessened the distance, some of them begins to come aboard, first among the rigging, and cuts away some of the stuff aloft, for them Englishmen didn't larn to fire low till we larnt 'em. First they comes in aloft, but by-and-by, in comes one— lower- crash— through the bulwarks, making the splinters fly like carpenters' chips, then another, taking a gouge out of the main-mast, and pretty soon agin— V/«V,' I recollects the sound of that ere shot well—' chit,' another dashed past my ear, and glancing on a gun-carriage, trips up the heels of three as ^od men as ever walked the decks of that ere ship, and all this while never a gun fires we, but continues steadily eating our way right down on to his quarter, the old man standing in the hammock nettings watching her movements as if she was merely playing for his amusement. Well, as we came within carronade distance, them shot was coming on board rather faster than mere fun, and some of the young sailors begins to grumble, and by-and-by, the old men-of- wars-men growled too, and worked rusty— cause why— they sees the enemy's mischief, and nothing done by us to ag- gravate them in return. Says Bill Vinton, the vent-holder, to me : 'I say, Kennedy,' says he, * what's the use ; if this here's the way they fights frigates, dam'me ! but I'd rather be at it with the Turks agin on their own decks as we was at Tripoli. It's like a Dutch bargain, all on one side. I ex- pects the next thing, they'll order pipe down and man the side-ropes for that ere Englishman to come aboard and call the muster-roll.' ' Avast a bit,' says I ; ' never you fear the old man. No English press-gang comes on board this ship; old Blow-hard knows what he's about. OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 49 " Well, by-and-by Mr. Morris, our first lieutenant, who all the while had been walking up and down the quarter-deck, his trumpet under his arm, and his eyes glistening like a school-boy's just let out to play ; by-and-by he begins to look sour, 'ticularly when he sees his favorite coxswain of the first cutter carried by a shot through the opposite port. So he first look§ hard at the old man, and then walks up to him and says, by way of a hint, in a low tone : * The ship is ready for action, sir ; and the men are getting impatient.' The old man never turns, but keeps his eye steadily on the enemy, while he replies : * Are — you — all ready, Mr. Mor- ris ?' * All ready, sir,' says the lieutenant. ' Don't fire a gun till I give the orders, Mr. Morris,' says the old man. Pres- ently up comes a midshipman from the main-deck, touches his hat — * First division all ready, sir. The second lieuten- ant reports the enemy's shot have hurt his men, and he can with difficulty restrain them from returning their fire.' ' Tell him to wait for orders, Mr. Morris,' says the old man again, never turning his head. Well, just, you see, as the young gentleman turned to go below, and another shot car- ries off Mr. Bush, lieutenant of marines — just as we begins to run into their smoke, and even the old gun-boat-men, as had been with Decatur and Somers, begins to stare, up jumps the old man in the air, slaps his hand on his thigh with a report like a pistol, and roars out in a voice that reached the gunners in the magazines: ' Now, Mr. Morris, give it to them ! Now give it to them, fore and aft, round and grape! Give it to 'em, sir; give it to 'em!' and the words was scarce out of his mouth before our whole broad- side belched at half-pistol-shot; the old ship, trembling from her keel to her trucks like an aspen, at the roar of her own 50 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER batteries, instantly shooting ahead and doubling across his bows, we gave him the other with three cheers, and then at it we went, regular hammer and tongs. You would a thought you were in a thunder storm in the tropics, from the continual roar and flash of the batteries. In ten min- utes his mizzen-mast went by the board. ' Hurrah !' shouts the old man; 'hurrah, boys; we've made a brig of her; fire low; never mind their top hamper ! Hurrah! we'll make a sloop of her before we've done ! ' In ten minutes more over went her main-mast, carrying twenty men over- board as it went ; and sure enough, sir, in thirty minutes that 'ere Englishman was a sheer hulk, smooth as a canoe, not a spar standing but his bowsprit ; and his decks so com- pletely swept by our grape and cannister that there was barely hands enough left to haul down the colors, as they had bravely nailed to the stump of their main-mast. ' I say, Kennedy,' says the vent-holder to me, lying across the gun after she struck, looking out at the wrack through the port, and his nose was as black as a nigger's from the powder flashing under it, ' I say, I wonder how that 'ere Englishman likes the smell of the old man's snuff.' " OLD KENNEDY, THE OUARTER-MASTER. (Sailors Ashore. — Hornet and Peacock.) No. II. WELL, well ; sailors is queer animals, anyhow, and al- ways ready for a fight or frolic, and, so far as I sees, it don't much matter which. Now, there was Captain McL , he was a lieutenant then ; I was up in a draft of men with him to the lakes in the war, and as there was no canals nor steamboats in them days, they marched us up sojer fashion. As we marched along the road there was nothing but skylarking and frolic the whole time. Never a cow lying in the road, but the lads must ride ; nor a pig, but they must have a pull at his tail. I recollects, once't, as we was passing a farm-yard, Jim Albro, as was alongside of me — what does Jim do, but jumps over the fence and catches a goose out of the pond, and was clearing with it under his arm ; but the farmer, too quick for him, grabs his musket out of his door, and leveling at Jim, roars out to drop the goose. Jim catches the goose's neck tight in his hand, as it spraddles under his arm, and then turning his head over his shoulder, cries out, ' You fire — I'll wring his neck off.' And so Jim would have got off with the goose, but one of the officers, seeing what was going on, orders Jim to drop the goose and have a care how he aggravates the honest farm- I i C2 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER ers in that 'ere sort of a way ; for. ' By the powers !' said he, « Mr Jim Albro, this isn't the first time, and if 1 hear of the like ag'in from you, but your back and the boatswain's mate shall scrape an acquaintance the first moment we come witnin the smell of a tarred ratlin.* - It was wrong, to be sure, for Bill to take the man's goose, seeing as how it was none of his ; but there was one affair that same day, as the lads turned up to, and, though a steady man, I'm free to confess I had a hand m't. Why, what do you think, sir, but as we what was bound for to fight the battles of our country-what do you thmk, but as we comes to one of them big gates they has on the roads, but the feller as keeps it-dam'me, sir, what does he do but makes all fast, and swears that we shan't go through without paying ! I'm free to confess, sir, that thut 'ere gate went off its hinges a little quicker than the chain of our be-^t bower ever run through the hawse hole. A cummudgeonly son of a land lubber-as if, because we didn't wear long-tail coats and high-heel boots, we was to pay like horses and oxen ! If the miserable scamp hadn't 've vanished like a streak mto the woods, we'd have paid him out of his own tar-bucket, and rolled him over in the feathers of one of his wife's own beds But, d'ye see, that wasn't the eend of it Them 'ere lawyers gets hold of it. and it was the first time any of them land-sharks ever came athwart my hawse. " When we gets to the next town, up comes a constable to the midshipman, supposing as how he was in command of the draft; up comes the constable and says, says he, ' Cap- ting I arrests you for a salt and battery, in behalf of these here' men, as has committed it,' meaning, you understand, the affair of the gate. Well, the midshipman, all ripe for 'iff'.-, ti: OLD KKXNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTLK 53 frolic and fun himself, pulls a long face, and says gruffly that his men hadn't been engaged in no salt on no battery ; but that they was ready at all times to fight for their country, and asks him whereaway that same English battery lay, as he would answer for the lads salting it quick enough. Then the lawyer, as was standing with his hands behind him, up and tells him that ' it's for a trespass in the case.' ' Oh ! a trespass in the gate, you mean,' says the midshipman. But just then the lieutenant comes up to see what's the muss, and bids me put on my jacket, for, d'ye see, I had squared off to measure the constable for a pair of black eyes. Hang me, if the feller didn't turn as white as a sheet. ' Put on your jacket, sir,' says he, ' and leave the man alone.' And then, turning to the midshipman : ' Mr. , take the men down to the tavern and splice the main-brace, while I walk up to the justice's with the gentleman, to settle this affair. And, hark'ee, ye rascals,' says he, ' don't disgrace the name of blue jacket in this quiet village, but behave yourselves till I return.' Well, he and the lawyer walks up to the jus- tice's, and there they took a glass of wine together, and that's the last we hearn of that 'ere business. " There ag'in. when we took the Peacock — you all knows about that 'ere action. It was what I calls short and sweet. Fifteen minutes from the first gun, he was cut almost entire- ly to pieces, his main-mast gone by the board, six feet of water in the hold, and his flag flying in the fore-rigging, as a signal of distress. The sea was running so heavy as to wash the muzzles of our guns as we run down. We ex- changed broadsides at half-pistol-shot, and then, as he wore to, to rake us, we received his other broadside, running him close in upon the starboard quarter, and a drunken sailor li : I :l 54 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER never hugged a post closer nor we did that brig till we had hammered daylight out of her. A queer thing is war, though, and I can't say as I was ever satisfied as to its de- sarts, though I've often turned the thing over in my mind in mid-watch since. There was we, what was stowing our round shot into that 'ere brig, as if she had been short of kenteledge, and doing all we could to sweep with our grape and cannister everything living from her decks ; there was we, fifteen minutes after, working as hard as we could pull, to keep her above water, while we saved her wounded and the prisoners, like as she had been an unfortunate wrack, foundering at sea. But all wouldn't do. Down she went, ^_. : Au;-.i.^^^ ^( U^»-r»'vr> \*rr\^1r\Af^r\ hf>QiHp'— and floats proudly from our main ; and then the general order was passed down the line by trumpet : ' Each ship, lay your en- ':i 58 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER Hill emy alongside f and if you ever seen a flock of wild geese fly- ing south'ard in the fall of the year, you'll have some idea of us as we went down into action. The men was full of spirit and panting for a fight, and even them as was so sick as to be hardly able to stand insisted upon taking their places at the guns. I recollects one in particular, he was a carpenter's mate, a steady man from Newport, he crawls up when we beat to quarters and seats himself upon the head of one of the pumps, with the sounding-rod in his hand, looking as yellow as if he had just been dragged out of a North Caro- lina cypress swamp ; but one of the officers comes up to him as he was sitting there, and says : ' You are too sick to be here, my man ; there's no use of your being exposed for nothing: you had better go below.' ' If you please, sir,' says the poor fellow, ' if I can do nothing else, I can save the time of a better man and sit here and sound the pump." Well, sir, as we bore down, the English occasionally tried our distance by a shot, and when we was within about a mile of 'em, one comes ricochetting across the water, bounds over the bulwarks, and takes that man's head as clean off his shoulders as if it had been done with his own broad-axe. I have hearn say, that ' every bullet has its billet,' and that is sartin, that it's no use to dodge a shot, for if you are des- tined to fall by a shot, you will sartin fall by that same shot; and I bear in mind that an English sailor, one of our pris- oners, told me that in a ship of their'n a feller, ai. skulked in the cable-tier, during an action with the French, was found dead with a spent forty-two resting on his neck. The ball had come in at the starn-port, struck one of the beams for'- ard, and tumbled right in upon him, breaking his neck, as he lay snugly coiled away in the cable-tier. No, no ; misfortms OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 59 and cannon shot is very much alike; there's no dodging; every man must stand up to his work and take his chance ; if they miss, he is ready when they pipes to grog; if they hit, the purser's book is squared and no more charges is scored ag'in him. " But, as I was saying, it wasn't long before we begun to make our carronades tell, and then at it we went, hot and heavy, the Lawrence taking the lead, engaging the Detroit ; and every vessel, as she came up, obeying orders and laying her enemy alongside in right good arnest, except the Niag- ara. She hung back— damn her !— with her jib brailed up and her main-topsail to the mast ; consequence was, the Charlotte, as was her opponent, avails herself of her dis- tance, runs up close under the starn of the Detroit, and both ships pours their combined fire into our ship, the Lawrence. I hearn the master myself, and afterwards two or three of the other officers, go up to the Commodore dur- ing the action and call his attention to the Niagara, and com- plain of her treacherous or cowardly conduct. Well, them two ships gin it to us hot and heavy, and in three minutes we was so enveloped in smoke, that we only aimed at the flashes of their guns, for we might as well have tried to track a flock of ducks in the thickest fog on the coast of Labrador, as their spars or hulls. I was working at one of the for'ard guns, and as, after she was loaded, tho captain of the piece stood waiting with the trigger lanyard in his finger, ready to pull, one of the officers calls out, ' I say, sir ; why don't you fire ? ' 'I want to make her tell, sir,' says the gunner ; ' I am waiting for their flash— there it is ; ' and as he pulled trigger a cannon shot came through the port and dashed him to pieces between us, covering me and the officer all m Hi 1' 60 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER over with his brains. Their fire was awful, the whole of the shot of the two heaviest ships in the squadron pouring into us nigh on two hours without stopping. Our brig became a complete slaughter-house ; the guns dismounted, carriages knocked to pieces, some of our ports knocked into one, hammock-netting shot clean away, iron stancheons twisted like wire, and a devilish deal more dayhght than canvas in our bolt ropes, the wounded pouring down so fast into the cockpit, that the surgeons didn't pretend to do more than ap-ly tourniquets to stop the bleeding, and many of the men came back to the guns in that condition, while others was killed in the hands of the surgeons. One shot came through the cockpit, jistover the surgeon's head, and killed midshipman Laub, who was coming up on deck with a tourniquet at his shoulder, and another killed a seaman who had already lost both arms. Our guns was nearly all dis- mounted, and finally there was but one that could be brought to bear, and ;o completely was the crew disabled, that the commodore had to work at it with his own hands. The men became almost furious with despair, as they found them selves made the target for the whole squadron, and the wounded complained bitterly of the conduct of the Niagara, as they lay dying on the decks and in the cockpit. Two shots passed through the magazine, one knocked the lantern to pieces and sent the lighted wick upon the floor, and it" the gunner hadn't have jumped on it with his feet before it caught the loose powder— my eyes! but that 'ere ship and everything on board would have gone into the air like a sheaf of sky-rockets, and them as was on board never would have know'd which side whipped. Out of one hundred men that went into action, eighty-three were either killed or OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 6l wounded, and every officer was killed or hurt except the Commodore. Our lieutenant of marines, Lieutenant Brooks him as was called the Boston Apollo — the handsomest man in the sarvice, was cut nearly in two by a cannon shot and died before the close of the action. " It was nigh on all up with us. The men was real grit though, and even the wounded cried, ' Blow her up,' rather than strike. Well, as things stood, there was an end of the Lawrence, so far as fighting went, — and our Commodore says, says he,— ' Lieutenant Yarnall, the American flag must not be pulled down over my head this day, while life remains in my body : I will go on board that ship and bring her my- self into action, and I will leave it to you to pull down the Lawrence's flag if there is no help for it.' So we got our barge alongside, by the blessing of Heaven, not so much in- jured but what she'd float, and off we pushed for the Niag- ara—the Commodore standing with his motto-flag under his arm ; but as soon as the enemy caught sight of us they de- livered a whole broadside directly at the boat, and then pep- pered away so briskly, that the water all around us bubbled like a duck-pond in a thunder-shower. There Perry stood, erect and proud, in the starn sheets, his pistols strapped in his belt and his sword in his hand, his eyes bent upon the Niagara, as if he'd jump the distance, never heeding the shot flying around him like hail. The men begged him to sit down ; they entreated him with tears in their eyes, but it was not until I dragged him down by main force, the men de- claring that they would lay upon their oars and be taken, that he consented. "There's them as says the Niagara tvoiildnt come down, and there's them as savs she couldnt ; all I know is, that when { ■{ % ill i III 'ill' 62 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER our gallant young Commodore took the quarter-deck, she walked down into the thickest of it quick enough-my eyes ! how we did give it to 'em, blazing away from both sides at once. We ran in between the Detroit and Charlotte, our guns crammed to the muzzle, and delivered both of our broadsides into them at the same time, grape, cannister and all raking the others as we passed, and the Nirgara lads showed it wasn't no fault of their'n that they hadn't come earlier to their work. I never know M guns sarved smarter, than they sarved their'n, till the eua of the action, nor with better effect. We soon silenced the en. my, and run up the stars again on the Lawrence as she lay a complete wrack, shattered and cut up among them, for ail the world like a dead whale surrounded by shirks. They struck one a'fter OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 63 another, much like you may have seen the flags of a fleet run down after the evening gun ; and as the firing ceased, and the heavy smoke-bank rolled off to leeward, shiver my timbers ! but it was a sight for a Yankee tar to see, the striped bunting slapping triumphantly in the breeze over the British jacks at their gaffs. " If there's any man, tho', as says that their Commodore wasn't a man, every inch of him, aye ! and as good a seaman, too, as ever walked a caulked plank, there's one here, and his name is Bill Kennedy, as will tell him that he's a know- nothing, and talks of a better man nor himself. Aye, aye ! scrape the crown off his buttons, and he might mess with Decatur and Lawrence, and splice the main-brace with Stewart and Hull, and they be proud of his company. He was badly cut up, tho', and I have hearn tell, that when he got home to England, he wouldn't go for to see the lady what he'd engaged to marry, but sent her word by a friend, —I don't know who that friend was, but suppose it was his first lieutenant, in course— he sends her word that he wouldn't hold her to her engagement, ' 'cause why,' says he, ' I'm all cut to pieces, and ain't the man I was when she engaged for to be my wife.' Well, what d'ye think the noble girl says when she hearn this ? ' Tell him,' says she, ' as long as there's enough of him left to hold his soul, I will be his.' I say, Master Tom, that's most up to the Virginny gals. Well, well, there never was but one, as would have said as much for Bill Kennedy, and she, poor Sue, she married curly- headed Bob, captain of the main-top in the Hornet, in a pet, and was sorry when it was too late. She was a good girl, though, and I've lent her and her young-ones a hand once't or twice since in the breaker? ,1 11 il OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER. (Chesapeake and Shannon— Boat Fight on Lake Ontario.) No. IV. WELL, Mr. Kennedy," says Smith, " you have told us of your victories— have you always been victori- ous ? Have you always had the luck on your side ? Where did you lose your arm ?" The old man took a long and deliberate survey of the horizon astern of us, apparent- ly not well pleased with a dark cloud just beginning to lift itself above its edge, but whatever inferences he drew from it he kept to himself, and having relieved his mouth from the quid, and replenished the vacuum by a fresh bite of the pig-tail, he leisurely tu, led to us again and replied with some emphasis : " Them as fights the English, fights men ; and though its been my luck to be taken twice by them, once't in aie unlucky Chesapeake, and once't on the lakes, and though I owes the loss of my flipper to a musket marked G. R., I hopes I bears them no more grudge than becomes a true Yankee sailor. Now, speaking of that, I've always observed, since the war, when our ships is in the same port, that however much we always fights when we falls in with each other, that the moment the English or Americans gets into a muss with the French, or the Dutch, or the Spaniards, that we makes common cause and tumbles OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 65 in and helps one another But I'm blest ! but that Chesa- peake business was a bad affair. They took the ship. Let them have the credit of it, say I, but no great credit neither; for half the men was foreigners in a state of mutiny and none of the men know'd their officers. I hearn Captain Lawrence say himself, after he was carried below, that when he ordered the bugle-man to sound to repel boarders, the cursed Portuguese was so frightened, or treacherous, that no sound came from the bugle, though his cheeks swelled as if in the act. And I hearn a British officer say to one of our'n, that Captain Lawrence owed his death to his wearing a white cravat into action, and that a sharp-shooter in their tops picked him off, knowing as how no common man would be so dressedil I don't complain of their getting the 66 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 4iil| best of it, for that's the fortune of war, but they behaved badly after the colors was hauled down. They fired down the hatches, and," lifting his hat and exhibiting a seam that measured his head from the crown to the ear, " I received this here slash from the cutlash of a drunken sailor, for my share, as I came up the main-hatch, after she surrendered. My eyes ! all the stars in Heaven was dancing before me as 1 tumbled back senseless on the gun-deck below. And when they brought the ship mto Halifax, she smelt more like a slaughter-house nor a Christian man-of-war. Howsomever, they whipt us, and there's an end of the matter, only I wish't our gallant Lawrence might have died before the colors come down, and been spared the pain of seeing his ship in the hands of the enemy. It was what we old sailors ex- pected, though. She was an unlucky ship, and that disgrace- ful affair between her and the Leopard was enough to take the luck out of any ship. Now, if it had been old " Iron- sides,"* or the "Old Wagor."t I'm blessed! but the guns would have gone off themselves, had the whole crew mu- tinied and refused to come to quarters, when they heard the roar of the British cannon ; aye, aye, Old Ironsides' bull- dogs have barked at John Bull often enough, aye, and al- ways held him by the nose, too, when they growled ; but the Chesapeake's colors was hauled down, while the Shan- non's was flying. That's enough ; we had to knock under ; let them have the credit of it, say I. They'd little cause, except in that 'ere fight, to crow over the Yankee blue jackets. They whipt us, and there's an end to the matter, and be damned to 'em. But that ain't answering your ques- tion, as how I lost my larboard flipper. It wasn't in that * Frigate Constitution. t Frigate United States. OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 67 'ere unfortunate ship, altho' if it would have saved the honor of the flag, Bill Kennedy would willingly have given his head and his arms, too ; but it was under Old Chauncey on Lake Ontario. It was in a boat expedition on that 'ere lake, that I first got a loose sleeve to my jacket, besides being made a pris'ner into the bargain. You see, Sir James was shut up in Kingston, and beyond the harbor there was a long bay or inlet setting up some three or four miles. Now, the Commodore thought it mought be there was more of his ships in that same bay ; so he orders Lieutenant Gregory, him as the English called the * Dare-devil Yankee,' the same as went in with a barge the year before and burned a heavy armed schooner on the stocks, with all their stores, and came away by the light of it at — at — I misremember the place — he orders him to proceed up the bay to reconn'iter, to see whether there was any of the enemy's ships at anchor there > to get all the information he could of his movements, and to bring off a prisoner if he could catch one, that the Com- modore mought overhaul him'at his leisure. So the lieuten- ant takes a yawl as we had captured some days before, hav- ing Sir James's own flag painted upon her bows, with mid- shipman Hart, and eight of us men, and pulls leisurely along shore, till we made the entrance of the bay. It was a bright summer afternoon, and the water was as calm as the Captain's hand-basin, not a ripple to be seen. Well, the entrance was narrow, and somewhat obstructed by small islands ; but we soon got through them, never seeing two heavy English men-of-war barges, as was snugly stowed in the bushes ; but about three miles up we spies a raft of timber, with two men on it. We gave way, and before long got up abreast of it. When we got close aboard the raft, the lieutenant hailing 68 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER ifllll one of the men, calls him to the side nearest the boat, and says : ' My man, what are you lying here for, doing nothing? The wind and tide are both in your favor ; don't you know we are waiting down at Kingston for this here timber for his Majesty's sarvice ; what are you idling away your time for here ?' The feller first looks at Sir James's flag painted upon the bows of the yawl, and then at the lieutenant, and then again at the flag, and then at the lieutenant, and then opens his eyes, and looks mighty scarey, without saying anything, with his mouth wide open. ' I say,' says the lieu- tenant ag'in, * I say, you feller with the ragged breeches, do you mean to swallow my boat ? Why don't you answer ; what the devil are you doing here ?' The feller scratches his head, and then stammers, ' I— I—/ know you ; you are him as burnt Mr. Peter's schooner last year.' 'Well,' says the lieutenant, ' what are you going todo with this here timber?' * I'm carrying it down for a raising,' says he. ' What !' says the lieutenant, * do you use ship's knees and transom beams for house-raising in this part of the country ? It won't do, my man. Bear a hand, my lads, and pile all the boards and light stuff in the centre, and we'll make a bonfire in honor of his most sacred Majesty.' So we set fire to it, and took the spokesman on board the yawl, towing the other man in their skiff astarn, intending to release them both when we got all the information we wanted out of them. We returned slowly down the bay again, the blazing raft making a great smoke ; but as we neared the outlet, what does we see, but them two heavy barges pulling down to cut us off. We had to run some distance nearly parallel with them, an island in- fpr^'^^in"- CO we eve.rv moment came nearer to them, and soon within speaking distance. The men gave way hearty, OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 69 in fear of an English prison, but as we came nearer each other, some of the officers in the English boats recognizes Lieutenant Gregory, 'cause why, they had been prisoners with us, and hails him. 'Gregory,' says they, 'you must submit, it's no use for you to resist ; we are four to your one. Come, old feller, don't make any unnecessary trouble, but give up ; you've got to knock under.' The lieutenant said nothing, but he was a particular man, and had his own notions upon the subject, for, bidding the men give way, he coolly draws sight upon the spokesman with his rifle, and most sartin, as he was a dead shot, there would have been a vacant commission in His Majesty's Navy, hadn't the rafts- man, who was frightened out of his wits, caught hold of him by the tails of his coat and dragged him into the bottom of the boat. The lieutenant drops his rifle, and catches the feller by his legs and shoulders and heaves him clear off the boat towards the skiff, while we men, dropping our oars, gave them a volley with our muskets, and then laid down to it again. We had taken them by surprise, but as we dashed along ahead, they returned our fire with interest, peppering some of our lads and killing Midshipman Hart outright, who merely uttered an exclamation as his oar flew up above his head, and fell dead in the bottom of the boat. Well, we see'd the headmost barge all ready, lying on her oars and waiting for us, and, as there was no running the gauntlet past her fire, we made for another opening from the bay as didn't appear to be obstructed, but as we nears it, and just begins to breathe free, three boats full of lobsters of red- coats shoots right across, and closes the entrance effectually on that side. We was in a regular rat-trap. We had been seen and watched from the moment we had got inside of the 70 OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER I ill ii,ii bay, burning the raft and all. ' Well, my lads,' says the lieutenant, ' this will never do ; we must go about, hug the shore close, and try to push by the barges.' So about we went, but as we neared the shore, there was a party of them 'ere riflemen in their leggin's and hunting-shirts, all ready for us, waiting just as cool and unconsarned as if we was a parcel of Chrismas turkeys, put up for them to shoot at. ' Umph ! ' says the lieutenant again, ' 'twont do for them fel- lers to be cracking their coach-whips at us neither ; we've nothing to do for it, ray boys, but to try our luck, such as it is, with the barges.' So, as we pulled dead for the entrance of the bay, they lay on their oars, all ready for us, and as we came up they poured such a deadly fire into that 'ere yawl as I never see'd before or since. There was nineteen wounds among eight of us. The lieutenant was the only one unhurt, though his hat was riddled through and through, and his clothes hung about him in tatters. How he was presarved, is a miracle, for he was standing all the while in the starn-sheets, the most exposed of any on board. They kept firing away, as if they intended to finish the business', and gi'n no quarter, the men doing what little they could to pull at the oars ; but a boat of wounded and dying men couldn't make much headway. Our men was true Yankee lads, tho', and no flinching. " There was one man named Patterson, as pulled on the same thwart with me, and, of all the men I've ever sailed with, he showed most of what I calls real grit. At their first volley he gets a shot through his thigh, shattering the bone so that it hung twisted over on one side, but he pulls away at his oar as if nothing had happened. Presently another passes through his lungs and comes out at his back — still he OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER 71 pulls away and didn't give in; at last a third takes him thro Ligh the throat and passes out back of his neck ; then, and not till then, did he call out to the lieutenant : ' Mr. Gregory, I'm killed, sir; I'm dead; I can't do no more.' So the lieutenant says : * Throw your oar overboard, Patter- son, and slide down into the bottom of the boat and make yourself as comfortable as you can.' Well, what does Pat- terson do, as he lays in the bottom of the boat bleeding to death, what does he do but lifts his arm over the gunwale, and shaking his fist, cry : ' Come on, damn ye, one at a time, and I'm enough for ye as I am.' Aye, aye, Patterson was what I calls real grit. - He was a good, quiet, steady man, too, on board ship ; always clean and ac/jve, and cheerful in obeying orders. Howsomever, his time had come, and, in course, there was au end of his boat duty in this world. " Well, they continued to fire into us as fast as they could load, 'cause why, they was aggravated th?*! so small a force should have fired into them ; but the lieutenant takes off his hat and makes a low bow to let them know as how he had surrendered, and then directs me to hold up an oar's blade ; but they takes no notice of either, and still peppered away ; but just as we concludes that they didn't intend to give no quarter, but meant to extarminate us outright, they slacks firing, and, taking a long circuit, as if we'd have been a tor- pedo or some other dangerous combustible, pulled up aboard. There wasn't much for them to be afeard on, though, for, with the exception of the lieutenant, who was untouched, there was nothing in the boat but dead and wounded men. They took us in tow and carried us down to Kingston, and mighty savage was Sir James. He said that it was unpardonable that so small a force should have Im m !1 '?f "J I Hi T?^' i; OLD KENNEDY, THE QUARTER-MASTER attempted resistance, and he and the lieutenant getting high, and becoming aggravated by something; as was said between them. Sir James claps him in a state-room under arrest, and keeps him there under a sentry, with a drawn baggonet, for nigh on two months. After that he sends the lieutenant to Quebec, and then to England, where he remained till the close of the war; but them of us men as didn't die of our wounds was kept down in Montreal until " Here the old man broke off abruptly, and taking another long look at the horizon, said : " If I ain't much mistaken, Master Tom, there's something a-brewing astarn there as will make this here craft wake up as if she was at the little end of a funnel with a harricane pouring through the other ; and if I knows the smell of a Potomac thundergust, we'll have it full blast here before we're many minutes older." , THE PARTISAN LEGION. OLD Kennedy quietly proceeded to make the necessary preparations to encounter the tempest. His peacoat was got out of the locker and tightly buttoned about him, and his tarpaulin well secured by its lanyard to his buttonhole. The mainsail and foresail were stowed and secured, and nothing but the jib, the bonnet of which was reefed down, was allowed to remain spread upon our dark and graceful schooner. The cloud in the horizon began to extend itself, increas- ing and gradually rising and covering the sky, and the old man's prediction was evidently about to be fulfilled. A dead calm lay upon the river, and a preternatural stillness clothed in a sort of stupor the whole face of nature around us, while lov/ muttering rolls of thunder from the dark cloud, and the frequent, sudden, crinkling lightning, glitter- ing across its surface, warned us that we were about to encounter one of those violent and terrible thunder-storms which not unfrequently occur in this part of the country. The distant muttering in the horizon rapidly became louder, and the perfect stillness of the forest was broken. The melancholy sighs of the coming blast increased to wails, the boughs of the trees rubbed against each other with a slow, see-saw motion, and, as the storm increased, grated with a harsh and continued groaning. The lip-htning became quick and incessant and blindingly vivid, and the ili I 74 THE PARTISAN LEGION dark gloom of the forest was rendered still darker by its rapid glare. The river itself soon was lashed into foam be- hind us, and in a few moments more, accompanied by huge clouds of dust, the tempest came roaring upon us. The cu..- tivated fields and cheerful plantations which were but now smiling in quietness and repose on the other side of the Washington. Pickens. Morgan. Sumter. Lee. THE PARTISAN LFADERS OF THE SOUTH. river, were new instantly shut out by the deep gloom. As the gust struck the schooner, she checked for a moment as if in surprise, and then shot forward with the speed of an arrow from the bow, swept on in the furious tempest as if she had been a gossamer or feather, enveloped in dust and darkness, the rain and hail hissing as it drove onwards, and THE PARTISAN LEGION 75 1^' I the terrific thunder, now like whole broadsides of artillery, now quick and incessant peals of musketry, roaring with frightful violence around her, while the deep black forest, lit up by the blue lightning, bellowed incessantly with the hol- low echoes. As we swept forward with frantic swiftness, a qui ering white flash struck the top of an immense oak, and ere the crashing, deafening roar of the thunder followed, it was torn and splintered, shivered and burning, hurled on by the blast. As soon as the squall struck us we ensconced ourselves below, in full confidence of our safety with Old Kennedy at the helm ; and a fine subject would the old seaman have been for a painter, as he sat amid the fury of the storm, stern and erect, the tiller under the stump of his left arm, and the jib-sheets with one turn around the cleat in his right hand, the usual surly expression of his countenance increased into grim defiance, as he steadily and unmovingly kept his eyes fixed into the gloom ahead. At one time we darted by a sloop at anchor, which had let go everything by the run, her sails over her side in the water, on which, if the yacht had struck, she would have been crumpled up like a broken egg- shell : but thanks to our old quarte; master's care, v/e dashed by iii the gloom, his r^es never even for a moment turning on her as we passed. The storm swept us on in its fury for some time, ^vhen it gradually abated in violence and began to subside. The heavy clouds, flying higher and higher in detached masses in the heavens, bye and bye lifted themselves in the western sky, and through the ragged intervals the setting sun poured his last rays over the dripping forest, bronzing the dark sides of our little schooner as he sunk and disappeared beneath the \ 1 1 I i-t 76 THE PARTISAN LEGION horizon. As the evening wore on, a star here and there dis- covered itself struggling amid the scud flying over it, and preseritly the moon shone out with her broad and silver light, and every vestige of the storm had disappeared. As we glided gaily on, with a fresh, fine breeze, towards our cottage home past the deep forest, the silence was broken by a long, melancholy howl, which I supposed was that of a solitary wolf, but Smith said that it was more probably from some one of the large breed of dogs which are found on most of the plantations. Smith's mind was of a sad and pen- sive, although not at all of a gloomy cast; and, like most men of that character, he required strong excitement to arouse him ; but when aroused, of all delightful companions that I have ever met, he was the man. The excitement of the storm had been sufficient stimulus, and, giving the reins to his wild spirits and excited feelings, he entertained us with an incessant stream of anecdote and adventure. The howl of the wolf had recalled to mind an incident in the life of his ancestor, and, in connection, he related it, with many other adventures of the celebrated Partisan Legion. I will not attempt to use his beautiful and spirit-stirring language, but will confine myself to a few disjointed anec- dotes of the many which he related of the dashing corps, as they happen to recur to my memory. The Legion, intended to act independently or conjointly with the main army, as circumstances might require, com- posed of three companies of infantry and three troops of cavalry, amounting in all to three hundred and fifty men, had won for itself in the Southern campaigns, and particu- larly in the masterly retreat of Green, before Corn wallis, the honorable distinction of being called " the eye of the South- THE PARTISAN LEGION 77 ern army." Its colonel, Green's confidential adviser and constant friend, a stern disciplinarian, was nevertheless be- loved by his officers and men, and so careful was he of the interests of the latter, that while the rest of the army were suffering, the Legion by his exertions was always retained in the highest state of personal appearance and discipline. The horses were powerful and kept in high condition ; in- deed, he has been accused of being more careful for their safety than for that of his men. The cavalry in the British army, mounted on inferior horses, could not stand a moment before them ; and, armed with their long heavy sabres, the Legion troopers were considered full match for double the force of the enemy. The Legion infantry were well equipped, and thoroughly disciplined men, and acted in unison with the cavalry. They were commanded by Captain Michael Rudolph, a man of • I Ill 78 THE PARTISAN LEGION small stature, but of the most determined and daring cour- age. and of great physical strength. He always led m per- son the ''forlorn hope," when the Legion's services were required in the storm of posts, and he was so completely the idol of his men, that it was only necessary that he should be detailed on duty of the most desperate character, that the infantry, to a man, were anxious to be engaged m it. 1 he leading captain of the cavalry, James Armstrong, was almost precisely his counterpart in person, in strength, in undaunted courage and heroic daring, beloved by his men, ahead of whom he was always found in the charge. O'Neal, also of the cavalry, was a bold and gallant man, who fought his way up from the ranks ; for no carpet knight had consideration in the corps. In an early part of his career he came near cutting off in the bud Cornwallis' favorite cavalry officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Tarleton ; for this officer, whatever his merits or demerits, endeavored to enter a window at which O'Neal was posted, when the latter, dropping his carabine, snapped it within an inch of his head, but the piece missing fire, Tarleton very coolly looked up at him with a smile and said, " You have missed it for this time, my lad," and wheeling his horse, joined the rest of his troop, who were on the retreat. It were perhaps difficult to select the brave from a body of men who were all brave, but it is not invidious to say that there was not a man of more fearless courage in the corps than Lieutenant Manning of the Legion infantry. At the battle of Eutaw, commanding his platoon to charge, he rushed on in his usual reckless manner, without stopping or looking behind him, until he was brought up by a large stone-house, into which the Royal York Volunteers, under THE PARTISAN LEGION yg Lieutenant-Colonel Cruger, were retiring. The British were on all sides, and no American soldier within two hundred yards of him. Without a moment's hesitation, he threw himself upon a British officer, and seizing him by the collar, wrested his sword from his grasp, exclaiming, in a harsh voice, "You are my prisoner, sir." Interposing him be- tween the enemy and himself, as a shield from the heavy fire pouring from the windows, he then very coolly and deliber- ately backed out of danger. The prisoner, who was not deemed by his brother officers a prodigy of valor, pomp- ously enumerating his rank and titles, which Manning occa- sionally interrupted with : " You are right — you are right — you're just the man, sir. You shall preserve me from dan- ger, and rest assured I'll take good care o( jfou." Manning had retreated some distance from the house when he saw his friend. Captain Joyett, of the Virginia line, engaged in single combat with a British officer. The Ameri- can was armed with a sword, while the Briton was defend- ing himself with a bayonet. As the American approached, the Englishman made a thrust with the bayonet, which Joyett successfully parried with his sword, when both of them dropping their arms which they could not wield in so close an encounter, simultaneously clinched, and being men of great and nearly equal bodily strength, they were soon engaged in a desperate and deadly struggle. While thus engaged, an English grenadier, seeing the danger of his officer, ran up and with his bayonet made a lunge, which luckily missing Joyett's body, passed only through the skirts of his coat, but the bayonet becoming entangled in the ' folds, upon its withdrawal dragged both of the combatants together to the ground. The soldier having disengaged it, 'I it) Ml li 8o THE PARTISAN LEGION IS r i !! was about deliberately to transfix Joyett by a second thrust, when Manning, seeing the danger of his friend, without be- ino- sufficiently near in the crisis to assist him, called out, as\e hurried up, in an authoritative tone, '' You would not murder the gentleman, you brute!" The grenadier sup- posing himself addressed by one of his own officers, sus- pended the contemplated blow and turned towards the speaker, but before he could recover from his surprise, Manning cut him across the eyes with his sword, while Joyett, disengaging himself from his opponent, snatched up the musket, and with one blow laid him dead with the butt, the valiant prisoner whom Manning had dragged along, and who invariably asserted that he had been captured by " Joyett, a huge Virginian," instead of Manning, who was a small man, standing a horror-struck spectator of the tragedy. An equally brave man was Sergeant Ord, of Manning's com- pany. In the surprise of the British at Georgetown, when a company of the Legion infantry had captured a house with its enclosures, the enemy made an attempt to regain it, the commanding officer calling out to his men: " Rush on, my brave fellows ; they are only militia, and have no bayonets." Ord placing himself in front of the gate as they attempted to enter, laid six of them in succession dead at his feet, accompanying each thrust with, "Oh! no bayonets here- none, to be sure! " following up his strokes with such rapid- ity that t^ e party were obliged to give up the attempt and retire. But perhaps there could have been no two characters in the corps more the perfect antipodes of each other than the two surgeons of the cavalry, Irvine and Skinner, for while Irvine was entirely regardless of his person, and frequently THE PARTISAN LEG ION 8i jund enga