Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1830-02-16
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VARIETY.

''o.'ei VI history tnat IN the early part OF
l775 great exertons were made by the
British ministry, at the head Of which was
the ilustrious Earl of Chatham, for the re-
ductlon OF the French power in the provn-
ces OF the Canadas. To carry the object
into effect, Gen. Amherst, referred to in the
letters of Junius, was appointed to the COM
mand of the British army in North West
ern Americas and the British colonies in
America were called upon for assistance.
who contributed with alacrity their several
quotas of men to effect the grand object of
British enterprise. 1t is a fact still within
the recollection ofsome of our oldest inhab-
ltants that the British army lay encamped
In the summer of Tvs on the eastern bank
OF the Hudson little south of the city of
Albany, on the ground belonging to John I.
Van Rensselaer,, Esq. To this day vestiges
of their encampment remain; and after a
lapse of sixty years, when great portion of
the actors of those days have passed away
like the shadows from the earth, the inauis-
rive traveller can observe the remains of
ashes, the place where they boiled their
camp kettles. 1t was this army, that under
the command of Aberc rombie was foiied
with severe loss in the attack of Ticonde-
roga, where the distinguished Howe fell at
the head Of his troops in an hour that his
tory has consecrated to his fame. In the
early part ofJune, the eastern troops began
to pour in, company after company, and
such a motley assemblage never before
thronged together on such an occasion, un.
less an example may be found in the ragged
regiment of Sir John Falstaff, Of right merry
and facetious memory. 1t would, said nv
worthy ancestor who relates to me the story,
have relaxed the gravity of an anchorite to
have seen the descendants of the Puritants,
marching through the streets of our ancient
city, to take the station on the left side of
the British army, some with small coats, and
others with no coats at all, in colours as
varied as the rainbow; some with their hair
cropped ike the army of Cromwell, and 9TH
ers with wigs whose curls flowed with
grace around their shoulders. Their march.
their accoutrements, and the whole arrange
ment of the troops, furnished matter Of
amusement to the wits of the British army.
The musick played the airs of two centuries
ago, and the tout ensemble exhibited sight
to the wondering strangers that they had
been unaccustomed to in their native land
Among the clubs of wits that belonged to
the British army, there was physician at
tached to the staff by the name of Doctor
Shackburg, who combined with the science
of the surgeon the skill and talents of the
musician. To please brother Jonathan he
composed tune, and with much gravity re-
commended it to the officers as one of the
most celebrated airs of maratil musick.
The joke took, to the no small amusement
of the British corps. Brother Jonathan ex-
claimed it was nation fine, and in few
days nothing was heard in the camp but the
air of Yankee Doodle. Little did the author
and his coadjutors then suppose that an air
made for the purpose of levity and ridicule,
should ever be marked for such destinies;
in 20 years from that time our national
march inspired the hearts of the heroes Of
Bunker Hill, and in less than 80, Lord Corn
wallis and his army marched into the Amer
lean lines to the tune of Yankee Doodle.