Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-05-30
THE GREATBoUNDARY BATTLE
Now tell US all about the war,
And what they slew each other for:

Souihey btenheim.
The author ofthe original Jack Doonine
Letters has bean OF late Engaged in a cores
pondence from near the disputed territory
with his brother officer Gen. Morris of The
New York Mirror, the most oil which un
der the head OF "Letters from John Smith of
Smilhville. Down East in the State OF
Maine," is comprised OF epislles from bis
son, private in the border army during
the late terrible campaign.
The following is the sketch of dread full
discharge OF musketry over the boundary
line, which mus! have carried dismay into
every kingdom in England II is told in.
miiably. We mus, premise that haviue
nothing to do, detachment OF the main
army, fired with valor, determined TO see
the boundary line and toe the same. Mr..
William Virgins climbed tree 10 get the
first view
"What upon earth," said Sargent johns
son, sis Billy arter now 20
"a squirrel, guess" said I, "Ill bet a
potato, Billy aas freed squirrel"
When we got along up little nearer
Sargent Johnson called out to him to know
what he was doing up there
81 IN jest looking off here TO see ifI can
see the line" said Billy, stretching hia head
way to Eastward, and looking with Ill the
eyes in his head
"Well, do you see it," said Sargent John.
SON.
"See il? no." said Billy "I don I see moth
ing hut woods, and woods, as far az can
see"
Sargent johnson told him he guessed he
would see il quicker ifhe was on the grourd,
than he would up there. So Billy come
down again, and we logged along Bime
by we come 10 tree that had some old
marks and spots on two sides of il. And
we looked along, north and south ofthis tree,
for Sargent johnson said the line runs due
north from the monument, and we found
some more trees marked and spotted les,
like it.
"Ah,' says Sargent johnson, "we've
found it. This is the boundary line; we've
got 1t al last. Now look and see if YOU can
see the British on 'tother side of it aud Let
every man hold on TO his gun and be ready TO
fire, il say the word''
We looked across the line, and looked and
looked, but we couldn't see nothin but trees
and bushes, and woods and swamps. We
hollered across the line as hard az we could
to raise any Of the British, for we all felt as
II we wanted to have brush And we
thought at first they answered us; but when
we come TO holler again, we found il was
only the echo OF our own voices, that come
back from the hills a-little ways off So we
marched along the line two or three miles,
but we couldn't see nor hear nothn' of no.
body. AT last we sot down, and got the
victusls out of our knapsacks and eat our
dinners and rested while. When we got
ready TO star, again 10 go back TO our tort.
Sargent johnson said we should give the
British one broadside before we left 'em
jest 10 let 'em know what the Yankee bows
are made of So he TOLD us to see that our
guns was all right; and then he ordered us
to stand up all in a row, and toe the line, ia
cling TO the British side; and then he give US
off the word
"Make ready take aim !-fire!"
There" says Sargent johnson, "now |
can go home contented, war or no war for
we've poured one goedgrist into their terri>
tory, and they may help themselves il they
can"
This account, which is doubtless from life.
IS the only record Of a battle during the
whole campaign.