Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-05-19
From ne Ne~ Orleans Piesyane.
LETTER FROM PARDON JONES.


NV DgAR Pic 1--we just got letter
from simon Spalding, Gaping OF the Dead
Cow Brook Artillery Company, teliin on
rne that Rhode Island has declared war
apin herself, and that he had marched his
comoany over the line to keep her from
committin suicide! Bout O'Clock one
mornin the railroad come runnin like Old
Harry into Dead Cow Brook, carryin the
awful news that The hull Of Rhode Island
{" there amt quite half Of the hull ont, "
as the niger said when he raised corn on
sheers) had riz up in arms, and as It was
unsartin whether or no they was goln
to commit suicide, or turn agin the Union'
Simon was advised 10 start right off with
his artillery Company and command me
peace, and in case of resistance, to take
the State. Simon fired the cannon ana
rid old Bonypart till he sweat ogIn' ca'lin
together his men. In bout ia hours they
was all together, bout 50 on e''--anu
they started for the march. when they
rot to the age OF the village they hred OH
the cannon, to bid every body good by.
Sam Twogood had loaded il, and keeress
felIer, he put in hull lot OF big gravel
stones with the waddln, and when 1t went
off. the hull charge went into unkle Hez-
ekah's buttery winder, and knocked the
dishes near about all TO pieces, and cum
putty near KILN Smon's wife, Ruth, that
was standin in there, putin upa bag full
of rashuns for her husband to carry to the
wars. Soon's they found out that nobody
warn't killed, the company started on
agin. They hadn't got fur, alore they
looked back and see Gaping Potter and
Parson Miller rdln in full split, to ketch
up with them.
Soon's they come up, the old Parson
said he thought it was his duty TO go on
and exhort the people of Rhode Island TO
behave themselves, and TO return peacea.
5le to their homes, afore they was taken
prisoners by the Dead Cow Brook Artl-
lerymen. Ia case he couldn't bring 'em
TO reason, Cap,ing Potter was TO show EN-
the Artillery critters, and order them to
surrender. Wall, the Gaping and the
Parson rid on ahead, and the company
padded along as fast's they could, tlli
night. When night come on. they'd gots
jur's Seekont, close TO Providence. II
prowed as dark as pitch and begin to rain,
aud The sogers took shelter on the railroad
bridge, that's kvered over the whole
length with a ruff. Wall, they was putty
well tuckered out, and so they wrapped
their blankets round 'em and lay down to
get a little rest, so'st to take Providence
by surprise, brigh, and airly the next
mornin.
AFTER they'd lay there a little while,
Sam Twogood, that was stann,n sentinel,
he sung out to the Gaping, and said he
'beeved he heerd the inimy 'proachln.
Which way be they comm from =
says he.
al don't know" says Sam, says he,
" but it sounds if they was cummn from
,oards Bosting-enny how, | guess we'd
better be ready for 'em, Gaping"
"By thunder!" says Simon, jumping
Up, the nnemy is a commn, sure nufi
for I'll be darned if the railroad amt q
commin on to us! Up, boys, and scam
per Scamper, you sluggards beat a
retreat, drummer--and streak 1t out oil
'tother eend of the bridge, or we'll every
one on US get smashed Oh, Lord, what
IL pusiIlannimous death for the gelIent Ar
tilcrymen-at SIGH time as this, tn -
Streak it, boys! Neve: mind the cannon
Uhey'd got holt Of the cannon, to drag
hat out.) Don't stop till you git clean
out to 'tother eend, and then scatter"
The railroad was commIn up to the
bridge, full steam, full Of PASSENGERS for
Stunnngton and New York, and Jest aiure
it got to the bridge it Stacked leetle.-
Jest then, who should come rldln IN ahead
ont, bu, Gaping Potter, with Parson Mil
Ter on behind him-a hollerin and rldn as
hard as they could heller, "run, boys,
run, or you're u dead man y
They'd put up for the night somewheres
near, and had jest heard that the company
had catnped on the railroad bridge, and
they sa1dled up, aud started to go'n tell
'em of their danger. When they seed
tho railroad a comm, they whipped up and
started on run. Parson Mll!er's boss
fell down, and throw'd the old man of,
and then run away. The Parson then
hoped on behind the Captain, and they
rid on. Tney got bout tn rod under the
ruff Of the bridge when the railroad come
up. The sogors all runs hard's their
legs would kerry them, and Simon srter
'em, and the boss arter Simon, and the
rail road after the boss Jest bout three
quarthers Of the way through, the boss
come up to Simon, and knocked him down,
and he rolled off OF the track, (the cannon
sot on ';other track, but the sogers nor
none on EN- didn't know which track the
railroad was comm on, and they hadn't
time to look back and rod or tn arter
that the railroad run agen the boss, and
knocked him head over heels, clean over
'io,her track, and he fell on top Of the
Capting and Parson Miller, with his neck
broke short off They was both stunded,
The sogers all got out ahead, but some on
'em was so bad skeert that they didn't
stop ill they div into the cove. Tu on
EN- Sam Twogood and Bill Smith
kept streakin IT right ahead, till they got
clean down tn the depot, and run smack
agen a brick piller, one arter the other.
The railroad eased up soon's they found
that suthin had happened, and the passen-
gers went back and picked up Parson Mil
Ter, Gaping Potter, and Simon, and had
the cannon and dead boss, and the swords
and blankets cleared off of the tracks, and
kerried all three on 'em to the hotel,