Wisconsin herald, and Grant County advertiser. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1844-1845, 1845-08-16
the vessels that the whole country was

the vessels that the whole country was
aroused and preparing for action. The
English thought it was high time to be
cautious, and therefore sent an officer
with flag of truce to the shore. One
of the militia captains, with ten of the
best looking and most soldier-ike men,
was sent to meet the officer. The men
carried their arms as upright as might
be consistent with their plan of being
ready for action, by keeping hold of
the trigger.
The British officer was astonished.
He looked all kinds Of things, uttera-
bic and unutterable, and then, with a
swelling crest, sald:a
"Sir, do you receive flag Of truce
under arms, and with cooked trig-
gers :"
"Excuse me, | beg said the Ameri-
can captain, "we are not soldier ;, only
backwoods- and know more about
telling timber and following the plough
than of military tactics saying which,
the American, to rectify bis first error,
ordered his men to ground arms ~
This of course still more astonisled
the Briton. He looked indignant
then suspicious-then little terrified
and at last delivered brief message
in haste, and incontinently sought the
fleet again. He declared that the ig-
norance of tactics was fcigned to draw
the commodore into some snare, and
in formed those who sent him that some
IS Yankee trick" was under the process
of Development.
The British wanted the spoils, but
they were too suspicious 10 attempt a
landing, if by making a compromise
they would secure a part of them
Accordingly another officer with anoth-
er flag Of truce, was sent to parley.-
Captain Francis Brown was this time
deputed 10 receive the officer. Brown
took a guard with him.
The British officer looked very sus-
piciously upon Brown and upon the
guard. He conversed with The utmost
caution, and walked as though he ex-
pected either to find trap-door, or a
springing mine, beneath his feet. Az
ter spending a short time in conversa-
ton, the officer suddenly discovered
that the width and clumsy aspect OF
Captain Browns garments betokened
something not exactly right. lie
thought that Brown was regular Off
Ger of ike American army, and that
his regiments were masked for some
stratagem, by clumsy and hastily made
overclothes. Impressed with this idea,
the Briton suddenly grasped Browns
pantaloons by the knee, cxclaiming bali
Ijocosely, "what a pity such excellent
cloth should be spoiled by bungling
tailor"
Brown smelt out the object OF the
officers movement, and, quick witted,
he carelessly replied
I sob f! Twas this morning prevented
from dressing fashionably by my haste
to meet and salute distinguished Wis
I TORS"
The officer made proposition that
if the provisions and stores which might
be in and about Rochester were deliv-
cred up, Sir James Yeo would spare
the settlements around.
Will you accept and comply with
this offer ?" inquired the bearer of the
flag of truce.
"Blood knee deep first - replied
Francis Brown, with startling empha-
sis.
i While all this parlcy-thc last clause
of which was enough to alright the
oldest and toughest soldier--an Amcri-
can officer with his staff returning from
the Niagara frontier, was accidentally
seen passing from one wooded point TO
another. This with other very curious
circumstances, confirmed the Britons
in the belief that large American
army was collected, and that the Yam
kee officers slammed ignorance for the
purpose of enticing them on shore to be
slaughtered and annihilated.
No sooner had the flag of truce got
back to the fleet, than shower of bombs
and balls was sent from each vessel
/ The attack was Immediately scknowl-
edged with great spirit. Howl Why
a rusty old six FOUNDER had been mount
ed on log and secured up for the
occasion, and as soon as il could be
charged it was 81 let off" on the thir-
teen English vessels. A few hours
mara -Dant IN fbsz Ynannar ord Cir las