Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-07-22
From Noah's Weekly Messenger.
Yankee Tricks-A Late War Incident.

Common consent stamped 1ankees.,
in their first days, as shrewd, incompara-
BILE trcksters, and common consent was
pretty near right just al that time. Wheth-
err the Yankees are match for opposition
now, we leave to older and wiser heads TO
determine We gained our independence
bv sheet force of drms Now and then
fortune would favor our side with little
extraordinary good event or circumstance,
but not very frequently. 1t was fight twen-
~ times where it was vancouver success
fully once. The English always on the
lookout for squalls and 'Yankee tricks"
not unfrequently deceived themselves in
the most lud crous manner.
In The month of May, 1914, Sir James
Yeo. with fleet Of vessels to the number
Of thirteen, Of various sizes, appeared off
the mouth of the Genesse threatening TO
annihlate Rochester, and destroy every
Improvement and person in the vicinity
Great alarm was created by this. Messen-
gers wer, dispatched at orce throughout
the country for aid. The people were a
roused-like tho fiery cross Of Rhoderlck
Dhu the summons sped, and what think We
was the result ? In Rochester there were
then just thirty-three people capable of
bearing arms and abou, half dozen came
in 10 help them. Truly formidable army
10 repel an English feet, and oppose a
clever offshot Of the British forces. Tie
first thing the little band Of Americans did
was 10 throw up q breast work. rude and
slight, near the deep hollow beside the
Lower Falls. This breast work was call
ed Fort Bender. They then hurried down
the junction Of the Genessee and lake On
,ario, because there the enemy declared
they would land. They left behind them
two old men, with several small boys, to
remove the women and children into the
woods in case the British should land for
the provisions, and the destruction oil the
bridge at Rochester.
The Rochester forces were commanded
by Francis Brown and Elisha Ely,who act
ed as C. captains Isaac w. Stone was appoint
ed major. The Americans were elegantly
accoulred in various garments, OF shapes
and makes almost antedeIuvlan. No two
men were dressed alike. No two men were
armed with the like weapons. Certainly
they all had fire arms but they were not
fashioned in the same style. The dlscl-
pine Of these troops was as curious as
their costume and equpmen But II they
DISPLAYED an awkward front terrific warl Ike
eye, they also exhibited sagaclty and cour-
age-two qualities quite as much needed
as pretty uniform and good tactics. The
enemy watched the on shore proceedings
with considerable interest. They beheld
as they supposed numerous bodies oil mill
tia marchng to head quarters, and prePar-
ing 10 give them warm reception 10
deceive the English, the forty men march
cd and counieSmarched necessarily through
the woods, from point to point; IN such
manner 10 convince tie soldiers IN the yes
sells 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 solder-like men was sent TO meet the
officer. The men carried their arms as
upr gh, as might be consistent with their
plan of being ready for action, By keeping
hold Of the triggers.
The B.iiish officer was astonsed lie
looked all kinds iot things, ute cradle and
unu terable, and with swelling ores! said:
IS Sir, do you receive a flag of truce an
der arms and with cooked triggers!"
"Excuse me, beg" said The American
captain, " we are not soldiers, only back
woods.men and know more about Telling
timber and following the plough than OF
military tactics; saying which the Amerl-
can, 10 rec,ify his first error, ordered his
men to ground arms!
This of course still more astoulshed the
Bri:on. He looked indignant-then sus-
picious-then little territied-and al last
delivered brief message in haste, and IN
conten'ly sought the flee; again. lie de-
clared that the ignorance .ot tactics was
feigned 10 draw the commodore into some
snare, and informed those who sent him
that some "Yankee trick" was under the
process Of development.
The British wanted the spoils, but they
were teo suspicious to attempt iandIng,ii
by making a compromise they would Sc
cure q part of them. Accordingly another
officer, with another flag of truce, was sent
TO parey. Captain Francis Brown was
this time deputed 10 receive tue oiiiGet'
Brown took guard with him.
The British officer looked very suspi-
ciously upon Brown and upon the guard.
He conversed with the utmost caution, and
walked as,houth he expected either TO find
trap door, or sprlnglng mine, beneath
his feet. After spending short time in
conversation, the officer suddenly dlscov-
cred that the width and clumsy aspect of
Captain Browns garments be,okened some
thing not exactly right. He thought that
Brown was regular officer of the lAmeri-
can army, and tina, his regimen,als were
masked TOR some siratagem,bv clumsy and
hastily made overclothes. Impressed with
this idea, the Briton suddenly graspeo
Browns pantaloons by the knee. eXclaim-
ing half loosely "What pity such ex-
cellent cloth should be spoiled by bung-
ling tailor"
Brown smell, out the object ofthe officers
movement, and quick wi,te3, he careless
ly replied
"Oh! was this morning prevented
from dressing fashionably by my haste to
meet and salute distinguished visitors"
The officer then made proposition that
if the provisions and sores which might be
in and about Rochester were delivered up