Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-11-18
AN ANECDOTE OF THE LAST
PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN.


A correspondent of the Richmond Re-
publican, under the head of " The Small
Tail Movement relates the following ANU
sing anecdote of the Presidential canvass of
1910:
During the canvass of 1910, being then on
my first legs as politician, was holding
forth to a crowd at the county seat of q
-, i'll Virginia, upon the highly respect-
able services of Gen. Harrison. From the
manner in which the audience attended to
what was saying, | hattered myself that
my efforts We're highly acceptable to them,
spoke otthe old hero's gallantry and gener-
alshp at the battle of Tippecanoe-of the
iirinness he displayed during the night attack
OF the sayages upon his encampment--tha
promptaess exhibited in all his arrangements
during that trying occasion, and the victory
that crowned his efforts. also dlated
aud enlarged upon the seige of Fort Meigs,
and euloglzed his constancy, bravery, aud
self denial. On that occasion, which
brought the campaign of 1912 10 victorious
close, turned the tide of savage warfare
back from the Ohio border, rescued thou-
sands of women and children from the mer-
clless tomahawk, aud restored the blessings
of society 10 the North Bend. was procee-
ding to treat IN the same strain of the battle
OF the Thames, when an opponent, of con-
siderable influence in the neIghborhood, step
| ped forward, and the following dialogue en-
sued:
"What sort Of movements" said he,
"was il that Gen, Harrison made ut the bat
tie OF the Thainesf"
g don't remember any movement, spec-
ally, his movements were doubtless in accor-
dance with the rules of military art and he
certainly discharged his duty with ability aad
energyn
Don't you know" said the questioner,
with lll-snppressed indgnation,n that Gen.
/ Harrison ma,le the small tail movement ut
the battle of the Thames?''
" Really, sin, do not understand the drift
of your remafks.n
Upon this my opponent drew out of his
breeches pocket an edition of g Grimshaw's
History Of the laic War" opened it at a
place where leaf had been carefully turn
ed down. aud asked me to read aloud pas
sage 20 the following effect" AT the battle
OF the names Gen. Harrison performed
nonet movement. He ordered Col. john
sons regiment of mounted men TO charge
the Indians, who were posted in the woods;
with trdiied arms, Sc.
stop !" says he, in great triumph, "what
do you think of that ~
Why, SIR" said I,ssit shows General
/ llarrison's genius. He invented a manmu-
vre perfectly adapted to the occasion, and
the whole AFFAIR was highly honorable to the
occasion, aud the whole affair was highly
honorable to bis military sagacly p
What is the meaning of the word NOS
81 % he demanded, with "A perfect roar of
confidence aud triumph.
Ii means new," replied.
I" Ii means n small TAIL" said he, with
tremendous voice, aud drawing out OF his
pocket n small edition of Walkers Dction-.
AIRY, asked me 10 look for the word. did
so, aud found it to mean as follows:
Novel, a. New, 8. A small tale"
saw az once the course Of the fellows
error, aud despaired OF convincing him of
III, tried 10 explain to him the difference
between an adjective and a substantiye--told
( him that ~ the text quoted above the word
g novel; was used as an adverb. Said j,
+" DON'T you see little a there, that shows that
when novel is an adjective, il means ne,c;'
hut when II Is substantive, as shown by $, II
means a small tale'--that is, a small book,
story. This was rather beyond my ques-
toner's colnpreheiisibllity and therefore ra-
Their staggered him a little, but recovering
himself he squinted at the dictionary and
exclaimed
- kHoN botHiHS oi your dycctsots "uo
your substantiUes, but this l know, that If
iittte means any thing over there, big "A
must mean more on this side, and therefore
this Is the most important meaning"
SIR" said !, 10 perfect despair, " did you
ever hear OF the small tail Increment being
performed 20
(" Yes, was Mt Camp Garter, near Rich
mond, during the last war, aud frequently
saw IT,"
4" How was it done -
"Wby they went rsnld and round, and
come out, ! cau'r tell exactly but II was
called the meanest movement ia all the tao
ties"
( / afterwards learned that the fellow in
inqnestion carried his Grimshaw anu Walk
er through the canvass and actually con-
WINGED many IN his section that Gen. Berri-
son disgraccd himself at the battle Of the
Thames by performing a movement called
/ the small tail movement. He remains of
the same impression to this day, and is gem
orally known by the soubriquet Of the small
tail movement"