The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1851-02-22

without thinking ~ caring for consequence,
joined the cOlnpauy Of militia, NaH in it
when tho british fired upon us, AID whs with
thuae who followed and poured 'lrstrariion
into their ranks, during their rvtroat back ~
their quarters, ...
A. soon ~ the troops hcean ~ assemble
which werr 10 form thu bcsaiping army ~
Boston, joined with those inm Mes llami'-
shire, aud with them I r'mained until lla
British were shut up la that place. Early
0n the morning of Jung sryCnt,gnfh, hcari
the ruaf OF cannon, and With others marched
to reinforce the Americans, ou the Ilill. Nv
colonel was john AtaIk and Gardiner llul,li.
ns my Captain"
lie rclaiod the Incident. Of the hattie n,ar-
ly ns we have Il n history. "At about ulr,y
en o'clOck, being very Thirsty, with p,i,sts |
aisIi4d 70 IlTzlla iiGI ilz.lll 4 uGll Hsg. li.s
tool at the hill, We had drawn the uaict
aud when about Ia wei or Virrhcd lli. aiml
one Rsyr the alarm that ship had swung
round ~ nrJigr ~ bring irrT Iruarisirir ~ 'rTr
on u.s. a. quick ~ thought We started iW
our po'ih, aud moment after, the we'll curb
was stove Ia atoms hy cannon lalls, After
nv powdrr WIS expended, | ran tu D,nrtti
? tfrfirrr,-f A--.s- ll.--iaI y III 10 ur,Hhr,
some. ! saw him loading his gun, aud At ih'
instant ! wa making my rrtncrt, aHd Be- sa4
driving down the ball IN hir gilu,A hall struck
him IN his right elbow, from which the blopl
rpou'ed. ] rri, Il out, Doicou, thcy have shot
/ you, when he said no they ha'nt, NV biy,'
aud in an instant his right arm fell uheler,
/ by his ,idc. The wound blcd profhrely, anil
hc requested me Ia tie 'ord above his clhiN,
which did, 80 tight that IL mcasurnblv stop
ped the blood. lie then hadc me take what
powder aud ball he had, and his cantcon,
in which was n little rum, and Gght them to
the la.t. aud a. he could not be- of any fur
I lhcr use there, he would go and have his ann
taken oG. Tho lall entered his elbow. aud
was distracted near the wrist; the arm was
saved, but was ever a0cr still lie was some
years older than me, and died about Weniy
years ago.
when driven from my works. aud on the
retreat found myself m faint aud weary ~
"A puor boy need be- having taken no iool all
day, and my only drink what little ilim I
found in my friend the Dcaron's cantccn.
ailerward learned 10 take litr Ia my hav-
crsack, and drink in nv cauVcn. When on
our retreat Colonel STARK had spade iii his
hand, and, when asked why he carried IL. lac
said III worked with IL iu the morning 0n thc
cntrcnchmcnt, had ust been using IL ia fight
ing, and was now carving IL to n place at
safety, whore the british could not have H.
! afterwards ioncd the troops undrr Gem
crl Arnold, assembled the konncbec aud ,n-
long marrh through the wilderness Ia Que
bee; was taken sick, in,alidcd, aud srnt
home, whoFe arrival affair n,r.iL suiIaFii,,,.
tS noon Ms my health was restored, nguin
: loincd the army, and, hfter many iIanslvrs
found my self NJ Newport, X. l., under Goncr.
al sullivan. | was Ia battle there. nf1cr
" Hich our army rrtrated, giving the British
t,c dip whcnthcy thought they had fairly
caugiJ us.
A the Close Of the war received my dis
charge, came home, was married, and moved
to Eishcr,ille, and whilst there, colninan,led
a company of militia six years, and served rs
major OF regiment three. In 1908 | again
removed to Whi,cicld, my present place of
rcridonCc. ----------------
In the last war with Great Britain. found
that my fighting propcnsiiics were not to bc
overcome, without another brush with John
Bull; and in 1913 joined the ARMY as vol
nntecr. marched into Canada, under 'Gcncr-
al Hampton, | was IN battle, or brush, with
q tile Canadians and Indians, near Chaio,uu
rTioTr'cOrners, amer which wc gtori0usty 0F IN
gloriously, rctreated within the limits Of the
States In lsia, through the day, was in
the battle at Plattslnrgi when the british
were driven back to Canada IN double quick
time. Thinking we-had gained glory enough
for one day took up my line Of march ior
home at which place ! went into winter quar-.
trrs. Soon peace was proclaimed, and be-
car pcaccable myself, and should have re
, NAMED so had no, war been declared agains'
Mexico, in which had notion TO par,ci
, pate, but my folks told me ! was too old I,
march, or fight, and they (thtMcxicans) be
, ing poor cowardly dogs, gave !, up.
/ In isI3, was elected a Representative {,
, the Legislature, bc!ag =: that ;in,v ,-,r.,, o.,
| eight Years Of ago, Whilst AZ Concord, on
Al ~ 1 ~
/ the Bunker Hill Monument dedication, and
: returned ti,t, -s,i,e eta,
The old veteran, whilst delivering th
narrative, asked me "iri was taking note
) for a newspaper 2" answered. Il thought
should inform the press that there WA
was at least one Bunker Hill hero living
) THAT" said he, "is right send il tn Captain
= Sleeper, Of the Boston Journal, which read
weekly, aud in which ] lately saw that
the only surviving Bunker Hill man had
marched 10 his last quarters, Tell him that
old Major Burns is still living, and daily rc,
turns J, fit for duty That during the winter
he b., often walked to the village post-otlicc
u distance of two and ono half miles, over a
= very hilly read a-sRd hack aleee- -B,,a ,.,.ai-
tended; aud that excepting a slight cough.
and little deRffcss, he enjoys a chat with
his friends as well ever. And also say 70 him
ir his health is ~ good next summer M 1t is
nowrh intends III company with that boy,
(pointipg To his grandson, who is between
forty and fifty years of agc) to once moro -lis-
il Bostop,when as many as wish may see one
of the Bunker Hill boys, standing on Bun,
kor's awful mount who over three fourths
Of u century since, in that place, passed
: 4 aat- Gf eSesIeiatiRF hunger and thirst his
bosom barred to the. halls of a merrcnary
soidicrS; fighting against tyranny and opprcs-
sion"
In taking leave uf this interesting house,
took birds eye view ofits Inmates, The VEN
cradle centcnarian and the wife of his youth,
the aged son and wifi, and lastly tho boy
and wife, surrounded by an interesting farni-
! " of children.
Lastly, would say if Heaven permits the
good old man. TO make his intended visit,
do hope The Generuns people of Boston
some way or otherSw give him a "Bene-
! e."
Wnro in the city at that time, how much
Euunrr would give my mite to sec, alnusc,
4 Ill IL L II