The Tiffin tribune. [volume] (Tiffin, Ohio) 1848-1859, 1857-02-06
Revolutlonarr TnoldAnf.

Il
~ was embodied in the person Of q stout
blac ksmith, aye, an humble blacksmith,
but in his stout frame, hardened with toll,
throbbod as generous an impulse Of free.
dom as ever bea, in the bosom Of LaFay.
cite, or around the heart Of mad Anthony
Wayne
IL was IN full tide Of the retreat that a
follower Of the American camp, who had
at least shouldered cart.whip in his
country's service, was dragging bag
gage wagon from the battle, while some
short distance behind, a body Of conti-
nentals were pushing forward with bo-
dy Of British In pursuit,
The wagon had arrived at a narrow
point OF the by.road leading to the south.
whtre two high banks of rocks aud orags
arising on either side, afforded just space
sufficient for che passage Of the baggage
wagons, and not an inch more.
His eyes were arrested by tho siQht
OF stout muscular man, apparently some
forty years Of age, extended at the foot
ol tree at the very opening Of pass
He was clad la the coarse attire OF mo-
ohanio. His coat had been flung aside,
aud with his shirt sleeves rolled up from
his muscular arm, bo lay extended on
the turf with his rifle in his grasp, while
The blood rolled in torrent from his
right les which was broken at the knee
by cannon ball.
The wagoner's sympathies were arres-
ted by the sight. tie would have paus-
cd in the very instance Of his aght, aud
placed the wounded blacksmith in his
wagon, but the lout-hearted man refus-
ed.
I'll not 60 into your wagon, said he,
in his rough way, but In tell you what
| will do. Doyou sec yonder cherry tree
on the top Of that rock that hangs over
the road 2 Do you think you can hft a
man Of my build up thereY For you see
neighbor he continued whilB the blood
flowed down from his wound, L never
meddled with the British until they came
tramplng over this valley and burned
my house down. Aud now Pm All rid
died to pieces, but I've got three balls in
my cartridge box, aud so Just prop mo up
against that tree, and I'll give the whole
hhlNN nuNNot hllN Aitut tAClhliuou hno
blacksmith, IN die
The WAGNER started his horses ahead
and then with sudden effort dragged the
wounded man along the sod to the foot
of the tree. His face was TO the adyano-
ing troopers, and while his shattered log
hung over the bank, the WAGNER rushed
on his way, when the doomed blacksmith
proceeded cody to load his rife
1t was not long befono body of Amer
lean soldiers rushed by with the British
in pursuit The blacksmith greeted
them with q shout, and raising his rife
TO his shoulder he picked the foremost
from his spirited steed with the exclama-
tiou:
That's for General Washingtonl'
In moment the rifle was reloaded,
and a gain it Was fired. aud the pursuing
British rode over another Of their fallen
officers.
'rhat's for myself, cried The BLACK
smith, and then with hand strong with
feeling Of approaching death, again loa-
ded. raised his rifle fired his last shot, aud
another soldier kissed the sod A tear
quivered in the eye Of the dying black
smith.
And that he said, with husky
voice, which strengthened almost into a
Shut, is for mad Anthony Wayner
hong after the battle Of the Brandy
wine was past the body was discovered
against the tree, with the features frozen
in death smiling grimly, while his right
hand still grasps the never-faling rifle.
And thus died one of the thousand
brave mechanic heroes of the Revolution;
brave in the hour Of battle, undaunted in
the hour Of retreat, and undismayed in
the moment Of death.