Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1858-07-30
From the SELMA (Ala.) Sentinel.
AN OLD NEGRO--A SERVANT OF
WASHINGTON. Il

While in Talladega county, o few
weeks ago. VIE spent an eyeningtat the
residence of Major Benjamin Smoot. near
Mardisville. aud there toun1 relic Of the
Revolutionary war. in the shape of an old
negro man, whose name was Jerry, aud |
who Informed US that he was one hundred
and,seyen ears old. We found the old |
negro a great taIker. relating the Incl
den:s and scenes Of the Revolutionary
Wa:; With great zeal and feeling. H
gave US the following account Of himself,
$Rish We where subsequently, informed
al Col FaunllerOy. of Rappahannock
county. Va, in the car 1851. and while
General Washington was in Philadel phia.
attending the Continental Congress. he
purchased him from his master. giving
thirty pounds for him. Soon after he be-
came tue property of Washington. Gen.
WRshing ton took commanl OF the army
taxing Jerry with INN as his body ser
rant, which position Jerry occupied until
the close of the great struggle Tor Ameri
can Independence. taking an &C i've par
m all the battles ia which Washington
was engaged. Jerry recOunts with grea
accuracy, the promicen incidents of ma
nv Of the battles, and sheds tears while
relating the hardships experienced by the
soldiers of the American tOrces-especial-
" of the hardships in the Jersey colony.
After the close of the war. jerry was
taken to Mount Vernon. where he re
maiuded until the year bef,r re the death
of Gen. Washington, when. becoming dis
GonIenIed, in consequence OF his vile
moving to a disLsnt neIghborhood, he
was sold to the owner of his vile. A few
years after Jerry's wife died. He again
becoming dissatisfied with his master,
was again sold. and finally was carried to
Richmond and placed in the public mar
ket. where lie was purchased by the tath
err o! Colonel Hugh 2. Watson, now Of
Montgomery, Ala. Mr.. Watson kept
Jerry until his death when he fell into
the hands of his young master-Col
Hugh Watson.
v hen the war with Mexico took place
and there was a call Tor volunteers to
fight the battles of the country. Col. Wat
son was one of those who volunteered. -
AS soon as Jerry heard that his young
master was going to war. he declared hts
master should not go unless he too went
WIN HttIl W
induced by a faithful attachment TO his
master. went with the TaIladega volun
teers. and many are the 'kes told on Jer
ry by the TaIlIdegA buys. jerry would
not only take every opportunity he could
to kill a Mexican. but would, when he
could not shoot one. win their money
from the "yaIIow DEVILS" "a very popu.
lnr phrase OF JeIry's when speaking of
the Mexicans } Jerry declared that he
aud one more Of the Talladegs volunteers
the came JerrJ uses freely were the only
Americans that could beat the Mexcans
at Monte and such other games as they
played. and as proof of it. Jerry
brought home quite a number of Jumps
Of gold, which he took great delight in
showing as specimens OF Mexican curren>
cv.
When the service Of the Alabama vol.
urteers expired in Mexico, Jerry returns
ed home with his young master.
Major Smoot finally purchased Jerry's
wife, and Col Watson gave Jerry per-
mission to go where and when he pleas
es. He STAYS most OF his time at Major
Shoots feeding pigs. working in the gar
den and doing such little work as he feels
disposed to do.
Until with in the last year or two, Jer
~ was quite active. very industrious. and
made moneyfor himself; but within the la t
year or so he has become quite decrepid,
aud it is only with the use of his crutch
and stick that he can move about.
Jerry told US that be. at one time, felt
very religious, but when he went to Mex
leo and found he could beat the Next
Gags SO easy play ing cards. he lost all his
religion.
je'ty is very popular with every mem
her OF the company that weut from Tai.
ialegr 10 Mexico. and will fight quick if
he hears them spoken Of wrongfully.
He is certainly an extraordinary old
negro: has \ most minute and distinct
recollection of all the scenes of The Revo
Observation-Disclosures all the prominent off
GERS, and can give an excellent descrip>
lion Of their appearance-the color OF
their hair. eyes. complexion. and every
thing in connection with them. He thinks
General Washin 5ton was a supernatural!
man, that all his acts ami deeds were IN
der the supervision and directed bv Prov
idence. He loves Washington anil hates
Arnold. Jerry says he always hated
Arnold from the first time he ever saw
him at Trenton. when dining with Gen.
erml Washington.
We don't know that we ever found a
person in whose conversation we were
more interested than in this old negro,
and to one who is fond of hearing mira
culous tales, Jerry would prove most in
teresting.
From the San Francisco Herald, June %.
-r An Indian Fight at Sea.