The Placer herald., 1860-10-27
NUMBER s.
The Sole Survivor of the Battle of Bunker
Hill

gentleman has recently visited Ralph
Farnham, said to be the sole survivor of the
battle of Bunker Hill. He resides at Acton.
Maine, and was lO4 years old on the 7th of
July. The following report Of the old gen.
tleman's conversation will entertain the read.
er:
Il was working on the farm" commenced
tie old gentleman, "when the news came of
the troubles with the British. A good manv
lads enlisted, and felt like listing as we'll
as the rest; but my mother didn't like to
hear of my going away. However she sus-
pected something, and one day she see me
cleaning my musket. Ralph she says, you
amt gone and listedl' Not just yet moth.
err l said. Still she was uneasy and see
her 60 to neighbor, whose son had gore
down to Boston to jine the army. l follow
ed her. and when | got to the house heard
her crying. l was sorry then. but it was
too late
The next day | and a lot of others were
marched to join the army at Cambridge,
were Gineral Washington had Just come to
take command. Cn the road the people
came out of their houses aud cheered us,
and at Andover, Colonel Abbott treated the
officers, and sent Us out some cider and grog
in pals. We got to Cambridge, and the
next day were marched to Charleston, and
the battle of Bunker Hill was fought. Ah
that was a terrible bloody fight! 1t was a
shocking slaughter! Twas the first time I
had ever seen battle. After that fought
with the army through three campaigns,
from 1915 to 1777. Il often saw Washing.
ton He was fine man. We don't see
such fine men as General Washington these
days. And old Putnam he was a rough
fellow, but bold as lion; he cared for moth.
ing. And Gates, he was brave man, too,
though he made no show. was present at
the surrender of Burgoyne. l was on guard
at the camp where Burgoyne and the other
British officers dined with Gates after the
surrender. They were all very merry, ior all
they had been whipped. Gates sat at the
head of the table, and there was some laugh
ing done where Burgoyne was seated, and
Gates wanted to know what it was about.
Somebody said: 'Gineral Burgoyne says YOU
look more like an old woman than soldier
-Ginera' DO lg says General Gates.
laughing; well, perhaps do. I've delivered
Gineral Burgoyne of 10000 children at any
rate and they all laughed heartily. Gates
got the best of the Britisher After the
war was over, came and settled on this
farm. 1t cost - sn acre, and had hun
dred acres. 1t was all a wilderness then.
nothing bu, forest for miles around, and the
woods were full of bears and other wild AMI.
mails; the bears often molested me and
shot a good many. One day was in the
woods with nothing tut my axe, when a
bear dropped from tree close by; presently
another came down, and then three cubs. I
didn't like the looks of it, but after staring
at me they all made of, and l let 'em 90.
Once killed moose deer close by my log
hut 1t weighed 600 pounds! lived in
the log hut by myself for four years, and
then got married, and after while built
this house just above where the log cabin
stood. have had seven children; five Of
them are still living. Sixty years ago
joined the Free Will Baptsts, and I've been
member ever since.".