The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-10-17
COL, 7. W. PATTON.

The pride of lineage may be- we'll INDUCED
in and expressed by that man who worthi,y
maintains and represents the virtues of,hls an
cestors, who has never dishonorsd the name
ana blood OF those, who nave illustrated tho
nlgnese 9HFtaioies of human nature and some Of
the brightest pages of our history.
Such man is Isaac W. Patton, the Demo
cratic candidate for Mayor. AS soldier. |
gentleman, citizen, O. Democrat-in every 20
stion Of life-he has shown himself the worthy
descendant of that illustious first martyr In our
war Of Independence Gen. Hugh Mercer, who |
fell at the battle of Princeton In handto- hand
combat with British grenaders, before whom |
the unframed militia Of the Continental army
had recoied In dismay. The closest friend, the |
tutor III fact of the art Of war, Of his neigh |
Dor and fellow tOWnsman, George Wash ng- |
ton his companion in the terrible scenes
of the retreat OF Braddocks army. trav-
cling the whole Of that wretched march OF
that discounted army across the States OF Vlr-
ginia and Maryland with the blood Of his many
wounds, Hugh Mercer only re-enacted the
heroic part, which as q sthlwart youth. he had
performed in the celebrated campaign OF the
Pretenders In 17i5 In Scotland, and in the final
battle of Culloden. which closed forever the
struggle of the Stuarts. refugee from the
bloody vengeance Of the foreign usurpation
of the dynasty which had displaced the Stuarts,
Hugh Mercer sought obscurty, peace and
| Independence in the remote little town or vii
lage of Fredericksburg, Virginia. Adopting
the profession of apothecary and physician. he
was engaged In its quiet pursuit, and In the dis
| charge of the duties Of q civilian and clifton
| when the traditions Of his military experience
| and prowess drew around him n circle OF am
| bilious and enterprising young men. who had
| been inamed by the recitals OF the bar
barities Of the Indians. and OF the
cruelties and humiliations Inflicted upon their
countrymenl through the alliance of the French
with the Indians on our Canadian frontier,
1t could not be expected that the staunch old
| Highlander would permit his claymore to rust
In Its scabbard when such appeals were made
to him by George Washington and his COM
patriots to render the mid Of his vaor. his expo
rence and fortitude to avenge and defend the
women and children. and maintain tho proWess
Of his race against the cruel and treacherous
invaders. Thus, Hugh Mercer was drawn into
the memorable and disastrous expedition OF
Braddock, as second in command under George
Washington, Of the Virginia Rangers. How
this body of troops behaved in the trying scenes
OF the defeat massacre and retreat Of the large
and splendidly equipped British army-how
they alone protected the retreat and saved the
remnant Of that army, 50 lily directed by
its presumptuous Communications hugh
Mercer, desperately wounded, managed
to drag himsel for hundreds Of miles through
the wilderness. living upon acorns and chest
nuts-and after Incredible suffering. reached
thel settlements In such plight rs to be IN
recognizable by his most intimate frlends-are
familiar facts In the early history Of the
American colonies Evon more familiar the
facts Of his designation byGeorge Washington
as his second in command Of the Continental
Army and of his heroic death at Princeton ut
I the hands of the British grenadierS, whom ne
- had aided to rescue from the tOmahaWk in the
retreat of BraddOck. Such is the record of the
, | great grandfather of the gentleman nhmed
for the Mayoralty Of this city That tho blood
of the brave old Highlander had boon faithfully
preserved to even the third generation, has
; been abundantly demonstrated in the career o.
the brothers Patton, the great-grandsons, foul
) of whom lay desperately wounded at tho same
t time during our late civil war Two have
@ enrolled their names alongside o.
= ther illustrous sire. IN tho roll o
\ martyrs to the cause of Independence, and one
: Of the survivors, escaping death by a foarfu
! wound and sacrificing fortune position ant
G the highest worldly prospects to Il sense of duty
and honor, is now presented to our follow clti
zens as q fit candidate for the chief magistracl
> of this CITY, Where the highest qualities 0
= spotless integrity Of an invincible courage ant
Q manly dignity intelligence and conscientious
l.. ness. are added to these proofs Of earnest pa
o trioism. pride of character and devotion t.
a duty, would it not involve grave reproacl
upon this community If they should withhold
their suHrages from worthy gentleman ant
patriot as Isaac W. Patton!