The National tribune., 1886-10-07
DEATH OF coRNWALLIs.
A PAGE in Virginia History Hitherto Unpublished
Uncle Nsnuel's Story.

[CEieago Netrs.l
The negroes are naturally great romancers
and the last scenes Of the Revolution having
taken place here, supplied the people with an
astonishing fund OF anecdote and "Reminiscences,
and the negroes were not slow 10 take their
share The lurry OF 1912, when a British ship
or two appeared in York River, and the sack
ing Of Hampton occurred afforded the very old
negroes, who might possibly have been born at
the time, with personal experiences enough to
establish them as mInne-siugers. They seem 10
have agreed TO lump their recollections and ira
ditiOns, and it is not uncommon to this day to
find venerable darby who not only clearly
remembers de resolution" but took an active
part In ~, and was on terms of personal init
macy with Washington and Lord CORVALLIS
both.
One of the most famous of these was certain
Uncle Manuel belonging to one of the old fam
lilies here whose account of the siege of York
town was infinitely more graphic aud interest
ing in every way than the comparatively tame
story related in the history books Uncle
Manuel was preacher on Sundays and gen.
eral fact0tum the rest of the week He was the
terror Of the little darkies round about, but
adored by the children of the planters in the
neighborhoOds who never read of any event in
history of which Uncle Manuel was not an eye
witness, nor ever heard of any place in the
geography that Uncle Manuel hadn't boen TO.
He had seen Napoleon Bonaparte " sOmewhar
near de Norf Calling line he didn't 'zactly
recomember." and bad viewed Niagara. The
latter, however, disappointed him very much,
aud didn't throw up half as much spray as de
whale dat got stranded in de ribber, an when
he snort he blowed de shingles otf'n yo' pas
new barn." Ode battle of York " was his piece
do resistance, and nothing pleased him SO much
rs a circle OF childish faces around him beg
ging: Now please, please, Uncle Manuel, do
tell US about the Revolution" Uncle Manuel,
like bashful young lady asked to sing, re-
quired considerable urging. Now, children,
you done hecrd de ole man tell bout dat"
"Yes-yes-but tell us some more" The
fact was Uncle Manuers accounts could not
become monotOnOus because he never told
them twice the same way.
well, honey speck / have to try an tell
you sumpin' bout il. Doan nobody know
moron ole Uncle Manuel, kase / was wild Gin
eral Washington all dc time. You see ole marse
-yo' gran'pa-he live nigh ter Yorktown, an
Gineral Washington and Gineral Lafayette dey
was dare, sparkin' de young ladies. i hear
Miss Susan herselfde day she tole 'em bofe she
warn't gwine ter marry neider one on 'em-an'
dat was de fust an onliest time cher see Gin
eral Washington cry. He jes' bellered an hol-
Tered dat day, an he say, cryin': Manuel, my
heart is broke ! tell you some more bout dat
pres'ny. Well, Gineral Washington arter dat
he was mighty mOurnful like, an he didn't
seem to want me outeu his sight; so one day he
say to ole marse-yo' granpa; Kurnel, dis
heah boy Manuel am a likely chap. I'd like
nightly ter have him. / GIN you 10 o my
hes niggers for dis heah boy But ole marse
he say: 'Gineral Washington / wouldn't take
10 o yO' niggers, nor 20 on 'em for Manuel.
But I'll tell you what I'll do, jes' take de boy
an keep him till arter de- resolution, an
SEN him back An OATS de way got ter be
wild him. Well, we had ole wuks at York. DE
red coats came pOurin' Outen de ships"
How many thousands of them were there,
Uncle Mauuel2p
Thousands! Dere was millions on EN-
millions, chile"
"And bow many French p
"Dey want no French at ALL"
"But-b ut-the history says"
WELL chillen. was DE history man dar? Was
de history man dar, | say? ! lay he warnt
born, much less dar, an dere is a heap o. lies
in books nohow. Now, didntsee no French,
an dey warnt none. But Gineral Washing
ton was dar-and he fit an fit, an / fit an fit
'twell mos drop. Ebery time GineraI Wash
ington fire he gun the Britshers would drop in
a row. Sometimes he would fire an load an
sometimes he would load an fire. He rid a
big white boss, an cherry time he lift he foot
twas as big ez dinner plate. was on big
black boss, an we was gallopin' ober de field.
Gineral Washington shoutin', 'Whar's dat dam
ole red coat CORVALLIS? Dog my cats, but I'm
a-gwine to Spite he hider AFTER awhile /
looked down in dc hollar by ole 'simmon
tree, and, sho' nuf, l see Gineral CORVALLIS
maxim hsself small an tryin ter crawl under
de fence. But de fence was too low to de groun'.
Gineral Washington he seen him, too; SO he
gallop up an he bawls, Halt! you raskill.'
Den Gineral CORVALLIS he sOt on the groun,"
and he eyeballs stood out 'twell you could wrap
grapevines roun' 'em, an he teef rattle like he
had de ager. An he say, 'Gineral, I-I-g-
gin il upP An Gineral Washington he didn't
say muffin tall, but he drawed he sword-I had
done sharpen it up dat mornin'." Here Uncle
Manuel would make dramatic pause.
Honey, he draWed he sword-an' he cut he
hade right OFF,