Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-01-10
Che Origin of Yankee Doodle.


almost certain prospect of ultimately
surprising her.
Che Origin of Yankee Doodle.
"Yauk 'c ID. 'odle" has stood the test
of 135 Years In 1855 great exertions
were made by the British ministry, at
the head of hich was the Earl of Chat
ham, for the reduction of the French
power in the provinces of the Canadas.
To carry this object into effect, General
Amherst was placed in command of the
British army in Northwestern America,
as it was then considered, and the British
colonies in America were called on for
assistance. They Immediately responded
to the call, contributing with alacrity
their several quotas of men. In the
summer of 1866 the British troops, under
General Abercrombie, were encamped
on the east bank of the Hudson River, a
little south of Albany, on the old Van
Rensselaer, place, known in the early
hist ry of Rensselaerwyck as Fort Crailo,
awaiting reenforcements of militia pre-
vious to marching to Ticonderoga. Early
in June the Eastern troops began to
pour in, company after company; and
so II otIey an as5emblage of men never
before througed together on such an
OCCASION, unless an exec ton be found
in the ragged regiments of Sir John
Falstatf 1t would have relaxed the
gravity Of an anchorlt to have seen the
de. ccndants of the Purtans marching
through the ancient streets of Albany to
take their station ON the left of the
British army-Some with long coats.
some with short coats, and some with no
coats at all, in colors as varied as those
of the rainbow; some with their hair
crop ell like that of Crmwells soldiers,
and others with wi i&s, powdered and un-
pow dered, whose curls floated around
their shoulders. Their march, t!eir ac-
couterments, and the whole arrange
ments of the troops furnished great
source or amusement to the wits of the
British army. The musicians played
the airs of two centuries ago, and the
tout ensemble exhibited sight to the
wondering strangers that could not fail
to excite tl'eir merriment.
Among the wits belonging to the
British army was surgeon of some
distinction, IA DR.. Richard Shackburg.
who combined tie talents of a musician
with the science of his profession, and
with his wit. One evening late in June,
sitting beside the old we'll just at the
rear of the Van Rensselaer, house, still
to be seen at Greenbush, with the air of
kitty Fishers jig" ringing in his ears,
DR.. Shack burg wrote the words of
yankee Doodle, and presented words
and music to the officers of the militia
with great solemnity, commenting the
air as one of the most celebrated in
martial music. The joke took well, to
the great amusement of the British Of
fcers, and yankee Doodle" was at once
known as the march and song of the
militia Tie tune y as known in the
time of Charles the First. and has even
been said to be of classic origin, having
been chanted in the days of NIiletus,
certainly in the days of Herodotus, and
possibly in those of Homer! The words
"Yankee Doodle" have been variously
defined, and to enter into full discus
sion of the subject would involve too
much space. The general acceptation
is that "Yankee" is from "Yankin,
meaning in the vocabulary of early
New York Dutch, to grumble, snarl, or
yelp, and its derivative noun, "Yanker,
meant howling cur. 1t was not in
use save among the lower classes, for
reasons which to-day forbid slang be-
ing introduced into our homes; but it
was we'll known word. In the col
lision between the New Eng an era the
New York Dutch, and the British, much
ill feeling was aroused. The New Eng
landers despised the Dutch, and the
Dutch despised the New Englanders,
while the British ridiculed both. Hence
the use of the word to indicate the con-
tempt which existed
Every circumstance points to it's birth
in this prevailing contemptuous feeling.
To this day Yankees are looked upon
with some distrust by the descendants
of the real Dutchmen now outside of
New England. The hit of DR.. Shack
burg became known throughout the
army, and the song was sung in a sort of
contempt for the colonials. This con-
temptuous use of the song continued
until after Lexington. In 1775 the Brit
ish troops tarred and feathered one
Thomas DltSOn, III Boston, marching TO
the tune as the best means of heaping
contempt on the Yankees. But this was
changed at Lexington, and it was said
that when the British commander was
once asked after that how he liked the
tune, he answered, How they did make
us dance to it," Doodle" was a Lam
canshire word for trifer, and is thus re-
ferred to as early as 1922. There is an
early version of the words in English,
which runs:
Yankee Doodle came to town
Upon Kentish ponyi
He stuck feather in his hat,
And called it macaroni.
In other versions the second line runs,
"Riding on a pony, and Upon little
pony" The small plume worn by the
militia in the front of their caps was
-