The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-10-12
FREAK BOOKS ABOUT OLD TIMES.
Startling Information About Period
of the War for Independence.
Washington Post,

Washington Post.
If one had the time it would be well
worth the trouble to spend a month at the
Library of Congress, looking over what the
then, in all countries and climates some
one is seized with desire to write a book
in some manner other than the way usual
ly followed and such productions are often
times grotesaue and ridiculous This is not
only the case st present, but it has always
been so, and nearly every age can show
the work of some person who had nothing
better to do than to busy himself with the
production of a work that chiefly re-
markable for it's utterly nonsensical and
outlandish character. OF these, one of the
most remarkable is a book entitled 1.-The
American Revolution, written in Scrip
tural or ancient historical style, by Rich
ard Snowden, Baltimore. Printed by w.
Pechin. 10 Second street" No date is
given, nor is there any preface or foreword
as to who or what the author was, but it is
evident from the name OF the publisher and
several other things that 1t appeared some
time about the year 1856. The book is just
what it's title announces, very laundering
and poor attempt at writing q history of
the revolution in the English of the Stuart
period. which ignorant people imagine was
the spoken tongue of Moses, St. Paul and
all the other Bible characters. In fact, the
work is somewhat on the style of the Nor
mon Bible, that is to say, written In nine
teenth century English with And ii came
to pass" or an exceeding sore Labeled i'm
here and there to give Ii a somewhat Bib
lical twang.
1t seems that people were somewhat
given to this form of diversion in the early
days of the Republic, and it is now a fact
we'll known to students OF American his
tory that the Mormon Bible, that is TO say,
the Book of Mormon, was simply cabbaged
bodily by Sidney Ridgon from Biblical
romance written by preacher OF the name
of Samuel Spalding.
The work in question, which may be seen
by any visitor TO the Library of Congress,
begins follows:
Il In the thirteenth year of the reign of
George the King, whose dominions extend
ed from the island of Britain to the utter
most parts of the earth.
..2 The same King made decree to tax
the people of the provinces in the land of
Columbia, for they had paid mo tribute to
the King, neither they nor their forefath-
The battle of Lake Champlain is thus de.
scribed:
..2O And it came to pass when the ships
of the King of Britain were drawing nign
unto the navy of Benedict (Arnold), that
the men of war shouted, and the shouting
of the warriors was heard afar on.
'.2l And Benedict, the chief captain oil
the navy in Columbia. and pringle, the
chief captain of the ships OF the King or
Britain, thirsted for battle, and the roar
ing of the destroying engines was heard,
and the battle lasted until the time or the
offering of the evening sacrifice, ana Two VIC, Oh
the ships that were with Benedict zen
prey unto the men OF Britain ,asa while u was
vet night that Benedict escaped with the
remnant of the ships; and when the sun
arose the chief captain or the shlps oi t t,,e
warfare with Benedict. and. 10. ne iookeu
and behold the ships were departed from
thence. ,.s $50 .ho
anchors of the ships and foosened the salis
to the wind and made all speed TO pursue
after Benedict and the men who were with
"' ..a4 And when the wind sprang up the
shins moved swiftly upon the. face or the
water and overlook Benedict IN the SHIPS.
Nevertheless, some of those VINO We're the
foramost escaped to the hold that Ethan
lAlIen1 and Benedict had taken.
sos But Benedict. seeing that the rem
nant of the ships c3uIa t n1r escape hs css r o
fear and prepared to fight with Pr1ngle
the chief captain Of the ships, II, perad-
venture. he could oy any ,nya means get MS
.'96 And the battle waxed not, ana con-
tinued for n space OF two hours, and Bene-
dict ran the ships on tne ,anG anu the
the balls of the destroying engines, and
the men got safe to land
.'27 And Benedict. feaIlng ieSa 'he SHIPS
of Great Britain, he burned them with flre-
..2S Now the banner OF the great San
hedrim Ohe Continental Consress5 was IN
the shin that Benedict was in. and he cast
In his mind that he should get blot III rne
hammer should fall into the nands or the
enemy: therefore, he Iarrled IN the snip
mill the fire was kindled. and Benedict got
srraat honor among the armed men, and his
fame was spread afar off,
200. Thus ended the battle between the
two captains; and the winter was nigh at
hand and the soldiers OF the King or Brit
ain were fain to depart into their winter
How any one could have the patience to
wade through this mess or nonsense IL
would be hard TO imagine, but doubtless
In those days. when everything in America
armed ON Bible and religion, this remark
able book IVES thumbed over ana eagerly
read ss = very clever aud witty effusion.