. CHAPTER
XVII
Last night, Joseph M. Dixons
wife had a fine Boy
Thus a New month comes in, with as bad a prospect as ever; that
there is no Signs of the two partys coming to a peace; yesterday there was. a fight some where near
I am
very sick of the Asthma and has been for two or three
days, since I wrote last I have had much to do, Peter Collins died. of Dropsy, Lizy Dixon been very bad of inflamation of the
Liver, got well. Elijah Barnhouse [he is the brother of Philip mentioned
earlier and Nephew of Elizabeth Green Barnhouse] now down of the Feaver, very bad, and
I have not been able to go and see him, the Flux very bad at H. Lillers. Since I wrote last the
Rebs made an attact on N. C. Station got repulsed with considerable loss, and
then Gen. ?Avenil? suprised a
lot of Rebs near Moorefield, Captured 400 or 500 Rebs and same amount of
horses, some Cannon. Since then I have heard that there has-been very hard
fighting in the Shenandoah Valley all about Strasburg, n. Town, Winchester
etc., and it is said to the advantage of the Reb, and I guess it must be so,
for it is said the Rebs drove out 40,000
Yankees from Martinsburg without fiering a Gun, if this be so, the Rebs must
muster very strong down ther; and they say there are some of the Rebs about
Burlington, this last acount I dont belive at all and it is said that Gen.
Grant has left the neighbrood of Richmond this also I cant belive, if this be
true, Grant must have lost more men and money than all the other Generals put
togeather; I cant pretend to make any calculations or Estimats, but there cant
be less than betwix one and two hundred Thousand men 100,000 and 200,000 men; what
a Sacrifice of human life; and all, to make the Niger equal with the white man,
so its said. , I saw old Mr. Rees and his son Saml. arrested last week because
they had Gray mixed ?Corsinet? Coats on, This puts me in mind of a man
being arrested in England, because he
had a Snuff or Tobaco Box with the word Liberty ingraved on the lid of the Box.
The Church and King fools said the word
Civil war has broak out on deep Run,
and great fighting taken place with Henc and Luke Kitsmiller, and to day they
are up to there eyes in law; there are 15 or 16 witnesses in the case and worse
than all this Hence has implecated Young John Dixon in some kind of Buisness in
placing a C on a U. C. horse that was not C horse this all is I cant see yet;
if this should be the case, somebody will be in the wrong Shop.
Since I wrote last on the war, there
has been some fighting about Richmond I saw a paper stating there had been an
attact on the Yanks on the Weldon Rail way, and that the Rebs was badly
Repulsed with the loss of some 700 or 800 prisoners and I think some Cannon;
but I could see the Yanks was expecting the Rebs would or might return upon
them reinforced; Since then I heard that the Rebs did attact them and routed
the Yanks with the loss of many cannon etc., this is all nothing but a Verbal
report all round. At this time there is a good deal of excitement every where
on account of the Draft which is to take place on the 5th inst. it is said the
Copperheads are in a very unsettled condition all through the west. I have not heard for ceartain who the Coppers
have Nominated last Monday 29th ulto. but I did hear they had brought out McCleman how true this
is I cant say; it is said there will be no Draft in this or Hardy Co, perhaps
that all a trick. Elijah Barnhouse perhaps on the mending
hand.
True enough
McClemen Nomnated; if boath Linclon and Fremount run, they will be boath beat;
but I guess they will be wise enough for one to withdraw, for I never thought
that Freemount ever expected to be President, it was only a trick of Linclons,
they boath are one, they took this plan to Blind the people, they are boath are
Abolitionst.
Old
man J. Dixon is very poorly and is very much Swolen I am afraid of it being of the ?Hydrathoras? kind of Dropsy he
is very much afflicted in his Breathing.
Last evening Jo Nethkins wife Brought him a
Son; No news from the wars, the last I heard was the Rebels had been repulsed
in the Valley about
CHAPTER XVIII
Novr. 1 1864
I
have not wrote for a long time, Old Joseph Dixon is still very
poorly, but he has no pain but I think he cant get well, had a very sad time
with Mrs. John Sharpless, with an ?Inasted? after-birth,
but I think she is all well at this time. I have not seen a News paper for
three week, the last I heard from them, the Rebels was still coming behind:,
Decr. 4
1864
I
have been a long time without writing; Since writing last some great troubles
have taken place in the country; the Election is over and what is results will
be is past my Conjecturing; but I will
venture this conjecture, a Democracy is at an 'End and I guess Slavery and
States rights are in the Same Condition; What Lincoln and his party will or can
do, is not Safe for me even to make a Conjecture; One thing I well remember,
the French present Emperor was elected twice President of a Kind of a Republic;
on his Second Election he found the full sentiment of the French people, and he
had Wit enough to take the advantage of there Sentiment; and See, that Same man
now has placed an Austran prince on a Mexican Throne, where never was such an
institution before; and at the same time there was the Monroe policy or treaty
in the Archives of Washington; and yet Abram Linclon dare not say one Crooked
word ageanst all the French Emperor may say or do, his Tool of a Congres, did
pass a kind of a String of Resolutions "that they were opposid to the
French Emperors conduct towards Mexico;" But eather Abram Lincoln or his
man Seward wrote to there man Dayton, instructing him to State to his French
Majesty that it was not "he Abram the Government that had done so and so;
It was my Tool and Fool Congres that did the Devilment, I Abram had no hand
with there Resolutions so I hope your Majesty will not Blame me Abram the
Government for these 'Tools of mine cuting a little too deep, for I keep my
Tools very Sharp and Edged keen" this was something like Mr. Daytons Apology to.
his Majesty.
Decr. 11 1864
I
see the News from Richmond, and that Grant has not taken Richmond yet; I think
Grant has been longer before Richmond than any other General, But all the North are looking with full hops
of Grant eating his Christmas diner in Richmond
for they are making great preperations boath on land and on, the River,
Vast lot of armed bessels are on the river, if they Yankees fail in this next
attempt to take Richmond I shall be at a loss to Conjecture what plan will be
adopted next, Rebs Came Sudinly on N. C. Station ion and did a vast of damage
in destroying Government Stores and other property. It looks to me that the officers intrusted
with Station; was eather verey careless in there Duty, or that they treated the
Rebs with too much contempt; for the Government must have sustained the loss of
a Great amount of property there and at Piedmount. This having too much
Confidence in themselves, and considering the enemy as of no Consequence,
brought Napolean to his downfall when an Enemy is in extream distres they
become desperate, and there is no knowing the means they car. plan.
Jan .28 1865:
For
the Six last days as been one Continued Storm? and.
very cold with a high wind from N. W. and last night the wind moderated a
little, but was the Coldest night for this Season, and the Thermomete r Stood
at 8°below Zero.
There
is no News at least I hear no News for sometime Sherman penetrated through
Georgia with very little interruption from the Rebels; If Sherman can cut his
way through the heart of the rebelion country; in my opinion looks like a Great
weakness in the Rebels; the Rebels make light of Shermans exploit, and call or
term it a Retreat; and the taking of Savanah a nothing; but is it not another
Rebel foothold lost, and a Yankee gain? the Rebels are
undoubtly in tight circumstances; and if something dont turn. up to ?Stumulate? them, I think there cause a very hopless
one; Hood completly routed Fort Fisher at Wilmington N. C. taken this I heard
this day week, and Since then I have heard that Lee has sustained a heavy loss
of some 3000 or 4000 men before Richmond; all this appears very gloomy for the
Rebels ---------Feb. 13 This morning the Coldest for this Season the
Thermometer Stood at 10° below Zero.
I
have not wrote for a long time, but as I am very poorly I will make a few
remarks on difrent subjects, we had a Sad afaire at Claysvill or. the Creek some three or foure weeks since; Viz. the Shooting
and Death of a James V. Pelt, by Reuben Liller;
It apears the case grew out of a womans quarril, betwix a. Mrs. Cain and
in killing or ?Mamining? of hogs. This Pelt was a
Refugee from the Valley of Shenandoah, and he had been living and working at
this Mrs. Cains (Mr. Cain not working at
home) and he Pelt at taken up this foolish quarrel in favour of Mrs. Cain, and
he Pelt, (it was said) carried a Revolver to kill Lillers Boys etc. This Pelt came to Lillers house with a Number
of the Hardy home guards (Swamp Dragons) and behaved themselves very Rudly in
Lillers house and Lillers boys acused this Pelt of bringing or Sending this
guards to Lillers house and a quarrel insued betwix 3. . Liller and this Pelt,
and as the two Lillers passed Cains house S. Liller and this Pelt got into
another quarrel and began to throw Stones at each other; Reuben being in the
Wagon jumped out and Shot Pelt through the Belly this is the particulars of the
case as nigh as I came at it. The Lillers were arrested and sent to the Station
N. C. and afterwards sent to Kingwood to take there trial; I heard yesterday
that the Lillers are Liberated but or what conditions I have not heard. This
country got into a Sad Condition, to make use of an Expresion of T. Sloan he
said "that our Laws had become past ?Straght?"
See at the Sickles case, Swan A. Sprigs, and many others, and when the Chief
Magistrate of this Republic will condesend to go and Visit in prison, such a
writch as Sickles and condole and plan with him, and then bring on a Bogus
trial etc., what can we expect from people on the waters of N. Creek.
Apr.20 1865
I
seldom write now a days, I am eather too Lazy or Something else to do, but at
this time we have a moast distracted Country in many respects, there is a
report that our president Mr. Linclon and Mr. Seward have boath been
Assesenated or Murdred; I was on the Creek Yesterday but could hear no
particulars of the circumstances, If this be true it is the moast wholesale
murder I ever heard of..
The last month April, will be long remembered in this Country; some of the
Greatest Events has transpired that ever took place in any Country in the
world. President Linclons Murder in
I
have done nothing in my Records for some time, I thought I would see which way
the things would go; this month has ended the trials of the Conspiretos and
four of them has paid the Penalty of the law on the Gallows; what the world
will say on the Subject I cant say, If they are guilty they ought to
suffer. The next question or topic will
be the trial of Jeff Davis, but acording to the Suming up of Bingham, there is
no need of a trial of Jeff Davis; he was tryed along with the others, and
though; Jeff Davis was not there yet he must be guilty, and I see no use of a
trial at all, he Jeff is already condemed.
The next subject will
be the Negro; must he be a Black-White man, or will he be
a Distinct race as heretofore; The next will be the paying of the Piper or
the Fiddler; I wonder if the Curing will not be worse than the Complaint. This
Fiddlers Bill amount to the Snug Sum of Four Thousand Millions, I guess the
Fiddler will care little about the princable so that he can get the Six per
cent Yearly; but I am told the great Capitalist of the North are for paying
this Fiddle off, and not being pestered with his princable, ha, ha, ha. Well, these Yankees can do anything wonder.
why the Require so much of English Capatal to build
there Rail roads etc.?. If the North can command such Vast Sums, why dont they
apply it to there own concearnes at home, and not let so much of that Six per
cent being sent to
I saw the following
lines in the Bolton Chronical of Sepr. 3, 1865 in regard to some of the Nice
folks of Bolton had got so very Nice and had such regard for the IVth
Commandment that they would not let them Bury there dead on Sundays; there are
thousands in this country of this holy dispotion; just see the holy folks in New
England, how full of Reform they are; but here goes the lines;
We thankful feet that Sun and Moon If it were not, we cannot doubt
Are placed so very high That some Reforming ass
That no presuming hand can reach Would soon propose to pluck them out,
To pluck them from the Sky. And
light the world with gas.
This
morning the ground is covered with Snow; and I. Tasker has two of his children
very bad with feaver.
I
have not wrote much in my Journal for some time back one cause is, there is
little news afloat, except the Winding up, works, and the Crowing over the
fallen Rebels, and the great Speeches of
A. Johnson and others to the Negro Soldiers informing them of the
"Experiment," as the term it, and if the Negro, cart or will not be
goverened by the same laws as the white man why then the Experement will be a failair; if they Succeed in
bringing the Negro to be a white man in every thing but his colour, then the
object is gained ha ha ha, who will live to see it.
To day I have
been Assesed for Licance to practice medicine $10 of a Licince for the U.S. and
I dont know what the licance will be for the State; that Limb has not yet shewn
his face as yet, This is a tax I have
never paid or been demanded of before, and its a big Slam for the first;
Medicines are at a very high price, I see no chance but to Slam it on the Sick,
and that is a hard case, I allways thought it hard Enough to be Sick but I will
have to Lay all Conscious on One Side-
This morning the Ther. Stood at 12° below Zero but was quite
Calm, 9th the Ther. Stood at 2º below
Zero and still very moderate; we are without hay and has to go to hawling; R'd
Dixons wife is very poorly, and I have no horse to ride, Dick is ;gone after my ;medicines to
.
Yesterday,
was one of the warmest days I ever saw for the time of the Year, I did not
notice the Thermometer; but every body were going in there Shirt sleeves; this
morning I went to see E. Barnhouses
Wife, and Mrs. Wiseman, and the wind had changed to the N. W, and with some
little rain, but by 11 o'clock in the morning a little snow could be seen, and
by 12 o'clock freezing strongly I came home from Wismans at 4 o'clock and then the
ground in quite soft places would bare my horse, and now at 7 o'clock the Ther. at 12 above Zero
that is 20° below the Freesing point; such a Change will I am afraid will cause
some bad Sickness. - Mrs. Wiseman is very poorly with her old
complaint Jaundice, and all I can do as yet, makes very little impresion for
the Better, her Stools yet quite of a light colour I have bleed her twice
modratly which relived her for the time, but this evening very poorly
Feb.24 1866
We have had some very Changeable
wether this winter; we have had the Thermometer down as low as 12°
or 14° below Zero and at this time Rains and warm; There is great doings in
Washington; The President has been Vetoing some of there Negro Suffrage Bills,
and has set the whole set of Abolition tribe on Fire, Andy Johnson has got
Damned to Everlasting ?fair? [fire],
and Exaulted to the Skys with others. What will be the Result of all this, I
have no Idea; These Yankees are a gang, of Pharos to the Suthreren
States, and to See how the can make Laws to Grind the poor Rebels and they are
not allowed to be Represented in Congress.
They have been squabing and quarreling about the Negro, I think they had
better be Regulating ther Green Currancy they have got the Negro free, and I
think might Satisfy them for this time, one thing at once
I have not wrote any of my history
for e. long time, but I think its time for if I get no better, I will be long
for this world.
I left off at the
Rob Roy tavern; we drove right into the lard without any ceremony, and these
Officers servants put our horses away, and Demanded feed etc., for them; the
Scotchman looked very sour but complyed with all our wants, and then these
Officers Called for 8 bottles of wine, the Scotchman brought in the wine and
the Rough Bulley drawed the first Cork, and poured out a Glass and drank it
off, the Scotchman stood watching, and I
fully belive he knew the wine as not good, for the Bulley took Bottle and threw
it with all his might at the Scotchmans head, but Dodged it and the bottle was
smashed into a thousand pices; the Scotcaman took to his heels, but his wife
and a servant Girl came and sweeped up the Broken bottle, She was a Belgum or a French woman, for she
spoke very broken English, but She said he would let us have good wine, and she
took back one other of Bottles and soon returned with 8 bottls of good wine, so
this Bully Called it good, and so did all the rest of our fellows; we then told
the woman to get us a good supper, and if we re not called off by six o'clock
in the morning to have us a good breakfast; She soon had us a Charming supper,
and in ten minuets after we had told her, I saw the Scotchman and a big boy
going off with Baskets, and soon they returned with Ducks Green peas, and
otherVegetabls and in less then two hours we had a fine supper; we drank and chated all night, and it was here we first heard of ?Bluchens? defeat, and of ?Nays?
repuls; next morning by a little after
six o'clock, we paid the woman her Bill, and a Gold pice more than her demand,
we then went to this Village (Waterloo) here we learned that Wellington was
retreating onto Antwerp, this
was partly true, but he halted a short mile South Of the village and by one or
two o'clock they brought in several wagon loads of wounded and by three o'clock
the whole English army, was Stationed on the other side the hill from Waterloo;
her I first sawlimbs cut off, and wounds dressed etc., at first it turned my
stomach bad, but I soon got used to it, and I had to help and do all I
could, we had taken possition of a large
three Story mill for the use of the Surgeons and the wounded, and we worked
faithfully till day in the morning; here the women of this Village were very
kind no us, and to the wounded, they brought us Coffe bread and Butter, roasted
Duck wine and other good things. In the
morning (Sunday) the surgeons put on my sholder, the yellow Cockaid, like the
Doctors had and they give me great prais; this made me feel very proud of myself
and by 9 o’clock I and Drs. Bob and
Flanagan went ovr the hill to see the Army; but it rained and thundred all
night and the ground was very wet and
muddy. I guess the sun never rose on a
more stormey looking sky for the rain was dreadful all night, and the whole
English had layan on there arms all
night and it was quit showry all the early part of the morning when we got over
the brow of the hill we had the wole English army in vew, and on the
hill on the Other side, some few Bodys of French, and Thousands more coming on to
the field; in the English army might be seen hundred, eating bread and meat or
Cheese, and serving, the men with Catrajes etc.
Amd at the same time the men were tearing their handkerchiefts and even
their shirts of there bodys and wiping there muskits etc., this was between 10 and 11 o'clock in the
forenoon; my great object was to see the Duke of Wellington, but I guess I
never saw him, there was lots of men Riding at full speed from one end of the
lines to the other; I guessed they were officers carring orders to and from
Wellington etc., and the field it self was a Strange Sight,
tall rye and wheat, potatoes etc., On the other Ridg the French were active in
bring in there troops and mooving them from one place to another; I thought the
English Genral was a fool, not to be petting at the them while they were fixing
etc., for they told me that boath sides
were fixing with all there might for a
battle, the English army was mooving
about in some parts of the lines; we
stayed on the ground till about half
past 11 o'clock, when some officer road up to us and told us as we had
better to going to our post, we took them at there word, and went to the mill;
we had not been there more than 5 minuets, before the Cannon began to rore, and
soon musketry begun; and in a little while great shouting was heard, I thought
the Battle was over, but I afterwards learned it was the English Cheerling on
the French when they sat them coming to take a Charge upon them, I am told this is a maxam the English have,
when they see there Enemy going to make a Charge etc., thus the Battle went in
Shouting Cannon Roring etc., till the very ground trembled; about one o'clock they brought the first
wagon load Of wounded we were 16 or 18 doctors in this mill, we soon had work a
plenty and there were several other houses in the Neighbrood reciving wounded
and with Doctors etc., they would tell us that brought the wounded that the
English would have no Chance if the Prussians did not cone up, and they could
see nor hear no signs of the Prussians coming, this put us in very low Spirits,
and about 3 o'clock a French Regiment came dashing down the hill, and surounded
the mill, and took every one of us prisnors but myself, as soon as I heard that the French were
coming in, I began to look out for a hiding place; and there hapned to be
a lot of Scantling reard up ageanst the wall of the mill, I sliped betwix the Scantning and the
wall; I could see them but they could
not see me; they French took all our Doctors Surgeons prisnors, and about 20 or
30, Soldiers that had just been bringing in the wounded, I remained still in my hiding place but in
about 10 minuets there came galloping an English regiment of Caverly got chase
after the French, this put me in a
little better spirits, and in a few minuets all our Doctors returned, except t
Dr. Bob I creeped out of my hiding place, and to my Surprise and Greef they
told .me that my friend and benefactor was killed by our owen men. this was almoast a death brow to me; They
told me how it was done, and me and Dr.
Flanagan went to see aim, We found him about a half a mile from the mill and
near him lay two Soldiers English dead, and another still closer to Bob,
another Soldier, badly wounded in his leg, but quite alive and cursing all
French men for a Damned set of Cowards etc. , he was not more than 20 feet from
poor Dr. Bob we examained the wound and
found the ball that Struck the neck bone and completely severed the bone, he
must have died very quickly, as this Soldier said he never killed we searched
his pockets, and found 40 shillings, his penknife and his match, and Dr.
Flanagan give them all up to me, and his pocket book, containing about 30£ in
Bank of Englalnd Notes, all of which I brought home and delivered to his Old
Father Mr. Thos. Boardman Dr. Flanagan
took an inventory of what we found on him, and the year after came to see Mr.
Boardman and delivered Dr. Bobs trunk etc.to his father. This Flanagan was a
full Blooded Irish gentelman in every way.
We left poor Dr. Bob, but next day I prevailed on an English and Irish
Soldier to go with me, and helped me to Burry, poor Bob. We dug a grave about 4 feet laid him in his
with grave with all his clothes even his hat and shoes. On Sunday evening we
went for the soldier that lay wounded beside him and brought him into the mill,
and had his wound dressed,
I never heard from him afterwards. I must now relate how Dr. Bob
was killed. The English Regiment that
was sent after the French rigiment, came suddenly on the French, and instantly
feered ther ?Lives? at the French not knowing of the
English prisnors the French had with them, they killed two or three of the
French, and one or two of there horses, but I saw nothing of them it must have
been farther on, for the French as soon as they Saw this English Regiment
retreated and got clear of the English, but was afterwards moast of them killed
or captured, they got in with some English Infantry. On my return to the mill
on Sunday, while the was still raging, and from that we could hear or learn it
was thought the English must be defeated or retreet on to Antwerp, all these
things togeather made me cry like a Baby; but Dr. Flanagan, and all the other
Doctors, cheered me up and Dr. Flanagan swore he would divide his last penney
with me, this put a New life in me, and
the Ladys had just brought us some refreshments Wine etc., and these women had
learned my missfortain and they were very kind to me, give me wine and Coffee
and one handsom woman kissed me; all these good things had a wonderfull effect
in raising my spirits, and just at that time, there passed by the .mill over
two thousand 2000 french prisnors, I pityed these poor French, but there were
some 30 women about the mill, and they ?Deviled? them in the French language
but I could not understand one word, and they even pelted them stones etc., they were all horse men,
but now on foot, and about a thousand English taking them to Brusells and at
this time News came to us that ?Blucher? was coming up
in full force; what with wine good
news etc., we were all in New Spirits.
This was about Six o' clock in the evening, but they still brought in
the wounded, the roar of battle and the shouting still continued as loud as
ever, about hour and half after, the fiering slackned, and almoast stoped with
the English but in a few minuets the Cannon and musketry all ?Blent? up and one load and continued shouting we then thought the
In the morning by 7 or 8 o'clock we had got through
moast of the wounded, and the kind ladys had furnished us with a good
breakfast; we proposed to go on to the Battle field, I went to see my patient
before I went and I related over him my misfortain etc., I found him very much better and he had had a
good sleep he promised me he would take me back to England if I would take good
care of him I promised him I would do
all I could for him; I did not know his
name nor anything about him at that time; As we were walking to the Battle g,round,
I related my last nights adventure with this young Officer to Dr. Flanagan, and
how my simple treatment had relived him and what he had been promising me etc.
"Well and Sure Jack says the Dr, and perhaps you could not have treated
him better if you had been Sir Astley Cooper himself, [perhaps this is how the
Drs son Richard Astley got his name] and now Jack you see what a Grand chance
you have of geting back to England, and more than all this, I will render you
all the assistance I can in the way of his treatment etc., and you see he is an
Officer a Colonal I belive, I have forgot his name, and that his father is
killed, when he was brought into the mill he was under the management of them
other Surgeons, I did not see his wound, but i am quite anxious about his case,
particularly on your account and if I had know this before we had left the
Mill, I would have gone to see him; but you must not stay longe away from
him, but pay every attention to
him." This is about the Substance of the Dr. Advise to me, and by this
time we were on the top of the Brow or
hill, and we had the whole field in Vew, and such a sight as I never saw before
or since; shall not pretend to give a full discription of the field; but as we
passed the farm house, I think it was the moast dreadfull sight that ever
Mortal man Saw, the Dead, was so thick that we could hardly get through the French
loss around this farm house could not have been less than a thousand men; the
English had every advantage over the French around the house. Napalon sent his brother ?Jeoram? with about 3000 men to Storm and take
possion of the house, but the house was Surounded a Brick wall, and out Side
that a Strong thorn hedge, where the English sharp Shooters lay under cover;
Consequently Jeoram men got bad cut
up, he then got reinforced and in the
end drove the English out, but they could not hold it only about a half hour,
for it was so Close to the English line, that he English drove then out with
shills, and the English keeped it the remainder of the day: We sent over to the
other Brow of the hill where the French had occupied the whole day, here me
fell in with the Irish regiment that Dr. Flanagan belonged to; these Irish men
had fought Bravley and had suffered badly; they had lost 150 of there men, and
there Colonal was badly wounded, and Dr. Flanagan was determined to go see his
Colonal, we wandered about the field and the English Comander had given three
hours to plunder the Dead, or to pick up all things Such as Saddls muskets
etc., but it took eight hours more I was told; but I was bent on attending on
the young man and making my escape to England, and Dr. Flannagan to Visit his
Colonal. I returned to the mill by 11 o'clock and found this young officers
name his name was Tipton a son of Lord Tipton, who was killed yesterday; the
particulars of his death I will not pretend to give here, it can be seen in every
acct. of the battle of Waterloo; but he told me that the Servants was geting a
Coffin to put his Father in, and to burry him temporly this afternoon till the
famaly could get the body convaed? to
We have had more
Rail fall this last 3 days than has fell for the last six years in the same
time, and yet still raining but not so fast, yet the wind is still in the
East. I am sure there will be sad damages done on the low lands,
have not heard a word from the river and the Creek, but there is no doubt but
the ?Freshet? has and will do a Vast of damage, I am
dreading to hear from off mountain.
I
have got no farther than 1815 with my history, and I am afraid I can never
finish it. what with my feebl state of health and my
business I have but little time to write;
My Old companion and Friend, Dick Norris (blind) he made me promis hime
when I left England that when I And been in America a Year or two ,I would Send
him my adventures in the Shape of a Song, so I bungled or wrote the following
Shaped Song a year after I came to my Uncles [Peter Ridings]
I am a rambling Journeyman from Bolton Own
I came
I left a aged
father for which I was to blame
Bit I'd a rambling; notion Boys
To cross the
Upon the fifth of May
When I got there I wondered
to see such Grandure there,
But how to get my living boys
I knew not how or where;
For I'd no money in my purse,
Nor had I friends in store;
So That was my condition
boys,
When on this Yankee
shore.
Thus penneyless I wandered
And gazed these sens along,
There Irish, Scotch and English boys
I saw boath old and young,
All distant from, their native
home,
Across the Atlantics rore,
Condemed to seek some future home
Upon this Yankee shore.
Thus blindly lead by fortuns had
I strayed I knew not whare
Like every fool in a forign land
With open mouth did stare
Though I was destitute of cash
I’d oft, been so before
So that was nothing new to me
Thoon a
Ten months I was a weaver,
And liked it very well;
But I not gaining Cash so fast,
As I could wish to tell,
So off agean I rambled
boys
Along were
To try blind fortune once agean,
Upon this
I then turned Printer by Macheen
A work quite strange to me
I as I'm Jack of all trads boys
Yet good at none you see
But here blind Fortune stumbled down
I fell boath sick and Sore
This was my first misfortune boys
Upon this
I left this place ageanst my will
Back to
And there among my former friends
I found myself the same
Were I could walk
List to great
There take a glass or ?kil?
my loss
Tho on a Yanky shore
So off afean I strayed
And in a South direction went
To the
Twas then I steered westward boys
Up the Potomacs rore
And soon was safly landed boys
Upon
full Eighty miles I triped? the
land
Through Countys two or three
And there I found relations-kind
And Friends they were to me
So here I dwell, and
like so well
I’l sing it or
I never yet repented
boys
To leave old
I then turned printer etc. Me and Tom
Norris James Bollough vent up to Hudson Print works 135 miles from N. York nere
the city of Hudson, to see some old aquantinces of ours, there Mr. B. Marchall
coakesed us to stay, me and Tom was work at the Macheen in Printing Calico,
under the management of an English man named Madden, but this man Madden and I
could not agree but I left him, but Mr.
Marshall put me to other work; he sent me to a place called Troy above Albany
to (Twist in) I stayed there a Month, he
had Fifty power looms; 1 learned two young women to Twist in, and then Mr.
Marshall sent me to a place call Whits Town near Utica to learn them to twist
in. Here Yr. Marshall had another Factory wihh fifty pair of Looms, I soon learned two young women this Twisting,
he Marshall sent for me to come back to Hudson; he then sent me to New York, to
attend the Auctions to purches Indigo, Madder, Coppross and other things for
the print-work; this was a Business I was quit Ignorant of but I was very
industrus and dilegant and acted as well as I could and I pleased Mr. Marshall
verey well, Seven Dollars per week; I
had to pay for my owen Board, but he paid my passage up and down from Hudson to
N. York. I then fell sick and while Sick
received a letter from my Uncel in Virginia; as soon as I was able I left Hudson and
went to Mr. Browns N. York, and went to weaving till I got strong enough to go
to Va. I set Sail for Alaxandra Va. in
scooner of 250 Tuns, as we left N. York under a Storng brees, and the Brees
keeped increasing and when we passed Sandy hook it blew a compleat gale
I am just
returned from John Wards he is very sick and has been this five months I think
he will never recover, his complaint is an affection of the Bladder
on Satuarday I heard big News from Washington Congress had an Extra Session in
July and passed a few acts, one in particular to Justify the five Generals
Governors of the Ten Rebels States; I knew they would declear all these
Governors acts and doings all right, and if reports be true, they are ruling
these Ten states with an Iron Rod and Iron hand; These Holy Purtains and
Yankees Sympathis for the Rebelious
Irish and Curs the English Government for British Rule, and yet the British
Government Rules with half the Tyraney
that these holy Yankees are now Ruling these ten Rebel States and I dont
think that Russia Rules Poland more Cruely than the Yankees are Ruling the
South---- And for some time the Trial of John ?Surat? in Washington has be been going on; in my Opinion this
Surat is guilty of the Murder of A. Linclon, or had a hand in: the murder; But
I am almoast certain that Mrs. Surat was Inocent and the Trial of this John
Surat is more to Hide or Cloak the transactions of his Mothers trial, than of
the Guilt of John Surat; and I heard that A. Johnson througn Stanton out of
Office, at and put Gen. Grant in his place and the ?Conoven Perjury is all
coming to light, and that hell has broak louse in Washington, but I will stop
for a day or two—Sept 3 Yesterday call on to Mr. Wm. Street found him very bad
with inflamation of the Liver, this complaint is very deciving at first I
suspected to be the Liver, but when I examined the Liver it was not sore in the
least, and all he complained of was the
pit of the stomach, I now began to think I was Misstaken and that it was
inflamation of the Stomach; Gastretis,
yet I Could not belive myself, I was anxious to Bleed him, bit the pulse was
only 48, I still thought it must be the
Liver and was NOT mistaken , I give a pill every hour containing 4 or 5 grs. Of
Sub Murate combined with Rhu. then he had taken 3
pills three hours, I give a small
Tblspoon full of C. Oil with 5 drops of Spts. Turpintine every hour he
began to get quite easy when his bowels got open, and he rested well all night, but towards
morning began to complain
Of the Right side and could not lay on.
The Journal Ends Here