Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville Militia — John Shaqi
Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville MilitiaSmith, Seba
History
Letters of Major Jack Downing, of the Downingville Militia
Smith, Seba
Lincoln, Abraham, 1809-1865 -- Caricatures and cartoons; United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Humor
He sed "Apostle Paul couldn't beet it
himself." I forgot to tell you that the Kernel calls Ginneral McClellin
his Apostle Paul, so you needn't believe enny of the stories in the
Abolishin papers about the Kernel and Ginneral McClellin being at
logger-heds. Even General Jackson and Mr. Van Buren were never better
friends than Linkin and McClellin. Wal, to make a long story short, we
got every thing all settled, tho' it took the last night till eenamost
mornin before we got thru. I had bent over the tabil so long, lookin at
the diaphragms, that I had a stitch in my back, and Linkin was bent
eenamost dubil.
After it was all over with and every thing had been decided on, ses
Linkin, ses he, "Majer, don't you think that that is a capytal
stratygim?" Ses I, "Yes, Kernel, that is jest about as nigh rite as you
kin get it; but," ses I, "there's one thing you ain't provided for."
Ses he, "What's that?" "Wal," ses I, "for a fire in the rear!" "Wal,"
ses Linkin, "now the Majer is gettin off a joke on us, for thar ain't
no chance for a fire in the rear, except it comes from John Bull, and
ain't Seward spiked his guns?" "Now," ses I, "Kernel, you ain't as old
as I am; ef you was you would see jest what I mean." Ses I, "Don't you
know that the Aboleshin papers hate Ginneral McClellan as bad as they
do Jeff Davis, and jest as soon as the grand army begins to move
they'll expose all his plans, and the rebils will have em all in
Richmund in time to defeat em?" "Wal, that is a fact," ses Linkin, "I
never thought of that; but they will as sure as preachen do jest what
the Majer ses; but what kin we do?" "Wal," ses I, "I'll tell you what
to do. Jest let Secketary Stantin issu an order stopping all war news,
and put every Aboleshin editer that dares to disobey it into Fort La
Fayette. Giv em a dose of their own fisic, and see how they'll like
it."
When Linkin heard that he jumped rite up, and ses he, "that is jest the
checker. These Aboleshinests have bin as much trubble to me as the
secesh, and I don't know but a leetle more. I spect I'll have to hang a
few on em yet before I can git a settled peece."
Then Linkin asked Secketary Stantin what he thought of my idee, and he
sed it was jest what was needed, and so Linkin told him to draw up the
order and put it thru strong. Wal, so you see how the "Youkase," as sum
of our York editors call it, cum to be issued. I see sum of em growled
and snarled over it like mad dogs, but it warn't no use. They know now
how it feels to be put under the thum screws. So ef you can git the
news, jest keep quiet a leetle while and you'll hear music.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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