The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 8, July, 1836Various
General
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. II., No. 8, July, 1836
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
calls the militia, in that dangerous place, they mean creters don't
care—jist as live shoot down a clever young man like him as a dog.
But, maybe this don't comfort you, Miss Morn, my pretty dove, so I
won't say no more but the truth, and that is, he's as ginerous as you;
for but t'other day, he ask me, Mammy Marget, how you do these hard
times? I tell him, well as other folks I reckon, I only wish we had
some of that good sugar and coffee that them mean English is
squandering out yander, with their white sarvants to tend'm, struttin'
about like peacocks in their finery. Then I see the fire in his eye,
and he say, bridling up jest like him, I would not fill my mouth with
any of their good things; but as it does not hurt your conscience,
take this and buy some, (and he give me ever so much money,) they will
be _mean enough_, as you say, to extort upon the penury of a poor
slave. That's jist what he say, I knowed what he meant in spite of his
high larnt words, and thinks I, I'll remember 'em to tell Miss Morn.’
“You recollect the entire failure of this first expedition against
Charleston, owing to the inability of the land and naval forces to
unite in the attack. The American batteries sustained the fire from
the fleet with unmoved firmness, and Percy won laurels by his
intrepidity and presence of mind. The enemy seeing it impossible, in
present circumstances, to gain footing, left Charleston harbor with
all their forces; and during the two succeeding years, no further
attempt was made to reduce this place.
“About this time a letter came to my mother, under the British
passport. It was from Colonel Ridgely from whom she had received no
intelligence for ten years. It informed her, that the state of affairs
in America had recently recalled his regiment from India, with the
design of transporting that, and several others, to the southern
colonies, to oppose the combined forces of France and America. He
lamented the occasion of his visit to a land where his tenderest and
most cherished hopes were centered. He spoke of the necessity to which
the ministry, by their harsh and unjust exactions had reduced the
American colonies, of taking up arms in self-defence. Not even
Chatham's eloquence could arrest the storm, though he had predicted
with a prophet's inspiration, that the final issue would be the infamy
of its originators, and the everlasting degradation of England. As an
officer in his majesty's service, he said honor and loyalty forbade
him to withdraw from the duties imposed on him, however his own
individual feelings and opinions might prompt him to retire from the
combat.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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