Thirty Years From Home; or, a Voice From the Main Deck: Being the Experience of Samuel LeechLeech, Samuel
History
Thirty Years From Home; or, a Voice From the Main Deck: Being the Experience of Samuel Leech
Leech, Samuel
Adventure and adventurers; Leech, Samuel, 1798-1848; Sailors; United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Personal narratives
I have a characteristic anecdote to record of Sadler, the messmate of
Bob Hammond. He enlisted in the American army, and was quartered at
Hartford. He was so delighted with everything American, that he had
grown to be an enthusiast in his encomiums on the government, as was
exhibited one day in a somewhat peculiar way. The company to which he
belonged was marched to church, one Sabbath, to hear (I think it was)
priest Strong.[15] The text was, “Fear God and honor the king.” This
was too much for the newly-made American; and he put the congregation
into a broad grin, by exclaiming aloud, “Don’t let us hear about the
King, but about Congress.” The good people of Hartford would have
pardoned this violation of Puritan propriety, if they had seen that
brave fellow flogged, as I had, in the king’s service.
Our fifer, Charles Robinson, also enlisted in the same regiment.
Perhaps some of the inhabitants of Hartford still remember the
soldier who amused them, during his stay, by playing on the bugle in
the morning, from the top of the court-house. Robinson was perfect
master of several instruments, especially the fife and the bugle.
One of our boys, named William Madden, but better known in the
_Macedonian_ by the nick-name of “Billy O’Rook,” from his practice of
singing a song about that hero, enlisted in the army, and afterwards
performed a signal service for his adopted country, at Sacket’s
Harbor. The Americans were in full retreat before the British troops,
whose general,[16] mounted on a superb charger, was at their head,
shouting, “Huzza, my boys, the day is ours!” when young Madden
rendered desperate by the certainty of being shot, if taken by his
countrymen, deliberately aimed his rifle at the general. The shot
struck him, he fell, and the British retreated. This brave lad
lost his life in a subsequent action. I make this statement on the
authority of Captain Badger, of Williamstown, Mass., confirmed by the
testimony of several other persons.
The reader has probably not forgotten the name of “Bloody Dick.” He
shipped on board the _Hornet_, sloop of war, and with that vessel
very narrowly escaped falling into the hands of the English. I met
him afterwards in New York. He told me how he trembled during the
chase, knowing that if captured he should be hung for entering the
American service; the British having given express orders for a
strict look-out after our crew, that they might make examples of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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