U N C LE S A M
BY
MA TTHEWS
A LBERT
R
E
P RI N T
E
D FRO M
T HE
PR O C
EE
DI N G S
O F T HE
V O LU
WORCES TE R
T HE
,
M
E
AM
ER
I CA N
A
"I "
M A S S A CHU S E TTS
DAVI S P RES S
1 9 08
N T I QU A R I A N
S OC I
E
TY
U ncle S am
21
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SA M
U N CLE
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B Y A L E RT M A TT HEWS
B
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in o bscure ways o f t en o ri g in at ing i n derisi o n o r
a buse o r s at i re s o me t i m es rep u di at ed by tho se to w ho m
the y ar e a pp l ied at other t i m es a d o p t ed i n spit e o f th e
ridicul e th e o rigi n o f nic kn a m es is sing ula rly e l usive a nd
th ere a re few wo rds o r p hrases o f w h ic h i t is m o re diffi cult
to tra ce th e h i st ory M or e o ver nic kn a m es a re al m o s t
inva ri a bly a ssoci at ed in th e pop ula r mind wi th s o m e pers o n
or p la ce o r th in g ha vi ng a s i m i la r n a m e ; a nd s o a pro bl em
alre a d y diffi cult is m a de doubly s o b y th e neces s i ty o f
att emp t ing to o b ta in inf o r m at i o n a b o u t very o bscure pers o ns
Th e h i st ory o f nick n a m es u su ally f ollo ws o ne g eneral c o urse :
tho se w ho at th e t i m e o f o ri g in perha ps kn o w th e re al
exp la n at i o n f a i l to reco rd i t a nd th en a g enerat i o n o r s o
ha vin g p a ssed by and th e t ru e o rig in ha ving been f orgott en
a series o f g uesses is indulg ed in
I n Y an k ee B rothe r Jo n athan a nd U ncl e S am we A meri
c a ns ha ve pe rha ps m o re tha n o ur f a ir s ha re o f n at i o n al
s o brique t s ; a nd w e a re so f ar a s I a m awa re th e o nly n at i o n
t o th e go vernmen t o f wh ic h a s o b r iq u e t ha s been g iven in
dist inct i o n f ro m th e pe o p l e Fo r w h il e U ncl e S am ha s o cc a
si o n ally been a pp l ied to u s a s a n at i o n i t s use is al m o st w holly
res t ric t ed to o ur go vern m en t
What ha s been s a id a bove
a b o u t th e p o pula r t endency to co nnec t nick n am es wi th
pe r s o ns is w el l ill u strat ed i n all o f o u r n at ion al s o b r iq u e ts
Wh en the h is to ry o f Ya nkee c o m e s to be wri tt en i t wi l l
be f o u nd necess a ry to c on side r a fa m o u s pirat e who wa s
the t e rro r o f th e S p an is h Ma in in the seven tee nth cen t ury ;
a ne g ro who l ived in S o u th Ca ro l in a in 17 25 ; seve ral m em
wa s we ll kn o wn in Ca m b r idge Ma ss
ei ght eenth ce nt ur y ; th e Yanko o s
A risin g
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A meri can A n ti qua ri an S oci ety
22
[A pri l
.
,
a n im ag in a ry t ribe o f I ndi a ns invent ed i n 17 7 5 f o r th e
purp o se o f exp la inin g a wo rd w hic h th en fir s t c a me in to
g eneral use in this c o un t ry ; a nd Ya n k ee a s a f a m i ly n a me
Th e h isto ry o f B rother Jo natha n invol ves a n inquiry into
a n all e g ed E ngl is h p o e t o f th e sevent eenth cent ury ; a
Lo nd o n co ff ee ho use o f th e seven t een th a nd ei ght eenth
cent uries n a m ed Jo n atha n s ; Jo n atha n Ha st ing s a ta nner
who l ived in Ca mbridg e e a rly in th e eight eenth cent ury ;
Jo n atha n Ca rver th e n ot ed t ra ve ll er ; a nd Jo n atha n T rum
l
bull th e dist inguis hed Go vern o r o f Co nnect icu t
A nd
i n U ncl e S am we a re c o nf ro nt ed wi th a si m i la r pro bl em
thi s t i m e a n all e g ed c o nt ra cto r a nd inspecto r n a m ed S a mue l
W i l so n w ho l ived in T roy d uring th e fir st hal f o f th e ni ne
The sto ry c o nn ec t in g U ncl e S am wi th
t e e nt h c en t ury
S amue l W il s o n fir s t a ppe a red i n prin t s o f a r a s is kn o wn
in 1842 a nd n o ex a m p l e o f th e t e r m e arl ier tha n 1840 ha s
2
un t i l n o w ever been ci t ed
B ef o re c o nsiderin g th e S a mu e l W il s o n sto ry l e t us see
w hat the h isto ry o f th e t e r m U ncl e S am ha s a ct u all y been
Fo r six ty six ye ar s th e stat e m en t ha s been repe at ed that
th e nick n a me a ro se at t he o u t bre ak o f th e wa r o f 18 12
v a ried o cc a si o n ally b y th e a ssert i o n that th e t erm o ri g in at ed
durin g th e Rev ol u t i o n a ry Wa r B oth stat ement s a re
inco rrec t a s th e t erm is n ot kn own to ha ve been used u nt i l
th e w a r o f 18 12 wa s hal f o ver ; b u t th e ni c kn a m e certa inly
3
did o rig in at e d uring that wa r
Mo re o ver f o r a ye a r o r s o
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B rother Jonathan Publ icat i ons
Se e
,
VII , 9 4 — 1 2 2
,
of
the Col oni
al
Society
of
Massachusetts
,
.
She w call ed Catal ina and l ik e all other vessel s in that trade except the
A y acucho her papers and co l ors were from Unc l e Sam
( Tw Y ears b efore the Mast
Thi s extract is quoted in Farmer and H enl e y s Sl ang and its A
1 84 1 p
where it is dated 1 835 Th preface t Dana s boo k is dated Jul y
l ogne
Uncl e Sam was fi st recogni z ed in 1 8 4 8 i B artl ett s Diction r y of A meri
1 84 0
i m whence it foun d its w y into the 1 86 0 edition f Worcester and into su b sequent
dictionari es
the foll owi ng boo k s w here if k nown at ll i n
Th term does not appear i
certai n t turn up J K Paul ding Th Diverting History
g eneral use it woul d b
18 1 2 ; T h B eauties f
f John B ul l and B rother Jonathan by Hector B ull u
by his l oving Sister B ull 1 81 2 ( a repl y t Paul ding s book ) ;
B rother B ull
W Dunl ap Y ank ee Ch ronol ogy 1 8 1 2 ; Th Wars f the Gull s 18 1 2 ; Paul di ng Th
United States and En gl and 1 814 ; Th Re vi ewers R viewed 1 8 1 5 ; D Humphrey
Th first appearance f the term in a b oo k was in
Th Y ank e y in E ngl and 1 8 1 5
See p 4 0 b el ow B esides these book s
Th
f Uncl e Sam 1 8 1 6
A dventures
pol itical sk its ( written l argel y in B ibl ical l anguage ) w ere not uncommon i n the
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U ncle S am
23
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i t w a s a vo ided by tho se w ho f av o red th e wa r a nd w a s
employed o nl y b y tho se w ho o pp os ed th e war Hence th e
t erm wa s at fi rs t a pp aren tly u sed so m e what de r isive ly
I n o rder to u n dersta nd ho w thi s c o ul d ha ve been the c a se
i t wi ll be necess a ry to gla nce at s o me o f th e m ani festat i o ns
of th e w a r
We a re all s o f a mil i a r wi th the c a u ses even t s a nd c o n
sequences o f th e wa r o f 18 12 that i t is unnecess a ry to dwe ll
up o n th e m h e r e ; y e t s o m e p a ss ag es f ro m co nt e m p o ra ry
ne w sp a pers w i ll pe rha ps g ive u s a m or e vi vid imp r es si o n
of th e tho u ght s a nd fee l in g s engendered b y that c o n t es t
tha n w ill th e f or m al w r i t i ng s o f l e ar ned histor i a ns A n
“
edi tor i al n ot e h e a ded w i th th e h i stor ic wor ds Era o f G o o d
”
Fee l ings
wh ic h a ppe ar ed in th e Co lumbi an Cen t i n e l o f
“
J u ly 1 2 18 17 bega n a s f ollow s :
D urin g th e lat e P r esiden
t i a l J u bil ee m a ny pe r s o ns ha ve m e t at fest i ve b oa rds in
p l e a s ant co nverse w ho m p a rty p ol i t ics ha d lo ng s evered
We recu r wi th p l e a s u r e to all th e circ um sta nces wh ic h
”
att ended th e de m o nstrat i o ns o f goo d fee l i ng s (p 2
To u s o f th e present d ay who tak e o ur p ol i t ics m o re c al m ly
i t is n ot e a sy to u n ders tand th e f u ro r a nd t urm o i l w hic h
chara ct eri z ed the wa r o f 18 12 B u t if p ol i t ic al w a rf a re
n o wa d ay s is l es s a busive a nd vi t u pe rat ive tha n i t w a s a
cen t u ry ago a s is ce rta inl y th e c a se ye t al s o i t is dist inctly
l ess pict ure s que I s i t possib l e that i n th e m att er o f nick
n am es we A m erica ns ha ve lo s t o u r inven t i ve c a p ac i ty ?
“
What ha s there been i n th e p ast dec a de to m at c h Fath er o f
”
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h is Co u nt ry
O l d Hicko ry
M ill B oy o f th e S las h es
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O l d Ma n Elo q u en t
T ippec an o e
O l d B u ll i o n
“
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Ra i l spl i tt er
P l um ed Kni ght
an d sc o res of other
s o briq u e t s that wi ll re a di ly o cc u r to all ? It is tr ue that
th e nick n ames w hi c h we r e s o c o m m o nly be stowed during
th e wa r o f 18 12 were c h ie fly s at iric al ; bu t o n that very
ac co u n t th e y a re th e m o re v a l u a bl e for o u r presen t p u rp o se
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newspapers See Colum bi C ti l ( B oston ) November 7 1 8 1 2 p 1 3 ; Th
Y k ( B oston ) A ugust 1 3 1 8 1 3 p 2 2 ; P rt m o th Oracl Fe bruary 26 18 14
p 3 1 ; C l m bi C nti l March 2 1 8 1 4 p 1 2 Whi l e John B ull B rother
Jonathan and John Codl ine ( that is New E n gl anders ) figure in these sk it there
is no all u ion to Uncl e Sam It may b adde d that in his Jonathan B ull and Mary
B ul l written in 1 8 2 1 Madison mak es no mention
f Unc l e Sam
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A meri can A nti qua ri an S oci ety
24
[A pri l,
.
I n a speec h del ivered in Co ng ress o n Ja nu a ry 24 1 8 12
“
Da vid R W i ll i a ms s a id : S ir I fee l a de a d ly hat e aga ins t
G r e at B ri ta in
Yes sir if th e red a rt i ll ery o f He a ven w ere
in m y hands I d so o n drive th e f a s t a nc h o red i sl e fro m
”4
h e r mo o ring s
I m m edi at e ly Wi ll i a ms wa s nick n a med
“
”
“
Mr
Th u nderb olt Wi ll i ams
th u nde r a nd l i ght nin g
” “
” “
W ill i a m s J u pi ter W ill i a m s
th u nder l i ght nin g Da vid
a nd h i s w or d s l ing e r ed i n th e p o p ula r m ind f o r f o urt een
5
ye a rs at l e as t
Wa r wi th E ngla nd w a s declar ed J une 1 8
1 8 12
I n a pro cla m at ion d at ed J u ne 2 6 Go ve r n o r Cal eb
“
S tro ng o f Ma ss a c h u se tt s sp ok e of th e n at i o n f ro m wh ic h
we ar e descended a nd w h ic h f o r m a n y generat i o ns has
”6
been th e b u l wark o f th e re l i g i on we pro fess
A t o nce
”
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”
“
th e b u lwark o f o ur rel i g i o n a nd B ul wa rk S t ro ng
7
bec a m e b yw or ds in th e wa r p a pers
I n a speec h de l ivered
in Co ng r ess o n Jan u a ry 5 1 8 13 Jo si ah Quincy s a id :
An ar mistic e was pr o p o se d b y them I t was r e fu se d b y u s
I t was acc e d e d to b y the A m erican ge n e ral on the fr o n t i e rs
I t was r e je c te d b y the cabin e t
T hey r e n e w e d ho s t i l i t i e s
Noth ing wo ul d sa tisfy the m b u t
T hey r u s he d u p o n Canada
b l oo d T he l angu age o f the ir c o nd u c t is th a t o f the g ian t i n
the l ege nds o f infanc y
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Fee, Fa w, Foo , Fi l m ,
I smell t he bl ood of a n Engl i shma n ,
”8
D ead , o r ali ve, I wi ll ha ve some
.
View f the State f Parties in the United States ( second edition
p 1 59
speech Th
T h author f this wor k g ives Januar y 2 1 as the date f W ill i m
true d i te is January 2 4 See the Co n ti t Coura t of Fe bruary 5 1 8 1 2 p 2 3
See C
ra t January 1 2 1 8 1 3 p 3 4 ; Por t m th Or cl Ju 26
ti c t C
1 8 1 3 p 2 5 ; Co l m bi n C t i
l A u g ust 7 1 8 1 3 p 2 4 ; N w Yor k H ra ld A ug ust 3 1
General David R Wi ll iams
1 8 1 4 p 1 5 ; T h Y ank ee in London 1 8 2 6 p 9 6
said the Por t m th Or l of January 8 1 8 1 4 co m monl y call ed thunder and
l ightnin g David has resigned his comm nd without sin k in g the fast anchored
isl and ( p 4
In the La i gburgh G z tt f Decem b er 2 7 1 8 1 4 appeared
the foll owing
l ightnin g Wil l iams former l y a mem b er f Con gress
T hunder
and l atel y for ab out a month a brigadier g eneral is el ected Governor f South
Carol i a ( p 3
N w E gl d Pa l l d i m Ju e 3 0 1 8 1 2 p 1
See N i l
E ven as l ate as March 1 5 1 8 2 3 the expression was sti l l remem b ered
R gi st r f that date ""IV 3 2
C l mbi n C ti l Febr ary 3 1 8 1 3 p 2 1 S al so Quinc y s Speeches
del ivered in the Congress f the United States
In Harper s
389 390
E y l p di of United States H istory ( 1 9 0 2 ) wi ll b found reproduced a ca icature
f Quincy descri bed as foll ows
In one caricature he was call ed Josiah the First and had upon his breast as
the decoration f an order crossed d fi h in ll usion t his persistent defence
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U ncle S am
25
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The m a n who lat er w a s co mme m o rated b y Low e ll in a n
“
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essay ent i tl ed A Gre at P u b l ic Cha ra ct e r
wa s during
”9
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th e war of 18 12 k n o wn a s M r F um o r O rato r Fum
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and we re a d o f th e de gra di ng d o ctr i n e inculcat ed b y
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o f B ra intr ee
a nd O l d B r i m b o ri o n
John A r m stro ng
w h o wa s m a de S ecre ta ry o f Wa r i n Jan u a ry 18 13 w as
”
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nickna m ed D u k e o f N e w b u rgh i n all usi o n to the f a m o u s
“
Ne w b u rgh A ddresses o f
Je ff erso n w a s c all ed Ta l l
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H was al so call ed K i ng because f his pol itical
f the New E n gl and fisheries
domination i n New E ngl and In the caricature his coat was scarl et his w aistcoat
In a space near the head
h
l ig ht green and his stoc k i g s white
b rown his b
in the ori ginal w ere the words I Josiah the First d by this royal p l m t i n
announ ce m y sel f Ki n g f New E ngl and Nova Scotia and Passam quoddy Grand
Master f the no bl e order f the W C d fi h
( VII
“
it
M i li t ar y M
( New Y or k ) Jul y 1 2 1 8 1 3 I 3 63
T h fo l l o w in g toast was given
A rora ( Phil adel phia ) Octo ber 2 5 1 8 1 3 p 2 3
at P yu k in 1 8 1 3 Governor Strong and Orator Fum t w peas f a p d 3
l
G
( A r ra Jul y 1 2 1 8 1 3 p 2
In connection
t Ch ro i cl
I d p d
( B oston ) Septemb er 3 0 1 8 1 3 p 2 3
the sak e f what
w ith Quinc y it i perhaps w orth wh i l e to quote the fo ll ow in g f
is apparentl y an unrecorded use f the term hand org n THE Vi rgi ni A rg
one f Mr M
hand organs call s upon the Federal ists f the North t
abandon Q
C ti l A ugust 29 1 8 1 2 p 1
( Col m bi
C l m bi a C ti l Novem ber 4 1 8 1 2 p 2 4
Col um bi C ti l October 28 1 8 1 2 p 1 4
Letters as the y are sometimes call ed written
Th two anon y mous A ddresses
in March 1 7 83 will b found in A Col l ection of Papers rel ative to H al f Pay and
Commutation f H al f Pay Granted b y Congress t the Officers f the A rmy Fish
K ill 1 7 83 pp 1 6 2 1
In the C l m bi Ce ti l of Jul y 2 2 1 8 1 2 B rutus ask ed A a friend t l i berty
and repu bl icanism I wi sh to inquire whether Mr A m stro g l atel y made a B rig dier
General in
arm y by President M d i o is the same man w h has been supposed
have w ritten the l etters to the army in 1 7 83 advi sing them t retain their arms
t
til l they had forced the civi l authorities t compl y w ith their demands and m
t d themsel ves b y p l underin g the in ocent and defencel ess citi z ens ?
(p 2
p
In the N w Y rk H rald f January 20 1 8 1 3 is the fol l ow ing N w S cr t r y t
Gen A rmstron g s appointment has passed the Senate by a maj orit y of
W
three Y esterday we mentioned that a Captain Jones of Phil adel phia w appointed
So that we have for a Secretary of the Navy a man who
S r t y f th Na vy
headed a Phi l adel phia m b t encourage the admini stration to pursue the war
and a Secretary f the A rmy a man wh e xerted his best a b il ities to induce the
heroes of the revol ution t t rn their arms again t thei r w cou try Nothin g
was wanting to compl eat the administration b t a man for Secretary of the Treas
(p 1
y who once headed a re b el l ion and they have him in A l b ert G l l atin
Will iam Jones was the new Secretary of the Navy In the N w Y rk H ra ld of
Septemb er 3 1 8 13 is an extract tak en from the F d ral R p ubli
( of Wash
i gt
ts i
B
I
to b A ttorne y General
A pp i tm
H Q
)
p tt
vice M Q
w
W
n so l on g inimical in the ca b inet to secretary Mars
N t this nomination can onl y b read at present b y a R h l ight B rigadier
H to b removed
General B O
to b Secretary f War vice D K
N W
B mb ti
under the standing rescript of the Vi ginia d y st y ( p 4
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To mm y
Tho m a s th e Mag ici a n
a nd
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” 17
” 18
“
Co nundr u m
Presiden t Ma dis o n wa s Li ttl e Jemm y
“
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”1 9 “
King Ja m es o r Kin g J emm y
Ja mes th e Gre at
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a nd M undungus
a nd w a s referred to a s Ja m es th e
F irst E m pe ro r o f th e Virg ini a ns a nd King o f th e U ni t ed
” 22
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”23
S tat es
T im othy Pick erin g wa s U ncl e T im
On
No vember 10 18 12 General A l exa nder S m yth issued a
,
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.
,
,
,
,
.
.
,
,
Charl es J Ingersoll author f I hi q i the Jesuit s Letters
the Marqui s f Whitewash w s apparentl y W ill iam Pinckn ey ; “ R u h l ight is
an all usion t Richard R u h ; w hi l e the identit y f B rig adi er General B oanerges
escapes me
Satirical al l u ions t the Virgi nia d y nasty were l ong common in the No rthern
new spapers In the Col m bi a C ti l f February 6 1 8 1 3 a correspondent said
I WA S
f those wh predi cted i
the year 1 8 0 1 that the Vi rgi i dynasty
which was at that time coming in to power therein ever after t rem in woul d viol ate
the Pu bl ic Faith then p l ed ged t the publ ic creditors ( p 2
See l so N w Y r k
C nti n l Novem ber 7 1 8 1 2 2 3 ;
E v i g Po t Novem b er 1 8 1 2 p 2 5 ; C l u mbi
C l m bi C ti l June 4 1 8 1 4 p
“
A sati i c l poem call ed
A
Intercepted Letter from T all T ommy t Littl e
Jemmy appeared in the S l m G z tt f November 3 1 81 4 p 4 1
m
A d it came t
pass
that there arose a mi ghty man in the l and
cal l ed Thomas the Magician
account f his great sk ill and cunning in dark and
my sterious proj ects ( A dventu es f Uncl e Sam 18 1 2 p
Th Y ank ee in London 1 8 26 p 9
See
note
1 5 a b ove
"
N w Yor k H ra ld A pril 16 1 81 4 p 4 1
“
Co n cti t C r t January 1 9 1 8 1 3 p 3 1
Th rein
f government were
w he l d b y Mundungus the g reat tetrarch f
the nation the apostl e and successor f the great Conundrum ( Th Y ank ee in
London 1 8 2 6 p
P rt m o th Or cl A ugust 2 7 1 8 1 4 p 2 2 In the C l m bi C ti l f
January 2 6 1 8 1 4 appeared these l i es ( p 4
T hen
oon w ill the Country sub mit t the thi ng
Which we wanted to m k M O Ki g"
“
A poetical s ki t entitl ed
A ll T ories T ogether
w h i ch appeared i n the A ur r
f Octo b er 7 1 8 1 3 b egan thus ( p 2
“
Oh "come i n true j acobin trim
With b irds f the same l d feather
B ri ng your pl ots and i ntrigues uncl e TI
ll b
tories together
A nd l et s
In the N rth rn C ti l ( B u l ington Vermont ) f December 3 1 8 1 3 appeared
f Vermont have l atel y smu ggl ed from
the foll o wi ng
B t the b o l d b n v l t
the enemy a Governor f the true B ritish stamp and have p l aced him upon the
throne f State T his mu t ecl ipse the boasted feats f B lwark S t o g U l Ti m
and Fi f f m these thr e champions wi ll need somethi ng more than their wn
sagacity t pl ace them again in the front rank f toryi sm nothing short f their
smuggl in g t the duk e f Y ork and Mrs Cl ark can raise these eastern heroes t a
Th all u ion is t
l evel with his Ma j esty s brave su b j ects in Vermont
(p 3
the recent el ection by the Legisl ature there having been n el ection by the peop l e
B y b v l nt are meant
f Martin Chittenden as Governor of Vermont
memb ers of the Washington B enevol ent Societies then co m mon
"
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pro clam at i o n
wh ere u po n i t w a s s a id that d u r ing th i s
"25
t i m e Gen P roclamati on curve tt ed a b o u t
G ene ral Ja m es
,
.
.
proc amation dated Camp near
is printed in the C l um bi n
C ti l of Novem ber 2 5 181 2 p 2 4 A parody the procl amation ending as
foll ows was printed in the A lb y G z tt f December 3 18 1 2 ( p 3
A d thus I c l ose my m ss g w ith
T h N A M E f A L E"A ND E R SM Y T H "
A G
B ri gad i r I p ct r
Commander C q
and Protector
Whose B rock s bl ck g m nt ne er di d fear yet
In c m p at B fi l
n ar it
S i Isaac B roc k to w hom H ull had capitul ated w
k ill ed at Queenston on Octo b er
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oasting procl amations issued b y the A merican general s w ere a constant
source f ridicul e i the peace papers In his procl amation f Jul y 1 2 18 1 2 General
H d I
f eventu l success I might
H ul l said
k your assistance
y dou b t
b t I do not
I come prepared f
I have a force that wi l l l oo k
y contingency
down ll opposition and that force is but a vanguard f a much greater ( C l m
bi
C ti l A u gust 5 1 8 1 2 p 1
Th
P rt m ou th Oracl f Septem ber 8
to l ook do w n opposition in Canada ( p
1 8 1 2 spo k e f H ull s procl amation
f Decem b er 2 2 1 8 1 2 said that H ull
issued a l ook down
T h Con c ti ut C ura t
procl amation t the aff ri ghted Canadians ( p 1
Th M
li
Ti m s quoted
in the N w E gl a d P l l d i m f Octo b er 2 2 1 8 1 3 stated that Th P l
m t i o c m p ai gn has again commenced upon the Nia gara frontiers ( p 2
I n the S a l m G z tt f December 3 1 8 1 3 appeared the foll owing Th
same Col l ector wi ll b empl o y ed next winter t execute the same duties i th
l oo k ed do w n du in g the next campaign "
M on which it is expe cted wi ll be
(p 3
On A ugust 1 6 1 8 1 2 H ull ig no miniousl y gave up himsel f his army and Detroit
and incidental l y enriched the l ang uage w ith a new ver b Th surrender f B urgo y ne
at Saratoga f Lincol n at Charl eston and f Cornwall is at Y ork town had given
rise t the words B g y d
to B ur go y ne
l
and C w l
Li
d
Th
Con cti t Co r nt f Septemb er 2 2 1 8 1 2 said
Shoul d Gen
li d
Dear born enter the territory he ought if he means t t b H l l d
defeated
have 2 5
men ( p 3
Th M li t ry M oni t r of Octo b er 5 1 8 1 2
t
“
quoted the fo ll owi n g from the A r r T hese facts show the ab surdity of the idea
f a force f
men marching t b Hull d in a country where
of their
cou trymen were once b efore B R
Th N w H am p hi r G z tt
(I
f A pril 2 0 1 8 1 3 remark ed
From every section f the union w hear of the march
f troops and active preparations to open the campai g n
n the northern frontier
with vi gor and unl ess
gall ant army is agai n H ul l d the B ritish fl g wi ll soon
disappear from Can da ( p 3
Th N w Y r k H r ld of March 3 0 1 8 1 4 quoted
T h prevail in g opinion now
the foll ow in g from a Herk imer ( New Y ork ) paper
is that the campaign will b op ned at Niagara ; some suppose Detroit If at the
l atter p l ace w ith the pal tr y force
w marching in that direction we shall most
certainl y g t H l l d ( p 3
“
Col um bi C t i n l December 16 1 8 1 2 ( p 2
fol l owin g is tak en from
Th
the Ya k ( B oston ) f December 1 8 1 8 1 2 ( p 3
G n ral S m y th again
H w man y Mi l itia and Vo l unteers wi th such General s as H l l S m y th t cetera
wi ll conquer Canada ?
A Y ank e answer by another question
H w man y snow b al l s wil l heat an
oven
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28
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Wi lk inso n w a s c all ed Do n o r Do n Ja mie i n all usi o n
26
to Do n Qu ix ot e
B esides th ese nic k n a m es a pp l ied to perso n s th ere we r e
seve ral epi th e t s w h ic h were e m p loyed to desi g n at e a c la ss
" 27 “
“
Wa r
Tho se w ho f a vor ed th e w a r were c all ed W i l dc at s
28
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d og s
Wa r h ire l ing s
War m en
a nd
Wa r
” 31
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s ha rk s
b u t t he f a vor i t e t e r m was War ha w ks
U nder
“
”
th e h e a d o f P ol i t ic al I nto xic at i o n th e f ollow ing a ppe ar ed
in the Co lum bi an Cen t i n el o f Feb r u a ry 19 18 12 (p 4
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OU R War Ha wks w he n p ot val ian t
Co u l d they the Bri t is h Kin g d eth r o n e ,
Wo ul d sacrifi c e a m an a day
’
T o m e the r e as o n s ve r y p l ain ,
Why to p ers t al k i n s u c h a s train
They wan t a d o u b l e " Can a da y
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Th e n o isy an d v o cifero u s de m agog u es a nd w a r ha w k s
“
s a id th e P ortland Gaz ette a nd o ffice h u n t ers in th is vicini ty
ha ve never o nce sli pt out of t hei r beds of down o r paid
,
,
,
,
In the C l umbi C n ti l f Decem ber 23 18 1 2 appeared the fol l owing ( p 2
ral from C d a are extremel y morti
A ll the G
A l etter from A lb
y says
fi d and crest fall en
T h boys at B ff a l form them el ves into groups and sin g
the foll owing al tered stan z a f Y k Doodl
Wh n S
H
a B g di h d g t
H p
d
d ar d co ward
H durst
t g t Canada
F
f r f b i g d v ur d
Ya k d o d l d ood l d
Y ke d d l d d y
M i d th b ac k st p f th m rch
A d wi th y
r l egs b h d y
May 3 1 8 1 4 ( p 2
In the S l m G z tt of Novem ber 2 5 1 8 1 3
S l m G z tt
appeared a paragraph headed B gg di m l Wi lki n o
G l ri
E p di ti
Ca n d a" ( p 2
an
Th unsuccessful expedition into Canada gave rise t
t
epi gram printed in the Col um bi n C t i l of Decem b er 1 1 1 8 1 3
W K O l t E p di ti o
G
WI T H Conquest how his bosom b d l
w
and then
H we t h
"
Some f the Wi ld cat f Congress said the C l um bi a C ti l f June 6
have gone home unabl e to incur the awful responsi b i l it y f unnecessary
1 812
W
(p 2
"
Col m bi C ti l Octo ber 23 1 8 1 3 p 2 1 ; J ne 2 9 18 1 4 p 2 3
C l m bi n C ti l Ju e 1 8 1 8 1 4 p 2 3
C l u m bi n C ti l June 1 1 1 8 1 4 p 2 4
m
C ti l Septem ber 1 1 8 13 p 2 1
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fro m th eir p o ck e t s in s u pp ort o f thei r d arl in g
a si ngle cent
,
” 32
war
”
“
Th e Wa r haw k s re tal i at ed b y c all i ng th e pe a ce m en
”
“
To ries a nd l i k ening the m to th e Loyal i sts o f the Re vo l u
”
“
tion
The war hawks o f that vi c ini ty
s a id th e N ew
“
Yo r k Even i ng P ost o f Oc to ber 2 8 18 12 , c a m e to h i s ho u se
a nd bega n a b u sing h im wi th th e u su al slang o f Federa li st
”
o ld To r y & c
(p 2
No w h ere w a s the dep th o f p o pula r fee l ing m o re cl e arly
s ho wn tha n i n the toa st s tha t we r e o ffe r ed at th e var io u s
dinne r s whic h we r e s o f r ee l y p a rtak en o f o n th e Fo u rth o f
Ju ly a nd o n oth er o cc a si o ns S uc h dinne r s wo ul d n o w see m
so m e what pro vinci al b u t th e y we r e e x ceedingly c o mm o n
lat e in th e ei ght een th a nd e arly in th e nine t eenth ce nt u r ie s
a nd n o d o u b t th e y we r e o f se r vice in f ost e r in g th e spi r i t
33
o f n at i o n al i ty
A t P hil a
The f ollow i ng toa s t s we r e g iven in 18 12
“
de l p hi a :
May th e to ries o f N E ngland r epent or be
.
-
-
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Quoted in the suppl ement t the A l b y G z tt f Novemb er 1 9 1 8 1 2 ( p 1
sometimes used attri b utivel y T hus we hear f the War Haw k
Th t m w
Government ( C l mbi n C ti l Septem ber 2 8 1 8 1 4 p 1
f
the war hawk
part y ( P rt m u th Oracl January 2 8 18 1 5 p 3
f
the War Hawk r l ers
C ti l Septem ber 2 8 1 8 1 4 p 1
and f
War Hawk Sel ect
( Co l um bi
men ( Co cti c t Cour t A ugust 1 6 1 8 1 4 p 1
In a speech the admission f the T erritory f Orl eans del ivered in Con gress
January 1 4 1 8 1 1 Josiah Quincy decl ared it as his del i berate opinion that if
this b il l passes
it wil l b the dut y f some f the States to prepare
definitel y f a separation amicably if they can ; viol entl y if they must ( Speeches
1 87 4 p
Whil e this remark has become historic it is al most invaria bl y m i
quoted In a speech m d e in Congress January 8 1 8 1 3 H enry Cl ay referrin g
Th
w
t
Quincy said
senti m ents
t have for g otten his
g entl eman can
uttered even the floor f this House peacea bl y if we can forci bl y if we must
It is the Cl ay version that has become a fa m il iar quotation
( Wor k s 1 8 9 7 V
In the B osto H rald of November 2 3 1 904 appeared the fo l l owing
In a signed articl e in the H untsvi ll e A l M r ry R T B entl e y a well k nown
man says
I t appearin g that T heodore Rooseve l t the head and front of the repub l ican
part y which represents the dangerous pol icies of civil i z ation protective tariff
imperial ism and social equal it y has been el ected president of the United States
b y a strict l y sectional vote and has estab l ished an insu mounta bl e b arrier b etween
the north and south I fee l constrai ned to express m y hum bl e opinion as a true and
patriotic A merican citi z en of the south that if the repu bl ican part y shoul d con t inue
its dangerous pol icies f the next 4 yr s and sho l d triumph in the next nationa l
e l ection that the 1 3 states w hich voted f A B Park er b oul d secede from the
union and b y force of arms resist an oppression which means the earl y fal l f
g reat
A t the present day such a statement mere l y excites amusement as no
tak es
it seriousl y ; b t i 1 8 1 2 it was d i fl t
32
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A meri can A nti quari an S oci ety
30
[A pri l
.
” 34
“
No rwic h Verm o nt :
The TORIES l Too
m e a n to l ive too wic k ed to die unw o rthy o f h e a ven a nd
too b a d f o r h ell m ay th e A nge l o f d a rk ness co nve y th em
3‘
5
be yo nd th e b o unds o f ei ther "
I n 18 13 were g iven th e toa s t s w hic h f ollo w A t B o s to n :
“
May th e t ra i tor ous desi g ns o f junta federali sts a nd th eir
wick ed decla rat i o n that Bri tai n i s the bulwark of o ur
reli gi on
bec o m e m or e a nd m o re o bn o xi o u s b y a pp o i nt in g
FEE Fo w FU M O RA T ORS to pro mul gat e th eir de t es ta bl e
” 36
“
A t S u tto n Mass a c h u se tt s :
p r incipl es
Cal eb S trong :
37
Th e a dd resse r o f Gag e
th e de f ende r o f imp r e s s m en t
th e just ifie r o f I ndi an m a ss a cres th e a dv o c at e o f E ng l a nd
a nd th e enem y o f A meric a May h e re t i r e repe nt a nd
” 38
“
A t P h i la de l p hi a :
ye t be s a ved
Go vern o r S tro n g :
Et e rn al inf a m y a nd e x e c rat i o n to th e f o u l hy p o c r i t e who
co u l d be b a se en o u gh to prono u nce th e m o st s a v ag e un prin
c i pl e d a nd b loo d th i r s ty n at ion on th e f a ce o f th e e a rth th e
” 39
bul wa rk o f o u r r e l igi o n
Over the hi lls and far a way
“
A t Cam p M ei g s :
Th e to ries a nd a p olog ist s f o r th e wro n g s
done u s by th e B r i t is h go vernmen t w he r e th e y o ught to be
" 40
ki ssi ng t hei r m ona rch s to e
Rogue s M arch
A t N ew
Yo rk : Tori es o ld new n at ive a nd ex ot ic m a rshal s p a ss
damned
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uror Jul y 7 1 81 2 p 2 2
“
P r t m o th Or l A ugust 2 2 1 8 1 2 p 4 1
“
Jul y 2 7 1 8 1 3
A uror
Cal eb Strong was
f the twenty eight B ar risters and A t t ni
at L w
addressed Gage n Jul y 1 1 7 7 4 ( B t New s Lett r Jul y 7 1 7 7 4 p 1
wh
T hose w h addressed Gag e n his departure in October 1 7 7 5 were f course l y
his arrival i 1 7 7 4 were sig n d by b oth l oyal ists
l i t ; but the addresses t Gage
and ardent pat riots Perhaps n
received harder bl ows from his opponents
in the war f 1 8 1 2 than Strong Th foll owi ng toast was gi ven at B ernardston
f Massachu etts
Massachusetts
I n 1 7 7 4 the l o y al addresser f
Th governor
Gage in 1 8 1 2 and 1 3 the eul ogist and special pl eader f the b ul wark f
re l igion
A t Pi t t fi ld Ma sachusetts
Cal e b Strong
( A ur ra A ug st 3 1 8 1 3 p 1
man w h b y cu ning conceal ment and tory prevarication woul d endeavor
Th
reason away the rights f his country is unwo rthy f its confidence ( A urora
t
k
E xecration t
Jul y 2 2 1 8 13 p
At P
the hoary head traitorous
y
indicator f the bar barities of the monstrous government f E ngl and Hi treason
is onl y eq ual t his co wardice ; E n gl and h done us n essential i nj y Y u
Jul y 1 2 1 8 13 p 2
V
( A ur r
T here is an expression in the l ast toast that h as a fami l iar sound at the present
day
A ur r
A u g ust 3 1 8 1 3 p 1 3
"
A ur r
Jul y 9 1 8 1 3 p 2 4
N ti on l I t ll i g nc r ( Washington ) Jul y 29 1 8 1 3 p 1 3
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—
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ancho red
" 41
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I n 18 14 were gi ven th e f o ll o wing toa st s A t B e l f a s t
“
M a i ne
The Wa r Ha w k s a nd Vu l t ures at Wa shi ngto n
Ha v i ng usurped the p l ac e o f th e to wer i ng Eag l e ma y they
b e expelled fro m the c ap i tol w ith thei r wi ngs cli pped a nd
a l a b e l a b o u t the ir nec k s t o the wi lds o f Ken tucky, the
42
n ati ve haun ts o f b i rd s o f prey
3
A t S c it u ate Massa c hus e t t s :
"
“
The Presi dent of the U ni ted S ta tes Re spec t for t h e o ffi c e
b ut c onte mp t fo r the i ncumben t an i mm e di ate re sig n ati on
” 43
hi s fi rs t du ty the Isla nd o f E l b a hi s la s t re t rea t
At
“
M assachusetts B r iti s h i n flu e nc e
Hu d s on Ne w York :
b ut p oor b ait f o r Co dfish m ay s he l e t d o wn he r net the
” 44
right si d e o f the S hip
A t Wi nc he n d o n Ma ss a c hu sett s :
“
Jam es I of A meri ca
In th e i m i t at i o n o f hi s prototype
m ay he soo n b e c o mp e ll e d b y th e v oi ce o f the pe o p l e to
“
5
a bd i ca te i n f av o ur o f a r ight f ul h e i r 3 cheers
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r o i t r A pri l 5 1 8 1 3 I 2 54 The foll owing am sing paragraph may
Rem r k a bl I id t
be q oted here
O the 4 t h f J l y 1 8 1 2 Genera l C H
R
gave as a toast at A g t
The 4 t h of Jul y 1 8 1 3 M y W
that day d i k
wi
wi thi t h w l l
f Q b c" On this same 4 t h of J l y he was wi thin the wa ll s
f Q ebec ( a prisoner ) and from the k no w n hospital ity f the citizens f that p l ac
we have no do bt his wish was l i t eral l y gratified ( C ol mbi Ce ti l J l y 7 1 8 18
p 2
“
l m bi
C
C
e ti l M arch 9 18 1 4 p 2 2
“ l m bi
C
Ce t i l Jul y 9 1 8 1 4 p 1 5
B
( Hudson ) Jul y 1 2 1 8 1 4 p 3 3
“
M s ch sett S py J l y 2 0 1 8 1 4 p 3 2
It is c rio s to see how history rep ats
itsel f B etween 1 89 8 and his death President M Ki l y w sometimes l l uded
to as Will iam I
In the B st Her ld f January 2 8 1 9 07 we read f Kaiser
Theodore and in the same paper f Novem b er 1 1 1 907 of Theodore I
J st
as M on oe w al l uded to in 1 8 1 4 as the heir apparent so now the same term
is appl ied to S ecr tary Taft S Na ti A g st 2 2 1 907 LXXXV 1 53 ; B st
Hera ld November 6 1 9 07 p 6 5 ; B st E ve i g Tr n cri pt December 2 1 9 0 7 ;
B ost n H ra ld M arch 3 1 9 08 p 6 3
Even the w ord imperial is not w t
pol itics In the N w York H rald f M y 5 1 8 1 3 it was satiricall y said that
the b wi ld i fi ti of the enemy
behol ding
imperia l standard baffles l l
description ( p 2
T w examp l es of the p
d gl i m f the times w i l l prove am sing
The f l
l owing toast was giv n at Watervi ll e M aine on J l y 4 1 8 1 5
Th E gl
f th
M y she extend her wings from the A t l ti
U it d S t t
to the Pa i fi ; and
fixing her tal ons on the I sthm f Dari e stretch w ith her beak to the N rth er
P l e ( S l m Gazett Jul y 1 8 1 8 1 5 p 4
C apt Ross B ird of the United S tates
A my having been p l aced under arr est and b ereft of his sword he sent in his ig
nation i part as fo ll ows In l eaving t h service I am not ab andoning the cause f
rep bl icanism b t yet hop to brandish the gl ittering stee l in the fiel d and carve
my way t a name which shall prove my co ntry s negl ect ; and when th i s m orta l
part shall be l t t d in the dust d the soul sha ll wing its flight for the regions
‘1
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A m eri can A n ti qua ri an S oci ety
32
“
[A pri l
.
,
Ti mo thy Pi ckeri ng
N ew Y o rk :
A greate r l i ar Pa rth i a
“6
neve r bred
It i s c l ea r that eve ry o n e w a s i n a n i rritate d fra me o f
m i nd t h e m e res t t ri fle be i ng suffi c ie n t to a ro use b itte r
f ee l in g s a nd e v e n to c a use m e n t o c o m e to a ct u a l b l o ws
D u el aft er du el w a s f o u ght b y tho s e i n th e u p p e r c la s se s
o f s o c iety w hethe r m i l ita ry nava l o r c i v i l ; a nd e v e n
a m o ng re s pe cta b l e p eo p l e h a n d t o ha nd fights s ee m o cc a s io n
47
To add t o the ge n e ra l i rr itatio n
all y to ha v e t a ke n p l ace
several espec i a ll y unpopu l a r l a ws w e re e n a cte d A n a c t
l a y in g d i re c t and othe r tax e s wa s app ro ve d by Presi d e nt
Ma d i so n o n J u l y 30 a nd we n t into e ff e c t on D ece mb e r 25
‘
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,
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above in passing by the pal efaced moon I shal l hang m yfi t pon bril l iant M ars
and mak e a report t each s perl ative star and arriving at the portal s f Heaven
high C hancery shall demand of the attending Angel t b ushered into the presence
f Washington
( N w Y r k H r ld Novem b er 1 0 1 8 1 3 p 1
N w Y r k H r ld Ju l y 1 3 1 8 1 4 p 1 1
The fo ll o wing is tak en from the N w Y r k H r ld f
IVv may b specified
“
B y the passengers in the S team B oat we
Frac s t A l ba y
A pr i l 1 0 1 8 1 3
informed that a fracas too k pl ace in Al b any l ast Wednesday [ Apri l
betwe n
C l Peter B Porter and John Lovett Esq occasioned by some p b l ications whi ch
have been made re l ative t the a ffair between C o l S Van Renssel aer and Co l Porter
It is said C l Port er after some high words had passed attack ed M Lovett wi th
cane
which M Lovett c l osed in wi th him and was l i k e t demo l ish him when
some f the by standers interfered and p t an end t the contest ( p 3
Th other case c rio sl y eno gh concerns a man of whom w shal l hear l at r
in conn ection with the ll eged origin of Uncl e S m In the A l b y G z t t f S p
temb r 20 1 8 1 3 appeared this ( p 3
by M B tl er W d not intend
Th fo l l owing note has b een handed to
pre j dge the cause f disp te by its insertion The Gaz tt wi ll be freel y open t
t
M
A nderson
EL B E RT ANDE RS ON J Contractor U 8 Army is a b ase Vi ll i
M
and a C ow d
James B UTLE R
1 8 t h S ep t m b r
A nderson and B t l er apparent l y had a hand to hand scrimmage at P l atts b rgh
in the A lb y G zett f S eptem ber 3 0 1 8 1 3 was printed a comm nication in
f
part as foll ows ( p 3
A lba y 28 t h S p t 1 8 1 3
n
and S K
M essrs W
A publ ication havi ng appeared in yo r paper d ring the absence f the C t
tor signed J m s B tl a friend to the former gentl eman who was an eye witness
the fracas at Pl attsb rgh req ests y t pu bl ish the fol l owi ng statement from
t
f the 1 8 th inst
the P l tt b rgh Rep bli c
A rash man has app lied t the C ontractor for t h A r m y epithets f a l ibe ll ous
d scurril o s nat e
P l tt sb rgh S ept 1 5
S far as I have oted the incident cl osed with the p b l ication in the A lba y
G zett f October 4 1 8 1 3 f a card from B tl er dated Lansing b gh S eptemb r
an infamous l iar ( p 3
2 9 stating that the writer of the above l etter was
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U n c le S am
33
.
I n a Wo rc e ste r p a pe r o f De c e mb e r
a ppe are d the f o ll o w ing :
1 8 1 3,
22 ,
’
tax gath erin g c amp ai g n is ab o u t
The N
openi ng a nd wi ll und o ub tedl y be b oth brill i a n t a nd successful
a s th e army o f a ssess o rs a nd c oll ec to rs is ver y numer o us a nd
a bl y supp o r ted b y th e s tr o ng a rm o f th e go vernment This
pat ri ot i c b a nd o f ha rpies wi ll unques t i o n a b l y a cqui t th emse l ves
wi th gre at s ki ll a nd a dr o i t ness in diving to th e b otto m o f th e
farmers p o c k et s a nd fil c hi ng aw ay th e hard e arning s o f ma n y
" 9
a tedi o us d ay
A rmy— The
ew
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L o n g b e f o re this ho w e ve r the re ha d be e n cla s he s b et wee n
A com
U n ite d S t a te s cus t om h o use offi c e rs a nd othe rs
50
M a y 2 8 1 8 13
m uni cat i o n da te d Po rt l and M assac h u sett s
“
be gi nni ng w ith the s t a te m ent that A m o s t d a rin g i nfringe
m e nt o f the l aw s t o ok pla ce h ere up o n the e ve n i n g o f th e
”
2 5t h
we n t o n t o d e scribe t h e s ei z u re o f g o o ds b y c usto m
ho us e o ffi ce rs w h o we re set upon b y smu gg l e rs t h e l a tt er
51
m aki n g o ff w ith the go ods
I n S e p te mbe r 18 13 w hat
”
“
i s d es cri bed a s a ba tt l e t oo k p l ac e at G ra nvi ll e Ne w
Yo rk o n the bord e rs of Verm o nt b et wee n U nite d S tat es
custo m ho us e o ffi c e rs a nd o ffi c i al s o f Ne w Yo rk
Me anw hile ho we ve r w e get o ur fi rst g l i mp se o f U ncl e
“
A n a rti c l e h a l f a c o l umn i n le n gth he ad e d
Fo r
S am
”
the T roy Post
w as pri nte d i n th a t p a pe r o f S epte mber
7 18 13 an d b eg an a s f o ll o ws :
,
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L o ss up o n l o ss a nd n o i ll l uc k stirin g [si c"bu t w hat
l i ght s up o n U NC LE S A M S s ho ul ders exc l aim th e Go vern
men t edi to rs in ever y p ar t o f th e Co un tr y The A l b a n y
A rgu s o f l a s t T ues day l a men t s th e dis a s t ers a nd dis app o in t
”
men t s o f o ur B o rder War in m o s t p ath e tic s tr ains & c & c
‘
,
’
’
,
.
,
.
.
,
I n a n ote i s gi ve n thi s e xp l an atio n :
“
T h is
c an t n a me fo r o ur go vernmen t ha s got al m o s t a s
curren t a s Joh n Bull
T he l e tt ers U S o n th e go vernmen t
”
w aggo ns & c a re supp o sed to have g iven rise to i t (p 3 3)
‘
’
.
.
.
—
.
,
Ham p sh re G z tt S eptemb er 1 4 2 1 1 8 1 3 ; N w Y rk H r ld Aug st
25 2 8 1 8 1 3 ; C o l m bi
C
ti
l Decem ber 2 5 1 8 1 3
“
M ss ch s tts S p y Decem b er 2 2 1 8 1 3 p 1 3
It will b remem b ered that ntil 1 82 0 M aine was part of M assach etts
Q oted i the N ti l I t l li ge c r ( Washington ) J ne 8 1 8 1 3 p 2 3
‘8
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e
,
-
e
,
,
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u
,
,
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us
u
a
o na
n e
n e
,
u
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—
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.
[A pri l
A m eri can A ntiqua ri an S oci ety
34
.
,
I n the Lan si ngburgh Gaz ette o f lat e i n S e p te mber o r
p o ss i b l y Oc to ber 1 18 13 ap p ea re d the f o ll o w i ng :
,
,
“
La nd P ri vat eeri n g The foll o wing is a sho r t S k e t c h o f
52
a recen t b attl e under th e a c t to enc o ur ag e l a nd priv at eering
be t we en w hat are c all ed in this p ar t o f th e c o un tr y U ncl e
S a m s M en a nd th e M en o f N ew—Yo rk : On F rid ay se nni ght
a qu a n ti ty o f goo ds were sei z ed pursu an t to th e a c t a fo res aid
b y a custo m ho use o ffi cer at G r a nvi ll e in Wa s h ingto n c o un ty
under th e pre tence that th e y ha d been smu ggl ed fr o m Ca n a d a
On th e M o nd ay succeedi n g th e o wner o b tained a wri t o f rep l evin
a nd th e sh eriff aft er mee tin g wi th s o me o pp o si ti o n succeeded
in p o sse ssing h imsel f o f th e goo ds a cc o rding to th e l aws o f this
s tat e U nc l e S am s M en ho wever feel in g l i ttl e disp o si ti o n
to be deprived o f th eir b ooty in th is m anner (fo r secure a s
th e y tho ught o f th e w hol e th e y ha d plund ered bu t a sm all
p ar t o f th e goo ds ) r aised a b a nd o f w a r haw k s a nd att emp ted
a rescue T he s h erri ff c all ed th e p o sse o f th e neigh b o r hoo d
to h is a ssista nce a nd th e p ar ties being ne arl y equ al al tho th e
w ar haw k s were r ath er th e mo st numer o us a b attl e r oyal
ensued I t w a s l o ng a nd o bs tin atel y c o n tested ; bu t ended
in th e c o mp l e t e di sco mfit ure o f U nc l e S a m s p ar ty w ho re tired
fr o m th e c o nflic t m ar k ed wi th m a n y a br o k en h e a d a nd bruised
l imb l e aving th e M en of N ew Yo rk in p o ssessi o n o f th e fi el d
"5
o f b attl e a nd th e goo ds
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8
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I n a comm uni c a ti on da te d B url ingt o n Verm o n t Octo be r
1 18 13 appe ared th e fo l lo w ing :
“
The pa t ri oti c Vol un teers w ho ha ve ma rc hed h ere to g u ard
th e publ ic sto res in th e absence o f th e re g ul ar arm y are ta king
l on g fu rl ou ghs a nd v o l un t eerin g f o r home b y t ens a nd fi f ties
a nd h undred s The pre t ence is that U nc l e S am th e n o w p o p
ul ar exp l ic ati o n o f th e U S d o es n ot p ay well ; a nd that th e
" 5“
c o l d beg ins to pinc h
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F ro m a pap e r p ub l i s he d at He rki m e r Ne w Y o rk o n
Jan u a ry 2 7 18 14 is t a ke n the fo ll o wi n g :
Ou T h ursd ay a f t ern oo n
U nc l e S a m s ha rd ba rga i n s
5
o f l a s t wee k ab o u t th ir ty sl ei gh s m o re o r l ess l oa ded wi th
,
,
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’5
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l“
do t k now what act is meant
Q uoted in the N w Y rk Herald October 2 1 8 1 3 p 3 3 I have been unabl e
find a copy f the L i gb rgh G ette cont ining the extract
t
Q uoted in the Col m bi a Ce ti l October 9 1 8 1 3 p 2 3
The words m ore l ess apparentl y occurred in the offi cial accounts f the
c apture f York i n Apri l 18 1 3 b t I have not b en abl t discover in ex ctl y what
c onnection A t ll events they caus d m ch fun in the pe c pap rs
O
I
no
.
63
15‘
“
55
o
a
ne
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or
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n
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az
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,
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,
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e
“
.
ne
A meri
36
I n o r a b o u t May
f o ll o w i ng :
“
A nti quari an S oci ety
can
th e Ke e n e S ent i nel prin te d the
1 814 ,
,
[A pri l
.
—
Ec ono my"
C o l o ne l Pic kerin g in hi s S peec h o n th e
Loa n Bill , s tated , o n di rec t inf o rm ati o n fr o m tw o m embers
o f th e former Co ngress , that a waggo n s tar t ed wi th 40 bus h el s
o f c orn fo r th e arm y— that th e t e a m o f ho rses c o nsumed 18
bus h el s o n th e w ay— reserved 18 to feed th e m o n re t ur nin g , a nd
del ivered 4 bus hel s , whi c h must , at this r at e , have c o s t fifty
dolla rs a bus h el "
“
Ever yo ne remembers th e vi ne ga r t r a nsp o r t ed fr o m B osto n
to A l b a n y , w h ic h mi ght ha ve been pr o cured cheaper at th e
M
ore
l att er tha n th e fo rmer p l a ce
“
.
t e ams a re c o n t inu all y p a ssin g thr o th is to wn
wi th c a nn o n b all s & c fo r th e flee t at Ver gennes Th ese b all s
are tr a nsp o r ted fr o m B o s to n at a n expense o f n ot l ess tha n
t wen t y shi lli ngs f o r ever y 1 00 w t i e ever y 32 l b b all c o s t s
a d oll ar fo r t r a nsp o r tati o n o nl y N o w i t is well k n o wn th ere
are sever al f o un dari e s in th e vici ni ty o f th e L ak e a nd o ne ver y
ex tensive o ne in Verg ennes What th en c o ul d induce th e
c o n t r a c to r to reso r t to thi s usel ess w a st e o f th e si n ews of wa r?
cen t ? I f s o
Quere Do n ot th e c o n t r a c to rs have a cer tain per
” 59
th e l arg er th e bi ll s are th e be tter f o r th em
U nc l e S am
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,
A n ex t ra c t
d at ed B alti m o re J une 22 1 814 rea ds a s f ollo ws :
“
A de ta c h men t o f 2 60 U nc l e S a m s t r oo ps under M a j o r
KEYS E R ha ve emb ar ked fr o m B al t im o re to a id in r aising th e
b l o c k a de o f B A R NEY S flot i ll a [Th is is a s i t s ho u l d be T he
regu l ars are p a id a nd fed f o r th e c o mm o n
,
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The f ollo w i n g pa ssag e is d ate d Kee ne Ne w Ha mp shi re
No ve mber 5 18 14 :
“
The s ol diers dra f ted fo r th e defence o f Po r t sm o u th a re
m o stl y o n th eir re t urn ho me B y so me a rrangem en t be tween
th e Go vern o r a nd G ener al Cha ndl er th e l atter i t seems under
too k to pr o vide fo r a nd pa y th e t r oops T he nam es o f tho se
p oo r fell o ws are o n U nc l e S a m s p ay r oll ; bu t n ot a cen t o f
mo ne y have a n y o f th em received T his will c om e w h en th e
go vernmen t l oa n is fill ed a nd thi s l oa n will be fill ed wh en pub l ic
credi t is res tored ei th er befo re o r a ft er th e t rou bl ed n i ght
" 61
o f th is a dminis tr ati o n dep ar t s
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Q oted in the P tsm th Oracl M y 2 1 1 8 14 p 2 5 Th story f the wagon
which started w ith forty b shel s f corn rel ated by Ti mothy Pick ering was reprint d
in the M s ch sett S py f M y 2 5 1 8 14 p 3 3 b t Uncl e S m is o mitted
Q oted in the C l m bi C e ti el Ju e 2 9 1 8 1 4 p 2 1
Q oted in the N w Y rk Hera ld Novemb er 1 6 1 8 14 p 3 4
5°
u
or
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u
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"
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37
The f o ll o wi ng sto ry a ppea re d in th e Co lumbi an Centi ne l
o f D ece mbe r 3 1814 :
,
“
“
U N CLE S A M
AND
JOHN B U LL
.
p ay s his so l di er serv a n t s in Paper M o ne y ( Ch equer
Bill s) w hic h th e p oo r fell o ws Carr y to th e br o kers a nd sell at
a l o ss fr o m 2 0 to 30 d oll ars in a h undred a nd w h ic h U nc l e
S am th in k s is s o muc h s a ved
“
Bu t John Bu ll a n o l d fool c arries h is Paper M o ne y to
mar k e t himsel f g e t s a s muc h gol d a nd sil ver f o r i t a s h e c a n
a nd p ay s o ff h is s ol di er serv a n t s in Re a d y R hin o thereb y
l o sing all th e disc o un t h imsel f
“
Who th en s hall s ay that U nc l e S am is n ot a p ruden t
c al cul at in g fell o w a nd Joh n Bull a fool a nd a spend
”
thrift ?
U
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S am
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62
The Pl att sburg Herald
the fo ll o w i n g :
De cember
c o ntai ned
9, 1 8 14,
of
this s tate w ho have been s tati o ned at th is p o st f o r th ese three
m o nth s p a s t are princip all y di sc ha rg ed a nd are to l e ave this
p l a ce to d ay Fo r th e enc o ur ag emen t o f th e ci ti z ens o f thi s
s tat e to uni t e in defence o f Free Tr a de a nd S a il o r s Ri ght s
we have to inf o rm th em that th e afo res aid mil i t i a a re
n o w permi tt ed to l e ave th is a nd g e t to th eir ho mes a s th e y c a n
wi tho u t (a s th e y info rm us) a cen t o f th eir p ay o r even s o
m uc h a s th e o ffer o f a singl e Tre a sur y Not e s o me o f them th e
dis tance o f 2 00 m il es
Who wi ll n ot u ni te in this ri ghte o us
w ar a nd supp o r t th e j us t a nd wise a dmini s tr ati o n w ho decl ared
‘
U N C LE S A M
of
’
s
PA Y
’
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A
GA I N
d e t at che d M i l i t i a ,
T he
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it ?
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U N 10 N
"U NION "
” 68
I n the S a lem
fo ll o wing :
“
Gaz ette
of Ja nu a ry
27 , 1 8 1 5 ,
w a s p ri nt ed the
A cc o rdi n g
to th e Recrui tin g Orders l at el y issued all men
T h is
enl is ted before the y p a ss m uster mus t be st ri pped
is well eno ugh th e pe ac abl e ci ti z en s have been st ri pped
by th e w ar haw k p ar ty l o ng since ; a nd i t is h i gh t ime th e
sy st em s ho ul d be ex tended to th e m i li ta ry o f U nc l e S a m s
,
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“
2
The story w reprinted in the N w Y k Her ld of Decem ber 7 1 8 1 4 p
”
Q oted in the N w Yor k Hera ld Decemb er 2 1
p 3 5
Th extract was reprinted in the Port m
th Ora l of Jan ary 2 8 1 8 1 5 p
and in the C
cti t C ra t f Fe b ruary 7 1 8 1 5 p 3 1
0
as
u
or
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2— 3
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3- 2 ;
[A pril ,
A meri can A nti quari an S oci ety
38
.
Th e N e w B edf ord M ercury o f Ja nu a ry
th e f ol l o wi ng :
“
“
co n ta i ned
27 18 15,
U N CLE S A M S BA RGA I N S
’
On Tuesd ay
.
l a s t th e Depu ty Co ll ec to r o f th e 14 th Co ll ec t i o n
Dis t ric t agr ee a b l e to previ o us n ot ice pr o ceeded to se ll th e
re al estate o f a b o u t 30 pers o ns o f th is town fo r p aym en t o f
Direc t T a xes
No perso n appe a rin g to purc ha se th e w ho l e
w a s kno cked down t o U ncl e S a m Whe th er U nc l e S am o r h is
ag en t s wi ll ever DA RE attemp t to ta k e p o ssessio n o f th ese
,
,
,
,
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,
—
pur c ha ses is a n oth er p ar t o f th e business
,
” 65
.
The a b o ve p a s sag e w as qu ote d e arly in 18 15 b y He z ekiah
“
Ni l e s w ho appe nd e d thi s n ote :
U S o r U ncle S am
” 66
a ca n t te rm in th e a rm y f o r th e U n ite d S tate s
.
,
.
.
I n the Columbi an Cen ti n el o f J une 2 1 18 15 a ppe a re d the
f o ll o w i n g :
A Dis t ric t Paym a s ter o f th e U S residin g in N Y b y th e
n a me o f Whi ttl eby ha s a dver tised havi n g been r o bbed o f Thi rt y
Thou sa nd d o ll a rs o f U nc l e S a m s m o ne y in t ended to p ay th e
mi l i t i a
I t w a s in h is Po r t m ante a u w h ic h so me ho w o r
oth er a nd so m ewher e o r oth er w a s cu t o pen a nd th e m o ne y
all ri fled " The p ay ma ster having a b a d memo r y c o ul d
n ot rec o ll ec t th e den o min ati o ns o f bi ll s ; a nd fo r got to o ffer a
rew ard f o r th e de t ec t i o n o f th e nefa ri o us a nd d arin g
wr et c h
(p 2
,
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-
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U n c l e S am
appa re nt l y m a d e hi s fi rs t a ppe a r a nc e i n
“
ve rs e i n a song ca ll e d S iege o f Pl a tt sburg S ung at th e
The at re in A l bany i n the c ha racte r o f a Bl a c k S a i l o r
T une B o y n Wate r
The re a re four s ta nz a s the fi rs t
a s f o ll o ws :
B a c k side Al b a n y stan l ak e Cha mp l ain
One l i ttl e p o nd ha f full a w at er
Pl at t e bu g d are too c l o se p o n de m ain
T o wn sm all h e g r o w bi gg er d o he re art er
On l a k e Cha mp l ain
U nc l e S am se t h e b oat
A nd M a ss a M Do n o ugh h e s a il em ;
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65
Q oted in the S a l m Gaz tt Jan ary 2 1 1 8 1 5 p
cti c t C r t Fe br ary 7 p 1
y 4 p 3 1; C
e
u
—
ru a r
,
.
o n ne
ppl ement to N s
Febr ary 25 1 8 1 5
68
i le
Su
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R gi s
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V I I , 1 87
,
,
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rs
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t
racl Feb
P o t m ou h O
.
-
3
e,
.
That vol me ended wi th the issue
u
of
U ncle S am
39
.
Wh i l e Ge n ral M c o mb
M a k e Pl at t e bu g h e ho me
Wi d de a rm y w ho c o ur ag e nebbe r f ai l em
’
’
-
-
,
“6’
’
,
.
thi s po int let us p a use a m o ment and re v ie w the e v i
d eu ce e v i d e n ce w hi c h th us fa r ha s be e n draw n w h o ll y fro m
the n e ws p ap e r s
The te rm U nc l e S am i s fi rst f o und i n
S epte mb e r 18 13 o r w he n th e w a r w a s ha l f o ve r though
“
e ve n the n it w a s a ll ege d to ha v e go t a l m o st as curre n t
”68
Whi l e thi s state m e n t m ay be t rue as
a s J o hn B u ll
69
regards th e n eigh b o rhoo d o f G ree nbu sh
a t w hi c h p l a ce
the c a mp was a rend e z vo us f o r the so l d ie rs it i s n ot t ru e
70
Th e te rm fi rs t a pp e are d i n
o f the c o un t ry a s a w ho l e
p a pe rs pub l i s he d i n c itie s o r t owns eithe r in Ne w Yo rk
a s T roy L a ns ingb urgh a nd H erki me r ; o r i n Ve rm o nt
as B url i n gto n a nd Wi ndso r I n s ho rt it a ro se ex act l y
w here o ne w o u l d e xpect it to a rise e ithe r i n th e n eighbo r
ho od o f G ree nbus h o r a l o n g the Ca n a d ia n fro ntie rs w here
th e fighting wa s d one Fi n ally the re i s o n e s i n gula r f e a t ure
E ve ry i ns t ance o f U nc l e S am th us far
o f th e e v i d e nc e
At
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ppl ement t N s Regi st r IX 9 5 That vol me ended with the issue of
Febr ary 2 4 18 1 6 The A lba y Regi ter f December 6 1 8 14 advertised a p l ay
farce and Naval P i ll ar t tak e pl ace at the the tre the fol l owing eveni ng in
honor of the memorabl e Naval C onfl ict on Lak e C hampl ain fought n the gl orio s
E l eventh f S eptember ( p 3
The song in the text may have b n written
for that occasion tho gh it is not mentioned in the advertisement
"
p 3 3 above
S
There are constant ll u ions in the newspap rs to Greenbush The C nn e ti c t
C o ra t f S ptember 29 1 8 1 2 printed an extract dated Pi t t fi l d S eptemb r 1 7
Dem cra ti c E c om y Within a f w days past several waggon l oad f Vi gar and
n the w y from B oston to Green b sh
M l ses have passed th oug h this vi ll age
near Al b any These articl es were purchased at B oston for the
of the troops
at Greenb sh The vinegar cost the government Five Doll a s per barre l i B oston ;
and according t the statement f the team sters the p
of transportation
wo l d b much more than the first cost N w w are tol d and we b el ieve correct l y
that vi negar can b p rchased in A l b any at l ess than four dol l ars per b arre l And
we pres me that mol asses can b bo ght in Alb any and N w York as cheap as in
Wh y then this enormo s p
of t p t t i l S goes the peopl e s
B osto n
money " ( p 2
As l ate as Febr ary 1 81 5 the editor f a B al timore paper tho g ht it necessary
to expl ain the meaning of the term S p 3 8 note 6 6 ab ove The newspapers
thro gho t the war l iterall y swarm with all sions to John B l l Yank e Yank ee
Doodl e and B rother Jonathan On the other hand no all sion to Uncl e S m h
yet b en fo nd before S eptemb er 1 8 1 3 whi l e from then nti l 1 8 1 6 I have enco ntered
l ess than thirty examp l es a ll of which are quoted or cited in the present paper
either i n text or footnotes This statement is b ased on an examination of news
papers p b lished d ring 18 1 2 1 8 1 5 in Portsmo th S al em B oston Worcester Hart
ford Troy Al bany New York Phil adel phia B l timore and Wa hington
87
Su
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ra n s
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on —
or a
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70
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A meri can A ntiquari an S oci ety
40
A
[ pril ,
.
“
”
gi ven excep t that in the S ie g e o f Platt sburg is tak en
fro m a pe a ce p a per w h i l e n ot o nce d oes th e te rm o ccur i n
a w a r p a per
It i s not eas y to se e w hy th e w a r p a p e rs
s ho ul d ha ve a v oi ded the t erm a nd the f a c t that th e y d i d
woul d seem to indic at e that i t w a s emp loye d s o m e w hat
deri s i ve ly b y th e pe a ce men Po ss i bly the s o bri que t w a s
re ga rded a s m e re l y la c ki n g in d ig n ity Or it m ay b e f eeli n g
runnin g s o high that th e mere f a c t o f i t s be i n g take n up
b y o ne p a rty w a s suffi cient to c o nd e mn it in the ey es o f th e
other B u t w hate ve r the re as o n the f a c t is s t riki ng a nd
i s c o m pa ra ble to th e a v oi d a nce o f the w o rd Y a n ke e b y th e
New E n g l a nd e rs previ o us to the b att l e o f Lexin gt on Doe s
n ot a n a bsol u te b oy cott p o int at l e a st to a d i sta st e ? It
”
“
s ho u l d al s o be n ote d that b y U ncl e S a m s men we re
me a nt at fi rs t n ot s o l d i ers bu t U ni t ed S tat es custo m ho use
,
,
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,
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,
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’
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o
mmm
,
.
Th us f a r ho we ve r the t erm has been m e rely a collo qui
ali sm
f o und dul y i n th e n e ws pa p e rs Le t us n o w f ollo w
i t s progress in th e l i t erary l a ng u ag e It s fi rs t a ppe a ra nce
i n a b ook w as i n a p o l iti c a l s kit publ is hed in 18 16 a nd
writte n p a rtly i n B i bli ca l p hr a se Who se iden t i ty was
c o ncea l ed under th e pse udon y m o f F red e ric k A u g ust us
Fidf addy th e alleged a u tho r o f The A dvent ures o f
71
The b ook i t se l f l i k e Ja mes
U nc l e S am I d o n ot k n o w
K Pa u l d i n g s Di ve rti n g Hi sto ry o f J ohn B u ll a nd B r other
Jo n atha n (publi s he d i n 18 12 ) a nd all sim i l ar s k i t s is m o d
usu all y
e ll e d o n A rbut hn o t s L a w i s a B otto ml ess Pi t
c a ll e d the Hi s to ry o f Joh n B ull publ is hed in 17 12
I n it w e fi nd n ot mere l y U nc l e S am bu t S am S a mu el
S am ue li t e U nc l e S amu e l a nd U nc l e S amu e l s L a d y
me a n i ng Co ng re ss A f e w ex t ra c t s f o ll o w :
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WHA T "a noth er hi sto r y o f th e w ar ? We c a nn ot be
al w ay s re a ding exc l aims a S m o kin g Lo un ger w hi l e h e stri kes
h is sil ver h e a ded r atta n agains t th e doo r p o s t o f th e B oo ksell er
S o f tl y my friend th e w o r k pr o fesses to be th e A dven t ures o f
‘
’
,
-
.
,
,
As this tract f 1 4 2 pag s is apparent l y rare I giv t h titl e Th e A dvent res
of Uncl e S m in S earch after his l ost Honor B y Frederic k A g stus Fi df d d y
Esq M ember of the Legion f Honor S cratch tary to Uncl e S m and Privy
C oun ell or to himsel f M iddl town Printed by S eth Richards
It w
copyrighted M y 1 6 1 8 1 6 a
7’
e
o
a
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o
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s
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:
e
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a
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L
e
“
:
u
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e
-s
a
u
a
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an:
u
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as
U n c le S am
yo ur o wn de a r
41
.
U nc l e ,
if yo u are a n ative A m eric an o r o f yo ur
S hall A m a dis de Ga u l
U nc l e i n La w if yo u a re n ot
Do n Quixot e a nd Ear l S t r o n g b o w c o nfer u nf a ding gl o ries o n
th e respec tive c o un tries w h ic h were th e the atres o f th eir
exp l o i t s ; a nd miser l i k e p o c ke t all th e ren o wn o f r o m a n tic
c h iv al r y ? Fo rbid i t U nc l e S am a nd all h is so ns "
I n s ho r t
th e l e arned A u tho r in imi tat i o n o f h i gh au tho ri ties sol ici t s
th e indul gence o f th e pub l ic 1 Wi th regard to t he appe ar
a nce o f o ur c omm o n U nc l e S am A l tho ugh h e is o l d en o u gh
to be ver y w h imsic al h e is l i k e th e A u tho r a g reen c har a c ter
72
o n th e stag e
Be hol d s aid T ho m a s ho w mine U n cl e
S a mue l hath f o u ght in t imes p a s t aga ins t Joh n Bu ll a nd hath
prev a il ed never th el ess h e o we th at th is time m an y tal en t s
o f sil ver
The p l a ce c ho sen f o r th e sec o nd att emp t
73
to inn o cu l at e th e c l o wnish S no wfi el di an s wi th bl essing s o f
Liber ty w a s Queens to n a p l e a s an t to wn sep ar ated fr o m th e
d o mini o ns o f S am b y that fri th o f w ater w h ic h is k n o wn b y
“
th e n a me o f th e S t Lawre nce
No w th e m a n Pr o c to r
t he s o n o f Bel i al o f w ho m we have sp o k en ha d h is evi l h e ar t
s tirred wi th in h im again to vex th e so ns o f S a muel A n d a s
h is m a nner w a s h e a ssembl ed again th e wic k ed s o ns o f Cain
a nd devised misc h ief aga inst th e sm all b a nd o f S am ue l i t e s
w h ic h l ay at Lo wer S a ndusk y
I t bec o mes us to
n otice a rem ar k a bl e c han g e in U nc l e S am s L a dy S he ha s
l at el y disc arded all h er f o rmer n oti o ns o f p arsim o n y a nd
p h i l o so p h ic w h ims o f ec o n o m y a nd ha s m o s t gr a ci o usl y b e
sto we d o n h ersel f a ver y sp l endid S al ar y a nd w h ere a s fo rmerl y
h er f ami l y serv a n t s received o nl y six d oll ars per di em th e y n o w
receive fi fteen h undred fo r e a c h en ter tainmen t o r l evee s h e
” 75
ho l ds to see c o mp a ny
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,
It ha s a l rea d y b ee n n ote d that in b ooks p ub l i s he d i n
18 1 2 an d 18 14 Pa u l d i n g d i d n ot e m p l oy th e te rm U nc l e
76
B u t i n a work pub l ishe d i n 18 17 he wrote :
S am
“
T h is sub j ec t reminds m e o f a queer fell o w that wen t b y
th e n a me o f Padd y Whack w ho c a me o ver fr o m a p l a ce c all ed
Kn oc kec roghe ry a s I th in k a nd p al med h imsel f up o n a goo d
n at ured kinsm a n o f mine w ho m we fa mi l i arl y c all ed U ncl e S a m
Pat
w a s g r a nds o n b y th e m oth er s side to th e well
kn o wn h um o ris t Paddy from Cork w ho w o re h is c oat bu tto ned
be h ind to keep h is bell y w arm ; a nd th e ol d m a n wa s so p l e a sed
,
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,
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,
’
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,
72
‘
Jeff erson
The C anadians
Henry A Proctor the B ritish gener l
Advent res of Unc l e S m pp 5 6
p 2 2 note 3 above
S
.
73
.
7‘
.
75
76
u
ee
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a
,
a
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8, 9
,
1 1 , 5 3 , 9 6, 1 4 0
.
A m eri can A n ti quari an S o ci ety
42
[A pri l
.
wi th
,
his mo de o f e atin g bu ttermi lk wi tho u t a ny t ee th that h e
i nsisted up o n ha ving h im c hr istened a fter h is n a me
S o h e too k up th e business o f p atri ot ism a nd f a s tened h i m sel f
up o n U nc l e S am w ho w a s a l iber al goo d h e ar t ed o l d fell o w
that kep t o pen ho use to all c o mers a nd received Pa t wi th
" 77
k indness a nd ho spi tal i ty bec a use h e w a s p oo r a nd a n exi l e
,
.
,
-
,
,
,
,
,
.
The fi rst f o reigne r to us e the te rm wa s app are ntly W F aux
w ho i n a b ook writte n b et wee n 18 19 a nd 1823 freque n t l y
“
”
Al mo st a ll A m e r i can s
emp l oye d it
he q u ote s a M r
“
a re boy s i n e ve rythi n g bu t vi ce and f olly "
Perry as sayi n g
I n their eyes U n cle S am is a right s l i c k m ighty fi ne sm ar t
"7 8
On No ve mb e r 2 4 182 1 He z eki a h Ni l e s wrote :
b ig m an
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“
I am ho wever di ver t ed fr o m th e sub j ec t I me a n t to spe a k
that is th e w ay s a nd me a ns to keep th e w h eel s o f th e
of
go vernmen t a go ing ; a m o s t seri o us c o ncern especi all y to tho se
w ho l ive up o n th e t re a sur y o r expec t to bec o me ric h b y pluc k
" 79
i ng U nc l e S a m s gre at g re y goo se
,
,
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—
’
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-
,
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’
‘
’
.
I n the B alt i m ore
th e f o ll o w i n g :
Patri ot
o f No vember
1 1 , 1 824 ,
ap p ea re d
A N OTH E R PRES I DENTI A L
CA RI CA TU RE
I t is a pr oo f sh ee t o f a prin t en t i tl ed
CA U C U S C URS
.
‘
—
fu ll YELL
PRE S IDENT
in
,
’
WHOOP t o saddl e on t he PEOPLE a PAPPOO S E
I n th e b a c kg r o und s ta nds th e Presiden t s ho use
or a
WA R
’
.
,
o n th e right o f w h ic h
i t s a ma lgama ti on tool
‘
U nc l e S a m
’
depa rt men t
—
’
s
Trea su ry pap hou se,
(p
.
’
wi th
2
I n 182 6 M rs A nn e Royall an e cce nt ric l ad y w h o wrote
seve ra l b ook s o f t rave l n ot l acki ng i n s ha rp hit s re m a rke d :
.
,
,
,
t o ften happened w h i l e in Wa sh ingto n that I me t wi th
unc l e S a m s men a s th e y c all th emsel ves Wal king in th e
c api tol squ are o ne d ay I stepped up to a m a n w ho m I fo und th ere
at w o r k a nd a sk ed h im w ho m h e wo r k ed fo r (me ani ng his
emp l oy er fr o m w ho m I wish ed to o b tain so me info rm ati o n )
me s aid th e fell o w I w o r k fo r unc l e S am in a to ne o f
unqu al i fied impudence No m atter w h ere yo u mee t tho se
“I
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.
Letters from the S outh w ritten during an Excu sion in the S ummer
77
r
I I , 2 0 7 , 2 08 , 2 1 0
M
2 25
,
emorabl e Days in America
2 6 2 , 38 1
N i l es
7"
.
’
p
.
e st r
R gi
e
,
""I
,
1 99
.
See
al so
.
1 26
.
S ee
al so pp
x x r, 3 8 , 1 9 7
.
.
of
1816,
99 , 1 4 0 , 1 6 2 , 1 88 , 2 1 5 ,
A meri can A nti qua ri an S oci e ty
44
[A pri l
.
,
Da vid Cro c ke tt wr ot e :
“
Th em that d a nced s ho ul d p ay th e p i per ; bu t I su pp o se
th e y will all s ay a s th e yo ung ma n s a id o f th e o l d qu a ke r wh en
th e ro bbers s to pped th e mai l c oa c h The o l d g en tl ema n ga ve
up h is purse ; th e yo un g ma n h el d b a c k : a pis to l was prese n ted
at hi m : Oh s ay s h e d o n t s hoot ; o l d unc l e a l w ay s p ay s
fo r m e " S o p oo r o l d U nc l e S am I supp o se wi ll p ay fo r a ll :
a nd I am gl a d that th e funding sy s te m ha s p a id o ff o ur n at i onal
deb t s o that a few h undreds o f tho us a nds w o n t h ur t us muc h
n o w G ener al Ja c k s o n c a n p ay o ff th e p o s t o ffi c e deb t a s h e
s a id h e w o u l d the o l d deb t by borrowi ng; a nd then we ll bur n
all th e b oo k s a nd o l d ex tr a c o n tr a c t s a nd be gin d ee novo a s
” 88
th e L atin sc ho l ars s ay in Co ngress
In
1835
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I n 1835 Cha rle s J L at ro be A us t ral i a n go vern o r a nd
t ra ve ll e r rem a rke d :
“
Yo u m ay rec o ll ec t I m en t i o ned in a fo r m er l e tt e r a cer ta i n
d o ub l e b arrell ed fo wl ing piece w hic h th e c o mmissi o ner ha d
br o u ght a w ay fr o m a go vernm en t agen t o n th e M iss o ur i I t
ha d k ep t us c o mp a n y ever since go in g amo n g us g ener all y b y
th e n a me o f U nc l e S am suc h w a s th e sou bri qu et given b y th e
A m eric a ns to th e G ener a l Go vernmen t fr o m th e usu a l ini t i a l s
" 3‘
U S o r U ni ted S tates a ffi xed up o n Governmen t pr o per ty
.
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E dw ard S A bd y a n E ngl is hm a n o bse rved :
“
I men t i o n th is t ri fli ng circu ms ta nce bec a use i t i ll us t r ates
a s tri kin g fe ature in th e n ati o n al c ha r a c ter
U nc l e S am
is th e veries t sl a ve o f habi t in existence a nd disl i kes tr o ub l e
H e w o u l d r ath er pu t up wi th a n inc o nvenience tha n pu t h i m
”
sel f o u t o f h is w ay
In
1835
.
,
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,
.
I n a n ot e h e a dded :
“
T h is appell at i o n c o rresp o nds wi th o ur Joh n Bu ll ; a nd is
supp o sed to be derived fr o m th e ini ti al s U S A s th e n at i o n
ha s n ot ye t been ab l e to fi x up o n a dist inc t ive ti tl e per haps
” 6
that o f Cauc a si a w o u l d n ot be in appr opri at e
‘
’
.
.
,
8
.
On D ec e mb e r 2 8 1836 Ge n e ra l Geo rge A M cCall s ai d :
“
A t the usu al ho ur f o r th e e xam i n atio n o f recrui t s o ne br ight
,
,
.
,
Tour t the North d Down East p 20 2 Uncl e S m had previousl y figur d
in the Narrative f the Life of Davi d C roc k ett
p 86
“
The R ambl er in A merica I 1 6 0
Jo r al f a R sidenc and Tour in t h United S tates II 3 01
83
an
o
,
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o
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,
85
u n
o
a
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e
e
,
e
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e
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U nc le S am
45
.
spring m o rning the surg e o n a nd m ys e l f ha v i ng assembled
in m y o ffi ce high up in Market S tr e et f o r the pur po se I have
state d the sergea nt bro u ght a m o n g othe r ca nd i d ate s f o r
the ho n o r o f se rv i n g U n cle S am a p e rfe c t He rcule s i n
” 86
p hys i c al De ve l o pmen t
I n 1838 there ap p ea red in B ent l e y s Mi scell any a seri e s
o f a rt icl e s c all ed U nc l e S a m s Pe culia riti es fro m w h ic h
th e f ol l o wing i s ex t ra ct ed :
“
We mus t h ere di gress fr om o ur immedi at e sub j ec t fo r
th e purp o se o f pr o perl y in t ro ducing o ne o f th e mos t ce l ebr at ed
c har a c ters n o w tal ked o f T his perso n ag e M ajo r Jac k Downi ng
b y n a me is in ever yb o d y s n otice a s a gre at A meric a n j es ter
bu t l i ke U ncl e S a m is bu t a na me Th ere m ay o ri g in all y have
been a M a j o r Ja c k Do wning a c o mic al mil i tar y o fficer a nd
th ere m ay al so ha ve been a n U nc l e S am in B o sto n w ho se
ini t i al s happening to be th e s a me a s th e ini ti al l ett ers
o f th e U ni t ed S tates w a s fr o m a p o st m a s t er o r go vernmen t
c o ntr a c to r o f M a ss a c h use tt s B ay c o nver t ed into th e i m perso n
ati o n o r g re at feder al representat ive o f th e t wen ty six S tat es
inc l udin g Jo n atha n s o wn fi ve p ar t icul ar S tates New H amp
s h ire Co nnec ticu t N e w Engl a nd M a ss a c h use tt s a nd Rho de
I sl a nd Bu t M a j o r Ja c k a nd U nc l e S am o f B o s to n (m o rtal
S am ) b oth sl eep wi th th eir f o ref ath ers if th e y ever ha d a n y
l e a vin g o nl y th eir n a mes be h ind ; gl o ri o us Ja c k bein g f a m o us
in st o ry a nd U nc l e S am s ini ti al s U
being wedded to E
Pl u ri bus u nu m fo r be tter o r w o rse un t i l th e t wen ty six s ta rs
o f No r th A meric a s hall be sep a r ated b y s o me vi ol en t e ffo r t
o f n ature o r a g ener al c o nvu l si o n o f Y a n kee Repub l ic anism
Bu t if M ajor Jac k is never seen i n propri a persona h e is s o me
t imes represen ted b y oth ers w ho prefer h is n a me to th eir o wn
One o f M is ter Jo sep h M i ll er s j o k es is o f a f a n at ic w ho ga ve
tha n k s fo r being s ho wn some rel ic t s in a m o n a s ter y a nd a dded
T his is th e six t een th h e a d o f Joh n th e B ap t is t I ha ve seen in
A t r ave ll er in th e U ni ted S tates is reminded o f th is
I tal y
Jo e a nd o f King Dic k s six Ric h m o nds in th e fi el d b y h e aring
o f M a j o r Ja c k Do wn ing o f A meric a n ubiqui ty w ho is spre a d
abr oa d a nd me t wi th a s a residen t in m o s t o f th e l arge to wns
a nd m a n y o f the quie t vi ll ag es a nd is m o re o ver o ne o f th e
mo s t Wi tty c o rresp o nden t s o f that m a n y h e a ded m o nster
th e Publ ic Press
Th e mi l i ta r y a re fo r a minu t e
o bstruc t ed b y six g ai l y p ain t ed c o vered c ar t s fill ed wi th mer
c h an di se
w hi c h th eir o wners th e west ern merc han t s are
,
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Letters from the Frontiers
p 33 5 S al so p
use of the term by an army officer that I have noted
86
.
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ee
.
.
354
.
This is the first
[A pri l
A m eri can A nt i qua ri an S oci ety
46
.
c a rr yin g ho me ; o ne fres h spring w at er l o c o m otive fr om Lo n g
I sl a nd a n A meric a n g ing er c ha mp ag ne w aggo n a nd a dir ty c a r t
c a rry in g th e m ai l o f U S (U nc l e S am o r U ni ted
‘
’
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,
’
‘
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In
1 839
.
,
Ma rry a t wrote :
fell in wi th M a j o r F
wi th w ho m I had been previ o usl y
a c qu ai n t e d w h o inf o rmed me tha t h e w as a b o u t to send a de ta c h
men t o f tr oops fr o m G reen B ay to Fo r t Winn eb ago a cr o ss
th e Wisc o nsin t erri to r y A s th is a ffo rded me a n o pp o r t uni ty
o f seeing th e c o un tr y w h ic h sel d o m o ccurs I a v ai l ed m y sel f
o f a n o ffer to j o in th e p ar ty The de ta c h men t c o nsisted o f
a b o u t o ne h undred recrui t s ne arl y th e w ho l e o f th e m Ca n a d a
p atri ot s a s th e y a re usu all y c all ed w ho having fai l ed in ta kin g
th e pr o vinces fr o m Joh n Bull were f ain to a ccep t th e s h i ll ing
”
fr o m unc l e S am
I
,
,
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,
,
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,
,
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,
,
88
.
H av i ng th u s t ra c e d the hi sto r y o f U ncle S am f rom it s
inc epti on i n 18 13 d o wn t o 184 0 pre v io us to w hi c h n o
e x a mpl e ha s hithe rto bee n c ite d l et us n o w t urn o ur a tte n
tio n to th e o rigi n of the ter m Th ree e x p l a n ations have
be e n a dvance d Nea rl y the e nti re thi rd p a ge of the B o s to n
S u nday Herald o f A ug u st 9 1903 was fi ll e d w ith a n a rt ic l e
“
a nd i ll us t rati on s o n th e No v a S c otia Ho m e of U nc l e S am
Origi n of hi s Odd Co st um e
S am S l i c k o f S l i c k v i ll e th e
”
Th e
Pro duc t o f Jud ge Hali burt o n s Pe n a nd his S a yi n gs
“
write r s a i d :
S t ran ge a s it m ay s ee m o n e mus t go bey ond
the b o rd e rs o f the U n ite d S t a tes to fin d the b i rt h p l ac e o f
The n fo ll o wed a d e scriptio n of Wi ndso r
U ncl e S am
w he re Ju d ge H a l i b u rto n wa s born The n otio n is a ppa re ntly
b a se d w ho ll y on th e pse ud o ny m assum e d b y Jud ge Hali
”
“
b u rto n
Thi s ne ws pa p e r y ar n d oes n ot
S am S l i c k
o f cour s e d ese rve s e r io us co ns i d e rati o n a nd ma y be d i s
m isse d wi th the re mark th a t T hom a s Cha ndle r H a l i burto n
ha v ing b ee n b o rn De ce mb e r 17 17 96 was l ess than s i xtee n
ye ar s o l d a t the ou t bre a k o f the war w ith Eng l a n d a n d that
it was no t unti l 1835 th a t h e e m p l o ye d th e pseu d ony m
” 89
“
o f S am S l i c k
,
,
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B ent l ey s M iscel l ny IV 4 3 29 4
Diary in America II 4 2 4 3
The Cl ock mak er ; the S ayings and Doings of S am e l S l ick of S l ick vil l e first
appeared in the co l m s of the N va S cot i in 1 8 35 18 3 6 and was first p bl ished
in book form at Hal if ax in 1 837 In a conversation supposed to have tak en pl ace
87
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47
Th e m o s t p o pula r expla natio n o f th e o rigi n o f U n cle
S am fi rs t appe a re d i n pri nt so f a r a s I ha v e be e n ab l e to
a sce rtai n in J o hn F ro s t s B ook o f th e N avy p u bl i s he d i n
It d i d n ot o rigi n ate wi th F ro s t a nd n o d o ub t h e
184 2
90
o b tai ne d i t fro m a n e wsp a per It is a s f o ll o ws :
,
’
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,
,
.
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“
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Ori gi n
o
f
U nc l e S a m
‘
.
M uc h
l e a rning a nd rese a rc h have been exercised in t r a cin g
th e o rig in o f o dd n a mes a nd o dd s aying s w h ic h taki ng their
rise in s o me t ri flin g o ccurrence o r even t e a si l y exp l ained o r
well understoo d fo r a t i me ye t in th e c o urse o f y e ars bec o min g
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
between Edward Everett and S m S l ic k the l atter remark ed Wel l I don t k now
said I b t somehow another I g ess yo d fo nd preaching the b est spec l ation
in the l ong ; them are Unitarians pay b etter than Uncl e S m ( we call said the
C l ock mak er the Ame i can p bl ic Uncl e S m as y
the B ritish John B ll )
( The Cl oc k m ak er second edition C oncord 1 8 3 8 p
M
R o b ert G Hal i b urton re l ates this anecdote f J dge Ha l ib rton
On his
arrival in London the son f Lord A b inger ( the famo s S i James S carl ett ) who
was confined t his b d ask ed him to ca ll his father as there was a q estion which
he woul d l ik e to p t t him When he call ed his Lordship said I am convinced
that the e is a veritabl e S m S l ic k in the fle h w sell ing cl ock s to the B l enoses
Am I right ? No repl ied the J dge there is
s ch person He was a p re
accident I never intended t descri b e a Yank ee cl ock mak er Yank ee dial ect ;
b t S m S l ic k sl ipped into m y boo k before I was aware f it and once there he was
there t stay ( in Hal i b urton a C entenary C hapl et Toronto 1 8 97 pp 2 5
B oo k f the Navy pp 29 7 2 9 8
The story occ rs in the Naval Anecdotes
in the Appendix S ome f the stories and songs in this Appendix appear in the
t there
S pp l ement to N i l s Regi ter 1 8 1 6 IX ; b t the Wil son story is
As an ill stration f the extraordinary changes ndergone in repetition I give
the s t ry as it was printed in 1 8 7 0 b y B rewer in his Dictionary of Phrase and Fa bl e
U
l S m
The United S tates government M Frost tell s that the
S m
in pectors of E l bert A nderson s store on the H d on were Ebenezer and his ncl e
S am el Wil son the l atter of w hom s perintended in person the wor k men and went
by the name of Unc l e S m Th stores were mark ed E A U S ( E lb rt A
U i t d S t at s ) and one of the emp l oyers being as k ed the meaning said U S
d
stood for Uncl e S m The j o k e took and in the War of Independence the men
carried it with them and it b ecame stereotyp ed ( p
B rewer goes on to say
To b made to pay the reck oning This
T st d S m
is an Americanism and arose from the l etters U S on the k napsack s of the so l diers
The government of Uncl e S m has to pay
stand S m for ll ( S b v )
In 1 8 7 1 De vere wrote In the army it seems even this designation [i e Unc l e
was deemed too f ll and formal and as earl y as the year 1 8 2 7 it b ecame a
S m"
fami l iar sayi ng among so l diers t st d S m whenever drink s or refreshments of
any k ind had to b paid for As they were acc tomed t see U le S m pay for
l l their wants to st d S m b ecame to their minds eq ival ent to the ordinary
sl ang phrase to stand treat ( p
In 1 8 9 1 J M aitl and said S m to stand
And in 1 89 1
S m ( Ame n ) to stand treat
( American S l ang Dictionary p
J M Dixon w rote
to entertain friends ; to pay for refresh
S m
T st d S m
ments U S m is a contraction for Uncl e S m
j oc l ar name for the U S
Government The phrase therefore originall y means to pay l l expenses
the
B rewer s
Government does ( Dictionary f Idiomatic Engl ish Phrases p
statement havi ng b en adopted by several writers req ires consideration As
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A meri can A nti quari an S oci e ty
48
[A pri l
.
,
inv ol ved in my s ter y a ssume a n imp o r ta nce equ al at l e a st
to th e s ki ll a nd ingen ui ty required to exp l ain o r t r a ce th em to
The S w a n wi th t wo nec k s
their o ri g in
The Bul l a nd
M o u th
A l l my e y e Be tty M ar t in
a nd ma n y oth ers are
o f this c har a c ter a nd w ho kn o ws bu t a n h undred ye ars hence
s o me l e arned c o mmen tato r may pu zz l e hi s br a in to fur nis h
s o me ing eni o us exp l a n at i o n o f th e o ri g in o f th e n at i o n al appell a
ti o n p l a ced at th e he ad o f thi s ar ticl e To ai d h im th erefo re
in this rese arc h I wi ll state th e fa c t s a s th e y o ccurred under
my o wn e ye
“
I mmedi at el y a ft er th e dec l ar at i o n o f th e l a s t war wi th
En g l a nd El ber t A n ders o n o f N e w Y o rk th en a Co n t r a c to r
visi ted Tr oy o n the H uds o n w h ere w a s c o ncent r ated a nd
w h ere h e purc ha sed a l ar g e qu a n ti ty o f pr o vi si o ns beef
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h ra se t o
a matter f fact not onl y is the p
stand S m meaning to be answerab l e
to become surety for
to pay the rec k oning or to pay f the drink s
f
not an Americanism but it has never so far as I k now even been empl oyed i
this country The words S m and S ammy have b een used in vario s senses
in E gli h dial ects for a h dred and thirty years an instance dated 1 7 7 7 being recorded
in the Engl ish Di l ect Dictionary To the examp l es of upon my S m an pl
tive q oted in t h same work from Frank s Nine Days
p 1 2 and "ack s
On Trial
p 2 20 may be added another from R M arsh s T m O i gt
Ghost
p 216
fool ish sill y w recognized as
m eaning
S ammy
earl y as 1 8 2 3 in Pierce Egan s edition of Grose s C l assical Dictionary ; and exampl es
dated 1 8 3 7 and 1 84 3 are q oted in Farmer and Henl ey s S l ang and its A nal og es
The expression to stand S m
to stand S ammy is recogni zed in
Hall iwell s Dictionary of Archaic and Provinci l Words
in Wright s Diction
ary of Obsol ete and Provi ncial Engl ish
in H t t
Dictionary f M odern
in B arrere and Lel and s Dictionary f S l ang
S l ang C ant and V l gar Words
Jargon ( ant
in Farmer and Henl ey s S l ang and its Anal og es
and
in the Engl ish Dial ect Dictionary Land l ad
wrote M
i fi in 1 8 2 3
serve
them wi th a gl ass of tape a ll ro nd ; and I ll stand S ammy ( T m and Jerry III
B esides this extract Far m er and Henl ey q ote othe rs fro m A i ns worth s Roo k wood
B l ac k s White Heather
C heap Jack
Henl ey s
Hi dl y
Vi l l on s Good Night
Licen ed Vict ll ers Gaz tt
and M ill i k en s
and t these m y be added others fro m P h A ugu t 2 0
A rry B al l ads
p 4 65 Every
1 88 1 LXXXI 7 5 and fro m W De M organ s Joseph Vance
k no w n examp l e is fro m a B ritish author
D ring t h ascendancy f the Know Nothing party however the word S m
was used in this co ntry for a brief period
The ll usion w rote Farmer in 1 889
is t U
the nation l so b riquet the Know Nothings cl ai mi ng that in a
S
nation mostl y made up f immi grants onl y native born citizens sho l d possess and
exercise privil eges and powers ( Americani s m s Ol d and New p
The name
said H F R edd l l in 1 89 2 contains of co rse an all sion to Uncl e S m the
personi fication of the government of the Uni ted S tates ( Fact Fancy and Fabl e
p
A few exampl es may b gi ven In a l etter dated Randol ph Pennsyl vania
Jul y 1 4 1 8 55 a correspondent said
I tak e it for grant d that you are w ith us
heart and hand in the new movement k nown as Know S omethings ; b t I b l iev
q ite as readil y recognized under the Yank ee cognomen Jonathan The order
is ful l y organized in this S tate and is progressing finel y A ll the secret organiza
tions therefore of this character are b l ended and E P l ri b s U m The S ams
are going over m sse and al tho gh some f
el ection returns may be credited
to S m yet I assure you that all candidates el ect are the work manship f Jonathan
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U ncle S am
49
.
p or k & c The inspec to rs o f th ese ar t ic l es at that p l a ce were
The l atter g en tl em a n
M essrs Ebene z er a nd S amue l Wi l s o n
(inv a ri a bl y k n o wn a s U nc l e S am ) g ener all y superin t ended
in pers o n a l arg e number o f w o r k men w ho o n th is o cc a si o n
were emp l oyed in o ver ha ul in g th e pr o visi o ns purc ha sed b y
th e c o n tr a c to r fo r th e arm y The c a s k s were m ar ked E A
Th is w o r k fe ll to th e l ot o f a f a ce t i o us fell o w in th e
U S
emp l oy o f t he M e ssrs Wi l s o n w ho o n being a sk ed b y so me
o f h is fell o w w or k m en th e me anin g o f th e m ar k (fo r th e l e tters
U S fo r U ni ted S tat es were th en al m o s t en t irel y new to th em )
s aid h e did n ot k n o w unl ess i t me a n t El bert A nder son an d
a ll udi ng exc l usivel y th en to th e s a id U ncl e
U n cl e S a m
S am Wi l s o n
The j o k e too k a m o n g th e w o r k men p a ssed
curren tl y ; a nd U nc l e S am h im sel f bein g presen t w a s o cc a
.
,
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is dead " P uc ed up by t h roots " B uried in c otton " ( K
s H r ld of
ree
August 4 1 855 p 4
On Fe b ruary 2 8 1 85 6 C ongressman S am e l
C arruthers wrote I went t wi ce ( and b t t wice ) into their [ Know Nothing"counci l s
I saw S m It took two vi its to see him ll over I made them I saw enough
and determined never to see his face again ( in H J Desmond s Know Nothing
Party 1 9 05 p
In 1 85 8 Governor Wise of V i rginia wrote to a com m ittee of
the Tam many S ociety As to your other motto C ivil and R el igi ous Li b erty
o rs was saved by the Virginia Democracy in 1 85 5 We struck the dark l antern
fi bl S m and none
t
f the hands f i
w are found
poor as h h l
him ( N w Y rk Tri b
Jan ary 1 1 1 858 p 2
In 1 9 05 H J Desmond
f
remark ed
Those ind cted into the first degree do not appear to have b een informed
as to the name f the order They were bro ght into the a g st presence
In Ill inois the Know Nothing order sp l it into two factions
f S m
the S ams insisting pon an anti C athol ic program and the Jonathans proposing
not t antagonize C athol ics w h owed no civi l l l egiance as disting ished from
spirit al all egiance to the Pope The Jonathans tri mphed ( Know Nothing
Party pp 5 4
Exactl y what the Know N othings meant by S m is not
apparent from these extracts ; b t fort nate l y the question need not fu ther detain us
One more statement may be con ider d here I n 1 88 2 A S Pal mer remark ed
the ordinary nick n m e f a negro often mistak en as a pet name formed
S
from S m S m el
is reall y borrowed from his S panish appell ation
U cl
z mb
A conne xion was sometimes i m gi ned perhaps with
S m a pop l ar na m e f
the United S tates ( Folk Etymo l ogy pp 338
It
may be do b ted whether any one has ever serio sl y advanced the notion that S amb o
is formed from S m S am el
that there is a con ection between S amb o and
Unc l e S m
This Negre S m b co m es to me wrote R Ligon in 1 6 57 and seeing
the needl e wag des i red t k now the reason f its stirring ( Tr e Exact
Hi tory f the Isl and of B arbados pp 4 9 5 0
B efore 1 7 0 0 we read of S am b o
negro hel ping caring goods ( New Engl and Historical and Geneal ogical R egister
XXXIV
In the B st New s Lett r f Octo b er 2 1 7 04 an advertisement
stated that There is a Negro m t k en up
call s himsel f S m bo
In 1 7 1 6 S ambo egro servant was married to Hagar ( New Engl and
(p 2
Historical and Genea l ogica l R egister XXXVIII
the B st G z tt f
I
J l y 2 2 1 7 65 a Negro M n named S am bo was advertised as a r naway ( p 4
I n the M assach ett S py of February 1 7 1 8 13 we read The moan of the poor
bl ack man interr pted the sweet song f the mock ing b ird We co l d not dis
t i g i h a ll the voices that rose from the fie l d b t the ear ca ght a fragment of
the poor negro s song The l ash f the driver forced a scream f ang ish that
m oment from S am b o and we heard
more ( p 4
l
S am
d om
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A m eri ca n A n ti quari an S oci ety
50
[A pri l
.
,
r all ied b y the m o n t h e incre a sin g ex ten t o f h i s
p o ssessi o ns
“
M a n y o f th ese w o r km en bein g o f a c ha r a c t er den om in ated
foo d fo r p o wder were fo und s ho r tl y a fter fo ll o wing th e
recrui t ing drum a nd pus hing to w ard th e fr o n tier l ines fo r
th e d o ubl e purp ose o f mee tin g th e enem y a nd o f e ating th e
pr o visi o ns th e y ha d l atel y l ab o ured to pu t in goo d o rder
T h eir o l d j o kes o f c o ur se a cc o mp a nied th em a nd befo re th e
firs t c a mp ai g n ended th is ident ic al o ne fi rs t appe ared in prin t
i t ga ined f a v o ur r apidl y t ill i t pene tr ated a nd w a s rec ogni z ed
in ever y p ar t o f o ur c o un tr y a nd will n o d o ub t c o n t inue s o
w hi l e th e U ni ted S tates rem ain a n at i o n I t o ri g in at ed pre
c i sel y a s a b o ve s tat ed ; a nd th e wri t er o f this a r t ic l e dis t inc t l y
rec o ll ec t s rem arking at th e t ime w h en i t fi rs t appe ared in prin t
to a perso n wh o w a s equ all y a w are o f i t s o ri g in ho w o dd i t w o u l d
be s ho u l d th is si ll y j o k e o ri g in atin g in th e mids t o f beef p or k
pic kl e mud s al t a nd ho op p ol es even t u all y bec o me a n ati o n al
”
c og n o men
si o n al l y
.
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Thi s s to ry w a s i nt ro duce d b y B a rt lett i n to his Di ct i o n a ry
o f A m e ri can i sms i n 1848 ; w a s re pe ate d w ith v a riatio ns
91
b y John F Wat s o n i n 1844 a nd agai n i n 1846 ; w a s g iven
,
,
.
,
Watson s version f 1 84 4 is as foll ows
Wh i l e on this s b j ect it may be as we l l
give a passing notice f another national name j u t growing into common use
t
which first came into
in the time f the l ast war
w mean the term U c l S m
nk now n t m ill ions f
peop l e
w ith Engl and ; but the ca se f its origin is still
The name grew out f the l etters E A U S mark ed upon the army provision
barrell ed p at Troy for the contractor E l b ert A nderson and imp l ied the initial s
In happened that these provisions
f his name and U S for the United S tates
were inspected there by S am e l Wil son s all y call ed among his h i red men U l e
One f his work men
being as k ed the meaning f the l etters E A
S m
repl ied archl y it meant E l bert A nderson and Uncl e S m
The j ok e
went ro nd merril y among the men some f whom going afterwards t the frontiers
and there partak ing f the very pro visions they had assisted t pac k and ma k
sti ll adhered to call ing it Uncl e S m ; and as every thing e l se f the army appoi t
ments bore al so the l etters U
Unc l e S m b ecame a ready name first for l l that
appertained t the United S tates and final l y for the Uni t ed S tates itsel f c g m
which is as l ik el y to b perpetuated , as that f John B ll for o l d Engl and ( Annal s
f Phi l ade l phia and Pennsy l vania II
Watson s version f 1 84 6 d i fl d s lightl y from the above
l e S m is another
U
national appell ation appl ied t us by o rsel ves and which as it is growing into
pop l ar
and was first sed at Tr y New York it may be interesting t expl ain
wit The name grew t of the l etters E A U S mark ed upon the army pro
t
visions barrell ed p at Troy during the l ast war wi th Engl and under the contract
The
f E l b ert Anderson ; and imp l ied his name and U S the Uni ted S tates
insp ctor of those provisions w S am el W il son w h was s all y call ed by the
peopl e U le S m It so happened that one of the work men being ask ed the mean
ing f the initial s on the cask s & waggish l y repl ied they meant E l b ert Anderson
and U le S m Wil son The j o k e too k ; and afterwards when some of the same
men were on the frontiers nd saw the same k ind of provisions arriving to their
use they w o l d j ocosel y say here comes Uncl e S m From thence it came t pass
9‘
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A meri can A n ti qua r i an S oci ety
52
[A p r i l
.
,
93
b ook o f reference
B e f o re s u b m i tt ing th e s to ry to cr i t ic al
ex amin at i o n l e t u s see who A n ders o n an d the W i l son s w e r e
El be rt A nders o n J r of who m w e ha ve alre a d y ca ught
.
,
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,
.
,
thereafter when purchasing a l arge quantity of beef in Tro y he advertised
that he had received a supp l y of Unc l e Sam s beef of a superior qual it y
Th
name Uncl e Sam a few onl y k nowing its derivation b ecame in a
l ittl e w hi l e the recogni z ed fami l iar desi gnation of the United States and is
w as we l l k nown to the wor l d as is the appe l l ation John B u ll
( H istor y of the
Ci ty f Tro y p
Mr Weise s version of 1 89 1 di fferin g somewhat from t h a b ove is as foll ows
was
A mon g the contractors supp l y in g t h A rm y of the North with provision
who on Octo b er l t advertised in the T ro y and Al b an y news
E l b ert A nderson j
papers for proposal s for two thousand bar el s of pri me por k and three hundred
b arrel s of prime b eef to b del ivered to him in the months of Januar y Fe b ruar y
March and A pril at Waterford T roy A l ban y and New Y or k E b ene z er and
Samuel Wil son who were then extensivel y en gaged in sl au ghte i n g catt l e in the
vi ll ge contracted to furnish him a quantity of beef pack ed in ful l bound b arrel s
k
From time to time the y del ivered it at the camp at Green b ush
f white
where the so l diers from Tro y desi gnated it as Uncl e Sam s imp l ying that it was
furnished b y Samuel Wil son whom the y and other peopl e f the vill age were accus
to w ed to call Uncl e Sam Th other recruits think in g that the term was appl ied
to the l etters U S stamped upon the barrel s b y the g overnmen t inspector f b eef
b egan using the appell ation Unc l e Sam fi g urativel y for the United States in the
same w y that the name John B ull is used to designate the E n gl ish nation ( Troy s
One Hundred Y ears p
Mr Weise al so gave the story in his City f T roy and its Vicinity
p 321
t b specified
In the B ton Dai l y A d v rti s r of A pri l
T hese of cou se need
Ori gin of the T erm Uncl e Sam A Story
1 2 1 9 0 2 was printed an artic l e headed
that is Vouched f by R v G F Merriam Th Ori ginal Uncl e Sam House
I t is in part as foll ows
Sterl in g A p 1 1 R v G F Merriam of Mt K isco
N Y who is in Sterl in g as a gu st of his son and d au ghter tol d a story f the origin
as appl ied to the United States H said a farm in
f the term Uncl e Sam
Mason N H bel ongin g to the estate of Mrs Persis Wi l son who died recentl y
and whi ch estate he was en gaged in settl in g was the birthpl ace and b o y hood home
T h stor y vouched
f Uncl e Samuel Wi l son who was the ori g inal Uncl e Sam
for by R v Mr Merriam
is t hi Samuel Wil son w one of a fami l y
and he and his y oun ger brother E dward l ocated when
f 1 2 chi l dren
they were youn g men in A l b an y N Y and at the time of the war f 1 8 1 2 b ecame
extensive contractors for government suppl ies T hey were at this time wel l k nown
in the vicinity of A l b any as Unc l e Sam and Uncl e Ned Th pack ages f sup
pl ies when sent away to United States government suppl y depots were mark ed
and peopl e sometimes questioned what those magic l etters stood for T hey
were tol d that as the pack a ges came from Uncl e Sam Wil son they of course meant
Uncl e Sam and from this l ittl e thin g the name spread until the government itsel f
was referred to as Uncl e Sam T h farm where these men l ived as b o y s fell i to
the hands of another brother Capt T homas Wil son and then to h i son Deacon
J B Wil son w h died several years since and his w idow Mrs Persis Wil son l ived
there until her death l ast winter R v Mr Merriam was a particul ar friend of the
famil y and as executor is attending to the sal e of the propert y T h house contains
many rel ics
and man y histo ric articl es the sal e of wh ich A p 3 0 w i ll
dou b tl ess attract many of the curiosity hunters Th original Uncl e Sam house
is standin g al thou gh a new house has b een erected near b y and everything is t b
sol d ( p 4
Samuel A
E dward Wil son was o l der than either E b ene z e r
l etter addressed in 1 9 0 2 to t h R v Mr Merriam brou ght no rep l y
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U n c l e S am
53
.
94
need n ot de ta in us lo ng Th e f o l l o wing adver
t i se m e nt a ppe ar ed in s e veral A l ba n y T roy a n d N ew Y o rk
newsp apers in 18 12 a nd 18 13
a g l impse
.
,
,
,
'
“
P roposal s for B eef and P o rk
“
EALED Pr o p o sal s will b e r e c e i ve d th r o u gh the m e di um
S o f the P o st Offic e s at Al bany and New Y ork dire c te d
to the su bscrib er u n til the 2 5t h o f Oc to b er f o r 2 000 barr el s
P RIME P O R K and 3000 barr el s P RIME B EE F to b e d el i ver e d
in the m o n th s o f J anu ar y Febru ar y M arc h and Apri l a t
Waterford Tr oy Al ban y and N e w Y o rk Th e w hol e to b e
p u t u p i n fu ll bound barrels o f w h i te o ak No pr o p o sal s nee d
b e o ff er e d fo r l e ss th an One h u ndr e d barr el s 2 0 p er c e n t
wi ll b e paid in advanc e a t the ti m e o f ex e c u t in g the c o n trac t
2 0 p er c e n t o n the firs t day o f J anu ar y and 2 0 p er c e n t the
firs t da y o f M arc h t h e r em aind e r o n th e firs t day o f M ay 1 8 1 3
The Co n t rac to r r e s er ve s to h i m sel f the pri vi l ege o f c hoo sin g
h is insp e c to r in the c o u n t i e s the pr ovisi o ns ar e p u t u p i n
The pr e fe r e nc e wi ll b e g i ve n to tho s e w ho s e r e p u t a t i o n and
se c u ri ty wi ll insu r e the fai th ful c o mp l ianc e o f the term s o f
the c o n trac t
“
E LB ERT A NDER S O N Ju n
“
5
O c to b er 13 % 18 12
A rmy Cont ract or
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See p 3 2 note 4 7 above
"
A l bany Ga z tt
Octo ber 5 1 8 1 2 p 3 5 Th same advertisement appeared
f Octo b er 6 p 3 4
f Octo b er 1 3 p 3 4 and f Octo b er 2 0 pp
i n the T y P st
f Januar y 2 3 1 8 1 3 p 4—4 though i
the l ast
3 4 ; and in the N w Yor k H ra ld
the advertisement was dated Octo ber 1 7
I have noted several other references to A n derson In the N w York Ev i ng
W O OL Mapes and the fli
P s t of Octo ber 1 0 1 8 1 2 appeared the foll owing
under his command i behal f of the i r men return thank s to El bert A nderson J
E q for his l iberal present f 1 00 b ushel s of Potatoes 2 b oxes of Choco l ate and
1 b
of T
al so a w aggon l oad f Potatoes from Sa m l Ho b art and Stephen
Stri k er on behal f of the inhabitants f Gravesend ;
In the
(p 2
A l ba y G z t t of December 24 1 8 1 2 was printed a l etter from A nderson himse l f
(p 3
M s rs W bst r
d S ki
rs
A statement having appeared in you paper pu porting to b
the su bstance
of a decl aration made by C l T horn that two or three thousand barrel s of pro
visions have b een deposited Within a mil e and a hal f of the Canada l ine A that
statement m y misl ead the publ ic and in vi te the enemy to encroachments I b g
l eave to state thro your paper that there is not more provisions deposited or l eft
near the l ine than i s sufficient for the su bsistence of the men there stationed for
the w i t the surpl us being emoved to my certain k nowl ed ge to B u l ington
and other pl aces of presumed safety and I b el ieve the same care and prudent pre
caution has been tak en as respects the munitions of war that were at Champl ain
E L B E RT A ND E R SON Jun
“
A lba y D
19 181 2
A rm y Co t r t or
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A meri can A nti qua ri an S oci e ty
54
[A pri l
.
,
On No vembe r 23 17 57 E dw a rd W i l s o n s a id to ha ve
bee n b o rn July 6
at West Ca m brid ge (n o w A rl in gto n)
97
Ma ssa c h use tt s m a rried Luc y Fr a ncis o f M edf o rd
At
Wes t Ca mbrid ge were bo rn E bene z er W i l s o n o n A u g us t 18
17 63 a nd S a mue l W i l s o n o n S ep t ember 13 17 68
A bo u t
17 80 E dw a rd W i l s o n took h is f a mi ly to Ma s o n N ew Ha mp
98
s hire a nd lat er h e wen t to T roy
E bene z er a nd S a mue l
Wi l s o n rem o ved to T roy a b o u t 17 89 a nd s oo n bec a me
pro minen t in th e l ife o f th e yo ung to wn I n S ep t e m ber
1805
the f ollo win g a dvert isemen t a ppe a red in T roy
newsp a pers :
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“
PACKI N G
“
The u nd ersi g n e d h avi n g t wo l ar ge and c o n ve ni e n t
SLAU GH TER H O U S E S b eg l e ave to ac qu ain t the ir c u s
t o m e rs and others th a t they wi ll b e e nab l e d to ki ll cut
and pac k 1 50 he ad o f Cattl e p e r day ; and fr o m the ir l o cal
si tu at i o n p l e dge them sel ve s to acc o mm o date tho s e w h o m ay
favo ur them wi th a call on te r m s as l o w as can b e o btain ed
in the S tate
T hey h ave o n h and a l ar ge su pp l y o f BA RRE LS and SALT
w hi c h wi ll b e disp o s e d o f o n the l o w e st t e r ms
“
All tho se w h o s h all b e u nde r the n e c e ssi ty o f wai tin g 2 4
ho urs fo r the ir Cattl e to b e sl aughte r e d sh all h ave t he m pas
t ure d fr ee o f e x pe n c e
E
S WI LS O N
Troy S ept ember 17
S LA U GHTERI N G
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I n th e Troy P ost o f Oc to ber 6 18 12 a ppe a red this p a r a
g ra p h whi c h m ay o r m ay n ot refer to th e W i l so ns :
,
,
,
“
We ar e i nf o r me d th at o n e ho u s e in th is to wn h as paid
Tw e n ty T ho us and Do ll ars d u rin g the l as t m o n th f o r t ransp o r t
in g pr ovisi o ns flou r w hiskey & c fr o m this p l ac e to P l a tt s
”
b ur gh f o r the use o f the ar m y o f the No rth (p 3
,
,
,
.
,
his statement is m ade in J B Hill s Hi to ry f Mason
p 2 09 ; b t there
is no record f his b irth in the Vital R ecords f A rli ngton
Lucy Francis was born March 1 2 1 7 38 39 ( Vital Record f Medf ord 1 9 07
p
and died at Mason December 8 1 83 5
For the Wil son see b esides the book s by Mr Weise c i ted ab ove H il l s Histo ry
of Mason p 2 09 ; Cutter s Hi story f A rli ngton
p 3 2 3 ; Vital Records f
E dward and Lucy W il son had thi rteen chil dr en
A rl i ngton pp 4 7 1 5 7
“Nort r
B d g t Septemb er 17 1 8 0 5 p 3 4 ; Septem b er 2 4 p 4 1 ; Octo b er
h
changed t September
Th same advertisement except that the date w
1 p 4 2
f Septe mber 2 4 1 8 0 5 p 3—4
2 4 appeared in the Tr y G z tt
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U ncle S am
55
.
I n th e s a me p a per o f J un e 1 18 13 under the h e a d
”
“
wa nt ed wa s prin t ed thi s a dvert isemen t :
HO GS
,
—
,
of
,
“
Co wis h to p u rc h as e O n e H u ndr e d
B OA R D MA N M A N N
and Twe n ty thrifty Barr o w S H OTE S fo r whi c h Cas h wi ll
b e paid o n d el i ver y a t the ir S ti ll ho u s e in Tr oy Fo r f ur ther
”
par tic ul ars inqu ir e a t the s to r e o f W I LS O N M A NN
Co
(p 2
.
,
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.
I n th e Troy P ost o f S ep t ember 28 18 13 (p 3
a ppe a red
th e follo wing :
N O TICE
“
The Co par t n e rs h ip o f the s u bscrib e rs u nd e r the firm o f
Wi l so n M ann
Co is b y mu t u al Co ns e n t th is day diss o l ve d
All p ers o ns ind eb te d to o r th a t h ave any demands ag ains t said
firm ar e r e qu e s te d to call o n J am e s M ann f o r s ettl em e n t w ho
is dul y au tho ri z e d to s ettl e the sam e
E B E N E "ER W ILSON
J A ME S M A N N
SA M U E L W ILSO N
“
Tr oy S ep t 2 8 18 1 3
“
N B The B u sin e ss in fu tu r e wi ll b e c o ndu c te d b y J am e s
M ann a t the s to r e l atel y o cc u pi e d b y W il s o n M ann
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E d wa rd W il s o n th e f ath er o f th e two b rothe r s died at
T ro y J une 17 1816 ; bu t nei ther th e T roy n o r th e A l b a ny
1 01
p a pers conta ined a n o bi t u a ry n ot ice
E bene z er W il s o n
died J uly 22 182 5 th e fo llo win g n ot ice a ppe a ring in th e
N ew Yo rk Commerci al A dverti ser:
New Y o rk Sa tu rday Jul y 2 3
D i e d S u dd enl y ye sterday aftern oo n M r E b en e z er Wi l s o n
S e n age d 63 M r W h as fo r ye ars b ee n e x te nsi vel y e ng age d
in b u sine ss as an insp e c to r and pac k er o f B eef b oth in Tr oy
,
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,
notice was repeated in the Tr y Po t of October 1 2 1 9 and 2 6 Th b u i
ness of the fir m was dry goods and g roce i es In spite f the disso l ution of
partnership the advertisement f W il son Mann
dated May 7 18 1 3 appeared
in the Tr y Pos t f Octo ber 1 2 1 8 1 3
James Mann who continued the bu iness was a n of B en j amin Mann of K eene
New H ampshire S vera l y ears g I had a correspondence with Mrs L uise
B enson a descendant of B en j a m in
Mrs B enson merel y spok e f the existence
in her famil y f the tradition about the Wil on story b t w una bl e t give me
y new facts
m
T r y Post f June 1 7 1 8 1 7 ( p 3
Th
contained a notice f the mar i a ge
June 9 f El i z abeth Wil son a daughter f E bene z er W i l on and the R v James
Ogi l vie of New Y ork
Th e
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A meric an A nt iqua ri an S oci e ty
6
[A pril
.
,
and this ci ty He was an o rnam e n t t o the c hrist ian c hurc h
and a w o r thy ind us t ri o u s and e x c ell e n t m an in al l the d u t i e s
“1
of
.
,
,
,
02
I n th e Troy D i recto ry (1 6 1 ) f o r 182 9 th e fi r st p u bli sh ed
“
”
is f o u nd this ent ry :
W i l so n S a m u el ferry c o n t in u ed
103 “
whi c h M iss J e ssie F W h ee ler wri tes me
m e a ns I s uppo se
”
Ferry S t ree t co ntin u ed u p th e hi ll
S a m u e l W i l s o n died
at Troy o n J uly 3 1 1854 Of th e m a ny n ot ices whi c h
“
a ppe a red in th e T roy p a pers the f ollo wing si gned Troja n
is the m o s t in t erest in g :
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D EA T H OF T H E L A T E SA MU E L WI LSO N
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Whe n an indi vidu al passe s fr o m u s w ho h as b ee n l o ng
k n o wn and w ho se b u sin e ss c o nn e c t i o ns h ave b ee n ve r y e x te n
si ve i t is pr op er that so m e thi n g m o r e th an a m e r e p assin g n otic e
s ho ul d be t ake n o f his de ath as w ell as a jus t all u si o ns [si c "
T he su b je c t o f th is
t o so m e o f the principal a c t s o f hi s l if e
bri e f n otic e was an e ar l y pi o nee r in the settl eme n t o f thi s
p l ac e c o mme ncing in 1 7 93 and he too k an ac ti ve par t in the
ex te nsi o n o f all the bu sin e ss faci l i t i e s ado p te d b y hi m sel f and
his asso cia te s and was h i m se l f e ng age d in and pr o se c u te d
su cc e ssfull y a t l e as t fo u r di st inc t kinds o f b u sine ss emp l oyin g
ab o u t 2 00 h ands c o ns tan tl y w hi l e he too k the o ver si ght o f
e ac h par tic ul ar br anc h in c o nn e c t i o n wi th hi s br other E b e n
He pr o se c u te d the m ercan ti l e b u sin e ss in c o nn e c t i o n wi th
sl o o pi n g;
the bric k makin g b u sin e ss ver y e x tens i vel y ; the
di sti ll er y b u si n ess ; farm ing o n a pr etty l ar ge scal e and the
sl aught ering b usin e ss o n an ex tensive p l an D u ring the war
o f 1 8 12 he su pp l i e d the ar m y ver y ge n erall y esp e ciall y at the
n o r th fr o m his ex te nsi ve y ards H is t ac t fo r m anag ing l abo r ers
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Quoted in the T y S t i n l Jul y 2 6 1 8 25 p 3 4 Mr B arton k indl y sent me
the same notice copied from the A lbany A rgu O f Jul y 29 1 8 25 In hi Co ll ections
the History f Al b an y pu bl ished i n 1 86 7 Joel Munsell quoted ( II
under
the head f B ef Pac ki ng in A l b any an articl e tak en from K ni ck rb ck r contain
In 1 83 0 Al bany was not onl y a great cattl e pac k ing centre b t
in g thi s pa sage
the same w true f Tro y Wat erford Lan ing burgh and Catsk ill Uncl e Eb Wil son
was at Catsk il l ; Perry and Judson at Al b an y ; C P Ives Lansin gb ur gh ; and Capt
When thi s passa ge was w ritt n it is i m possi bl e
T urner at B atest wn near T ro y
date of K i k rb ck r a maga z ine
t
y as Munse ll does not spec i f y the vo l ume
which began publi cation in 1 833 A however the writer specifies the year 1 83 0
Ebene z er
it i certain that his Uncl e Eb Wil son was n t iden ic l with
Wil son ; but the co i ncidence in name is worth recording
In the l i b rary O f our Societ y and in that f the New Y ork Hist ric l Society
I have fo nd va ious I i y and A l b any newspapers b t those fil es were very in m
me
A t m y reque t Miss Wh e l er of the M y Pu bl ic Li b rar y s a r ched f
pl t
the fil es ow n d by that l i brary ; and I am i nde bted t her for several val ua ble and
inte e ti ng extract
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U n cle S am
57
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was ver y p e c u l iar ; he w o ul d al way s say Co me b oy s ins tead
o f go and ther eb y se c u r e d a gr eater am ou n t o f l ab o r th an
o rdinar y m e n H is su cc e ss in b u sin e ss he m ainl y a ttrib ute d
to a stric t syst em in his pl ans and the c o nstan t h abi t o f ea rly
ri si ng and to thi s h abi t he u nd o u b te dl y o w e d h is u nif o r m
goo d he al th and h is u se ful l ife He h ad ei ght br others and
tw o sisters all o f w ho m wer e tenaci ou s o f th is h abi t and all
bu t t wo ar e n o w de ad bu t their age s average d full 80 years
eac h I n his p o l i tical cr ee d he was s tric tl y Repu bli can and
was war ml y attac he d to the Dem o cratic par ty and in the
el e c ti o n o f Ge n eral J ac k s o n to the Pr e side nc y he too k a ver y
ac ti ve par t ser ving as a standi ng chai rma n o f the par ty b oth
at his firs t and se c o nd el e c ti o n I n his r el i g i o u s cr ee d he was
tol eran t to all He was u ni te d to n o c hu rc h b u t a t the age
o f thr ee sc o r e years his mind b e cam e d eep l y i mb u e d wi th
r el i gi o n and feel ing h is r esp o nsibi l i ty to h is M ake r he s ol emnl y
de dica te d h i m sel f to Go d and u ni te d wi th the Pr e sbyterian
H is wal k and c o nversat i o n sinc e the
Chu rc h in th is ci ty
s ol em n transi ti o n evi nc e d the sinc eri ty o f h is pr o fe ssi o n and
he has l e f t a p l easing assu ranc e b oth to the c hurc h and his
fri ends th at he n o w Re st s fr o m h is l ab o rs and h is w or k s f oll o w
"
him
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1 04
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roy Dai ly B ud g t A ugust 2 1 85 4 p 2 3 Other notices of Samue l Wil son
appeared in the Tro y papers
w Died S A MU E L WILSON ag ed eight y ei ght y ears died this morning
at his residence 7 6 Ferr y street Th deceased was
f the o l dest inha b itants
f this cit y
H came t h y a b out the year 1 7 9 3 and consequent l y had resided
here 6 1 years H was about the l ast of those termed fi t settl ers Mr W
purchased the l ands east f the cit y now owned b y Messers VA IL and W A RRE N
and occupied by them for farmi ng purposes til l a bout 1 8 2 0 H then sol d them ll
except about four acres upon which his present residence stands H has been
f the most active b usiness men O f the communi t y and we can trul y say that
he was an honest and upright man ( Tr y D ly Ti m s Jul y 1 p 2
W Samuel B Wi l son another f our O l dest citi z ens died at his residence on
Ferry st b i l l this morning H was about 80 or 9 0 years f age ( Troy Dai l y B ud g t
B
Jul y 1 p 2
is evidentl y a printer s error
w S am l Wi l n aged 8 8 died yesterday mornin g at his residence 7 6 Ferr y
street Mr Wil son was
f the O l dest inha b itants O f the cit y
( Troy D i ly
Tra v ll r A u g ust 1 p 2
Died O Monday Morning Samuel Wi l son in the 88 th year of his g Hi
rel atives and friends are respectfu ll y invited t attend his funeral this ( T uesda y )
afternoon at 3 O cl ock at his l ate residence No 7 6 Ferry t
( T roy D i l y Trav l
A u gust 1 p 2
l
Died In this cit y Jul y 3 1 Mr Samuel Wil son aged 88 years Funeral ser
vices wi l l b hel d this ( T uesday ) afternoon t 3 O cl ock at his l ate residence 7 6
Ferry st
hast y b urial m y have
Th
( T roy D i l y Whi g A u g ust 1 p 2
b een due t the fact that cho l era was then rag ing in T roy
See Troy D i ly Tr v ll
A u g ust 2 and 4
It will b O bserved that in the above notices written for the T roy papers there
is no all usion to the Unc l e Sam story In the A l b an y E v i g J r l of A u g ust
f A u gust
1 1 8 5 4 appeared the fo ll owin g which I copy from the N w Y r k T ib u
4
Unc l e Sam Th death of Samuel Wil son an a ged worth y and formerl y
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[A pri1,
A meri can A n ti quar i an S oci ety
58
.
B ef o re re t u rnin g to th e sto ry relat ed b y F ro st , there is
o ne f u rther piece o f e vidence to be present ed U nder d at e
.
A l b a n y S ep t ember 17 , 18 1 2 ,
wa s p r i nt ed in th e A lban y
Gaz ett e in S ep t ember a nd Oc to ber o f that y e a r a n a dvert ise
m en t w h ic h w a s in p a rt a s f ollo ws :
of
S LA U GHTERIN G ck I N S P E C TION
I LS O N
.
and KI N N I CU T tak e this m etho d to inf o r m
the ir fri e nds and the p ub l ic in ge n eral th at they h ave
m ad e c o nsid erab l e i mpr ovem e n t s in their S l au ghter Ho u s e
in Al ban y w her e they wi ll p u t u p B ee f and P or k o n as r eas o n
abl e ter m s as any b o dy i n the st ate
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Whil e I have been un a b l e to ident if y th e m e m bers o f
t hi s fir m of W i l s o n a nd Kinn i c ut the a dvert i s e m ent is o f
int e r es t ; a nd i t is certa in that the re w a s a W il son f a m i ly
,
enterprisi ng citi z en f T roy wi l l remind those w h were famili ar with incidents f
the War f 1 8 12 O f the ori gin O f the popul ar b i q t [ "f the United States
Mr Wil son who was an extensive pack er had the contract for suppl ying the northern
army w ith b eef and pork H was everyw here k nown and spok en f as Uncl e
Sam and the U S branded on t h heads of b arrel s for the army were at first tak en
to b the initial s for Unc l e Sam Wil son b t finall y l ost their l ocal significance
and b ecame throughout the army the fam il iar term for Uni ted States T h
Wil sons were amon g the earl iest and most active citi z ens of Troy Uncl e Sam
w h died yesterda y was 8 4 years l d
(p 3
p rinted in the Troy D i l y B dg t f A ug t 2 p 3 3 ; and in
Th same notice w
the T y D i l y Whi g f A ugust 3 p 3 2 In the New Engl and H istorical and
Geneal ogical R egister for Octo ber 1 85 4 was p rinted the foll owin g W O Mr
Samuel IH y N Y 3 1 Jul y
I t was from this gentl eman that the Unit d
88
States received the name f U cl S m It came i n this way M W il son had
exten ive contracts f suppl ying the arm y w ith pork and beef in the war f 1 8 1 2
H was then fami l iar l y k nown as U cl S m Wil son Hi brand upon his b arrel s
was of course U S Th transition from United States t U n l S m was easy
that it was at once made and the name f the pack er f the U S provisio s was
immediatel y transferred to the g overnment and b ecame famil iar t onl y through
t the army b t the who l e country
( VIII
Septem ber 24 1 8 1 2 p 1 1 ; Octo b er 1 2 p 1 1 Th T roy papers
A lba y G z tt
this advertisement
f Septemb er and Octo b er 1 8 1 2 have b een searched in vain f
It is of course possi bl e that the Wil son of the firm f Wil son and Ki n i t O f A l b any
was Samuel Wil son O f Troy but it woul d b rash t assert their identity
i
t does not appear in the A l b any Directo y f
1 8 1 3 the first
Th name Ki
publ ished A advertisement dated Jul y 9 1 8 05 in regard t Fresh goods j ust
received by Pierce Ki i t w printed in the Troy N rth rn B u dg t f Sep
temb er 3 1 8 05 ( p 1
and in a previ ous issue of the same paper occurred the
name f Ro b ert S Ki i t A notice dated Decem b er 1 4 1 8 1 5 f the dissol ution
i
t and "ebina Sturtevant
b y mutual consent f partnership f the firm f R S Ki
was printed in the A lbany Reg st r f June 7 1 8 1 6 ( p 1
In the A l ban y D i
tory for 1 8 1 3 appeared the name f Sturdivant "ebina grocer ( M n ll A nnal s
O f A l bany 1 85 4 V
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A meri can A nti qua ri an S oci e ty
60
[A pri l
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,
furthe r f a c t that n o b ook a b o u t T roy c o n tai n e d th e sto ry
un ti l 187 6 s ee ms to ind i c ate that th e p op ula r s to ry is n ot
1 10
“
n ati ve to T roy
Fo urthl y th e state m e nt that the
lette rs U S for U nite d S tate s were the n al m o s t e nti rely
”
ne w i s n ot o nl y s o pre p o ste ro us a s to be b ey ond be l i ef
bu t c a n b e pr o ved to be unt rue As a m att er of f a c t th e
a bbrev iati ons U S o r U S tates as al s o G B o r G B ritai n
were c o mm o n e a rly i n the ni netee nth ce nt ury
a nd it
wo u l d n o m o re ha ve been possib l e fo r m e n i n 18 13 to as k
the m e an i n g o f the l ette rs U S th an w o u l d suc h a n i n qui r y
be p o ss ible n o w Fi f thl y the ea rl y e v i d e nce w hile it m ay
n ot be a bs o l u te l y c o nc l us i ve n ot o nl y f ai l s t o corro b o ra te
the Wi l s on s to ry bu t s t r o ng l y po i n t s to a n othe r co n c l usio n ;
w hi l e the ea rlie s t k no wn exa mp l e o f U ncl e S am is fro m a
Troy pap e r bu t wi thout ref e renc e to S a mu e l Wi l s o n S i xthly
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The Tro j an S k etch B ook edited by M iss Abba A Goddard
Hunt s
M erchants M agazine for Jun e 1 8 4 6 XIV 5 1 5 5 2 3 ; D 0 Kel l ogg s C ity of Troy
H t s M erchants M agazine for S eptemb r 1 8 4 9 XXI 2 9 8 3 0 5 ; Joh n
Woodworth s Remi niscences f Troy ( 1 853 second edi tion in
M
Weise s
History of the C ity f Troy w p bl ished in
m
The army of the U S (S l m G zett Jan ary 2 1 1 8 1 2 p 3
An ambi
tio s president
might march the mi l itia
out of the U S
and k eep th whol e of the reg l ar force w ith in ( C
cti c t C o ra t Jan ary
2 2 1 81 2 p 3
The G ll h aps which are w set through the U S tates
Ce ti el Febr ary 1 9 1 8 1 2 p 2
Eq i pped at the expense f
( C ol m bi
the U S ( S al m G z tt J l y 3 1 1 8 1 2 p 3
The army f the U S ( Y k ee
A gust 2 1 1 8 1 2 p 3
Which cost the U S five dol l ars to transport to Green
Ce ti l S eptember 26 1 8 1 2 p 2
War
between
b sh ( C l m bi
the U S and G B
Fo
( C ol m bi a C e ti l Decem b er 1 9 1 8 1 2 p 2
regim nts of U S troops ( Col m bi C e ti l Decem b er 2 6 18 1 2 p 2
The
ne m ies f the U S tates ( N w Y k S p ct tor Jan ary 9 1 8 1 3 p 2
Th
President f the U S tates ( Nati l I t lli g n Jan ary 1 2 1 8 1 3 p 3
The
U S S enate ( N w Y r k S p ect t Febr ary 1 1 1 8 1 3 p 1
What shall we
say of her conduct d ring the present war w ith the
l I t lli ge n r
( N ti
A re giment f U S troops
April 3 1 8 1 3 p 3
C e ti l J
( Co l m bi
The Navy f the U S ( Ya k J l y 2 3 1 8 1 3 p 3
1 6 1 8 13 p 2
US
Law ( N w E gl d Pal l di m A ugust 3 1 1 8 1 3 p 1
Gen Varnum
S enate shew that he is b egi nning t
fl t)
( whose recent votes in the U S t t
A ll these citations which cou l d
( N w E g l d P ll di m S eptember 3
be mul tipl ied indefi i tel y
f an earl ier date than the first appearance f Uncl e
A few instances previous to 1 8 1 2 may be given M aj or R ice f Hingham
S m
we are inf ormed is appointed a C ol one l in the U S army ( C ol m bi C e ti l
October 2 7 1 7 9 8 p 2
The President of the U S tates ( C l m bi a Ce t i n l
M rch 2 0 1 7 99 p 2
C hristopher Gore Esq C ommi ssioner f the U S at
the C ourt f London ( C l m bi Ce ti l M arch 20 1 7 99 p 2
The Presi
dent f the U S ( C l m bi Ce t i l M arch 1 4 1 80 7 p 2
B t whil e as th s
seen the ini tial s U S were perfectl y fam ili ar t Americans in 1 8 1 2 and 1 8 13 yet
do bt the war w ith Engl and m de them still more common A ttention may
n
al so be call ed t t h exam pl e f U s am q oted p 3 7 ab ve
no
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U nc le S am
61
.
the a p pare nt f a ct that the n i c k name was at fi rst us e d so m e
w h a t d e ri s i vely d oe s not te nd to c onfir m t h e popu l ar y arn
Fi na ll y i n co nne ctio n w ith the Wi l so n st ory we m u s t
co nsi de r a s t anz a i n a son g s ai d to h ave b ee n s ung ab o u t
“
Mu c h has be en writte n abo u t the o rigina l Ya nkee
17 89
”
D ood l e s o n g
The s o n g th us ge n e rall y spoke n o f begi ns
“
with t he l i ne Fathe r a nd I we nt d o wn to c a m p
In A ct I
“
The Di sa ppoi nt m e nt :
S ce ne I II o f A ndre w B a rton s
Or T h e Force of Credu l ity : A Ne w A meri can Com i c
”
O pe ra pri n te d in 17 67 the a i r o f Ya nkee D ood l e mad e it s
1 12
fi rst k no wn a pp eara nce und e r that nam e
Whe n the
B ritish t roop s a rr i ve d at B ost on in 17 68 it was st a te d
“
und e r d ate o f S epte mbe r 2 9 o f th a t year th a t the Ya n key
Doo d l e S o ng wa s the Cap ita l Pie c e i n t h ei r B and o f Musi c ;
a nd muc h to th e a nn oya nce o f th e goo d peo p l e o f B osto n
th e B riti s h p e rs i ste d i n pl ayi n g the air at i nte rv al s f or
”
“
a no th er s e ven years A s the Fathe r a nd 1 s ong wa s
writte n no t earl ie r tha n 17 7 5 o bvi ously it c o ul d no t ha ve
“
”
b e en the o rigi n a l Y a n kee Doo d l e s o ng In 1824 J
“
Farmer a nd J B Moo re b e l ie v i n g th a t the burl e s qu e
”
“
so ng
is p a ssi n g i nto o b l i v io n ga ve a c opy o f the s o n g
a s it w as p ri nt ed thi rty five yea rs s i nce and a s it w as t ro ll d
" 1 14
A s p ri nte d b y F arm e r
i n o ur Yan kee c i rc l e s o f that d ay
a nd Mo ore t he s o n g ha d ele ve n s ta nz as th e te nth being
a s f oll ows :
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Ol d unc l e S am c om e th ere to c ha n ge
S o me p a nc a k es a nd s o me o ni o ns ,
Fo r l asses ca kes , to c arry ho me
To g ive h is w i fe a nd yo un g o nes
.
.
That thi s ve rs io n was a ctua ll y pri nte d i n 17 89 rest s u p on
th e as se rti on o f F a r mer a nd Moo re Thi s S oc iety o w n s
“
”
a co p y o f Th e Yanke y s Re t urn fro m Ca mp w hic h was
.
’
m
Page 2 2 A copy f the pera in the Ridgway b ranch f the Library C ompany
f
f Phi l adel phia has written in i nk on the titl e page
b y C l Thomas Forrest
G rmantown S
Who S was I do t k now John F Watson al so stated
that M Forrest w ote a very h m orous pl ay ( which I have seen printed ) ( A nal s
f Phi l ade l phia 1 8 3 0 p
“
N w Y rk Jo r
l October 1 3 1 7 68 p 2 2
C ol l ections Historical and M i cell aneous ; and M onthl y Literary Jo rnal III
O
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A meri can A nti quari an S oci ety
62
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pro b a b ly pri nte d i n
Th e B o s to n Publ ic Li bra ry
“
o wns a c opy entit l ed The Fa rmer a nd hi s S o n s ret urn
“
18
“
7
fro m a v isit to the Ca mp
w hi c h I be l ie v e to be ea rlie r
th an the versi o n i n the li bra ry o f thi s S o c i e ty In 1857
“
it w a s s tat ed that th e v e rse s c o mm e nc i ng Fathe r a nd I
went d o wn to c a m p were wr itte n b y a ge nt l e m a n o f Co n
ne c t i c ut
a s ho rt ti m e a f te r Gen Wa s hi n gto n s la s t visi t
” 1 18
t o New E ngla nd
No w thi s vi sit wa s m a de i n 17 89
a nd curio us l y e no u gh it wa s i n that ve ry ye ar that Royall
“
”
Ty l er s p l a y o f The Co nt rast wa s a c te d ; a nd i n th a t p l ay
publ i s he d i n 17 90 the wo rds m a d e thei r e a rlie s t k n o wn
1 19
ap pea ra nce i n pri nt
The sta nz a qu ote d a bo ve i s fi rst
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is i n a coll ection f S ongs B all ads t in three vol ume presented to t h
S ociety by Is iah Thoma i n A g st 1 8 14 and stated b y hi m to have been
P
chased from a B all ad Printer and S e ll er in B oston 1 8 1 3 B o nd up for Preser
vation t shew what the articl es of this k ind are i vog e with the Vu l gar at this
time
I
1 9 0 3 the R v Dr Edward Everett Hal e printed this version in
his New Engl and History in B al l ads pp 1 1 6 1 2 0
M y attention was c ll ed t this in 1 9 0 1 by M Worthington C Ford w h k ind l y
sent me a bl e print f it As the l i brary o ffi cial s have for years been unabl e t
find the vol ume containi g the ori gi a l my bl e print is v l ab l e The titl e and
the fact that at the top f the broadside is a t f a drumm er and thr e sol diers
m a k e me think that t hi s version is o l der than the other
"
B y earl ier I m ere l y mean that it w
printed earl ier The words f the t w
version are practicall y identical
Historical M agazine 1 9 2
“
The C ontra t Act III S cene i p 4 5 F purposes f co m parison I giv t h
first stanza Tyl er has it
Father d I went up t ca m p
A l ong with C aptain Good wi n ;
And there we saw the m and boys
A
thick as hasty p dding
The version o w ned by this S ociety reads
Father and I w ent down t camp
A l ong wi th C aptain Gooding
A n d there we see t h men and boys
A s thick as h t yp d di g
The Far m er and M oore version i s fol l ows
Father and I w ent down t c mp
Al ong w ith C apta i n Good wi n
Where we
the men and boys
thi ck as Hasty p dd i
A
I t is of course possib l e that m y bl ue print is ear l ier than 1 7 89 but its date is pure l y
con j ect ral
Dr Hal writes A n a tograph note f Judge Dawes f the Harvard cl ass f 1 7 7 7
addressed t my father says that the a thor f the w ell k nown l ines was Edward
I t is curious that some ( b t not
ll )
f the
B angs who grad ated with him
m mb
f the Harvard
l ines sho l d have fi st been printed in a p l ay w ritten by
c l ass of 1 7 7 6
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U n cle S am
63
.
f o und in th e ve rsi o n o f 1824 a nd i s n ot i n eith er o f the three
versi o ns ce rtai nly printe d i n o r b e f o re 18 13 He nce we
c a nn ot w itho u t be tte r evide nc e a cc ept t h e Farm e r a nd
Moo re sta nz a a s a nt ed ati n g 1824 Ye t it i s pe rfe c t l y
p o ssi ble that the s ta nz a w a s writte n bef o re the war o f
and i f i t w as th e f a ct w o ul d seem to be a ll b u t f ata l
t o th e Wi l s o n s to ry
.
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,
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The th ird e xp la n at i o n o f the o rigi n o f U ncl e S am i s that
the s o bri q u et wa s m e re l y a jo cula r e xte ns io n o f the lette rs
Thi s exp l an atio n like th e Wi l s o n s to ry re s t s p ure ly
U S
o n as sump tio n The re is n othi n g in the l e a s t e ithe r unusu al
o r re m arka bl e in the p ro ce ss o f a bbre v iati ng a te rm and
th en e xp a nd i ng it In the a m e ni t ies of po l iti ca l warf are
in thi s c o unt ry in 185 5 it wa s c o n si d e re d the height o f
”
“
w it to dub a p ol i ti ci a n D D a nd the n e xp a nd the i n itia l s
in t o so m ethi ng d e rogato ry I n thi s wa y John Petitt be came
“
”
“
D irty Dog
De b auc hed
S tephe n A Do u g l a s b e c ame
“
”
Do u g l a s
a nd Da v i d R A t c hi s o n b e c a m e
D run ke n
” 12 1
Davy
D urin g the sam e pe rio d i n E n g l a nd we fi nd
the s ame man i fes t a tio n The L o nd o n T ra nspo rt Co rps
Regi me n t w h ic h w a s f o rm e d i n 1854 a nd 1855 f o r service
“
in the Cri mea went b y the n i ck n a me o f the L o nd o n
”
Thi eving Co mpa ny
Whe n it s n a m e wa s c h an ge d in
“
1 857 t o M i l ita ry T r a in i t w a s dubbed M urd e ri ng Thi eves
”
” “
“
”
“
M uck T umb l ers
M uc k T rai n a nd Mok e T rai n
the th ird a c o rrup tio n o f th e l a s t s a id to h ave been due
”2
t o th e emp loy m e nt o f S pan i s h mu l es i nst e a d o f ho rses
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“0 I n
a song call ed B rother Jonathan do b tl ess written in 1 7 98 when war with
R ura l
France was thought imm inent and p i nted in 1 800 in The N ightinga l e ;
S ongster ( Dedha m ) p 1 1 8 is fo nd this stanza
I think it s darned w rong b s re
B eca se we
d em cl ever ;
An uncl e vums a sail or work s
M uch harder than a w eaver
Thro ghout the war f 1 8 1 2 song after song was written to the i of Yank ee Doodl e
m
A n articl e headed
The
which was printed in the Kan a H rald f
Freed m of Augu t 2 5 1 855 begins as foll ows The M i ss ri D m r t has a very
fine articl e under thi s head I t says the pol iticians have l atel y tak en upon them
sel ves the li berty f conf erri ng the degree of D B pon its voters wi th a most p
irreverence ( p 2
mi
I t states that Thomas H B enton was responsib l
for" the nick names appl ied t Petitt and Do gl as
Notes and Q eries Ninth S eries V 3 80 4 39 ( M y 1 2 Jun 2
T nth
S eries V II 25 7 ( M arch 3 0
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A m eri can A n ti qu ari
64
S oci ety
an
[A pril
.
,
I c a n w e l l re m e mb e r h ow as a b oy I u sed to wond e r w h e the r
Gene ra l G ran t ha d a ct u all y bee n c h ri ste n e d U S a nd
w hethe r tho se l ette rs stoo d for t h e U n ite d S t ate s I ha ve
”
“
s i nc e l ea rn e d th a t Gra nt was ca ll e d n ot only U nite d S t a t es
”
“
“
G ra nt bu t also
G ra n t
U nc le S am
U n c o nd iti on al
”
”
123
“
G ran t a n d
G rant
S urre nd e r
U n ite d w e S t and
D uri n g the pa st d e ca d e the S ou th A fri ca n W ar has en ab l e d
us to ob se rve the se n i c k nam e s i n the ve ry maki ng A
“
Lond o n n e ws p a pe r o f Ja nua ry 14 1 900 asse rte d th a t b y
a f a c etio us a d aptatio n of initi a l s as Ro man n u m e ra l s [C
th e City of Lo nd o n I m pe r i a l V o l u ntee rs n o w o n t hei r way
to th e front a chieve th e tit l e o f the l 04t h a n a p p e ll atio n
” 12 4
l ike l y t o c o mm e nd i tse l f to the regi me nt
Ni ck nam e s
ha v e a wa y o f d i s appea ri ng rapi d l y bu t thi s p arti cu l a r
125
o ne see ms t o hav e stu c k
B u t it w a s by no m e ans the
o nl y o ne i n w hich the C I V re jo i ce d Tho s e w ho op p o se d
”
“
the wa r i nve nte d Ch a mbe rl ai n s I nn o cent Vi ct i ms w hi l e
“
”
To mm y A tki ns conve rte d the i n itia l s i nto Can I Ve nt ure ?
” 126
“
A more unp l ea s a n t ni c kna m e was Co v ere d I n Ve rm i n
“
Th e I m pe ri a l Ye om a nry we re c o ll e c ti vely ca ll e d I nn ocen t
" 12 7
Yo u th s
Do es the hi sto ry o f the te rm U ncl e S am n o w gi ven f o r
the fi rs t ti m e te nd to su pp ort o r to o ve rth ro w thi s e x pla na
t i o n o f the o rigin of the so b r iq u et ? Whi l e the initia l s U S
were we ll k n o wn i n 1 812 a nd 18 13 yet n o d o u bt the war
“
mad e the m sti ll more comm o n
T h e l e t te rs U
“
e x p l ai ne d the Tro y P ost o f S epte mb e r 7 18 13
o n the
go ve rnm e n t wa gg ons & c are su pp o se d t o ha ve gi ve n ri se
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1 17
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W
F G
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S h a nk s
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s
Personal Recol l ections of disting ished General s
u
.
Ll y d s W k l y New sp ap r q oted in Notes and Q eries Ninth S eries V 1 04
( Fe b ruary 1 0
Note and Q eries Ninth S eries X 5 03 ( Decemb er 2 7
"
Notes and Q e i es Ninth S eries X 5 03 ( Decemb er 2 7
"
Notes and Q eries Ninth S eries " 5 03 ( Decem b er 2 7
B y a still further exercise of h mor an articl e in an Engl ish j o rnal on the London
R o b ert Again ( Bl ac k and White J l y 2 5 1 9 0 3 ""V I
B obby is headed
M
Tho m as At k ins S i m
w hil e the London Ti m es converts Tommy Atk i s into
f whi ch an instance dated 1 8 1 6 has
il l y Unc l e S m becomes Unc l e S am el
al ready b een given ( S p 4 1 above ) O good Uncl e S am el w rote General
A l etter whi ch appeared
R ando l ph B M arcy in 1 8 7 2 ( B order R mini scences p
in the P hi l del ph a A r ra of Octo b er 1 4 1 8 1 2 was signed Johannes Ta u
(p 1
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U n cle S am
to
65
.
“
” 12 8
On Oct ob e r 1 18 13 a write r s po ke of U nc l e
” 12 9
By
S am the n o w pop u l a r e x p l i ca ti on o f the U S
i m p l icatio n it may b e i nf e rre d th a t t his was the vie w o f
o f A bd y i n
and o f an u n kno wn
Pa u l d i n g i n
Eng l ish ma n i n
It wa s st a t ed a t the begin n i ng
o f thi s pape r t ha t the hi s to ry o f n i c k nam e s usua ll y f o ll ows
o n e ge ne ra l c o urse t hat tho s e w ho a t the ti m e o f origi n
p e rhaps k n o w the re a l exp l anatio n d o n ot re co rd i t a nd
th a t l a te r p eop l e b egi n guessi n g M ust it n ot b e adm itte d
th a t U nc l e S am i s an e xceptio n to the ru l e ? that those w ho
fi rs t use d the sobriqu e t d i d re cord it s o rigi n ? a nd that the
ex p l ana ti on they ga ve i s the t rue e xp l a n atio n ?
it
,
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—
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ab ove
p
a b ove
p 4 3 above
S
p 4 4 ab ove
S
p 4 5 ab ove
S
I t need hardl y be pointed
t that the word
nc l e has l ong b een emp l oyed in
this c ountry I a pl ay written in 1 8 1 5 David H mph eys made Dool ittl e the
Yank ee hero th s sol il oq ize a b o t the C ountess S t Luc another character in the
pl ay I l i k e her t ; tho gh she is so tarnation strange and sad b y what I l t
j est now S he s q ite a decent cl ever woman l adyship I shood say ; abo t as
nice and tidy a critt as ever trod shews l eather ( L ki g t t h gl ass h pass
d
d m i i g hi m s lf ) Wel l "my fortin s made
I w d t give that ( s ppi g
l "
l l the Pre i d e t and a ll the C
Wh y I am as fine as
U
hi fi g rs ) to
gress
a fiddl e ( Act I p
On S eptember 3 1 838 Hawthorne said The Revol tionary
pensioners come t into the sunshine to mak e oath that they are sti ll a b ove gro nd
One whom M S
sal ted as Uncl e John went into the b room wal ki g
pretty sto tl y by the aid of a l ong oak en t fi ( American Note B oo k s 1 883 I
I
1 85 3 Lowe l l wrote
Do you thin k it wil l rain ? With the ca tion of a
veteran spe he evaded a direct repl y Wahl they d say it s a sign rain
comin said he I discovered afterwards that my interl ocutor was Unc l e " b
Formerl y every New Engl and to w n had its representative ncl e He was not a
pawn bro k er b t some el derl y man who for want of more defined famil y ties had
grad all y ass med this av ncul ar rel ation to the m m i t y ( M h d Jo rnal
Prose Work s 1 8 9 0 I
The S l em G z tte of J ne 1 3 1 8 1 5 contained a para
I t has al ready b een
graph headed The C ogitations of Unc l e John ( p 3
pointed t that Timothy Pic k ering was nic k named Uncl e Tim S p 2 6 above
‘ 23
S e e p 33 ,
m
S ee
34
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