href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@45717@[email protected]#Footnote_51_51" class="fnanchor pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">[51] In September, 1813, what is described as "a battle" took place at Granville, New York, on the borders of Vermont, between United States custom house officers and officials of New York.

Meanwhile, however, we get our first glimpse of Uncle Sam. An article half a column in length, headed "For the Troy Post," was printed in that paper of September 7, 1813, and began as follows:

"'Loss upon loss, and no ill luck stiring [sic] but what lights upon UNCLE SAM'S shoulders,' exclaim the Government editors, in every part of the Country. The Albany Argus of last Tuesday laments the disasters and disappointments of our Border War, in most pathetic strains &c. &c."

In a note is given this explanation:

"This cant name for our government has got almost as current as 'John Bull.' The letters U.S. on the government waggons, &c. are supposed to have given rise to it" (p. 3-3).

In the Lansingburgh Gazette of late in September or possibly October 1, 1813, appeared the following:

"Land Privateering.—The following is a short sketch of a recent battle, under the act[52] to encourage land-privateering, between what are called in this part of the country, Uncle Sam's Men and the Men of New-York:—On Friday se'nnight, a quantity of goods were seized pursuant to the act aforesaid, by a custom house officer at Granville, in Washington county, under the pretence that they had been smuggled from Canada. On the Monday succeeding the owner obtained a writ of replevin, and the sheriff, after meeting with some opposition, succeeded, in possessing himself of the goods, according to the laws of this state. Uncle Sam's Men, however, feeling little disposition to be deprived of their booty in this manner, (for secure as they thought of the whole, they had plundered but a small part of the goods,) raised a band of war hawks, and attempted a rescue. The sherriff called the posse of the neighborhood to his assistance, and the parties being nearly equal, altho' the war-hawks were rather the most numerous, a battle royal ensued. It was long and obstinately contested; but ended in the complete discomfiture of Uncle Sam's party, who retired from the conflict, marked with many a broken head and bruised limb, leaving the Men of New-York in possession of the field of battle and the goods."[53]

In a communication dated Burlington, Vermont, October 1, 1813, appeared the following:

"The patriotic Volunteers, who have marched here to guard the public stores in the absence of the regular army, are taking 'long furloughs,' and volunteering for home by tens and fifties, and hundreds.—The pretence is, that Uncle Sam, the now popular explication of the U. S., does not pay well; and that the cold begins to pinch."[54]

From a paper published at Herkimer, New York, on January 27, 1814, is taken the following:

"'Uncle Sam's' hard bargains.—On Thursday afternoon of last week, about thirty sleighs, 'more or less'[55] loaded with the 'weak and wounded, sick and sore' of our armies on the frontiers, passed through this village for Greenbush. Never before have we beheld such a picture. Half-naked, half-frozen, and by their looks half-starved: some with and some without legs, others upon crutches, or supporting each other from falling, with their heads or arms bandaged, and the blood still oozing from their half drest wounds—their meagre, emaciated and ghastly appearance presented at once to the eye of the beholder, a striking picture of the horrors of war and neglect."[56]

In a paper published at Windsor, Vermont, in February, 1814, are found allusions to Secretary Armstrong and Josiah Quincy:

"[The following Extraordinary Advertisement is copied from the last (Windsor) Washingtonian.]

"SLAVES WANTED!

"UNCLE SAM, a worthy gentleman Slaveholder (of Virginia) wants to purchase, at 124 dollars a head, 65,000 ('more or less') stout, able-bodied, full-blooded YANKEES, to aid Field Marshall, the Duke of Newburgh, in taking Possession of a Plantation he has lately bargained for, (with himself) if he can get it, IN CANADA. Apply at the truly fortunate Lottery Office;—or, elsewhere, if more convenient;—as every 'Office-holder or Citizen,' in the United States, is fully authorized and empowered to contract, as the acknowledged agent of his Uncle.

"N. B.—Uncle Sam's purse is rather low—but no matter. The Duke will guarantee the pay—'FORCIBLY—if he must.'"[57]

In the Herkimer American of April 28, 1814, was printed the following:

"Economy.—A few days since, in a neighboring town twelve United States' waggons were repaired, for which the blacksmith was paid one thousand eight hundred dollars out of Uncle Sam's purse. Query. How much is the usual cost of a new waggon?"[58]

In or about May, 1814, the Keene Sentinel printed the following:

"More Economy!—Colonel Pickering in his Speech on the Loan Bill, stated, on direct information from two members of the former Congress, that a waggon started with 40 bushels of corn for the army—that the team of horses consumed 18 bushels on the way—reserved 18 to feed them on returning, and delivered 4 bushels, which must, at this rate, have cost fifty dollars a bushel!

"Everyone remembers the vinegar transported from Boston to Albany, which might have been procured cheaper at the latter than the former place.

"Uncle Sam's teams are continually passing thro' this town, with cannon balls, &c. for the fleet at Vergennes. These balls are transported from Boston, at an expense of not less than twenty shillings for every 100 wt. i. e. every 32 lb. ball costs a dollar for transportation only. Now it is well known there are several foundaries in the vicinity of the Lake, and one very extensive one in Vergennes.—What then could induce the contractor to resort to this useless waste