had issued his proclamation, but it was not regarded. Captain Fisher's company, in order to be prepared for an emergency, paraded every Monday and Saturday, and spent a long time each day in drilling themselves. Warriour, our Druin-Major, acted as Fugleman to the company. I had seen many a Fugleman previous, but none that I had ever seen upon that duty excelled him therein. He could toss and whirl his musket in any shape or direction he chose and as high he chose.In the midst, however, of all his perfections as Drummerand Fugleman, he was like to many another bright genius, he had one fault, among faults, he could at no time (of himself) guard himself (if at all within his reach) against taking a too hearty drink. For my own part. Í can state, I have always used liquor and when I had it most at will throughout all my services in the Revolution. (thanks be to him who gave me the power,) I was always able to use it in such a manner as not to abuse myself with it. I may have been somewhat overcome with it at times, but never from excessive fondness for it, but from being in company and becoming a little forgetful. I have always (and do now) believe its injury to be in the abuse of its use, and not in its use. I know that it has been as a sovereign remedy with myself in very many particular instances. I am now (as I always have been and intend to be) in the habit of keeping liquor in my house. I intend to use it in a proper manner as long as a glorious Master, the author all glorious of all Freedom, shall bless ine with life from his bountiful hands; I state for myself. As for myself, I will never trifle with my sacred treasure. I never shall sacrifice my Freedom, nor trample my own services and sufferings as a soldier, nor my Liberty under my feet, nor trample underfoot the blood of the martyrs of Freedom shed profusely and freely, in defence of the eternal Liberties, Freedom and Independence of the immaculate God of Liberty.

Captain Fisher's company of volunteers organized in Harrisburg, was composed of the most patriotic, in

telligent, respectable and wealthy young men of the town and vicinity, and prided themselves very much in exercising and perfecting themselves in the school of the soldier. When there were any (it is always the case in the formation of new companies) of the members slow in learning their facings and that could not handle their muskets, and manœuvre as well as others, or that were awkward in their file or platoon marchings, steppings, wheelings &c. These would be detached from the company, and to every squad of four men, one well, or better versed in military knowledge than themselves, would be detached with them to teach them. These would march to the distance of eight or ten rods from the company and there be schooled by their appointed military instructors.

4

As the formation of an "awkward squad," (as it was always called,) was a habit throughout the Revolution, Warriour and myself advised its adoption by Captain Fisher, and it was not long before it was acknowledged to be a superior method of conducting the school of the soldier. Captain Fisher on parade days always requested me to have an eye to Warriour-to act in the capacity of guardian to him, and if possible, to keep him from taking too hearty a glass. I always strove to obey him in this, and satisfy his wishes. Sometimes when Warriour would not hearken well enough to my counsels, he would make a stagger occasionally. I would say to him in a plain good humored way: "Warriour you are drunk now, you must not drink any more for awhile; if you do, Captain Fisher will be very much mortified, for you will be staggering wherever we march to." As soon as we would march and beat around to Captain Fisher's, Warriour was sure to lodge his complaint against me to the Captain, saying "Captain, what do you think, Sammy says I am drunk." The Captain and myself understood each other. The Captain would laugh and say "Why Sammy, Warriour is not drunk, why what do you mean? I think he is very cautious to-day. He is going to do us all honor, as well as him

self to-day," &c. &c. He believed the Captain altogether sincere in what he said. The Captain's soothing manner towards him, and seeming upbraiding of myself, stimulated him to a more temperate use of liquor throughout the day, and had a far better effect than harsh upbraiding would have had.

"The insurrectionary spirit in the western part of Pennsylvania, north-western part of Virginia, and north-western part of Maryland, burst into a blaze and burned. tremendously. It broke forth into a most daring revolt. The people were determined to resist the laws at all hazards. They attacked the house of the Collector or Inspector of the excise, who having received a small reinforcement from the Fort at Pittsbugh, defended himself resolutely for a short time against five hundred insurgents, having caused them to retreat for a time.They fired the buildings. Major Kirkpatrick, the commander of a small number of regulars, marched out of the building and surrendered. The inspector succeeded in getting out of the house unperceived by the insurgents, and effected his escape. The Chief Marshall, when executing the duties of his office, that of serving processes upon the open and acting insurgents, and upon a number of distillers that refused to comply with the requisitions of the law, was fired at, but fortunately escaped injury. He was captured, but upon his pledging himself not to serve any more processes west of the Alleghany mountain, he was released. He, with the Collector and others were forced to abandon the country precipitately.

Whilst these scenes were enacting, President Washington was concentrating an army at Carlisle, (distant eighteen miles from Harrisburg,) and at in Virginia, for the purpose of quelling this insurrection. The President had sought to restore order, and bring about a proper submission to the laws through the instrumentality of every other possible conciliatory means, but bold threats of defiance were openly made, and no course was left him but to employ a strong military force and

march to this scene of resistance to the General Government."-Hanna's Glory of Columbia.

Captain Fisher's volunteer company was called on, and it volunteered to a man, for the purpose going in the proposed expedition. It still remained, however, at Harrisburg until the time that the concentrated army of the east was about to move on from Carlisle westward.

During our stay at Harrisburg, there were a number of companies passed through that place on their way to Carlisle. I have gone out a mile or two often to play in escort, for companies coming in. I played the Fife for one company that came from Lancaster, commanded by Captain Keims, with whom I was very well acquainted. I played one or two (and perhaps more) companies in, that came from Philadelphia, and some from Jersey.

At the time the British had possession of New York, during the Revolutionary war, a Drummer of the name of Martin Benner, deserted from the American lines and joined the British. The American army laid on the opposite side of the Hudson from New York, or on the Brooklyn side. As soon as it was ascertained that he had deserted, a number of soldiers were despatched after him, with orders to bring him back "dead or alive." Being closely pursued, he plunged into the river, and commenced to swim across. The soldiers fired upon him without a single shot taking effect. Some of the soldiers that shot at him, told me that thay had taken deliberate aim at him, as they had been ordered to do, in case he should not halt. He was a great swimmer, and could swim upon his back as fast as he pleased.The moment he beheld the flash of their guns he would dive like a loon, and by his dodging in this way, he was enabled to gain the opposite side of the river in safety, and joined the British standard. Drum Majors have told me that there was not a better Drummer in the American army, and that he could beat the loudest drum of any musician they had ever heard beat. He was then a young man, very stout, active and strong.

One day I was sent for to play a company of regular

soldiers into Harrisburg, that was on its way to join Wayne's army in the West. The Fifer of this company I think had fallen sick. When I went out to where the company had halted, who does the reader imagine I found the Drummer of this company to be? It was none other than Martin Benner, who was then an enlisted soldier in the United States' army. When I first met him, I observed to him that I certainly knew his face, and asked him if he had not been in the regular service during the Revolutionary war. He told me he had, and asked me if I had ever known a Drummer at West Point of the name of Martin Benner. I told him I had known him very well, and observed you are he. He said he was. He then asked me not to say any thing about him, saying it is all over now. I promised him that I would not. He was going against the Indians, and I supposed could not do any injury to the army to which he was about to be attached. Taking this view of his case, I made myself the more easy or indifferent about him. But had we been at war with Great Britain, I would have forgotten old acquaintanceship, and would have informed upon him very soon, and would have had him taken up and dealt with in accordance with the laws of my country.

There was a company of Light Horsemen came into Harrisburg from Philadelphia and made a halt for a few days. There was a member of this company that was very much troubled in mind, and when the company moved on to Carlisle it left him behind at Bumbach's in Harrisburg, then a tavern kept by Boyer. This Light Horseman had his horse with him and hung about there for several days, until the fatal circumstance transpired which I am about to relate. I had an acquaintance by the name of Youse in Harrisburg, who called at my house about sun up one morning, and asked me to go over to Boyers and take a glass of bitters. I stepped over with him and after we had taken our drink we sat down in the bar-room. Whilst setting there in conversation, the Light Horseman came in and called for a glass of liquor.