(I may state) cowardly officers too. A soldier belonging to the company to which I was attached, came running and enquiring "where is my tent," "where is my tent." He was so scared as not to be able to recognize his where and whereabouts. I told my drum-Major, Syfert, who was not very well experienced in camp matters that if the third gun should not be fired there would be no danger to be apprehended, but still, for him to hold himself in readiness to follow me instantly in beating "To Arms," "To Arms" should the third gun be fired. In this instance not very far from where I was, there were Druminers and Fifers that would have beat any other tunes than the proper one, and some officers would have had this done, had I not pointed out to them the duty of musicians upon such occasions.

During our stay at Chinquepin Hill, I was sent for, from another camp. I immediately repaired thither, and found that the officers wanted me to play the Rogue's March after a soldier.

The soldiers of that camp were ordered to form a ring, which they did. There were three prisoners then brought out of the guard-house and conducted into the ring. The sentence of one was read, he was a soldier pretty well advanced in years. He was told that his punishment was death, by the law, but that as he was up in years, he had been dealt with in a lenient manner that he was forgiven and therefore restored to his station in his company. He thanked the officers for the merciful manner in which he had been dealt with, and then left the ring to go to his quarters.

The sentence of a second was read. He was a little fellow and then a soldier, but was habited in a sailor's wide pantaloons and roundabout. His sentence had been death by the law too, but had been changed to that of having to receive five cobbs upon his buttocks. This sentence he appeared quite satisfied with, for he expected to receive a far greater punishment, if not death itself. One of the corporals or one of the musicians observed, that a barrel must be brought to lay him across,

in order that he might be properly cobbed. General Stansbury observed "O! I suppose he can stoop down long enough to receive that number of cobbs." "0 yes, sir," "yes, sir," "yes, sir," (said the sailor) "you need not trouble yourselves to go for a barrel for I can stoop down that long." The Drummer to whom this duty was assigned, was of the name of Blufford, and beat the drum for a company from somewhere about Reisterstown, in Baltimore county, and not being much of a Drummer, his knowledge of these matters was very limited. When the cobbing board (a kind of paddle such as boys use in playing cat-ball at school, made out of a piece of thick oak, but perforated with holes) was placed in his hands, he stepped up to a Drummer belonging to one of the Baltimore companies and asked him, "how shall I strike him, hard or light." The Baltimore Drummer replied, "you must strike him as hard as you can, for if you dont you will play the devil with yourself." Blufford was left-handed, and when the little sailor stooped down to receive his five cobbs, he struck him with all his might and knocked the little fellow from off his feet and forward some distance and on his head, throwing him almost upon his back by way of a summerset. The little fellow soon regained his feet, and scratching the part affected, with a very rueful and expressive countenance, exclaimed, "d-n my eyes. "Come, come," said General Stansbury, "no swearing," no swearing," The General then turned himself to Blufford and said, "Drummer dont strike him so hard." Blufford then gave him the other four much lighter. This done, the little sailor was then told, that he was at liberty, and was restored to his station in his company, so he moved off, laughing heartily among hearty laughers, for the execution of his sentence had created great laughing among the soldiers.

The sentence of the third prisoner, was then read to him. He was then informed, that his sentence was death by the law too, but that it had been commuted to that, read in his hearing, which was that he was to ride the wood

66

en-horse for fifteen minutes, whilst it would be borne upon the shoulders of two stout men, and have a musket tied to each foot, and then be drummed off and away from the camp, with the Rogue's March beat after him. The crime he had committed was of the same kind of the little sailors, with this difference, the little sailor had taken the bounty twice, but he I think had taken it three times. Muskets were then fastened, one to each foot, and he was then placed on the wooden-horse or rail which was very sharp edged indeed. Two stout soldiers then hoisted the rail with the prisoner upon it, to their shoulders and moved along with him. He was not more than cleverly up, until he began to quake like to an aspen leaf. General Stansbury, who was a very kind and mercifully disposed man, observed to his brother officers, that it was too hard," and cried out (when he had not sat more than four minutes) on his woodenhorse, "let him down," "let him down." They did So. We were then ordered to beat up the Rogue's March, but the little sailor's cobbing match had so affected my risible organs, and so completely stored me with laughing propensities, that it was some time before I could commence to play. The word forward, was given and we moved off, our rail rider ahead of us, and guarded by a file or two of soldiers. The little sailor popping afresh into my mind frequently, as we marched along, I would as frequently make a balk through a rising laugh, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I could restrain myself. We marched out to the extreme of Chinquepin hill and sent him off with three cheers and three rolls of the drum. He then gave us (as was usual on all occasions of the kind,) a parting blessing and a polite farewell.

Soon after this, we were all discharged and sent home. This last expedition to Baltimore, I suppose, put an end forever to my soldiering upon this earth. On my return from Baltimore, I kept my home at Manchester. After sometime I married my third wife, whose maiden name was Susan Stevor. This wife brought me two children, a

son and a daughter, whose names are Andrew and Mary. They are still living. My third wife, Susan, has been deceased about twenty-four years. About five years after her decease, I married my fourth (present) wife. Her maiden name was Julian Fowble, but when I married her, her name was Julian Kelly. She was then a widow, with one child. This wife I obtained within a

few miles of Manchester.

With this wife I now reside in the neighborhood of Hampstead, and distant about two miles therefrom. Hampstead lies on the Turnpike-road leading from Baltimore to Carlisle, and is distant from Baltimore twentysix miles.

I have two wives, two father's-in-law, two mother'sin-law, one child, one grand child, and a great many of my three wive's relations lying in the grave-yard at Manchester, and expect that ere long myself and fourth wife will be laid in the same burying grounds, and pray a Merciful God, that we may all rise at the last day, to Life everlasting, and to the Praise of the Eternal God, the Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord.--Amen.

RECOMMENDATIONS*

Certificate from Colonel George Timanus, of Baltimore.

I do certify that Captain Samuel Dewees was under my command at Baltimore in 1814, and was regularly attached to the 1st Battalion, 36th Regiment of Maryland Troops, composed of the Volunteers and Militia of Baltimore County, Mary land-that he Samuel Dewees did stand in the intrenchments with arms in hand during the nights that the troops stood therein, and so regular and attentive was he to his duties as a musician, that at all times when Dewees was called for he was at his post, and ready to perform the duties assigned him in Camp faithfully and fearlessly.

GEORGE TIMANUS,

Major in Command of the 1st Battalion, 36th Regiment M. M. stationed on Chinquepin Hill, near Baltimore, September, 1814. Baltimore, October 20th, 1843.

Certificate from the Rev. Jacob Geiger, Manchester.

I do hereby certify that I have been acquainted with Captain Samuel Dewees about 26 years, and do cheerfully certify that he is a regular member of the Lutheran Church in Manchester-that wars and their rumors have now no more charms for him, reclining as he is upon the bosom of a

*The Westminster Certificate (No. 7) and others have been unavoidably crowded

out for want of room.

Redeeming God as a devout disciple of that meek and lowly but despised Potentate of earth's broad domains and Heaven's boundless realms of unconceived of glory. That in the profession of the religion of Jesus Christ he exhibits a strong desire to possess his soul in patience until his great, certain and final change shall come.

To the devout lovers of the Gospel, of country of good, to whatever divisions of the Church of Christ they may belong, and to the patriotically just not attached in membership, I state, that I feel desirous to contribute my recommendatory mite in aidance of his very laudable design, that of writing, publishing and disseminating a history of his life and services as a soldier of the Revolutionary and last wars, and hope, that a generous public will remember this now aged veteran in the bestowment of its patronage liberally upon him.

His history no doubt will be a very interesting one, and will be well entitled to the credence of its readers.

JACOB GEIGER,

Pastor of the German Reformed Church in Manchester. Manchester, Carroll County, Md., January 22d, 1844.

Certificate from the Methodist Episcopal Preachers on the Westminster

Circuit.

We the undersigned, living in the vicinity of Captain Samuel Dewees, appreciating as we do, the glorious liberty which we enjoy, as well as the Patriotic spirits, made the instrumentality by Almighty God in procuring this inestimable boon for us, feel willing to contribute so far as our humble ability may justify, to the temporal and eternal welfare of the aged Captain; and hence believing, that in view of his military services he possesses strong claims upon the patronage of a generous and patriotic public, would with great pleasure and cordiality recommend him to its generosity. Real worth wherever it is found, and in whatever station it is developed, should be appreciated and rewarded. That the present effort of his respected Biographer, may be successful in encircling his brow with the wreath of literary fame," and of imparting a solace to his heart, and that it may also smooth the declining years of the aged veteran, that the sun of his earthly existence may set cloudlessly bright, and of his future existence may rise and shine with eternally increasing splendor amid the beauties of Heaven, is the earnest desire of

HORACE HOLLAND,
ELIAS WELTY,

Preachers on the Westminster Circuit.

Hampstead, Carroll County, Md., Jan. 27, 1844.

Certificate of the Rev. Jacob Albert, formerly Pastor of the Lutheran Church at Manchester.

I do certify that I had an acquaintance during my residence in Manchester with Captain Samuel Dewees, and can cheerfully state, that he was a regular member of the Lutheran Church in Manchester, theu under my pastoral care-that his deportment was very unobjectionable, and his character amiable and excellent. With respect to his having been a soldier of the Revolutionary and last wars, I never heard it doubted by any person. He has drawn two small pensions for a number of years past, one from the U. States Government, and one from the Government of Pennsylvania as a reward for his services in the Revolutionary war. Of his having been a soldier at Baltimore, as one of the Defenders thereof in 1813 and 1814, accomFanying certificates will show conclusively. With regard to his patriotism it has always been considered of the same cast of that possessed by our brave and unconquered galaxy of revolutionary veterans who established in the strength and glory of their might this our glorious republic of Freedom.