Chapter X: Part I

To drive the kine one summer’s morn,
The tanner[11] took his way,
The calf shall rue that is unborn
The jumbling of that day.

And Wayne descending steers shall know
And tauntingly deride,
And call to mind in every low
The tanning of his hide.

Yet Bergen cows still ruminate
Unconscious in the stall,
What mighty means were used to get
And loose them after all.

For many heroes bold and brave
From New-bridge and Tappan,
And those that drink Passaic’s wave,
And those that eat supaun;

And sons of distant Delaware
And still remoter Shannon,
And Major Lee with horses rare
And Proctor with his cannon.

All wond’rous proud in arms they came,
What hero could refuse,
To tread the rugged path to fame,
Who had a pair of shoes?

At six, the host with sweating buff
Arrived at Freedom’s pole,
When Wayne, who thought he’d time enough,
Thus speechified the whole—

“O ye whom glory doth unite,
Who Freedom’s cause espouse,
Whether the wing that’s doomed to fight
Or that to drive the cows,

“Ere yet you tempt your further way
Or into action come,
Hear, Soldiers, what I have to say,
And take a pint of rum.

“Intemp’rate valor then will string
Each nervous arm the better,
So all the land shall IO sing,
And read the General’s letter.

“Know that some paltry refugees,
Whom I’ve a mind to fight,
Are playing h—l amongst the trees,
That grow on yonder height.

“Their fort and block houses we’ll level,
And deal a horrid slaughter,
We’ll drive the scoundrels to the devil,
And ravish wife and daughter.

“I under cover of the attack,
Whilst you are all at blows,
From English Neighb’rhood and Nyack
Will drive away the cows;

“For well you know the latter is
The serious operation,
And fighting with the refugees
Is only demonstration.”

His daring words from all the crowd,
Such great applause did gain,
That every man declar’d aloud
For serious work with Wayne.

Then from the cask of rum once more
They look a heady gill,[12]
When one and all they loudly swore,
They’d fight upon the hill.

But here the muse hath not a strain
Befitting such great deeds,
Huzza! they cried, huzzah for Wayne,
And shouting——. . . . .

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[11] Alluding to Wayne’s early occupation.

[12] It was a favorite idea with the Tories that the Whig party “embraced none of the temperate and respectable portion of the community.”