9.79 ORIGINAL PAPERS. ART. I. STORMING OF TICONDEROGA. BY M. DUDLEY BEAN, ESQ., IL A SUMMER THOUGHT. BY JOHN K. HOLMES, VIL THE UNINJURABLE, UNBENEFITABLE MAN. By A. B. JOHNSON, ESQ., IX. OUR SPRING BIRDS: THE BLACK-BIRD. By W. H. C. HOSMER, Esq., XV. LINES FROM THE PORT-FOLIO OF AN OLD CONTRIBUTOR, XVIII STANZAS: GOOD NIGHT.' By T. H. CHIVERS, M. D., XIX. AUNT PIETY PARSONS: A SPECIMEN OF WESTERN LIFE, XX. SONNET: ON A PORTRAIT OF BEETHOVEN, XXI. LEAVES FROM THE GREEN MOUNTAINS, LITERARY NOTICES: 1. STANDISH THE PURITAN: A TALE OF THE REVOLUTION, 2. MARCY'S HOMOEOPATHIC THEORY AND PRACTICE OF MEDICINE,] 3. SUPPLEMENT TO FRANK FORRESTER'S FISH AND FISHING,'. 4. MANUAL OF THE CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF NEW-YORK.. 5. REPORT OF THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY, 25 26 27 29 30 30 37 38 39 48 49 50 62 63 65 .69 70 71 75 76 77 78 79 80 80 81 6. HISTORY OF THE POLK ADMINISTRATION. BY LUCIEN B. CHASE, EDITOR'S TABLE: 1. THE OLD WHITE MEETING-HOUSE REVISITED, 2. THE LESSONS OF ART: C. L. ELLIOTT, THE AMERICAN PORTRAIT-PAINTER, 3. GOSSIP WITH READERS AND CORRESPONDENTS, 1. A VISIT OF PLEASURE AND PATRIOTISM: THE SEVENTY-SIX HOUSE: WASHINGTON'S HEAD-QUARTERS. 2. A JAUNT TO THE WEDDING.' 3. THE LORGNETTE, OR STUDIES OF THE TOWN.' 4. USES AND ABUSES OF AIR.' 5. RAMBLEDOM IN BRIEF: LAKE GEORGE. 6. SONG: THE OLD FARMER'S ELEGY BY THE PEASANT BARD.' 7. ANECDOTE OF A YANKEE PICTURE-EXHIBITOR: DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS. 8. PLEASANT MISSIVE FROM A MAINE CONTRIBUTOR: SCENES ON THE KENNEBECK. 9. LAST PRAYER OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS: A NEW VERSION. 10. DEATH OF MR. DANIEL SEYMOUR. 11. LAUGHABLE BOOK-STORE COLLOQUIES. 12. RECOLLECTIONS OF CHILDHOOD. 13. YELLOWPLUSH PHONETICS. 14. NOVEL REMEMBRANCE OF THE DEPARTED. 15. RETRIBUTION BY THE LATE WILLIS GAYLORD CLARK. 16. THE HIGH-COMB' vs. Low-COMB' COCK: AN ANECDOTE OF THE Соск-Ріт. 17. RANDALL'S FARMER'S MEDITATIONS AND SHEPHERD'S SONGS."' 18. THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF DESIGN. 19. ANDERSON, THE SCOTCH TRAGEDIAN. 20. LITERARY REMAINS OF THE LATE WILLIS GAYLORD CLARK. 21. 'IMPLORA PACE ANONYMOUS STANZAS. 22. NEW PLAY BY THE AUTHOR OF CALAYNOS.' 23. READ, THE ARTIST, IN EUROPE. 24. AN EPISTLE FROM CAPE COD. 25. AN ODE TO MEMORY: BY HENRY NEELE, ENGLAND. 26 REV. DR. DEWITT'S ADDRESS AT SYRACUSE A VIVID PICTURE. 27. A RED-LETTER DAY' ON LONG-ISLAND: A DINNER AT SNEDECKER'S. 28. OUR NOTABLES: FROM A NEW AND WELCOME CONTRIBUTOR. 29. A RETORT CLERICAL. 30. JENNINGS' PATENT RIFLE. 31. AN Ass ON EDUCATION.' 32. LOSSING'S PICTORIAL FIELD-BOOK OF THE REVOLUTION. 33. OPENING OF THE BATH-HOUSE.' 34. CURE OF EPILEPSY, BY DOCTOR WILLIAM TURNER, CHRONO-THERMAL PHYSICIAN. 35. AN ERROR CORRECTED. 36. DEATH OF A WILD FLOWER OF THE WILDERNESS. 37. A TRIP TO HUNTINGTON, LONG-ISLAND. 38. THE MAGNETIC TELEGRAPH IN THE OLDEN TIME. 39. RETURN OF WILLIAM R. DEMPSTER, Esq. 40. DEFERRED NOTICES. 81 84 87 To our Subscribers. THE Publisher of the KNICKERBOCKER gladly avails himself of this opportunity to return his thanks to the numerous patrons and friends of the work, for the generous interest many of them have taken in extending the circulation during the past year. By their efforts in saying 'a word in season' to their friends, many have been added to our subscription-list, and while we gladly acknowledge our indebtedness to them, we would respectfully suggest that many others, who have often taken occasion to express, with much cordiality and warmth, their satisfaction with our Magazine, could easily induce some of their friends to send us their names. We trust they will bear it in mind. We would beg leave again to say to those in arrears, that it is of the utmost importance to have our outstanding claims settled as early as possible. Though we cannot, like the facetious editor of the BUNKUM FLAGSTAFF, take hay, oats, or grits, in exchange, yet we shall most gladly receive the notes of all specie-paying banks in the United States at par. Our distant subscribers therefore need not wait to be called on, but just enclose the amount due by mail, in the best bills they can get, and we will send them a receipt in full, with our most grateful acknowledgments Please address S. HUESTON, 139 Nassau-st., New-York. THE KNICKERBOCKER. VOL. XXXVI. JULY, 1850. No. 1. STORMING OF TICONDEROGA UNDER MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JAMES ABERCROMBIE, JULY 8, 1758 BY M. DUDLEY BEAN. POSSESSED of the most brilliant and controlling intellect, and wielding the power of a mighty empire, the fame of WILLIAM PITT attended the glory of the British arms in India, and gave new hopes to the desperate and yet doubtful contest for North America. To the colonist here, his was a fit character for emulation: it excited equally the admiration of the ploughman in the field, the student in his closet, and the ranging soldier, in his daring and romantic service. No hamlet was so remote, where the English tongue was heard, that the fame of the illustrious minister did not reach it; and almost incredible response was given, from our widely-extended and thinly-populated country, to the mons for the great campaign of 1758. To carry out successfully the vast plans for that campaign became the ambition of the man who filled the entire measure of England's greatness. The colonist saw that the whole power of the crown, and all but the crown itself of the venerable old king, now near four-score, was surrendered without reserve to a man but yesterday an ensign. Encouraged by the example of his advance to power, and by his present matchless position in the great empire which was carrying her conquests gloriously in the East, the answer to this summons from New-England, New-York and New-Jersey caused both the minister and court to exult in the hope of the entire conquest of another hemisphere. William Pitt, afterward Earl of Chatham, was the man of his day; his recognition and favor of personal merit and personal responsibility made a thousand heroes, gave life to republican principles, and, without design, greatly advanced the establishment of a mighty republic. When it became known in England that commissions of high grade, regardless of purchase or family influence, were given to those of humble position, and that more were to be sent to America to be disposed of, according to the true spirit of republicanism, to the most deserving, even the king was remonstrated with: It was on this occasion that Wolfe was represented to him as being a madman. If this be so,' replied the old king, 'I hope he will bite all my generals not so afflicted. Within eighteen months from that time, the brave Wolfe,' then but little more than thirty-two, showed with what 'madness' he was possessed, as well as the method of it. He is seen ascending the Heights of Quebec to the Plains of Abraham, and there, while battling for a stronghold, dying with the words of triumphant bravery on his tongue, amid the scenes of carnage and the shouts of victory. The attention of the British ministry having been diverted from the conquest of the East, three expeditions were decided on for America; and, on the recall of Lord Loudoun, Major-General Sir James Abercrombie found himself in command of more than fifty thousand men : the largest army ever known under one chief within the boundaries of the North American States. The war had already devastated the military establishments and frontier settlements of the English along the great lakes of the West and of northern New-York. The smothered vengeance of almost four years was in the breast of the colonist; and Massachusetts sent forth its 'every third able-bodied man' (more than seven thousand), and Connecticut, Rhode-Island, New-Hampshire, New-York and NewJersey furnished their quotas for the grand campaign. The legislatures of the different colonies convened expressly to hear the address of the minister and to vote supplies and men. In it they were informed explicitly of his purposes; that Louisbourg was to be reduced, to prevent farther communication of the French with Canada; that Fort Du Quesne, Crown Point, Frontenac, Ticonderoga, and the command of the great lakes must be gained; and that the war must be carried quite within the acknowledged confines of the French and their savage allies that by this course the captured women and children of the colonists should be restored to them, trade on the frontier revived, and ample revenge taken upon their combined enemies. Massachusetts replied in the most patriotic and spirited manner, declaring the blood of old New-England to be heated for the contest.' An account dated April third, 1758, says: 'So agreeable were the contents of Mr. Secretary Pitt's letter, that the House unanimously voted compliance with what was recommended. And notwithstanding such great numbers have lately entered in the king's service as soldiers, rangers, batteau-men, and ship and house carpenters, yet such was the zeal of our government, that they voted to raise seven thousand men for the present expedition, and, on Wednesday, to raise a subscription, notwithstanding the unhappy circumstances of this metropolis-taxes already on the income of estates being thirteen shillings and sixpence on the pound—yet in twenty-four hours twenty thousand pounds sterling was raised by subscription to pay bounty!' The object of the crown and the name and fame of Pitt were pro |