University of Virginia Library

“Dear Sir: — I am requested by a number of
your brother officers, and other gentlemen, to solicit
you to deliver the oration at the celebration
of the approaching Fourth of July, at this post.

“Dear Sir: — I have the honor to acknowledge
the receipt of your very polite invitation to

address a number of my brother officers, and other
gentlemen, on the coming glorious anniversary,
at Vancouver.

“In the words of a celebrated Roman emperor,
when asked to take a drink, I reply, `I will do it
with great pleasure,' and shall immediately prepare
myself for the discharge of the agreeable
duty thus devolving upon me.

“Your invitation, Sir, arrived upon a most opportune
occasion. Eighty years (or thereabouts)
ago, this day, our respected ancestors marched up
the side of Breed's Hill by a flank, to the following
spirit-stirring tune:

And after getting there, feeling sick at their stomachs
from fatigue, threw up a line of breastworks
and trenches, that took the British very particularly
by surprise. Behind those breastworks, sir, our gallant
ancestors stood shoulder to shoulder, and received
the red-coated minions of the British monarch
with a galling and destructive fire, that caused
them to retreat in confusion. Three successive
times was the attack repeated, and three successive
times were the British mercenaries repulsed.
At the fourth attempt, Sir, our ancestors suddenly
remembered certain business engagements in the
country which could no longer be neglected, and
they had not time to remain and see the matter
through. They left; and a mingled mass of cowhide
boots and shirt-tails fluttering in the distance,
was all the British could descry, when, out of
breath, perfectly exhausted, they arrived on the
summit of Breed's. This great engagement, Sir,
was named the battle of Bunker Hill, on account
of its not having occurred on a hill of that name,
and a monument two hundred feet high has been
erected on the spot, from the top of which a man
once fell, and knocked the whole top off of his
derned eternal head, Sir!

“From the top of this monument now floats the

glorious spang-dangled stanner of our country, and
long may it wave.

“Please, Sir, to accept the renewed assurances
of the most distinguished consideration. Carry
and Stevens!