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138 The National Music of America.
after company, and such a motley assemblage of men never before thronged together on such an occasion. It would, said my worthy ancestor, who relates to me the story, have relaxed the gravity of an anchorite to have seen the descendants of the Puritans making through the streets of our ancient city to take their station on the left of the British army, some with long coats. Their march, their accoutrements, and the whole arrangement of their troops furnished matÂter of amusement to the wits of the British army. Among the club of wits that belonged to the British army there was a physician attached to the staff, by the name of Doctor Shackburg, who combined with the science of the surgeon the skill and talents of a musician. To please Brother Jonathan he composed a tune, and, with much gravity, recommended it to the officers as one of the most celebrated airs of martial musick. The joke took, to the no small amusement of the British Corps. Brother Jonathan exclaimed that it was ' 'nation fine,' and in a few days nothing was heard in the provincial camp but ' Yankee Doodle !'"
Thus the first claim for Doctor Shuck-burgh is made on uncorroborated testimony, about sixty years after the event.
Faulty as the above account is, one may find grains of truth here and there. It is |
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