| Share page | Visit Us On FB |
|
The National Music of America. 139
probable (since many traditions agree on this) that the witty doctor arranged a melody or song, either for, or about, the uncouth troops that were coming into Albany. Many of the accounts attach him to General Aber-crombie's staff, but this could not be if the tune or the adaptation was made in 1755.1 It is probable that the surgeon was with General Amherst when the New England troops under Gov. William Shirley came in. The probability is that he took an old EngÂlish tune (it bears every internal evidence of having been a country dance) and set it as a satirical song. The name of the doctor is given in a half dozen different ways. " Schuckburgh " (Grove's Dictionary), " Shackburg " (vide account above), " Shack-bergh " (in letter following), " Shackleford," " Shukberg," and other variants occur. The proper spelling is " Shuckburgh," for he
1 General Abercrombie came to this country in the spring of 1756. |
||