Alexander Graydon. Memoirs of a Life, Chiefly Passed in Pennsylvania. (Harrisburg: 1811), pp. 117-122.
An excerpt concerning the recruiting of a continental army:
"A number of fellows at the tavern, at which my party rendezvoused, indicated a desire to enlist, but
although they drank freely of our liquor, they still held off. I soon perceived that the object was to amuse
themselves at our expense, and that if there might be one or two among them really disposed to engage, the others
would prevent them. One fellow in particular, who had made the greatest shew of taking the bounty, presuming on
the weakness of our party, consisting only of a drummer, corporal, my second lieutenant and myself, began to
grow insolent, and manifested an intention to begin a quarrel, in the issue of which, he no doubt calculated on
giving us a drubbing. The disgrace of such a circumsts[a]nce, presented itself to my mind in colors the most dismal,
and I resolved, that if a scuffle should be unavoidable, it should, at least, be as serious as the hangers which my
lieutenant and myself carried by our sides, could make it. Our endeavor, however, was to guard against a contest;
but the moderation we testified, was attributed to fear. At length the arrogance of the principal ruffian, rose to such
a height, that he squared himself for battle and advanced towards me in an attitude of defiance. I put him by, with
an admonition to be quiet, though with a secret determination, that, if he repeated the insult, to begin the war,
whatever might be the consequence. The occasion was soon presented; when taking excellent aim, I struck him
with the utmost force between the eyes and sent him staggering to the other end of the room. Then instantly
drawing our hangers, and receiving the manful co-operation of the corporal and drummer, we were fortunate
enough to put a stop to any further hostilities. It was some time before the fellow I had struck, recovered from the
blow, but when he did, he was quite an altered man. He was as submissive as could be wished, begging my
pardon for what he had done, and although he would not enlist, he hired himself to me for a few weeks as a fifer,
in which capacity he had acted in the militia; and during the time he was in this employ, he bore about the effects of
his insolence, in a pair of black eyes. This incident would be little worthy of relating, did it not serve in some degree
to correct the error of those who seem to conceive the year 1776 to have been a season of almost universal
patriotic enthusiasm. It was far from prevalent in my opinion, among the lower ranks of the people, at least in
Pennsylvania. At all times, indeed, licentious, levelling principles are much to the general taste, and were of course
popular with us; but the true merits of the contest, were little understood or regarded. The opposition to the claims
of Britain originated with the better sort: it was truly aristocratic in its commencement; and as the oppression to be
apprehended, had not been felt, no grounds existed for general enthusiasm. The cause of liberty it is true, was
fashionable, and there were great preparations to fight for it; but a zeal proportioned to the magnitude of the
question, was only to be looked for in the minds of those sagacious politicians, who inferred effects from causes,
and who, as Mr. Burke expresses it, "snuffed the approach of tyranny in every tainted breeze."
