Ohio History Journal

THE BALLAD OF 'JAMES BIRD." ITS AUTHORSHIP. BY C. B. GALBREATH. In a contribution entitled "The Battle of Lake Erie in Ballad and History," the writer of this article, in 1911, related the story of James Bird and reproduced the old ballad com- memorating his heroic service on board the Lawrence and his

tragic death a year later, for desertion, on the Niagara. In com- menting on this quaint, pathetic ballad, it was assumed to have been "written by a bard unlearned and unknown, but not with- out the gift to tell his story well", and this positive statement was made: (52)

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The Ballad of "James Bird."               53

 

"Who wrote it is not known. As a local historian observes, the

author was apparently familiar with the true story of Bird's home."

The contribution to which reference is here made was pub-

lished in the Ohio Archaeological and Historical Publications,

Volume XX, pages 415 to 456. The purpose of the present

article is to make known the fact that the author of the ballad

is no longer "unknown". The assumption that he was "un-

learned" must be set aside. The surmise that he was well ac-

quainted with the family of Bird is fully verified as we shall

presently see.

There is now passing through the press a book entitled,

"Charles Miner, a Pennsylvania Pioneer",* written by Mrs.

Elizabeth Richardson of Boston, through whose courtesy the

proof sheets relating to the "Ballad of James Bird" are now

before the writer. Charles Miner was the author of the ballad.

The evidence of this is so complete as to leave no room for

question.

And who was Charles Miner? The full answer, of course,

is to be found in Mrs. Richardson's book, of which only a few

proof sheets are at hand. We learn from other sources, how-

ever, that he was born in Norwich, Connecticut, about the year

1780, that when a boy of nineteen, he moved with his father to

Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; that he subsequently edited there

the "Federalist", a newspaper devoted, as its name indicates, to

politics. The name of the paper was changed in 1811 to the

"Gleaner". Mr. Miner represented his district in Congress from

1825 to 1829. He was author of a history of Wyoming and

was "one of the first men in the country to introduce and write

upon the silk growing industry".

He was author of an expression that has found a permanent

place in our language. That expression is, "an axe to grind."

Here it is with its context:

 

*This book is now in print. It is republished, with additions, from

the Proceedings of the Wyoming (Pennsylvania) Historical and Genea-

logical Society, and makes a substantial volume of 195 pages, including

5 pages of index.

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54         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

"When I see a merchant over-polite to his customers, begging them

to take a little brandy and throwing half his goods on the counter,-

thinks I, that man has an axe to grind."

"An axe to grind" fills a distinctive place in our vernacular,

and we may well wonder how our Revolutionary forefathers got

along without it. Is it possible that there were in those days not

so many axes to grind?

Mr. Miner published, in his paper, the Gleaner, late in 1814,

"the Ballad of James Bird." As published there, it contains

one stanza that does not appear in Volume XX of the Ohio

Archaeological and Historical Publications, page 419. It should

follow the eighth stanza on that page and reads:

 

"Soon he came when noble Perry

Had assembled all his fleet;

There the gallant Bird enlisted,

Hoping soon the foe to meet."

This stanza appears in other prints of the ballad, and it

probably was unintentionally omitted in copying for republica-

tion. Other variations from the original are not material.

Fortunately Mr. Miner, himself, left an account of the

incidents set forth in the ballad. In the Gleaner of April 28,

1815, he wrote:

"At the commencement of the late war, a company of men from

Kingston, in this county, under the command of Captain Thomas, volun-

teered their services to the government. When the fatal disaster befell

our army under Gen. Hull of Detroit, and large reinforcements were

wanted, the Kingston Volunteers were called upon to do their tour of

duty. They marched with alacrity, and remained under the command of

General Harrison, until the reduction of Upper Canada rendered it pru-

dent to dispense with their further services.

"Among the volunteers was a young man by the name of James

Bird, aged about twenty years; he was born in Exeter, where his parents

now reside. Bird enlisted in the Marines while at Erie, and in the mem-

orable engagement of September 10th served on board the Lawrence,

under the immediate command of Commodore Perry."

"The following notice of his conduct in the engagement was de-

rived from Mr. Carkhuff, one of the Volunteers, and appears in the

Gleaner of Nov. 26, 1813:-

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The Ballad of "James Bird."                   55

 

"'James Bird, son of Mr. J. Bird, of Exeter, was on board the

Lawrence with the gallant Perry on the glorious tenth of September.

The battle raged--many a poor fellow fell around him--Bird did his

duty like a hero. Towards the close of the engagement, a cannister shot

struck him on the shoulder as he was stooping to his gun. He was

instantly covered with blood, and his officer ordered him below. He

ventured to disobey, preferring to do duty while he had life, to abandon-

ing his post. But the blood flowed so fast that another order was issued

to go below. He ran down -got a hasty bandage on the wound, came

again on deck, and although his left arm was useless, yet he handed

cartridges, and performed the utmost service in his power with his right,

until the stars and stripes waved gloriously, victorious over the foe'."

After thus quoting from Mr. Carkhuff, Mr. Miner con-

tinues:

"The following extract of a letter from Bird, will speak for itself,

and show the vicissitudes of fortune, attending a state of war. I called

on his parents for the letter. His father was not at home, - the anguish

and the tears of his mother made me almost regret that I had mentioned

the painful subject. If you, reader, had been there, I think you would

have agreed with me, that the public ought to reap great and certain

benefits from a war that creates so many causes of private grief,--I do

not mean to complain of any officer, or of any man, but I could not

help thinking that the bravery and good conduct of Bird in the battle,

might have plead for his pardon. Hull gave up a whole army, yet he

was pardoned. Brack murdered poor Dixon, but was not sentenced to

die. Bird had performed more service than either, and his crime was

much less injurious or malignant, but there was no pardon for him.

It was the fortune of war. Indeed war is a cruel monster, at least I

thought so when I reflected on the death of the brave Bird, and saw his

mother's tears. But I detain you from the letter:-

 

'DEAR PARENTS,

'I take my pen in hand to write a few words to you which will

bring bad news; but do not lament, nor make sad moans for the loss

of your first beloved and dearest son James.

'Dear Parents, brothers and sister, relations and friends, I do write

to you a most sad and dismal letter, such as never before came from

any of your beloved children. I have often sat down and wrote a few

lines to you with pleasure; but I am sorry at present to let you know

my sad and deplorable situation. I am the most miserable and desolate

child of the family,-Dear Parents, let my brothers and sister read this

letter, for it is the last they can ever receive from my hand, for by the

laws of our country I am doomed and sentenced to death, for deserting

from the marines at Lake Erie, and am now confined on board the

United States brig Niagara.

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56         Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.

 

'And 0! loving Parents, my time is but short here on earth. I

have but a few moments to make my peace with my Maker, -I leave

you only for a short time here in this most troublesome world; but I

hope that by constant prayer, we shall meet in the world above to part

no more.'

"(The remaining part of the letter consists of urgent and pressing

requests to his friends to prepare for their end, and in expressions of a

lively hope of salvation for himself.)

'I remain your most affectionate and beloved son until death; so

Amen, This from me,

'November the 9th, 1814.                      JAMES BIRD.'

"Soon after the receipt of this letter, there came another from an

officer on board the squadron stating the execution of Bird, the next day.

So perished as brave a soldier as belonged to the army."

It will be seen that Mr. Miner wrote with strict fidelity to

the facts as he understood them.        Here are the concluding

stanzas of the ballad as they originally appeared:

And did Bird receive a pension?

Was he to his friends restored?

No; nor never to his bosom

Clasped the maid his heart adored.

But there came most dismal tidings

From Lake Erie's distant shore;

Better far if Bird had perished

Midst the battle's awful roar.

"Dearest Parents," said the letter,

"This will bring sad news to you;

Do not mourn your first beloved,

Though this brings his last adieu.

"I must suffer for deserting

From the brig Niagara;

Read this letter, brothers, sister,

'Tis the last you'll hear from me."

Sad and gloomy was the morning

Bird was ordered out to die;

Where's the breast not dead to pity

But for him would heave a sigh?

Lo! he fought so brave at Erie,

Freely bled and nobly dared;

Let his courage plead for mercy,

Let his precious life be spared.

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The Ballad of "James Bird."                 57

 

See him march and bear his fetters;

Hark! they clank upon the ear;

But his step is firm and manly,

For his heart ne'er harbored fear.

 

See him kneel upon his coffin,

Sure his death can do no good;

Spare him! spare! 0 God, they shoot him!

Oh ! his bosom streams with blood.

 

Farewell Bird, farewell forever;

Friends at home he'll see no more;

But his mangled corpse lies buried

On Lake Erie's distant shore.

 

In the contribution entitled "The Battle of Lake Erie in

Ballad and History", what purports to be the true history of

James Bird was evidently gathered from the government au-

thorities who were responsible for his arrest and execution. The

story presented here is from the viewpoint of Bird's relatives

and neighbors. Both are necessary to a just and impartial view.

In many features the two accounts agree. In matters of con-

troversy, the reader will come to his own conclusion. But, even

at this late date, there will be general regret that Bird's heroic

service in the battle of Lake Erie did not "plead for mercy,"

stay the stern hand of the executioner and restore him to his

home and friends.

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