Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Literary
November 15, 1813
The Alexandria Herald
Alexandria, Virginia
What is this article about?
Humorous newspaper excerpt from a Mississippi paper presenting the bombastic resignation letter of Captain Ross Bird from the U.S. Army in the Mississippi Territory, satirizing his grandiose rhetoric on republicanism, military service, and a fantastical afterlife involving celestial figures and Washington.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
The following is the concluding sentence of the resignation of a captain in the Mississippi Territory--copied from a Mississippi paper. Hold thy sides, gentle reader, if thou hast the "faculty of laughing" within thee--it will inevitably provoke a smile in the saddest disciple of Heraclitus. This Bird is of a rare feather, indeed-- Probably of the family of Munchausen--If the captain be not a Congreve Rocket, there is no virtue in metaphor--Shakespeare's Pistol is but a squib to him.
"In leaving the service, sir, I am not abandoning the cause of republicanism; but yet hope to brandish the glittering steel in the field and carve my way to a name which shall prove my country's neglect:--and when this mortal part shall be closetted in the dust, and my noble soul shall wing its flight for the regions above, in passing by the pale faced moon, I shall hang my hat upon brilliant Mars, tip the wink to Venus, and astonish the natives of each superlative star--and, arriving at the portals of Heaven's high chancery, shall demand of the attending angel to be ushered into the presence of WASHINGTON!!!"
I am sir, &c.
ROSS BIRD,
Capt. 5d U. S. R. I.
Lieut. Col. G. C. Russell.
"In leaving the service, sir, I am not abandoning the cause of republicanism; but yet hope to brandish the glittering steel in the field and carve my way to a name which shall prove my country's neglect:--and when this mortal part shall be closetted in the dust, and my noble soul shall wing its flight for the regions above, in passing by the pale faced moon, I shall hang my hat upon brilliant Mars, tip the wink to Venus, and astonish the natives of each superlative star--and, arriving at the portals of Heaven's high chancery, shall demand of the attending angel to be ushered into the presence of WASHINGTON!!!"
I am sir, &c.
ROSS BIRD,
Capt. 5d U. S. R. I.
Lieut. Col. G. C. Russell.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Epistolary
What themes does it cover?
Political
Patriotism
Death Mortality
What keywords are associated?
Military Resignation
Bombastic Rhetoric
Republicanism
Afterlife Fantasy
Satirical Letter
Mississippi Territory
Ross Bird
What entities or persons were involved?
Ross Bird, Capt. 5d U. S. R. I.
Literary Details
Author
Ross Bird, Capt. 5d U. S. R. I.
Subject
Resignation From Military Service In Mississippi Territory
Form / Style
Satirical Prose With Embedded Bombastic Letter
Key Lines
"In Leaving The Service, Sir, I Am Not Abandoning The Cause Of Republicanism; But Yet Hope To Brandish The Glittering Steel In The Field And Carve My Way To A Name Which Shall Prove My Country's Neglect: And When This Mortal Part Shall Be Closetted In The Dust, And My Noble Soul Shall Wing Its Flight For The Regions Above, In Passing By The Pale Faced Moon, I Shall Hang My Hat Upon Brilliant Mars, Tip The Wink To Venus, And Astonish The Natives Of Each Superlative Star And, Arriving At The Portals Of Heaven's High Chancery, Shall Demand Of The Attending Angel To Be Ushered Into The Presence Of Washington!!!"