Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 5.djvu/37

 SULLIVAN HOUSE, AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS. 25

Instead of going in his own barge, Sullivan quite as often journeyed by the regular line of boats. One time late in life, when the general's commission had given place to that of President of New Hampshire, his Excellency solicited a passage on board a boat bound for Portsmouth. The boatmen readily granted his wish upon condition that the president should observe the usual custom of paying respect to the " Pulpit." a name given to a projecting cliff on the river bank, which the superstitious boatmen regarded with rever- ential fear, and never passed without raising the hat.

" I never did nor shall pay respect to the devil's pulpit," replied Sullivan, " and you need not ask it."

However, they took him on board, and went on down the river. But they stood in fear of bad luck, if the dangerous spot was passed and each man on the boat did not make the customary salute. With true Yankee ingenuity they overcame the threatening obstacle. One of the boatmen took off his own hat and examined it, then casting his eyes at the throe cornered chapeau with waving plume that ornamented the head of his Excellency : "Sir, the birds seem to have flown over your hat."

The chapeau was carefully brought down for inspection. " I see nothing, " said Sullivan. "We've passed the Pulpit, sir," was the laconic reply. The supersti- tious boatmen were in excellent spirits at the successful ruse they had played upon the President, and it is useless to add that good luck attended their voyage.

Walking back to the house, we paused at the spot where the general's law office stood. Only stones mark the place, and a noble old elm, whose branches must have bent patronizingly over the roof of the building. The office was removed about fifty years ago, a quarter of a mile away, and now forms the ell of the dwelling house of Joseph Coe. In connection with this building is entwined another name besides John Sullivan's. During the years 1773 and '74, a young man, a graduate of Harvard, was studying law there with the general. He was one of the Durham party who went with Sullivan in that expedition to Fort William and Mary. He followed his teacher and friend from the law office to be a major in the continental service. He was after- wards colonel of one of the New Hampshire regiments, adjutant-general of the army, and died in the flush of his manhood, in the trenches before Yorktown, — the victim of the ignorance and brutalityof a British vidette, — Alexander Scammel.

A blaze of romance surrounds the memory of this young hero. He was the knight sa/is reproche et sans peur of the Revolution. He was brave, chivalrous, and able. There was no nobler looking man in the army. In stat- ure he was just the height of the commander-in-chief, six feet and two inches, and he was proportioned as symmetrically as an Apollo. Features of the Roman cast gave dignity and martial ardor to his countenance. His steel blue eyes blazed in aU the hardest fought contests of the Revolution. He successively succeeded Colonel James Reid in the colonelcy of the Second New Hampshire Regiment, that officer having resigned, and Enoch Poor in that of the Third, upon the promotion of that officer to a brigade-generalship in 1776. In all the batdes connected with Burgoyne's campaign. Col. Scam- mel exhibited the most determined valor, and the most approved ability. At the battle of Monmouth, his gallantry and that of his troops were such as to receive the particular approbation of Washington. In 1 780, he received the appointment of adjutant-general of the American army, the varied and respon- sible duties of which office he discharged with fidelity and honor. At York- town, he was in command of a picked corps of infantry. On the 30th of September, 1 781, while reconnoitering the enemy's position, he was surprised by a party of their horse, taken prisoner, and afterwards barbarously wounded by them. Despite all that surgical skill and attention could do, he died from

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