Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2013, All Rights Reserved U.S. Data Repository Please read U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the US Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ ========================================================================= U.S. Data Repository NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization. Non-commercial organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the consent of the transcriber prior to use. Individuals desiring to use this material in their own research may do so. ========================================================================= Formatted by U.S. Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== A Memoir of the Late William Hodge, Sen. Bigelow Bros., Buffalo, N.Y. - 1885 (44-46) THE BOYS' PET CANNON -------- In connection with the mention of this squad of cavalry and this twenty-four-pounder salute gun, the following incident will be at least an amusing matter of history: There was also "stationed" in our neighborhood at this time a small band of individuals forming a self-constituted guard, who, independent of any military control, but enjoying the excitement of the times, and willing to "lend a hand" in the controversy, were ever ready when occasion demanded to "take the field" and fight "on their own hook." This company of youngsters had made their rendezvous at the log house of ALVAN L. DODGE, fronting on Main street, on farm-lot 54 (at the corner of our Main and Summer streets). In their possession was a small cannon or "swivel," a two- or three-pounder, which had been captured from one of the British gun-boats, and as happens very often in war time with property, had fallen into the hands of private individuals. Wishing to be in unison with and desirous of imitating the regular military guard at the "Tavern," they fired this swivel at the same time in the morning when the artillery-men discharged the big cannon. In order to do this with greater regularity and precision, they watched the motion or swinging of the lighted match in the hands of the artillery-men, at the moment of firing their salute. Soon after the war this swivel came into the possession of Mr. WILLIAM HODGE, Sen., by purchase, at a public sale of the effects of NATHAN TOLES, a neighbor residing on lot No. 33 (commonly called the LOOMIS lot) and who died in 1815, the year in which the war ended. Mr. HODGE had it mounted on a regular cannon-carriage which was made by an Englishman, a wheelwright by trade. He was a deserter from the British army, having with a friend, JAMES BROMLEY, left the British camp near Fort Erie, one night, "borrowed" a canoe without leave, and with some pieces of board paddled across Niagara river. In after years, as may well be imagined, the possession of this cannon for the purpose of celebrating the Anniversary of our National Independence was a great desideratum among the boys of the village. For, of course, having been used to the noise and tumult of war, nothing less than a real cannon could sufficiently gratify and express - their patriotism. Not only, however, on Independence day was this weapon in demand, but also at all celebrations and public meetings of any description, at MAJOR MILLER'S, ATKINS' or WILLIAM HODGE'S, at Williamsville, or at RANSOM'S grove (Clarence). No such occasion could be complete without that cannon. But alas! one Fourth-of-July morning about the year 1820, on awaking early and rushing out to the barn to get our pet cannon, and have the first grand roaring "bang" for the day, we discovered, to our intense sorrow and chagrin, that it had been stolen by the boys from the village. They had come out during the night, and tearing some boards from the back of the barn where it was stored, had abstracted our plaything. It did not quiet our feelings much to hear it, as we did, banging away down in the village. We started in haste to recover it, but there was no street-car or even sidewalk in those days,—the middle of the road was the path for pedestrians, but, making good time for the circumstances, we put in an appearance before long at the old Eagle tavern, opposite the present Clinton street. There stood our cannon, in the middle of the road, a party of men and boys being in the immediate vicinity, but none laying any claim to our property. We accordingly took possession at once and ran it out to Mr. HODGE'S, where we had grand sport with it during the rest of the day. If there are any of those village boys yet living in Buffalo or elsewhere (they must be now from seventy to eighty or more years of age), and if they read these lines, I should like to have them "report" themselves to me, and also favor the public with any facts they may remember concerning this little escapade. They surely cannot have forgotten the consequences of the affair, nor how they were all politely invited to "walk up to the captain's office (SQUIRE CLARY'S) and settle," nor how cheerfully they complied with this earnest request. What they paid was certainly a reasonable sum for disap- pointing "us boys" on that memorable day and getting off with no further "questions asked." I have stated that the pet cannon was " stolen " —but in those days we did not usually apply the words "stolen" or "steal" to cases of taking without leave — things so taken were said to be "hooked." This term is supposed to have originated in (it was at any rate well warranted by) the practice of the soldiers in those days, who, carry- ing, by custom, walking-sticks with hooked handles, would reach across the counter of a store they might be in, when the proprietor's back was toward them, and "hook" articles from the shelves for their own use. This was in fact a quite general custom with them. I presume there is at least one gentleman now living here who will remember being placed with his brother on the store counter to watch the goods while their father attended to the customers. I am sorry that I must also chronicle the destruction of this pet cannon whose story I have been telling. It was in use in celebrating the "Glorious Fourth," at RANSOM'S Grove (Clarence) now quite a number of years ago, and burst in firing; and thus ingloriously — or was it gloriously ? — came to its end the plaything that had for so long a time been a source of delightful enjoyment to the boys of Buffalo and vicinity. ===========================================================================