​​Armchair Genealogist

 

   But war was declared and it got the people all in an uproare and broke up many family and I got broke up. Thare came orders for so many soldiers to be raised out of the ranks of the militia companys, either by their volenterring or draft. Our company wais ordered to meet on sutch a day, at sutch a place. Our captian got the men ______ and called for so many volunteers but thare was no one stept out of ranks. Our captain said he had orders to raise so many and seeing that they would not volunteer, he would have to make out a draft. Our company was small. I think thare was only seven or eight cald for out of our company. He had as many tickets as thare was men and as many piseas as thare was soldiers called for and put them into a hat or box and hustle them all up and throely mix them up. The man to be blind folded and walk up and take out a ticket, be careful and see that no man took more than only one and not look at his ticket nor let anyone else see it until all had drawn. Then we ware called to come forward and show our tickets.

I had drawn a blank  but thare was one Arthur Humphrey, the most wealthy man that was in that country, he looked slily and see that he had drawn a mark and clapt it into his mouth an chawed it up and when we had all shown, thare was one prise lacking. They looked and had search carefully all abot. Old Humphrey was busy and careful as anyone and more so than the rest of us. Well the captain said thare was a mistak an we must draw again. The next time we drew, I drew a prise and got into the hobbles. We would make have known that it was Humphrey but thare was alittle small boy that see his ticket when he held it between his thumb and fingers and see the marks and said, “That man had a paper that had too marks on it and he put it in his mouth.” The ticket that was missing was No 2 and marked with two strait marks and Humphrey scholded the boy sharply and wanted to know what he was trying to lie for. Humphreys nick name was Big Cittle, because he appeared to be so big and lordly.

 

 

Sources:

   Gazetteer of the State of New York: Embracing a Comprehensive View of the Geography,

   Geology and General History of the State, Pg. 191                Ancestry.com

 

   Our County and its People: A descriptive work on Erie Co, New York, Vol 1, Pg. 568   

                          Also Vol 2, Chapter xxiv, The Campaign of 1813              Ancestry.com