“You tink I ’bey your order, you Dick? No sar, suppose I fire away, I go off. I not go off, I stay here.”
“Well, but if you play, you’ll get in trouble, Billy.”
“How I get in trouble?”
“Why you’ll get in a scrape, won’t you?”
“He! you just got out of one, anyhow.”
Dick Harness then said to those who sat by him, “I’ll make him sing the Negro General.”
“Well, if you will howl, Mr Billy,” cried out Harness, “at all events don’t give us that abominable Nigger General; it always gives me the toothache.”
“Now I tink dat very fine song; so you may have whole jaw-ache for all I care. I sing dat, Mr Dick; you jealous of dat song, I know.”
Opposition Billy flourished a little, and then commenced—
“Listen, my boys, and I will tell you—
Tell you a leetle ’bout Gin’ral Gabriel.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Dey advertise de Nigger Gin’ral,
A dousand pounds dey advertise him.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“And who betrayed de Nigger Gin’ral?
A leetle boy betrayed de Gin’ral.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“A leetle boy by de name of Daniel,
Betrayed him down at Norfolk Landing.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“He says, how do, my uncle Gabriel?
But dis is not your uncle Gabriel.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Yes, it is my uncle Gabriel;
For I do know you, uncle Gabriel.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“De man belonged to Major Prosser,
So cum and hang de Nigger Gin’ral.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“For he’s ruined old Virginny!
Hard times in old Virginny.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“Dey wrote a letter to de tailor,
To cut out de Gin’ral’s ruffles.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Dey cut de ruffles out o’ iron!
So they handcuff and chained him.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“Dey went and called a troop of light horse
To come and guard de Nigger Gin’ral!
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“To guard him all to de city of Richmond,
To guard him up unto de justice.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“De justice tuk him to de gobnor—
(Monroe he set up for gobnor).
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Command him to de Penetenshy;
On Thursday week come on his trial.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“Dey went and called all de country
For to come and see de Nigger Gin’ral.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Some dey call him Archy Mullen—
‘My right name is John Decullen.’
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“‘I’m here to-day and gone to-morrow;
I did not come for to stay for eber.’
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“So den day tuk him to de gallows,
Drive him down dere in a waggon.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“Dey drive him down unto de gallows,
Dey drive him down with four grey horses.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“Price’s Ben, he drive de waggon.
Very sad loss to Major Prosser.
Oh, my boys, I’m most done!
“Dey drove him right beneath de gallows,
And den dey hang him and dey swing him.
Oh-e-oh! Oh-e-oh!
“And dat de fate of de Nigger Gin’ral,
Who almost ruined old Virginny!
Now, my boys, I’m quite done!”