{"newspaper_name": "The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
{"character_count": 2195, "word_count": 387, "ccnet_language_score": [0.9810000061988831], "ccnet_perplexity": [1410.0], "fasttext_language": ["en"]}
sether With threats of rctaiiaton ut the ILL
human treatment it was supposed the gener-
al had received from the encmy, viz that
he had been bayonctted after having surrcn-
dered and asked for quarters: when the
magnanimous Mercer observcd--Ihe tale
which you have heard, George, is untrue
My death is owing to myself. was on foot,
endeavoring to rally my men, who had gwen
way before the superior discipline OF the en-
emy. when was brought to the ground by
blow from a musket. At the same moment
the enemy discovered my rank, exulted in
their having taken he rebel general, as
they termed me, and bid me ask Tor quar-
ters. | felt that deserved not so opprobrl-
Gus an epithet, and determined to die as had
lived, an honored soldier in a just and right
eous cause; and without begging my lite or
making reply, lunged with my sword at
the nearest man. They then bayonetted and
left me.


While the surgeons were dressing his
wounds. of which he had received thirteen,
the general, who was himself regularly
bred and eminent surgeon, remanded, "Nef-
cr mind those; they are mere scratches
Look under my arm, and there you viii Ind
fellow that will soon do my business"


We shall here rcpubish an anecdote
(Which we have given in another work. ct
the noble and dsinterested devotion OF the
amentcd Mercer, to that "just and righteous
cause" which he sealed with his blood on
the field Of Princeton.


When the southern troops we're first or
ganizing for the Army Of independence, nu-
merous applications for commissions were
made 10 the House OF Burgcsses of Virginia.
They were mostly from young men of for
tune and family interest, and seldom asked
for less than field officers rank. Mercer,
a veteran associate OF Washington in the
war of SO, and deservedly high in his conf
dcncc aud esteem, pressed not in the crowd,
urged no solicitations, sought no patronage,
but wrote on scrap OF paper and handed 1t
to the speaker, with the following words
"IIugh Mercer will serve his country in any
rank to which he may be appointed" He
received regiment forthwith.


He lies buried in Philadelphia, where a
plain slab, with the initials II NJ. denotes
the last earthly dwelling Of the patriot
brave.