The Ride Of Captain James Jack

History has said that Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence, but there are some that say it was written by someone. mecklenburg, North Carolina announced to the King of England that they were no longer their subjects and a Declaration of independence was written. It was then sent by horseback to the North Carolina delegation at the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The Sketches of North Carolina tells the story of a man who would come to be more famous the Paul Revere. The Ride of Captain Jack (My 4th generation great uncle).

[align=center]THE RIDE OF CAPTAIN JACK - 1775
Written by Mary Groome McNinch
Printed in The North Carolina Booklet, dtd July 1918, Page 187

Come hear the ride of Captain Jack
to Philadelphia and back,
John Gilpin never rode as he;
not Paul Revere, as you shall see,
nor Tam O'Shanter’s maddest mile
your ear shall from my tale beguile.
‘Twas in the year of seventy-five
when liberty began to thrive;
the “Hornets’ Nest” was not yet named,
nor “Esse Quam videri” famed;
the fashion was a coat of red,
“God save the King!” forever said;
and be he wrong or be he right,
“God save the King!” from morn ‘till night.
But men of Mecklenburg there were
who dared King George’s wrongs aver;
here in a house of logs, they broke
their sceptered king’s unlawful yoke.
Brave pioneers with concious power!
They fashioned in that golden hour!
A nation’s cradle of repose.
Outside an eager crowd drew near
to give the patriots praise and cheer.

Then Captain Jack agreed to be
the messenger to Congress. See!
His hat they bring, his spurs, his sword,
he mounts his horse, a farewell word,
the message safe in hand, at last,
the hated street of Tryon passed,
the stream that skirts the hill is crossed,
they see him gain the wood! He’s lost
to view, and then they cheer again
and echo calls a faint refrain.
What ear could follow fast enough,
that beat on beat of thudding hoof?
What eye could mark them flashing by
the woods, the streams, the changing sky?
All day, all day, all day once more,
nor half that daring ride is o’er.
No courier of prose nor song
e’er yet did ride so fast and long.
Five hundred weary miles he went,
and half a score of horses spent
before the Quaker town he spied,
or rested from his fearsome ride!


At once our delegates he sought
and showed the documents he brought,
the president of Congress deemed
the act too premature. It seemed
that Jefferson, with wiser eyes,
knew how to use the “spurious” prize;
and in the immortal page he wrote,
it’s substance, he, methinks, did quote;
and thus, though lost to history,
the tidings served their end, you see.
Whatever fate the paper met,
its bearer we cannot forget.
James Jack is dead long, long ago,
his fame, indeed, shall not be so;
for we will ever tell how he
rode far and well for liberty.

How very impressive and interesting! Thanks!