The Northern Illinois University's Digitization Projects included an 1840 book entitled The Life and Times of William Henry Harrison (excerpts below).
William Henry Harrison was the third and youngest son, and though the father was poor in this world's goods, the son received a rich and noble inheritance -- the legacy of a name surrounded by glorious achievements and connected with the first struggles of his country for freedom.
Young Harrison...applied himself diligently to the study of medicine. In his boyhood he had wished for some opportunity to serve his country, for he
"-- had heard of battles, and longed
To follow to the field some warlike lord."
He was about to graduate as a physician, when fresh reports of the daring deeds of his countrymen in the western wilds; tales of midnight murders in the new settlements, roused again the lambent desire to share the perils of his fellow-citizens and he resolved to join the frontier army; --not to spread plasters and sew up gashes, but as a soldier of liberty.
His guardian was the celebrated Robert Morris, who so frequently relieved the Continental army from his private fortune, and was the intimate friend of the immortal Washington. Perceiving in young Harrison the germ of true greatness, Mr. Morris endeavored to persuade him from his purpose... .
At the early age of nineteen he adopted the service of his country as his profession, and...repaired immediately to a dangerous position, to give the strength of his boyish arm to defend a frontier which may be said at that time, almost to have been in the possession of a ruthless, cruel, and vindictive foe.
No comments:
Post a Comment