ORDER OF EXERCISES / FOR THE CELEBRATION OF THE / 86th ANNIVERSARY / OF / AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE, / AT ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA., / BY / THE FOURTH REGIMENT N.H. VOLUNTEERS, / JULY 4th, 1862.... [followed by 24 lines of humorous text]

[St. Augustine, FL: 1862]. Narrow folio broadsheet, 13 x 5 1/2 inches, printed on an army field press, on coarse paper, in entirely original condition. Printed in various sizes and styles of type. Recto advertises the various "events" occurring during the celebration, verso prints the text of an "Oration / Delivered at St. Augustine, Fla., July 4, 1862, by / Proffssor [sic] Twistemstraighter," which begins "Fellow Citizens, Women and Children, White and Black …" and is followed by 60 lines of text. Old folds, a few nicks along the edges, not affecting text, a bit of rubbing to a few words, and toning to the upper portion of the leaf, but all legible. OCLC locates one copy (New Hampshire). Not in Servies. Not in Hummel. Apparently not in the NUC or the AAS on-line catalog. Item #60238

This parody of a Fourth of July parade was a New England tradition. Known as the "Horribles Parades," spoofing one of the country's oldest military organizations, the Massachusetts "Ancient and Honorable (Horribles) Artillery Company,” they became part of many conventional celebrations of the holiday, beginning in the mid 19th century. The advertisements for the parades offered improbable activities and events and were full of satire and puns. This advertising sheet promised that the procession would be headed by "the Celebrated Knockemhigherthanakite Band! under the direction of Herr Sawmynoseoff, and will perform a Grand Potpieowrone on the Plaza ..." to be followed by a dress parade of the "Highlandblowfisticators," an oration, and games of "Catching the Greased Pig ... [etc.]" which will commence "as soon as the grounds in the rear of the Fort can be cleared of the 'Mushrooms.'" The oration on the verso gave a brief, somewhat fractured history of the United States' triumphs over adversities, from colonial times up through the secession of the South from the Union: "So propel, that if we live and survive the perils of fleas and mosquitos, we can return to Old Abe, and say, 'big Chief of the Columbians, the children of the Winnepisseogee left their wigwams to defend the country of the brave. We went to the land of Black Hawk and Osceola, and the Secesh fled …" (#60238) The Fourth New Hampshire Regiment Volunteers participated in the expedition to Port Royal, South Carolina in the fall of 1861, then took part in the expedition to Florida. It was part of the Union forces occupying St. Augustine, and stationed there from April 9 until September, 1862. Under the command of Col. Louis Bell, martial law was instituted and the city was secured. In relative safety, the troops were able to engage in the likes of the light-hearted activities of the Horribles Parade.

Price: $4,500.00