BACKSIDE ALBANY

(Michael Hawkins, 1837)

Back side Albany dar Lake Shamplain,
One leetle Pon half full a water,
Platsburg dar too close upon de main,
Town small he grow bigger doe here arter,
On Lake Shamplain
Uncle Sam set he boat,
And Massa Macdonough he sail em,
While Gen'ral Maccomb,
Make Plattburgh he home,
Wid he army whose courage nebber fail 'em.

Elebenth day September 1814,
Gub'ner Probose wid he british army,
Dress 'imself up make all tings clean,
Cum to Plattburg tea party cortin;
An he boat cum too,
Arter Uncle Sam boat,
Massa Donough look sharp out de winder,
Den Gen'ral Maccomb,
Ah, he alway home,
Catch fire too jiss like tinder.

Bow wow wow den de cannon gin't roar,
In Plattsburg an all bout dat quarter,
Gub'ner Probose try he han pon de shore,
Wile he boat try he luck pon de water;
But Massa Macdonough,
Kick de boat in de head,
Broke he heart, broke he shin, stove(?) he caf in;
An Gen'ral Maccomb,
Start ole Probose home,
Tort me soul den I muss laffin.

Probose scart so he lef all behine,
Powder, ball, cannon, tea pot an kittle,
Sum say he catch he cold, wat perish in he mind,
Bloyg'd rat(?) so much raw an cold vittle;
Uncle Sam berry sorry,
Too be sure fur he pain,
Wish he muss imself up well an arty;
For Gen'ral Maccomb,
An Massa Donough, home,
Wen he notion for nudder tea party.

Best I can do, even with Photoshop.  The original image at Levy is rather poor.

Malcolm