Young Woman's Lamentation- (CT) 1780 Fanning
[From Thomas Fanning's notebook dated 1779-1780. Reprinted in Jim Douglas, Contentment, the Nutmeg-State Songster. Below is an account of his notebook from the American Antiquarian Society.
R. Matteson 2015]
The notebook contains a few arithmetic tables and examples, two strength returns for Fanning's company, and numerous song lyrics and poems. The lyrics and poems relate romantic episodes, stories of battles at sea and soldier's tales. There is also "An Ode to the Death of General Montgomery.".
In 1780, Fanning sold the notebook (for fifteen dollars, Continental currency) to Elihu Stow ( - ), while stationed at Morristown, N.J. There are a few accounts for general merchandise recorded in the book for 1814, which were apparently entered by Stow.
Thomas Fanning (1755-1828) was a farmer and ship carpenter, residing in Groton, Mystic, and Stonington, Conn., and New York, N.Y. He enlisted in the Continental Army in 1777 and served as corporal in Colonel Samuel Blatchley Webb's Regiment until 1780 and in two other Connecticut regiments until the close of the war.
The Young Woman's Lamentation- Thomas Fanning's notebook dated 1779-80 (original texts mistakes in spelling corrected)
I'd scarcely got into my bed, I'd scarcely got to sleep
There came a noble captain and stood at my bed feet
Saying, "Arise my fair one and go along with me
To the lowlands of Holland to fight in Germany."
I got a noble fine ship a ship prepared for sea
And four and twenty mariners to bear the ship away
They sailed into Holland as I heard that some say
In the lowlands of Holland the ship was cast away
"No clothes shall go upon my back, no comb go through my hair
No fire light nor candle light shall ever light me there
Nor never will I married be until the day I die
Since the lowlands of Holland parted my love and I."
"Oh what matter, daughter, that you do thus lament
Is there not lads in Galloway to give your heart content?"
"If there is lads in Galloway, I'm sure there is none for me
I never had but one true love and he is drowned in the sea."