From May 28, 1763 until they were liberated by Col. Henry Bouquet on August
1, the soldiers and their families at Fort Pitt were besieged by the Indian
leader, Pontiac. Relationships between the English and the Indians had been
steadily worsening, partly because of lawless traders, speculators and “squatters
who invaded the lands of the border tribes, crowding them from their homes”.
The Fort was completely surrounded by Indians, communication was cut off and
smallpox began to break out among the men, women and children in the Fort.
During these terrible days, in which the future of the western frontier hung in
the balance, there must surely have been such a fearless hero as Bob Schmertz’s
good friend, “Flintlock Finnegan”, a lusty, cheerful, whooping, hollering braggart, in
the bold tradition of Davy Crockett.
Eagle-Eye Finnegan swaggers and bellows through the Fort, keeping spirits
high inside the Fort and keeping the Indians low outside. Here is a most worthy
addition to our gallery of folk heroes of history.
Vivien Richman
Listen to a Schmertz clip (at Smithsonian Folkways site)
When hist’ry tells of famous men
It’s bound to miss one now and then
And that is why you never did hear
Of Flintlock Finnegan volunteer.
A ramrod nimrod six feet tall
A handy feller with a musket ball
A rag-tag bobtail buckskin-eer
Got his shirt and britches from a nearby deer.
When the Redskins led by Pontiac
On old Fort Pitt made bold attack
The commandant did commandeer
Flintlock Finnegan volunteer.
REFRAIN:
Flintlock Finnegan, Dead Shot Finnegan
Eagle Eye Finnegan volunteer!
The frontier folk at Pittsburgh Town
In old Fort Pitt did huddle down
With their pigs and their cattle and their children dear
And Flintlock Finnegan volunteer.
The Redskins whooped and howled outside
The women wept and the children cried
Said Flintlock Finnegan, “Don’t you fear -
Into them savages I’ll throw a skeer!”
He prowled the firestep night and day
And glared through the gun ports every which way
And the Redskins paled at the devilish leer
Of Flintlock Finnegan volunteer.
REFRAIN:
Flintlock Finnegan, Dead Shot Finnegan
Eagle Eye Finnegan volunteer!
Whenever an Indian showed his snoot
He shot the tassels off his Indian suit
And he’d whoop and he’d holler and he’d loudly jeer
“If a bullet catches you, I don’t much keer!”
At night he snuck outside the Fort
(And) lay and listened for an Indian snort
And snatched his feathers for the children dear
A Flintlock Finnegan souvenir!
He shot big holes in their kegs of rum
The rum leaked out, made the Redskins glum
They could hear him bellowing in accents clear
“There’s too much drinkin’ goin’ on round here!”
REFRAIN:
Said Flintlock Finnegan, Dead Shot Finnegan
There’s too much drinkin’ goin’ on round here!
Said the British Regulars at the Fort
“That chap Finnegan’s a right good sort!”
The commandant said, “Cheers! Hear, Hear!
Rum for Finnegan volunteer!”
On a little tin fife he played by ear
He sang good songs and he brought good cheer
And the frontier folk and the children dear
said, “Love that Finnegan, volunteer!”
When Colonel Bouquet came marching down
To save all the people at Pittsburgh Town
On the ramparts crowing like a chanticleer
Stood Flintlock Finnegan, Dead Shot Finnegan,
Eagle Eye Finnegan, volunteer!
