Transcriber's Note:
This e-book contains the text of She Would be a Soldier, extracted fromRepresentative Plays by American Dramatists: Vol 1, 1765-1819. Comments andbackground to all the plays, and links to the other plays are availablehere.
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MORDECAI MANUEL NOAH
PREFACE
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ
ACT I.
ACT II.
ACT III.
Spelling as in the original has been preserved.
SHE WOULD BE A SOLDIER
By M. M. Noah
M. M. NoahMORDECAI MANUEL NOAH
(1785-1851)
Mr. Noah was born in Philadelphia, July 19, 1785, the son ofPortuguese Jewish descent, it being stated by some sources thathis father not only fought in the Revolutionary Army, but was asufficient friend of George Washington to have the latter attendhis wedding. In his early years, he was apprenticed, according tothe custom of the day, to a carver and gilder, but he spent mostof his evenings in the Franklin Library and at the theatre, likewiseattending school in his spare time, where, among the pupils, hemet John and Steven Decatur, famed afterwards in the history ofthe American Navy. He filled a minor position in the Auditor'soffice in Philadelphia, but his tastes inclined more to journalisticthan they did to desk work, and, in 1800, he travelled to Harrisburgas a political reporter.
Several years after this, he went to Charleston, and studied law,but before he had had a chance to practise, he became the editorof the Charleston City Gazette, and, advocating those principleswhich resulted in the War of 1812, he used his pen, under thepseudonym of Muley Molack, to disseminate those ideas in editorials.The consequence is he encouraged much hatred, and wasforced into many duels to support his opinions. In 1811, he wasoffered the position of Consul at Riga by President Madison, butdeclined. In 1813, he was sent by Mr. Monroe, as Consul, toTunis, at a time when the United States was having trouble withAlgerian piracy.
During all this period, his pen was actively busy, and while hewas abroad he did much travelling which resulted, in 1819, in hispublishing a book of travels.
In 1816, he returned to New York, and settled there as ajournalist. Being a Tammanyite in politics, we find him fillingthe position of Sheriff, Judge and Surveyor of the Port at variousperiods. He was, likewise, an editor of some skill, and his name isassociated with the columns of the New York Enquirer, theEvening Star, the Commercial Advertiser, the Union, and the[Pg 632]Times and Messenger.
His political career may be measured in the following man