sart occupied one of these boxes on one occasion
with his lady. Before the performance began, another gentleman with his
lady presented himself in Colonel Ansart's box, and requested him to
vacate. He was told that he was rather presuming in his conduct and had
better go where he belonged. The man insisted upon crowding himself in,
and was very insolent, when Colonel Ansart seized him and threw him over
the front, when, of course, he went tumbling down among the audience
below. Colonel Ansart was for this act afterward arrested and imprisoned
for a short time, but was finally liberated without trial.

History informs us that a combined attack by D'Estaing and General
Sullivan was planned, in 1778, for the expulsion of the British from
Rhode Island, where, under General Pigot, they had established a
military depot. Colonel Ansart was _aide-de-camp_ to General Sullivan in
this expedition, and was wounded in the engagement of August 29.

On a certain occasion he was taking a sleigh-ride with his family, and
in one of the adjacent towns met a gentleman with his turn-out in a
narrow and drifted part of the road, where some difficulty occurred in
passing each other. Colonel Ansart suggested to him that he should not
have driven into such a place when he saw him coming. The man denied
that he saw the colonel, and told him he lied. Colonel Ansart seized his
pistol to punish him for his insolence, when his wife interfered, an
explanation followed, and it was ascertained that both gentlemen were
from Dracut. One was deacon of the church, and the other
"inspector-general of artillery." Of course the pistols were put up, as
the deacon didn't wish to be shot, and the colonel _wouldn't tell a
lie_.

In his prime, our hero stood six feet high in his boots, and weighed two
hundred pounds. He died in Dracut, May 28, 1804, at the age of sixty-two
years.

Mrs. Ansart was born in Boston, and witnessed the battle of Bunker Hill,
and often described the appearance of the British soldiers as they
marched along past her residence, both in going to the battle and in
returning. She was thirteen years of age, and recollected it perfectly.
She said they were grand as they passed along the streets of Boston
toward Charlestown. The officers were elegantly dressed and were in
great spirits, thinking it was only a pleasant little enterprise to go
over to Charlestown and drive those Yankees out of their fort; but when
they returned it was a sad sig