“Severely wounded and bruised by your excellency’s ram”

After Thomas Jefferson’s four-horned Shetland sheep gored a boy near the Presidential mansion on 6 Feb 1808, the President “ordered a blinder or board to be put on the face of the ram,” according to the U.S. Gazette of Philadelphia.

But that wasn’t enough for some of his critics. On 12 Mar 1808 the New York Commercial Advertiser ran this commentary, which originally appeared in the North American of Baltimore:

The President’s Ram.—This sturdy animal is a native of Africa.—Besides his uncommon size, he is, if we well remember, a unicorn, and characterised by other peculiarities. He was some time ago presented to his present owner by a gentleman of Washington.

This is the concise history of a monster, who has added to the proofs, that unbridled liberty is productive of nought but evil. We are extremely sorry to hear, that for want of confining him, he was recently killed a very promising and beautiful boy, a son of Mr. [Alexander] Kerr of the Branch Bank; knocked down and severely injured a poor old man, and a female child of one of the President’s domestics insomuch that her person has become disfigured

The editor of the North American was Jacob Wagner. When the Jefferson administration began, he was a clerk in the State Department appointed by Timothy Pickering. He convinced the new Secretary of State, James Madison, that he could stay on and perform his job without political leanings, which he did successfully until resigning in early 1807.

Then Wagner came out as a strident Federalist, editing one anti-administration newspaper after another. He was happy to find anything to criticize Jefferson for. In actuality, the President’s ram wasn’t from Africa but from a northern European breed. It had four horns, not one. But if it could serve as a symbol of “unbridled liberty” under Jefferson, all the better.

The man whom the President’s ram injured in February 1808 was named William Keough. On 3 March, Jefferson wrote in his memorandum book: “Gave Keough in charity 5.D. [five dollars]” as compensation.

The next month, Rep. Nicholas R. Moore of Maryland presented Keough’s petition to the U.S. Congress from “praying relief in consideration of wounds received and injuries sustained while serving as a soldier in the Maryland line, during the Revolutionary War.” That request doesn’t appear to have been granted.

In December 1808, the Maryland house of delegates considered Keough’s service and poverty and voted to grant him “a sum of money annually, in half yearly payments, equal to the half pay of a sergeant.” But the state senate “dissented from” that vote.

On 15 Feb 1809, with Jefferson less than a month from leaving office, William Keough wrote to him in desperation:

To his excellency the President of the United States

Your petitioner William Keough begs leave to state to your excellency that in February 1808 in Passing through the President’s Square he was attacked and severely wounded and bruised by your excellency’s ram—of which he lay ill for five or six weeks under the hands of Doctor [Arnold] Elzey.

Your petitioner troubles your excellency with regret, he would not presume to do it now but for extreme distress. He is without money and without freinds. His business in this place was for the purpose of obtaining a pension to which he considered himself entitled for his revolutionary services—He has been able to obtain lodgings in the poor’s house, but without the usual allowance of fare.—

It is probably the last time your excellency will be troubled as President of the U.S. by an individual, most assuredly the last, by your petitioner; and if the prayers of a poor, old soldier will be any consolation to your excellency in your retirement, you have them from his heart.—Hoping your excellency will take his distressed situation in consideration, and grant some relief, your petitioner as in duty bound will ever pray.

I’ve found nothing more about the unfortunate William Keough.

TOMORROW: The final fate of Jefferson’s ram.

“The ram ran his horns into the bowels of the boy”

On 18 Feb 1808, the United States Gazette for the Country, a Federalist-leaning newspaper published out of Philadelphia, shared this news from Washington, D.C.:

The only incident within the last ten days, to excite conversation, is an unhappy affair, of which the hero is the president’s ram.

About a week since, as a lad, nine years old, was returning from school, he was attacked by this ram in the plain beyond the [Presidential] palace on the Georgetown road. The boy, knowing that the ram was wont to push, avoided the first attack, but the second time he was not so fortunate. The ram ran his horns into the bowels of the boy. It was some time before they were disengaged.

The ram must have gored the boy on 6 February because the next day President Thomas Jefferson wrote to the lad’s father, Alexander Kerr, sending thoughts and prayers:

Sir

The unfortunate accident of yesterday has given me inexpressible concern. had the orders I had given some days before for securing the instrument of it against doing injury, been timely executed, this great calamity would have been prevented. that they were not will be to me a source of unceasing regret.

I am but too sensible that the participation of others in this scene of distress cannot alleviate the sufferings of tender parents: yet I cannot refuse to myself the expressing to them the deep affliction I feel as well for them as the unfortunate victim. not knowing his situation I can but offer my devout prayers for his safety, and to yourselves my sincere sympathies and respect.

Th: Jefferson

Kerr wrote back the same day:

Sir.

Mrs. Kerr & myself are much gratified & our affliction somewhat alleviated by your sympathetick & friendly Letter of this Morning, which you have done me the honor to write respecting my Child.

The Wound is of a very dangerous nature, however the fever has not yet risen to an alarming height & the Doctors, ([John] Weems, [Arnold] Elzey & [Charles] Worthington, who have been here this morning) think appearances not unfavorable. I trust Sir, that in a few Days, I shall have it in my Power to inform you that he is out of danger.

I am perfectly satisfied that you feel as a Parent on the present melancholy occasion & I sincerely hope that your prayers, with those of his Parents, & the rest of his friends, may be heard by him who has the Power to save my darling Boy.—

With the utmost respect, I am Sir Your Obt. Servant
Alexr. Kerr

Five days later came another report:

Sir

I feel great satisfaction in being able to inform you, that my Son, in whose recovery you have taken so much interest, has the appearance of mending. He is now nearly at the expiration of the sixth day & the inflammation & tenseness of the Body have abated, without any appearance of mortification. The Intestine still discharges a little of its contents through its wound, although we are in hopes it has commenced to unite.

The Child has generally been very much composed, his only nourishment until yesterday has been Sleep. The Physicians have not pronounced him to be out of danger, but they give some reason for us to hope for a favorable issue; & that, principally from the Child having held up so long.

With the utmost respect.
Alexr. Kerr

Unfortunately, that prognosis was too optimistic. An infection set in. The U.S. Gazette reported, “The boy languished and died. He was buried yesterday,” or 17 February.

TOMORROW: The results of this “unhappy affair.”