Yankee Doodle (person)

Yankee Doodle is Nankee Doodle (Oliver Cromwell), who went to Oxford “with a single feather fastened in a macaroni knot,” whence the rhyme-

“ Nankee Doodle came to town upon his little pony, Stuck a feather in his hat, and called it macaroni.”

The brigade under Lord Percy marched out of Boston playing this air “by way of contempt,” but were told they should dance to it soon in another spirit.