1. It fulfills the definition of a ballad in that it tells a short story in stanzas
2. It fulfills the definition of a satire in that it uses humor to describe the reaction of the British people on seeing the kegs.
Explanation:
A ballad is a short story written in stanzas in a poem or song. Satire is the use of humor or exaggerations to expose the deeds of a person or group of people. The battle of the kegs is a short story in that it tells the story of how the Americans deployed kegs which were meant to explode on the ships of the British Army at Philadelphia on the 6th of January, 1776.
The poem is a satire in that it uses comical scenes to describe the British army and others at the harbor running helter-skelter. Some (like Sir Erskine) had one of their boots in their hands and the other on their foot. It would have been a funny sight for the Americans to behold.
