The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775 Part 2

Tuesday 11th. I washed my Clothes to day had Tea for Brecfirst.

Wednesday 12th. To day I was cald upon guard. Stephen Lyon went to Fort Edward.

Thursday 13th. To day washed My Clothes.

Friday 14th. Nothing remarkable.

Sat.u.r.day 15th. Nothing remarkable cald out to work.

Sonday 16th. Went to meeting to hear Mr. Pommerai[42] & his text was in the 16th Chapter of Isaiah the 9th verce in the afternoon went to hear Mr. Eals and his text was in 4th Chapter of Amos & the 12th verce Sung the 45 Salm the last time sung the 44th Salm this day Colonel Dotays Rigiment marched of.

[Footnote 42: Pomeroy.]

Monday 17th. This day Sergent Joseph Mathers had a new shirt put on of 70 stripes[43] I washed and at night was caled upon the picket guard Barny went down to the halfway brook[44] and back again to guard Artillira.

[Footnote 43: Flogging was facetiously termed "putting on a new shirt." Seventy lashes was a pretty severe punishment.]

[Footnote 44: This was the outlet of three little lakes, situated about half way between the head of Lake George and the bend of the Hudson at Sandy Hill. They are the head-waters of Clear river, the west branch of Wood creek, which empties into Lake Champlain at Whitehall.]

Tuesday 18th. One Samuel Jonson died very suddenly he belonged to Captain Latimer Company of new Cannen, Nehemiah Blackmore was whipt 10 stripes for fireing his gun.

Wednesday 19th. This day to work upon the Hospetal gitting timber to it I went upon the Island[45] to stay thair a week.

[Footnote 45: This was Diamond island, lying directly in front of Dunham's bay, and not far from the village of Caldwell. It was so called because of the number and beauty of quartz-crystals found upon it. Burgoyne made it a depot of military stores when on his way from Canada, by the way of Lake Champlain, in 1777. It was the scene of a sharp conflict between the little garrison and a party of Americans under Colonel Brown, on the 25th of September, 1777, while Gates and Burgoyne were confronted at Saratoga. Brown was repulsed.]

Thursday 20th. Stil at work Colonel Worster sot out to go down to Albany and a number of men with him this morning 10 Men were a going to the half way Brook to guard the Post and the Indians way laid them and kild 9 of them & 1 got in safe and they rallyd out from the Brook 100 & went back to see what was the Matter and they laid wait for them & they fired upon the front first and kiled 2 Captains and 2 Leiutenants on the spot & our men were supprised and run back all but a few and they stood a little while & lost 17 men the engagement began son 2 hours high about a nowr after Leiut. Smith & 200 of our men went down to help guard the teames down to Fort Edward.

Friday 21st. This day at knight Leiut. Smith came back & very poor he was the rest of the guard returned well.

Sat.u.r.day 22d. This day Colonel Partrages[46] rigiment were resolved to have their full Allowance or go of and they got it[47]--a small shower & at night our post came in and our Men that stayed behind came up I received a letter from Home.

[Footnote 46: Partridge's.]

[Footnote 47: They were volunteers.]

Sonday 23d. Went to meeting and the text was in the 3 chapter of John & the 16 verse & in the after noon the Text was in the 6 chapter of Micah 6 & 7 verses this day wet & hard showers.

Monday 24th. This day a week ago Ensign Robins died at Albany this day Henry Morris came up to Lake George with 2 Waggon Loads of Rum and sold it right of--

Tuesday 25th. Captain Holmes and 5 of our men went down to the half way Brook to be stashoned their til Furder orders--at 9 Ock one James Makmehoon[48] was hanged upon the galloes upon the top of the Rockka noose[49] our post came in and I was released from the Haspital work.

[Footnote 48: M'Mahon?]

[Footnote 49: This locality can not be identified.]

Wednesday 26th. Majer putnom had orders to list 400 ranjers and listed some to day.

Thursday 27th. This day the Captains of the Companys drawed out 9 men of a company for ranjers.

Friday 28th. There was about 40 teams & wagons a coming up about half way between Forte Edward and half way Brook and a scout of French & Indians way laid them and kiled every ox and destroyed all their stors every thing[50] and about midnight our camps were alarmd of it and Majer putnom rallyd about a 1000 Men & went after them.

[Footnote 50: Rogers, in his Journal, speaks of this occurrence. He says it was on the 27th, and that one hundred and sixteen men were killed, of whom sixteen were rangers.]

Sat.u.r.day 29th. This day Rogers went upon the track with his ranjers[51] and sent back for all the picket guard and they went & this day I was very poor & took a portion of fizik.

[Footnote 51: He went out with seven hundred men, to intercept the marauding party, but they escaped.]

Sonday 30th. This morning by break of day som of Majer putnoms men that he left with the Battoes spied some more a coming down the Lake and they com & told & Limon rallyd up about 2000 men and went up the Lake I was poor and went to meeting Mr. Ingarson[52] preach'd & his text was in salms the 83 & the 14 & 15 & the after noon the text was in Duteronemy 32 & 29 verse.

[Footnote 52: Ingersoll.]

Mon. 31st. 9 of our Newingland Men were put under guard for making a false larrom about the battoes coming down upon us & also one regular that Rogers took that desarted last year to the French from us.

Tuesday August 1st. Their was about 700 men went down to the Half Way Brook to be stashond their and 8 of our company and Captain Holmes came back.

Wednes. 2. To day Jineral Limon came in of a scout & the men that went with him and Rogers and putnom went of a scout with 14 or 15 hundred for 10 days[53] this day Craft died and was buried Stephen Lyon come of scout.

[Footnote 53: Rogers says that, on his return from his attempt to intercept the marauding party, he was met by an express, with orders to march toward the head of Lake Champlain, at South and East bays, to prevent the French marching upon Fort Edward.

There he was joined by Major Putnam and Captain Dalyell or D'Ell.]

Thurs. 3rd. Two of our men went out a fishing for 2 days but had poor luck.

Friday 4th. We had orders to march to Fort Edward & I washed up my clothes.

Sat. 5th. This morning about half our rigiment marched forward to build brest Works along upon the road in some bad places we arived at Fort Edward at 9 O clock & we Built 2 Brest works.

Sonday 6th. We drawd 3 days provision and this afternoon the Rest of our Rigiment came down and the teams that went up the day Before we received our pacet[54] of letters from home.

[Footnote 54: Packet.]

Monday 7th. Cap.n & all that were able to go were ordered to guard down to Fort Miller and back again.

Tues. 8th. In the morning we were drawd out for work and worked the fore noon then we were ordered to fix every Man in the rigiments to make ready, to go out to help Majer putnom and we met them a coming in about son down and we helpt them a long as far as we could & that nite & lay out that nite & 3 of the wounded men died there and Ben Deny for one.[55]

[Footnote 55: A severe engagement took place on Clear river, the west branch of Wood creek, about a mile northwest from Fort Anne village (then the site of a picketed blockhouse, called Fort Anne), between a party of rangers and provincials under Rogers, Putnam, and Captain Dalyell, or D'Ell, and about an equal number of French and Indians under Molang, a famous partisan leader. The English troops were marching when attacked: Putnam was in front, with the provincials; Rogers was in the rear, with his rangers; and D'Ell in the centre, with the regulars. Molang attacked them in front, and a powerful Indian rushed forward and made Putnam a prisoner. The provincials were thrown into great confusion, but were rallied by Lieutenant Durkee, who was one of the victims of the Wyoming ma.s.sacre twenty years afterward. D'Ell, with Gage's light infantry, behaved very gallantly, and the rangers finally put the enemy to flight. The latter lost about two hundred men. Colonel Prevost, then in command at Fort Edward, sent out three hundred men, with refreshments for the party, and all arrived at Fort Edward on the 9th. This was the relief-party mentioned in the text, under date of the 8th.]

Wed. 9th. We got in about 8 a clock & Buried the dead & the wounded were dresd & carried over on the Island[56] Powers came up with a load of Settlers[57] stores and treated us well.

[Footnote 56: This is an island in the Hudson, opposite Fort Edward, and known as Rogers's island.]

[Footnote 57: Sutler's.]

Thur. 10th. I was cald out to work upon the Block house this day our post went of home with our letters.

Friday 11th. We went up to guard teams to Half Way Brook and to Build a Brest Work 36 Ox teams & 6 Wagons.

Sat. 12th. Colonel Phich[58] had a letter from Major putnom at tiantiroge[59] he is taken prisoner.[60]

[Footnote 58: Fitch.]