The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775 Part 10

the 21. Last night I was on the door guard and this morning the enemy fired small arms at our men but did no Damage in the afternoon they fired canon but to no purpose.

the 22. Last night I was upon the door guard this being the Kings crownation[160] the enemy fired a number of canon and toward night they put in b.a.l.l.s but did no damage.

[Footnote 160: Coronation. George III. and his wife Charlotte were crowned on the 22d of September, 1761. It was always a holyday next to that of the king's birthday.]

the 23. I went upon fatigue down in the street and the Enemy began to fire at us about 9 oclock and fired without intermition for some time bie the best acounts they fired above one hundred b.a.l.l.s and our men fired 3 canon from our brest work near Lams Damb and one of the b.a.l.l.s went into Boston amongst the housen but through the good hand of Devine providence in all their firing they did not kill one man nor wound any except one or too slitely.[161]

[Footnote 161: Frothingham says: "On the 23d, the British discharged one hundred and eight cannon and mortars on the works at Roxbury without doing any damage."]

the 24. Being Sunday we went to meting and heard a fine Sermon from psalms 14-11 this day our men went on fatigue as usual but the enemy did not fire upon them.

the 25. I went on fatigue down in the thicket in the forenoon and at noon I was taken not well and did not go in the afternoon our men fired three field peices at the enemy but what execution they did we canot determine nothing more.

the 26. Nothing remarkable hapened this day onely their was 200 men draughted out to go to the governors Island to take some cattle.

the 27. Our men went to the Island and took 12 head of Cattle and 2 horses and came of without any Molestation[162] at night I went upon the piquet and it rained very hard and we turnd in to the housen and La their Colonel Clap[163] was officer of the piquet.

[Footnote 162: This expedition was under Major Tupper. They burnt a fine pleasure-boat just ready to be launched, belonging to some British officers.]

[Footnote 163: Of the Rhode Island "Army of Observation," under General Greene.]

the 28. Nothing remarkable hapened this day there was too guns fired from the s.h.i.+p in Cambrige Bay.

the 29. This day the s.h.i.+p sailed out of cambridge Bay and their was another came and took her place at night I went on the piquet without any supper nothing remarkable.

the 30. This morning our men fired one field peice as the regulars came to relieve their main guard and that afronted them and they began to fire their canon from their brest work and floating Batry and they fired about 30 canon but did no damage also last night their was too regulars deserted and came to our centrys on the neck nothing more remarkable this day.

OCTOBER A 1775.

the 1. Being Sunday I went to meting up to the conecticut forces and Mr. Wilard preacht a Sermon from chronicles the 20th chapter 10-11-12 v also in the afternoon Mr. Wilard preachd a sermon from 1st of corrintheans 15 ch 54 &. 55 vers, also Last night their was six mareens dessrtd from on board the Scarborough.[164]

[Footnote 164: This was a sloop-of-war, carrying twenty guns.]

the 2. Nothing remarkable hapned this day General Thomas Brigade pa.s.st Mustter about Sunset as our piquet paraded on the grand parade the enemy fired 3 or 4 shots up to the meeting house one of the b.a.l.l.s went through the shed by the Providence tavern but did no damage of consequence at night our chimney Swallow went on the piquet for nothing and found himself.

the 3. Nothing remarkable hapened this day at night I went upon the piquet.

the 4. We past muster nothing remarkble hapened this day onely their was four of the enemy deserted at night.

the 5. Nothing remarkable hapened this day onely their was 5 or 6 prisoners went through the camp that were taken at Dartmouth[165] on board the prize that our men took.

[Footnote 165: He probably refers to the prisoners taken in the armed schooner _Margaretta_, at Machias, Maine, in the month of May, by some Americans under Jeremiah O'Brien; or they may have been of the crew of two small cruisers afterward captured by O'Brien. They were taken to Watertown, where the Provincial Congress of Ma.s.sachusetts was in session.]

the 6. The enemy fired between 80 and 90 Canon at our men but killed nine onely cut of one mans arm and killed too cows So much for this day.

the 7. I went upon the creek guard and nothing remarkable hapned at night their was a regular deserted and the regular guard fired upon him but did not hurt him.

the 8. Being Sunday it rained and we had no preaching nothing remarkable hapned at night their was a regular deserted and came to our men and their was another set out but they were discovered and they took one of them.

the 9. About eight o clock their was a Rifle man whipt 39 stripes for Stealing and afterwards he was Drummed out of the camps if the infernal regions had ben opened and cain and Judas and Sam Haws[166]

had been present their could not have ben a biger uproar.

[Footnote 166: The writer of this Journal.]

the 10. I went up on the creek guard and nothing remarkable hapened their.

the 11. Their was a Rifle man[167] Drummed out of the camps for threatning his offisers also I went to Cambridg with Boats.

[Footnote 167: These riflemen were from Maryland.

The company had been raised by order of Congress, and placed in command of Captain Michael Cresap, who, without a shadow of justice, was made to figure unfavorably in the celebrated speech attributed to Logan, the Mingo chief. Proof is abundant that the stain put upon the character of Cresap, by the speech of Logan from the pen of Jefferson, was unmerited. Captain Cresap was taken sick, and, at about the time here indicated, he started for home, but died at New York, on the 18th of October, 1775, at the age of thirty-three years.

His remains yet lie buried in Trinity churchyard, a few feet from Broadway.]

the 12. This day nothing remarkable hapned only I went to work along with the general at Mr. Parkers at night I went upon the piquet.

the 13. I went a chesnuting with a number of respectable gentlemen that belonged to the army and we had a rifle frolick[168] and came home about 10 Oclock.

[Footnote 168: Shooting at a mark, for liquor.]

the 13. About 2 or 3 o clock their was one of our men taken and caried to the quarter guard for thieft abel Weatheril by name but it was made up and he was taken out at night and returned to his Duty.

the 14. This day nothing remarkable hapned.

the 15. Being Sunday I went upon fatigue down to the george tavern and their was a flag of truce went in and another came out.[169]

[Footnote 169: Communications are thus had between belligerent armies. By common consent, as a rule of war, a person approaching one army from another, with a white flag, is respected as a neutral; and to "fire upon a flag," as the phrase is when the bearer is fired upon, is considered a great breach of faith and honor.]

the 16. Nothing remarkable hapned Colonel Reeds Laidy came down to reveu the Regiment and treated them[170] nothing more this day.

[Footnote 170: The wives of officers often visited permanent camps, and formed pleasant social parties. Mrs. Was.h.i.+ngton visited her husband at Cambridge, while he remained there. She also spent a portion of the winter with him at Valley Forge, and likewise at Morristown.]

the 17. I went a chesnuting up to neutown[171] and at night our floating Baterys went up towards the canon and fired 13 shots but unlucky for them one of their 9 pounders split and killed one man dead and wounded 8 more one of them it is thought mortally.

[Footnote 171: Newton, seven miles north from Boston.]

the 18. I went upon the creek guard and John Bates was Lanch corporeal also in the afternoon their was 3 Boston men came out under pretence of fis.h.i.+ng but they made their escape to Dorchester point.

the 19. Was rainy and nothing remarkable hapned.

the 20. The things that were taken at the Light house were vendued and went very high[172] Nothing more remarkable hapned this day at night their was a regular deserted from the enimy.

[Footnote 172: When Major Tupper destroyed the lighthouse on Nantasket point, he carried away all the furniture and the great lamp by which it was lighted.]

the 21. I went upon the creek guard[173] and it rained all day nothing remarkable hapned.

[Footnote 173: The creek referred to is Stony brook, northward from Roxbury fort.]

the 22. Being Sunday nothing remarkable this day.