The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775 Part 13

JANUARY.

the 1. A Happy new year 1776 Behold the man three score and ten upon a Dying Bed he'se run his race and get no Grace and Awful Sight indeed Nothing very remarkable this 1 day of January 1776 Anoquedomina.[199]

[Footnote 199: Anno Domini.]

the 2. Nothing strange this day.

the 3. 20 men out of each Regement in Roxbury side to cut fachines[200] I believe we have it by and by.

[Footnote 200: Fascines.]

the 4. Nothing remarkable this day.

the 5-7. Nothing strange.

the 8. At night some of our brave heroick Americans went Past the Enemys Brest Work at Bunker hill and burnt several housen at the foot of Bunker hill and took 5 men and 1 woman Prisoners and came of as far as copple hill when the flames began to extend and the enemy that were in the fort perceiving a number of men gather round the fire & suposing them to be our men they kept up a bright fire for the s.p.a.ce of near half an hour upon their own men devillightfooly[201]

they[202]....

[Footnote 201: Delightfully.]

[Footnote 202: When Charlestown was burned, fourteen houses escaped the flames. These were occupied by the British; and, on the 8th of January, General Putnam sent Major Knowlton (afterward killed at Harlem), with a small party, to set those houses on fire. The affair was injudiciously managed, and, before all could be fired, the flames of one alarmed the British in the fort. They discharged cannons and small-arms in all directions, in their confusion and affright. At that moment a play, called "The Blockade of Boston," written for the occasion by General Burgoyne, was in course of performance in the city.

In the midst of the scene in which Was.h.i.+ngton was burlesqued, a sergeant dashed into the theatre and exclaimed, "The Yankees are attacking Bunker's hill!" The audience thought it was part of the play, until General Howe said, "Officers, to your alarm-posts!" Then women shrieked and fainted, and the people rushed to the streets in great confusion.]

the 9. Nothing remarkable this day.

the 10. Nothing very remarkable this day it was very cold.

the 11. Nothing very remarkable this day.

the 12. All furlows stopt this day.

the 13. Nothing strange this day.

the 14. Being Sunday nothing remarkable this day.

the 15. This day we heard that the regulars had taken Providence and burnt all the housen except two.[203]

[Footnote 203: Sir James Wallace commanded a small British flotilla in Narraganset bay, during the summer and autumn of 1775. He was really a commissioned pirate, for he burnt and plundered dwellings, and stores, and plantations, wherever he pleased. The fact above alluded to was the plunder and destruction of the houses on the beautiful island of Providence (not the town of Providence) by that marauder, at the close of November, 1775.

He also desolated Connanicut island, opposite Newport; and every American vessel that entered that harbor was seized and sent to Boston.]

the 16. Nothing remarkable hapened this day at night we were all ordered to Ly upon our arms.

the 17. This day we had the disagreeable news that our men were defeated that went to Quebeck and that General montgomery and colonel Arnold were either killed or taken Prisoners but we Pray G.o.d thy news may prove falce[204] at night it was thought their was a spy out from Boston and our centrys fired at him but we dont know the Sertainty of it cold weather for the Season.

[Footnote 204: Arnold, with only seven hundred men, appeared before Quebec on the 18th of November, and demanded its surrender. He was soon compelled to retire, and, marching up the St. Lawrence twenty miles, he there met, in December, General Montgomery, with a small force, descending from Montreal. They marched against Quebec, and, early in the morning of the 31st of December, proceeded to a.s.sail the city at three distinct points.

Montgomery was killed, Morgan and many of the Americans were made prisoners, and Arnold, who was severely wounded, retired to Sillery, three miles above Quebec.]

the 18. Nothing strange this day.

the 19. This day we heard that our men had taken a s.h.i.+p Loaded with Gunpowder the truth of it we have not yet Learned but we hope it will prove true.[205]

[Footnote 205: Several of the prizes captured by Manly and others contained powder and arms; and late in December, Colonel (afterward General) Knox arrived from Ticonderoga with forty-two sled-loads of cannons, mortars, lead, b.a.l.l.s, flints, &c. By the close of January, powder became quite plentiful in the American camp.]

the 20. Nothing remarkable this day.

the 21. Ditto.

the 22. Nothing strange.

the 23. Nothing remarkable.

the 24. This day capt Pond came from Wrentham Nothing remarkable.

the 25. Nothing remarkable this day.

the 26. Nothing very remarkable.

the 27. Nothing remarkable this day.

the 28. Nothing remarkable.

the 29. This day we moved to Dorchester into the widow Birds house.

the 30. Nothing strange this day.

the 31. Ditto.

FEBRUARY.

the 1. This day nothing remarkable.

the 2. Ditto.

the 3. Nothing Remarkable this day.

the 4. Ditto.

the 5. The Lobsters came out almost to copple hill and took 3 cows and killed them and were fired upon from copple hill and they were obligd to mak of Leaving their Booty behind them.

the 6. The melitious men[206] marched from Wrentham and arived in camp at Dorchester.

[Footnote 206: Militia-men.]

the 7. Nothing very remarkable this day.

the 8. Their was a number of our men went a Scating on the Bay near Bosston common and the Enemy fired upwards of a hundred small arms that did no damage.