The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775 Part 4

[Footnote 75: Pomeroy.]

Monday 18th. I was to work over to the Block House and took my Farewel of working their & all our sick were drawd up & som dischargd.

Tuesday 19th. 4 of our company had a final discharge from the Campain & sot of home Seth Ba.s.sit Jonathan Corbin John Peak & Silas Hoges.

Wednesday 20th. Stil Here the main of us & Nothing remarkable only almost all our woodstock men came up & with great Joy we recived them & much more the things that were sent us, I receved a letter from Ben Lyon.

Thursday 21st. Nothing remarkable this day.

Friday 22nd. Our Woodstock Old melisha[76] sot out home & Lieutenant Smith & Corperal Peak & William Mercy & Samuel Leavins had a pa.s.s to Albany and went with them along down and Many more that did not Belong to our Company.

[Footnote 76: Militia.]

Sat.u.r.day 23d. Our Post came up and I received a Letter from home.

Sonday 24th. Mr. Pomry[77] preachd one sermon in the middle of the day so that the work men might Have som opportunity to hear som his text was in Ezekiel the 37 Chapter & 36 verce I was to work upon the Island & I heard part of the sermon.[78]

[Footnote 77: Pomeroy.]

[Footnote 78: The channel between Rogers's island, on which the great blockhouse was built, and Fort Edward, does not exceed two hundred feet in width.]

Monday 25. Nothing remarkable only Stephen Lyon got hurt Samuel Morris & Chub went down along to Albany.

Tuesday 26th. One scout went out for 3 days this day a great number of teams came down from the Lake.

Wednesday 27th. The Thompson men that came up to see us sot out for newingland and sergent Cromba had a pa.s.s to Albany & went down along.

Thursday 28th. Nothing remarkable only the scout came in that went out for 3 days.

Friday 29th. Nothing remarkable only very long orders &c.

Sat.u.r.day 30th. Nothing remarkable only the crissning[79] of the Royal Block House and the whole of our rigiment that were able went over to work and had a good frolick to drink the Men in Jeneral worked well at the intrenching round the Block House the trench 3 foot deep.

[Footnote 79: Christening.]

Sonday October ye 1st. Nothing remarkable but somthing very strange, & that is the Camps were so stil and no work going foward nor no prayers nor no sermon & a Jil of Rum into the Bargain this we had from the Jenerals our month promised to us yesterday Mr. Pomri went down to Seratoga to see his son that was sick and to day he come back &c.

Monday ye 2nd. All the rigiment that were able to work went over to the Block House besides what wos upon guard and they were divided into 4 parties and they that got don first was to have the Best fat sheep 1 sheep to each party I was upon the gra.s.s Guard & at night I found it very tedious Lying out for it stormed exceding hard all night.

Tuesday ye 3rd. Our mes being all of duty we made us up 2 Straw bunks for 4 of us to lay in and as it hapened we did it in a good time for it was a very cold night.

Wednesday ye 4th. Being very cold Corperal Sanger & Eliezer Child had a pas down to Albany & Likewise a small scout went for Number four & we made our chimney serjant Kimbal was broke and turned into the ranks.

Thursday 5th. Jeneral Ambross[80] arrived at Fort Edward about 12 a clock & immediately he went of to the Lake nothing more remarkable to day.

[Footnote 80: General Amherst.]

Friday 6th. Henry Lyon and Ephraim Ellinghood poorly and cleared from duty 3 men whipt about 3 hundred lashes apeace & 1 woman 2 & 50 Lashes on bear rump.

Saterday 7th. Our Picket went up toward the Half way brook to meet jeneral Ambros[81] & about 3 a clock he arrived at Fort Edward and at 2 a clock the picket went down with him again and his wagon & 6 horses.

[Footnote 81: Amherst.]

Sonday 8. In the fore noon all our men upon works in the afternoon we were aloud to attend meeting & Mr Pomy[82] Preached one sermon & his text was in Ezekiel 36 & 37 verce our family this day had a great rariryty for diner and that was a Bild Puden.

[Footnote 82: Pomeroy.]

Monday 9. Nothing remarkable among us this day.

Tuesday 10. I was upon Guard and a very stormy day & Night it was orders came out strickt that all fires should be put out by 8 of the clock in the morning and not to have no more til 6 at night & they that dont obey the orders are to have their chimney tore down & not to have no other during this campaign Colonel Fitch lost a Barrel of wine.

Wednesday 11th. Stil warm & wet som of our Rigiment discharged Home but none of our company.

Thursday 12. A very clear cold morning all our men upon works & upon guard that were able Colonel Harts Rigiment of the Hamps.h.i.+er march down to Fort Edward in order for Home.

Friday 13th. All our men upon works again to day 3 dischargd vis Richard jordin, Stephen Lyon & John Howlet, at night 300 of the Bay men came down sick & 2 of them that carrad their packs died in the night.

Sat.u.r.day 14th. All warned out upon works but the stormy wether defeted them in it the Regulars which came down from the Lake with us have orders to march next friday down along in order for their winter quorters at Hallefax[83] this night the sentry which stood at the Southerd of the store House spied a man a gitting of Flour and he haild him 3 times but he would not stop and the sentry fired but did not hit him & in his hurry he left his tom me hawk[84] & one shoe.

[Footnote 83: Halifax, Nova Scotia.]

[Footnote 84: Tomahawk.]

Sonday ye 15. Very cold all upon works & guard by son rise this evening their came in a great number of teams & Samuel Peak Brought the malancoly news of Stephen Childs being Kilde and skulpt[85] and another Captivated I was out upon the gra.s.s guard.

[Footnote 85: Scalped.]

Monday 16th. All upon works & all the teams sot of for the Lake 12 men taken from the quorter guard to guard teams this evening there came in a great number of waggons and hundred or better.

Tuesday 17th. Being very pleasant in the Morning then showery & wet all the rest of the day til 10 a clock at knight--about 12 oclock at night the teams came in with the Artillira--this day a number of our men went down to Fort Miller in battoes to carry the sick and Cap.ns Bag went down & the men stayed out.

Wednesday 18th. Being cold the teams sot out for the Lake--about 40 of the Kings waggons--this afternoon their was a Lobster[86] Corperel married to a Road Island wh.o.r.e--our men came in from Fort Miller.

[Footnote 86: British regular.]

Thursday 19th. Our rigiment was mustered by 9 a clock in the morning & our Brigade-major cald over the role of each company and after that we had a drink of flip[87] for working over at the Royal Block House--at one of the clock our men were all calld to work--A Court morshol held at Capt. Holmes tent & Captain Holmes President & at the role of the Pickit guard their was one Isac Ellis whipt 30 stripes--was to had 50--Col. Henmans[88] men came in loaded with Artillira stores.

[Footnote 87: A mixture of beer and rum, warmed by thrusting a hot iron into it.]

[Footnote 88: Hinman's.]

Friday 20th. Cold stil & our men all upon works--this afternoon Lieut.

Smith came up to us again from Green Bush, & Shubal child came to his team.

Sat.u.r.day ye 21st. Still cold--in the morning our men cald out to work by sonrise or before & 6 of our company viz. David Bishop Ephraim Ellingwood Samuel Mercey Nathaniel Abbott David Jewet and Drake marched of with their Packs--this night their came down a great number of teams from ye Lake here loded with cannon b.a.l.l.s and b.u.m sh.e.l.ls.

Likewise a number of sick came down.

Sonday 22. The teams set out for ye Lake again--I was upon the quarter guard--a large number of sick sot out for Home & it yet held cold & at night it cleared of very clear & stil but very fresing cold & a black frost.