The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775. Abraham Tomlinson
28th. Nothing remarkable only the scout came in that went out for 3 days.
Friday 29th. Nothing remarkable only very long orders &c.
Saturday 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.
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 grass 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.
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.
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.
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 Hampshier 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.
Saturday 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.
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 grass guard.
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 whore—our men came in from Fort Miller.
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.
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.
Saturday 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 Balls and Bum shells. 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.
Monday ye 23rd. I come of guard—Clerk Burrows began his Month with bess—at night 3 rigiments of Province men came down from ye Lake & Lodged in the wood near the uper Block House—a number of teames down from ye Lake Loaded with Artilliry stores.
Tuesday 24th. A number of teames started for ye Lake again—I received 2 Letters from Capt. Benjamin Lyon & 1 from Joshua—the Post came up yesterday to Fort Edward—This day our drawing & we had good pork—3 rigiments of Bay men moved down along which was Colonel Pribbels[89] Colonel Williams & Colonel Nichols.
Wednesday 25th. Jineral Abbacromba arived at Fort Edward near night and all our rigiment there were of duty were ordered to be out upon the perrade with their side arms on but the jineral for Bid it—Col.l Partrages rigiment came down & some of the Lather caps & stayed Here.
Thursday ye 26th. Stormy morning—snow pretty wet & raw cold—I went upon the pickit last night and had one Quort of rum for keeping sheep.
Friday 27th. Being lowry & wet one of our men Discharged home & sot of—Nathaniel Barnes a number of teams sot out for the Brook & returned again before son down.
Saterday 28th. Being stil cold all our men turned out to work son rise & that want a Nuf & they sent for every weighter[90] & every one that belongs to the rigiment—a number of teams sot out down Home ward & 3 of our company went with them viz. Sergt. Armsba Jonathan Child and Pain Convis—this after noon the orders came out that every setler[91] that Belongs to the Provinshols should Quit this place by the first of November.
Sonday ye 29th. Rany & wet—about 9 o clock in the morning Every man in the Rigiment that could go went to the falls[92] to help Draw down the battoes and very muddy it was.
Monday ye 30th. Being very pleasant in the morning we were all turned out after Battoes up to the falls & we went twice apeace.
Tuesday ye 31st. All our men turned out by the Revallies[93] Beating to go after Battoes & jineral Provorce[94] was out amongst our tents to help turn us out & he said it was the last work we should do that was flung up to day—I went upon the Quarter guard at noon and they got down all the Battoes.
Wednesday November ye 1st. Lowry & wet I come of guard our men all upon works &