USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Woburn > The history of Woburn, Middlesex County, Mass. from the grant of its territory to Charlestown, in 1640, to the year 1680 > Part 51
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9. Friday : marched on the East side of Hudson River, and lost in ye, wood; but we came to ye. River again : we made but one mile good, and went seven miles as we judged; and had to creep up the banks, and had like to have lost our horse : but at last we came to .... by ye. River, and lodged at Flat bush.
10. Took out store for one week 5 miles above Albany, and lodged in a barn.
11. Sunday : two sermons preached to the Soldiers. Abijah 3 had a sore throat : and we lodged in the said barn, which was every night full of Soldiers.
1 A son of Philip and Joanna Alexander, born at Woburn, 7 September, 1716. 2 " Mare named Popler." $ His brother Abijah, afterward Sheriff.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
12. Went over to Albany, and spent the rest of ye. day, and lodged in the barn again &c &c.
13. Tuesday : Spent all day again at Flat bush, and lodged in the said barn.
14. Wednesday : drawed up in the forenoon in order to march, and marched. In the afternoon; but I went up ye. River in a battow to the Half Moon, and camped very weary.
15. Thursday : marched from the Half Moon to Stillwater, and lodged.
16. Friday, marched from Stillwater to Salletoag,4 and camped: a mile or two beyond : we took stores for three days, and Abijah was some better. So went in Fort. . .
17. Saturday : from thence we went to Fort Miller, where we stayed one hour or two; and then we marched to Fort Edward by 5 oclock after- noon, and we camped in the woods.
18. Sunday : we stayed where we camped ye, night before; and we had two Sermons; and between Sermons I went over ye. river, and viewed Fort Edward, which was exceeding strong, commanded with a numerous artillery ; and I returned and heard a sermon, Sun 2 hours high. At night I went down to Fort Miller with 8 men, with a packet to Major Gage. And with 8 men came up in the battow. In the same evening by 11 o'clock came to my old Camp.
19. Monday : kept at our Camp still, and lodged.
20. Took out stores at Fort Edward, and divided some of them; and camped.
21. Wednesday; divided the rest of ye stores : a smart thunder shower.
22. Thursday, I went out in a Scout of three hundred after Indians, but we found none : so we returned after 4 or 5 hours scout at seven in ye. evening. A man whipt 10 lashes.
23. Friday, at our old encampments. 24. Saturday, Still at our en- campments.
25. Sunday : marched from Fort Edward to the Half Way Brook and camped. This morning, as we got to ye, Fort Edward, we heard a very smart firing half a mile in ye. wood. We thought yt. Major Rogers had found a party of ye. enemy; we expected a very smart fight : but ye. Gen- eral had given leave for four or five hundred Rangers to go out and hold a bush fight for ¿ of an hour.
26. Monday; rainy morning. Camped at the Half way Brook.
27. Tuesday. Some rain. Camped at the Half way Brook.
28. Wednesday. For these some days past we have much marching; and the men keep passing along for ye. engagement every day great num- bers. And this day I received a letter which caused me much joy. I had a letter from Mr. Snow that all was well; and Mr. Alexander came this day to the Half way Brook; and we camp'd within ye. Fort.
29. Thursday, three of my Mess went to ye. Lake with Capt. Jones : we camped in the Fort.
30. Friday, all day on guard in the Fort. Forces still on ye, march up to the Lake : great preparations every day. I sent a letter home.
' Saratoga.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
July 1. Saturday we camped in the Fort of Pickets : again I sent a let- ter home.
2. Sunday, I marched up to ye. Lake with 10 men, and came back to the Halfway Brook, and right back to ye. Lake again : and on our march there was a smart thunder shower, and we were all very wet; and when we came to camp, it rained; but we made a fire, and dryed us as well as we could, and camped about half a mile this side of the Lake.
Monday, In ye. morning, we marched down to the Lake, and fetched our men; and Col. Cummings had orders to stay with 500 men to keep at the Lake, and many of our men were uneasy and sorry : we camped where General Johnson had a fight with ye. enemy; and I went to see the ruins of ye. Fort, and all ye. entrenchments that the French dug; and I see where the bombs and bullets had cut down trees and dug holes.
4. Tuesday, camped where Gen1. Johnson had his fight .....
Wednesday, our Army set sail in battows for the Narrows; and the army consists of 25000 & 400 and odd men.
5. At 5 in the morning they mustered and set off as fast as they could; and we saw them till noon, and when they had got off, we struck our tents, and removed into the Fort William Henry, and set up our tents there and camped.
6. Thursday, in ye, afternoon, the Mohawks came in, and I was on guard all day. Sam1. Tay took a vomit, and was ill with a bloody Flux, and I was full of business all day.
7. Friday : The Mohawks set sail for the Narrows. Abijah was sick and took a vomit. I had scarcely time to cook, as the Hampshire forces came to us in the afternoon.
8. Saturday, Post came from the Narrows; and they brought Lord How 5 to ye. Fort, who was slain at their landing; and in ye, afternoon there came in 100 and odd men, French prisoners, into the Fort.
9. Sunday morning, In a surprise by bad news from the Narrows, and all day in a Concern; for sometimes we heard that our army was defeated, and then that they did prosper and gain ground; but on the whole, our army was forced to give over their trial for the Narrows, and return to our great astonishment & amazement, and with a great loss, among the old Countrymen in a special manner, and till our army came and landed at Fort William Henry, and brought in many wounded men, and so camped that night in confusion ; and the Mohawks brought in some scalps : yet our Provincials did not lose so many men as we feared we had lost. The Highlanders lost many men, and the Regulars lost many : the Jersey Blues lost many, and the Yorkers suffered in the loss of many men.
5 " Howe, George, lord viscount, was the eldest son of Sir E. Scrope, second lord viscount Howe in Ireland. He commanded five thousand British troops, which arrived at Halifax in July, 1757. In the next year, when Abercrombie proceeded against Ticonderoga, in an attack on the advanced guard of the French in the woods, Lord Howe fell on the first fire, in July 1758, aged 33. In him, says Mante, 'the soul of the army seemed to expire.' By his military talents and many virtues he had acquired esteem and affection. Massachusetts erected a monument to his memory in Westminster Abbey, at the expense of 250 pounds." Allen's Biog. Dict.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
10. Monday in the morning I went and viewed the wounded men; and some of them were dead, and some were taking on and complaining with pain : a wofull sight indeed, and all lay in confusion : and just at night we struck our tents, and moved out of ye Fort, and pitched where General Johnson had his fight.
11. Tuesday, unloaded all ye. Battows, and piled up the Stores, and camped.
12. Wednesday, took out five days allowance, and divided it to the Company ; flour, pork, beef and rice, and butter, and camped.
13. Thursday, struck our tents in ye. morning, and went with all our luggage about one mile (to the South West of the Fort) from where we camped, and could not find our ground where it was laid out; and we took out one day's allowance of fresh beef, and divided it to the Company, and camped ? at random here and there.
14. Friday, struck our tents in the morning, and went back to the Halfway Brook, and carried exceeding heavy packs .... ; was uneasy with moving so often; and when we came there, Capt. Tay's son was dead and was buried this evening; and we camped within the stockades.
15. Saturday, Fixed up our Fort, and uncle Josiah Wright 6 was ex- ceeding bad, and he died about four o'clock afternoon, and was buried about dusk, and I followed him to his grave as the nighest Relation he had there, and saw the last respects paid, and thanked them all for their service, and returned to our camps.
16. Sunday, Mr. Morrill preached two Sermons, (1.) from Psalm 37 & 7 verse, and (2.) Luke 16, v. 31. two fine sermons : aud Col. Gates' Regiment march by Half-way Brook to day to Fort Edwd : so we camped.
17. Monday forenoon we went out in a scout with 9 men; but we see nothing and returned : scouted in ye. afternoon, & sce nothing. I was not well; I had a bad spell. This night we were alarmed by ye. watch.
18. Tuesday, divided some stores : Mr. Ephraim Kendall 7 died : and there was a very smart thunder shower; 3 or 4 as hard claps as ever I heard; and a rainy afternoon : and Mr. Kendall was buried : myself not well.
19. Wednesday : some poorly, yet I went about and camped.
20. Thursday, in the morning, 10 men in a scout waylaid by the Indi- ans, and shot at and larmed the Fort, and a number of our men went out to assist them, and the enemy followed our men down to our Fort, and in their retreat, Capt. Jones and Lieut. Godfrey were killed, and Capt. Law- rence and Capt. Dakin, and Lieut. Curtis and Ensn. Davis, and two or three non-commissioned officers and privates, to the number of fourteeu men, who were brought into the Fort, all scalped but Ensn. Davis, who was killed within 20 or 30 rods from the Fort: and there was one grave dug, and all of them were buried together, the officers by themselves at one
" Josiah, son of Josiah and Ruth Wright, born 2 December, 1701. Esquire Thompson's mother, Ruth Wright, was a sister of the Josiah here mentioned as sick and dead.
7 Ephraim Kendall and Ruth Peirce, both of Wilmington, married 24 February, 1737. Wo- burn Records of Births, Marriages, etc.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
end, and the rest at the other end of the grave; and Mr. Morrill made a prayer at the grave, and it was a solemn funeral : and Nath1 Eaton died in the Fort and was buried; and we kept a very strong guard that night of 100 men. Haggit [and] William Coggin wounded.
A List of Men's names that were killed in this fight.
Capt. Ebenezer Jones of Wilmington
Capt. Dakin of Sudbury
Lieut. Samuell Curtice of Ditto.
Private Grout of do
Lieut. Simon Godfrey of Billerica
Capt. Lawrence of Groton
Corpl Gould of Groton Gore
Private Abel Satle [Sawtell] of Groton
Private Eleazer Eames of Groton
Do Stephen Foster Do.
Sergt. Oliver Wright, Westford
Private Simon Wheeler Do
Ensn. Davis of Methuen
Sergt. Russel of Concord
Private Abraham Harden [Harnden?] of Pembroke.
Private Payson of Rowley
Private Patterson
We have also an account that there are seven of our men carried into Ticonderoga, which make up the number of those that were missing.
21. Friday, in ye. forenoon, a party of about 150 went out to find more men that were missing, and we found 4 men who were scalped, and we buried them, and so returned : and at prayer this evening we were Laromed by a false outcry. Nicholas Brown died and was buried; and Moses Hag- git died.
22. Saturday, This morning Moses Haggit was buried: and we trenched half round ye. Fort this day a small trench. Our men are very poor, and we scarce could get men for work and for guard; but for my own part, I am very well.
23. Sunday : no preaching, for Mr. Morrill was very poor : and about one or two oclock, all our Camp got in an uproar, and some had slung their packs in order to march right off; and for my own part, I thought that they would have risen and marched right off; but our Colonels under- stood it, and went about in the Regiment, and spoke very sharp, and put them all to silence, and ordered them all to work again, in the afternoon; and so they left the flurry.
24. Monday, we had an eighteen pounder come to our Fort, and I worked. In ye afternoon we set another row of pickets round the Flanker. Nicholas Noyes died this night in the Fort.
25. Tuesday, all the fires are ordered out of fort, ovens excepted; and Nicholas Noyes was buried; and about noon order came to march right off from ye. Halfway Brook to the Lake, and we got up to the Lake at dark, and set up our tent, and lay warm, altho' it was a very rainy night.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
26. Wednesday : loitering all ye. forenoon : a little thunder shower; and we moved our tents, and set them up in a regular form, and so camped.
27. Thursday; worked all day making breast work; and all the Regi- ments move under arms at 9 and 5. that forenoon and afternoon.
28. Friday we went up 13 of us to peal bark about 8 miles toward the Narrows, and we got a considerable quantity for to make camp. And in the evening there came news that the Indians had killed a number of teams and their guard below ye. Halfway Brook; and there was a scout fitting to go after them, and that made a great confusion in the minds of men, for we knew not what was the reason of so great a noise in ye. camp.
29. Saturday : Flying news about ye. Scout that was gone out after those Indians that did the mischief: and in the night there came in a Post from Rogers.
30. Sunday, before day they did muster, and sent out seventy five men out of our Regiment, eleven out of our Company, who went a little after sunrise down the Lake, and what the News was, we could not tell; yet all sorts of camp news was brief " about. But when our men were gone, they set [sent ?] eleven more at one minute's warning, with 3 days provision, as those who were gone before, which did amount to 75 more out of our Reg- iment, and the number of men already gone is guessed to be nigh 1000 men, and ye. same number to be at one minute's warning with 3 days pro- vision ; yet there was but about 200 that went off about 2 oclock. 80 in Col. Nichols Regiment.
31. Monday, very rainy, and nothing but camp news all the forenoon; but fair in the afternoon, and in the evening there came in some of the men that went down the Lake.
August 1. [Tuesday]. Early in ye morning those men were ordered right down the Lake again : and about 80 of Col. Nichols' Regiment were ordered right down to ye Half way Brook, and I among the rest, and the whole number was about 800 men, who were stationed at the Half way Brook for a spell. Took 3 days provision : bread, pork.
2. Wednesday at the Half way Brook, a Post came and told us that Cape Breton was taken; and Gershom Flegg came up, and brought me a letter that all was well at home, which caused me much joy.
3. Thursday, orders that no man should ease himself in ye. Fort; and that the Roll must be called over, morning and evening; and a Scout of three or four hundred sent out after the Indians; and the duty is very hard for the men.
4. Friday. Took out 2 days stores, and divided it to the men : pork, bread, flour.
5. Saturday, a Scout sent out, but see nothing; duty very hard : and Colonel Fitch went down to Fort Edward with his Regiment: and some of our men were on duty twice in a day.
8 " Brief; " " a provincialism, in the sense of rife, common, or prevalent, in England, and the United States." Worcester's Dictionary.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
6. Sunday : took out 3 days stores and divided it: pork, bisket, butter, peas : and the rest of Col. Fitch's men went down to Fort Edward.
7. Monday, 20 odd men came from ye South Bay who were poor [poorly]; and said that Major Rogers will come away in a day or two.
8. Tuesday : all our men and [on ?] duty ; and news came from Major Rogers, and we sent 400 men to him, and 200 from above Fort Edward who were at work, 600 in all; and Capt. Brewer came down from ye Lake about 10 o'clock at night with 100 men.
9. Wednesday : about 10 o'clock we had more men come from Rogers, and he beat the enemy, and lost about men, and got 52 scalps, and came to Fort Edward, and brought in his wounded into Fort Edward.
10. Thursday : not much news. 11. Friday, about forty teams for the Lake from Fort Edward.
12. Saturday : fixed our things, and marched to Lake George, and camped there.
13. Sunday : 2 fine Sermons : and at noon Order for a Scout to go to the South Bay, and our men that were in the height [fight?] with Rogers, came in to us at the Lake from Fort Edward.
14. Monday : a large Scout of five or six hundred men sent out after the enemy ; some say, 1000 men : and just at night, a picquet guard raised, 50 men, in our Regiment.
15. Tuesday : I was on the picquet guard, and went to Half way Brook, and was wet.
16. Wednesday : a cold storm; and I worked to build me a house; and nothing remarkable.
17. Thursday; nothing remarkable. 18. Friday, we sold Beer; and nothing remarkable. 19. Saturday : nothing remarkable.
20. Sunday : I was on guard, and could not go to meeting : and it rained almost all day. 21. Monday : nothing remarkable.
22. Tuesday : the Scout came in, and a great number of teams just at night.
23. Wednesday : not well; nothing remarkable. 24. Thursday, not well, but kept about. Our Company was filled out.
25. Friday. A party drawed up to send out to the Half way Brook, and I went there, and was stated there; and the same day went half way to Fort Edward, and came back to Half way Brook.
26. Saturday ; on guard at the Half way Brook ; 14 men went up to ye. Lake alone, and came back well, all of them.
27. Sunday. On guard till 8 oclock in the morning ; and a number of teams, about 20, which went from Fort Edward to the Lake.
28. Monday, certified · that Cape Breton was taken, and 63 cannon shot at Fort Edward and small arms. In joy we made a great fire, and every soldier had a jill of Rum at the Half way Brook : and it was a very rainy night.
29. Tuesday : 140 of us went and made a breast work; and we had a jill of rum; and we had a remarkable drink of flip this evening : a very cold night. 30. Wednesday : nothing remarkable.
48
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
31. Thursday : full of camp news about going home.
September 1. Friday: Quite the reverse : for there came up two brass 24 pounders, and 21 teams loaded with shot, and other teams, to the num- ber of 70 teams ; and all the news is, go forward.
2. Saturday : I on guard; and the teams went up from here to the Lake; and a Scout went out for 7 days of 700 men.
3. Sunday : on guard till 8 oclock in the morning; and about noon Mr James Wyman came here, and we sent letters home by him: and there were 8 teams went up to the Lake this day.
4. Monday : nothing extraordinary only camp news, that the French are coming to take us : rainy night.
5. Tuesday : I on guard; and we earned half a jill of rum by making a great many bonfires.
6. Wednesday : on guard till 8 o'clock: news of a great scout of Indians.
7. Thursday : on escort down towards Fort Edward; and a great num- ber of teams up to the Lake. Joseph Russel 9 died yesterday.
8. Friday : the Scout came in, and we were relieved from the Half way Brook, and went up to the Lake, and came [camped ?] there.
9. Saturday : the picquet guard went to meet the teams; a Sergeant and four men went forward to tell Half way Brook guard that the picquet was coming; and the Indians shot the Sergeant and scalped him before one man got to him; and then the Indians ran away.
10. Sunday : on guard all day, the Quarter guard : and nothing remark- able.
11. Monday : on guard till 8 o'clock; and certified that Cateraguea was taken; and in token there were great fires made upon the high mountains round ye. Lake, a mile or two distant from Fort William Henry, and there was above 100 Cannon fired, and all the army fired 3 times round with small arms, and huzza'd, and threw up their hats; and it was a great day in ye. army.
12. Tuesday, we built up our chimney and . ... 13. Wednesday : not very well, but keep about. . . . Abijah is poor.
14. Thursday : both of us not well, but I keep about : and I heard it was Thanksgiving at the Bay. It was a rainy night, and we were all very poor &c.
15. Friday : I was very poor, but just keep about, and I took physick : Abijahı was poor, and Jesse Wyman was poor, and Lieut. Fassett died this night.
16. Saturday : Lt. Pearson, and his brother, and Serjt. Nichols got a pass home; and I was poorly. Lt. Fassett was buried : and this night I took pills for physick.
17. Sunday : not well, but keep about a little. Mr Morrill came up from Albany, and preached two sermons this day.
18. Monday : some better : pretty cold weather. Camp news about going home in 3 weeks; but all uncertain.
9 Joseph Russell, son of Joseph and Jane Russell, and grandson of John, Jr., and Eliza- beth Russell, born at Woburn, 22 September, 1713. Woburn Records.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
19. Tuesday : walked about down to the Lake, and see 'em fit up the bat- tows; and great preparations, and what it will amount to I know not : some better.
20. Wednesday : much better; and our Sutler had stores come up for the Regiment. Camp news.
21. Thursday : I was on the picquet guard, but went no where, and no remarkables : pretty warm weather for the season of the year.
22. Friday. Received 3 letters, that all was well at home : and this even- ing, two of Capt. Parker's [company) died very sudden, Mansfield and Ebenr. Knight : and the Half way Brook was relieved this day.
23. Saturday. I was on guard all day. Camp news brief. 70 or 80 teams come up. Jeremiah Blanchard, and John and Moses (Barns ?) came from Fort Edward &c.
24. Sunday : on guard till 8 o'clock; and Mr. Joshua Tompson set out for home. Mr. Morrill preached 2 sermons from 2. Cor. 4 & 18 all day : and just at night a Scout of 150 went down the Lake.
25. Monday : a party went to get hay; but we did not know where. John Richardson, James Wright, Salem Scipio 10 went; but we heard they went about 4 miles from the Lake; and there were 70 odd teams came up. Sam. Tidd took a vomit.
26. Tuesday : I on the picquet, but went no where.
27. Wednesday, the picquet went to Half way Brook, and our haying party came home. Sam Tidd poor &c and five teams and 7 or 8 wagons came up.
28. Thursday. I sawed some boards for to make me a house; and nothing remarkable. Camp news very brief. Sam. Tidd poor.
29. Friday : yesterday all the fires in the Camps ordered out of the Breast work from 8 oclock till sun down; and obeyed generally yester- day : and at night the Scout came in, who went out last Sunday.
30. Saturday : on the main guard on [L ?] Hill all day, and I kept time in the evening till 1 o'clock, and the Captain & the other Lieutenant the rest of the night; and a number of our men that were sick were viewed, and are to go away.
October 1. Sunday : on the main guard till 8 oclock : and Sam. Tidd poor; and I heard Mr Morrill preach in the afternoon [from] 97 Psalm, 1st verse : and much Camp news; and a Flag of Truce set out for the Nar- rows; and a number of our sick were sent off to day; and Abijah was something poor.
2. Monday : Sam1. Tidd poor; and a rainy afternoon; and Camp news very brief about going home &c and Mr Saml. Abbot died.
3. Tuesday : Mr Abbot buried; and Abijah and Sam. Tidd very poor. I worked on my house.
4. Wednesday : 'bijah and Sam. Tidd poor : I worked on my house : and very cold weather.
5. Thursday : very cold morning; and I worked on my house; and much Camp news ; and a party detached for Half way Brook to morrow.
10 A slave, often mentioned in Woburn Records by this name; from Salem, I suppose.
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APPENDIX, NO. IX.
6. Friday : a raw day; and our men went to relieve those at Half way Brook; and General Amherst came up yesterday, and our army was drawed up all round the Breast work for the new General to view this day, every Regiment by themselves. Sam. Tidd very poor.
7. Saturday : a pleasant day : Samll. Tidd very bad, and myself some poor & 'bijah; and some wagons came up.
8. Sunday. Samll. Tidd no better; 'bijah and I some better. Mr. Mor- rill preached this day [from] John 8. & 9 verse forenoon, and 2d Peter, 3 chapt. 10, 11, 12 verses afternoon.
9. Monday : Sam. Tidd very bad, and some of our men viewed, and Capt. Osgood and Wm. Coggin got a pass ; and Thomas Blanchard died this evening.
10. Tuesday : Capt. Osgood and Bill Coggin set out for home; and Sam. Tidd" died; and Thomas Blanchard and Sam. Tidd buried : a rainy night : on duty in the forenoon.
11. Wednesday : some poor for some days past, but I kept about : noth- ing remarkable.
12. Thursday : about 35 viewed, and got a pass to go home: and no remarkables.
13. Friday : on the main guard at the old Picquet Fort, and a regular Captain, both of us fifty men, 25 each : a rainy night, but I lay dry and warm by a good fire at night.
14. Saturday : on guard till eight o'clock in the morning : much camp news about going home next week &c.
15. Sunday : pretty cold weather. Mr. Morrill's text, 1 Kings, 8 chapter, 57, 58, 60 & 61 st. verses [in the forenoon] 26 Isaiah, 8, 9 verses, afternoon : and Mr. James Wyman came up and brought letters, that all was well at home.
16. Monday : about 30 of our Regiment got a pass to go home, and about 100 teams came up this day.
17. Tuesday : the teams carried the artillery down to Fort Edward, and a great number of waggons came up to carry away the Battows.
18. Wednesday, 100 Battows went down in ye morning, and Col. Wor- cester's regiment went down, and the teams and more waggons came up and loaded.
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