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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/27306-8.txt b/27306-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..ac68d74 --- /dev/null +++ b/27306-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1422 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of +Chatham, Connecticut, by Abner Stocking + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut + detailing the distressing events of the expedition against + Quebec, under the command of Col. Arnold in the year 1775 + +Author: Abner Stocking + +Release Date: November 21, 2008 [EBook #27306] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note + + The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been + faithfully preserved. Only obvious typographical errors have been + corrected. + + +AN +INTERESTING +JOURNAL +OF +ABNER STOCKING +OF +CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT + +DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775 + +_Published by the relatives of Abner Stocking, now deceased_ + +CATSKILL, N.Y. +EAGLE OFFICE +1810 + +TARRYTOWN, N.Y. + +REPRINTED + +WILLIAM ABBATT +1921 + +BEING EXTRA NUMBER 75 OF THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WITH NOTES AND QUERIES + + + + +EDITOR'S PREFACE + + +We have already reprinted three journals of members of Arnold's famous +expedition to Quebec, (Dr. Senter's, Captain Topham's and Private +Morison's) and now present a fourth, written by Private Abner Stocking, +which has not before been printed since its original appearance in 1810. +Mr. Codman in his most valuable book on the Expedition, justly says of +these and similar journals: "They constitute an invariably interesting +body of historical material, which preserves unimpaired the quaint +individuality of their widely-diverse authors, and the unmistakable +color and atmosphere of a period which must always be of particular +importance to the students of American history." + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The reader cannot enter on the succeeding journal to advantage without +first being acquainted with the object of the expedition, the +circumstances under which it was undertaken, and the route marked out +for the army to pursue. + +In the month of June 1775 Gen. Schuyler was commissioned by Congress to +invade Canada through the lakes--to take possession of Ticonderoga and +Crown Point; and if practicable to proceed to St. Johns and besiege that +fortress. Should he succeed in getting possession of these posts on the +lakes, the way would be open to proceed on to Montreal and from thence +to Quebec, the capital of Canada. + +General Washington calculating on the success of General Schuyler, and +foreseeing that the whole force of Canada would be concentrated about +Montreal, projected an expedition against Quebec, by a detachment from +his camp before Boston, which was to march by the way of the Kennebeck +river, and passing through the dreary wilderness lying between the +settled parts of Maine and the St. Lawrence, and crossing the rugged +mountains and deep morasses which abound in that country, to penetrate +into Canada about ninety miles below Montreal. + +The object proposed by this hardy enterprise was to take possession of +Quebec, which all his accounts assured him was absolutely unable to hold +out against any considerable force, and would probably surrender without +firing a gun. + +This arduous enterprise was committed to Col. Arnold. About a thousand +men consisting of New-England infantry, some volunteers,[1] and a +company of artillery under Captain Lamb, and three companies of riflemen +were selected for the service. + +Notwithstanding the utmost exertions that could possibly be made, the +detachment could not commence their march until about the middle of +September 1775. + +Mr. Stocking, a native of Chatham, in Connecticut, was one of the little +band of patriots designed for this expedition. As he was a man capable +of making judicious observations, and a good penman, he was probably +appointed to keep a regular journal of the events of each day during +this distressing campaign. + +The detachment commenced their march from Cambridge, near Boston on the +23rd of September, at which time and place Mr. Stocking began his +journal. + +[Illustration] + + + + +AN +INTERESTING +JOURNAL +OF +ABNER STOCKING +OF +CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT + +DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775 + +_Published by relatives of Abner Stocking, now deceased_ + + + + +JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING + + AS KEPT BY HIMSELF, DURING HIS LONG AND TEDIOUS MARCH THROUGH THE + WILDERNESS TO QUEBEC, UNTIL HIS RETURN TO HIS NATIVE PLACE. + + +All things being in readiness for our departure, we set out from +Cambridge, near Boston, on the 13th Sept. at sunset, and encamped at +Mistick at eight o'clock at night. We were all in high spirits, +intending to endure with fortitude, all the fatigues and hardships, that +we might meet with in our march to Quebec. + +September 14th. This morning we began our march at 5 o'clock and at +sunset encamped at Danvers, a place twenty miles distant from Mistick. + +The weather through the day was very sultry and hot for the season of +the year. The country through which we passed appeared barren and but +thinly inhabited. + +September 15th. This morning we marched very early, and encamped at +night within five miles of Newbury Port. The inhabitants who visited us +in our encampment expressed many good wishes for our success in our +intended enterprise. + +September 16th. Zealous in the cause, and not knowing the hardships and +distresses we were to encounter, we as usual began our march very +early.--At eight o'clock we arrived at Newbury Port where we were to +tarry several days and make preparations for our voyage. We were here to +go on board vessels which we found lying ready to receive us, and carry +us to the mouth of the Kennebeck. The mouth of the Kennebeck river is +about thirty leagues to the eastward of Newbury Port. + +September 17th. We are still at Newbury Port and are ordered to appear +at a general review. + +We passed the review with much honor to ourselves. We manifested great +zeal and animation in the cause of liberty and went through with the +manual exercise with much alacrity. + +The spectators, who were very numerous, appeared much affected. They +probably thought we had many hardships to encounter and many of us +should never return to our parents and families. + +September 18th. We this day embarked at six o'clock in the afternoon. +Our fleet consisted of eleven sail, sloops and schooners. Our whole +number of troops was 1100--11 companies of musketmen and three companies +of riflemen. We hauled off into the road and got ready to weigh anchor +in the morning if the wind should be favorable. + +September 19th. This morning we got under way with a pleasant breeze, +our drums beating, fifes playing and colours flying. + +Many pretty Girls stood upon the shore, I suppose weeping for the +departure of their sweethearts. + +At eleven o'clock this day we left the entrance of the harbor and bore +away for Kennebeck river. In the latter part of the night, there came on +a thick fog and our fleet was separated. At break of day we found +ourselves in a most dangerous situation, very near a reef of rocks. The +rocks indeed appeared on all sides of us, so that we feared we should +have been dashed to pieces on some of them. We were brought into this +deplorable situation by means of liquor being dealt out too freely to +our pilots.--Their intemperance much endangered their own lives and the +lives of all the officers and soldiers on board; but through the +blessing of God we all arrived safe in Kennebeck river. + +September 20. This day was very pleasant, and with a gentle breeze we +sailed and rowed 30 miles up the Kennebeck river. By the evening tide we +floated within 6 miles of Fort Western, where we were obliged to leave +our sloops and take to our batteaus. + +September 21. This day we arrived at Fort Western, where we tarried +until the 25th in order to make farther preparation for our voyage up +the river, and our march through the wilderness. + +While remaining in this place I was called to witness a scene which to +me was awful and very affecting; the more so I presume as it was the +first of the kind I ever beheld. A civil, well behaved and much beloved +young man, belonging to Captain Williams' company, was shot. He lived +but about twelve hours, and died in great horror and agony of mind at +the thought of going into eternity and appearing before his God and +judge. He was from the north parish of New-London and had a wife and +four or five children. + +The supposed murderer was James McCormick. The circumstances of his +being out all night, and his guilty looks and actions, were pretty +convincing proof against him. He was tryed by a Court-Martial and +sentenced to be hanged until dead, his gallows erected, and all things +prepared for his execution. Our Chaplain conversed with him respecting +his crime, the awful punishment he was soon to suffer, and the more +awful and never ending punishment that would await him in the eternal +world if he did not repent and believe in Christ. He would not confess +himself guilty of intentionally murdering the young man; but that he +intended to have killed his captain, with whom he had the night before a +violent quarrel. He was brought to the gallows, a prayer made, and the +time for his execution almost arrived, when Colonel Arnold thought best +to reprieve him and send him to General Washington. I have been +informed, that he died in gaol before the day of his execution arrived. + +September 25th. Early this morning, we embarked on board our batteaus +and proceeded on our way. We labored hard through the day and found +ourselves at night but about 7 miles from the place of our departure. +The current began to be swift. We encamped at night by the edge of a +cornfield and fared very sumptuously. + +September 26th. This day we started very early and made our encampment +at evening 4 miles below Fort Halifax. We began to experience great +difficulty from the increasing rapidity of the current, and the water +becoming shoal. + +September 27th. This day we carried our batteaus and baggage round +Ticonnick falls. The land carriage was only about 40 rods. After +launching in again and getting our provisions and baggage on board, we +pushed against the stream on our way about three miles. + +September 28th. This day we proceeded 8 miles but with great difficulty. +The stream was in some places very rapid and shoal, and in others so +deep that those who dragged the boats were obliged to nearly swim. We +encountered these hardships and fatigues with great courage and +perseverance from the zeal we felt in the cause. When night came on, wet +and fatigued as we were, we had to encamp on the cold ground. It was at +this time that we inclined to think of the comfortable accommodations we +had left at home. + +September 29th. This day we arrived to the second carrying place, called +Skowhegan falls. Though this was only 60 rods over, it occasioned much +delay and great fatigue. We had to ascend a ragged rock, near on 100 +feet in height and almost perpendicular. Though it seemed as though we +could hardly ascend it without any burden, we succeeded in dragging our +batteaus and baggage up it. + +September 30th. After getting over the carrying place, we found the +water more still. We proceeded 5 miles and at sundown encamped in a most +delightful wood, where I thought I could have spent some time agreeably +in solitude, in contemplating the works of nature. The forest was +stripped of its verdure, but still appeared to me beautiful. I thought +that though we were in a thick wilderness, uninhabited by human beings, +yet we were as much in the immediate presence of our divine protector, +as when in the crowded city. + +October 1st. This day we proceeded with unusual perseverance, but as the +water was exceedingly rapid, we could advance but slowly. It was but a +small part of the way that any thing could be done by rowing, or +setting. While one took the batteau by the bow, another kept hold of the +stern to keep her from upsetting, or filling with water. Thus our +fatigues seemed daily to encrease. But what we most dreaded was the +frost and cold from which we began to suffer considerably. + +October 2d. This day we carried over Norridgewock falls, one mile and a +quarter. At night we encamped at a place formerly inhabited by the +natives and afterwards by the French and Indians; the former had erected +a mass house for their devotions, but had deserted it at the time the +New England forces made great slaughter among them in the French war. A +few inhabitants were now living here, who rendered us some assistance. +The temple of worship contained some curiosities, such as crosses &c. We +took up our lodgings here for the night and were much pleased with our +accommodations. The place had the appearance of once having been the +residence of a considerable number of inhabitants. + +October 3d. Having had some better refreshment than usual, we pushed on +our way with increased resolution. We had now taken leave of the last +inhabitants. The remainder of our route was to be through a trackless +wilderness. We now entered a doleful barren woods; the timber mostly +pine and hemlock--some thick patches of spruce and fir, and some groves +of sugar-maple. + +One of the riflemen of Captain Hendricks' company this day killed a +young Moose, which weighed about 200 lbs. + +October 4th. This day with much exertion we got forward 8 miles, to +Tentucket, or Hell-gate falls, which are of astonishing height, and +exhibit an awful appearance. At the foot of the falls we found fine +fishing for salmon trout. The land carriage here was but about 40 rods +but very difficult to effect. + +October 5th. This day we pushed up the river about eight miles. The +stream decreased very fast and we were again much troubled with shoal +water. + +October 6th. This day we advanced about 7 miles. Our difficulties +encreased, but our fortitude and patriotism did not fail us. We felt +determined to do something for the freedom and welfare of our country +before we returned. + +October 7th. This day we reached the head of Kennebeck river. Here was a +carrying place of three and a half miles through a wilderness without +any tract to guide us. + +October 8th. We this day were detained by a storm, from which we had but +very little to shelter us as we had but few tents and the trees were +stripped of their leaves. + +October 9, 10 and 11th. These three days we were employed in carrying +our batteaus, provisions and baggage over this long and difficult +carrying place. Some were employed in cutting and clearing a road, and +others in carrying. We had to go through swamps and quagmires--much of +the way knee deep in mud and water. We here left behind everything which +we did not deem absolutely necessary to our journey. Our pork we took +from the barrels and strung it on poles, leaving the barrels behind. In +the afternoon of the 11th, we launched our boats into a pool of +considerable extent, crossed over it, and encamped on the west side. + +October 12 and 13. We carried our batteaus and baggage three quarters of +a mile to another pond, one mile over--then to a third, two miles +over,--Though the water was now very cold, we caught trout in these +ponds in great abundance. + +Between these ponds we built a block-house, and gave it the name of Fort +Meigs, designed for our sick, in case they should return this way. We +viewed with much anxiety winter approaching--we had some snow squalls +through the day. + +October 14 and 15th. These two days we were diligently employed in +carrying our batteaus, provisions, &c. to Dead river. Our hardships were +greater than on any preceding day--the land carriage was four miles; one +mile of which was a sunken marsh. Four men were assigned to each +batteau--under the weight of their loads they almost every step sunk to +their knees in mud, and were entangled in the low shrubbery. We arrived +at the bank of Dead river at 3 o'clock and proceeding one mile up said +river by sunset, took up our encampment for the night. On our right and +left were excessively high mountains, the summits of which were covered +with snow and ice. Could I have ascended to the top of one of these +mountains I thought I could have overlooked all creation. The land +between the mountains appeared to be very rich and fertile--wild grass +covered the ground, four or five feet in height, and served us a good +purpose for covering for the night. + +October 16th. The water now being deep and dead, we betook ourselves to +our oars and rowed up 6 miles. The river is so remarkably still and +dead, that it is difficult to determine which way it runs. It is on an +average about 4 rods in width and the banks of it very steep. + +October 17th. After passing over a small carrying place of 16 rods we +rowed 16 miles up the river through still deep water; the land on each +side to appearance very good. + +October 18th. This day we rowed 20 miles and passed a short carrying +place. The river is very crooked and the water deep. We discovered on +the bank of the river an old Indian hut, built as we supposed for +hunting. Many bones of animals lay round the hut, and there was a +clearing of about one acre. + +October 19th. This day we passed four carrying places and advanced but +five miles. We were detained by the great rains that fell which drenched +us sorely as we had but very little to cover us. The weather grew cold +and we had nothing better to screen us from the air, than hemlock +boughs. + +October 23d. The water growing shallow and rapid we were obliged to take +to our setting poles, we pushed with them 10 miles this day. The water +daily decreased as we approached towards the head of the stream, and +land on each side of us was mountainous and barren. + +October 24. This day our afflictions increased, fear was added to +sorrow. We found to our astonishment that our journey was much longer +than we expected; what was more alarming, our provisions were growing +scant. Some of our men appeared disheartened, but the most of them, with +Col. Arnold stood firm and resolute. They were ready to encounter yet +greater hardships for the good of their country. + +At this critical and alarming crisis a council was called to consider +what was most prudent to be done. They determined to send back +immediately the disabled and the sick, with provisions sufficient to +carry them to the first inhabitants on the Kennebeck river. They also +determined to send a party forward to the nearest settlement in Canada +to procure provisions and return to meet the army with all possible +expedition. Captain Oliver Hanchet, with one subaltern and fifty +privates set out with ten days provisions, each man taking 10 pints of +flour and 5 lbs of pork. The sick, forty in number, went back. We then +pushed forward with all possible speed. We gained nine miles against the +stream this day, but suffered from losses, on the account of which we +felt greatly distressed. Several of our boats were upset by the rapidity +of the stream, and much of our provisions, cloathing, ammunition, and +some money were lost. + +October 25th. This morning we proceeded on our way very early: the +weather was somewhat cold, as it snowed most of the night. The thickets +of spruce and fir were covered and exhibited a gloomy aspect. + +To add to our discouragements, we received intelligence that Colonel +Enos who was in our rear, had returned with three companies, and taken +large stores of provisions and ammunition. These companies had +constantly been in the rear, and of course had experienced much less +fatigue than we had. They had their path cut and cleared by us; they +only followed, while we led. That they therefore should be the first to +turn back excited in us much manly resentment. Our bold though +unexperienced general discovered such firmness and zeal as inspired us +with resolution. The hardships and fatigues he encountered, he accounted +as nothing in comparison with the salvation of his country. + +October 26th. Setting out very early this day we passed on with great +resolution: we passed thro' four several ponds with outlets leading from +one to the other. The course through these ponds, I should judge was +nearly N.W. The land apparently very barren--the timber consisting +chiefly of fir, spruce, hackmetack and hemlock. The ponds were large and +deep; one of them I should judge was three miles in length and one in +breadth. + +October 27th. This day we crossed a pond, one fourth of a mile over, and +soon came to another two miles in width. In this pond we caught plenty +of trout. We had now come to the great carrying place, 4 miles and 50 +perches over. + +As we were all greatly fatigued, it was resolved to leave here most of +our batteaus, which had already been reduced from 10 to 6 to each +company--but 6 I think were carried from this place. We overhauled our +ammunition and found most of our powder damaged and unfit for use; all +of this description we destroyed on the spot. + +The last pond we crossed, appeared to be the head of Dead river, or +rather as some suppose, the fountain from which Kennebeck river takes +its first rise, that and the Dead river being one and the same. The +river from the place where we left the Kennebeck, (so-called) to the +place where we entered the Dead river making a long crooked circuitous +route. We now appeared to be on the height of land, and to be several +hundred feet higher than when we were at Fort Western. + +October 28th. We this day passed the height of land. We then divided our +provisions which we found did not exceed 4 pounds of flour and 40 ounces +of pork to a man. We were in a meadow by the side of a small stream, +running N.E. into Chaudiére lake. We sent our batteaus down this creek +and a little before sunset we had the inexpressible satisfaction to meet +a messenger we had sent into Canada to find out the disposition of the +inhabitants and know whether we should be well received. He was the +bearer of good tidings, he assured us that we should be kindly received +and furnished with provisions--He brought some fruit to Colonel Arnold, +sent him by a lady, as a token of friendship and fidelity. Our joy on +this occasion was too great to be suppressed. The whole valley was made +to ring with our exultations. Our worthy Major Meigs was exceedingly +elevated, and expressed such zeal and animation in the glorious cause of +his country as revived the drooping spirits of all the soldiery. We were +now to leave the remainder of our batteaus--what little we had to carry +we put into our knapsacks, the whole of the detachment having now orders +to march and make the best of their way to Chaudiére river. We returned +unto the rising ground and encamped for the night. + +October 29th. Very early this morning, we left our encampment on the +rising ground and began descending towards an ocean of swamp that lay +before us. We soon entered it and found it covered with a low shrubbery +of cedar and hackmetack, the roots of which were so excessively +slippery, that we could hardly keep upon our feet. The top of the ground +was covered with a soft moss, filled with water and ice. After walking a +few hours in the swamp we seemed to have lost all sense of feeling in +our feet and ankles. As we were constantly slipping, we walked in great +fear of breaking our bones or dislocating our joints. But to be +disenabled from walking in this situation was sure death. We travelled +all day and not being able to get through this dismal swamp, we +encamped. I thought we were probably the first _human_ beings that ever +took up their residence for a night in this wilderness--not _howling +wilderness_, for I believe no wild animals would inhabit it. + +October 30. This morning we started in great haste and soon got through +the swamp. From the time we had been travelling in it, we judged it to +be about 7 miles in width; of its length from east to west I can give no +account. + +On leaving the swamp we had to pass a river two rods over and about +three feet in depth. The water was excessively cold. As we had this day +to make our way through thickets, and low sunken marshes, our progress +was but slow. + +During the fore part of the day we steered E.N.E. but thinking we were +bearing too much to the east, we changed our course to W.N.W. which +soon brought us in sight of a large pond or lake, which we supposed +communicated with Chaudiére lake. We encamped about half a mile from the +lake. Our march this day we supposed was about 20 miles. + +October 31st. This morning we began our march very early and pushed on +with all speed, for the head of Chaudiére river; at 11 o'clock we passed +it. We here came up with Captain Morgan's company, which had gone before +us. We learnt to our great sorrow, that in attempting to go down the +river in their batteaus, which they brought to this place, they were +carried down by the rapidity of the stream and dashed on rocks; that +they had lost most of their provisions and that a waiter of Captain +Morgan was drowned. + +Their condition was truly deplorable--they had not when we came up with +them a mouthful of provisions of any kind, and we were not able to +relieve them, as hunger stared us in the face. Some of us were entirely +destitute and others had but a morsel of bread, and we now supposed +ourselves 70 miles from the nearest inhabitants. Some of Captain +Morgan's company we were told had perished with the cold. + +November 1st. Our fatigue and anxiety were so great that we were but +little refreshed the last night by sleep. We started however very early, +hungry and wet. Knowing that our lives depended on our speedy arrival to +an inhabited country, we marched very briskly all day and even until +late in the evening. We then encamped in a fine grove, but in a starving +condition. Captain Goodrich's company had the good fortune to kill a +large black dog, that providentially came to them at that time. They +feasted on him heartily without either bread or salt. Our hunger was so +great that many offered dollars for a single mouthful of bread. Such +distress I never before felt, or witnessed. I anxiously turned my +thoughts back to my native land, to a country flowing with milk and +honey. I was surprised that I had so lightly esteemed all the good +things which I there once enjoyed. Little thought I, do we know of the +value of the common blessings of Providence, until we are deprived of +them. With such reflections I laid myself down on the cold, wet ground, +hungry and fatigued. + +November 2d. When we arose this morning many of the company were so weak +that they could hardly stand on their legs. When we attempted to march, +they reeled about like drunken men, having now been without provisions +five days. As I proceeded I passed many sitting, wholly drowned in +sorrow, wishfully placing their eyes on every one who passed by them, +hoping for some relief. Such pity-asking countenances I never before +beheld. My heart was ready to burst and my eyes to overflow with tears +when I witnessed distress which I could not relieve. The circumstances +of a young Dutchman, and his wife, who followed him through this +fatiguing march, particularly excited my sensibility. They appeared to +be much interested in each others welfare and unwilling to be separated, +but the husband, exhausted with fatigue and hunger fell a victim to the +king of terrors. His affectionate wife tarryed by him until he died, +while the rest of the company proceeded on their way. Having no +implements with which she could bury him she covered him with leaves, +and then took his gun and other implements and left him with a heavy +heart. After travelling 20 miles she came up with us. + +Just at evening this day, we met cattle coming up the river, sent us for +our relief. This was the most joyful sight our eyes ever beheld. The +French people who drove them informed us that Colonel Arnold had arrived +in their settlement two days before, with the advance party, and had +purchased cattle as soon as possible and sent them on. + +A cow was immediately killed and cut open in great haste; a small calf +being found in her, it was divided up and eaten without further +ceremony. I got a little piece of the flesh, which I eat raw with a +little oat meal wet with cold water, and thought I feasted sumptuously. + +November 3d. This day we proceeded on down the river about 20 miles, +waiding several small rivers, some of which were up to our middles. The +water was terrible cold as the ground was at this time covered with snow +and ice. At evening we came in sight of a house which was the first we +had seen for the space of 31 days. + +Our joy was inexpressible in breaking out of that dismal wilderness in +which we had been so long buried, and once more beholding a country +inhabited by human beings; it was like being brought from a dungeon to +behold the clear light of the sun. + +The French people received us with all the kindness we could wish, they +treated our sick with much tenderness, and supplied us with every thing +they could for our comfort. They seemed moved with pity for us and to +greatly admire our patriotism and resolution, in encountering such +hardships for the good of our country. But they were too ignorant to put +a just estimate on the value of freedom. + +November 4. Last night we got a plenty of good beef and potatoes, but +little bread could be procured. It snowed most of the night and the +weather was cold. After marching down the river about 10 miles, we began +to get such necessaries as we wanted; such as bread, milk, eggs, butter +and most kinds of sauce.[2] To be supplied with these articles, of which +we had been so long deprived was a great luxury. + +The kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants, was to us very +pleasing. After having been lately our enemies, at war with us, we did +not expect to experience from them to much friendship. + +Had we been in New-England among people of our own nation, we should +not, I think, have been treated with more kindness. They readily +supplied us with whatever they had to spare, and discovered much +tenderness towards those of our company who were sick, or feeble. I last +night lodged in a _house_, which I had not done before for 39 days. + +November 5. We continued our march down the river. The people continued +to be hospitable, with some few exceptions. Knowing our need of their +articles, some of them would extort from us an extravagant price. We +chose to live mostly on bread and butter and milk, having but little +relish for meat, and supposing it not to be healthy food after fasting +so long. + +November 6. This day we come up with Colonel Arnold and the advanced +party at St. Mary's. At two o'clock we marched off together, and +continued on the road until 12 o'clock at night. The roads were very bad +by means of the great rains and snows that had fallen--we most of the +way waded half leg deep in the mud and water. Though we were very +industrious through the day and half of the night, we marched but 17 +miles. + +November 7. We this day marched down the river about 3 miles and halted +until night. + +We now had arrived before the city of Quebec, to take which by surprise +was the great object of our expedition. + +A Lieutenant with 20 men was sent forward to see if our way was clear. +At 2 o'clock at night the advanced party reached the St. Lawrence and +halted. In the morning we perceived we were in fair view of Quebec, +nothing but the river separating us. + +November 8. We took up our residence in houses along the south side of +the river St. Lawrence, and remained until the 13th waiting for the +sick, the halt and feeble, who had been left behind at different places +to come up. By the 13th all had arrived who were to be expected; many we +learnt, to our great sorrow, had perished by the way. + +When a general muster was made, and all appeared who had survived the +perils of the wilderness, a more pitiful and humorous spectacle was +exhibited than I had ever before seen. + +In our long and tedious march through the wilderness, it was not with us +as with the children of Israel, _that our cloathes waxed not old_, ours +were torn in pieces by the bushes, and hung in strings--few of us had +any shoes, but moggasons made of raw skins--many of us without +hats--and beards long and visages thin and meager. I thought we much +resembled the animals which inhabit New-Spain, called the Ourang-Outang. +The French appeared a little surprised at the first sight of us; and had +not Colonel Arnold gone forward to apprise them of our approach, they +might have fled from their habitations. + +In coming to this place we passed several very pretty villages, +ornamented with handsome churches for worship. We discovered some people +of fashion, living in good style, but most of the inhabitants appeared +ignorant and to have but little ambition. + +November 7. This day we were very busy in preparing to cross the river +at night; we had collected a great number of Canoes, some of them made +of bark by the Indians; but most of them of large pine logs. When night +approached, we began to cross, and made our first landing at a place +called Wolfe's Cove. We directly ascended a steep bank and paraded on +the plains of Abraham, where we found a plenty of barracks which had +been erected for the use of the British troops and were then unoccupied. +Several of the bark canoes in crossing upset, by which accident we lost +some muskets, and baggage, but no lives, though some of us very narrowly +escaped.--Most of the troops were over by day break; those who crossed +after were fired upon by the _Lizard_, a British frigate that lay in the +river, but received no damage. + +November 14. We now had in our possession the midshipman of the +_Lizard_, and several other prisoners, which we had taken on the south +side of the river. The frigate fired upon us in our encampment; but she +was at too great a distance to do us any injury. We this day took a +prisoner near our encampment--supposed to be a spy. We let him and our +other prisoners, every day walk on parole. + +The weather being very cold, we quit our barracks and took up our +residence in houses, built for the King's officers, which they evacuated +on our approach. We remained here until the 21st, during which time we +received intelligence that there were not more than 100 regular troops +in the city--some sailors, and a few newly enlisted troops from +Newfoundland; in all not exceeding 400 under arms. This intelligence was +soon contradicted. A servant of Colonel Arnold's who had been taken +prisoner and made his escape gave us a very different account: he stated +that the inhabitants and King's troops exceeded 800 under arms; our +whole force at that time not exceeding 500, and the most of our +ammunition spent. + +We this day lost one of our sentry, next the walls of the city. He was +treacherously decoyed and taken. This event soon rallied all our +detachment. We marched on to that place of the plains where Wolfe fought +his battle, in sight of the city walls. Our troops were drawn up in +battle array and we gave them a challenge for a field battle, our +riflemen forming our right wing. Though much superior to us in numbers +and better provided with arms and ammunition, they declined an +engagement. They fired on us from the fort, and as they were in a +situation in which we could not attack them, we did not choose to stand +merely to be shot at: we deliberately retreated, and soon got beyond +reach of their balls. + +From this time no special event occurred for the space of seven days. We +began to be in a very distressed situation, as the weather was +continually growing cold and we were almost naked, crowded together in +heaps, and nearly out of provisions--add to this we were in an enemies +country, almost destitute of ammunition, near to a force much superior +to our own and without a prospect of any reinforcements. + +November 21. We were informed that the citizens of Quebec in conjunction +with the soldiery, were determined to attack us the next morning having +heard that our ammunition was very nearly expended. We judged it not +prudent to hazard a battle with so little ammunition as we had on hand, +our officers therefore determined on a retreat the night ensuing. + +About 4 o'clock in the morning we began our retreat and effected it in +good order undiscovered by the enemy. We made no stops until we arrived +at Point aux Tremples, 20 miles. Most of the soldiers were in constant +misery during their march, as they were bare footed and the ground +frozen and very uneven. We might have been tracked all the way by the +blood from our shattered hoofs. + +In a few days after we arrived at Point aux Tremples, we were joined by +General Montgomery with about twelve hundred of the York forces from +Montreal. They brought with them a good supply of ammunition, clothing +and provisions taken from the King's stores at that place and from +eleven sail vessels which had been captured in the lakes. General +Montgomery brought on likewise implements necessary for carrying on a +seige against the city of Quebec. We lost no time in making every +necessary preparation for our return, and on the morning of the 5th of +December, took up our line of march and at evening arrived at the +encampment we had precipitately left on the plains of Abraham. + +Before we arrived, however, Governor Carlton had entered the town and +was making every preparation for vigorous defence. The garrison now +consisted of about fifteen hundred men of whom eight hundred were +natives, and between four and five hundred seamen. Our whole force fit +for service, was about one thousand men. + +General Montgomery endeavored to frighten the garrison to surrender: he +addressed a letter to the governor, giving an exaggerated account of his +own strength and resources and demanded him to surrender. But Carlton +who was an experienced, wary general, was not to be frightened. He +persisted in his determination to hold no communication with Montgomery, +and fired on the flag. + +Our situation was such as would have disheartened any general of common +resolution. The intense cold had set in, and we were unaccustomed to the +hardships of an ordinary campaign. Besides, the time of service with +most of us under Arnold was nearly out. But notwithstanding all +discouragements, General Montgomery was determined to commence the +siege. In a few days we opened a six gun battery within about seven +hundred yards of the walls, but our artillery was too light to make a +breach, and I believe the officers did not calculate on any effect from +it,--the object was to amuse the enemy and conceal our real design. The +intention of General Montgomery was to commence an assault. Before he +undertook however, this hazardous and daring project, it was necessary +to have the approbation of all the officers and soldiers. After +conferring with each officer separately on the subject and bringing all +to approve of the plan, he addressed himself to the soldiers, many of +whom appeared unwilling to attempt so daring an enterprize; especially +those of us who belonged to Arnold's corps. We had taken some disgust to +our general, as he was for maintaining more rigid discipline than we +were willing to submit to. But when he stated the great object that +would be gained by getting possession of Quebec, and that it would +probably lead to peace and the acknowledgement of independence, the fire +of patriotism kindled in our breasts, and we resolved to follow wherever +he should lead. + +The attempt to storm a place so strongly fortified, I thought was rash +and imprudent, but did not think proper to make any objections, lest I +should be considered wanting in courage. The back side of the town, next +the country, was guarded by a wall from 25 to 40 feet in height and 20 +feet thick; this is called the lower town. The upper town is situated +on a rock one hundred feet above this. The ascent from the lower to the +upper town is very steep and strongly fortified with pickets and gates. +The front of the town bordering on the river is almost inaccessable, and +strongly fortified by nature and art. But our heroic General seemed +resolved on victory or death, and no difficulties were too great for him +to encounter. While he was making the necessary preparations for the +assault, the garrison received intelligence of his intention from a +deserter. This circumstance induced him to change the plan of his +attack, which had been, originally, to attack both the upper and lower +towns at the same time. The plan now resolved on was, to divide the army +into four parts, and while two of them, consisting of Canadians under +Major Livingston, and a small party under Major Brown, were to distract +the attention of the garrison by making two feints against the upper +town, at St. Johns and Cape Diamond; the other two, led, the one by +Montgomery in person, and the other by Arnold, were to make real attacks +on opposite sides of the lower town. After gaining possession of the +lower town, it would yet have been extremely difficult to conquer the +obstacles to be surmounted in forcing their way to the upper town; but +as all the wealth of the city would then have been in their power, it +was confidently expected that the inhabitants, to secure their property, +would compel the governor to capitulate. + +Between four and five in the morning, the signal was given; and the +several divisions moved to the assault, under a violent storm of snow. +The plan was so well concerted that from the side of the river St. +Lawrence along the fortified front round to the bason, every part seemed +equally threatened.--Montgomery, at the head of the New York troops, +advanced along the St. Lawrence by the way of Aunce de Mére, under Cape +Diamond. The first barrier to be surmounted on this side was at the +Pot-Ash. It was defended by a battery in which were mounted a few pieces +of artillery, about two hundred paces in front of which was a +block-house and picket. The guard placed at the block-house, being +chiefly Canadians, having given a random and harmless fire, threw away +their arms and fled in confusion to the barrier. + +Unfortunately, the difficulties of the route rendered it impossible for +Montgomery instantly to avail himself of this first impression. Cape +Diamond, around which he was to make his way, presents a precipice, the +foot of which is washed by the river, where enormous and rugged masses +of ice had been piled on each other, so as to render the way almost +impassible. Along the scanty path leading under the projecting rocks of +the precipice, the Americans pressed forward in a narrow file, until +they reached the block-house and picket. Montgomery, who was himself in +front, assisted with his own hands to cut down or pull up the pickets, +and open a passage for his troops; but the excessive roughness and +difficulty of the way had so lengthened his line of march, that he found +it absolutely necessary to halt a few minutes, in order to collect a +force with which he might venture to proceed. Having reassembled about +two hundred men, whom he encouraged alike by his voice and his example, +he advanced boldly and rapidly at their head, to force the barrier. One +or two persons had now ventured to return to the battery; and, seizing a +slow-match standing by one of the guns, discharged the piece, when the +American front was within forty paces of it. This single accidental fire +was a fatal one. The General with Captains M'Pherson and Cheeseman, two +valuable young officers, near his person, the first of whom was his aid; +together with his orderly sergeant and a private, were killed on the +spot. The loss of their general, in whom their confidence had been so +justly placed, discouraged the troops; and Colonel Campbell on whom the +command devolved, but who did not partake of that spirit of heroism +which had animated their departed chief made no attempt to prosecute the +enterprise. This whole division retired precipitately from the action, +and left the garrison at leisure, after recovering from the +consternation into which they had been thrown, to direct their undivided +force against Arnold, in whose corps I then was. + +The division commanded by this officer moved in files, at the common +signal for the attack, along the street of St. Roques, towards the Sault +des Matelots. In imitation of Montgomery, he too led the forlorn hope in +person, and was followed by Captain Lamb with his company of artillery, +and a field piece mounted on a sled. Close in the rear of the artillery +was the main body, in front of which was Morgan's company of riflemen +commanded by himself. At the Sault des Matelots, the enemy had +constructed their first barrier, and had erected a battery of two twelve +pounders, which it was necessary to force. The path along which the +troops were to march had been rendered so narrow by the rough cakes of +ice thrown up on the side from St. Charles, and by the works erected by +the enemy on the other, that the two pieces of artillery in the battery +in front, were capable of raking with grape shot every inch of the +ground, whilst his whole right flank was exposed to an incessant fire of +musketry from the walls, and from the pickets of the garrison. + +In this order Arnold advanced with the utmost intrepidity, along the St. +Charles, against the battery. The alarm was immediately given, and the +fire on his flank commenced, which, however, did not prove very +destructive. As he approached the barrier he received a musket ball in +the leg which shattered the bone, and he was carried off the field to +the hospital. Morgan rushed forward to the battery at the head of his +company, and received from one of the pieces, almost at its mouth, a +discharge of grape shot which killed only one man. A few rifles were +immediately fired into the embrazures, by which a British soldier was +wounded in the head, and the barricade being instantly mounted with the +aid of the ladders, brought by the men on their shoulders, the battery +was deserted without discharging the other gun. The captain of the +guard, with the greater number of his men, fell into the hands of the +Americans, and the others made their escape. + +Morgan formed the troops, consisting of his own company and a few bold +individuals who had pressed forward from other parts of the division, in +the streets within the barrier; and took into custody several English +and Canadian burghers; but his situation soon became extremely critical. +He was not followed by the main body of the division; he had no guide; +and was himself totally ignorant of the situation of the town. It was +yet extremely dark, and he had not the slightest knowledge of the course +to be pursued, or of the defences to be encountered. Thus circumstanced, +it was thought unadvisable to advance further. + +The cold was intense and the storm very violent; this, together with the +fatigue by the exertion we had made tended to check our ardour. We had +now passed the first barrier; but a second we knew was before us and not +far distant. We had no pilot and the night was very dark and dismal. We +took shelter from the fury of the storm under the sides of some of the +buildings and waited for day light to direct us. At the dawn of day we +collected in a body, seized the ladders and were proceeding to the +second barrier, when on turning an angle in the street, we were hailed +by a Captain Anderson who had just issued from the gate with a body of +troops to attack us. Captain Morgan who led our little band in this +forlorn hope, answered the British captain by a ball through his head, +his soldiers drew him within the barricade and closed the gate; a +tremendous fire from the windows of the buildings and port holes of the +wall, was directed against our little host. + +Thirty of our privates being killed and thirty five wounded, and +surrounded as we were on all sides without any hope of relief, we were +obliged to surrender ourselves prisoners of war. + +During the whole of the attack by the different corps there were eleven +commissioned officers, thirty four privates, sergeants and corporals, +killed; thirty five wounded, and three hundred and forty five made +prisoners. This was the melancholly issue of our long and distressing +campaign. The prisoners, of whom I was one, were confined in a large +building called the Regules, where we had but very little fire or +provision. Our daily ration was three ounces of pork and two, (sometimes +three) small bran biscuit, and a half a pint of the water in which our +pork was boiled. + +January 1st, 1776. Our condition, which we thought was almost +insupportable by such a sparing allowance of fuel and provision as was +furnished us, was rendered tenfold more distressing by sickness.--About +the 10th of this month we began to be infected with the small pox, which +we took the natural way. With this mortal disease about one ninth part +of the prisoners died. While in hospital we were treated with some +humanity, but when in prison we experienced much insolence from the +garrison set over us. + +After we had been some time in the old Dauphin Gaol, which was built of +stone, and proof against musket and cannon balls, our fidelity was so +much relied on by most of the King's officers, that they scarce guarded +us at all. They appeared to consider us as deluded by the facinating +sound of liberty and freedom, and induced to take up arms when we were +not at heart inimical to his Britanic Majesty. Considering locks and +keys as useless, they committed the sole care of the prison to one of +our sergeants, who was faithful to the trust reposed in him, until about +the first of April, when we formed a plan for our escape. + +We had now lost all hopes of the city's being taken by the American +arms, and we resolved to regain our liberty by our own efforts, or lose +our lives in the attempt. + +Having watched the movements of the enemy for several days, unknown to +them, we determined with a party of 60 men to rise on the Gaol guard, +and disarm them, which consisted of 14 old decrepit men and young boys, +(whose appointment over us we considered rather an insult, than good +economy in the commander:) next we were to proceed to St. John's Gate, +about eight rods distant from the gaol and attack and disarm that guard, +consisting chiefly of English sailors, 18 in number, from whom we +expected a pretty warm reception: should we be thus far successful, an +hundred men, or more, were to proceed under the command of Colonel +Ashten, formerly sergeant major of Captain Lamb's train of artillery, to +turn the cannon on the battery, which were kept constantly loaded, +against the town, and to maintain this position at all hazards until +notice could be given to our army, and thus be the glorious means of +obtaining the object of all our toils, the possession of Quebec. + +We made every preparation for breaking gaol, which we could do at a +moment's warning. We had previously procured by means of some friends in +town, six pistols, a sufficient quantity of powder and ball, and a good +supply of port fire; and in addition, a number of old iron hoops with +which we made cutlasses. Thus equipped, we intended the first stormy +night to put our bold and desperate plan into execution. But we had +among us a vile traitor[3], who discovered our plot to the barrack +master: it was a deserter from the King's troops at Boston. The +intelligence was immediately carried to General Carlton and in a few +hours we were all put in irons. Thus we remained until our army raised +the siege, which was on the 6th of May. During this period of our close +confinement our sufferings were greater, and our situation more wretched +than it had ever been before. We were most of us afflicted with the +scurvy and the flux, at the same time. Towards the last of April there +was scarcely a well man among all the prisoners. We were also, all of us +without comfortable clothing, and many of us almost entirely naked. + +While in this deplorable situation, General Carlton, came into the gaol +and gave us the offer of returning home on parole. This was to me very +pleasing and joyful intelligence; but though this was on the sixth of +June, we were kept between hope and fear until the first of August, when +we were assured that we should embark for New-York by the 7th. + +The general presented each of us with a new suit of clothes, for which +he received our most hearty thanks, and on the 7th we went on board, and +sailed for New York on the 11th. We forsook our direct course and sailed +near to the west end of St. John's Island, in pursuit, as I understood +of some American pirates--from this, passed through the gut of Canso, +and after being delayed some by contrary winds, we arrived at New-York +on the 10th of September, and joined the British fleet which lay at +George's Island, and Statten Island, consisting, as I was informed, of +450 said--principally square rigged vessels. + +We tarried here from the 10th until the 22d, during which time the city +of New-York was evacuated by the American troops and taken possession of +by the English; there was also in this time a great fire, which consumed +near one-third of the city. + +On the 22d of September we were landed within about 3 miles of +Elizabethtown Point, to go where we pleased. The joy we experienced on +setting our feet once more on the shores of our native country, with the +liberty of returning to our families and friends cannot be conceived by +any but those who have shared misfortunes like ours. We had been more +than a year absent from our homes, seven months of which we had been in +prison, and the remainder of the time had been suffering hunger, cold +and fatigue. + +We were kindly received by our countrymen and furnished with whatever +was necessary to our comfort, that they had to bestow. Those of us who +belonged to New-England, set out for our respective homes. At King's +bridge I had the inexpressible joy of seeing my father and two of my +oldest brothers, besides many of my old neighbors and acquaintance; by +them I was informed of the welfare of my relations. After spending two +days in camp with my friends, with great pleasure and satisfaction, I +set out for Chatham in Connecticut, my native place. I arrived at New +Haven the 2d of October, where I tarried until the 5th and then +proceeded on my way to Chatham and went that day as far as Durham, the +next morning which was the Sabbath, at 11 o'clock I arrived at Chatham +and beheld once more my father's house and her whom the most sacred ties +of nature hath endeared to me, still in the land of the living. + +Never did my thanks to my Creator and preserver arise with more +sincerity than at this moment.--How kind has been that Providence, which +has preserved me through so many dangers and sufferings and returned me +in health and safety to the bosom of my friends! When wandering through +the wilderness, hungry, faint and weary, God was my support, and did not +suffer me like others to fall by the way--when sick and in prison he +visited me--when a captive he set me free! May I ever be grateful to my +Divine Protector, and my future life be devoted to his service! such +were my reflections on this joyful occasion. + +I repaired to the house of worship where I saw most of my acquaintance +and relations, who in the intermission flocked around me--shook me +heartily by the hand and assured me of a welcome return. + + +FINIS. + +[Illustration] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Colonel Burr, since Vice-President of the United States, was one of +the volunteers. + +[2] Garden "sass"--vegetables. + +[3] John Hall. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An interesting journal of Abner +Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut, by Abner Stocking + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + +***** This file should be named 27306-8.txt or 27306-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/3/0/27306/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut + detailing the distressing events of the expedition against + Quebec, under the command of Col. Arnold in the year 1775 + +Author: Abner Stocking + +Release Date: November 21, 2008 [EBook #27306] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="tn"> + +<p class="center"><big><b>Transcriber’s Note</b></big></p> + +<p class="center">The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been faithfully preserved. Only obvious +typographical errors have been corrected.</p> +</div> + +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> +<p class="t1">AN<br /><br /> +INTERESTING<br /></p> +<p class="t2">JOURNAL</p> +<p class="t3">OF</p> +<p class="t4">ABNER STOCKING</p> +<p class="t3">OF</p> +<p class="t1">CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT</p> + +<p class="center"><small>DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST<br /> +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775</small></p> + +<hr style="width: 7%;" /> +<p class="center"><i>Published by the relatives of Abner Stocking, now +deceased</i></p> +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> +<p class="t1">CATSKILL, N.Y.<br /> +<small><span class="smcap">Eagle Office</span></small><br /> +1810</p> +<hr style="width: 40%;" /> +<p class="center"><small><span class="smcap">Tarrytown, N.Y.</span><br /> + +REPRINTED<br /> + +WILLIAM ABBATT<br /> +1921<br /><br /> + +<span class="smcap">Being Extra Number 75 of the Magazine of History with Notes and Queries</span> +</small></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h3>EDITOR'S PREFACE</h3> + + +<p class="noin"><span class="dcap">W</span><span class="smcap">e</span> have already reprinted three journals of members of Arnold's famous +expedition to Quebec, (Dr. Senter's, Captain Topham's and Private +Morison's) and now present a fourth, written by Private Abner Stocking, +which has not before been printed since its original appearance in 1810. +Mr. Codman in his most valuable book on the Expedition, justly says of +these and similar journals: "They constitute an invariably interesting +body of historical material, which preserves unimpaired the quaint +individuality of their widely-diverse authors, and the unmistakable +color and atmosphere of a period which must always be of particular +importance to the students of American history."</p> + + + +<hr /> +<h3>INTRODUCTION</h3> + + +<p class="noin"><span class="dcap">T</span><span class="smcap">he</span> reader cannot enter on the succeeding journal to advantage without +first being acquainted with the object of the expedition, the +circumstances under which it was undertaken, and the route marked out +for the army to pursue.</p> + +<p>In the month of June 1775 Gen. Schuyler was commissioned by Congress to +invade Canada through the lakes—to take possession of Ticonderoga and +Crown Point; and if practicable to proceed to St. Johns and besiege that +fortress. Should he succeed in getting possession of these posts on the +lakes, the way would be open to proceed on to Montreal and from thence +to Quebec, the capital of Canada.</p> + +<p>General Washington calculating on the success of General Schuyler, and +foreseeing that the whole force of Canada would be concentrated about +Montreal, projected an expedition against Quebec, by a detachment from +his camp before Boston, which was to march by the way of the Kennebeck +river, and passing through the dreary wilderness lying between the +settled parts of Maine and the St. Lawrence, and crossing the rugged +mountains and deep morasses which abound in that country, to penetrate +into Canada about ninety miles below Montreal.</p> + +<p>The object proposed by this hardy enterprise was to take possession of +Quebec, which all his accounts assured him was absolutely unable to hold +out against any considerable force, and would probably surrender without +firing a gun.</p> + +<p>This arduous enterprise was committed to Col. Arnold. About a thousand +men consisting of New-England infantry, some volunteers,<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> and a +company of artillery under Captain Lamb, and three companies of riflemen +were selected for the service.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding the utmost exertions that could possibly be made, the +detachment could not commence their march until about the middle of +September 1775.</p> + +<p>Mr. Stocking, a native of Chatham, in Connecticut, was one of the little +band of patriots designed for this expedition. As he was a man capable +of making judicious observations, and a good penman, he was probably +appointed to keep a regular journal of the events of each day during +this distressing campaign.</p> + +<p>The detachment commenced their march from Cambridge, near Boston on the +23rd of September, at which time and place Mr. Stocking began his +journal.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/image1.jpg" width="300" height="196" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<hr /> + +<p class="t1">AN<br /><br /> +INTERESTING<br /></p> +<p class="t2">JOURNAL</p> +<p class="t3">OF</p> +<p class="t4">ABNER STOCKING</p> +<p class="t3">OF</p> +<p class="t1">CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT</p> + +<p class="center"><small>DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST<br /> +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775</small></p> + + +<p class="center"><i>Published by the relatives of Abner Stocking, now +deceased</i></p> + + + +<hr /> +<h2>JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p class="center">AS KEPT BY HIMSELF, DURING HIS LONG AND TEDIOUS MARCH +THROUGH THE WILDERNESS TO QUEBEC, UNTIL HIS RETURN +TO HIS NATIVE PLACE.</p></div> + + +<p class="noin"><span class="dcap">A</span><span class="smcap">ll</span> things being in readiness for our departure, we set out from +Cambridge, near Boston, on the 13th Sept. at sunset, and encamped at +Mistick at eight o'clock at night. We were all in high spirits, +intending to endure with fortitude, all the fatigues and hardships, that +we might meet with in our march to Quebec.</p> + +<p>September 14th. This morning we began our march at 5 o'clock and at +sunset encamped at Danvers, a place twenty miles distant from Mistick.</p> + +<p>The weather through the day was very sultry and hot for the season of +the year. The country through which we passed appeared barren and but +thinly inhabited.</p> + +<p>September 15th. This morning we marched very early, and encamped at +night within five miles of Newbury Port. The inhabitants who visited us +in our encampment expressed many good wishes for our success in our +intended enterprise.</p> + +<p>September 16th. Zealous in the cause, and not knowing the hardships and +distresses we were to encounter, we as usual began our march very +early.—At eight o'clock we arrived at Newbury Port where we were to +tarry several days and make preparations for our voyage. We were here to +go on board vessels which we found lying ready to receive us, and carry +us to the mouth of the Kennebeck. The mouth of the Kennebeck river is +about thirty leagues to the eastward of Newbury Port.</p> + +<p>September 17th. We are still at Newbury Port and are ordered to appear +at a general review.</p> + +<p>We passed the review with much honor to ourselves. We manifested great +zeal and animation in the cause of liberty and went through with the +manual exercise with much alacrity.</p> + +<p>The spectators, who were very numerous, appeared much affected. They +probably thought we had many hardships to encounter and many of us +should never return to our parents and families.</p> + +<p>September 18th. We this day embarked at six o'clock in the afternoon. +Our fleet consisted of eleven sail, sloops and schooners. Our whole +number of troops was 1100—11 companies of musketmen and three companies +of riflemen. We hauled off into the road and got ready to weigh anchor +in the morning if the wind should be favorable.</p> + +<p>September 19th. This morning we got under way with a pleasant breeze, +our drums beating, fifes playing and colours flying.</p> + +<p>Many pretty Girls stood upon the shore, I suppose weeping for the +departure of their sweethearts.</p> + +<p>At eleven o'clock this day we left the entrance of the harbor and bore +away for Kennebeck river. In the latter part of the night, there came on +a thick fog and our fleet was separated. At break of day we found +ourselves in a most dangerous situation, very near a reef of rocks. The +rocks indeed appeared on all sides of us, so that we feared we should +have been dashed to pieces on some of them. We were brought into this +deplorable situation by means of liquor being dealt out too freely to +our pilots.—Their intemperance much endangered their own lives and the +lives of all the officers and soldiers on board; but through the +blessing of God we all arrived safe in Kennebeck river.</p> + +<p>September 20. This day was very pleasant, and with a gentle breeze we +sailed and rowed 30 miles up the Kennebeck river. By the evening tide we +floated within 6 miles of Fort Western, where we were obliged to leave +our sloops and take to our batteaus.</p> + +<p>September 21. This day we arrived at Fort Western, where we tarried +until the 25th in order to make farther preparation for our voyage up +the river, and our march through the wilderness.</p> + +<p>While remaining in this place I was called to witness a scene which to +me was awful and very affecting; the more so I presume as it was the +first of the kind I ever beheld. A civil, well behaved and much beloved +young man, belonging to Captain Williams' company, was shot. He lived +but about twelve hours, and died in great horror and agony of mind at +the thought of going into eternity and appearing before his God and +judge. He was from the north parish of New-London and had a wife and +four or five children.</p> + +<p>The supposed murderer was James McCormick. The circumstances of his +being out all night, and his guilty looks and actions, were pretty +convincing proof against him. He was tryed by a Court-Martial and +sentenced to be hanged until dead, his gallows erected, and all things +prepared for his execution. Our Chaplain conversed with him respecting +his crime, the awful punishment he was soon to suffer, and the more +awful and never ending punishment that would await him in the eternal +world if he did not repent and believe in Christ. He would not confess +himself guilty of intentionally murdering the young man; but that he +intended to have killed his captain, with whom he had the night before a +violent quarrel. He was brought to the gallows, a prayer made, and the +time for his execution almost arrived, when Colonel Arnold thought best +to reprieve him and send him to General Washington. I have been +informed, that he died in gaol before the day of his execution arrived.</p> + +<p>September 25th. Early this morning, we embarked on board our batteaus +and proceeded on our way. We labored hard through the day and found +ourselves at night but about 7 miles from the place of our departure. +The current began to be swift. We encamped at night by the edge of a +cornfield and fared very sumptuously.</p> + +<p>September 26th. This day we started very early and made our encampment +at evening 4 miles below Fort Halifax. We began to experience great +difficulty from the increasing rapidity of the current, and the water +becoming shoal.</p> + +<p>September 27th. This day we carried our batteaus and baggage round +Ticonnick falls. The land carriage was only about 40 rods. After +launching in again and getting our provisions and baggage on board, we +pushed against the stream on our way about three miles.</p> + +<p>September 28th. This day we proceeded 8 miles but with great difficulty. +The stream was in some places very rapid and shoal, and in others so +deep that those who dragged the boats were obliged to nearly swim. We +encountered these hardships and fatigues with great courage and +perseverance from the zeal we felt in the cause. When night came on, wet +and fatigued as we were, we had to encamp on the cold ground. It was at +this time that we inclined to think of the comfortable accommodations we +had left at home.</p> + +<p>September 29th. This day we arrived to the second carrying place, called +Skowhegan falls. Though this was only 60 rods over, it occasioned much +delay and great fatigue. We had to ascend a ragged rock, near on 100 +feet in height and almost perpendicular. Though it seemed as though we +could hardly ascend it without any burden, we succeeded in dragging our +batteaus and baggage up it.</p> + +<p>September 30th. After getting over the carrying place, we found the +water more still. We proceeded 5 miles and at sundown encamped in a most +delightful wood, where I thought I could have spent some time agreeably +in solitude, in contemplating the works of nature. The forest was +stripped of its verdure, but still appeared to me beautiful. I thought +that though we were in a thick wilderness, uninhabited by human beings, +yet we were as much in the immediate presence of our divine protector, +as when in the crowded city.</p> + +<p>October 1st. This day we proceeded with unusual perseverance, but as the +water was exceedingly rapid, we could advance but slowly. It was but a +small part of the way that any thing could be done by rowing, or +setting. While one took the batteau by the bow, another kept hold of the +stern to keep her from upsetting, or filling with water. Thus our +fatigues seemed daily to encrease. But what we most dreaded was the +frost and cold from which we began to suffer considerably.</p> + +<p>October 2d. This day we carried over Norridgewock falls, one mile and a +quarter. At night we encamped at a place formerly inhabited by the +natives and afterwards by the French and Indians; the former had erected +a mass house for their devotions, but had deserted it at the time the +New England forces made great slaughter among them in the French war. A +few inhabitants were now living here, who rendered us some assistance. +The temple of worship contained some curiosities, such as crosses &c. We +took up our lodgings here for the night and were much pleased with our +accommodations. The place had the appearance of once having been the +residence of a considerable number of inhabitants.</p> + +<p>October 3d. Having had some better refreshment than usual, we pushed on +our way with increased resolution. We had now taken leave of the last +inhabitants. The remainder of our route was to be through a trackless +wilderness. We now entered a doleful barren woods; the timber mostly +pine and hemlock—some thick patches of spruce and fir, and some groves +of sugar-maple.</p> + +<p>One of the riflemen of Captain Hendricks' company this day killed a +young Moose, which weighed about 200 lbs.</p> + +<p>October 4th. This day with much exertion we got forward 8 miles, to +Tentucket, or Hell-gate falls, which are of astonishing height, and +exhibit an awful appearance. At the foot of the falls we found fine +fishing for salmon trout. The land carriage here was but about 40 rods +but very difficult to effect.</p> + +<p>October 5th. This day we pushed up the river about eight miles. The +stream decreased very fast and we were again much troubled with shoal +water.</p> + +<p>October 6th. This day we advanced about 7 miles. Our difficulties +encreased, but our fortitude and patriotism did not fail us. We felt +determined to do something for the freedom and welfare of our country +before we returned.</p> + +<p>October 7th. This day we reached the head of Kennebeck river. Here was a +carrying place of three and a half miles through a wilderness without +any tract to guide us.</p> + +<p>October 8th. We this day were detained by a storm, from which we had but +very little to shelter us as we had but few tents and the trees were +stripped of their leaves.</p> + +<p>October 9, 10 and 11th. These three days we were employed in carrying +our batteaus, provisions and baggage over this long and difficult +carrying place. Some were employed in cutting and clearing a road, and +others in carrying. We had to go through swamps and quagmires—much of +the way knee deep in mud and water. We here left behind everything which +we did not deem absolutely necessary to our journey. Our pork we took +from the barrels and strung it on poles, leaving the barrels behind. In +the afternoon of the 11th, we launched our boats into a pool of +considerable extent, crossed over it, and encamped on the west side.</p> + +<p>October 12 and 13. We carried our batteaus and baggage three quarters of +a mile to another pond, one mile over—then to a third, two miles +over,—Though the water was now very cold, we caught trout in these +ponds in great abundance.</p> + +<p>Between these ponds we built a block-house, and gave it the name of Fort +Meigs, designed for our sick, in case they should return this way. We +viewed with much anxiety winter approaching—we had some snow squalls +through the day.</p> + +<p>October 14 and 15th. These two days we were diligently employed in +carrying our batteaus, provisions, &c. to Dead river. Our hardships were +greater than on any preceding day—the land carriage was four miles; one +mile of which was a sunken marsh. Four men were assigned to each +batteau—under the weight of their loads they almost every step sunk to +their knees in mud, and were entangled in the low shrubbery. We arrived +at the bank of Dead river at 3 o'clock and proceeding one mile up said +river by sunset, took up our encampment for the night. On our right and +left were excessively high mountains, the summits of which were covered +with snow and ice. Could I have ascended to the top of one of these +mountains I thought I could have overlooked all creation. The land +between the mountains appeared to be very rich and fertile—wild grass +covered the ground, four or five feet in height, and served us a good +purpose for covering for the night.</p> + +<p>October 16th. The water now being deep and dead, we betook ourselves to +our oars and rowed up 6 miles. The river is so remarkably still and +dead, that it is difficult to determine which way it runs. It is on an +average about 4 rods in width and the banks of it very steep.</p> + +<p>October 17th. After passing over a small carrying place of 16 rods we +rowed 16 miles up the river through still deep water; the land on each +side to appearance very good.</p> + +<p>October 18th. This day we rowed 20 miles and passed a short carrying +place. The river is very crooked and the water deep. We discovered on +the bank of the river an old Indian hut, built as we supposed for +hunting. Many bones of animals lay round the hut, and there was a +clearing of about one acre.</p> + +<p>October 19th. This day we passed four carrying places and advanced but +five miles. We were detained by the great rains that fell which drenched +us sorely as we had but very little to cover us. The weather grew cold +and we had nothing better to screen us from the air, than hemlock +boughs.</p> + +<p>October 23d. The water growing shallow and rapid we were obliged to take +to our setting poles, we pushed with them 10 miles this day. The water +daily decreased as we approached towards the head of the stream, and +land on each side of us was mountainous and barren.</p> + +<p>October 24. This day our afflictions increased, fear was added to +sorrow. We found to our astonishment that our journey was much longer +than we expected; what was more alarming, our provisions were growing +scant. Some of our men appeared disheartened, but the most of them, with +Col. Arnold stood firm and resolute. They were ready to encounter yet +greater hardships for the good of their country.</p> + +<p>At this critical and alarming crisis a council was called to consider +what was most prudent to be done. They determined to send back +immediately the disabled and the sick, with provisions sufficient to +carry them to the first inhabitants on the Kennebeck river. They also +determined to send a party forward to the nearest settlement in Canada +to procure provisions and return to meet the army with all possible +expedition. Captain Oliver Hanchet, with one subaltern and fifty +privates set out with ten days provisions, each man taking 10 pints of +flour and 5 lbs of pork. The sick, forty in number, went back. We then +pushed forward with all possible speed. We gained nine miles against the +stream this day, but suffered from losses, on the account of which we +felt greatly distressed. Several of our boats were upset by the rapidity +of the stream, and much of our provisions, cloathing, ammunition, and +some money were lost.</p> + +<p>October 25th. This morning we proceeded on our way very early: the +weather was somewhat cold, as it snowed most of the night. The thickets +of spruce and fir were covered and exhibited a gloomy aspect.</p> + +<p>To add to our discouragements, we received intelligence that Colonel +Enos who was in our rear, had returned with three companies, and taken +large stores of provisions and ammunition. These companies had +constantly been in the rear, and of course had experienced much less +fatigue than we had. They had their path cut and cleared by us; they +only followed, while we led. That they therefore should be the first to +turn back excited in us much manly resentment. Our bold though +unexperienced general discovered such firmness and zeal as inspired us +with resolution. The hardships and fatigues he encountered, he accounted +as nothing in comparison with the salvation of his country.</p> + +<p>October 26th. Setting out very early this day we passed on with great +resolution: we passed thro' four several ponds with outlets leading from +one to the other. The course through these ponds, I should judge was +nearly N.W. The land apparently very barren—the timber consisting +chiefly of fir, spruce, hackmetack and hemlock. The ponds were large and +deep; one of them I should judge was three miles in length and one in +breadth.</p> + +<p>October 27th. This day we crossed a pond, one fourth of a mile over, and +soon came to another two miles in width. In this pond we caught plenty +of trout. We had now come to the great carrying place, 4 miles and 50 +perches over.</p> + +<p>As we were all greatly fatigued, it was resolved to leave here most of +our batteaus, which had already been reduced from 10 to 6 to each +company—but 6 I think were carried from this place. We overhauled our +ammunition and found most of our powder damaged and unfit for use; all +of this description we destroyed on the spot.</p> + +<p>The last pond we crossed, appeared to be the head of Dead river, or +rather as some suppose, the fountain from which Kennebeck river takes +its first rise, that and the Dead river being one and the same. The +river from the place where we left the Kennebeck, (so-called) to the +place where we entered the Dead river making a long crooked circuitous +route. We now appeared to be on the height of land, and to be several +hundred feet higher than when we were at Fort Western.</p> + +<p>October 28th. We this day passed the height of land. We then divided our +provisions which we found did not exceed 4 pounds of flour and 40 ounces +of pork to a man. We were in a meadow by the side of a small stream, +running N.E. into Chaudiére lake. We sent our batteaus down this creek +and a little before sunset we had the inexpressible satisfaction to meet +a messenger we had sent into Canada to find out the disposition of the +inhabitants and know whether we should be well received. He was the +bearer of good tidings, he assured us that we should be kindly received +and furnished with provisions—He brought some fruit to Colonel Arnold, +sent him by a lady, as a token of friendship and fidelity. Our joy on +this occasion was too great to be suppressed. The whole valley was made +to ring with our exultations. Our worthy Major Meigs was exceedingly +elevated, and expressed such zeal and animation in the glorious cause of +his country as revived the drooping spirits of all the soldiery. We were +now to leave the remainder of our batteaus—what little we had to carry +we put into our knapsacks, the whole of the detachment having now orders +to march and make the best of their way to Chaudiére river. We returned +unto the rising ground and encamped for the night.</p> + +<p>October 29th. Very early this morning, we left our encampment on the +rising ground and began descending towards an ocean of swamp that lay +before us. We soon entered it and found it covered with a low shrubbery +of cedar and hackmetack, the roots of which were so excessively +slippery, that we could hardly keep upon our feet. The top of the ground +was covered with a soft moss, filled with water and ice. After walking a +few hours in the swamp we seemed to have lost all sense of feeling in +our feet and ankles. As we were constantly slipping, we walked in great +fear of breaking our bones or dislocating our joints. But to be +disenabled from walking in this situation was sure death. We travelled +all day and not being able to get through this dismal swamp, we +encamped. I thought we were probably the first <i>human</i> beings that ever +took up their residence for a night in this wilderness—not <i>howling +wilderness</i>, for I believe no wild animals would inhabit it.</p> + +<p>October 30. This morning we started in great haste and soon got through +the swamp. From the time we had been travelling in it, we judged it to +be about 7 miles in width; of its length from east to west I can give no +account.</p> + +<p>On leaving the swamp we had to pass a river two rods over and about +three feet in depth. The water was excessively cold. As we had this day +to make our way through thickets, and low sunken marshes, our progress +was but slow.</p> + +<p>During the fore part of the day we steered E.N.E. but thinking we were +bearing too much to the east, we changed our course to W.N.W. which +soon brought us in sight of a large pond or lake, which we supposed +communicated with Chaudiére lake. We encamped about half a mile from the +lake. Our march this day we supposed was about 20 miles.</p> + +<p>October 31st. This morning we began our march very early and pushed on +with all speed, for the head of Chaudiére river; at 11 o'clock we passed +it. We here came up with Captain Morgan's company, which had gone before +us. We learnt to our great sorrow, that in attempting to go down the +river in their batteaus, which they brought to this place, they were +carried down by the rapidity of the stream and dashed on rocks; that +they had lost most of their provisions and that a waiter of Captain +Morgan was drowned.</p> + +<p>Their condition was truly deplorable—they had not when we came up with +them a mouthful of provisions of any kind, and we were not able to +relieve them, as hunger stared us in the face. Some of us were entirely +destitute and others had but a morsel of bread, and we now supposed +ourselves 70 miles from the nearest inhabitants. Some of Captain +Morgan's company we were told had perished with the cold.</p> + +<p>November 1st. Our fatigue and anxiety were so great that we were but +little refreshed the last night by sleep. We started however very early, +hungry and wet. Knowing that our lives depended on our speedy arrival to +an inhabited country, we marched very briskly all day and even until +late in the evening. We then encamped in a fine grove, but in a starving +condition. Captain Goodrich's company had the good fortune to kill a +large black dog, that providentially came to them at that time. They +feasted on him heartily without either bread or salt. Our hunger was so +great that many offered dollars for a single mouthful of bread. Such +distress I never before felt, or witnessed. I anxiously turned my +thoughts back to my native land, to a country flowing with milk and +honey. I was surprised that I had so lightly esteemed all the good +things which I there once enjoyed. Little thought I, do we know of the +value of the common blessings of Providence, until we are deprived of +them. With such reflections I laid myself down on the cold, wet ground, +hungry and fatigued.</p> + +<p>November 2d. When we arose this morning many of the company were so weak +that they could hardly stand on their legs. When we attempted to march, +they reeled about like drunken men, having now been without provisions +five days. As I proceeded I passed many sitting, wholly drowned in +sorrow, wishfully placing their eyes on every one who passed by them, +hoping for some relief. Such pity-asking countenances I never before +beheld. My heart was ready to burst and my eyes to overflow with tears +when I witnessed distress which I could not relieve. The circumstances +of a young Dutchman, and his wife, who followed him through this +fatiguing march, particularly excited my sensibility. They appeared to +be much interested in each others welfare and unwilling to be separated, +but the husband, exhausted with fatigue and hunger fell a victim to the +king of terrors. His affectionate wife tarryed by him until he died, +while the rest of the company proceeded on their way. Having no +implements with which she could bury him she covered him with leaves, +and then took his gun and other implements and left him with a heavy +heart. After travelling 20 miles she came up with us.</p> + +<p>Just at evening this day, we met cattle coming up the river, sent us for +our relief. This was the most joyful sight our eyes ever beheld. The +French people who drove them informed us that Colonel Arnold had arrived +in their settlement two days before, with the advance party, and had +purchased cattle as soon as possible and sent them on.</p> + +<p>A cow was immediately killed and cut open in great haste; a small calf +being found in her, it was divided up and eaten without further +ceremony. I got a little piece of the flesh, which I eat raw with a +little oat meal wet with cold water, and thought I feasted sumptuously.</p> + +<p>November 3d. This day we proceeded on down the river about 20 miles, +waiding several small rivers, some of which were up to our middles. The +water was terrible cold as the ground was at this time covered with snow +and ice. At evening we came in sight of a house which was the first we +had seen for the space of 31 days.</p> + +<p>Our joy was inexpressible in breaking out of that dismal wilderness in +which we had been so long buried, and once more beholding a country +inhabited by human beings; it was like being brought from a dungeon to +behold the clear light of the sun.</p> + +<p>The French people received us with all the kindness we could wish, they +treated our sick with much tenderness, and supplied us with every thing +they could for our comfort. They seemed moved with pity for us and to +greatly admire our patriotism and resolution, in encountering such +hardships for the good of our country. But they were too ignorant to put +a just estimate on the value of freedom.</p> + +<p>November 4. Last night we got a plenty of good beef and potatoes, but +little bread could be procured. It snowed most of the night and the +weather was cold. After marching down the river about 10 miles, we began +to get such necessaries as we wanted; such as bread, milk, eggs, butter +and most kinds of sauce.<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> To be supplied with these articles, of which +we had been so long deprived was a great luxury.</p> + +<p>The kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants, was to us very +pleasing. After having been lately our enemies, at war with us, we did +not expect to experience from them to much friendship.</p> + +<p>Had we been in New-England among people of our own nation, we should +not, I think, have been treated with more kindness. They readily +supplied us with whatever they had to spare, and discovered much +tenderness towards those of our company who were sick, or feeble. I last +night lodged in a <i>house</i>, which I had not done before for 39 days.</p> + +<p>November 5. We continued our march down the river. The people continued +to be hospitable, with some few exceptions. Knowing our need of their +articles, some of them would extort from us an extravagant price. We +chose to live mostly on bread and butter and milk, having but little +relish for meat, and supposing it not to be healthy food after fasting +so long.</p> + +<p>November 6. This day we come up with Colonel Arnold and the advanced +party at St. Mary's. At two o'clock we marched off together, and +continued on the road until 12 o'clock at night. The roads were very bad +by means of the great rains and snows that had fallen—we most of the +way waded half leg deep in the mud and water. Though we were very +industrious through the day and half of the night, we marched but 17 +miles.</p> + +<p>November 7. We this day marched down the river about 3 miles and halted +until night.</p> + +<p>We now had arrived before the city of Quebec, to take which by surprise +was the great object of our expedition.</p> + +<p>A Lieutenant with 20 men was sent forward to see if our way was clear. +At 2 o'clock at night the advanced party reached the St. Lawrence and +halted. In the morning we perceived we were in fair view of Quebec, +nothing but the river separating us.</p> + +<p>November 8. We took up our residence in houses along the south side of +the river St. Lawrence, and remained until the 13th waiting for the +sick, the halt and feeble, who had been left behind at different places +to come up. By the 13th all had arrived who were to be expected; many we +learnt, to our great sorrow, had perished by the way.</p> + +<p>When a general muster was made, and all appeared who had survived the +perils of the wilderness, a more pitiful and humorous spectacle was +exhibited than I had ever before seen.</p> + +<p>In our long and tedious march through the wilderness, it was not with us +as with the children of Israel, <i>that our cloathes waxed not old</i>, ours +were torn in pieces by the bushes, and hung in strings—few of us had +any shoes, but moggasons made of raw skins—many of us without +hats—and beards long and visages thin and meager. I thought we much +resembled the animals which inhabit New-Spain, called the Ourang-Outang. +The French appeared a little surprised at the first sight of us; and had +not Colonel Arnold gone forward to apprise them of our approach, they +might have fled from their habitations.</p> + +<p>In coming to this place we passed several very pretty villages, +ornamented with handsome churches for worship. We discovered some people +of fashion, living in good style, but most of the inhabitants appeared +ignorant and to have but little ambition.</p> + +<p>November 7. This day we were very busy in preparing to cross the river +at night; we had collected a great number of Canoes, some of them made +of bark by the Indians; but most of them of large pine logs. When night +approached, we began to cross, and made our first landing at a place +called Wolfe's Cove. We directly ascended a steep bank and paraded on +the plains of Abraham, where we found a plenty of barracks which had +been erected for the use of the British troops and were then unoccupied. +Several of the bark canoes in crossing upset, by which accident we lost +some muskets, and baggage, but no lives, though some of us very narrowly +escaped.—Most of the troops were over by day break; those who crossed +after were fired upon by the <i>Lizard</i>, a British frigate that lay in the +river, but received no damage.</p> + +<p>November 14. We now had in our possession the midshipman of the +<i>Lizard</i>, and several other prisoners, which we had taken on the south +side of the river. The frigate fired upon us in our encampment; but she +was at too great a distance to do us any injury. We this day took a +prisoner near our encampment—supposed to be a spy. We let him and our +other prisoners, every day walk on parole.</p> + +<p>The weather being very cold, we quit our barracks and took up our +residence in houses, built for the King's officers, which they evacuated +on our approach. We remained here until the 21st, during which time we +received intelligence that there were not more than 100 regular troops +in the city—some sailors, and a few newly enlisted troops from +Newfoundland; in all not exceeding 400 under arms. This intelligence was +soon contradicted. A servant of Colonel Arnold's who had been taken +prisoner and made his escape gave us a very different account: he stated +that the inhabitants and King's troops exceeded 800 under arms; our +whole force at that time not exceeding 500, and the most of our +ammunition spent.</p> + +<p>We this day lost one of our sentry, next the walls of the city. He was +treacherously decoyed and taken. This event soon rallied all our +detachment. We marched on to that place of the plains where Wolfe fought +his battle, in sight of the city walls. Our troops were drawn up in +battle array and we gave them a challenge for a field battle, our +riflemen forming our right wing. Though much superior to us in numbers +and better provided with arms and ammunition, they declined an +engagement. They fired on us from the fort, and as they were in a +situation in which we could not attack them, we did not choose to stand +merely to be shot at: we deliberately retreated, and soon got beyond +reach of their balls.</p> + +<p>From this time no special event occurred for the space of seven days. We +began to be in a very distressed situation, as the weather was +continually growing cold and we were almost naked, crowded together in +heaps, and nearly out of provisions—add to this we were in an enemies +country, almost destitute of ammunition, near to a force much superior +to our own and without a prospect of any reinforcements.</p> + +<p>November 21. We were informed that the citizens of Quebec in conjunction +with the soldiery, were determined to attack us the next morning having +heard that our ammunition was very nearly expended. We judged it not +prudent to hazard a battle with so little ammunition as we had on hand, +our officers therefore determined on a retreat the night ensuing.</p> + +<p>About 4 o'clock in the morning we began our retreat and effected it in +good order undiscovered by the enemy. We made no stops until we arrived +at Point aux Tremples, 20 miles. Most of the soldiers were in constant +misery during their march, as they were bare footed and the ground +frozen and very uneven. We might have been tracked all the way by the +blood from our shattered hoofs.</p> + +<p>In a few days after we arrived at Point aux Tremples, we were joined by +General Montgomery with about twelve hundred of the York forces from +Montreal. They brought with them a good supply of ammunition, clothing +and provisions taken from the King's stores at that place and from +eleven sail vessels which had been captured in the lakes. General +Montgomery brought on likewise implements necessary for carrying on a +seige against the city of Quebec. We lost no time in making every +necessary preparation for our return, and on the morning of the 5th of +December, took up our line of march and at evening arrived at the +encampment we had precipitately left on the plains of Abraham.</p> + +<p>Before we arrived, however, Governor Carlton had entered the town and +was making every preparation for vigorous defence. The garrison now +consisted of about fifteen hundred men of whom eight hundred were +natives, and between four and five hundred seamen. Our whole force fit +for service, was about one thousand men.</p> + +<p>General Montgomery endeavored to frighten the garrison to surrender: he +addressed a letter to the governor, giving an exaggerated account of his +own strength and resources and demanded him to surrender. But Carlton +who was an experienced, wary general, was not to be frightened. He +persisted in his determination to hold no communication with Montgomery, +and fired on the flag.</p> + +<p>Our situation was such as would have disheartened any general of common +resolution. The intense cold had set in, and we were unaccustomed to the +hardships of an ordinary campaign. Besides, the time of service with +most of us under Arnold was nearly out. But notwithstanding all +discouragements, General Montgomery was determined to commence the +siege. In a few days we opened a six gun battery within about seven +hundred yards of the walls, but our artillery was too light to make a +breach, and I believe the officers did not calculate on any effect from +it,—the object was to amuse the enemy and conceal our real design. The +intention of General Montgomery was to commence an assault. Before he +undertook however, this hazardous and daring project, it was necessary +to have the approbation of all the officers and soldiers. After +conferring with each officer separately on the subject and bringing all +to approve of the plan, he addressed himself to the soldiers, many of +whom appeared unwilling to attempt so daring an enterprize; especially +those of us who belonged to Arnold's corps. We had taken some disgust to +our general, as he was for maintaining more rigid discipline than we +were willing to submit to. But when he stated the great object that +would be gained by getting possession of Quebec, and that it would +probably lead to peace and the acknowledgement of independence, the fire +of patriotism kindled in our breasts, and we resolved to follow wherever +he should lead.</p> + +<p>The attempt to storm a place so strongly fortified, I thought was rash +and imprudent, but did not think proper to make any objections, lest I +should be considered wanting in courage. The back side of the town, next +the country, was guarded by a wall from 25 to 40 feet in height and 20 +feet thick; this is called the lower town. The upper town is situated +on a rock one hundred feet above this. The ascent from the lower to the +upper town is very steep and strongly fortified with pickets and gates. +The front of the town bordering on the river is almost inaccessable, and +strongly fortified by nature and art. But our heroic General seemed +resolved on victory or death, and no difficulties were too great for him +to encounter. While he was making the necessary preparations for the +assault, the garrison received intelligence of his intention from a +deserter. This circumstance induced him to change the plan of his +attack, which had been, originally, to attack both the upper and lower +towns at the same time. The plan now resolved on was, to divide the army +into four parts, and while two of them, consisting of Canadians under +Major Livingston, and a small party under Major Brown, were to distract +the attention of the garrison by making two feints against the upper +town, at St. Johns and Cape Diamond; the other two, led, the one by +Montgomery in person, and the other by Arnold, were to make real attacks +on opposite sides of the lower town. After gaining possession of the +lower town, it would yet have been extremely difficult to conquer the +obstacles to be surmounted in forcing their way to the upper town; but +as all the wealth of the city would then have been in their power, it +was confidently expected that the inhabitants, to secure their property, +would compel the governor to capitulate.</p> + +<p>Between four and five in the morning, the signal was given; and the +several divisions moved to the assault, under a violent storm of snow. +The plan was so well concerted that from the side of the river St. +Lawrence along the fortified front round to the bason, every part seemed +equally threatened.—Montgomery, at the head of the New York troops, +advanced along the St. Lawrence by the way of Aunce de Mére, under Cape +Diamond. The first barrier to be surmounted on this side was at the +Pot-Ash. It was defended by a battery in which were mounted a few pieces +of artillery, about two hundred paces in front of which was a +block-house and picket. The guard placed at the block-house, being +chiefly Canadians, having given a random and harmless fire, threw away +their arms and fled in confusion to the barrier.</p> + +<p>Unfortunately, the difficulties of the route rendered it impossible for +Montgomery instantly to avail himself of this first impression. Cape +Diamond, around which he was to make his way, presents a precipice, the +foot of which is washed by the river, where enormous and rugged masses +of ice had been piled on each other, so as to render the way almost +impassible. Along the scanty path leading under the projecting rocks of +the precipice, the Americans pressed forward in a narrow file, until +they reached the block-house and picket. Montgomery, who was himself in +front, assisted with his own hands to cut down or pull up the pickets, +and open a passage for his troops; but the excessive roughness and +difficulty of the way had so lengthened his line of march, that he found +it absolutely necessary to halt a few minutes, in order to collect a +force with which he might venture to proceed. Having reassembled about +two hundred men, whom he encouraged alike by his voice and his example, +he advanced boldly and rapidly at their head, to force the barrier. One +or two persons had now ventured to return to the battery; and, seizing a +slow-match standing by one of the guns, discharged the piece, when the +American front was within forty paces of it. This single accidental fire +was a fatal one. The General with Captains M'Pherson and Cheeseman, two +valuable young officers, near his person, the first of whom was his aid; +together with his orderly sergeant and a private, were killed on the +spot. The loss of their general, in whom their confidence had been so +justly placed, discouraged the troops; and Colonel Campbell on whom the +command devolved, but who did not partake of that spirit of heroism +which had animated their departed chief made no attempt to prosecute the +enterprise. This whole division retired precipitately from the action, +and left the garrison at leisure, after recovering from the +consternation into which they had been thrown, to direct their undivided +force against Arnold, in whose corps I then was.</p> + +<p>The division commanded by this officer moved in files, at the common +signal for the attack, along the street of St. Roques, towards the Sault +des Matelots. In imitation of Montgomery, he too led the forlorn hope in +person, and was followed by Captain Lamb with his company of artillery, +and a field piece mounted on a sled. Close in the rear of the artillery +was the main body, in front of which was Morgan's company of riflemen +commanded by himself. At the Sault des Matelots, the enemy had +constructed their first barrier, and had erected a battery of two twelve +pounders, which it was necessary to force. The path along which the +troops were to march had been rendered so narrow by the rough cakes of +ice thrown up on the side from St. Charles, and by the works erected by +the enemy on the other, that the two pieces of artillery in the battery +in front, were capable of raking with grape shot every inch of the +ground, whilst his whole right flank was exposed to an incessant fire of +musketry from the walls, and from the pickets of the garrison.</p> + +<p>In this order Arnold advanced with the utmost intrepidity, along the St. +Charles, against the battery. The alarm was immediately given, and the +fire on his flank commenced, which, however, did not prove very +destructive. As he approached the barrier he received a musket ball in +the leg which shattered the bone, and he was carried off the field to +the hospital. Morgan rushed forward to the battery at the head of his +company, and received from one of the pieces, almost at its mouth, a +discharge of grape shot which killed only one man. A few rifles were +immediately fired into the embrazures, by which a British soldier was +wounded in the head, and the barricade being instantly mounted with the +aid of the ladders, brought by the men on their shoulders, the battery +was deserted without discharging the other gun. The captain of the +guard, with the greater number of his men, fell into the hands of the +Americans, and the others made their escape.</p> + +<p>Morgan formed the troops, consisting of his own company and a few bold +individuals who had pressed forward from other parts of the division, in +the streets within the barrier; and took into custody several English +and Canadian burghers; but his situation soon became extremely critical. +He was not followed by the main body of the division; he had no guide; +and was himself totally ignorant of the situation of the town. It was +yet extremely dark, and he had not the slightest knowledge of the course +to be pursued, or of the defences to be encountered. Thus circumstanced, +it was thought unadvisable to advance further.</p> + +<p>The cold was intense and the storm very violent; this, together with the +fatigue by the exertion we had made tended to check our ardour. We had +now passed the first barrier; but a second we knew was before us and not +far distant. We had no pilot and the night was very dark and dismal. We +took shelter from the fury of the storm under the sides of some of the +buildings and waited for day light to direct us. At the dawn of day we +collected in a body, seized the ladders and were proceeding to the +second barrier, when on turning an angle in the street, we were hailed +by a Captain Anderson who had just issued from the gate with a body of +troops to attack us. Captain Morgan who led our little band in this +forlorn hope, answered the British captain by a ball through his head, +his soldiers drew him within the barricade and closed the gate; a +tremendous fire from the windows of the buildings and port holes of the +wall, was directed against our little host.</p> + +<p>Thirty of our privates being killed and thirty five wounded, and +surrounded as we were on all sides without any hope of relief, we were +obliged to surrender ourselves prisoners of war.</p> + +<p>During the whole of the attack by the different corps there were eleven +commissioned officers, thirty four privates, sergeants and corporals, +killed; thirty five wounded, and three hundred and forty five made +prisoners. This was the melancholly issue of our long and distressing +campaign. The prisoners, of whom I was one, were confined in a large +building called the Regules, where we had but very little fire or +provision. Our daily ration was three ounces of pork and two, (sometimes +three) small bran biscuit, and a half a pint of the water in which our +pork was boiled.</p> + +<p>January 1st, 1776. Our condition, which we thought was almost +insupportable by such a sparing allowance of fuel and provision as was +furnished us, was rendered tenfold more distressing by sickness.—About +the 10th of this month we began to be infected with the small pox, which +we took the natural way. With this mortal disease about one ninth part +of the prisoners died. While in hospital we were treated with some +humanity, but when in prison we experienced much insolence from the +garrison set over us.</p> + +<p>After we had been some time in the old Dauphin Gaol, which was built of +stone, and proof against musket and cannon balls, our fidelity was so +much relied on by most of the King's officers, that they scarce guarded +us at all. They appeared to consider us as deluded by the facinating +sound of liberty and freedom, and induced to take up arms when we were +not at heart inimical to his Britanic Majesty. Considering locks and +keys as useless, they committed the sole care of the prison to one of +our sergeants, who was faithful to the trust reposed in him, until about +the first of April, when we formed a plan for our escape.</p> + +<p>We had now lost all hopes of the city's being taken by the American +arms, and we resolved to regain our liberty by our own efforts, or lose +our lives in the attempt.</p> + +<p>Having watched the movements of the enemy for several days, unknown to +them, we determined with a party of 60 men to rise on the Gaol guard, +and disarm them, which consisted of 14 old decrepit men and young boys, +(whose appointment over us we considered rather an insult, than good +economy in the commander:) next we were to proceed to St. John's Gate, +about eight rods distant from the gaol and attack and disarm that guard, +consisting chiefly of English sailors, 18 in number, from whom we +expected a pretty warm reception: should we be thus far successful, an +hundred men, or more, were to proceed under the command of Colonel +Ashten, formerly sergeant major of Captain Lamb's train of artillery, to +turn the cannon on the battery, which were kept constantly loaded, +against the town, and to maintain this position at all hazards until +notice could be given to our army, and thus be the glorious means of +obtaining the object of all our toils, the possession of Quebec.</p> + +<p>We made every preparation for breaking gaol, which we could do at a +moment's warning. We had previously procured by means of some friends in +town, six pistols, a sufficient quantity of powder and ball, and a good +supply of port fire; and in addition, a number of old iron hoops with +which we made cutlasses. Thus equipped, we intended the first stormy +night to put our bold and desperate plan into execution. But we had +among us a vile traitor<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a>, who discovered our plot to the barrack +master: it was a deserter from the King's troops at Boston. The +intelligence was immediately carried to General Carlton and in a few +hours we were all put in irons. Thus we remained until our army raised +the siege, which was on the 6th of May. During this period of our close +confinement our sufferings were greater, and our situation more wretched +than it had ever been before. We were most of us afflicted with the +scurvy and the flux, at the same time. Towards the last of April there +was scarcely a well man among all the prisoners. We were also, all of us +without comfortable clothing, and many of us almost entirely naked.</p> + +<p>While in this deplorable situation, General Carlton, came into the gaol +and gave us the offer of returning home on parole. This was to me very +pleasing and joyful intelligence; but though this was on the sixth of +June, we were kept between hope and fear until the first of August, when +we were assured that we should embark for New-York by the 7th.</p> + +<p>The general presented each of us with a new suit of clothes, for which +he received our most hearty thanks, and on the 7th we went on board, and +sailed for New York on the 11th. We forsook our direct course and sailed +near to the west end of St. John's Island, in pursuit, as I understood +of some American pirates—from this, passed through the gut of Canso, +and after being delayed some by contrary winds, we arrived at New-York +on the 10th of September, and joined the British fleet which lay at +George's Island, and Statten Island, consisting, as I was informed, of +450 said—principally square rigged vessels.</p> + +<p>We tarried here from the 10th until the 22d, during which time the city +of New-York was evacuated by the American troops and taken possession of +by the English; there was also in this time a great fire, which consumed +near one-third of the city.</p> + +<p>On the 22d of September we were landed within about 3 miles of +Elizabethtown Point, to go where we pleased. The joy we experienced on +setting our feet once more on the shores of our native country, with the +liberty of returning to our families and friends cannot be conceived by +any but those who have shared misfortunes like ours. We had been more +than a year absent from our homes, seven months of which we had been in +prison, and the remainder of the time had been suffering hunger, cold +and fatigue.</p> + +<p>We were kindly received by our countrymen and furnished with whatever +was necessary to our comfort, that they had to bestow. Those of us who +belonged to New-England, set out for our respective homes. At King's +bridge I had the inexpressible joy of seeing my father and two of my +oldest brothers, besides many of my old neighbors and acquaintance; by +them I was informed of the welfare of my relations. After spending two +days in camp with my friends, with great pleasure and satisfaction, I +set out for Chatham in Connecticut, my native place. I arrived at New +Haven the 2d of October, where I tarried until the 5th and then +proceeded on my way to Chatham and went that day as far as Durham, the +next morning which was the Sabbath, at 11 o'clock I arrived at Chatham +and beheld once more my father's house and her whom the most sacred ties +of nature hath endeared to me, still in the land of the living.</p> + +<p>Never did my thanks to my Creator and preserver arise with more +sincerity than at this moment.—How kind has been that Providence, which +has preserved me through so many dangers and sufferings and returned me +in health and safety to the bosom of my friends! When wandering through +the wilderness, hungry, faint and weary, God was my support, and did not +suffer me like others to fall by the way—when sick and in prison he +visited me—when a captive he set me free! May I ever be grateful to my +Divine Protector, and my future life be devoted to his service! such +were my reflections on this joyful occasion.</p> + +<p>I repaired to the house of worship where I saw most of my acquaintance +and relations, who in the intermission flocked around me—shook me +heartily by the hand and assured me of a welcome return.</p> + + +<p class="center">FINIS.</p> + +<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> +<img src="images/image2.jpg" width="300" height="121" alt="" title="" /> +</div> + + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Colonel Burr, since Vice-President of the United States, +was one of the volunteers.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> Garden "sass"—vegetables.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> John Hall.</p></div> +</div> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An interesting journal of Abner +Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut, by Abner Stocking + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + +***** This file should be named 27306-h.htm or 27306-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/3/0/27306/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/27306-h/images/image1.jpg b/27306-h/images/image1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..56e5920 --- /dev/null +++ b/27306-h/images/image1.jpg diff --git a/27306-h/images/image2.jpg b/27306-h/images/image2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..490b9d7 --- /dev/null +++ b/27306-h/images/image2.jpg diff --git a/27306.txt b/27306.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b3300ca --- /dev/null +++ b/27306.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1422 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of +Chatham, Connecticut, by Abner Stocking + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: An interesting journal of Abner Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut + detailing the distressing events of the expedition against + Quebec, under the command of Col. Arnold in the year 1775 + +Author: Abner Stocking + +Release Date: November 21, 2008 [EBook #27306] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + + + + + + Transcriber's Note + + The punctuation and spelling from the original text have been + faithfully preserved. Only obvious typographical errors have been + corrected. + + +AN +INTERESTING +JOURNAL +OF +ABNER STOCKING +OF +CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT + +DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775 + +_Published by the relatives of Abner Stocking, now deceased_ + +CATSKILL, N.Y. +EAGLE OFFICE +1810 + +TARRYTOWN, N.Y. + +REPRINTED + +WILLIAM ABBATT +1921 + +BEING EXTRA NUMBER 75 OF THE MAGAZINE OF HISTORY WITH NOTES AND QUERIES + + + + +EDITOR'S PREFACE + + +We have already reprinted three journals of members of Arnold's famous +expedition to Quebec, (Dr. Senter's, Captain Topham's and Private +Morison's) and now present a fourth, written by Private Abner Stocking, +which has not before been printed since its original appearance in 1810. +Mr. Codman in his most valuable book on the Expedition, justly says of +these and similar journals: "They constitute an invariably interesting +body of historical material, which preserves unimpaired the quaint +individuality of their widely-diverse authors, and the unmistakable +color and atmosphere of a period which must always be of particular +importance to the students of American history." + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +The reader cannot enter on the succeeding journal to advantage without +first being acquainted with the object of the expedition, the +circumstances under which it was undertaken, and the route marked out +for the army to pursue. + +In the month of June 1775 Gen. Schuyler was commissioned by Congress to +invade Canada through the lakes--to take possession of Ticonderoga and +Crown Point; and if practicable to proceed to St. Johns and besiege that +fortress. Should he succeed in getting possession of these posts on the +lakes, the way would be open to proceed on to Montreal and from thence +to Quebec, the capital of Canada. + +General Washington calculating on the success of General Schuyler, and +foreseeing that the whole force of Canada would be concentrated about +Montreal, projected an expedition against Quebec, by a detachment from +his camp before Boston, which was to march by the way of the Kennebeck +river, and passing through the dreary wilderness lying between the +settled parts of Maine and the St. Lawrence, and crossing the rugged +mountains and deep morasses which abound in that country, to penetrate +into Canada about ninety miles below Montreal. + +The object proposed by this hardy enterprise was to take possession of +Quebec, which all his accounts assured him was absolutely unable to hold +out against any considerable force, and would probably surrender without +firing a gun. + +This arduous enterprise was committed to Col. Arnold. About a thousand +men consisting of New-England infantry, some volunteers,[1] and a +company of artillery under Captain Lamb, and three companies of riflemen +were selected for the service. + +Notwithstanding the utmost exertions that could possibly be made, the +detachment could not commence their march until about the middle of +September 1775. + +Mr. Stocking, a native of Chatham, in Connecticut, was one of the little +band of patriots designed for this expedition. As he was a man capable +of making judicious observations, and a good penman, he was probably +appointed to keep a regular journal of the events of each day during +this distressing campaign. + +The detachment commenced their march from Cambridge, near Boston on the +23rd of September, at which time and place Mr. Stocking began his +journal. + +[Illustration] + + + + +AN +INTERESTING +JOURNAL +OF +ABNER STOCKING +OF +CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT + +DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST +QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775 + +_Published by relatives of Abner Stocking, now deceased_ + + + + +JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING + + AS KEPT BY HIMSELF, DURING HIS LONG AND TEDIOUS MARCH THROUGH THE + WILDERNESS TO QUEBEC, UNTIL HIS RETURN TO HIS NATIVE PLACE. + + +All things being in readiness for our departure, we set out from +Cambridge, near Boston, on the 13th Sept. at sunset, and encamped at +Mistick at eight o'clock at night. We were all in high spirits, +intending to endure with fortitude, all the fatigues and hardships, that +we might meet with in our march to Quebec. + +September 14th. This morning we began our march at 5 o'clock and at +sunset encamped at Danvers, a place twenty miles distant from Mistick. + +The weather through the day was very sultry and hot for the season of +the year. The country through which we passed appeared barren and but +thinly inhabited. + +September 15th. This morning we marched very early, and encamped at +night within five miles of Newbury Port. The inhabitants who visited us +in our encampment expressed many good wishes for our success in our +intended enterprise. + +September 16th. Zealous in the cause, and not knowing the hardships and +distresses we were to encounter, we as usual began our march very +early.--At eight o'clock we arrived at Newbury Port where we were to +tarry several days and make preparations for our voyage. We were here to +go on board vessels which we found lying ready to receive us, and carry +us to the mouth of the Kennebeck. The mouth of the Kennebeck river is +about thirty leagues to the eastward of Newbury Port. + +September 17th. We are still at Newbury Port and are ordered to appear +at a general review. + +We passed the review with much honor to ourselves. We manifested great +zeal and animation in the cause of liberty and went through with the +manual exercise with much alacrity. + +The spectators, who were very numerous, appeared much affected. They +probably thought we had many hardships to encounter and many of us +should never return to our parents and families. + +September 18th. We this day embarked at six o'clock in the afternoon. +Our fleet consisted of eleven sail, sloops and schooners. Our whole +number of troops was 1100--11 companies of musketmen and three companies +of riflemen. We hauled off into the road and got ready to weigh anchor +in the morning if the wind should be favorable. + +September 19th. This morning we got under way with a pleasant breeze, +our drums beating, fifes playing and colours flying. + +Many pretty Girls stood upon the shore, I suppose weeping for the +departure of their sweethearts. + +At eleven o'clock this day we left the entrance of the harbor and bore +away for Kennebeck river. In the latter part of the night, there came on +a thick fog and our fleet was separated. At break of day we found +ourselves in a most dangerous situation, very near a reef of rocks. The +rocks indeed appeared on all sides of us, so that we feared we should +have been dashed to pieces on some of them. We were brought into this +deplorable situation by means of liquor being dealt out too freely to +our pilots.--Their intemperance much endangered their own lives and the +lives of all the officers and soldiers on board; but through the +blessing of God we all arrived safe in Kennebeck river. + +September 20. This day was very pleasant, and with a gentle breeze we +sailed and rowed 30 miles up the Kennebeck river. By the evening tide we +floated within 6 miles of Fort Western, where we were obliged to leave +our sloops and take to our batteaus. + +September 21. This day we arrived at Fort Western, where we tarried +until the 25th in order to make farther preparation for our voyage up +the river, and our march through the wilderness. + +While remaining in this place I was called to witness a scene which to +me was awful and very affecting; the more so I presume as it was the +first of the kind I ever beheld. A civil, well behaved and much beloved +young man, belonging to Captain Williams' company, was shot. He lived +but about twelve hours, and died in great horror and agony of mind at +the thought of going into eternity and appearing before his God and +judge. He was from the north parish of New-London and had a wife and +four or five children. + +The supposed murderer was James McCormick. The circumstances of his +being out all night, and his guilty looks and actions, were pretty +convincing proof against him. He was tryed by a Court-Martial and +sentenced to be hanged until dead, his gallows erected, and all things +prepared for his execution. Our Chaplain conversed with him respecting +his crime, the awful punishment he was soon to suffer, and the more +awful and never ending punishment that would await him in the eternal +world if he did not repent and believe in Christ. He would not confess +himself guilty of intentionally murdering the young man; but that he +intended to have killed his captain, with whom he had the night before a +violent quarrel. He was brought to the gallows, a prayer made, and the +time for his execution almost arrived, when Colonel Arnold thought best +to reprieve him and send him to General Washington. I have been +informed, that he died in gaol before the day of his execution arrived. + +September 25th. Early this morning, we embarked on board our batteaus +and proceeded on our way. We labored hard through the day and found +ourselves at night but about 7 miles from the place of our departure. +The current began to be swift. We encamped at night by the edge of a +cornfield and fared very sumptuously. + +September 26th. This day we started very early and made our encampment +at evening 4 miles below Fort Halifax. We began to experience great +difficulty from the increasing rapidity of the current, and the water +becoming shoal. + +September 27th. This day we carried our batteaus and baggage round +Ticonnick falls. The land carriage was only about 40 rods. After +launching in again and getting our provisions and baggage on board, we +pushed against the stream on our way about three miles. + +September 28th. This day we proceeded 8 miles but with great difficulty. +The stream was in some places very rapid and shoal, and in others so +deep that those who dragged the boats were obliged to nearly swim. We +encountered these hardships and fatigues with great courage and +perseverance from the zeal we felt in the cause. When night came on, wet +and fatigued as we were, we had to encamp on the cold ground. It was at +this time that we inclined to think of the comfortable accommodations we +had left at home. + +September 29th. This day we arrived to the second carrying place, called +Skowhegan falls. Though this was only 60 rods over, it occasioned much +delay and great fatigue. We had to ascend a ragged rock, near on 100 +feet in height and almost perpendicular. Though it seemed as though we +could hardly ascend it without any burden, we succeeded in dragging our +batteaus and baggage up it. + +September 30th. After getting over the carrying place, we found the +water more still. We proceeded 5 miles and at sundown encamped in a most +delightful wood, where I thought I could have spent some time agreeably +in solitude, in contemplating the works of nature. The forest was +stripped of its verdure, but still appeared to me beautiful. I thought +that though we were in a thick wilderness, uninhabited by human beings, +yet we were as much in the immediate presence of our divine protector, +as when in the crowded city. + +October 1st. This day we proceeded with unusual perseverance, but as the +water was exceedingly rapid, we could advance but slowly. It was but a +small part of the way that any thing could be done by rowing, or +setting. While one took the batteau by the bow, another kept hold of the +stern to keep her from upsetting, or filling with water. Thus our +fatigues seemed daily to encrease. But what we most dreaded was the +frost and cold from which we began to suffer considerably. + +October 2d. This day we carried over Norridgewock falls, one mile and a +quarter. At night we encamped at a place formerly inhabited by the +natives and afterwards by the French and Indians; the former had erected +a mass house for their devotions, but had deserted it at the time the +New England forces made great slaughter among them in the French war. A +few inhabitants were now living here, who rendered us some assistance. +The temple of worship contained some curiosities, such as crosses &c. We +took up our lodgings here for the night and were much pleased with our +accommodations. The place had the appearance of once having been the +residence of a considerable number of inhabitants. + +October 3d. Having had some better refreshment than usual, we pushed on +our way with increased resolution. We had now taken leave of the last +inhabitants. The remainder of our route was to be through a trackless +wilderness. We now entered a doleful barren woods; the timber mostly +pine and hemlock--some thick patches of spruce and fir, and some groves +of sugar-maple. + +One of the riflemen of Captain Hendricks' company this day killed a +young Moose, which weighed about 200 lbs. + +October 4th. This day with much exertion we got forward 8 miles, to +Tentucket, or Hell-gate falls, which are of astonishing height, and +exhibit an awful appearance. At the foot of the falls we found fine +fishing for salmon trout. The land carriage here was but about 40 rods +but very difficult to effect. + +October 5th. This day we pushed up the river about eight miles. The +stream decreased very fast and we were again much troubled with shoal +water. + +October 6th. This day we advanced about 7 miles. Our difficulties +encreased, but our fortitude and patriotism did not fail us. We felt +determined to do something for the freedom and welfare of our country +before we returned. + +October 7th. This day we reached the head of Kennebeck river. Here was a +carrying place of three and a half miles through a wilderness without +any tract to guide us. + +October 8th. We this day were detained by a storm, from which we had but +very little to shelter us as we had but few tents and the trees were +stripped of their leaves. + +October 9, 10 and 11th. These three days we were employed in carrying +our batteaus, provisions and baggage over this long and difficult +carrying place. Some were employed in cutting and clearing a road, and +others in carrying. We had to go through swamps and quagmires--much of +the way knee deep in mud and water. We here left behind everything which +we did not deem absolutely necessary to our journey. Our pork we took +from the barrels and strung it on poles, leaving the barrels behind. In +the afternoon of the 11th, we launched our boats into a pool of +considerable extent, crossed over it, and encamped on the west side. + +October 12 and 13. We carried our batteaus and baggage three quarters of +a mile to another pond, one mile over--then to a third, two miles +over,--Though the water was now very cold, we caught trout in these +ponds in great abundance. + +Between these ponds we built a block-house, and gave it the name of Fort +Meigs, designed for our sick, in case they should return this way. We +viewed with much anxiety winter approaching--we had some snow squalls +through the day. + +October 14 and 15th. These two days we were diligently employed in +carrying our batteaus, provisions, &c. to Dead river. Our hardships were +greater than on any preceding day--the land carriage was four miles; one +mile of which was a sunken marsh. Four men were assigned to each +batteau--under the weight of their loads they almost every step sunk to +their knees in mud, and were entangled in the low shrubbery. We arrived +at the bank of Dead river at 3 o'clock and proceeding one mile up said +river by sunset, took up our encampment for the night. On our right and +left were excessively high mountains, the summits of which were covered +with snow and ice. Could I have ascended to the top of one of these +mountains I thought I could have overlooked all creation. The land +between the mountains appeared to be very rich and fertile--wild grass +covered the ground, four or five feet in height, and served us a good +purpose for covering for the night. + +October 16th. The water now being deep and dead, we betook ourselves to +our oars and rowed up 6 miles. The river is so remarkably still and +dead, that it is difficult to determine which way it runs. It is on an +average about 4 rods in width and the banks of it very steep. + +October 17th. After passing over a small carrying place of 16 rods we +rowed 16 miles up the river through still deep water; the land on each +side to appearance very good. + +October 18th. This day we rowed 20 miles and passed a short carrying +place. The river is very crooked and the water deep. We discovered on +the bank of the river an old Indian hut, built as we supposed for +hunting. Many bones of animals lay round the hut, and there was a +clearing of about one acre. + +October 19th. This day we passed four carrying places and advanced but +five miles. We were detained by the great rains that fell which drenched +us sorely as we had but very little to cover us. The weather grew cold +and we had nothing better to screen us from the air, than hemlock +boughs. + +October 23d. The water growing shallow and rapid we were obliged to take +to our setting poles, we pushed with them 10 miles this day. The water +daily decreased as we approached towards the head of the stream, and +land on each side of us was mountainous and barren. + +October 24. This day our afflictions increased, fear was added to +sorrow. We found to our astonishment that our journey was much longer +than we expected; what was more alarming, our provisions were growing +scant. Some of our men appeared disheartened, but the most of them, with +Col. Arnold stood firm and resolute. They were ready to encounter yet +greater hardships for the good of their country. + +At this critical and alarming crisis a council was called to consider +what was most prudent to be done. They determined to send back +immediately the disabled and the sick, with provisions sufficient to +carry them to the first inhabitants on the Kennebeck river. They also +determined to send a party forward to the nearest settlement in Canada +to procure provisions and return to meet the army with all possible +expedition. Captain Oliver Hanchet, with one subaltern and fifty +privates set out with ten days provisions, each man taking 10 pints of +flour and 5 lbs of pork. The sick, forty in number, went back. We then +pushed forward with all possible speed. We gained nine miles against the +stream this day, but suffered from losses, on the account of which we +felt greatly distressed. Several of our boats were upset by the rapidity +of the stream, and much of our provisions, cloathing, ammunition, and +some money were lost. + +October 25th. This morning we proceeded on our way very early: the +weather was somewhat cold, as it snowed most of the night. The thickets +of spruce and fir were covered and exhibited a gloomy aspect. + +To add to our discouragements, we received intelligence that Colonel +Enos who was in our rear, had returned with three companies, and taken +large stores of provisions and ammunition. These companies had +constantly been in the rear, and of course had experienced much less +fatigue than we had. They had their path cut and cleared by us; they +only followed, while we led. That they therefore should be the first to +turn back excited in us much manly resentment. Our bold though +unexperienced general discovered such firmness and zeal as inspired us +with resolution. The hardships and fatigues he encountered, he accounted +as nothing in comparison with the salvation of his country. + +October 26th. Setting out very early this day we passed on with great +resolution: we passed thro' four several ponds with outlets leading from +one to the other. The course through these ponds, I should judge was +nearly N.W. The land apparently very barren--the timber consisting +chiefly of fir, spruce, hackmetack and hemlock. The ponds were large and +deep; one of them I should judge was three miles in length and one in +breadth. + +October 27th. This day we crossed a pond, one fourth of a mile over, and +soon came to another two miles in width. In this pond we caught plenty +of trout. We had now come to the great carrying place, 4 miles and 50 +perches over. + +As we were all greatly fatigued, it was resolved to leave here most of +our batteaus, which had already been reduced from 10 to 6 to each +company--but 6 I think were carried from this place. We overhauled our +ammunition and found most of our powder damaged and unfit for use; all +of this description we destroyed on the spot. + +The last pond we crossed, appeared to be the head of Dead river, or +rather as some suppose, the fountain from which Kennebeck river takes +its first rise, that and the Dead river being one and the same. The +river from the place where we left the Kennebeck, (so-called) to the +place where we entered the Dead river making a long crooked circuitous +route. We now appeared to be on the height of land, and to be several +hundred feet higher than when we were at Fort Western. + +October 28th. We this day passed the height of land. We then divided our +provisions which we found did not exceed 4 pounds of flour and 40 ounces +of pork to a man. We were in a meadow by the side of a small stream, +running N.E. into Chaudiere lake. We sent our batteaus down this creek +and a little before sunset we had the inexpressible satisfaction to meet +a messenger we had sent into Canada to find out the disposition of the +inhabitants and know whether we should be well received. He was the +bearer of good tidings, he assured us that we should be kindly received +and furnished with provisions--He brought some fruit to Colonel Arnold, +sent him by a lady, as a token of friendship and fidelity. Our joy on +this occasion was too great to be suppressed. The whole valley was made +to ring with our exultations. Our worthy Major Meigs was exceedingly +elevated, and expressed such zeal and animation in the glorious cause of +his country as revived the drooping spirits of all the soldiery. We were +now to leave the remainder of our batteaus--what little we had to carry +we put into our knapsacks, the whole of the detachment having now orders +to march and make the best of their way to Chaudiere river. We returned +unto the rising ground and encamped for the night. + +October 29th. Very early this morning, we left our encampment on the +rising ground and began descending towards an ocean of swamp that lay +before us. We soon entered it and found it covered with a low shrubbery +of cedar and hackmetack, the roots of which were so excessively +slippery, that we could hardly keep upon our feet. The top of the ground +was covered with a soft moss, filled with water and ice. After walking a +few hours in the swamp we seemed to have lost all sense of feeling in +our feet and ankles. As we were constantly slipping, we walked in great +fear of breaking our bones or dislocating our joints. But to be +disenabled from walking in this situation was sure death. We travelled +all day and not being able to get through this dismal swamp, we +encamped. I thought we were probably the first _human_ beings that ever +took up their residence for a night in this wilderness--not _howling +wilderness_, for I believe no wild animals would inhabit it. + +October 30. This morning we started in great haste and soon got through +the swamp. From the time we had been travelling in it, we judged it to +be about 7 miles in width; of its length from east to west I can give no +account. + +On leaving the swamp we had to pass a river two rods over and about +three feet in depth. The water was excessively cold. As we had this day +to make our way through thickets, and low sunken marshes, our progress +was but slow. + +During the fore part of the day we steered E.N.E. but thinking we were +bearing too much to the east, we changed our course to W.N.W. which +soon brought us in sight of a large pond or lake, which we supposed +communicated with Chaudiere lake. We encamped about half a mile from the +lake. Our march this day we supposed was about 20 miles. + +October 31st. This morning we began our march very early and pushed on +with all speed, for the head of Chaudiere river; at 11 o'clock we passed +it. We here came up with Captain Morgan's company, which had gone before +us. We learnt to our great sorrow, that in attempting to go down the +river in their batteaus, which they brought to this place, they were +carried down by the rapidity of the stream and dashed on rocks; that +they had lost most of their provisions and that a waiter of Captain +Morgan was drowned. + +Their condition was truly deplorable--they had not when we came up with +them a mouthful of provisions of any kind, and we were not able to +relieve them, as hunger stared us in the face. Some of us were entirely +destitute and others had but a morsel of bread, and we now supposed +ourselves 70 miles from the nearest inhabitants. Some of Captain +Morgan's company we were told had perished with the cold. + +November 1st. Our fatigue and anxiety were so great that we were but +little refreshed the last night by sleep. We started however very early, +hungry and wet. Knowing that our lives depended on our speedy arrival to +an inhabited country, we marched very briskly all day and even until +late in the evening. We then encamped in a fine grove, but in a starving +condition. Captain Goodrich's company had the good fortune to kill a +large black dog, that providentially came to them at that time. They +feasted on him heartily without either bread or salt. Our hunger was so +great that many offered dollars for a single mouthful of bread. Such +distress I never before felt, or witnessed. I anxiously turned my +thoughts back to my native land, to a country flowing with milk and +honey. I was surprised that I had so lightly esteemed all the good +things which I there once enjoyed. Little thought I, do we know of the +value of the common blessings of Providence, until we are deprived of +them. With such reflections I laid myself down on the cold, wet ground, +hungry and fatigued. + +November 2d. When we arose this morning many of the company were so weak +that they could hardly stand on their legs. When we attempted to march, +they reeled about like drunken men, having now been without provisions +five days. As I proceeded I passed many sitting, wholly drowned in +sorrow, wishfully placing their eyes on every one who passed by them, +hoping for some relief. Such pity-asking countenances I never before +beheld. My heart was ready to burst and my eyes to overflow with tears +when I witnessed distress which I could not relieve. The circumstances +of a young Dutchman, and his wife, who followed him through this +fatiguing march, particularly excited my sensibility. They appeared to +be much interested in each others welfare and unwilling to be separated, +but the husband, exhausted with fatigue and hunger fell a victim to the +king of terrors. His affectionate wife tarryed by him until he died, +while the rest of the company proceeded on their way. Having no +implements with which she could bury him she covered him with leaves, +and then took his gun and other implements and left him with a heavy +heart. After travelling 20 miles she came up with us. + +Just at evening this day, we met cattle coming up the river, sent us for +our relief. This was the most joyful sight our eyes ever beheld. The +French people who drove them informed us that Colonel Arnold had arrived +in their settlement two days before, with the advance party, and had +purchased cattle as soon as possible and sent them on. + +A cow was immediately killed and cut open in great haste; a small calf +being found in her, it was divided up and eaten without further +ceremony. I got a little piece of the flesh, which I eat raw with a +little oat meal wet with cold water, and thought I feasted sumptuously. + +November 3d. This day we proceeded on down the river about 20 miles, +waiding several small rivers, some of which were up to our middles. The +water was terrible cold as the ground was at this time covered with snow +and ice. At evening we came in sight of a house which was the first we +had seen for the space of 31 days. + +Our joy was inexpressible in breaking out of that dismal wilderness in +which we had been so long buried, and once more beholding a country +inhabited by human beings; it was like being brought from a dungeon to +behold the clear light of the sun. + +The French people received us with all the kindness we could wish, they +treated our sick with much tenderness, and supplied us with every thing +they could for our comfort. They seemed moved with pity for us and to +greatly admire our patriotism and resolution, in encountering such +hardships for the good of our country. But they were too ignorant to put +a just estimate on the value of freedom. + +November 4. Last night we got a plenty of good beef and potatoes, but +little bread could be procured. It snowed most of the night and the +weather was cold. After marching down the river about 10 miles, we began +to get such necessaries as we wanted; such as bread, milk, eggs, butter +and most kinds of sauce.[2] To be supplied with these articles, of which +we had been so long deprived was a great luxury. + +The kindness and hospitality of the inhabitants, was to us very +pleasing. After having been lately our enemies, at war with us, we did +not expect to experience from them to much friendship. + +Had we been in New-England among people of our own nation, we should +not, I think, have been treated with more kindness. They readily +supplied us with whatever they had to spare, and discovered much +tenderness towards those of our company who were sick, or feeble. I last +night lodged in a _house_, which I had not done before for 39 days. + +November 5. We continued our march down the river. The people continued +to be hospitable, with some few exceptions. Knowing our need of their +articles, some of them would extort from us an extravagant price. We +chose to live mostly on bread and butter and milk, having but little +relish for meat, and supposing it not to be healthy food after fasting +so long. + +November 6. This day we come up with Colonel Arnold and the advanced +party at St. Mary's. At two o'clock we marched off together, and +continued on the road until 12 o'clock at night. The roads were very bad +by means of the great rains and snows that had fallen--we most of the +way waded half leg deep in the mud and water. Though we were very +industrious through the day and half of the night, we marched but 17 +miles. + +November 7. We this day marched down the river about 3 miles and halted +until night. + +We now had arrived before the city of Quebec, to take which by surprise +was the great object of our expedition. + +A Lieutenant with 20 men was sent forward to see if our way was clear. +At 2 o'clock at night the advanced party reached the St. Lawrence and +halted. In the morning we perceived we were in fair view of Quebec, +nothing but the river separating us. + +November 8. We took up our residence in houses along the south side of +the river St. Lawrence, and remained until the 13th waiting for the +sick, the halt and feeble, who had been left behind at different places +to come up. By the 13th all had arrived who were to be expected; many we +learnt, to our great sorrow, had perished by the way. + +When a general muster was made, and all appeared who had survived the +perils of the wilderness, a more pitiful and humorous spectacle was +exhibited than I had ever before seen. + +In our long and tedious march through the wilderness, it was not with us +as with the children of Israel, _that our cloathes waxed not old_, ours +were torn in pieces by the bushes, and hung in strings--few of us had +any shoes, but moggasons made of raw skins--many of us without +hats--and beards long and visages thin and meager. I thought we much +resembled the animals which inhabit New-Spain, called the Ourang-Outang. +The French appeared a little surprised at the first sight of us; and had +not Colonel Arnold gone forward to apprise them of our approach, they +might have fled from their habitations. + +In coming to this place we passed several very pretty villages, +ornamented with handsome churches for worship. We discovered some people +of fashion, living in good style, but most of the inhabitants appeared +ignorant and to have but little ambition. + +November 7. This day we were very busy in preparing to cross the river +at night; we had collected a great number of Canoes, some of them made +of bark by the Indians; but most of them of large pine logs. When night +approached, we began to cross, and made our first landing at a place +called Wolfe's Cove. We directly ascended a steep bank and paraded on +the plains of Abraham, where we found a plenty of barracks which had +been erected for the use of the British troops and were then unoccupied. +Several of the bark canoes in crossing upset, by which accident we lost +some muskets, and baggage, but no lives, though some of us very narrowly +escaped.--Most of the troops were over by day break; those who crossed +after were fired upon by the _Lizard_, a British frigate that lay in the +river, but received no damage. + +November 14. We now had in our possession the midshipman of the +_Lizard_, and several other prisoners, which we had taken on the south +side of the river. The frigate fired upon us in our encampment; but she +was at too great a distance to do us any injury. We this day took a +prisoner near our encampment--supposed to be a spy. We let him and our +other prisoners, every day walk on parole. + +The weather being very cold, we quit our barracks and took up our +residence in houses, built for the King's officers, which they evacuated +on our approach. We remained here until the 21st, during which time we +received intelligence that there were not more than 100 regular troops +in the city--some sailors, and a few newly enlisted troops from +Newfoundland; in all not exceeding 400 under arms. This intelligence was +soon contradicted. A servant of Colonel Arnold's who had been taken +prisoner and made his escape gave us a very different account: he stated +that the inhabitants and King's troops exceeded 800 under arms; our +whole force at that time not exceeding 500, and the most of our +ammunition spent. + +We this day lost one of our sentry, next the walls of the city. He was +treacherously decoyed and taken. This event soon rallied all our +detachment. We marched on to that place of the plains where Wolfe fought +his battle, in sight of the city walls. Our troops were drawn up in +battle array and we gave them a challenge for a field battle, our +riflemen forming our right wing. Though much superior to us in numbers +and better provided with arms and ammunition, they declined an +engagement. They fired on us from the fort, and as they were in a +situation in which we could not attack them, we did not choose to stand +merely to be shot at: we deliberately retreated, and soon got beyond +reach of their balls. + +From this time no special event occurred for the space of seven days. We +began to be in a very distressed situation, as the weather was +continually growing cold and we were almost naked, crowded together in +heaps, and nearly out of provisions--add to this we were in an enemies +country, almost destitute of ammunition, near to a force much superior +to our own and without a prospect of any reinforcements. + +November 21. We were informed that the citizens of Quebec in conjunction +with the soldiery, were determined to attack us the next morning having +heard that our ammunition was very nearly expended. We judged it not +prudent to hazard a battle with so little ammunition as we had on hand, +our officers therefore determined on a retreat the night ensuing. + +About 4 o'clock in the morning we began our retreat and effected it in +good order undiscovered by the enemy. We made no stops until we arrived +at Point aux Tremples, 20 miles. Most of the soldiers were in constant +misery during their march, as they were bare footed and the ground +frozen and very uneven. We might have been tracked all the way by the +blood from our shattered hoofs. + +In a few days after we arrived at Point aux Tremples, we were joined by +General Montgomery with about twelve hundred of the York forces from +Montreal. They brought with them a good supply of ammunition, clothing +and provisions taken from the King's stores at that place and from +eleven sail vessels which had been captured in the lakes. General +Montgomery brought on likewise implements necessary for carrying on a +seige against the city of Quebec. We lost no time in making every +necessary preparation for our return, and on the morning of the 5th of +December, took up our line of march and at evening arrived at the +encampment we had precipitately left on the plains of Abraham. + +Before we arrived, however, Governor Carlton had entered the town and +was making every preparation for vigorous defence. The garrison now +consisted of about fifteen hundred men of whom eight hundred were +natives, and between four and five hundred seamen. Our whole force fit +for service, was about one thousand men. + +General Montgomery endeavored to frighten the garrison to surrender: he +addressed a letter to the governor, giving an exaggerated account of his +own strength and resources and demanded him to surrender. But Carlton +who was an experienced, wary general, was not to be frightened. He +persisted in his determination to hold no communication with Montgomery, +and fired on the flag. + +Our situation was such as would have disheartened any general of common +resolution. The intense cold had set in, and we were unaccustomed to the +hardships of an ordinary campaign. Besides, the time of service with +most of us under Arnold was nearly out. But notwithstanding all +discouragements, General Montgomery was determined to commence the +siege. In a few days we opened a six gun battery within about seven +hundred yards of the walls, but our artillery was too light to make a +breach, and I believe the officers did not calculate on any effect from +it,--the object was to amuse the enemy and conceal our real design. The +intention of General Montgomery was to commence an assault. Before he +undertook however, this hazardous and daring project, it was necessary +to have the approbation of all the officers and soldiers. After +conferring with each officer separately on the subject and bringing all +to approve of the plan, he addressed himself to the soldiers, many of +whom appeared unwilling to attempt so daring an enterprize; especially +those of us who belonged to Arnold's corps. We had taken some disgust to +our general, as he was for maintaining more rigid discipline than we +were willing to submit to. But when he stated the great object that +would be gained by getting possession of Quebec, and that it would +probably lead to peace and the acknowledgement of independence, the fire +of patriotism kindled in our breasts, and we resolved to follow wherever +he should lead. + +The attempt to storm a place so strongly fortified, I thought was rash +and imprudent, but did not think proper to make any objections, lest I +should be considered wanting in courage. The back side of the town, next +the country, was guarded by a wall from 25 to 40 feet in height and 20 +feet thick; this is called the lower town. The upper town is situated +on a rock one hundred feet above this. The ascent from the lower to the +upper town is very steep and strongly fortified with pickets and gates. +The front of the town bordering on the river is almost inaccessable, and +strongly fortified by nature and art. But our heroic General seemed +resolved on victory or death, and no difficulties were too great for him +to encounter. While he was making the necessary preparations for the +assault, the garrison received intelligence of his intention from a +deserter. This circumstance induced him to change the plan of his +attack, which had been, originally, to attack both the upper and lower +towns at the same time. The plan now resolved on was, to divide the army +into four parts, and while two of them, consisting of Canadians under +Major Livingston, and a small party under Major Brown, were to distract +the attention of the garrison by making two feints against the upper +town, at St. Johns and Cape Diamond; the other two, led, the one by +Montgomery in person, and the other by Arnold, were to make real attacks +on opposite sides of the lower town. After gaining possession of the +lower town, it would yet have been extremely difficult to conquer the +obstacles to be surmounted in forcing their way to the upper town; but +as all the wealth of the city would then have been in their power, it +was confidently expected that the inhabitants, to secure their property, +would compel the governor to capitulate. + +Between four and five in the morning, the signal was given; and the +several divisions moved to the assault, under a violent storm of snow. +The plan was so well concerted that from the side of the river St. +Lawrence along the fortified front round to the bason, every part seemed +equally threatened.--Montgomery, at the head of the New York troops, +advanced along the St. Lawrence by the way of Aunce de Mere, under Cape +Diamond. The first barrier to be surmounted on this side was at the +Pot-Ash. It was defended by a battery in which were mounted a few pieces +of artillery, about two hundred paces in front of which was a +block-house and picket. The guard placed at the block-house, being +chiefly Canadians, having given a random and harmless fire, threw away +their arms and fled in confusion to the barrier. + +Unfortunately, the difficulties of the route rendered it impossible for +Montgomery instantly to avail himself of this first impression. Cape +Diamond, around which he was to make his way, presents a precipice, the +foot of which is washed by the river, where enormous and rugged masses +of ice had been piled on each other, so as to render the way almost +impassible. Along the scanty path leading under the projecting rocks of +the precipice, the Americans pressed forward in a narrow file, until +they reached the block-house and picket. Montgomery, who was himself in +front, assisted with his own hands to cut down or pull up the pickets, +and open a passage for his troops; but the excessive roughness and +difficulty of the way had so lengthened his line of march, that he found +it absolutely necessary to halt a few minutes, in order to collect a +force with which he might venture to proceed. Having reassembled about +two hundred men, whom he encouraged alike by his voice and his example, +he advanced boldly and rapidly at their head, to force the barrier. One +or two persons had now ventured to return to the battery; and, seizing a +slow-match standing by one of the guns, discharged the piece, when the +American front was within forty paces of it. This single accidental fire +was a fatal one. The General with Captains M'Pherson and Cheeseman, two +valuable young officers, near his person, the first of whom was his aid; +together with his orderly sergeant and a private, were killed on the +spot. The loss of their general, in whom their confidence had been so +justly placed, discouraged the troops; and Colonel Campbell on whom the +command devolved, but who did not partake of that spirit of heroism +which had animated their departed chief made no attempt to prosecute the +enterprise. This whole division retired precipitately from the action, +and left the garrison at leisure, after recovering from the +consternation into which they had been thrown, to direct their undivided +force against Arnold, in whose corps I then was. + +The division commanded by this officer moved in files, at the common +signal for the attack, along the street of St. Roques, towards the Sault +des Matelots. In imitation of Montgomery, he too led the forlorn hope in +person, and was followed by Captain Lamb with his company of artillery, +and a field piece mounted on a sled. Close in the rear of the artillery +was the main body, in front of which was Morgan's company of riflemen +commanded by himself. At the Sault des Matelots, the enemy had +constructed their first barrier, and had erected a battery of two twelve +pounders, which it was necessary to force. The path along which the +troops were to march had been rendered so narrow by the rough cakes of +ice thrown up on the side from St. Charles, and by the works erected by +the enemy on the other, that the two pieces of artillery in the battery +in front, were capable of raking with grape shot every inch of the +ground, whilst his whole right flank was exposed to an incessant fire of +musketry from the walls, and from the pickets of the garrison. + +In this order Arnold advanced with the utmost intrepidity, along the St. +Charles, against the battery. The alarm was immediately given, and the +fire on his flank commenced, which, however, did not prove very +destructive. As he approached the barrier he received a musket ball in +the leg which shattered the bone, and he was carried off the field to +the hospital. Morgan rushed forward to the battery at the head of his +company, and received from one of the pieces, almost at its mouth, a +discharge of grape shot which killed only one man. A few rifles were +immediately fired into the embrazures, by which a British soldier was +wounded in the head, and the barricade being instantly mounted with the +aid of the ladders, brought by the men on their shoulders, the battery +was deserted without discharging the other gun. The captain of the +guard, with the greater number of his men, fell into the hands of the +Americans, and the others made their escape. + +Morgan formed the troops, consisting of his own company and a few bold +individuals who had pressed forward from other parts of the division, in +the streets within the barrier; and took into custody several English +and Canadian burghers; but his situation soon became extremely critical. +He was not followed by the main body of the division; he had no guide; +and was himself totally ignorant of the situation of the town. It was +yet extremely dark, and he had not the slightest knowledge of the course +to be pursued, or of the defences to be encountered. Thus circumstanced, +it was thought unadvisable to advance further. + +The cold was intense and the storm very violent; this, together with the +fatigue by the exertion we had made tended to check our ardour. We had +now passed the first barrier; but a second we knew was before us and not +far distant. We had no pilot and the night was very dark and dismal. We +took shelter from the fury of the storm under the sides of some of the +buildings and waited for day light to direct us. At the dawn of day we +collected in a body, seized the ladders and were proceeding to the +second barrier, when on turning an angle in the street, we were hailed +by a Captain Anderson who had just issued from the gate with a body of +troops to attack us. Captain Morgan who led our little band in this +forlorn hope, answered the British captain by a ball through his head, +his soldiers drew him within the barricade and closed the gate; a +tremendous fire from the windows of the buildings and port holes of the +wall, was directed against our little host. + +Thirty of our privates being killed and thirty five wounded, and +surrounded as we were on all sides without any hope of relief, we were +obliged to surrender ourselves prisoners of war. + +During the whole of the attack by the different corps there were eleven +commissioned officers, thirty four privates, sergeants and corporals, +killed; thirty five wounded, and three hundred and forty five made +prisoners. This was the melancholly issue of our long and distressing +campaign. The prisoners, of whom I was one, were confined in a large +building called the Regules, where we had but very little fire or +provision. Our daily ration was three ounces of pork and two, (sometimes +three) small bran biscuit, and a half a pint of the water in which our +pork was boiled. + +January 1st, 1776. Our condition, which we thought was almost +insupportable by such a sparing allowance of fuel and provision as was +furnished us, was rendered tenfold more distressing by sickness.--About +the 10th of this month we began to be infected with the small pox, which +we took the natural way. With this mortal disease about one ninth part +of the prisoners died. While in hospital we were treated with some +humanity, but when in prison we experienced much insolence from the +garrison set over us. + +After we had been some time in the old Dauphin Gaol, which was built of +stone, and proof against musket and cannon balls, our fidelity was so +much relied on by most of the King's officers, that they scarce guarded +us at all. They appeared to consider us as deluded by the facinating +sound of liberty and freedom, and induced to take up arms when we were +not at heart inimical to his Britanic Majesty. Considering locks and +keys as useless, they committed the sole care of the prison to one of +our sergeants, who was faithful to the trust reposed in him, until about +the first of April, when we formed a plan for our escape. + +We had now lost all hopes of the city's being taken by the American +arms, and we resolved to regain our liberty by our own efforts, or lose +our lives in the attempt. + +Having watched the movements of the enemy for several days, unknown to +them, we determined with a party of 60 men to rise on the Gaol guard, +and disarm them, which consisted of 14 old decrepit men and young boys, +(whose appointment over us we considered rather an insult, than good +economy in the commander:) next we were to proceed to St. John's Gate, +about eight rods distant from the gaol and attack and disarm that guard, +consisting chiefly of English sailors, 18 in number, from whom we +expected a pretty warm reception: should we be thus far successful, an +hundred men, or more, were to proceed under the command of Colonel +Ashten, formerly sergeant major of Captain Lamb's train of artillery, to +turn the cannon on the battery, which were kept constantly loaded, +against the town, and to maintain this position at all hazards until +notice could be given to our army, and thus be the glorious means of +obtaining the object of all our toils, the possession of Quebec. + +We made every preparation for breaking gaol, which we could do at a +moment's warning. We had previously procured by means of some friends in +town, six pistols, a sufficient quantity of powder and ball, and a good +supply of port fire; and in addition, a number of old iron hoops with +which we made cutlasses. Thus equipped, we intended the first stormy +night to put our bold and desperate plan into execution. But we had +among us a vile traitor[3], who discovered our plot to the barrack +master: it was a deserter from the King's troops at Boston. The +intelligence was immediately carried to General Carlton and in a few +hours we were all put in irons. Thus we remained until our army raised +the siege, which was on the 6th of May. During this period of our close +confinement our sufferings were greater, and our situation more wretched +than it had ever been before. We were most of us afflicted with the +scurvy and the flux, at the same time. Towards the last of April there +was scarcely a well man among all the prisoners. We were also, all of us +without comfortable clothing, and many of us almost entirely naked. + +While in this deplorable situation, General Carlton, came into the gaol +and gave us the offer of returning home on parole. This was to me very +pleasing and joyful intelligence; but though this was on the sixth of +June, we were kept between hope and fear until the first of August, when +we were assured that we should embark for New-York by the 7th. + +The general presented each of us with a new suit of clothes, for which +he received our most hearty thanks, and on the 7th we went on board, and +sailed for New York on the 11th. We forsook our direct course and sailed +near to the west end of St. John's Island, in pursuit, as I understood +of some American pirates--from this, passed through the gut of Canso, +and after being delayed some by contrary winds, we arrived at New-York +on the 10th of September, and joined the British fleet which lay at +George's Island, and Statten Island, consisting, as I was informed, of +450 said--principally square rigged vessels. + +We tarried here from the 10th until the 22d, during which time the city +of New-York was evacuated by the American troops and taken possession of +by the English; there was also in this time a great fire, which consumed +near one-third of the city. + +On the 22d of September we were landed within about 3 miles of +Elizabethtown Point, to go where we pleased. The joy we experienced on +setting our feet once more on the shores of our native country, with the +liberty of returning to our families and friends cannot be conceived by +any but those who have shared misfortunes like ours. We had been more +than a year absent from our homes, seven months of which we had been in +prison, and the remainder of the time had been suffering hunger, cold +and fatigue. + +We were kindly received by our countrymen and furnished with whatever +was necessary to our comfort, that they had to bestow. Those of us who +belonged to New-England, set out for our respective homes. At King's +bridge I had the inexpressible joy of seeing my father and two of my +oldest brothers, besides many of my old neighbors and acquaintance; by +them I was informed of the welfare of my relations. After spending two +days in camp with my friends, with great pleasure and satisfaction, I +set out for Chatham in Connecticut, my native place. I arrived at New +Haven the 2d of October, where I tarried until the 5th and then +proceeded on my way to Chatham and went that day as far as Durham, the +next morning which was the Sabbath, at 11 o'clock I arrived at Chatham +and beheld once more my father's house and her whom the most sacred ties +of nature hath endeared to me, still in the land of the living. + +Never did my thanks to my Creator and preserver arise with more +sincerity than at this moment.--How kind has been that Providence, which +has preserved me through so many dangers and sufferings and returned me +in health and safety to the bosom of my friends! When wandering through +the wilderness, hungry, faint and weary, God was my support, and did not +suffer me like others to fall by the way--when sick and in prison he +visited me--when a captive he set me free! May I ever be grateful to my +Divine Protector, and my future life be devoted to his service! such +were my reflections on this joyful occasion. + +I repaired to the house of worship where I saw most of my acquaintance +and relations, who in the intermission flocked around me--shook me +heartily by the hand and assured me of a welcome return. + + +FINIS. + +[Illustration] + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Colonel Burr, since Vice-President of the United States, was one of +the volunteers. + +[2] Garden "sass"--vegetables. + +[3] John Hall. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of An interesting journal of Abner +Stocking of Chatham, Connecticut, by Abner Stocking + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING *** + +***** This file should be named 27306.txt or 27306.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/7/3/0/27306/ + +Produced by Greg Bergquist and The Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was +produced from images generously made available by The +Internet Archive/American Libraries.) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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