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

Albany.]
[Footnote 20: Niskayuna, a short distance from Waterford, and
remarkable as a settlement of Shaking Quakers.]
Friday 23d. Marched in the rain and very gresy traviling it was and we
Arivd at Teburth and from thence to the place cald Lowdins Ferry[21]
to Landard Fungdors and from thence to the half moon & Lodged their.
[Footnote 21: On the Mohawk, about five miles above Cohoes Falls. It
was the chief crossing-place for troops on their way north from Albany.
There the right wing of the American army, under Arnold, was
encamped, while General Schuyler was casting up entrenchments at
Cohoes Falls, a few weeks before the Saratoga battles, in 1777.]
Saturday 24th. I received a Letter from John at the half moon and from
thence we marched & Arived at Stil Water[22] & Lodged their &
Barnabas Evings was poor.
[Footnote 22: Stillwater is on the west bank of the Hudson, in Saratoga
county, twenty-four miles north from Albany. The battle of Bemis's
heights was fought near there, in 1777, and is sometimes known as the
battle of Stillwater. Opposite the mouth of the Hoosick river, at

Stillwater, was a stockade, called Fort Winslow.]
Sonday 25th. We got 2 Battoes[23] to carry our packs up to
Salatogue[24] and we went a foot & 8 of our men were draun out to
stay at Salatogue--Captain Lewis shot at an Indian and kild him & sot
in the Battoe--from Salatogue we marched on to Fort Miller[25] and
Lodged their.
[Footnote 23: A batteau is a kind of scow or flat-boat, used on shallow
streams like the Hudson above Waterford.]
[Footnote 24: Saratoga. This settlement was near the mouth of the Fish
creek, on the south side. The village of Schuylerville is just across the
stream, on the north side. On the plain, in front of the village of
Schuylerville, was a regular quadrangular fortification, with bastions,
called Fort Hardy. It was erected in 1756, and named in honor of the
governor of New York at that time.]
[Footnote 25: On the west side of the Hudson, six or eight miles below
Fort Edward. The river is there broken by swift rapids. During this
campaign, Major (afterward General) Putnam was here surprised by a
party of Indians, and boldly descended the rapids in a canoe, and
escaped. It was a feat they never dared to attempt, and they felt certain
that he was under the protection of the Great Spirit. Here a stream
called Bloody Run enters the Hudson. It is so named because a party of
soldiers from the garrison, in 1759, went there to fish, were surprised
by the Indians, and nine were killed and scalped.]
Monday 26th. Rainy and wet--I come up the River in a Battoe to Fort
Edward to the incampment--their we drad 1/2 a pound of powder and
10 Bullets a peace and 8 days provision in order for to march to the
Lake[26]--Barnabas Evings was very poor with fever nago[27] and was
forst to stay behind & David Bishop with him--we Lodged in Bush
tents and very wet it was.
[Footnote 26: Lake George.]
[Footnote 27: Fever-and-ague.]

Tuesday 27th. Marched all of Colonel Phiches[28] Regiment that were
hear with 3 teams to carry the officers we arrived at the half way
Brook[29] and their a great percel stashond for a while & from thence
we Marched to Lake George and went over upon the hill East & their
Encamptt one with myself went upon guard this night.
[Footnote 28: Fitch's.]
[Footnote 29: Afterward called Snook's creek. It enters the Hudson
three miles below Fort Edward.]
Wednesday 28th. We cleard our ground and pitchd our tents I sent 2
letters home.
Thursday 29th. Stil here General Limon[30] & Colonel Phiches
Regiments come up to the Lake this day I washed my Cloths 1 more
rigiment come up.
[Footnote 30: General Phineas Lyman, who built Fort Edward. He was
a native of Durham, Connecticut, where he was born in 1716. He
completed his education at Yale college, and afterward became an
eminent lawyer. He was appointed commander-in-chief of the
Connecticut forces in 1755, and in the expedition to Lake George
deserved all the honor awarded to General Johnson, who was jealous of
Lyman's abilities as a soldier. Lyman did his duty nobly, and was but
little noticed. Johnson was unfit for his station, but being a nephew of
Sir Peter Warren, then a popular English admiral, he received the honor
of knighthood, and the sum of twenty thousand dollars, for his services
in that campaign! General Lyman served with distinction until the close
of the campaign in 1760, and in 1762 commanded the American forces
sent against Havana. He was in England about eleven years, and, after
his return, went with his family to the Mississippi, where he died