The Military Journals of Two Private Soldiers, 1758-1775 | Page 6

on duty in important
movements until 1779, when a partial paralysis of one side of his body
disabled him for military service. He lived in retirement after the war,
and died at Brooklyn, Windham county, Connecticut, on the 29th of
May, 1790, at the age of seventy-two years.]
[Footnote 35: General James Abercrombie, the commander-in-chief of

the campaign. He was descended from an ancient Scotch family, and,
because of signal services on the continent, was promoted to the rank of
major-general, the military art having been his profession since
boyhood. He was superseded by Lord Amherst, after his defeat at
Ticonderoga, and returned to England in the spring of 1759.]
Tuesday 4. This day I cut my hat and received my amanition and
provision for 4 days and made radey for to go on.
Wednesday 5th. This day the Army by son rise got ready for to March
and Marched of by Water, and Arived at the Saberday point[36] &
stayed their til midnight then Marched again to the first narrows &
Landed their and went down.
[Footnote 36: Sabbath-day Point. This is a fertile little promontory,
jutting out into Lake George from the western shore, a few miles from
the little village of Hague, and surrounded by the most picturesque
scenery imaginable. It was so named, at this time, because it was early
on Sunday morning that Abercrombie and his army left this place and
proceeded down the lake. There a small provincial force had a
desperate fight with a party of French and Indians, in 1756, and
defeated them. Abercrombie's army went down the lake in batteaux and
whaleboats, and reached the Point just at dark. Captain (afterward
General) Stark relates that he supped with the young lord Howe that
evening, at the Point, and that the nobleman made many anxious
inquiries about the strength of Ticonderoga, the country to be traversed,
&c., and, by his serious demeanor, evinced a presentiment of his sad
fate. He was killed in a skirmish with a French scout two days
afterward. His body was conveyed to Albany, in charge of Captain
(afterward General) Philip Schuyler, and buried there. He was a brother
of the admiral and general of that name, who commanded the British
naval and land forces in America in 1776.]
Thursday 6th. 12 A Clock at night we marched of again[37] & landed
at the 1st narrows & then we Marched on to the falls[38] within 2 miles
of the fort and there we was attackt by the Enemy[39] and the
Engagement held 1 hour and we kiled and took upwards of 2 & 50, &
of Captain Holmes Company we had 3 Men wounded. Sergent Cada

Sergent Armsba and Ensign Robbins & at Sondown the French come
out again 5 thousand strong and our men came back again to the
Landing place & Lodged their.
[Footnote 37: "The order of march," says Major Rogers, "exhibited a
splendid military show." There were sixteen thousand well-armed
troops. Lord Howe, in a large boat, led the van of the flotilla,
accompanied by a guard of rangers and expert boatmen. The regular
troops occupied the centre, and the provincials the wings. The sky was
clear and starry, and not a breeze ruffled the dark waters as they slept
quietly in the shadows of the mountains. Their oars were muffled, and,
so silently did they move on, that not a scout upon the hills observed
them; and the first intimation that the outposts of the enemy received of
their approach was the full blaze of their scarlet uniforms, when, soon
after sunrise, they landed and pushed on toward Ticonderoga.]
[Footnote 38: Rapids in the stream which forms the outlet of Lake
George into Lake Champlain. Here are now extensive saw and grist
mills. The distance from the foot of Lake George to Fort Ticonderoga
is about four miles.]
[Footnote 39: The English lacked suitable guides, and became
bewildered in the dense forest that covered the land. Lord Howe was
second in command, and led the van, preceded by Major Putnam and a
scout of one hundred men, to reconnoitre. The French set fire to their
own outpost, and retreated. Howe and Putnam dashed on through the
woods, and in a few minutes fell in with the French advanced guard,
who were also bewildered, and were trying to find their way to the fort.
A smart skirmish ensued, and, at the first fire, Lord Howe, another
officer, and several privates, were killed. The French were repulsed,
with a loss of about three hundred killed, and one hundred and forty
made prisoners. The English battalions were so much broken, confused,
and fatigued, that Abercrombie ordered them back to the landing-place,
where they bivouacked for the night.]
Friday 7th. Majer Rogers went down to the mils and drove