23-26. Nothing remarkable.
the 27. At night we heard the report of cannon and of Small arms but
we could not tell from whence it was.[115]
[Footnote 115: On Saturday, May 27th, a detachment
of Americans was sent to drive all the live stock
from Hog and Noddle's islands, near Boston. They
were observed by the British, who despatched a
sloop, a schooner, and forty marines, to oppose
them. They were fired on from the vessels, and
quite severe skirmishing continued through the
night. The Americans sent for reinforcements, and,
at about nine o'clock at night, some three hundred
men and two pieces of cannon arrived, commanded by
General Putnam in person, and accompanied by Dr.
Warren as a volunteer. They compelled the British
to abandon their sloop, and the Americans took
possession of it. The British lost twenty killed
and fifty wounded. The Americans had none killed,
and only four wounded. They captured twelve swivels
and four four-pound cannon, besides clothing and
money.]
the 28. Being Sunday we were informed that the firing we heard
yesterday was at Nedlers[116] Island between the Kings troops and our
men, our men killed several of them and took a number of field pieces
and burnt two Schooners and they did not hurt any of our men.
[Footnote 116: Noddle's.]
the 29. Nothing remarkable this day.
the 30. Captain Ponds company moved to comodore Lorings house.[117]
[Footnote 117: Probably the house of Joshua Loring,
jr., near Roxbury, who was a violent loyalist.
General Gage made him sole auctioneer in Boston. He
was afterward commissary of prisoners in New York.
His wife is referred to in Hopkinson's poem, "_The
Battle of the Kegs_."]
the 31. Being election day we drank the Ladies health and success.
June the 1. Nothing remarkable hapened this day.
the 2-8. Nothing remarkable hapened.
the 9. We passed muster Before colonel Robinson[118] and received one
months pay.
[Footnote 118: Colonel John Robinson, who was
second in command in the skirmish at Concord on the
19th of April. He commanded the detachment that
guarded Boston neck, for some time. Speaking of
that duty, Gordon remarks: "The colonel was
obliged, therefore, for the time mentioned, to
patrol the guards every night, which gave him a
round of nine miles to traverse."]
the 10. Their was a man Whiped for Stealing.
the 11. Their was a soldier died at the hospittle which was the first
that had died of Sickness since we incampt the same day their was two
fire Ships[119] drumed out of the rhodisland compy.
[Footnote 119: Harlots.]
the 12. Nothing Strange this day.
the 13. Dito.
the 14. The general[120] seing the reinforcement of the Kings troops
come to Boston ordered the comps to be in readeness also ordered that
a number of teams be imploid in carting fusheens[121] and other
materials for building Brest Works this being on thursday.
[Footnote 120: General Thomas, who had command of
the right wing, extending from Roxbury to
Dorchester. General Artemas Ward was the
commander-in-chief until the arrival of Washington,
early in July.]
[Footnote 121: Fascines. See note 74.]
the 15. Nothing remarkable this day.
the 16. Nothing of consiquence this day.
the 17. It being Saturday the Kings troops Landed at charlestown and
set the whole town on fire and Laid it all in ashes then they
proceeded to Bunkers hill[122] where colonel putnam intrenchet and
after an engagement which Lasted the afternoon the troops took the
Hill and it is said that the nearest computation of the Loss of the
enemy was about 1500 is killed and wounded were alarmed about one o
clock that day and went down to our alarm post and we lay their all
the afternoon and about six o clock the troops fired from their Brest
Work on Boston neck at our people in Roxbury and we staid until the
firing was over and then our regiment was ordered to cambridge to
asist our forces and we reached their about twelve o clock at night
and Lodged in the meting house until break of day being Sunday
we turned out and marched to prosket hill[123] expecting to come
to an ingagement we halted at a house at the bottom of the hill
and fixed for a battle then we marched up the hill where we went to
intrenching about 12 o clock Some of our men went down the hill
towards the troops after Some flower and the troops fired at them and
wounded David Trisdale in the shoulder and another in the Leg about 4
o clock colonel Reed[124] ordered his regiment to march to roxbury and
we arived their about sunset very weary.
[Footnote 122: This is a mistake. It was Breed's
hill, nearer Charlestown and Boston than Bunker's
hill. Colonel William Prescott, and not General
Putnam, was entrenched there, and was in command
during the engagement. He had been sent with a
company, the night before, about a thousand strong,
to throw up a redoubt on Bunker's hill. He made a
mistake, and performed the work on Breed's hill.
The British had no suspicion of the work that went
on during that sultry June night, and were greatly
alarmed when they saw a formidable breastwork
overlooking their shipping in the harbor, and
menacing the city. During the engagement, General
Putnam was on Bunker's hill, urging on
reinforcements for Prescott. Dr. Warren, just
appointed major-general, joined Prescott as a
volunteer during the battle, and was mortally
wounded just as the conflict ended. It must be
remembered that the writer of this Journal was in
General Thomas's division, which did not
participate in the battle of the 17th of June.]
[Footnote 123: Prospect hill. The Americans
retreated from Breed's and Bunker's hills to Winter
and Prospect hills, and Cambridge. The remains of
the American entrenchments on Prospect hill were
demolished in 1817.]
[Footnote 124: Colonel James Reed, of New
Hampshire. He was active in the battle of the 17th.
He was a brave officer, and was at the head of a
regiment at Ticonderoga the following year.]
the 19. Nothing remarkable this day.
the 20. Dito.
the 21. Nothing worth a mentioning.
the 22. Dito.
the 23. Nothing remarkable to day.
the 24. The enemy fired again upon Roxbury about 3 o clock and the
guards fired upon each other and their was one man killed and we were
alarmed.[125]
[Footnote 125: The Americans were alarmed on the
24th by indications that the whole British army in
Boston was about to force its way across Boston
neck. At noon they commenced throwing bombshells
into Roxbury, but the alert soldiers prevented
damage from them, and saved the town. Colonel
Miller, of Rhode Island, said in a letter--"Such
was the courage of our men, that they would go and
take up a burning carcass or bomb, and take out the
fuse!"]
the 25. Sunday Nothing remarkable.
the 26. This morning very early our men went to set Browns house on
fire but did not efect it.[126]
[Footnote 126: The house and barns of Thomas Brown
were on the neck, about a mile from Roxbury
meeting-house, and were occupied by the British
advanced guard. Two Americans tried to set fire to
the barn on the 24th, and were killed.]
the 27. Nothing remarkable this day.
the 28. We moved to a little house that capt Bligs formerly Lived in
but we Soon moved from there to Slaks house again.
the 29. Nothing remarkable this day.
the 30. Nothing hapened only there was a Smart shower.