Gardening and Agriculture—Return of the Author to Albany.
The major rejoiced in their joy without having the least intention of
indulging them either in the gay idleness, or the wild sports which the
season inspired. He had been their mentor all winter, and was now about
to commence their agricola.
When giving an account of the garrison I should have mentioned a company
or two, I do not remember which, of engineers, the officers of which,
from their superior intelligence, were a great acquisition to the
society. To these friendly coadjutors the major communicated his plans,
which they readily adopted. Among his concealed stores were Indian corn,
peas, and beans in abundance, and all kinds of garden seeds. Before the
season opened he had arranged with these engineers the plan of a large
garden, bowling green, and enclosed field, for the use of these and all
succeeding troops. This was a bold attempt when one considers you might
as well look for a horse in Venice as in Oswego. No such animal had ever
penetrated so far. A single cow, belonging to the suttler, was the only
tame creature, dogs and cats excepted, to be seen here. But there was a
great stock of palisadoes, which had been cut for the garrison, lying
ready; and their pioneers and workmen still remaining there, the new
erection being scarce complete. The new project was received with
“curses not loud but deep.” Were they to go all out to plod and drudge
for others, who would neither pay nor thank them; for, the most, they
argued they should stay only a year, and reap very little indeed of the
fruit of their labours.
The major’s plans, however, were deep laid; matters wore a peaceable
aspect; and there was no knowing how long they might remain there.
Except shooting in the woods, or fishing, they were without business,
pleasures, or varied society. He feared the men would degenerate into
savage wildness, and their officers into that sordid indifference, which
is, too often, the consequence of being, at the early season of life,
without an aim or a pursuit. He wished to promote a common interest, and
habits social and domestic. He wished, too, that they might make some
advantage of this temporary banishment, to lay by a little store to eke
out their pittance when they returned to more expensive places; in
short, he wished to give them habits of regular economy, which should be
useful to them ever after. He showed them his plans; gave each of them a
department in overseeing the execution of them; and, for that purpose,
each had so many men allotted to his command. He made it obvious to
them, that as the summer was merely to be occupied in gardening and the
chase, the parade of military dress was both expensive and unnecessary.
In the store was a great surplus of soldiers’ coats. These had been sent
from Europe to supply the regiment, which had been greatly diminished in
number by the fatal lines, and succeeding hard march. The major ordered
the regimental tailor to fit these as a kind of short undress frock to
the officers, to whom correspondent little round hats, very different
from the regimental ones, were allotted. Thus equipped, and animated by
the spirit of him who ruled their minds with unconscious yet unlimited
sway, these young Cincinnati set out, nothing loth, on their
horticultural enterprise. All difficulties soon vanished before them;
and, in a very few days, they became enthusiastic in the pursuit of this
new object. That large and fertile portion of ground, which had been
cleared of the timber with which the garrison was built, was given in
charge to a sagacious old serjeant, who knew something of husbandry, and
who very soon had it enclosed in a palisade, dug up and planted with
beans, peas, and Indian corn, the food of future pigs and poultry. To
the officers more interesting tasks were allotted. There was more than
one gardener found in the regiment; and here the engineers and pioneers
were particularly useful. The major who had predestined a favourite spot
for his ample garden, had it partially cleared, by cutting the winter
firing of the garrison from it. Where a mulberry, a wild plum, or cherry
tree was peculiarly well shaped or large, he marked to remain, as well
as some lofty planes and chesnuts; and when the shrubs were grubbed up
in spring, he left many beautiful ones peculiar to the country. To see
the sudden creation of this garden, one would think the genius of the
place obeyed the wand of an enchanter; but it is not every gardener who
can employ some hundred men. A summer house in a tree, a fish-pond, and
a gravel-walk, were finished before the end of May, besides having
committed to the earth great quantities of every vegetable production
known in our best gardens. These vegetables throve beyond belief or
example. The size of the cabbages, the cucumbers, and melons, produced
here, was incredible. They used, in the following years, to send them
down to astonish us at Albany. On the continent they were not equalled,
except in another military garden, which emulation had produced at
Niagara. The major’s economical views were fully answered. Pigs and
poultry in abundance were procured, and supported by their Indian corn
crop; they even procured cows, and made hay in the islands to feed them.
The provisions allowed them by the public afforded a sufficiency of
flour, butter, and salt meat, as also rice. The lake afforded quantities
of excellent fish, much of which the soldiers dried for winter
consumption; and fruit and vegetables they had in profusion from their
gardens. In short, they all lived in a kind of rough luxury, and were
enabled to save much of their pay. The example spread to all the line of
forts; such is the power of one active liberal mind pursuing its object
with undeviating steadiness.
We are now about to leave Ontario; but perhaps the reader is not willing
to take a final farewell of Colonel Duncan. The Indian war then, which
broke out after the peace of 1762, occasioned the detention of the
regiment in America till 1765; and during all that time this paternal
commander continued with six companies of the regiment at Ontario,
improving both the soil and the inhabitants. He then returned with the
regiment, of which he was become lieutenant-colonel, to Ireland. Soon
after he retired from the army, and took up his residence on the family
estate of Lundie, having previously married the woman of his heart, who
had engaged his early affections, and corresponded with him during his
long absence. Here he was as happy as a shattered invalid could be,
highly respected by the neighbourhood, and frequently visited by his old
pupils, who still regarded him with warm attachment. He died childless,
and was succeeded by the admiral, on whose merit it is needless to
expatiate; for who has forgotten the victor of Camperdown?
A company of the 55th was this summer ordered to occupy the fort at
Albany. This was commanded by a sagacious veteran called Winepress. My
father did not exactly belong to this company, but he wished to return
to Albany, where he was known and liked; and the colonel thought, from
his steadiness and experience, he would be particularly useful in paying
the detached parties, and purchasing for the regiment such stores as
they might have occasion for. We set out in our bateaux; and I consoled
myself for not only leaving Oswego, but what was nearer my heart, a tame
partridge, and six pigeons, by the hopes of wandering through Woodcreek,
and sleeping in the woods. In both these particulars I was disappointed.
Our boats being lighter, made better way, and we were received in new
settlements a little distance from the river. The most important
occurrence to me, happened the first day. On that evening we returned to
fort Bruerton; I found Capt. Campbell delighted with my reading, my
memory, and my profound admiration of the friendship betwixt David and
Jonathan. We staid most of the next day. I was much captivated with the
copperplates in an edition of Paradise Lost, which, on that account, he
had given me to admire. When I was coming away, he said to me, “keep
that book, my dear child; I foretell that the time will come when you
will take pleasure in it.” Never did a present produce such joy and
gratitude. I thought I was dreaming, and looked at it a hundred times,
before I could believe any thing so fine was really my own. I tried to
read it; and almost cried with vexation when I found I could not
understand it. At length I quitted it in despair; yet always said to
myself I shall be wiser next year.
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