Letter from Revolutionary Soldier

 Chenango Union, February 24, 1876

Letter from Revolutionary Soldier

From the fragment of a letter in our possession, written one hundred years ago yesterday (Wednesday) we make the following interesting extracts.  It is written in a fair hand and evidently by a man of intelligence and patriotism. Yellow with age and much worn as it is we regret that the closing part is missing and the writer's name consequently lost.

Roxbury Camp, Feb. 22, 1776 - Friday

Worthy and Dear Sir:  You are fully sensible that very different ideas exist in ye minds of those that are in Camp, and in those that are a hundred miles off.  Those yt dwell at a distance are ready to think that an army may be soon ready for action and are prone to blame them for their inactivity, as tho they were more pleased with their pay than doing service for the publick.  Indeed, it is an important service to guard the country from ye invasions of ye Enemy, and more could not possibly have been done since I have been here.  Men, firelocks and ammunition have been all wanting to this day. The Militia are now about all got in; there must be some time to discipline them, to fit them for an Engagement.  Powder is still wanting; about two tuns bro't us within a week, four more expected daily, all from Providence and Connecticut.  In some Towns men are much Engaged to make Salt Peter (In Newbury they have made 5,000 lbs) which may afford a supply of powder after a few months.  Officers and men ardently wish that we were supplied with this Article and then there would be no delay to moving forward with all vigour.  We are making necessary preparations, no less than 500 men employed two days past to cut saplins.

The late most material occurrences stand in this order:  Last week, Wednesday night, about 500 Regulars came over on to Dorchester Hill, took six prisoners, set fire to camps adjacent and went off in a hurry.  Our Guard gave the alarm, and 1,000 men were in arms directly; not time enough to engage ye Enemy, but time enough to Extinguish ye fire. The Monday after two of ye Prisoners were sent to us, each under a flag of truce, which occasioned much speculation in ye Army, but no satisfactory reason for such a conduct in ye Enemy.

Last Sabbath, a Prussian General came from France, by the way of Hispaniola to the Camp.  He was bound to Philadelphia, but drove ashore at cape Cod; bro't an interpreter with him; professes to come not in a public but private Capacity to acquaint himself with ye state of ye Country; says that the newspapers in France are filled with accounts of ye affairs of America; and yt they had heard of ye Capture of St. Johns and rejoiced much at our success, still wondered that we should attempt to take Canada; Had many Letters with him from France for Mr. Frankland, ye President and Secretary of ye Continental Congress.

Last Evening a Party of Ten men under command of Ensign Lyman, of Middletown, took a Watch Guard of ye Regulars on ye Neck, one Corporal and two privates, and bro't ym to Gen'l Spencer's about 8 o'clock to be examined.  Nothing new or material is told by ym.  Mr. Henry Denison was one of ye Ten Men; he is of good reputation and promises fair to be an excellent soldier.  They had got the further side of ye guard and took them without any firing, for ye clock had just struck, and they tho't our Men to be the Relief Guard a coming.

It has been quite a sickly time in ye Army but is improved some.  Three have died out of Col. Jasper's Regiment, of whom came two from Stonington, as I have wrote to others and Mr. Hodge, of Valentown.  there are about an 100 sick in the hospitals, the greater part by far growing better; although some are dangerously sick, none from or near Stonington.  Some are sick in ye Camps, but they are mending.

Tis of ye highest importance to the publick that ye Army be filled up.  The Regulars reproach us, that we call in volunteers for two months at a time. A few days since, when we were at the Lines, said one of the Officers to our men: "What will you do for Soldiers when the two months are up?"  One of our men replied:  Never fear! so long as you go on to pull down Presbyterian meeting houses, we shan't want soldiers in our Army!"  The reply was:  "That may be so."