Diary of Reverend Enos Hitchcock, June 9, 1777

Went fishing up east Crick—News from Canada—by two Frenchmen, Burgoine¹ arrived 10th of May without Troops—yt. many of the Soldiers had died— the Hessians uneasy—500 French imprisoned for refusing to enlist—300 at Isle la Noix, 200 St Johns, a Reinforsment of 4000 expected—cloudy A. M. cleared of P. M.

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¹ John Burgoyne, Colonel Sixteenth Dragoons, Major-General in the army and Lieutenant-General in America, commanded the expedition from Canada and finally surrendered at Saratoga his splendid little army. A brilliant and superficial officer, popular in court circles,— having made a successful dash of cavalry in Portugal,— he was sent to America, where so many military reputations acquired in Europe have been wrecked. He had neither the breadth of intelligence nor the character required for an important campaign. By comparison with the home government, he succeeded in Canada and New York, in that their conduct of the campaign was worse than his management. See Rogers, Hadden’s Journal, pp. lxxx., 387.

SOURCE: Amos Perry, The Town Records of Rhode Island, Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society, New Series, Vol. 7 (1899), pp. 111-2

Diary of Reverend Enos Hitchcock, May 26, 1777

Generals Poor¹ & Patterson,² Col^os J Baldwin, Scamel,³ Wilkinson & Hays dined here. Pudding, Veal &c.

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¹ Enoch Poor, of Andover, Mass., in the words of Washington, "had every claim to the esteem of his country." He was appointed colonel after the battle of Lexington, and brigadier-general February 21, 1777.

² John Patterson, of Berkshire, Mass., received the news of Lexington at noon. At sunrise next morning his regiment of minute-men was on the march to Cambridge. His commission as brigadier bears date February 21, 1777.

³ Alexander Scammell, of Mendon, Mass., Colonel Third New Hampshire. He was wounded at Freeman's farm, and much commended for conduct in the field. The fair-minded Gordon (II. 549) praises his coolness as well as his courage. He was mortally wounded at Yorktown. He was beloved for his amiable qualities.

SOURCE: Amos Perry, The Town Records of Rhode Island, Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society, New Series, Vol. 7 (1899), p. 109