Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, May 11, 1776

Being unwell in the Morning, I had much difficulty to keep myself stiring about through the Day. In the After Noon, as I was taking a survey of the Works with Lieut Hayward of the Artilery, a sudden Squall arose, & I caught a small wetting before I could cover myself.

As Mr. Stone was about to leave the City to return Home (tho I was very unwell), I made shift to write two Letters for home; but he was so disingenious as to disappoint both Lieut Hayward & myself in the same thing, Viz. in not calling for our Letters, tho he past the Door. I know not what to impute this to but his heedlessness or his disobliging Temper. We had an Express from Philadelphia that 13 of our Gallies had attacked the Roebuck Man of War 44 Guns and a 28 Gun Ship, had run the Roebuck a ground on the Top of the Tide, & were waiting for the Tide to fall to make the Second attack. Continuing to be unwell, in the Evening I took a Vomit. Our Regt, which had before this been unsupplied with Tents, now had their compliment, & pitched them in the Place allotted them, about a Mile to the North of the Town; but did not remove.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, pp. 34-5

Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, Sunday, May 12, 1776

I was very weak & unwell; never the less I went to the Brick Meeting to attend Service, but was so grievously afflicted, partly with weakness following my last nights Frolick, & partly with a number of troublesome Boils that had now taken possession of my Body, that I can give no acct of the Service. In the Afternoon our people were employed in fixing their Tents.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, p. 35

Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, Monday, May 13, 1776

Our People removed into their Tents, & I took Boarding with Mrs. March on Slip, being so troubled with 5 Boils that I could scarcely walk.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, p. 35

Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, May 22, 1776

Growing Better, I am determined to go into the Tents.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, p. 36

Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, May 23, 1776

Ride up to the Tents, & almost Frieze in the Night.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, p. 36

Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, Sunday, May 26, 1776

Being lame, I could not attend upon divine Service, but spent the chief part of the Day with Majr Haden in his & my own Tent in reading Herveys Meditations. I wrote to my Mother. The Enemy are collecting a Fleet of Transports & Ships of War at Sandy Hook. Our Men have been very busied in building Forts & Breast works on the Jersie Side.

SOURCE: Edward Bangs, Edited, Journal of Lieutenant Isaac Bangs, April 1 to July 29, 1776, p. 37

Journal of Lieutenant William Feltman, September 3, 1781

This morning the general beat at 6 o'clock. The troops in half an hour after marched to James River, where the French boats lay in order to cross our troops. We landed below James's Island, and lay by the greatest part of the day, near the church, within half a mile of where we had the action of the 6th of July last. In the evening we marched for the Green Springs, and there lay that night without tent or any other shelter. A very heavy rain the whole time of our march.

Took a walk to take a view of the French troops, who make a very fine, soldierly appearance, they being all very tall men; their uniform is white coats turned up with blue, their underclothes are white.

We left all our tents and baggage on the other side of the river. This day three seventy-fours and one frigate went up York river, to block up the British vessels.

The Count de Grasse sent a flag to Lord Cornwallis, desiring him on his peril not to destroy any of his vessels, stores, &c.—2 miles.

SOURCE: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Publisher, Journal of Lieut. William Feltman, of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, 1781-82, p. 12

Diary of Reverend Enos Hitchcock, Sunday, June 22, 1777

Major Lithgow returned from Fort George, bro^t. dispatches from Genl. Washington to Schuyler, giving an account of the Enemies getting to Morrisania—confirming the late reports from Canada &c. fair Day but no Service, the men on fatigue & moving into Tents— General Schuyler left Camp—

SOURCE: Amos Perry, The Town Records of Rhode Island, Publications of the Rhode Island Historical Society, New Series, Vol. 7 (1899), p. 114

Diary of Sergeant James McMichael, August 24, 1776

At 10 A. M., we all marched from our encampment and crossed St. George's ferry to Long Island. Just after we had joined the brigade, we had a heavy cannonade, with some small arms. This night we camped in the woods, without tents, in a hard rain. Sentries firing all night.

SOURCE: “Diary of Lieutenant James McMichael,” William H. Egle, Editor, Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. XV: Journals and Diaries of the War of the Revolution with Lists of Officers and Soldiers, 1775-1783, p. 198

Journal of Lieutenant William Feltman, June 30, 1781

Greatly fatigued; lay by great part of this day. Our tents came to us this evening.

SOURCE: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Publisher, Journal of Lieut. William Feltman, of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, 1781-82, p. 6

Diary of Sergeant James McMichael, May 29, 1776

Having orders to proceed to Chester we marched at daybreak, and at 2 P. M., reached our destination; but orders being countermanded we returned to Prospect Hill, near Marcus Hook, where we encamped in tents, which was to me very disagreeable.

SOURCE: “Diary of Lieutenant James McMichael,” William H. Egle, Editor, Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. XV: Journals and Diaries of the War of the Revolution with Lists of Officers and Soldiers, 1775-1783, p. 195

Journal of Lieutenant Ebenezer Denny, May 15, 1781

YORK. — Provision for transporting baggage, &c., and other necessary preparation. Commenced our march for Virginia; the weather pleasant and roads tolerably good. Passed through Frederick Town (Maryland), where were some British prisoners quartered; they turned out to see us. Next day reached the Potomac; here we were detained for want of craft—boats few and in bad condition. The artillery passed over first (a battalion of artillery accompanied the brigade). The second flat-boat had left the shore about forty yards, when the whole sunk. Several women were on board; but as hundreds of men were on the bank, relief soon reached them; none were lost—got all over. Proceeded a few miles and encamped. Struck our tents every morning before day. About eight or nine o'clock, as we found water, a short halt was made, the water-call beat; parties, six or eight from each company, conducted by a non-commissioned officer, with canteens, fetched water. Seldom allowed to eat until twelve o'clock, when the arms were stacked, knapsacks taken off, and water sent for by parties as before. Officers of a company generally messed together, sometimes more; one of their servants carried cooked provisions for the day; no cooking until night. Not acquainted with the country on our route, but understood that we were marching much about — very circuitous— keeping off the Blue Ridge close on our right. This to avoid the enemy and secure our junction with the Marquis Lafayette.

SOURCE: J. B. Lippincott & Co., Publisher, The Record of the Court at Upland, in Pennsylvania. 1676 to 1681. And a Military Journal Kept by Major E. Denny, 1781 to 1795, pp. 238-9