Jehiel Stewart Diary - Civil War - 1843

I have in my possession two copies of the diary that Jehiel Stewart kept while he served during the American Revolution. The original copy of the diary was part of the nonselected records in the National Archives for when Rachel (Williams) Stewart applied for a widow's pension. She needed to document that she really was married to Jehiel and that Jehiel really did serve during the Revolution. Rachel had affidavits to say that they were married, and she submitted the diary as one of the proofs of Jehiel's service. The pension application file is dated March 3, 1843.
 
The first copy is a print from the microfilm copy of the original diary - very hard to read. Sometimes the writing is difficult, sometimes the filming was poor and sometimes the words have faded with time prior to the microfilming.
 
The second copy of the diary is a typed transcription which was made by a descendent of Jehiel's brother Luther Stewart, and a copy of it is in the Sullivan County Historical Society. The typed copy changed some of the original words, so I am using both copies to try and come up with something more accurate. For example, the typed copy would change the words their to there and gard to guard etc. I am trying to put it back to the original form, but I may miss something as copying from the typed version is so much easier on the eyes and brain.
 
I also need to mention that sometimes the dates seem to be out of order. The diary is being copied as it actually exists. However, it looks like Jehiel started writing and then may have backtracked to fill in some blank space. There are also a couple of entries which look like they are repeated. This is strange.
 
I will try to post a little bit each day.
 
Ruth Cherecwich
 

October the 23 – 1774

Book price 0 – 1 – 2 – 2 1775

 Jehiel Stewart 

Apr. 23 1775 - Blandford
This day I with Captain John Ferguson and his company left Blandford upon an express from Boston to assist our men their against the regulars who were intrenched against us. It being Sunday and we marched to Landlord Altons in Wilbraham

Monday we marched to Brookfield

Tuesday we marched to Worcester

Wednesday we came all together to Marlboro

Thursday we come to Waltham

Friday ye 28 – we came to Roxbury from whence we viewed the Red Coats in the town of Boston, and the Capitol and the neck[?] and Beacon Hill

May the 2nd 1775
Much news but very little don except mustring and garding and exercising now this many days back

Wednesday May 17
The Store houses in Boston got fired by the regulars. Distributing out their catreges [?] to come out against us and their was burnt up about 17 houses and store houses belongin to the regulars and tories except Colonel Hancocks whose things were almost all saved

May ye 19
This day we began to an intrenchmont against our enemies

May the 20
Their they took nine prisoners one being the Chief engineer of the moreens

21
We had an alarm and we learn that ye enemies did go to Vermont to get fresh beef and hay but they got a little hay but no beef but left two men and had several more wounded and our men burnt up the barn which the hay was in for it belong to the tories and we have nothing to do but to go back to our quarters again.

And we hear that our men went to take a man of war at York and lost six
hundred men in taking of it

May ye 25th 1775
This day I went to coting fasseans[?] and we begen to make cabans and this day their was a man of war came in to Boston and they fired their guns thay fired about 25 – the man of war went out in the night as we supposed and come in the morning to make us believe that their was new recruits come in

May the 26 of 1775
This day I got a pass to go to Cambrige and as I was on the road they fired
about forty or fifty greats guns. Oliver Knox and I went and tried to get a
pass to Charlstown and they would not give us one and then we came home and I
went on the picket gard at Doggestown Point

May the 24 – 1775

We hear that the officers of the regulars intend to have their camps on Roxbury hill before many days. This day we tried to pass muster but could not

May the 27

This night their was alarm for their was five hundred of our men sent to hagisland [?] to gard som sheep and the Regulars come and fired upon them and it was about half after nine of the clock at night and they fired all night till morning they fired great guns and platoons and single guns this morning the admirals ship had a white flag and at night it had a red flag and all along before she had a blue one. Now I am informed that our men killed twenty of their light horses and took five or six horses and two or three cows and took a man of war skooner and took fifteen or sixteen field pieces and several small arms and after they had plundered the skooner they set her on fier and burnt her up and we are informed three of our men are wounded one of which is verrey bad wound with grape shot through the breast and we are informed that the regulars carried a good many dead

May ye 28
This day we are informed that the regulars went to Middle Island and went intrenchment there and Colonel Newman went and drove them off and we are informed by a man that came out of Boston that he see two or three boats come in loaded with dead regulars but we hear that there was none of our men killed – only one man had his finger shot off. This morning the regulars fired platoons on the Commons and they fired on the other side of the town.

May ye 29
This day Capt. Knox and John Baird and father [Paul Stewart] came down to
see us.

May 30
This day Capt. Knox, Samuel Knox went home

May 31
This day I went with Capt. Ferguson, father and John Baird to Doggeston point and we see a Man of War and 12 or 13 cutters go down the bay


 

June ye 1st 1775

This day our recruits came in. Sergeant Noble, Corporal Stewart, William Lind, Stephen S [?], Stephen Ballerd and David Harron, Joel White

June 1 [1775]

This day their came our men that went off to take a skooner that was run aground down some whear by vamouth [Yarmouth?] and we hear that they did not take her but they took 502 sheep and 13 or 15 oxen which belong to the Regulars and lost no men

 

June ye 2 – 1775

This day father [Paul Stewart] and John Baird went home to Blandford and last night at Doggeston Point  there came a barg along and our sentry halted her and then thay fired upon her and then thay on our men and thay say that she fired Swivels – last night their was a man hanged him self aat Cambrige Today thay fired the cannons from a board of the man of war that fired about 23 guns and to night that fired about 8 or 9 great guns and this night thay fired the great guns from the man of war

And their come in 3 ships verrey deeply loded with some thing

Yesterday our men went to Deer Island and took 300 sheep and fore oxen and took five prisoners from a barge – this day their came in to Boston fore man of war and they fired the great guns

June ye 3rd 1775

This day we had orders to pass muster tomorrow.

June ye 4 – 1775

Last night we was all mustered and ordered to the preade and we sent the Lieutenant to see and he come back and ordered us to lie on our arms which we did – now thay say their was a Riding on the nack of Boston all night

This day being the first time that any of our company went to work Cotton Fashens on ye Sabbath it was David Kannedy and Matthew Brown that went – these men went to ye parade to go to Cuting Sash but thay was returned back agin this day about one or two o’clock in the afternoon thay fired the great guns from the man of war thay fired about 50 or 60 for it being the Kings birthday

 

June ye 5 – 1775

This day the regulars fired the great guns on Boston nack Thay fired about 15 their and then they fired about 10 more on the commons and thay fired from the man of war and the Cassel [?] thay in all about 50 or 60 and thay two or three small arms volleys

And our Rhode Island artillere fired 8 small cannon on the meeting house hill in Roxbury and this night when we was on ye preade our men come in with the barge from Cambirge thay brough it on a cart with all the sals up and two men a rowing

June ye 5 1775

Blandford April the 25, 1775

This day Deacon William Boys came from Cambridge Watertown from the Congress to our barracks and we marched from Blandford till we came on the plain beyond Springfield. There we lodged which was three and thirty miles

Monday we marched to Brookfield

Tuesday we marched to Worcester

Wednesday we marched to Marlboro

Thursday we marched to Waltham

Friday we marched to Roxbury and that morning there was a man shot with two bullets through the breast

June ye 6

 

This night when we was coming from the preade we was informed that the regulars was landed with two thousand men on Doggeston point and Cornel Falses [?] rigment was mustred to go but it was soon informed that it was a folce larme [false alarm]

And yesterday we was informed that King forces fired a cannon and our men got the ball and fetched it to the ginrel [general] and thay waighted it and it waid twenty fore pound wanting two ounces and this night their a load of hay agoing in to Boston and our men fired it twice for some was resolved it should not go in but it was put out again and thay sarched it and thay found about 200 weight of vele [veal] two or three bushels of green pees and a great number of wotches Some said their was 30 Some said their was 300 but the truth I dont no yet But the two men was sent to ye gonnrel to be examnned and thay had some latters bsides and three duzzon of fowls and some butter

 

June the 7

This day I and some of our company went up to gemeca plane [Jamaica Plain] and as we was on the Road thay fired the great guns from the man of wor in Charlston ferrey and from the admerl thay fired about ten or twelve great guns

 

June ye 8

This morning the Regulars went to water one of their horses and it got away and run from the Neck and run through our senters [sentries] and thay took the horse and thay say it is worth sixty dollars

 

June ye 9

Nothing Remarkable this day only the regulars fier the great in Boston ever day

 

June ye 10th 1775

This day we here that the regulars fired from the man of wor in Charlston ferry on som of our men and threw the mud and dirt on them and thay found one of their great gun bullits and fetched it home to the head quarters

 

June ye 11

This morning we turned out at the braking of day and colled the muster role

 

June ye 12

This morning the old man that sells the milk for 3 coppers a quart he has come in with milk everey morning for a good while and he has been thretned of having his milk pored on the pavement and he come and on loaded his milk and their was two or three soulders with wooden bottles begun to drum and our Company turned out with their wooden bottles drums and thay came from all parts and thay got to be about 50 or 60 with their bottles and their got to be about 500 men about him We took his horse and led him most to the main gard with all our musick of raping on our bottles and hooping and tooting horns and we got the old man out and tried to put him on his horse and then thretned to drum him out of the camps and some of our offissors said you had better go of for they have used you verrey well only thay intend to follow you out of the camps bot thay did not

 

June ye 15

This morning ye Regulars fired over the brast work on the Commonand to the ba [bay] thay fired verey brisk and thay fired platoons we supposed thay was firen to learn

 

June ye 16

And this morning the Regulars came to the brast work wheare thay yesterday morning and fired a while berry smartly and then thay fired platoons and then fired two or three whole battalings and this night our men went to in trenchen on Doggester point their went nine hundred and about fifty and thay made about nine or ten rods of intrenchment and breast work and the meeting picket went to relieve the Doggester picket

June ye 17

This morning we was waked up  verrey erley for fear of the regulars firen on the town when thay discovered our  mens in trenchments in the morning and this morning the Regulars fired from the  shipen on Charlston side and cilled [killed] one of Cornel Putmen’s Capt the  first Capt in ye Rigment and ye firen continued ye great guns went all this  morning upon both Sides. This Capt was asleep and their was a six pounder took  of his sholder And the firen continued all the afternoon thay fired from the  man of war and from their flooting [floating] ballers and we are informed that  the regulars forced Cornel putman out of his in trenchment for he was forced to  retreat for want of ammunition and the regulars took two pieces of cannon. And  about two a Clock in ye after noon Charlstown was fired by ye regulars at the  lower end and then Cornel Putnam sot [shot?] the other one and about fore a  clock in ye after noon thay fired from ye neck up the streets of Roxbury and  thay threw bum [bomb] shells and their was a man had his shoulder broke and he  died that night. And our men picked up the balls almost as fast as thay came  and our artillery fired from the meeting house in Roxbury thay fired about nine  or ten and the firen continued all day and thay fired bums [bombs] from ye  fortification 

 

June ye 18

The firen continued this morning and ye regulars fired hot balls and sot 3 or 4 houses on fire in Charlstown and this morning Charlstown was most all consumed by the fier and thay fired all day verrey smartly and we under stand that the regulars got the better of Cornel Putman

 

June ye 19

This morning the firen was verrey hot thay fired from ye man of war and the small arms went verrey fast in Charlston

And last night we went to intrenchen in Roxbury on the hill by the meeting house and thay worked verrey smarly and in the morning that was forbid to work any more till night but the man was oneasy and men turned out volunteers and went to work with all currege [courage]

 

June ye 20th 1775

This day we passed muster and I received these bills one twelve Shilling number 3244 and one ten Shilling number 3244 and another eighteen Shilling number 3244

June ye 20

This day the fired is continued on Charlston side but thay dont fier none in Roxbury but our men is building the fort with all speed and we heare that our men cilled six of their lite horses

And we are informed that their was a man sent a latter from Boston and he informs us that their was a thousand of ye regulars cilled and wounded

 June ye 21st 1775

This day Robert Cochran came to us in Roxbury.

 June 26 – this day William Henry went home

 June 27 – This day Thomas Smith left our company and enlisted into the train of artillery and this day William Henry went home.

June ye 23

This day there is nothing strange only ye forts is going on very fast

 

 

June ye 24

This day the regulars fired on the town of Roxbury and our men fired on them with ye cannon and then Samuel Hamilton got one of ye bullets

This day the Regulars threw carcasses and our men got it and it waigh 187 – Ύ and two of our men went to set Browns house afier on the neck and got cilled

And we had two twenty fore pounders come in to Roxbury and ye Regulars threw boms and one of ye Rhodeisland men strocke [struck] out ye fuse with the britch of his gun and brought it away and received no dammege [damage]

This day our men fired from our breast work at the graveyard with our field pieces

 

June ye 25

This day not much dun but building forts only their went a small party of our men to take of ye Regulars sentries and set Browns house a fier on the neck but they did not do it. Thay fired smartly both sides but none of our men hart [hurt]. We are informed by Capt King who arrived from Boston to Marblehead that their was 14 or 15 hundred Regulars cilled and wounded in that Battle at Charleston.

 

June ye 26

This day a little before sundown our men fired on the Regulars and then thay fired on us but hart non of our men but the Regulars Sentries left their breast works

And we are informed that the enemy went and took two of the Regulars sentries

 

June ye 27

This day a man that belongs to ye artillery that was confined for steeling a fine shirt & was sentenced 16 stripes jumped out of a three storie room last Saturday and one night before and he died today

 

June ye 28

This day I went with ye feteeg [fatigue] party and built a bridge over a tide brook so to get a high way to Cambridge & we ave heared ye Regulars shot platoons in Boston all day

 

June ye 29

Nothing strange this Day only it is a verrey wet morning

 

June ye 30

Nothing remarkable this day only building forts and garding only we are informed that our men went and fired on ye Regulars Sentries and thay say thay cilled two of them

Our men say thay will forfit their summers wages that thay did cill two of two of them June ye 28

Their was a man drummed out of the camps for not saluting the ginrel

And this night our men went down to gorge Tavern and fired upon the Regulars thay fired six great guns and the Regulars fired fore or five great guns & this night their was a man drummed out of ye camps for desartin [deserting] and steeling two watches

 

July ye 1

This morning ye Regulard fired verrey smartly on Boston Commons and this morning Sergent Noble was took to ye ospottle [hospital] for he was verrey on well [unwell]

And this Night our men fired one of their two and forty pounders twice an ye first struk just by Brown house on ye Neck and ye next took ye top of the Regulars breast works and the Regulars did not return ye fier

 

July ye 2

This morning betwixt day light and sun rise the Regulars did begin to fier into ye town of Roxbury

Thay strook ye meeting house & one boole strook our breast work by ye meeting house & one strook ye water whele of ye gristmill and thay threw bom shells & thay sot one house on fier down by gorge tavern their being no wind and no houses nigh so their was no more burnt

This morning being Sunday their was 45 men went upon fetege [fatigue?] out of Cornel Donnelson [Donaldson] Regiment & I went for one and Joel White & Sam Hamilton & it com on wet & we returned back to a barn & it was a verrey wet after noon

 

July ye 3

This morning the Regulars fiered plattoons in Boston of this morning we are informed that ball that struck ye top of ye Regulars breast work hopped over the breast works and cilled fore & wounded one we are informed that the ball cut of his thigh

 

July ye 4

Nothing remarkable this morning only gardin & exercising

 

July ye 5

This morning I & Jim McMullin mounted the great gun gard and today ye Regulars sent out flag a truse to our genrels

Last Tusday we are informed that their was fore of ye lite horse run away from the Regulars at Charlstown Side & they come threw our Senturies & thay took them
 

July ye 6

Nothing strange this Day only at Charlston their was some firen but the truth I don’t know

This firen was in ye evening

 

July ye 7

This day ye regulars fired one great gun into Roxbury and we are informed that our men went down to George Tavern to cut down some button wood shade trees which was a damage to our seein [seeing] their breast work

 

July ye 8

This morning a little before day light our men went down to Brown house on ye neck to set it on fier and they set it afier and ye shop and ye bard to and we are informed that we lost no men but had one of ours wounded shot threw ye hand – and thay fiered verrey smartly both sides and this day our men went down into ye marsh and fired all ye fore noon upon ye regulars sentries and we are informed that ye regulars sent out a flag a [of] truce this day and the regulars come and lay with their floating batteries in the bay this side Boston all day

 

July ye 9

And this morning our men was firen on their sentries and last night our Capt and Stephen Ballard went to Dorchester picket and they found a man dead drove ashore laid upon a blanket

 

July ye 10

This morning the regulars fired upon some of our men that was loading hay and fired verrey close but hurt nobody

 

July ye 11

This morning Sargent Silas Noble died about one of the clock in ye morning. Last night our men went down to Brown house and set another building on fier and received no damage – they fired some both side but hurt none of our men

 

July ye 12

This morning their was another party went to help them along with the whale boats – our men got a great quanty of sheep and 8 cows and one horse, 17 men and two womans prisoners and bout forty whale boats.

July ye 18
This morning Robert Cochran & Oliver Knox went  home This day about twelve of the Regulars fired one great gun into Roxbury  and we was ordered to stand to our arms and our men fired three great guns at  the meeting house for alarm – we was ordered to go to our alarm post for the  regulars was coming out upon us

July ye 19
This morning their was several companeys went to their alarm  post by day light but our company did not

July ye 20
This morning we turned on the  parade(?) at our alarm post an hour & a half
before day light & stayed  till most sun rise & I went on the main gard
this day & this day was a  genrel figt [fight]
And this day the Regulars sent out a flag of truce &  this day our ment
burnt the lite house

July ye 21
This day we  are informed that our men took five prisoners when they set
the lite house afier  and this day a little before sun down there was a man
shor by accident by snaing  his gun he was shot thru the left breast & he died
about nine of the clock  at night

July ye 22
Nothing remarkable this morning & their  was a man cilled to Cambridge
yesterday by an accident. He was shot dead &  one wounded ye same day wounded in
the leag at Brookline & one drowned  gitten oysters

July ye 23
This morning we went on the parade by  daylight & the Regulars was firen
platoons on the Commons in Boston –  Nothing strange this day only it being
Sunday we went to meeting