Jehiel Stewart Diary - Civil War - 1843
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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
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October the 23 1774 Book price 0 1 2 2 1775 Jehiel Stewart Apr. 23 1775 - Blandford Monday we marched to Brookfield 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 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 |
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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 J une 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 oclock 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 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
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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 dont 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 July ye 20
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