United States History 17A
Diaries of the American Revolution
Among the many eyewitness accounts of military
life during the War for Independence, two are by surgeons
who served at different times with General George
Washington. The first, by Dr. Albigence Waldo, of the First
Connecticut Infantry Regiment, describes part of the winter
of 1777 - 78 he spent at Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. And
although this site is the most famous of Washington's winter
encampments, the quarters near Morristown, New Jersey during
the winter of 1779 - 80 rival Valley Forge for brutal w
eather and severe hardships. Dr. James Thacher, a surgeon
with Washington at Morristown, recorded his observations of
that experience in his diary for January, 1780.
Among the recollections of each of these
particpants are comments about food, family, weather, living
conditions, morale, fellow soldiers, officers, enlistments,
Washington, the British, deserters, prisoners, and the war
in general. Many of their opinions are remarkably similar.
Try to identify what these are.
Valley Forge, 1777
- 1778
Diary of Surgeon
Albigence Waldo
December 8. All at our several posts.
Provisions and whiskey very scarce. Were soldiers to have
plenty of food and rum, I believe they would storm Hell.
December 9. We are insensible of what we are
capable of enduring till we are put to the test. To endure
hardships with a good grace we must always thing of the
following Maxim: "Pain succeeds Pleasure, & Pleasure
succeeds Pain."
December 10. Lay still.
December 11. I am prodigious Sick and cannot
get anything comfortable. What in the name of Providence am
I to do with a fit of Sickness in this place where nothing
appears pleasing to the Sickened Eye and nausiating Stomach.
But I doubt not Providence will find out a way for my
relief. But I cannot eat Beef if I starve, for my stomach
positively resuses to entertain such Company, and how can I
help that?
December 12. A Bridge of Wagons made across the
Schuylkill last night consisting of 36 wagons, with a bridge
of rails between each. Some skirmishing over the river.
Milita and dragoons brought into camp several prisoners.
Sun set. We were ordered to march over the river. It
snows. I'm sick. Eat nothing. No whiskey. No forage.
Lord. Lord. Lord.
December 13. The army marched three miles from
the west side of the river and encamped near a place called
the Gulph, and not an improper name neither, for this Gulph
seems well adapted by its situation to keep us from the
pleasures and enjoyments of this world, or being conversant
with anybody in it. Our Superiors are bringing us into
these regions since we are to Winter here.
December 14. Prisoners and deserters are
continually coming in. The Army, which has been
surprisingly healthy hitherto, now begins to grow sickly
from the continued fatigues they have suffered this
Campaign. Yet they still show a spirit of alacrity and
contentment not to be expected from so young troops.
I am sick, discontented, and out of humor. Poor
food, hard lodging, Cold Weather, fatigue, Nasty Clothes,
nasty Cookery, Vomit half my time, smoked out of my senses.
The Devel's in it -- I can't endure it. Why are we sent
here to starve and Freeze? What sweet felicities have I
left at home: A charming wife, pretty children, good beds,
good food, good cookery -- all agreeable, all harmonious.
Here all Confusion -- smoke and cold, hunger and filthyness.
A pox on my bad luck. There comes a bowl of beef soup, full
of burnt leaves and dirt, sickish enough to make a Hector
spue. Away with it Boys. I'll live like the Chameleon upon
Air.
People who live at home in Luxury and Ease,
quietly possessing their habitations, enjoying their Wives
and families in peace, have but a very faint idea of the
unpleasing sensations, and continual Anxiety the man endures
who is in a Camp, and is the husband and parent of an
agreeable family. These same people are willing we should
suffer everything for their Benefit and advantage, and yet
are the first to Condemn us for not doing more! !
December 15. Quiet. Eat Persimmens. Found
myself better for their Lenient Operation. Went to a house,
poor and small, but good food within. Ate too much from
being so long Abstemious, through want of palatables.
Mankind are never truly thankful for the Benefits of life,
until they have experienced the want of them. The Man who
has seen misery knows best how to enjoy good. He who is
always at ease and has enough of the Blessings of common
life is an Impotent Judge of the feelings of the
unfortunate.
December 16. Cold Rainy Day. For the first
time since we have been here the Tents were pitched, to keep
the men more comfortable.
"Good morning, Brother Soldier," says one to
another. "How are you?"
"All wet I thank ye, hope you are so," says the
other.
The enemy have been at Chestnut Hill opposite us
near our last encampment the other side of the Schuylkill.
Made some Ravages. Killed two of our Horsemen, taken some
prisoners. We have done the like by them.
December 18. Universal Thanksgiving. A roasted
pig at night. God be thanked for my health, which I have
pretty well recovered. How much better should I feel, were
I assured my family were in health. But the same good Being
who graciously preserves me, is able to preserve them and
bring me to the ardently wished for enjoyment of them again.
Our brethren who are unfortunately Prisoners in
Philadelphia meet with the most savage and inhumane
treatments that Barbarians are capable of inflicting. Our
Enemies do not knock them in the head or burn them with
torches to death, or flee them alive, or gradually dismember
them till they die, which is customary among Savages and
Barbarians. No, they are worse by far. They suffer them to
starve, to linger out their lives in extreme hunger. One of
these poor unhappy men, drove to the last extreme by the
rage of hunger, ate his own fingers up to the first joint
from the hand, before he died. Others ate the clay, the
lime, the stones of the prison Walls. Several who died in
the Yard had pieces of bark, wood, clay and stones in thier
mouths, which the ravings of hunger had caused them to take
in for food in the last Agonies of Life! "These are thy
mercies, O Britain!"
December 21. Preparations made for huts.
Provisions scarce. Mr. Ellis went homeward, sent a letter
to my Wife. Heartily wish myself at home. My skin and eyes
are almost spoiled with continual smoke. A general cry
through the Camp this evening among the soldiers: "No Meat!
No Meat!" The distant vales echoed back the melancholly
sound, "No Meat! No Meat!" Immitating the noise of crows
and owls, also, made a part of the confused music.
"What have you for your Dinners, Boys?"
"Nothing but Fire Cake and water, sir."
At night, "Gentlemen the Supper is ready."
"What is your Supper, Lads?"
"Fire Cake and water, sir."
December 22. Lay excessive Cold and
uncomfortable last night. My eyes are started out from
their orbits like a Rabbit's eyes, occasioned by a great
Cold and Smoke.
"What have you got for Breakfast, Lads?"
"Fire Cake and water, sir."
The Lord send that our Commissary of Purchases
may live on Fire Cake and water, till their glutted Gutts
are turned to Pasteboard.
Our Division are under Marching Orders this
morning. I am ashamed to say it, but I am tempted to steal
Fowls if I could find them, or even a whole Hog, for I feel
as if I could eat one. But the Impoverished Country about
us, affords but little matter to employ a Thief, or keep a
clever fellow in good humor. But why do I talk of hunger
and hard usage, when so many in the World have not even Fire
Cake and water to eat.
It is not in the power of Philosophy, however, to
convince a man with a Hungry Belly to be happy and
contented. Give me food, clothes, wife and children, kind
Heaven! and I'll be as contented as my Nature will permit
me to be.
December 25, Christmas. We are still in Tents,
when we ought to be in huts. The poor Sick suffer much in
tents this cold weather.
December 26. The enemy have been some days to
the west of the Schuylkill opposite the city of Derby.
Their intentions are not yet known. The City,
(Philadelphia), is at present pretty clear of them. Why
don't his Excellency rush in and retake the City, in which h
e will doubtless find much Plunder? Because he knows better
than to leave his post and be catched like a d -- d fool
cooped up in the City. He has always acted wisely hitherto.
His conduct, when closely scrutinized, is uncensurable.
Were his Inferior Generals as skillful as himself, we should
have the grandest Choir of Officers ever God made. Many
country gentlemen in the interiour parts of the States who
get wrong information of the affairs and state of our Camp,
are very much surprised at General Washington's delay to
drive off the Enemy, being falsely informed that his Army
constists of double the number of the enemy's. Such wrong
information serves not to keep up the spirit of the Peiple,
as they must be by and by deceived to their no small disappo
intment. It brings blame on his Excellency, who is
deserving of the greatest praise. It brings disgrace on the
Continental Troops, who have never evidenced the least
backwardness in doing their duty, but, on the contrary, have
cheerfully endured a long and very fatiguing Campaign.
History will clear up these points, and reflect
lasting honor on the Wisdom and prudence of General
Washington. The greatest number of Continental Troops that
have been with his Excellency this campaing, never consisted
of more that 11,000. And the greatest number of Militia in
the field at once were not more than 2,000. Yet these
accounts are exaggerated to 50 or 60,000. Howe, by the
best, and most authentic accounts has never had less than
10,000. This, then, cannot be called an Inglorious
Campaign. If he had risked a General Battle, and should
have proved unsuccessful, what in the name of Heaven would
have been our case this day? Troops are raised with great
difficulty in the southern states, and many regiments from
these staes do not consist of one hundred men. General
Washington has doubtless considered these matters.
December 28. Yesterday, upwards of fifty
Officers in General Greene's Division resigned their
Commissions. Six or seven of our Regiment are doing the
like today. All this is occasioned by officers' Families
being so much neglected at home on account of Provisions.
Such extravagant prices are demanded for the common
necessaries of Life, and their wages will only purchase a
few trifling Comfortables here in camp, and maintain their
families at home, while What, then, have they to pruchase
Clothes and other necessaries with?
The present Circumstances of the Soldier is
better by far than the Officers. For the family of the
soldier is provided for at the public expence if the
Articles they want are above the common price. But the
Officer's families are obliged not only to beg in the most
humble manner for the necessaries of Life, but also to pay
for them afterwards at the most exorbitant rates, and even
in this manner, many of them who depend entirely on their
Money, cannot procure half the material comforts that are
wanted in a family, and this produces continual letters of
complaint from home. When the Officer has been fatiguing
through wet and cold and returns to his tent where he finds
a letter directed to him from his Wife, filled with the most
heart aching tender Complaints a Woman is capable of writing
-- acquainting him with the incredible difficulty with which
she procures a little bread for herself and children, and
finally concluding with expressinons bordering on despair,
begging of him to consider that Charity begins at home --
when such, I say, is the tidings they constantly hear from
their families, what man is there whose soul would not
shrink within him? Who would not be disheartened from
persevering in the best of Causes -- the Cause of his
Country -- when such discouragements as these lie in his
way, which his Country might remedy if they would?
December 30. Eleven deserters came in today --
some Hessians and some English. One of the Hessians took an
Ax in his hand and cut away the Ice of the Schuylkill, which
was one and one-half inches thick and 40 rods wide, and
waded through to our Camp. He was one-half an hour in the
water. They had a promise, when they engaged, that the war
would be ended in one year. They were now tired of the
Service.
1778, January 1. New Year. I am alive. I
am
well. Huts go on briskly, and our Camp begins to appear
like a spacious City.
Sunday, January 4. Properly accoutered, I went
to work at Masonry, and before night I almost completed a
genteel chimney to my Magnificent Hut. However, as we had
short allowance of food and no Grogg, my back ached before
night.
I was called to relieve a soldier thought to be
dying, but he expired before I reached the Hut. He was an
Indian, an excellent soldier, and an obedient good natured
fellow. He engaged for money, doubtless, as others do, but
he has served his country faithfully. He has fought for
those very people who disinherieted his forefathers. Now,
having finished his pilgrimage, he was discharged from the
Wars of Life and Death. His memory ought to be respected,
more than those rich ones, who supply the world with nothing
better than Money and Vice.
January 6. Applied again for a furlow, and was
denied. Came home sulkey and Cross. Stormed at the boys
and swore round like a peper and a fool till most Night,
shen I bought me a Bear Skin, dressed with the ahir on.
This will answer me to lie on.
If I should happen to lose this little Journal,
any fool may laugh that finds it, since I know that there is
nothing in it but the natural flowings and reflections of my
own heart, which is human as well as other Peoples'. And if
there is a great deal of folly in it, there is no intended
ill nature, and I am sure there is much Sincerity,
especially when I mention my family, whom I cannot help
saying, and am not ashamed to say, that I Love.
January 8. Unexpectedly got a Furlow. Set out
for home. The very worst of Riding -- Mud and Mire.
Morristown,
January, 1780
The Journal of Dr.
James Thacher
January, 1780. A new year commences, but brings
no relief to the suffering and privations of our army. Our
canvas covering affords but a miserable security from storms
of rain and snow, and a great scarcity of provisions still
prevails.
The weather for several days has been remarkably
cold and stormy. On the 3rd, we experienced one of the most
terrible snow storms ever remembered. No man could endure
its violence many minutes without danger of his life.
Several marquees were torn asunder and blown down over the
officers' heads in the night, and some of the soldiers were
actually covered while in their tents, and buried like sheep
under the snow.
My comrades and myself were roused from sleep by
the calls of some officers for assistance; their marquee had
blown down, and they were almost smothered in the storm
before they could reach our marquee only a few yards away,
and their blankets and baggage were nearly buried in the
snow.
We are greatly favored in having a supply of
straw for bedding. Over this we spread all our blankets,
and with our clothes and large fires at our feet -- while
four or five are crowed together -- preserve ourselves from
freezing. But the sufferings of the poor soldier can
scarcely be described. While on duty they are unavoidably
exposed to all the inclemency of storms and severe cold. At
night they have a bed of straw on the ground and a single
blanket to each man. They are badly clad, and some are de
stitute of shoes.
The snow is now from 4 to 6 feet deep, which so
obstructs the roads as to prevent our receiving a supply of
provisions. For the last ten days we have received but two
pounds of meat a man, and we are frequently six or eight
days entirely destitute of meat, and as long without bread.
The consequence is, the soldiers are so enfeebled from
hunger and cold, as to be almost unable to perform their
military duty, or labor in constructing their huts.
It is a circumstance greatly to be deprecated
that the army, who are devoting their lives and everything
dear to the defence of our country's freedom, should be
subjected to such unparalled privations, while in the midst
of a country abounding in every kind of provision. The
heroic fortitude with which our officers and soldiers endure
their distresses proclaims their fidelity and intrinsic
merit.
Contributing to these evils is the rapid
depreciation of the continental money, which we receive for
our pay. It is now established at about thirty to one. It
is from this cause, according to report, that our Commissary
General is unable to furnish the army with a proper supply
of provisions. The people in the country are unwilling to
sell the produce of their farms for this depreciated
currency, and both the resources and credit of our Congress
appear to be exhausted.
It is well known that General Washington
experiences the greatest sympathy for the suffering of his
army, and is sensible that they in general act with heroic
patience and fortitude. His Excellency, it is understood,
despairing of supplies from the Commissary General, has made
application to the magistrates of the state of New Jersey
for assistance in procurring provisions. This expedient has
been attended with the happiest success. It is honorable to
the magistrates and people of New Jersey that they have
cheerfully complied with the request, and furnished for the
present an ample supply, and have probably saved the army
from destruction.
As if to make up the full measure of grief and
embarrassment to the Commander-in-Chief, repeated complaints
have been made to him that some to the soldiers are in the
practice of pilfering and plundering the inhabitants of
their poultry, sheep, pigs and even cattle from their farms.
This marauding practice has often been prohibited in general
orders, under the severest penalties, and some exemplaray
punishments have been inflicted. General Wshington
possessses an inflexible firmness of purpose, and is de
termined that discipline and subordination in camp shall be
rigidly enforced and maintained. No soldier is subjected to
punishment without a fair trial and conviction by a court
martial. Death has been inflicted in a few instances of an
atrocious nature, but in general, the punishment consists in
a public whipping, and the number of stripes is proportioned
to the degree of the offence.
The law of Moses prescribes 40 stripes save one,
but this number has often been exceeded in our camp. In
aggravated cases, and with old offenders the culprit is
sentenced to receive 100 lashes or more. It is always the
duty of the fifers and drummers to inflict the chastisement,
and the drum major must attend and see that the duty is
faithfully performed. The culprit, being securely tied to a
tree or post, receives on his naked back the number of
lashes assigned him, by a whip formed of several small kn
otted cords, which sometimes cut through the skin at every
stroke. However strange it may appear, a soldier will often
receive the severest stripes without uttering a groan or
once shrinking from the lash, even while blood flows freely
from his lacerated wounds. This must be ascribed to
stubbornness or pride. They have, however, adopted a method
which, they say, mitigates the anguish in some measure. It
is by putting between the teeth a leaden bullet, on which
they chew while under the lash, till it is made flat and
jagged. In some instances of incorrigible villains, it is
adjudged by the court that the culprit receive his
punishment at several different times, a certain number of
stripes repeated at intervals of 2 or 3 days. In this case,
the wounds are in a state of inflammation and the skin is
rendered more sensibly tender, and the terror of the
punishment is more greatly aggravated.
Another mode of punishment is that of running the
gauntlet. This is done by a company of soldiers standing in
two lines, each one furnished with a switch, and the
criminal is made to run between them and receive the scourge
from their hands on his naked back.
In justification of these practices, it is
alleged that, in the British army, it is not uncommon to
sentence a criminal to receive 1,000 lashes, and instances
are not wanting if its having been attended with fatal
consequences.
The year is now closed, and with it expires the
term of enlistment of a considerable number of our soldiers.
New conditions are offered them to encourage their
reenlistment, but such are the numerous evils which they
have hitherto experienced, that it is feared but a small
proportion will reenlist. Should these apprehensions be
realized, the fate of our country and the destiny of its
present rulers and friends, will soon be decided.
It has hitherto been our grievous misfortune that
the several states have attempted to supply their quota of
the army by short enlistments. Enlisting or drafting men
for 9 months or a year never fails to be attended by
disappointment and a train of pernicious consequences.
General Washington has, from the beginning of the contest,
most pointedly protested against it, and labored to induce
the states to adopt a more permanent system. By the present
mode, the strength of the army is continually precarious and
fluctuating. The recruits have scarcely time to learn the
discipline of a camp before they are at liberty to return to
their farms, and their places are supplied by others who
require the same course of instruction.
It may be asked why would any soldier who has
experienced such accumulated distresses and deprivations
would voluntarily engage again in the same service? Amid
all the toils and hardships, there are charms in a military
life: it is here that we witness heroic actions and deeds
of military glory. The power of habit and the spirit of
ambition pervade the soldiers' ranks, and those who have
been accustomed to active scenes, and found their social
attachments, cannot easily quit the tumult and the bustle of
a camp, for the calm and quiet of domestic pursuits.
It is hoped, however, that they will not again be
subjected to a starving condition.
*From
The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and
Biography, vol. 21, no. 3, History Society of Pennsylvania,
(October 1897), pp. 299 - 322.
**From Military Journal of the American
Revolution, by James Thacher, M.D, Surgeon in the American
Revolutioinary Army. Hurlbut, Williams & Co., (Hartford,
Connecticut: 1862), pp. 180 - 187.
Return
to Study Guide #1
Revised
September 1, 2003
by Tom Gallup, e-mail address: tom_gallup@westvalley.edu
West Valley College
http://www.westvalley.edu/wvc/ss/gallup/gallup.html