Dec. 8 Bought Cloth for Great coat
Dec. 10.
1775 Recd. 68 Dollars, Rashon
money -- paid Hide for Olivers Coat. Blanket
& Sundry articles. & pair of Long Breaches
11 finish the Fortification on Cobble Hill
12 Begun the causey at Leachmor Neck
13 Began the Coverd Way onto
Leachmor
hill. Col. Glovers Regt.
& Capt. Fosters'
Compy of the Train Marched for
Marble
head. upon hearing of 3 men of War lying
at that place. bought a watch for 8 £
14. wrkd on
leachmor point went in the
afternoon to
Dotchester point to See the
mashine to blow up Shipping -- but as it
was not finished, it was not put into the
water.
15. Came from
Dtchester & went to
Leach
-mor point to work. Recd. a letter from
Jesse
Cutter. Oliver' Shirts & Geese from
Brookfd.
16. Stakt. out the Fort on Leachmor point.
17.went to work on
Leachmore point, it was
Very Foggy in the fornoon, & when the
Fog cleared away we had a Very havey
fire from the Ships, & from
Boston but
thro' Divine goodness we Recd by little damage.
Abel Woods was wounded in the Crotch or thigh
workt all night, got our men covered.
18. Day of Dec.
1775
went down in the afternooon to
Leachmor
Wrote to Mr. Forbes --
19.Went upon
Leachmor point to work
a No. of Shot & Shells were thrown from
Bunker Hill & from
Boston at us
& at
Coble Hill, many of the Shot lodgd in our Brest work.
& some of the Bumbs Brok
high in the are & 2 near
our works, but no Mischief done this Day
20.went upon
Leachmore Point. we
recd
a No of 24 lb Shot from
Boston into our
breastwork & others Just went over all in
a direct line hit the wall. Several
Bumbs burst in the air. one was
thrown from
Bunker Hill into
Cambg
by Phineys Regt. 13 inch which
did not bust
went to see Abel Woods found him Comfortable
bought cups & Glass Ware for 7/6
21 went to
Leachmore point in the morning
went to
Watertown in the afternoon.
it was Very cold this Day. The Enemy did
not fireat us this Day
22 at home
Recd. Betseys Letter wrote by Dr. H
bought 6yd of Garlic 28/. & Sent it
to
Brookfield
23 went to
Leachmor point this morning
Wore Genl. Putnams great coat. Magr.
Durkee
went Home with Capt. Waterman & Lt.
Bigham
24. Lords Day & a very Snowy cold
Day.
Cut down the orchard at
Leachmor
point, & laid the trees round the fort
had 4 oxen Drowned coming of ye point.
25. a Very cold Day dind with Genl.
Putnam. went upon leachmor Point
at Sunset. & then went to Gen.
Washing.
in the Evening. found & Skind ye 4
drownded oxen
26.went to
Leachmor point Laid a platform
for the Great Morter. workt
at the bridge,
the Day fair & extreem cold. Dind
with Genl. Washington &
Lady --
27.went to
Watertown paid 10 Dollars
to pattin. Col. Comings Lodgd.
with me
28.went to
Leachmor point finished the
Bridge & 2 platforms in ye loer
Boston
29.Laid one Waterform for a
morter in ye
loer Boston & a platform for a
canon in ye
upper
Boston at
Leachmor point. Cold
30.cut out 2 ambrasures at
Leachmor point --
a No. of guns heard of at Sea. Supposed to be
Ships
coming in, or privateers Engaged
Decr. 31.
1775.Lords Day it Raind
in the morning. No fateague this Day
went to Meeting Mr. Leonard Preachd.
from Exodus 111. & 10 --
Jany. 1. 1776.the
Old Troops Went of & left
the lines bair in Some parts, cold
2 Took a plan of the Fortification at
leachmor point. warm pleasant Day
3.went with 40 men to work at
Leachmor
in the forenoon & to
Watertown in ye
afternoon. a, warm, pleasant, Day.
4 to leachmor point cast the ambrasures
5 went to the half moon Batery at
Inmans
Point, a pleasant Day
6 to
Inmans point & to
lechmor point
a Very windy Day
7 Lords Day, workt
the Surceler Battery
on
Inmans point, & Cut out the obtuce
ambrasure in the upper Bastion on
Leechmor point. & throw down the Stone
wall there. took a plan of
Cobble Hill Fort.
8.finished the Sircular Battery at
Inmans
Point. & workt. with 100 men Lechmor p
Laid out the west Redoubt in the corner
of the orchard at
Leachmor point
of officers & Men crosst. the Milldam
to Charlestown & Burnt eight Houses & other
of the Buildings there which made a
great light. left only 6 houses remaining.
9.Begun upon the west redoubt on
L. Point
it Raind several Showers this Day &
cleared off cold just at night when the
wind rose & was very high --
10.had 5 teems carting Sodds, laid them
in the new works, layd the Abertee
round the new works -- cased the ambrasure
in the uper Redout, & Raised
the Epolimey there, this Day Excessive
cold and windy --
11.workt. at
Lechmor point. Drawd in Abatree
Brok ground for the new work. finished
laying out the work with Stones. it raind
& Snowd. in the Evning, & was a cold Day.
12.workt at
Lechmor pint had 100 Rifelmen
to work with us 200 from
Prospect Hill. which
made 300 in all, but found the Ground very
hard frosen a foot thick in general. the oxen
workt. well this Day raw cold Chilley wind
Col. Miflin gave me a Quire of paper to Draw
plans on
Jany 13. 1776 workt.
at
Lechmor point had 4 teems
carting Sods. laid out 2 ambrasures in the
west Redoubt. Capt. Dier & Lt. Grey
came down & Joind us
14.Lords Day workt. at
Lechmor point
Breakfasted, & Supt. with Genl.
Putnam
in company with Col Trumball, Mr --
Hutchison Majr. Cary, Mrs.
Morgan
Capt. Abbott & Lady & Mr Webb --
15.Workt. at
Leachmore point
it was a Raw cold Day & Snowd.
some. Col. Little & Col Serjant
were officers at the works
Recd. an order from Genl.
Putnam
for wine. the order as follows, viz:
To Commisery Avery Sir
Deliver Col. Baldwin fifteen Gallons
of Wine, which is necessary for health
& comfort he being every Day at
Cambridge
Jany 12,
1776.
Israel Putnam M.G.
a great Whirrawing in
Boston, pulling down
housen in
Charlston & in
Boston
16 workt. at
Lechmor point. Majr.
Magraw
officer of the works. a Very Still calm
Day a great Stir & Noyse in
Boston.
we Doubled our Guards in front this
night
17 paid David Kelly 2/6 in
full for Shaving
& agreed for his Shaving & Dressing hair
Every Day for 8/ a Quarter
workt. at
Lechmore point Majr. Maclary
officer of the Fateague a very thick
fog till about 2 oclock & then the wind
at west cleard of the fog & it raind &
Snowd & was a Stormey
afternoon &
evning
18 Recd. the
News of the Death of Sister
Forbes by dr. Rogers. Wrote to Father
Parkman & Mrs. Baldwin. Comisary
Avery & Mr. Grey Dind
with me.
no fateague this Day at
Lechmor pint
Recd. the news of the Death of Genl.
Ma
gomery & others before
Quebeck ye 30 of Decr.
19 went to work at
leachmor pint the ground was
frosen 22 inches Deep as hard as a rock, &
in one night it frose in the trench 8
inches deep so that we pryed up cakes
of frosen Earth 9 feet Long & 3 feet broad
it was fair but very cold this Day
Jany 20.
1776
workt. all Day at
Lechmor point this
Day clear & cold. could not dig sods in
the marsh it was so frosen
21 Lords Day Stayd.
at home wrote to
Mr. Forbes. & Mrs. Baldwin. 12
Ingions came
from
Canady to see
Genl. Washington it was
a cold Day went to Col Gridleys in the
Evning. Drank Coffey,
& then went to Genl.
Heaths, spent the remainder of the evening.
22 workt. at
Lechmor with a large party.
Genl. Washington,
Putnam & Gates, with
several other Gentn came down to see
the works. the ground was frosen in
2 feet deep and excessive hard, in some
places the men got thro the frost & in
other places they did not all, Day
rold up an old wall into a line for a
brestwork very cold & high tide this Day
23 workt. at
lechmor pint, 13 of the
Cocknawa
ger Indians came to see the works, the
Regulars in
Boston exercised on
Boston
Common, & went thro many firings,
--
the Day pleasant but a raw cold chilley
wind, the ground excessive hard frosen
Jany 24. 1776
Camp at
Cambridge
workt. at
Leachmor point, cut Sods had 5
teems carting sods. a Topsel Schooner was
brought by the Ice up
charls River to
new
boston with the Tide before she got
clear of the Ice. 8 men made there escape from the
Admaral' Ship
25.went to
Leachmor point in the fornoon
took a draft of Fort N. 1 & N. 2 in
the afternoon. Col. Durkee. Lt. Bringham
& other officers came into Camp
26 Mr. Leonard Came into
town Attended prayers
this Morning. the Fateague men all
Employed in Poiling up wood & housing
Coal &c. I went to
Lechmor. but no work there
27 Made a Plan of
Lechmore point, this Day
Very Cold but fair
28.Lords Day went to Meeting Mr.
Leonard
preachd. & in his Sermon Addressed ye
close of his Discourse to a number of Indians present --
29 went to
Watertown with Joseph Newell. Sent
by him a bag of old Cloaths & a box and
firkin
heard that 22 Companies of Regulars wer gone to
New York
30 workt at Lechmor pint
31 workt at Do. got leave of absents from camp ye Day.
Feby 1.
1776 Set out for
Brookfield in the Morg --
Dind at
Wistown Capt. Baldwin drank Coffey
at
Northboro. Lodgd at
Shrewsbury --
2 Breakfasted at
worcester. Dind at
Leicester
at Mr. Tods with Mr. Allen who
accompan
ied me to my house found my family well
3 at home
4.at home went to meeting heard Mr. Appelton preach from 1 Peter 3. & 7.
5. went to the South parish to Mrs.
Welches
Capt. Upham'. & Revd. Mr. Fish.
6 at home
7.at home
8 Set out for Cambridge Lodgd. at Shrewsbury
9 dind at
Framingham Col Buckminster'
callt at Robert Jenesons &
Mr. Pigeons
waited upon Genl. putnam & Washington
10.at home in camp. it Stormd Some.
11.Lords Day. workt. at
Lechmor pint it was
a cold Day. the ground frosen very hard 28
inches deep. we made Very large mines
under the frosen Surfice
to get Earth to
fill the parripets. the outsides of which was
partly raised with stone
& part with timber.
12.at
lechmor pint. pickt. up the Regulars
bullets fired towards lechmor on the Ice
man got 80. another 60. & many others
got large Numbers. the Genl. officers went
upon
Dotchester pint
Feby 13.
1776. workt. at
Lechmor. Genl. Washington
with a No. of the Genl. Officers came upon
the pint. found a good bridg
of Ice to
Boston
14.at day Break I arose by the light of
4
fires Shining into my Chamber Windows
Supposed to be housen in
Boston set on fire
by our people, but about 10. o.clock were
informd. that a 2 Detachments of Regulars
one from the
Castle the other from
Boston
10. or 1200 in all. landed at Dorchester point
& attempted to take our guard. but were disa
pinted. - & they Set fire to 8 or 10 Housen on
the pint & retreated to the Castle
again
a Snowey Day. I at home. no
fateague to Day.
15.workt. at Lechmor. Col Durkee taken
Sick one of our men fell thro'
the Ice near Boston, but after 15 minutes he
got out himself. -- bought 50 lemmons 12/
Col. Holden officer of ye Fateague.
16.workt. at
Lechmor. Mr. Leonard,
& Dr. Foster came to See the works. the
Chanel open
up into the bay between
Lechmor &
Boston
17 workt. at
Lechmor. Genl. Washington,
Putnam
& Gates came Down to See the works ordered a
Guard house to be built. Recd.
Mr. Forbes letters.
18. Lords Day. Workt. at
Lechmor began the
Guard House & digging to Set it in. I went to
Meeting in the afternoon.
19.Workt. at Lechmor -- afternoon I went to
Newton
a prusian came into our Camp
Feby 20. 1776.workt
at Lechmor point
dug round & undermind large pieces of
frosen Earth which we rold
out on Skids
of Several Tons weight each, in diging
for the Guard house, a fine pleasant Day
21.workt. at Lechmor. 200 men orderd
for guard
at this place a fine pleasant Day Wind S.W.
22 workt. at
Lechmor. laid up the Timber
upon the Polmong befor the guard House
a Snowey wet uncomfortable Day
23.workt. at
Lechmor. Raisd. the
Guard House
3 prisoners taken at
Roxbury -- pleasant Day.
24.workt. at
Lechmor. the Carpenters at work
on the guardhouse. a person from Boston confirms the
Intelligence that the Regulars
were prepairing to imbark. the Vessels were Wooded & waterd. ready for a Voyge
with the chief of the heavey Artillery
on bord.
25. Went to Meeting in the forenoon. &
to
Lechmor, in the afternoon began the Chimney
26. workt. at
Lechmor. Discovered the Enemy
building a battery on the high ground East
from the Magazene at West
Boston, where
they workt. very Briskly but the air being
thick & foggy we could not see clearly
at Evning Recd. orders to go to
Dotchester in
the morning after I had waited on Genl.
Washn.
27. went to
Roxbury &
Dotchester point lodgd. with Col.
Learnard
in
Roxbury
28. went to
Dotchester point. Recd order to
have Every thing prepaird. to take post at
that place. went to
Cambridge in ye Evening
29. went to Dotchester, ordered platforms Laid at Cambridge
March 1. at
Roxbury Laying Platforms for Cannon
& 2 for Morters.
2.Building Bumb
Batteries. went upon
Dotchester Hills with ye Generals recd. there
Instruction' Dind with them at Genl
Thomases. Pulld. down 2 buildings on
Roxbury
neck in ye Evning. filld the ambrasures
with Abbatree. throd.
Shels & Shot into
Boston
Split 3 morters this Evning
3.at
Roxbury. a No. of Shot & Shells
thrown this
Day into
Boston. Lieut. Bingham was bur
ied this Day. had everything in readiness
for taking post at
Dotchester this Night
the Congress was split with the 3d Shell
or shells thrown from her
4. prepairing
for taking post. an alaram
by the regulars by bots going round to New
boston
went upon Dotchester Hill in ye afternoon
the army Came on at dusk with 280
carts & wagons with the materials for the
fortifications. 6 works thrown up this
night at different places on the Hills &
high ground a very Great work for one Night
March 5. 1776.workt. on
Dotchester point
on alarm about Noon by the Shipping
salling down & Regulars embarking on
bord. one Man had his hand Shot off.
6.workt this Day
at
Dotchester point genl
Washington Putnam with other Genl.
officers
was Down to See us. Raisd 2 Barracks
7. workt. at Dotchester point.
8 workt. at
Dotchester point began a battery
on
Battery Hill. proposed taking post at
Nook Hill.
9 at Do laid out a Battery on the point
towards the
Castle. Laid out a Work on
Nook hill which was proposed to be done
this night. but soon after dusk a Very heavy
cannonade began at
Boston over
nook Hill
Killd 4 Men. among the Slain was Docr
Doal of
Lancaster & Adams of
Brookfd.
the Cannonade lasted all night very heavy.
10. at Do 30 Ships under Sail at once going
down -- a great Sir in
Boston getting Stough
on bord the Ships & by all appearance
prepar
ing to depart, attempted to take post on Nook Hill
11 at Dotchester, firing all night, opined a battery.
12 atempted to take a post on Nook hill, firing all night.
13 at
Dotchester point. Recd orders for to go to
New York, went to
Watertown Recd. 9. 15. 0
for ye Selectmen for gunns
March 14. 1776 at
Cambridge. Recd. a Warrant for 116
3/4
of Dollars for Service as Engineer in the
Continentall army to the 14th of March
Inclusive. went to Roxbury Dind at
Genl. Wards. with Revd. Mr. Saml.
Baldwin
Recd. a Very friendly Letter from Mr.
John Adams Esqr. of Congress at
Philidelphia. Recd. the money
above
mentioned at Evning. bought a Horse
& Saddlebaggs. many things ought to
have been noticed from the 4th Day of
March to this time which in a hurry
have been omited, but peculiar
preservation cannot be forgotten
by the person Sensible of his preservation