The Military Journal of George Ewing:
A Soldier of Valley Forge -- Pages 10-20

Page Ten

this Lake is about 36 miles long and of

different breaths being very full of

Islands we embarkd on board of

batteaus about the middle of the afternoon

noon it snowd very fast all this

day about daylight we landed

just below Sabbathday Point on the

opposite side of the Lake with great

difficulty the land for most part being

very high here we built fires and

lay this night

16th Embarkd this morning and about

three P M arivd at Fort George

with a brisk gale of wind in our rear

and a tent for a sale this fort is built

at the head of the Lake where fort

William Henry formerly stood

I logd this night in a house near

the fort.

Page Eleven

17th Marchd to fort Edward distance

14 mile this fort is entirely

demolished it was built at the head

of the water carriage on the N River

here we logd this night and drew

provision

18th Marchd to Saratoga here they

were building Barracks on a height

near the house of G Schuylar

19th Marchd to Stillwater here is a pretty

little Village laying on the side of

the N River

20th Reachd the Half Moon

21 Crossd the River passd through

the New City a very pretty little

Town 6 miles

Page Twelve

22d Visited my Benefactor Mr

Van Renselaur and was

kindly received and

entertained during my stay

which was short

23d tarried here this day

24th Sergt Smith Ludlow Mr Moore

and myself set out on our way

home and traveld together by the

way of Esopas Florady &c untill

we came near Penny Town where

I had the misfortune to sprain my

ancle so as to render me unable to

march here I lay three days and

then proceeded to Trenton I reachd

this place the same day that the advanced

Guard of Genl Washington's army

arivd there on their retreat through

the Jerseys here I tarried a day or

two and then Crossd the Delaware

and went to Philad Crosd again &

and in two days arivd at home to

the no small joy of myself and

friends I was in hope for a time

Page Thirteen

to enjoy myself in peach in the land

of my Nativity but herein I was

mistaken my rest was short for

in two days after my arrival the

news arose that the Enemy had

possesd themselves of Trenton

the Militia of these parts were

up in arms and I more regardless

of my own ease than my Countrys

safety joind them and marchd to

oppose the unjust invaders of

our rights we marchd first to

phila where we lay near a week

Then Crossd the River and Marchd

to Moors town Commanded by Capt

Daniel Maskell where we enterd

in the evening and took up Quarters

about seven in the evening an express

arivd and informd us that the enemy

were marching from Mountholly

to surprise and take us upon this

Capt Maskell thout best to retire to

Coopers Ferry where we arivd about

ten P M

Page Fourteen

The next day we marchd to Haddonfield

where we remaind for some time

when we marchd to Mountholly where

at our approach the Enemy fled here

we remain a few days and then

a part of the forces marchd up to

attack the Enemy laying at Slabtown

and after a brisk action made them

retire the next morning being

Mondy I being on Picket Capt

Maskell having command of the

Guard and stationd at the old Meeting

house about a mile from the town

the Enemy came down to attack us

drove and followd our Centries in so

quick that before we could parade

they were upon us however we kept

up a brisk fire upon them as we

retired and from the best account

we could get killd seven on the spot

I was then orderd with a party

under the Command of Lieut Tolinson

to attack the light Horse on the right

flank of the enemy who were coming

thro a field in order to cut of our

retreat

 

Page Fifteen

this led us into a piece of wood where

we could not se the motions of our

troops so that they retreated cut down

the bridge and left us behind here we

stayd for some time and finding the

firing cease came to the town but finding

the Enemy in possession of it we retird

again to the wood where we stayd for

some time untill seing a lad pass thro

the wood we compelld him to pilot us

to a place where we got across the Creek

when we heard our people had retird

to Moors town where we joined them in

the evening--

The next day we marchd to Haddonfield

where we stayd a few days and then I

got a furlough and went home where

I staid about a week and then I went to

join the Company which I found at

Morris town where we remained a

few days and then marchd to Raritan

and were quarterd near the forks of that

River for a day or two where I inlisted

with Capt John Barber as a Sergeant

untill the first of Aprill 1777--

Page Sixteen

1777

January

20th This day the Enemy came out a

foriging as far as Millstone Bridge

the party under the Command of Brigd

Genl Dickerson marchd down and attackd

them and put them to the rout took

forty seven waggons and horses a number

of Cattle and twelve prisoners killing

about thirty our loss was four killed

and six wounded--

This Galland action was preformed by

about four hundred Militia under the

command of Genl Dickerson as aforesai

opposed by near three Thousand of the

British Troops

23d this day the enemy came out again

in two parties the one to Middle

Brook and the other to Millstone we

were sent to oppose the former and had

a spell of Cannonadeing them across

the River we had one Iron four pounder

opposd by four pieces on their side toward

night we parted they went to Brunswick

and we to our quarters.

 

Page Seventeen

Nothing material mapend from this

time untill

April

2 the Company being dischargd set out

home wherre I arivd in a few days

here I remaind untill

22 and then being in Company with Mr

John Brown who told me that he had

taken an Ensigncy in the Third Jersey Regt

and being very unwell Desired me to recruit

for him this I agreed to do for a certain

price the Time being come for him to

join the Regt and he still remaining

unwell desired me to take his Warrant

and go with the Recruits to the Regt

and try for the Commission myself

which I also agreed to and on the

31st of May set out for the Camp at

Middle Brook which I reachd

June 5th and Receivd an Ensigncy in

Capt Hagans Company Third Jersey

Regt Nothing Material hapend

untill the when a strong detachment

set out in the evening and the whole

army receivd orders to hold themselves

in readyness to march the next morning

Page Eighteen

The next morning the detachment

possesd themselves of Brunswick

and the Enemy retird to Amboy

Lord Sterling's Division Marchd to

Quibbletown where we lay that

night next day we marchd to Ash

Swamp where we lay untill the

26 This morning about sunrise we

were alarmd by a firing between

us and Amboy which provd to be

the main body of the Enemy coming

up the road and our scouts skirmishing

with them we immediately got

ready and Marchd to their assistance

but before we got there the Enemy

had got past and betwixt us and

Genl Conways Brigade who lay on

the other side of the Grat road we then

marchd back to the Short Hills and

there fell in with the main body of

the Enemy and were nearly surrounded

before we were aware a smart engage

ment then ensued when we were

obligd to retreat which we did in good

order with very little loss on our

side.

Page Nineteen

tho we were pursued as far as

West field we lost three field pieces

and a few men. We then Marchd to

the Scotch Plains and there rested for

about half an hour and there was a call

for Vollenteers to and attack a plundering

party of the Enemy who were near

as the greater part of our Regt went

along Genl Maxwell took the command

we soon fell in with them near

Littles tavern and after a small

skirmish they retird and left us

the ground we had only one man

killd and two wounded we then retird

to the Mountains and so ended this day

here we remaind for two or three

days and the Enemy embarkd from

Amboy the first and Third Jersey Regts

Marchd for Elizabeth Town here we

remaind a few days and the first

Marchd to Newark the Third still

remaining at Elizt a few Regts

of the Enemy lying on Staten Island

 

Page Twenty

Augt 20 This day we receivd orders

to March to join the Grand Army

then in Pensylvania we accordingly

marchd as far as Spanktown where we

halted a short time and then marchd

to the Old Blazing Star at the side

of the sound being joind by the first

Regt and a few Melitia we crosst.

and all landed about brak of day

we then marchd up surprisd and

took chief part of the Picket

gave Battle and routed Colls

Lawrence Bartar & Buskirks

Regs took the two former with

one handred and twenty privates

and several Commissiond Officers

prisoners took two sloops and a great

deal of plunder and after pursuing

the fugitives to a height near Princes

Bay we returnd and recroost the

Sound just after which Genl Sullivans

Division who had crossd at the Old

Point came down and just as the rear

of them were crossing there being

about eighty of on that side a strong

party of the Enemy came down

Attackd killd and took them

 

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Copyright © 1998-2006 Marilyn Price-Mitchell.  Permission to copy all or part of this page granted for non-commercial use only.  Send mail to ewingfamily(at)sandcastles.net.  Instead of (at), use the @ symbol normally found in an email address. Last modified: September 16, 2006