SIEGE in images

The siege at fort Niagara was a rich display of visual delights. Therefore, I have decided to share with you some of the extra images I have found to go along with the event itself.

SIEGE JOURNAL epilogue

Dr. Clift and I take poor John off the field.

I have returned home to convalesce after my unfortunate injury received at the hands of the French forces at Fort Niagara. It is fortunate that I have no end of little projects that can be done whilst in a seated position to keep myself entertained. There is also reading to be done, as well as the reorganization of my medical books. I shall share a secret with you dear reader, I am not a tidy housekeeper, it is true.

There is also the matter of the limberjack that Lucy was so kindly giv'n by one of the traders. While he was well put together, I fear he was not very well painted, so I have taken it upon myself to repaint our little friend in a style more befitting. It will involve a good deal of mater red and a bit of green, and perhaps a silver gorget? And a sash, one mustn't overlook the importance of a sharp looking red sash when repainting a wooden dancing toy.

In the meantime, I believe that I may travel up to Locust Grove this week's end to visit and browse at a most peculiar event.

The month of August looks to be a bit dull on my schedule, so if you dear reader, have any suggestions, I would love for you to make them known to me.

Conversely, September is positively brimming with activity. I shall not bore you with the details. Suffice it to say, I have written it all down in my SCHEDULE.

The Amadeus Award for Taste & Excellence

It would seem that whilst I was not paying attention, my journal has won an award! Not just any award mind you, I have been bestowed the "Amadeus Award for Taste & Excellence" by Herr Mozart himself!

I thank the Maestro for this honor, but now I find I must pass the honor on to 5 more journals... this will require some thought.

I will post the results of my contemplations here when I have set upon those to pass this honor to.

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 7

Sunday July 5 continued- Lucy and I took our dinner at the "King's Crown", a tented bakery that had set up not far from the hospital. We bought two pieces of bread that bad been baked with fat sausages inside them. They were fantastic! We also purchased two large molasses biscuits, I never got to taste either of them. I gave one away to Lucy and the other to Dr. Clift who had been so gracious as to feed us for the past few days. I love molasses cookies, I console myself by imagining that they were stale and hard and barely fit to eat.

Some of the King's men marching. The fellows that pass at the end are the Independent Company! Red with green facings.

At one of the clock, we took the field behind the soldiers again. This time, I took young Melton and went right, Clift taking mr. Melton and going to the left. We moved up and down the lines checking for the injured.

Marching toward the field of battle again with the 'mollies'.

There is a certain rhythm to battle that one must be aware of in order to move about. I could watch the French dodge up and down behind their lines to fire. I could imagine that there was a French commandant giving them orders to rise and fire then to drop back below the earthen wall. So long as I was not in their path when they fired I could move about freely and retrieve the wounded.

One of the British commanders during the final battle as seen from the Ind. Co. line.

I was moving behind a long line of green coated rangers on their knees and firing when the French line rose and I was directly in the path. They fired and I was struck by a glancing blow to the left knee!

Young Melton came out to retrieve me and took me back to the cart. "Are you alright?" he asked me.

All I could think to reply was, "I wasn't paying attention."

Clift came over and assisted me in tightly bandaging the knee to stop the flow of blood. I sat on the back of the cart for a few moments and realized the British line was advancing... and moving forward farther than I had seen them go previously, there would be wounded.

Dr. Clift assists me in bandaging my knee.

The muskets made a sound I had not previously heard, perhaps it was my new proximity to them that brought on this new perspective.

I got to my feet and made my way back out, young Melton aiding me along here and there. Melton moved in front of me in aid of one fellow and I took another. He was one of the green-clad rangers that I had seen earlier. I put his arm around my shoulder, "You're going to have to try lad," I implored him, "I am in no condition for this."

We both limped back toward the cover of the shade tree where the cart sat. Half way to our goal, his legs gave out, as did mine, we tumbled like wrestling school-children. We dragged in the grass a bit before getting upright again and completing out journey.

The line moved forward again, and the line of French soldiers that had been the furthest forward was gone. I could see British troops right up near the brick wall of the fort itself. The tide was turning in our favour!

Once we had evacuated the wounded from the field, the brothers Melton and Dr. Clift insisted that I be carried back to the hospital on the back of the cart. Clift examined it in the shade of a tree that was located just on front of where we had placed the hospital fly.

I was fortunate in that I was able to tell Clift when I needed a moment and when I could continue through the pain. There was a good deal of blood on the back of the cart, and I joked to Clift that I was quite unaccustomed to seeing so much of my own all in one place.

We tied it up tight enough to make the march into the fort for the official surrender by the French.

There was a great deal of marching in long lines on the part of the French and the British before the actual ceremony of surrendering began. Once begun, the French commanders met the British in the middle of a parade on the fort grounds. Clift and I were unable to see from our particular vantage point.

Once it was over the British allied natives marched about the French officers and made the most frightening sounds and cries. My mind was on one thing only... the FRENCH hospital!

Once the French soldiers had begun to make their way out to the boats to be taken away, I went up the way as fast as I could into the building known as "The CASTLE " and found the large room they had set up as the hospital. Clift followed behind me.

The interior of the fort, the 'Castle' looms at the rear.

The French surgeon wore a black hat and a long grey overcoat of some sort. I walked in among a flurry of activity and there on the table before me was every manner of medical instrument I could have dreamt of!

I bowed and introduced myself. I was certain he would know who I was, as I was still wearing my blood-stained pigskin apron.

I informed him that the day was ours and that his equipment was now the property of the Crown. He did not seem too surprised as I told him that I would send back some men with boxes to fetch his instruments for me. They would make excellent additions to the British Hospital. I offered to escort him personally to the boats, but he declined my offer.

The men (and women) of the Independent Company that attended the siege. An excellent lot, one and all!

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 6

Sunday July 5- Lucy and I arose after a rather cold clear night. I was kept up a considerable portion of the night by the festivities in camp, waking several times to the sounds of the singing and merry-making.

We dressed in the cold and made ready for church, and learned after our chilly breakfast, that the church service was to be conducted in the cemetery. There were few places to sit, so I stood and listened. The service was very nice, but it made me miss our Parson John and his services.

Once I arrived at the hospital, I discovered that mr. Ronald Melton had brought along his younger brother Michael to aid as a surgeon's mate. We found another red armband to tie on young Melton's left arm.

There was no shaving to be had, as between Dr.Clift and myself, I believe we had shaved nearly every officer in the british camp. Instead I had a civilian fellow stop in for a bleeding on account that he was feeling 'melancholy'. I sat him in Ensign Bogg's chair and tied off a simple tourniquet on his right arm. He maintained his composure admirably, and seemed to feel much relieved afterward.

At 11 of the clock there was heard in camp a great volley of musket shots. I ordered the brothers Melton to bring the cart and we headed into the fray.

A French relief force had attacked a British roadblock in an effort to relieve the fort. By the time we arrived, the French were nearly knee deep, fallen in neat lines. One of the British commanders called me over to tend to a fallen French officer. His entire unit of men lay on the ground around him. He was seated against a tree with a great wound to the abdomen.

We placed the French officer on the wagon and took him back to the hospital with us.

He argued and yelled at us in French, but I was unaffected by it all, not understanding a word of it.

We removed his belt and sword and laid him out to operate. I removed the musket ball from his abdomen with ease.

He was quite eager to get at our "L'eau de vie".

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 5

Saturday July 4 continued-We staged the injured in the shade of a great tree, just out of the French line of fire. It wasn't long before the word was passed along that British General Prideaux had stepped in front of a mortar and been killed. This broke the morale of the fighting men and the call was sent out to retreat. We gathered what men we could and returned to the hospital to work on the wounded.

The grounds about the hospital were littered with the injured. One young grenadier by the name of John (who my Lucy was quite taken with) with a wound to the eye, several musket ball wounds to arms and legs, and one poor fellow who has had several of the fingers of his right hand shot off.

That's the one that got you... make note of young Hamilton at the ready there with the bleeding bowl.

It was now that young Hamilton really came into his own, anticipating my needs during surgery. He stood silent and moved quickly. At one point he would have the instruments I required before I even had the opportunity to ask for them. I do believe he is turning into a top notch surgeon's mate! He stood with the bleeding bowl at the ready to catch the musket balls and bits of wood that I extracted from the wounds of the men.

One young man succumbed to his wounds whilst he was being operated upon by Dr. Clift. I left Clift in charge while two of the men aided in taking the young man's body back to his company's camp on the stretcher. I had meant to have words with his commanding officer, but he was no where to be found. We left his body there to be taken care of by his company, and I returned to the hospital.

Young John, the grenadier, had a prodigious piece of wood that had struck him just beside his right eye. I was able to implore him to hold still enough to allow me to carefully remove it. Once it was out, he insisted I allow him to keep it. After careful examination of the eye, I believe that his sight will eventually return to normal, he was very fortunate.

The fellow with the lost fingers sat at the edge of the cart as I wrestled his right arm into a position where I could examine it. I began to unwrap the bandage he had put on it, releasing the pressure, and it began to bleed profusely. The sight of his own blood was too much for him and he began to fall from the back of the cart. I had to get Melton's attention to secure him in an upright position so I could finish.

Afterward at camp, I tended my blistered feet and soaked them for a time in one of the buckets of rinse water that the laundresses had used earlier in the day.

Later than afternoon, on the field that had been used for the parade, a group of the men got together to play a game of cricket. I was joined by several of the men from Fort Loudoun, Pvt. Hamilton, Pvt. Kirby, and drummers Hamilton and Carlson. We stripped to our waistcoats and took the field. The bats we used were much smaller than those of which I have grown accustomed at Loudoun. The fellow who had started the game carried with him a bound copy of the 1744 rules. I feel like we did old Fort Loudoun right proud!

For supper, Mr. Ross had prepared corned beef and cabbage which I ate like a starving man, fingers in the bowl tearing apart the beef. Afterward, I was too tired to take part in any of the revelry and Lucy and I retired early.

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 4

Saturday July 4- Awoke from a particularly chilly night, wrapped Lucy in the red wool blanket and went for a bite of breakfast. More fruit and pastries with a bit of hot tea. I spooned in great piles of sugar in the hope that Lucy would take some as well for her throat and cough.

I have found it most interesting to watch how the men from particular companies will huddle together in social environs such as breakfast. I looked over and there sat Lucy with half the men from Loudoun, none with much to say, but huddled together eating as if from pure habit. In looking about, it was the same with the other companies.

After breakfast, I made my way up to the hospital and set up for the day, carefully unloading the instruments from the great brown box.

Mr. Ronald Melton, whom I have met previously, stopped in to volunteer his services as surgeon's mate. I took him up on the offer, got him a spare apron from the box and put him to work. Between mr. Melton and young Hamilton, I barely had a thing to do other than to shave the officers and men that stopped. There was also an officer of Dr. Clift's acquaintance that stopped in. Dr. Clift wanted to shave him, so I gave up my razor for a time.

Dr. Clift shaves one of the officers.

At 9 of the clock, the artillery bombardment began anew. The great cannons barked on both sides of the fort walls.

We ate a dinner of sausages and cheese in the shade of the fly of the hospital. Lucy piled hers high and ate in great bites that her mouth could barely contain. It was then that the drums sounded, the troops were forming up again to make another advance on the French fort.

I instructed mr. Melton to fetch the cart and we took up our position at the end of the line of men marching, right next to the 'mollies' who brought their great cart of water. We took up a position at the back of the field and waited until the English cannons stopped firing. Once the cannons had stopped and the men had advanced forward, we were able to move in to tend the fallen men.

Dr. Clift and I take up our position at the back of the field with the 'mollies' waiting to advance. Mr. Melton is at the far right.

I took Melton and went to the right with the cart, Dr. Clift went with the mollies to the left. Melton and I moved to a grouping a trees near the North side of the outer fort wall and stopped. There in the trees next to us was a cluster of British allied natives. They would shout and fire, then return to the safety of the trees, I was transfixed by this tactic. Once the British line advanced, we took out the wounded. I carried out one man, his arm over my shoulder, and looked to my right toward the French line. I was passing so close, I could see their faces as they fired in great blue plumes of smoke.

Fetching more wounded off the field, that's me center,

slightly obscured by the "Molly Pitcher".

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 3

Friday July 3 continued- The fife and drums sounded shortly after dinner, indicating that the soldiers would be on the move again. Clift and I followed to a large empty field where the British and French forces had gathered. The two armies loomed large on the field. While our fife and drums were impressive, the French were louder and well practiced. They marched about and eventually faced one another in great columns.

Have a look at the French as they march...

There was a great long and drawn out ceremony that involved drumming and marching that eventually got a bit tiresome, so I returned to the hospital.

About an hour later the parade and pageant erupted into a full scale battle! We could hear the shots fired, so I rushed back up to the parade area. The british forces drove the French back toward the fort, but there were a good number fallen on the field.

We operated on several fellows afterward.

Removing a musket ball from the arm. 

I apply pressure to the wound to slow the flow of blood.

At 5 that afternoon the first artillery bombardment began. The cannons were so powerful that was taken quite by surprise. I was seated on Ensign Bogg's chair, and could feel the vibration of their reports from the ground and up through the chair legs. Even from our great distance from the siege works.

Mr. Ross made the company a supper of beef and barley and another pot of chicken with vegetables. Both were quite good. Lucy particularly enjoyed the chicken, not caring much for beef. After supper, the men sat around the company's cookfire until the arrival of a father, son and friends, who brought instruments to play. A great crowd gathered that consisted of men and women from all different companys and groups.

Around 9 of the clock, the sun was well down when the artillery bombardment began again. I took Lucy and young Hamilton's cousin, Taylor, down to where we could see it. The great flashes of the cannons and explosions lit up the brick walls. We watched from a nearby trench.

One of the many colorful explosions during the night bombardment!

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 2

Friday July 3- Awoke early and made a quick meal of fruit and pastries before opening the hospital for the day. A nearby sutler, of Dr. Clift's aquaintence, gave loan of a great wagon to make use of to haul and operate on the wounded.

I placed Ensign Bogg's folding chair out by the road with my shaving implements, and began my day. Young Hamilton, who has aided me in the past at Fort Loudoun, made himself useful by fetching hot water for shaving and clean towels for the officers.

At about 10 of the clock, shots could be heard down near the beach. I took my leave of Dr. Clift for the moment, so that Lucy and I might travel to where the activity was occurring. We were near the tree line and able to see the French hunting party that had discovered the landing of British forces. I was interested to see the unusual tactics of the green coated rangers and the British-allied natives. Both sides were reinforced until finally, the French were driven back into the fort.

Afterward, I returned to the hospital and we were able to watch the men pass to and from the front lines. I offered them shaves as they passed. Complimentary for the King's men of course, two pense for civilians, sharpest blades in the service. It is the requirement of the Crown that a soldier not have more than three days growth upon his chin.

This particular fellow let me freshen up his shave while his family looked on.

Doctor Clift had the surgical instruments laid out on a long table, which garnered a good deal of interest by passers by.

SIEGE JOURNAL ENTRY 1

A copy of a section of the map drawn by mr. Senex in 1740 from my journal.

Thursday July 2- The mist from the Falls of Niagara could be seen from miles away before we ever heard its mighty roar. It was there that we joined up with Sergeant Gibbs and a large group of the Independent Company. The portion of the 1740 map of the area by mr. John Senex claimed that the falls spilled 600 feet. But I strongly suspect, after my own examination through those mists, that this is not the case. Tho' I can certainly understand how its beauty and grandeur might inspire such an exaggeration. I, myself, would respectfully submit the falls to be about half of mr. Senex's estimate.

After a small dinner, I conveyed the greetings and well wishes from Parson John and his servant Maggie back home to those in attendance. We then traveled northward to join up with the rest of the company that was already encamped in a staging area to the East of the French held fort. We arrived at the British encampment to the ring of tent stakes being driven. The English war machine was putting down roots in the form of dozens of tidy rows of white canvas tents. Some of the men from the Company had already set up a tent for the use of Lucy and myself. I must confess that, if the white tent had not been labeled and numbered, I would never have been able to find my way to it in the evening.

The upper corner of my tent read in thickly painted black letters:
R. DEMERE'S
INDt. COy.
SO. CA.
No. 5

Row #4 of 12 rows of british tents. Each row consisted of two lines of tents placed back to back. 

Image by Doc Muzzy.

A brief walk from the company's tent row, I discovered Dr. Clift, with whom I have been corresponding of late. Clift showed me to the large, fly-style coverings that would act as our Infirmary and Surgery. After our introductions, we went about arranging things to suit us. I found Clift to be very agreeable and somewhat eager to begin our duties at the hospital.

Lucy took ill after a portion of under cooked chicken from dinner, so with a bit of phisicking, I put her to bed for a rest in our tent.

Much of the remainder of the evening was spent in the singing of songs, a tradition of the Loudoun men after sunset. I have thus far found the climate most agreeable for July, pleasant and sunny with a nice breeze from Lake Ontario. None of the humidity in the air so common to the lands below the Ohio.

For those with an inclination for things musical, our group sang our typical fare. Fathom the Bowl, Don't forget your old shipmates, and a few others, plus plenty of British Grenadiers thrown in for good measure. Not having much of an appetite for things military, nor a fervid desire to bleed for King and country, I tow-row-rowed about three times and decided it was time for bed.

FARE WELL TO THEE

Image by L.S. King

ANT of time is, I think, the general complaint of all letter-writers, and it shall be mine upon this day as I depart from this land below ye Ohio to meet up with the Independent Company of South Carolina at Fort Niagara. My life of late has been little more than a perpetual hurry of doing nothing; and I think, I never had more business of that sort on my hands than in the past few weeks. But as I can generally find time to do anything I've a mind to do, so can I contrive to be at leisure to pay these final respects to you, my dear friends.

I shall not now pretend that our mission into the North, to lay siege upon a French held fortification, is not fraught with peril. War with ones neighbor is always a dangerous business. I suspect, as Chief Surgeon of the British Hospital, I shall be stationed in a place close enough to the front line to be of a convenient distance to the wounded. I have shared with Ensign Boggs my desire to have an armed guard placed at the hospital for our additional safety, and to keep the wounded from discharging themselves before Dr. Clift and I see fit.

As is my custom, I shall keep my journal whilst in the field, and transcribe it here for you, my dear friends, upon the occasion of my return. Should I not be so fortunate, I have left the blue box behind with my surgical instruments and an old suit of clothes. These can be sold to pay off my meager debts to Young & Erskine, Glasgow. I have it on good authority that Mr. Thomas Ruley, at Red River, would pay well for my wig if there is any thing left of it to sell. I would not settle for less than 10 shillings, 6 pence for it, if it is still wearable.

I have done the last of my packing and the baggage wagon awaits, therefore I will bid you all farewell, and know that I most sincerely wish you all health and success; and am, with great respect, dear Friends,

Your most affectionate & obt. servant,

The Doctor

N.B. Whenever your leisure will permit, it will always give me the greatest pleasure to be informed of your welfare.

THE DOCTOR'S JOURNAL

To you fair readers, I thought I would take a few moments to point out a few of the features of my journal here.

I have a published SCHEDULE for this present year, to give you an idea of where I will be over the course of the year. That link can be found along the left hand side of this page.

I have a listing of the PAPERWORK that I create and sell to other historical interpreters. Each is based on real historical documents. There's something about having the proper paperwork in ones pocket.

Become a READER of my journal, I love to know that there are people out there that actually read my scrawlings here. Find the READERS section on the left hand side of the page and select the FOLLOW button. I also love for you folks to make COMMENTS on my entries, feel free to COMMENT as often as you wish where ever you wish. I am always interested in finding out what you like, and what you are interested in.

Also, if you need an 18th Century Physician and Surgeon for your colonial event, please do favor me with your consideration. HIRE THE DOCTOR for your event, and HEAR WHAT OTHERS SAID about their experiences with the Doctor.

A MAP OF NIAGARA

A map of the fort with its Environ made by Mr. Google only days ago.

Fort Niagara by Mary Ann Rocque, Topographer to His Royal Highness

the Duke of Glouchester in the Strand, 1765.

My map, based upon the Rocque map above,

drawn & ink'd just last evening into my journal.

India ink on paper (and my kitchen) with an ink wash

at the shore lines.

NOW WE ARE TWO

received a correspondence today from Dr. Clift of the Maryland forces, Dagworthy's company, who will be joining me in the British hospital at Fort Niagara. I have had the opportunity to examine the good doctor's gear and it looks to be in order.

I wonder if we are to be the two sole surgeons in the Hospital? It concerns me that we might not be equipped or manned enough to tend what wounded will surely pass through.

I have been assured that "I have a number of volunteers interested in the hospital staff positions incl nurses and others" but still no specifics.

Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates

This for the boys at Loudoun who mentioned they'd like to know the words to this song.

Don't Forget Your Old Shipmates

Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.

Safe and sound at home again, let the waters roar, Jack.

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

Since we sailed from Plymouth Sound, four years gone, or nigh, Jack.

Was there ever chummies, now, such as you and I, Jack?

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

We have worked the self-same gun, quarterdeck division.

Sponger I and loader you, through the whole commission.

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

Often have we laid out, toil nor danger fearing,

Tugging out the flapping sail to the weather earring.

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

When the middle watch was on and the time went slow, boy,

Who could choose a rousing stave, who like Jack or Joe, boy?

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

There she swings, an empty hulk, not a soul below now.

Number seven starboard mess misses Jack and Joe now.

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

 

But the best of friends must part, fair or foul the weather.

Hand yer flipper for a shake, now a drink together.

 

Long we've tossed on the rolling main, now we're safe ashore, Jack.

Don't forget yer old shipmate, faldee raldee raldee raldee rye-eye-doe!

Lyrics found in the journal of Logan's Company