LOUDOUN Day 3

Sat 28. cont...- mr. Carol's meal was marvelous! It was topped off by two pound cakes.

After supper we gathered again in the barracks and listened as mr. Carol and Miss Jess played their whistles, the soldiers sang & one of the local Cherokee women played her new flute.

The soldiers smoked and told stories of other forts, places they had been, places they wanted to go.

I stepped out several times to get some fresh air, the sky was full of big bright stars. In the distance, a large storm cloud brewed and threatened with silent lightning.

Some time after midnight I retired, just in time for the winds and storm to begin.
Sunday May 29- I awoke to a cold cabin. I could see my breath in the light that shone in through the planks. Looking over at the fire, I realized there was no hope of easily restoring it, there was no sign of coals. After a long time I braced and got out from under the blankets and dressed myself fully to try to gain some warmth.

The Parson and Maggie had arrived in time to conduct Sunday service for the soldiers and the fort guests in the barracks.

LOUDOUN Day 2

Saturday March 28- I slept so soundly that I neglected the fire til early the next morning. I scarcely had coals enough to get it going again. I cabin I had been issued had nothing but large pieces of firewood and no kindling. So I scoured the room and produced some old papers from my clever blue box and a fistful of straw from my bedding that had fallen upon the floor. Afterward, I was able to coax the fire back to life.

The morning was grey with light rain continuing from the night before. The soldiers raised the colors in a high wind. A surprising number of the publick were present given the weather.

Skies clear'd and the sun shone through as the soldiers began their routine of musters and artillary drills. I spent my morning walking the interior of the fort and drawing the layout of the place in my journal. I attempted to gather all the information about the various buildings that I could for my records. Several of the soldiers watched me curiously from the doorway of the barracks, but none questioned my actions, so I continued my work.
I was also shown a map of the area by Ensign Bogges that had I believe had been drawn by Pvt. May. The map had been drawn in ink on a thin sheet of sheepskin. It showed the strategic locations of all the forts and indian villages in the area.

I aided Dr. Anderson a bit in the infirmary, chopped my large pieces of firewood into smaller bits of kindling for the next day, and toured the buildings I was not familiar with. Of particular interest was the Officer Quarters, and the Commandant's Quarters at the top of the hill overlooking the entire fort.

I was also introduced to a trader on the premises by the name of mr. Sam Benn who bore a lovely assortment of beads, teas, ax blades &c. Shortly thereafter I was introduced to a local Cherokee woman who offered to give me a tour of the local Tuskegee village.

I got a first hand glimpse into one of the 'winterhouses', which was very warm. The construction was such that it had an open fire in a pit in the center of the house with no chimney. There were openings at the eaves that let some of the smoke out and some fresh air in. The mud walls also aided in holding the heat in.

After the striking of the colors at five and the singing of 'God Save the King' by the soldiers the men lined up for the King's Ration. Every man from all over the fort came out from their afternoon's work to stand in line, and I fetched my jigger and joined them. I stopped after two doses of the King's Ration and stepped into the barracks to have a bite to eat, as I realized my stomach was rather empty. It would be nearly an hour before the community meal prepared by mr. Carol would be ready.

I rested in my bunk for a bit before our supper of stew and fantastic corn pudding. We all gathered over by the bake oven to take our meal.

...to be continued.

LOUDOUN Day 1

Friday March 27- Travel made difficult by persistence of weather. Every creek and river I crossed was swollen with spring rains. I finally arrived at the fort near nightfall to discover the men in the barracks at the bottom of the hill. Ensign Bogges was the first to greet me and after, introduced me to the other men in attendance. The men whose names I can recall upon this writing were, Lt. Anderson, the fort Physician, and Pvt. John Hamilton, as well as young Drummer Hamilton. They all sat around the two long tables in the middle of the room. They offered me a bit of their bread and cheese, as well as the bottle, which they passed round til it was emptied. We sang songs and told stories til midnight. I can hardly imagine a more agreeable group of fellows.

I retired to the cabin that they had set aside for my use and laid out my blankets on the bunk and collapsed into bed, exhausted.

AWAY TO FORT LOUDOUN

Image by L.S. King

HE PROVISIONS are packed and I am prepared to make my journey to Fort Loudoun to join the Independent Company of South Carolina. I shall endeavour to keep up my journal with diligence whilst at the fort, and will update you, my fair reader, upon my return.

The Garrison schedule is as follows:

Saturday-

10:00 Raising of the Colors

10:30 Artillery Drill

11:00 Musket Drill

12:00 Artillery Drill

1:00 Musket Drill

2:00 Artillery Drill

3:00 Musket Drill

4:00 Artillery Drill

5:00 Lowering of the Colors

Sunday-
10:00 Raising of the Colors
10:30 Divine Services
11:00 Games & Sports
12:00 Artillery Drill
1:00 Musket Drill
2:00 Lowering of the Colors

Maggie's Cough

HAVE begun to research the varied natures of coughs on behalf of our beloved Maggie Delaney in an attempt to better diagnose her particular distempter. To that end, I shall make available some of my findings from a pamphlet entitled, "Every Man His Own Doctor: OR, The Poor Planter’s Physician, Plain and Easy Means for Persons to cure themselves of all, or most of the Distempers, incident to this Climate, and with very little Charge, the Medicines being chiefly of the Growth and Production of this Country."

The following excerpts are from the 1734 copy & the 4th ed., 1751.

A warning to you fair reader, graphic medical language follows. Those with weak stomachs or of a sickly constitution should read no further.

An INDEX of Diseases mentioned in this Book:
Ague
Bite of a Rattle Snake
Bite of a Mad Dog
Bleeding at the Nose
Bleeding Piles
Blind Piles
Bloody Flux
Broken Shin
Cachexy
Cancer
Colic
Consumption
Cough
Deafness
Diabetes
Dropsy
Dry Gripes
Epilepsy, or Falling Sickness
Fever continual
Fever, with violent Purging and vomiting
Fever, Pain in the Head, Eye, or Ear
Film on the Eyes
Flooding
Flux immoderate of the
Courses
Gleet, or Running of the Reins
Gout
Gravel
Green Wound
Griping
Heartburn
King’s Evil
Lethargy
Looseness
Palsy
Pissing of Blood
Pleurisy
Pox
Quinsey
Rheumatism
Rupture
Slow Fever
Sore Eyes
Sore Throat
Spitting of Blood
Sprain
Stone in the Bladder
Stone in the Kidneys
Strangary
Suppression of the Courses
Suppression of Urine
Swelling to break
Swelling to discuss
Vapours, or Hysteric Fits
Vomiting and purging
Whites
White Flux
Whooping Cough
Worm Fever
Yaws
Yellow Jaundice
I SHALL begin with a COUGH, which is the Foundation of many bad Distempers and therefore should be taken Care of as soon as possible. It may be cured in the Beginning with riding moderately on Horseback every Day, and only taking a little Ground Ivy Tea sweeten’d with Syrup of Horehound at Night when you go to Bed. But in case it be violent, it will be proper to bleed Eight Ounces and be constant in the Use of the other Remedies. In the mean while, you must use a spare and cooling Diet, without either Flesh or strong Drink. Nor should you stove yourself up in a warm Room, but breathe as much as possible in the open Air. And to prevent this Mischief, don’t make yourself tender, but wash every Day in cold Water, and very often your Feet.
The Whooping Cough, (often fatal to Children,) is attended with a stronger Convulsion than ordinary, which causes the Whooping.

For this, boil Hysop and Elicampane, a Handful of each, in 2 Quarts of water, strain it off, and adding 1 Pound of clean Muscovado Sugar, boil it again, amd give the Patient 2 Spoonfuls every 3 hours.

This same Remedy is good for a shortness of Breath and Hoarseness, only in those Cases, Linseed Tea sweeten'd with Honey, should be a constant Drink, and a spare and cooling Diet punctually observ'd.
A Common Consequence of a violent Cough is a Pleurisy; which discovers it self by a brisk Fever, and sharp Pain, pretty low in one of the Sides, shooting now and then into the Breast, and sometimes quite back into the Shoulder-Blades: It is uneasy every Time the Patient draws his Breath, and more so when he coughs; which is generally the Case in this Disease.

The Moment any Person finds these Tokens upon him, he must, without Loss of Time, take away 10 Ounces of Blood, and repeat the same 3 or 4 Days successively, if the Pain go not away before. On the Third Day, he may vomit with 80 Grains of Indian Physick (Virginian Ipecoacanna,) and every Night, drink 7 Spoonfuls of Pennyroyal Water, or the Decoction of it, moderately sweeten'd. In the mean Time, let him, every Three Hours, take Half a Spoonful of Honey and Linseed Oyl mixt together. He should also strew Indian Pepper, upon Pennyroyal Plaister, and apply it very hot to the Place where the Pain lies, and be sure to keep himself warm, and abstain from cold Water: Tho' if the Distemper should prove obstinate, you must apply a Blister to his Neck, and one to each Arm, on the fleshy Part above the Elbow.

The Patient's Diet should be light, and cooling; and his constant Drink, either Linseed, or Balm Tea, a little sweeten'd.

The best Way to prevent this Distemper, will be, to bleed in the Beginning of any great Hoarseness, or Cough, and also to forebear swilling great Quantities of Water, or Small Beer, in ordinary Life.
21st Century definitions for 18th Century medical terms,
another warning fair reader, more graphic medical language follows:

Ague- Fever and chills; malarial fever when severe.
Bloody flux- Bloody stools; dysentery [flux: diarrhea].
Bloody piles- Hemorrhoids.
Cachexy- Malnutrition, weight loss, weakness.
Consumption- Tuberculosis.
Dropsy- Swelling, edema, especially when related to heart or kidney disease.
Dry Gripes- Severe “lead colic”: intestinal affliction, including constipation, due to lead poisoning.
Flooding- Excessive uterine bleeding.
Gleet- Discharge from a wound, especially related to chronic gonorrhea.
Gravel- Calcified matter in the kidneys (stones).
Green Wound- Infected wound, with pus.
Griping, Gripes- Colic; sharp bowel pains.
King’s Evil- Tuberculosis of the lymph glands in the neck.
Looseness- “Summer complaint”: diarrhea occurring in the summer.
Quinsy- Tonsillitis.
Strangary- Rupture.
Suppression of the Courses- Cessation of menstruation, due to pregnancy, ill health, or other causes.
Vapours, or Hysteric Fits- Emotional affliction, “nervousness,” with symptoms similar to clinical depression.
Worm Fever- Physical discomforts from intestinal worms.

Disclaimer: I do not intend any of these "cures" to be taken as REAL medical advice... they are solely for your enlightenment and amusement. It serves to help us better understand the dangers these early Americans faced at home as well as abroad in the wilderness... and that a visit from the Doctor in the 18th century could often be more hazardous than the ailment which necessitated his call. In other words, DON'T try this at home kids!

GARRISON MEETING

A view from atop the hill, within the fort walls

EEK'S END brings with it the first Garrison Muster at Fort Loudoun for this present year. I will be in attendance to assist the fort physician in whatever capacity he sees fit. I look forward to assisting the good doctor and seeing what it is that he does in such a fine and sophisticated facility for Physick. His tutelage will aid me in my own demonstrations of Physick for the benefit of the publick along the frontier. I shall carry my tools, but I imagine they will pale in comparison to the Fort's infirmary.

I HAVE BEEN assigned by Ensign Bogges to stay in the barracks with the soldiers, and I have been cautioned by trusted parties that the soldiers enjoy a good prank.

I SHALL ALSO be very interested to find an excuse to explore the nearby Cherokee village, called Tuskegee.

Ensign Bogges with the local savage

Goings on

T IS WITH great pleasure that I report that Red River's Militia Muster and Blanket Trade Day rapidly approaches. I have gathered my items together to sell and am anxious to see how they do.

I AM ALSO pleased to report that the esteemed Fort Loudoun has done a good deal of work at their site, with fantastic results. Better navigation, more information, better layout and a better overall feel for the 18th century period they represent. Well done gentlemen!

They have also posted the following about this coming weekend:

Fort Loudoun will come back to life over the weekend of March 28th and 29th as the 2009. The Fort Loudoun staff will be joined by volunteers who will recreate life at this mid 18th century military outpost.

Visitors will see and hear the red coated troops as they go about their drills, fire their muskets and cannons and protect the post. The blacksmith shop will ring with the sound of hammers striking the anvil as sparks fly from the forge. The ladies of the fortification will be taking in laundry for those who may need to have their shirts and stockings boiled. If anyone is under the weather, Dr. Maurice Anderson will be on hand to dispense pukings, bleedings and purgings as necessary.

Outside of the fort, there will be an encampment representing Tuskegee, one of the many Cherokee towns that stood over two hundred years ago.

This living history program will take place on Saturday March 28th from 10 AM until 5 PM and Sunday March 29th from 10 AM until 2 PM. Admission to the program is free.

AN ADVERTISEMENT

N AN attempt to drive more traffic to a great, and worthy historical site... please allow me to introduce you to the journal of the Red River Meeting House.

I put this journal together for the fine folks that run the events and such at Red River, in an attempt to give them a means to easily advertise the site and keep interested parties up on all their latest news and events.

TEMPUS FUGIT AWARD

"The TEMPUS FUGIT Award is given to writers & living historians whose journals represent the best aspects of the 18th Century. These writers aim to inform and entertain the public with tales from events, historic research & experiments and highlights from 18th Century arts and culture. It is the hope of TEMPUS FUGIT that this award will forge a web of friendship and knowledge that will aid in creating a tight community of reenactors and living historians on the internet and beyond. Winners of the TEMPUS FUGIT Award should pass this award along to six other 18th Century blogs that meet the above criteria, and include this text with the Award, as well as a link back to the TEMPUS FUGIT blog."

Therefore, I have chosen to give this very first batch of TF Awards to the following :

Memoirs of the Celebrated Mrs Woffington
I am extremely jealous of the fact that Mrs. Woffington lives so close to such fantastic historic buildings and places. Her journal is always fun to look at. 

Mozart's Official Weblog
Herr Mozart always posts such interesting articles and images from his exploits.

Slightly Obsessed
The Widow Black's projects and experiments in 18th century clothing and living are always of interest, whether it be making clothing or ink from walnuts.

American Revolution Blog
Always informative and educational.

Clerk of the Fur Trade
While being rather new to the blogging scene, the Clerk really seems to know his stuff, and expresses it well. One to watch.

Musica & Arte

Ninon showcases some of the best music and art from various eras of the past, always worth a look.

Congrats to you guys and gals! You're part of the reason I created this award in the first place!

In Response to the Fantastic Request

AVING just recently penned my reply to the missive of mr. Young, I thought I would share it with you, the fair reader:


My Dear Mr. Young,

Tis' true that I am able to provide ye means by which you can legally conduct yr business here in this Country. The licence to trade with the Nations or Tribes of Indians shall be signed by ye Honorable John Penn himself with a countersign by mr. Joseph Shippen, and issued in PENNSYLVANIA. If you would be so kind as to provide the date of issuance, (Day, Month and Year) as well as yr main town and county of residence. As an example, Mr. Killbuck's trade warrant reads-- 'WHEREAS Nathaniel Killbuck of Donegal, in Lancaster County...&c.' Once I am supply'd with the aforesaid information, it would be my pleasure to draw up the document in question. Specimens of my other documents and quillwork can be found in my journal, the means by which to view said specimens can be found below my signature.

In response to yr additional query regarding ye St. Andrews Society, I do not know of any branches in the Southern Colonies, indeed, I have not heard of the group before yr missive of the 16th. I spend a good deal of my time employed in the occupation of Physick along ye frontier settlements and forts, having most recently escaped the destruction of Mansker his Station at the hands of ye local savage.

I look forward to your answer, and I most sincerely wish you health and success in yr business here in this country; and am, with great respect, dear Sir,

Yr Most Humble & Obt Svt.

Albert Roberts
'The Doctor'
http://manskerman1780.blogspot.com

N.B. I beg the favor of you to remember me kindly to mr. Killbuck, and present him my respectful compliments.

Proximade Friendliness Award

EMPUS FUGIT, the Journal of yours truly, has been awarded another honor! The fine folks at Jane Austen’s World have issued the award to Mrs. Woffington, who in turn has passed the award on to my modest little enterprise. This is what the award involves:

"This blog invests and believes in the PROXIMITY-nearness in space, time and relationships. These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in prizes or self-aggrandizement! Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers! Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."

My thanks to Mrs. Woffington for bestowing my journal with this award... and now to pass it along. Unfortunately, I am again faced with the problem I encountered once before, I don't know of enough blogs to award this to... therefore I shall award it to six instead of eight. My nominees are:

Slightly Obsessed

Clerk of the Fur Trade

Mme. du Jards Atelier

The Official Weblog of Wolfgang Amadè Mozart

Musica & Arte

Wearing History

A FANTASTIC REQUEST

T IS rare that I receive a request that is fit for publication, but the following is so well writ that it must be shared. The following request for a trade licensee was laid in my hands this very afternoon:

Good Physick-

My father, the principle of ye honourable and established firm of Young & Erskine, at the sign of the pipe and leaf, The Docks, Glasgow,  has sent your humble correspondent to the New World to pursue contracts in the main businesses of wool, cotton, hemp & Tobacco. Furthermore, I was charged with discovering new sources for commercial quantities of indigo. woad, gin-sing and other plants rumored to thrive with the mountain fastnesses of Virginia and North Carolina.

Arriving in Charleston, with lengthy papers of introduction from well-kent luminaries of Scotland, I sought trading warrants and was at every door, denied. I then sailed to Savanah and yet later Baltimore, all to no avail. Yet it seems that you, good sir, have the requisite contacts for the issuance of said warrants (according to pub talk, you enabled Mr. Kobuck to become legalized). Might you, in all your goodness, be able to acquire one for your most humble correspondent? I am able to pay in almost any form of specie and will be promptly without murmur.

Trusting it will not burden you, one more boon if possible: know ye of any St. Andrews Society within the Southern Colonies?

Awaiting your reply, I remain

yr most humble svt.

William Young
Sole agent
Young & Erskine of Glasgow

THE KING'S EVIL

HE DISEASE commonly known for hundreds of years as the 'King's Evil' is known by the name of 'Scrofula' by those in the profession of Physick. I have always been particularly fascinated by the old superstition that surrounds this illness, most specifically, the belief that it could be cured by the 'Royal Touch' and maintained by a gold coin carried in one's pocket known as a 'Touchpiece'.

Queen Anne seems to have been the last of the English sovereigns who actually performed the ceremony of touching. Dr. Dicken, her Majesty's sergeant surgeon, examined all the persons who were brought to her, and bore witness to the certainty of some of the cures.

The practice of the Royal Touch was put to a stop in Great Britain by King George I, but continued to be practiced for a time by the various Royals in France.

Here we have an engraving of the gold touch-piece of Charles II, obverse and reverse; and the identical touch-piece, obverse and reverse, given by Queen Anne.

It is my belief that everyone of the 18th Century would be familiar with the 'King's Evil' and the superstition of how to cure it, even though the Royal Touch was no longer in fashion by 1780. Older folks would be familiar with it for certain, even if it was just by having heard it from parents or grandparents.

In 1768, there was an essay written by mr. John Morley Esq. about Scrofula and the King's Evil entitled, appropriately enough: "An essay on the nature and cure of scrophulous disorders, vulgarly called the King's evil"

Here follows a means in which to view mr. Morley's essay

I especially enjoy the author's remark on the cover, "Facts are Stubborn Things", which might also be stated, "Superstition is the Enemy of Reason".

NEW LOOK

N an attempt to make this journal a bit more friendly for my readers, and easier to navigate for potential clients, I have done a bit of rearranging. Please make note that those interested in having the Doctor attend their event, OR speak to their group can find out more by clicking the links along the left hand side of the page.

There is also now a link that will take interested parties to a catalog of paper items that I make and sell, as well as my schedule for this present year.

I noticed last week how cluttered my sidebar had begun to look with all the different features jammed in there, and they just wouldn't look organized no matter how I arranged them.

I would greatly appreciate the input of my regular readers on the new look.

For Mr. Killbuck

A Royal Trade License writ especially for Mr. Nathaniel Killbuck and signed by Mr. John Penn.

Inspiration Expo 2009

On Saturday, I went out to Currey Ingram Academy (CIA) to do two programs for their annual Inspiration Expo event.

I was told that I'd had about 15 signed up for each session, but didn't have quite as many in attendance... as a matter of fact, my second session consisted solely of a brother and a sister who were aged six and four years old.

Fortunately, I had brought enough gear with me (and have enough previous experience with small children) that I was able to entertain and educate them in an 18th century manner for the 50 minutes.

It was a great event, and nice to get all my stuff out of winter storage and dusted off again. I find myself looking forward to my next event at Red River on April 4th! And a special thanks to the fine folks at CIA for having the Doctor out to their event.

You can view the pictures from the event at the CIA website:

www.curreyingram.org