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.