The view of Fort Loudoun from the powder magazine.
Friday April 24- I arrived at Fort Loudoun, where I would act in my capacity of Surgeon's Mate, and deposited my things in the Infirmary, where I had been assigned quarters in Lt. Anderson's stead. I had been offered the bed in the upper portion of the infirmary, but soon discovered that the ladder that lead to the upstairs was slick in my boots and rather treacherous. I was nearly injured several times in my climbing of it.
That night, the men gathered in the barracks at the bottom of the hill and visited and sang songs.
You may remember seeing Dr. Anderson here.
Saturday April 25- Tours of the Infirmary and much discussion with the public concerning all matters of surgery and physick. I was accompanied by two lads eager to assist me in my duties by the names of Hamilton and Young. While eager lend aid, I frequently had to chastise them for sweeping the dust from the floor onto my boots. I also had to make them be mindful to place the buckets DIRECTLY under the convenience wholes in the infirmary beds. At one point, I became so disgusted that I was forced to beat them with the broom until they left the infirmary all together.
I was impressed by the number of visitors that I had in the infirmary, and spoke at great length about surgery and physick all throughout the day. The men drilled, fired their weapons and practiced on the artillery all day.
At the end of the day we lined up for the King's Ration and toasted Young Private Wells with our version of "Garryowen" before his return overseas. I had never heard this particular song before, but Ensign Bogges had the words at the ready for us. Some of the lyricks follow:
Let Bacchus' sons be not dismayed
But join with me, each jovial blade
Come, drink and sing and lend your aid
To help me with the chorus:
chorus:
Instead of spa, we'll drink brown ale
And pay the reckoning on the nail;
No man for debt shall go to jail
From Garryowen in glory.
We'll beat the bailiffs out of fun,
We'll make the mayor and sheriffs run
We are the boys no man dares dun
If he regards a whole skin.
Our hearts so stout have got no fame
For soon 'tis known from whence we came
Where'er we go they fear the name
Of Garryowen in glory.
Saturday evening the usual revelry was somewhat subdued and many of the men turned in early. The rest of us found our way out into the dark and onto the Bastion "Duke of Cumberland" for late night discussions in the pleasant night air.
Sunday 26- I awoke in the bed I had made in the lower portion of the infirmary to the sound of a rather large bee milling about the room. An hour of his buzzing finally roused me, at which time I gave him a swat with my journal and sent him on his way. I dressed and open'd the infirmary doors to discover the lazy mr. Hamilton and mr. Young were nowhere to be found and was forced to recruit two of the local boys to help me make the beds back up.
After the raising of the colors, Ensign Bogges lead the men in Divine Service. Upon dismissal, we all stripped out of our weskits and played a game of cricket in the grass just below the officer's quarters. For my first time I feel I did quite well. There was a great deal of slipping and sliding in the grass, but t'was all in fun.
In an effort to better understand the game, I have written down the rules as I have found them for you fair reader.
Laws of Cricket 1744
Laws for Ye Bowlers 4 Balls and Over
Ye Bowler must deliver ye Ball with one foot behind ye Crease even with ye Wicket, and when he has bowled one ball or more shall bowl to ye number 4 before he changes Wickets, and he shall change but once in ye same Innings.
He may order ye Player that is in at his Wicket to stand on which side of it he pleases at a reasonable distance.
If he delivers ye Ball with his hinder foot over ye bowling Crease, ye Umpire shall call No Ball, though she be struck, or ye Player is bowled out, which he shall do without being asked, and no Person shall have any right to ask him.
Laws for ye Strikers, or those that are in
If ye Wicket is Bowled down, its Out.
If he strikes, or treads down, or falls himself upon ye Wicket in striking, but not in over running, its Out.
A stroke or nip over or under his Batt, or upon his hands, but not arms, if ye Ball be held before she touches ye ground, though she be hug’d to the body, its Out.
If in striking both his feet are over ye popping Crease and his Wicket put down, except his Batt is down within, its Out.
If he runs out of his Ground to hinder a catch, its Out.
If a ball is nipp’d up and he strikes her again, wilfully, before she comes to ye Wicket, its Out.
If ye Players have cross’d each other, he that runs for ye Wicket that is put down is Out. If they are not cross’d he that returns is Out.
Batt Foot or Hand over ye Crease
If in running a notch ye Wicket is struck down by a throw, before his foot hand or Batt is over ye popping Crease, or a stump hit by ye Ball though ye Bail was down, its Out. But if ye Bail is down before, he that catches ye Ball must strike a Stump out of ye ground, Ball in hand, then its Out.
If ye Striker touches or takes up ye Ball before she is lain quite still unless asked by ye Bowler or Wicket-keeper, its Out.
When ye Ball has been in hand by one of ye Keepers or Stopers, and ye Player has been at home, He may go where he pleases till ye next ball is bowled.
If either of ye Strikers is cross’d in his running ground designedly, which design must be determined by the Umpires, N.B. The Umpire(s) may order that Notch to be scored.
When ye Ball is hit up, either of ye Strikers may hinder ye catch in his running ground, or if she’s hit directly accross ye whickets, ye other Player may place his body anywhere within the swing of his Batt, so as to hinder ye Bowler from catching her, but he must neither strike at her nor touch her with his hands.
If a Stiker nips a ball up just before him, he may fall before his Wicket, or pop down his Batt before she comes to it, to save it.
Ye Bail haning on one Stump, though ye Ball hit ye Wicket, its Not Out.
Laws for Wicket Keepers
Ye Wicket Keepers shall stand at a reasonable distance behind ye Wicket, and shall not move till ye Ball is out of ye Bowlers hand, and shall not by any noice incommode ye Striker, and if his hands knees foot or head be over or before ye Wicket, though ye Ball hit it, it shall not be Out.
Laws for ye Umpires
To allow 2 Minutes for each Man to come in when one is out, and 10 minutes between each Hand.
To mark ye Ball that it may not be changed.
They are sole judges of all Outs and Ins, of all fair and unfair play, of frivolous delays, of all hurts, whether real or pretended, and are discretionally to allow what time they think proper before ye Game goes on again.
In case of a real hurt to a Striker, they are to allow another to come in and ye Person hurt to come in again, but are not to allow a fresh Man to play, on either Side, on any Account.
They are sole judges of all hindrances, crossing ye Players in running, and standing unfair to strike, and in case of hindrance may order a Notch to be scored.
They are not to order any Man out unless appealed to by any one of ye Players.
(These Laws are to ye Umpires Jointly.)
Each Umpire is sole judge of all Nips and Catches, Ins and Outs, good or bad Runs, at his own Wicket, and his determination shall be absolute, and he shall not be changed for another Umpire without ye consent of both Sides.
When 4 Balls are bowled, he is to call Over.
(These Laws are Separately.)
When both Umpires shall call Play, 3 times, ‘tis at ye peril of giving ye Game from them that refuse to Play.
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