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.
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.
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.
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".
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