The Journal of Solomon Nash, January-June, 1776
The first part of the journal of an artilleryman who served in the Revolution.
From: 1776 C.E. To: 1776 C.E.
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From Journal of Solomon Nash, A Soldier from the Revolution, 1776-1777 by Solomon Nash, printed 1861.
Beginning January the first, 1776—this Day Joined Cpt. Drury's Compnay of artillery in Roxbuary.
the 2 Day—Nothing Remarkable to Day.
Ye 3—this Day moved to Dorchester.
Nothing Remarcable on these Days—ye 4, 5, 6, 7th.
Monday ye 8—this Night a Party of our men went over towards Bunker hill and Burnt 10 or 12 houses—they found in one of them five ragulars, one of which was Killed, four taken Prisonars—the Enemy fired from Bunker hill for A Considerable time with cannon and musquets towards the Crosway Expeting Atact But none of our People was hurt.
Nothing Remarkable on these Days—ye 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th.
The 17th this Night there was alarm occasioned By Expecting the ragulers out.
Nothing remarcable on these Days, January 18th, 19, 20, 21st, 22d.
January ye 23— this Night Eight men Derserted from the Admarels Ship which was taken out of one of our Privateers some time Before.
Wednsday ye 24th—their was Alarm to Day.
Thirsday ye 25th. Nothing Remarkable to Day.
Fryday ye 26th—this Night four men Deserted from one of the Ships.
Nothing Remarkable on these Days—27th, 28th, 29th, 30, 31th.
Nothing Remarkable on this Beginning of febuary—the first, 2d, 3d, 4d, 5d, Gd, 7d, 8d and 9.
febuary the 10th three men Deserted from Boston.
Nothing Remakable on these Days—11th, 12th, 13lh.
Febuary ye 14th this morning about 5 o’clock The Kueniy Came Over to Dorchester Point, one Party from the Castle and A Nother from Boston anJ set fire to sevearel houses—We Was
Alarmed But Before we got over there they where gone off—they tok six of our men That was on picket guard and one old man that lived on the Point.
Nothing Remarckable on these Days, 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21th 22th.
febuary the 23d—this Night A party of our men tok three of the Ragulars Sentrys on Boston neck.
Nothing remarckable on these Days—24th 25th 26th.
febuary ye 27th to Day there was an Alarm.
Nothing Remarkable on these Days—28 and 29—so Ends this month.
March ye first Day—Nothing Remarkable to Day.
Saterday ye 2d this Night our People hov saveral Bombs from Cambridge and Roxbuary and fired severel cannon—they split two morter Peices at Cambridge and one at Roxbuary—the enimy threw several Bombs at our People at Leachemor Point to Night—the first of our People's throing Bombs.
March ye 3—this Night there was sum Bombs and Cannon fired on Both Sids.
Monday ye 4—this Night about 2.000 of our men whent to fortify on Dorchester Point and begun to fortify on the two highest hills and begun several Redouts—We Carrid Six Twelve Pounders and Six or Eight Feild Peaces over there and about 3 o'clock in the morning two Companys of the artillery went on. Our People kept cannonading of them at Roxbuary Cobble hill and Leachmore Point—the Regulars returned the fire briskly with bombs and Balls. A large Nomber of teams Employed in carring fasheans, hay and timber to our People.
March ye 5th Tusday. After the Enemy Discovered Our Men on the hills they fired 20 or 30 shot at them, but Did no Damage. We had one Leivetenant Ciled at Roxbuary Last Night and two men kiled at Cambridg one of which was kiled with a Bomb, the first that Ever we have had kiled with a Bomb since the Campaign begun. Our Company whent on the hill about four o'clock this morning—it was Exceding Bad storm this morning.
Wednsday, March ye G. No firing to Day.
Thirsday ye 7. one of Capt. Peirce's men hed one of his arms Shot of Accidently by a feild Peice as they where firing a small tender.
Transaction on March fryday ye 8. Came a Flag a truce to Roxbuary Line and Brought News that the Minnesterial troops was a going to Leave the town and that the Inhabitents Desired the Gen. not to Destroy the Town—his answer was that If his troops was Not Molisted in there Imbarkation it was Not his Intention to Destroy the town but if other ways the town would be Exposed To utter Destruction.
Remarks on Saturday March ye 9th—this night a party of our men whent to Entrench on nuke hill But the Enemy fired so smartly on them that they where oblige to Give over Entrenching that Night we had four men killed at one shot on the point (10) our men cept fireing from Roxbuary, Coble hill and Leachemore Pointe there was upwards of a Thousand shot fired over to Dorchester Hill from Boston.
Sunday March ye 10—the first part of this 24 ours several transports and tanders fell Down below the Castle the Admirel Ship Weight Anchor and got under wey She had not wind enough to git Down Canill.
No grate Remarks on these Days 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th Some firing on Both Sids these Days.
Saturday March ye 16th this Night our men whent to fortify on nuke Point—the Enemy Discoverd them about 10 o'clock A. M. the ragulars kept a smart fireing till About 8 o'clock Sunday morning we had not one man killed and only one wounded.
March ye 17th Sunday— this morning Betwene 8 and 9 o'clock there was a general Alarm in our Camps and the Enemy made grate hast to get on board the ships and about 10 o'clock the whole Fell Down below The Castle and about 2 o'clock we marched in and took posesion of the town the Enemy had Left—Grate many Good Cannon Left Spiked up and one morter Left.
Monday March ye 18th Clear and pleasant nothing Remarkable to Day.
Tusday March ye 19th the Enemy Burnt the Lower block house which was on the Castle and in the Night they burnt some other houses the fleet still Laying Down by the Castle.
Wednseday march ye 20th this night the Enemy burnt the Barracks and Blew up the wall at the Castle.
Tusday march ye 21st This Day All the ships Excep one that Lay by the Castle Got under way and whent Down to Nantasket Road and there came to an Anchor and our people whent and took possession of the Castle there where several Cannon Left And all Excep thre where spiked up Com. tupper with a grate number of men in whale Boats have been Down the Channel two or three Days to watch the motion of the Enemy.
Remarks on march ye 22d 23d 24th 25th 26th and 27th Most of the ships Left Nantasket road And whent out to sea on these Days.
March the 28th Thirsday we had orders to get in Readyness to march.
fryday march ye 29th about 1 o'clock P. M. we slung our packs and marched from Dorchester To Roxbuary and there Dismist till the Next morning at sunrise.
Saturday march ye 30 th about 10 o'clock 4 Companys of artillery with ten Brass feild Peaces set out from Roxbuary towards New York this Night we put up at Cherrys In AValpolo.
Sunday ye 3—this Day Very Bad Traveling—marched But 10 mils—Put up at ranthem.
monday april ye 1. Sout In the morning and Dined at attleborough and got to Providence.
tusday ye 2—this morning Set out from Providence and got 18 mile from thence.
Wensday ye 3th this 24 ours rainey weather—marched thro Cante Borough into Plainfild 14 mils from where we came from in the morning. Now in Coneticut.
thirsday ye 4th Sot out from Plainfild and got into Norwich One of our men taken sick with the small Pox.
friday ye 5—marched from Norwich and got to New London.
Saterday ye 6—We Lay to N. London—one takin Sick.
Sunday ye 7.—first Part this 24 ours wet wether Still Lay at New London—this Evning we Imbarked abord a Brig and Lay all Night.
monday april ye 8—this morning Caim to Sail with the wind N. E. run up the Sound with the fleet stod of and on this Night.
tusday ye 9—this day small winds and Calm—run up as far as helgate and anchored.
Wedusday ye 10—this morniug hove up and went thro the gate—Lay their till the afternoon and then run up to New York and all went a shore that Night.
Thirsday ye 1—Employed in giting up the Cannon upon the Paraid.
fryday ye 12—Nothing remarkable about this time.
Saterday, april ye 13.
Sonday ye 14.
monday ye 15.
Tusday ye 16.
Wednsday ye 17—removed into the Barracks at the Battry.
Thirsday ye 18.
fryday ye 19.
Saturday ye 20— this morning two Levitenants and about 30 of us went over to Long Hand after a slop of kings that got a shore abov 25 mils from the fare ways not their this Night.
Sonday ye 21— this morning got the slop about 2 o'clock—Sot out for home and travled 12 mils.
mouday ye 22—this Day got to N. York again.
Tusday ye 23— about this time imployed in fixing
Wednsday ye 24— our Cannon and Plasing them.
thirsday ye 25. Seveal Limbs and heads of men ware
fryday ye 26. found at the Holey ground which was
Saturday ye 27. suposed to Be Ciled by the hoars
Sunday ye 28— the rifed men tore Down a hous
monday ye 29. No man is Sufferd to Be there
tusday ye 30. after Nine o'clock at Night on
Wednsday may ye 1 these Days sent two Letters
thirsday ye 2— home.
fryday ye 3.
Saturday ye 4—one in our Rig't whipt 39 Lashes.
Sunday ye 5—this Day Employd in Planting Canon.
monday ye 6—this Day Employd in fixing the Congress at the grand Battree.
Tusday ye 7—this Day wet weather.
Wednsday ye 8—thick misty weather—Employd to Day in Draging Cannon from the End of Chery Street fort Down to the Crane and at 6 o'clock P. M. Loaded the Congress twice and sent two Shels out of her to try her and she proved good.
New York, Thirsday may the 9th this Day 12 men out of our Company Imployd In Carring four two and thirty Pounders from the Crane over to Governers Island and Placed them In the fort Likwise four of us went over to Stratens Island after A skow But, when we got there She was Aground—So Ends this 24 hours—Clear and Pleasent weather.
Remarks on Fryday ye 10th Day of may—This morning at 1 o'clock A. M. Brought the Skow from the morning Star ferry on Stratten Island over to york. This Day Employd in giting
Cannon from york to read hook and Plaiceing them this Day Ends Pleasent weather.
Remarks on Saturday may ye 11th Clear and Pleasent weather this 24 hours to Day Carred one Cannon and some shot over to read Hook.
Sunday may ye 12th this morning Col'n. Knox Reed. A Letter that Give an Account of A fleet that had Arrived In Nantasket Road Belonging to Brittain Some of us Employd in giting down Cannon from the Labartery to the grand Battry—Clear and Plesent.
Monday may ye 13— this morning Ninteen of the tram went to montgomery to tak Care of a fort that's their Likwise some men Employd in placing Cannon at the grand Battrey and Poiling up
Shot—fetch'd one 32 Pounder from the fort and Plaiced it to the Eastward of the grand Battry in the afternoon— Employd in piling up Shot to the Labatery So Ends this 24 hours—Pleasent weather.
Tusday may ye 14—the first part of this 24 hours a small shour of rain the rest Part Verry plesent to Day—Carred Shot to governers Island—so Ends this 24 hours.
wedensday may ye 15th this Day Pleasent—Some of us Employd in making Carteregs and some Employd in giting Cannon Down to the North river to Prove them.
Thirsday may ye 16—this Day Verry Pleasent—Some of us employd im making Cartridges in the fore part of the Day and in the afternoon Employd in firing our Cannon with Double Charges in them to Prove them, and they all proved good But two one of them Split at the muzel and other at the grand Battrce Burst all in peaces—one peace went 30 or 40 rod and fell upon a house which went through the roof and all the flors to the Loest one which hurt the house verry much But hirt no Body to Day one man was Drowned and Whitmarsh in Capt. Reeds Company Died,
Fryday may ye 17—this day Cept as a fast throughout the Continent—Some of us Employd in Loding and giting powder into the maggazeins—so Ends this 24 hours—Clear and pleasent.
Saturday may ye 18—This Day verry wet weather—some Employd in making Carteriges—So Ends 24 hours.
Sunday may ye 19th this Day verry pleasent—Some of us Employd in making Cartredgs and fixing Cannon So Ends 24 hours.
monday may ye 20th to Day Clouday—Later Part verry rainny—Nothing Remarkable—Employed in giting Cannon on the platform and making Cartregs—Josiah Bradford got a New Pair of Breatches.
Tusday may ye 21st first Part rainny—Latter part Pleasent—some employd in giting Cannon to Bunker hill in New York and some Employd in making Cartridgs So Ends this 24 hours.
Wednesday may ye 22 this Day plasent weather— Employd in making Cartredgs—we make about 1500 weight of powder into cannon Cartredges and small arms Every Day
Thirsday may ye 23—this Day plesent Some of us Employd in making Cartredgs.
Fryday may ye 24—to Day Pleasent— all the artillarry men Employd in making Cartredgs — one of the art'ry men wounded Very Bad By one of the rifel men with a hatchet.
Saturday may ye 25—this Day pleascnt None of us upon fetague a order for all our rigerment to git our Cloths Clean and fix to pass muster tomorrow—So Ends this Day.
Sunday may ye 26—this Day plasent—Ten Companys of our Rigerment marched upon the grand Parade to pass muster in the first part of the Day—the after part went to meating and then went and took our Larrim post.
monday may ye 27th first part of this 24 hours rainny Some of us Employd in making Cartredgs and some in fixing the Cannon and feild peaces upon the grand Parade—So End this Day—Later part plasent.
Tusday may ye 28th this Day plesent—Nothing remarkable—Employd in making Cartredgs.
Wednsday may ye 29th this Day pleasent all the train goes to Larrim Post and Employd in making Cartredgs.
Thirsday, may ye 30th this Day Pleasant—Employd in making Cartredges—So Ends this 24 hours.
Fryday may ye 31th this Day pleasent— Biger part of our Rigerment Employd in making Cartredgs—So Ends this month—all well in our Company.
Saturday June ye 1—this Day windey But pleasent—Some of our men Employd in Boring 6 pr. feild peaces Some in making Cartredgs.
Sunday June ye 2nd this Day first part misty—Later part pleast—first part Employd in making Cartredgs—after noon all of us marched to meating— So Ends this 24 hours.
monday June ye 3d 1776— this Day Yerry rainny—Some Employd ill making Cartredgs—So Ends this 24 hours.
Tusday June ye 4th this Day pleasent Employd in making Cartredgs this Night 4 of us went to Sippe Can we had a tuff spell But None Cilled—so Ends this Day.
Wednsday June ye 5—this Day pleasent— Employd in the Laberterry as useal a Sloop and a schoner from Hispaneole which ware frenchmen had on Board Suger, molases and cotten woll Rccivcd a Letter from home and all.
Thirsday June ye 6th 1776—this Day pleasent—Employd as befor—So Ends this 24 hours. Some Not well.
Fryday June ye 7th this first part Wet Weather Later part pleasent— Employed as Befor.
Saturday June the 8th this Day pleasent—first part of the Day. Employd as Before and all at Lasure in the afternoon,
Sunday June ye 9th this Day plasent weather—all our Regt. went to meting all Day—So Ends this 24 hours. Sent a Letter home.
monday June ye 10th This Day pleasent about Eight o'clock our Capt. Leivt. and about GO men in four flat Bottom Boats Sot out to Kings Bridg for 12 6 pr. and got their and got them on Board the Boats about Sunset—we staid here all night.
Tusday June ye 11th Clear and pleasent this morning about 5 o'clock we sot out for York and get here about 9 o'clock in The morning and took out some shot we Brought and carrid four Cannon over to the Jersays the other four to read hook-Some Employd in the Larbeterry.
Wednesday June ye 12—this Day pleasent—Employed at the Larberterry—So Ends this 24 hours.
Thirsday June ye 13—this Day pleasent—Some Employed in the Labetery. So Eds this 24 hours.
Fryday June ye 14—this Day pleasent—Employd as Before. So Ends this 24 hours.
Saturday June ye 15th this Day pleasent—some Employd as Before—orders for Levt. with 20 privat to go to fort gorge—Likwise for 450 men to Be Draughted out of the Battalian to Come into our Companys—to Day our Company moved from the grand Battry to the uper Barraks.
Sunday June ye 16—this Day pleasent—the men that was Draught'd out of the Battalian Joined our Rigerment. So Ends this 24 hours.
Monday June ye 17th Clear weather all this 24 hours—at 10 o'clock Capt. Drury and Lieut, freman with 30 of us Embarcked on Board the philadelphia Stage Boat in order to go to Amboy
Ps. took two feild Peaces with us.
Tusday June ye 18th lirst part of this 24 hours small shours of rain and Cool this morning at 4 o'clock we arived to amboy and Landed at 3 o'Clock P. M. 160 Battalian men arived here from
New York in 4 flat Botem Boats—we all inCampt here this Night. So Ends this 24 hours.
Amboy Wednesday June ye 19th about 11 o'Clock A. M. we set out in a flat Botem Boat with the Battalian in four more. Ditto attended with Comidorc Tupper with whale Boats and 18 of his men—we toucht at Middleton Point at sunset we Embarked and set out towards the Light hous.
Thirsday June ye 20th Clear and pleasent this morning at 2 o'clock Landed at Sparmecity Cove within 4 mils from the Light house we got our feild peaces ashore and Lay there all Day about 9 o'clock P. M. set out towards the Light and marched Sloly unDescovered to the Enemy. We are al well Att Present and in high Spirits.
Fryday June ye 21d Clear and warm this morning—at Day Light Cot within 20 rods of the Light hous and formed us at the Pitch of a hill—Comidore Tupper marched towards the Enemy and ordered them to surender which they refused and fired on him—Comadore tupper Retreated back To our Field Pieces and ordered them to fire which we did one and twenty rounds at the
Light house they continued fireing with muskets on Both Sids the Light hous Being so strong that we could make no impresian upon it—they fired upon us from the men of ware But they did not hirt But Two ware slitly wounded after a Ingagement ¾ of an hour we retreted to our Boats again and about 4 o'clock P. M. we set out for Amboy and about 10 o'clock we arived at Amboy.
Saturday June ye 22—pleasent—we set out for New York about 10 o'clock and at 6 o'clock P. M. we arived at New York after a tiresome Jorney—we Landed our feild peaces at the grand
Battree so Ends this 24 hours Clear and pleasent—Yesterday severel Tories was taken up and confined that was contriveing a Plot to Kill generel Warshington.
New York Sunday June ye 23d—this Day Clear and Pleasent—Some men went to Kings Bridg and got Back again with some Cannon.
Monday June ye 24th Clear and Pleasent—Some Employd in making Cartredgs.
Tusday June ye 25th this Day Clear and pleasont—Some Employd in making Cartregs—So Ends this 24 hours.
Wednesday ye 26 of June—this Day pleasent—Some Employd in the Labeterry.
Thirsday June ye 27th this Day Clear and pleasent—Conll. Masin, two Leivts. and 15 metrows Employd in fixing to make fire rafts—Som Employd in the Labeterry.
Fryday June ye 28—this Day Clear and pleasent—Cleard frome work at 11 o'clock—all the army Except those upon Duty paraded out at Genrl. Starling Brigade to see a man hung which Belong to Genl. Warshington's Life Guarde for turning a Torie so Ends 24 hours.
Saturday June ye 29th this Day pleasent verry warm in this after part of the Day some Employd as Before—so End this 24 hours.
Sunday June ye 30th to Day Yerry warm—Last Night there was taken a Boat and 2G man of wars men—we here there is 120 sail of ships got in at Sandy hook—one of our men this Day is gon priveterin.
Nash, Solomon. Journal of Solomon Nash, A Soldier From the Revolution, 1776-1777: now first printed from the original manuscript. Charles I. Bushnell, 1861.
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