Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-19

| hioHu loft, where L tnOuSnt III my duty
to write y'r Excellency this letter
Il think it was very bad affair
mat ye barracks had not been left in
| better order, and that there had not
Deen more supplies laid up in this fort
| when the river was open If it was
pad carrying up ye stores then, / aver
IT'S ten times worse now, and | fear
VIII continue so this winter. for I
doubt We river above Fort Western
VIII be hard to freeze on account Of
the strong current that runs there
| and as to the cut road being of any
| service, it would take fifty men and
| ten yoke of oxen two DAYS to brake
and after it was broken it would choke
up with We first wind that blew. Some
OF we gullies now are drifted ten or
fifteen feet deep with snow. ana I
think it will never be of much service
TO us for transporting our provisions
till such time as ye country is settled
ana more teams frequent that road
than what may be allowed for Fort
Halifax. But these dun complaints
avail us but little to extricate us out
of our present difficulties.
1T remains now to think of the hes.
way by which that garrison can be re-
heVed, and | would with submission
offer your Excellency my humble opjn
ION upon the matter which is. that
your EXccliency give the independent
companies or other forces which NAV
ne raised Tor the defence Of the river
oruers To provide or impress oxen or
othef cattle, with provendcr. and sIeds
or carts, and those cattle to be am,
ployed IN hauling the stores and other
supplies that will soon be landed fo,.
this rlVer-for the supply of Fort
iiaiiaX-up to Fort Western. for fur
ther believe cattle will be of no ser
vice, on account Of We river being dan
SerouS Tor cattle TO travel on. as
nave already observed and thar .
proper number of good men. with SNOW
9hoeS' may be employed in carving I'm
provisions from Fort Western to Fort
HallfaX, and after We road is beaten
Wen. and We invalids that NAV he am.
10 travel after being shod, for them IA
march down We river and tarrv ,vitb
the provisions which will save i great
deal OF fatigue of carving Of W nro-
visions to them. ana that there ~
good men placed at Fort HaIifax "
their room.
worthless fellows. who DO little other
duty than cate their allowance. could
thtE nave travelled home. for they viii
never do any service here OF any
where else. This garrison / think has
us full share Of such creatures. thar
resemble men in notlrng hut " human
shape. but such viii DO for forts where
they have nothing to DO but eat ana
sleep.
We want very much an assortment
OF herbs for the sick. our Doctor has
lrft us. and We have no one here that
knows 81 use ~ our medicines.
~ great many ~ our men have been
sick. and continue 50. but none nr
them have Yet recovered to their for
fner health, nor viii do 50. | believe
inns winter. The men in general seem
very low IN spirits, which | impute to
their wading 50 much in - water. in
" summer ana fan. which | beIi.y.
mas very much hurt We circulation of
their blood. and filled il fun Of gross
humours. and what has added to their
misfortune is their being Strengthened
for want of room and bad lodgins. In
We spring of We year. must be sent 10
Fort Western. 10 loads of English hay
! Tor the supply of ye oxen, that must
haul the timber for ye buildings ut
Fort Halifax, otherwise we cannot 90
on with the buildings there | have
employed three carpenters this winter
10 prepare timber for the above build
ingS. | have agreed with two Of them
al 80 pounds per month, till the last
Of March, and after that sos per day
tit1 AZ
recommend TO your Excellenty. s fiat
bottomed boats, carrying two tons
each. which | mentioned in my last
letter. and that they be sent to Fort
Western as early as possible next
spring. to carry up our supplies to
Fort Halifax. which | am fully salts
ned must be the way we must be sup
piled at the fort.
II add no further than that We will
do the best we can to subsist, till we
have more help. With submission I
beg leave TO subscribe myself
Your EXcellencys Most Dutiful, Obedi-
ent Serv't,
WILLIAM LITHGOW.
Richmond Fort. January We 9th, 1885,
Upon the receipt of this letter Gov
Shirley wrote Capt. Lithgow. under
date of Boston. January IS. 1,55. say
ing that he was sorry TO hear of the
distress which existed at Fort Halifax;
that ten days ago vessel was sent
with stores. and that he had now sent
Sloop with provisions and clothing
for the garrison. also ordered Major
Denny and Gen. Watts. at Arrowsick
to impress horses and cattle and car
riaSes, together with guard of men
to send up the stores at Fort Western.
He expressed the utmost confidence in
LithgoW'S prudence and discretion, and
desired him always to impart his sent-
ments to him with the utmost freedom
Again on the 21st of February, 1855
Capt. Lithgow wrote the governor that
the stores had arrived at Arrowsick
and were "gundalowed up to the
chops, in Merrymeeting bay, and that
Capts. Dunning of Brunswick, and
Hunter of TOpsham, We're applied to
to assist with attachments from their
Independent companies in carrying the
hay and other articles up to Fort
Western, and the supplies to Fort
Halifax, the men in charge being much
fatigued. He said. Il have not had
one days peace of mind since ! left
your EXcellency last fall. Capts. Dun
ming and Hunter brought nineteen