The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1917-07-06

was our rations for day. Our sea
biscuit we softened by putting it into
cold water, where, like stone lime, it
would boil and fizzle, and then shak-
ing out the worms, we could humble
the rest.
We were in this condition for three
days. The ground inside the Fort
was poached clay, and many of us,
therefore took up our lodging on the
gravel on the lake shore. There was
no wood nor fire, and we had not
been dry since we landed. AZ during
the storm the bombshells were seldom
thrown, / felt safe to wrap up in my
blanket and ]'e on the stones until
walked by the morning sun.
We manetee at Length to build
fire, and borrowed a camp kettle and
boiled some meat. On the fourth day
the storm ceased so that our camp
equipment and some fresh beef came
over. We now put up our tents and
eean to KEEP house and felt our
selves we'll off, though the wet earth
was our only bed, and the cartridge
box our best pillow.
Nothing special occurel until the
18th, which was the day of the battle
The army of the enemy was divided,
one part being occupied in making
trenches and building batteries on the
north side of the Fort, and the larger
part remaining with General Drum
mond about a mile further north.
The entrenchment and batteries of
the enemy were only eighty or nine
ty rods from the Fort. The design
of cur commander was to DESTROY the
batteries and go back to the Fort,
without coming in contact with the
main army of the enemy. To do this,
we were marched up to the lake a
short distance, and then turned to
come in north, or in rear of the bat
General Davis, was killed by the
picket guard, which made great con-
fusion and delay. The front batalions
fell back in disorder upon our regi-
ment, and were only arrested by the
point of our bayonets. Returning to
the charge, the batteries were carried
and destroyed in very short time.
But in the meanwhile reinforce
ments from General Drummond had
arrived, and in executing some move
ment, about twenty of our regiment
under lieutenant, were brought face
to face with them. Our officer sur
rendered, and most Of the men. ]
turned to the corporal and told him
/ should not, and we, and one other
man turned to escape, when we were
fired upon by the whole platoon. My
two companions fell and l never saw
them more. / escaped unhurt, Gen.
Ripley fell, MORALLY wounded in the
1 assault. My captain being that day
officer of the Fort, did not go out,
and he was the only commanding
officer to command his company the
next day. Not one commanding
officer ever returned to the Fort, and
not half Of the soldiers. l assisted
to bury many of them, but there was
not scalp on one of them-The
scalping knife had done its work.
We remained in Canada until the
latter part of October, when the
property was removed from the Fort,
to Buffalo, and the Fort vacated
The next day we crossed at Black
Rock, and were ordered to Batavia
to receive our pay and be discharged.
But the Army Contractor and the
good citizens of Buffalo, to testify
their sense of our bravery and good
service, detained us to feast which
! they prepared. The, fatted calf was
killed, it weighed one thousand
pounds, and we spent one pleasant
day.
The next day we marched for Bat
avia, for three days we were exposed
to terrible storms of rain, hail and
snow. The water in some of our