细节
FRENCH & INDIAN WAR, SUTLER'S BOOK. FOOT, -------------. Autograph journal during the Lake George campaign, v.p., v.d., l758-l760 [a descendant's later entries up to l847]. 106 pages, oblong 8vo, written in ink (a very few pages in pencil) in a blank book, bound in original sheep, brass clasps and catches, front cover loose. spine defective.
A UNIQUE SUTLER'S ACCOUNT BOOK OF THE TICONDEROGA CAMPAIGN
While officer's and enlisted men's journals of the French & Indian War are quite rare, journals of the sutler's, wagonneers and ordinary laborers who accompanied the army are virtually unknown. A sutler during the French & Indian War (as in the Civil War at a later date) was essentially a travelling peddler: an independent merchant who, at his own risk, with the permission of the army's commanders, accompanied the troops in their encampments and into the battle-fronts carrying along stores of food, clothing and other provisions which he sold to the troops. It was, to be sure, an extremely speculative business, with high risks. If the army he was attached to proved successful in battle, the sutler stood to make handsome profits. But if their encampment was overrun, or his detachment captured, the sutler was very likely to lose everything: profits, stock and his liberty.
Foot, the sutler who began this book, appears to have been from the Worcester, Massachusetts area and was attached to Captain Samuel George's company of provincials, which was itself part of General Jeffery Amherst's British-American army at Battle of Fort Ticonderoga (in July l759). Foot records "A List of the men's names that have drawn their guns...," comprising 27 names; in another place "A List of the men's names who have drawn their guns at Worcester...," consisting of 23 names. Elsewhere, Foot lists men "who have drawn Rum" (36 names), and "Men's names which have drawed rum at the Half Moon, North Amesbury" (29 names). Most interesting, though, is a meticulous five-page list of men, headed "A Roal [roll] of Capt. Samuel Georges Company in an Expedn. against our Enemies by the Way of Lake George l758." In the margin, Foot notes "Killd and wounded in ye Company in the fight at Ticonderoga July ye 9th l759 are marked after Their names"; among the 97 names, only one is marked as killed, three as wounded.
Foot records in detail, sales to individual soldiers: "Joseph Harney...one pare [sic] shoes," "one jacet [sic] one pare stockens [sic] one pare briches," etc. At a later date, the unused portion of the book was used served to record the accounts of another member of the Foot family, who may have been a tailor, to judge by the nature of the entries.
Provenance: Purchased by a previous owner from Tuttle's, Rutland, Vt., in April l942, according to old description inserted; the present owner by purchase.
A UNIQUE SUTLER'S ACCOUNT BOOK OF THE TICONDEROGA CAMPAIGN
While officer's and enlisted men's journals of the French & Indian War are quite rare, journals of the sutler's, wagonneers and ordinary laborers who accompanied the army are virtually unknown. A sutler during the French & Indian War (as in the Civil War at a later date) was essentially a travelling peddler: an independent merchant who, at his own risk, with the permission of the army's commanders, accompanied the troops in their encampments and into the battle-fronts carrying along stores of food, clothing and other provisions which he sold to the troops. It was, to be sure, an extremely speculative business, with high risks. If the army he was attached to proved successful in battle, the sutler stood to make handsome profits. But if their encampment was overrun, or his detachment captured, the sutler was very likely to lose everything: profits, stock and his liberty.
Foot, the sutler who began this book, appears to have been from the Worcester, Massachusetts area and was attached to Captain Samuel George's company of provincials, which was itself part of General Jeffery Amherst's British-American army at Battle of Fort Ticonderoga (in July l759). Foot records "A List of the men's names that have drawn their guns...," comprising 27 names; in another place "A List of the men's names who have drawn their guns at Worcester...," consisting of 23 names. Elsewhere, Foot lists men "who have drawn Rum" (36 names), and "Men's names which have drawed rum at the Half Moon, North Amesbury" (29 names). Most interesting, though, is a meticulous five-page list of men, headed "A Roal [roll] of Capt. Samuel Georges Company in an Expedn. against our Enemies by the Way of Lake George l758." In the margin, Foot notes "Killd and wounded in ye Company in the fight at Ticonderoga July ye 9th l759 are marked after Their names"; among the 97 names, only one is marked as killed, three as wounded.
Foot records in detail, sales to individual soldiers: "Joseph Harney...one pare [sic] shoes," "one jacet [sic] one pare stockens [sic] one pare briches," etc. At a later date, the unused portion of the book was used served to record the accounts of another member of the Foot family, who may have been a tailor, to judge by the nature of the entries.
Provenance: Purchased by a previous owner from Tuttle's, Rutland, Vt., in April l942, according to old description inserted; the present owner by purchase.