with such care and regularity, that the scouts of the enemy are able to get no advantage of the wagons or the army. Upon the whole that I hear, I think there is the greatest probability that Braddock is master of the Ohio before this time. We hear of Indians daily up and down the river, seeking opportunity to pick off our men, but, blessed be God, there hath none fallen into their hands yet, though I daily fear there will. The people in this place are kind, and seem to be hearty to put forward the expedition. Gov. Shirley hath made no public attempt yet to get any of our army with him; what he designs this day, I cannot tell, as he sent a serjeant this morning desiring me to dine with him, and I suppose the rest of the field officers are invited also.

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Northampton, August 9th, 1755. "HONORED AND DEAR SIR:-The most tender regard which I bear to you, constrains me to let you know how I and your family do in your absence, by every opportunity which presents itself; knowing that hereby I may rejoice you in your difficulties, which, if I should refuse to do, I should be unworthy to be called the wife of so tender a husband as yourself. The reading of your departing from Albany, raised, at first, a commotion in my anxious breast for you, but knowing it must be so, I endeavored to calm myself, and commit you to Him who has heretofore protected you, trusting that He will still care for you and for us. You may know by these that I, your anxious wife, am, through Divine goodness, in the enjoyment of health, and I earnestly pray that they may find you so. Your children also are well, and by these present their duty to their tender and beloved father. The business goes on well. Captain Witt's guns are done, though he has not yet come for them. I received yours, dated 21st past, and was exceeding glad to hear of your health. Be kind enough to let me know something particular concerning the general scheme and affair, for I trust to what I have from you. Indeed, I am truly concerned for you and those with you. You have doubtless heard of Gen. Braddock's defeat, and how the salvation of the whole army from destruction was made, under God, by a young American officer named George Washington. I pray this news may not dishearten you. Remember that after the defeat of the Lord's people at Ai, the kings of the land combined together, and thought they would cnt them off, but the Lord had other thoughts about them. Such things he has done for his people and will do again. I commend you all to Him who knoweth the end from the beginning. In the expectation of

hearing from you often, I, who am your most affectionate wife, subscribe my name, MARY POMEROY."

SETH POMEROY TO COL. ISRAEL WILLIAMS.

"Lake George, Sept. 9th, 1755. "HONORED AND DEAR SIR:-Yesterday was a memorable day. I, being the only field officer in Col. Ephraim Williams' regiment supposed to be living, think it my duty to let you know what happened the 8th of this instant, which was yesterday. This forenoon until this two of the clock having been spent in council, and many letters to be written, I must be excused for my shortness and imperfections.

"On the Sabbath, just at night, we had news that a large body of men marched up Wood creek southwardly. Supposing that they intended to cut off our wagons, or attack the fort at the carrying place, we sent Monday morning about 1200 men, near 200 of them being Indians, commanded by Col. Williams, Col. Whiting, and Col. Cole of Rhode Island, to attack them. Whiting was in the middle, Cole bringing up the rear, and Old Hendrick, King of the Six Nations, before with Col. Williams. When they had advanced about three miles, the guns began to fire. It was then between ten and eleven o'clock. We put ourselves into as good a position of defence as we could, not knowing but what our men would retreat and bring the enemy upon us. To our great surprise, it was not long before they retreated. Those who came first were bringing wounded men with them, and others soon flocked in by hundreds, a perpetual fire being kept up and drawing nearer and nearer, till nearly 12 o'clock, when the enemy came in sight. The regulars marched, as near as 1 could tell, about six deep, and nearly twenty rods in length, in close order, the Indians and regulars at the last wing helter-skelter, the woods being full of them. They came within about twenty rods, and fired in regular platoons, but we soon broke their order by firing our field pieces among them. The Indians and Canadians directly took trees, within handy gun shot. They fought with undaunted courage, till about 5 of the clock in the afternoon, when we got the ground. I cannot tell our loss nor the loss of the enemy yet with any certainty. As soon as they retreated, I ran out upon the ground before where I stood to fight, and found ten dead and three wounded. Among these last was the General of the French army and his aid, whom I ordered carried to my tent. He came with full assurance to lodge in our tents that night, and to his great surprise he did, but, blessed be God, as a wounded captive. Col. Williams was shot dead in a moment, and before he had time to fire his gun. Capt. Hawley was also shot mortally before he fired. My brother, Lieut. Pomeroy, I have an account of his being well till the army retreated. He asked,

'What! are we going to run?' 'Yes,' it was said. 'Well,' he replied, 'I will give them one more shot before I run.' Farther of him I do not hear. Our people are out burying their dead now; when they return I can give a more particular account. We design to make a stand here until we have a sufficient reinforcement. What number that must be I cannot now tell, but it is sure the enemy still intend to stop us before we can get to Crown Point. The French General saith, that if we give them one more such a dressing, Crown Point and all their country will be ours. They however design to put a stop to that. But I hope in God they will be disappointed, for I judge, humanly speaking, that all depends on this expedition. Therefore, I pray God would fire the breasts of this people with a true zeal and noble, generous spirit to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty. And I trust that all those who value our holy religion and our liberties will spare nothing, even to the one half of their estate. General Johnson was shot in the thigh, but the bone was not broken. Major Gen. Lyman not injured. Both behaved with steadiness and resolution.

"I desire the prayers of God's people for us, that we may not turn our backs upon our enemies, but stand and make a victorious defence for ourselves and our country.

"From your most obedient, humble servant, "SETH POMEROY."

Northampton, Sept. 13th, 1755. "HONORED AND DEAR SIR:-These, if you behold them, may inform you, that it is with the utmost fear that I now set pen to paper, lest I write to one in the eternal world, but yet trusting and hoping in Him who has defended you heretofore. On Thursday we had the sorrowful news of Col. William Titcomb's death, and that Col. Goothridge was wounded, and by reason of not hearing of your death, I trusted that you were still alive. This we had more certainly yesterday, for at first it was such an account that we could hardly believe it. We are informed that it was a very bloody battle on both sides, hundreds having been killed, and when those who brought the news left you, you were still engaged. By reason of the superiority of your enemies in number, we are all in the utmost concern to hear the event, and dread it too. You are, though, I conclude, ere this time conquerors, or (I dread to say it) conquered. The assistance by which this comes I expect will be too late to give you any relief, unless it be to assist in carrying off and taking care of the wounded. We are at the utmost loss and wonder that we have not heard from you later, for Wednesday morning was the last news which we had. We fear that the posts are cut off, (as was the post that rode from New Haven between Fort Lyman and you,) for since the

VOL. I. NO. V. NEW SERIES.

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I

scout from Hancock went out, it is high time it was returned, but it is not yet heard from. I have been upon the point of sending one of our sons with these men, but one only being returned from New Haven, with other reasons, have thought at this present that it was not best. "Thus far I wrote and went to bed, determining to finish in the morning, but at midnight a cry came at our door with the joyful news of victory, though stained with blood. Blessed ba God for that He hath returned to our arms, and hath spared you, when He hath caused others to fall at your right hand, and at your left. The assistance by which I was going to send this was a company of about sixty men, from North and South Hampton, who were to set out on Sabbath morning by about sunrise, but who stopped upon hearing of the victory, and went immediately to follow the direction of the Court in raising two thousand men, who, I hope, will be with you ere long. As you are now involved by the death of others into a greater business, so I hope and pray that you may have a double portion of the Spirit of God to assist, direct, and quicken you in your undertakings, and that you may be made a blessing to the kingdom of Christ and his church in this part of the world, and in due time be restored to me and your family victorious.

"These from your most affectionate and loving wife, MARY POMEROY. "P. S. Your children are all well, and by these present their duty to their protected father.'

The foregoing letters are but a small portion of the correspondence of Col. Pomeroy. These have been selected as specimens of the character and tone of the writings, rather than as any addition to documentary history. In relation to Dieskau, the leader of the French expedition, however, they settle one point which has always been misstated. Even as late as the present year, a very respectable history of the United States, in many respects, copying from other works, asserts that Baron Dieskau, being taken prisoner, was shot dead by a soldier upon the spot, directly after the battle. The facts in the case, as settled by other of these papers than those which we have selected above, are as follows:

Baron Dieskau, being wounded in the battle, was first found by a private of one of Col. Pomeroy's companies, by whom he was robbed of his watch. Upon being taken to Col. Pomeroy's tent, and his wounds being dressed, he informed the latter of what had happened, who imme

diate hostilities, and doubting its eventual advantage, the old man unharnessed one of the horses from the team, and ordering him to be immediately saddled, started at noon of the 16th of June for the camp. By riding all the night, and twice obtaining a fresh horse upon the road, he reached the scene of action at two o'clock in the afternoon. The troops of the enemy were then landing from Boston. The heights in every direction were covered with spectators. The balls of the ships of war were sweeping the neck of land over which he must pass to reach Bunker's hill. Alighting from his horse, and remarking to his attendant that he was "too valuable an animal to be shot," he went over the narrow pass on foot, and safely reached the intrenchment. As he appeared in As he appeared in sight, a shout of welcome went up from the troops. Putnam, seizing him by the hand, exclaimed, "You here, Pomeroy? God! I believe a cannon would wake you up, if you slept in the grave!" Refusing the repeated proffers of the general command, though urgently solicited, the old warrior advanced into the trench and took charge of the Connecticut troops. With a gun of his own manufacture, which he had carried thirty years before at the siege of Louisburg, he directed the fire of his men during those two hours of terrible struggle for the birth of American liberties. Towards Pitcairn there existed in the hearts of the colonial troops a deadly hatred. Observing him at the head of a column, which, once repulsed, were now again returning to the attack, he pointed him out to the men who stood at his side, and in a moment Pitcairn fell mortally wounded.

The details of the battle of Bunker Hill are too well known to be repeated here. During the last attack, Gen. Pomeroy's gun was indented by a musket ball, so that he could no longer discharge it. The old man then passed up and down the trench, encouraging his men, loading their muskets, removing the wounded, and directing the last scattering fire, until he perceived that the intrenchments above him had been gained by the British. His men beginning to retreat too hastily, he is said to have cried out, "Don't run, boys! Don't run! Fight them with the

breech of your muskets, as I do! It shan't be said of Seth Pomeroy, that he was shot in the back!"

At the time of the appointment of Washington as General-in-chief of the colonial troops, Pomeroy received the appointment of Brigadier General. His health, however, had suffered too much from his recent exertions, and he could not with consistency take charge of the arduous duties its acceptance would involve. Declining entering longer into the labors of active service, he retired to his farm, from whence he viewed with unabated interest the progress of the war of our Independence. Notwithstanding his advanced years, the military ardor of his youth had not diminished, and in 1777, at the request of Gen. Washington, though against the earnest remonstrances of his physician and family, he again accepted command. A few weeks, however, had elapsed only after his arrival at his post at Peekskill, before he was again attacked with serious illness. After lingering a few days, his disease overcame his system. He died at Peekskill on the 15th of February, 1777, and was buried there with military honors.

In personal appearance, during the early part of his military life, Pomeroy had few superiors. He was full six feet tall, spare in person, but erect, well built, and of great agility and muscular strength. Without unusual quickness of apprehension, he possessed, what was far better, a sound judgment, which, always coming to its conclusions carefully, was rarely in error. To this he added a firmness of decision, which could not be shaken, and which was undoubtedly the great element of his success in life. He was remarkable for a strict regard to principle, which he oftentimes carried to sternness. courage, fearless in so many instances that it became proverbial, sprang rather from this absolute adherence to principle, than from indifference to danger. Indeed, it would appear from his journal, that he possessed a sensibility actively alive to every approach of danger, which often led him to exaggerate its importance. He said to his son Lemuel, at a time when he showed some reluctance to go alone through the woods, which

His