Camp at Quemahony....3 Days to Loyalhanna!

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: 30th August, 1758
: Camp at Quemahony
: 77th Highlanders
: Col. Montgomery's Own
: Grenadier Company

: Journal Entry:

: It is not yet light and some other officers are awake writing letters and journal entries, so, I thought it best I should do the same.  The army has been moving fast every day to reach the post at Loyalhanna.  Several hundred men have been moved up there by Sir John St. Clair and have begun the entrenching process along with cutting timbers for stockade.  We have stayed with Col. Burd and Major Grant as a rear guard to protect the movement of cannon, coehorns, supplies since the road was not cut wide enough.

: Tempers have flared the last few days since it was found that the road was not cut to the liking of Sir John.  A disagreement occurred between him and a provincial officer, Col. Stephens, which resulted in angry words and an oath by Stephens that he " would break his sword before taking orders from St. Clair".  This was not a good move on Stephens part and he has been arrested and confined.  The Provincials are quite unhappy about this and the bond we once had with these people has quickly ended.  Those of us who understand military protocol know that what Sir John did was correct, and we have silenced the provincials who murmur against Sir John, by showing them our dirks.  We will have no disconcerted words against our own officers from these colonists!  But, we understand from Calsious Shattoe, who continues to have contact with Col. Bouquet, that Bouquet has reprimanded Sir John and ordered him to fix the situation without anyone losing face. There has been much talk among the officers concerning this tack of Bouquet, there is much support for Sir John.  

: We understand that the fort at Louis bourg has been taken by our troops.  We have also heard that there has been much treachery from one of the scouts, a man from a Capt. Shilby's unit, has turned coat and delivered messages of Col. Bouquet, Col. Burd, and Major Grant, to the French.  The word is that this man was a known Roman Catholic and Bouquet had been warned about him, but giving the man no doubts, had trusted him with certain messages.  This does not bode well for our expedition.  There is worried talk that the French may know too much of our movements and plans.

: We understand that General Forbes has moved up to Ft. Loudoun, he is still ill.  Our own Col. Montgomery leads the way with the remainder of the 77th.  We pray for the time when all our Highland battalion can again march as one formation.

: There is a bit of light now, and, there is a commotion at the sentry's post.....will continue this later.....

: It is now 7 AM and I must hurriedly finish this entry.  Several Indian scouts just arrived and in speaking with them, they have reported that several "long rifle men" are moving up to Reastown and beyond to this post.  Davey Gunn and I quizzed them and we believe the men to be cousin Seamus, Timothy, and our cousins Many Flags and Three Tales.  We slipped the one scout a trinket and asked him to travel back to Reastown in all haste, to find our cousins, and bring them forward to us.  Praise to St. Andrew!  Once our cousins and Friend Timothy arrive, we have much catching up.

: The men have cooked breakfast and they are excited by this news of the return of Seamus, Flags and Tales.  JohnsTon and MacGregor are actually flinging their bodies in a wild dance as the other Grenadiers clap and chant.  The 1st Sgt. is eyeing them wildly, so I had best calm all and form up the men so we can continue the trek to Loyalhanna.  With God's grace we should be reunited with our cousins in a few days.

: God Save the King!  Pax Aye!

: M.A. MacWm.


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