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I, Giles Gaylord, who served in the Continental Army in Canada last fall, through the winter, and last spring, do certify, that I was a Lieutenant of Captain Elisha Painter' s company, in General Wooster' s regiment, from December last to the expiration of the time said regiment engaged for. I was at the siege of St˙ John' s last fall, when the said Captain Painter belonged to Colonel James Easton' s regiment, who was in the said siege also; but Captain Painter being sent on command to Sorell, with his Colonel, we did not meet again until the beginning of December, at Montreal, at which place I engaged to serve with him as Lieutenant, in General Wooster' s regiment. We soon filled our company, and served out the time of our engagement, but no commissions was sent to us, nor to the other officers in the regiment; and I understood that to be the case with the officers of Colonel Easton' s regiment, to which Captain Painter belonged previous to his engagement for the winter campaign. Indeed, I understood the officers in general who
Attest: GILES GAYLORD.
October the 5th, 1776.
Camp on Harlem Heights, October 6th, 1776.
To whom it may concern:
We, the subscribers hereto, being acquainted with the above subscriber to the foregoing certificate, do esteem him to be a person of truth and veracity, and believe he is esteemed to be so in general, whose testimony may be depended upon.
Attest: SIMON ADAMS, Lieutenant.
Camp on Harlem Heights, October 8th, 1776,
The above-named Giles Gaylord, doth now before me, on honour, solemnly affirm, declare, and testify, that the above and within certificate by him subscribed (to the best of his knowledge) is the truth, and nothing else.
Attest: JOHN FELLOWS, Brigadier-General.
Giles Gaylord
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served in Canada received no commissions there; and about the time Captain Painter received orders to raise his company, many men in that Army, who thought themselves not well used by their officers, determined to go home when their times were out; on which the General, knowing our conquest in Canada could not be secure without men, gave orders that those men who would engage for the winter campaign might inlist into what corps, regiment, or company they should choose; on which, many of the men who would not reengage with their old officers, being acquainted with Captain Painter' s character as an officer, repaired to him to inlist, to that degree that his company soon filled up, by which means Captain Painter suffered the reproach, resentments, and ill-will of a number of those officers whose men left them and inlisted with him, some of which officers have not been wanting to try to hurt and injure Captain Painter in his character, while other men acquainted with the matter, thought their resentment ill-grounded. However, to do justice to Captain Painter, and to whom it may concern, I will describe something of a character which I think him entitled to. He is an officer who sets good examples to his men, and discountenances and reproves their bad conduct. He never uses bad language himself, or approves of it in those under his command. Hard drinking, gaming, and night routs I never knew or heard of his being guilty of; but applied himself with attention to his duty in the service of his country. He is a friend to good order, regulation, and discipline; at the same time treats his men with that tenderness and care that becomes an officer to do. He appears to be on principle an established friend to the cause of liberty, and to act from a principle of honour. I found him, during my whole acquaintance with him, to be just and honest. He never detained his men' s wages in his own hands, but frequently paid them faster than he received money for them. He is of a steady, regular behaviour, governed rather by judgment and reason than by passion and humour. He is an officer of true and steady courage. I never heard cowardice imputed to him, even by those who have tried to injure him. He served faithfully in Canada during the time of his service there, which was till about the last of May, at which time he came away with credit, and in as good standing as the other officers of the said Army, and about the beginning of last June I left him at Albany, on his way down, and have not since seen him till lately.
STEPHEN DEWEY, Captain.
STEPHEN GOODWIN, Captain.