Nathan Taylor and Others to Governour Trumbull

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Lake George, October 15, 1775.

To the honourable Governour and Council of the Colony of Connecticut. These are to inform you of our grievances:

We, the subscribers, being by orders sent to St˙ John' s, to drive off the enemy, we were obliged to be encamped in low wet ground, swampy, and almost over shoes in mud and water; the weather being very cold for the time of year, which occasioned us to take great colds and agues, which hove us into bloody fluxes, and all kinds of disorders; and when our Doctors (of the Connecticut troops) thought us unfit for duty, and not like to be any more this campaign, we were sent off to Ticonderoga; and when we came there we were viewed by the head Doctor of the Continentals; we were viewed by General Schuyler also, and such men as the Doctor returned sick the General damned all in heaps, and swore; damned them for their sickness, and said he would pay them for it, and said they should have but four ounces of fresh meat a day, and a gill of rice; which is now fulfilled on us, your poor suffering subjects and soldiers. Likewise we are forbidden any spirituous liquors of any kind; and two sentries set at the doors, to prevent any friends to bring the least support to us. Our daily diet is rice for breakfast and supper, and not the least of butter or sugar, nor milk, but the clear rice itself; and for dinner about six pounds of mutton, with some of the broth, for twenty men, for subsistence, and a pound of bread a day, which is all the support we can have. And now we humbly beg some relief, if possible. The above is what we the subscribers will give oath to, if we are called to it, as witness our hands. There are sundry officers that can attest to the same, and can be produced if wanted.

NATHAN TAYLOR, Serg' t˙
SAMUEL SPENCER,
WILSON NORTHRUP,
THOMAS STEVENS,
JOHN COMSTOCK,
JOHN WATERBURY,
BILL TROWBRIDGE, Serg' t˙
LEVI SCRIBNER,
GILES MALLARY,
SAMUEL BAILEY,
ALBAN COLE,
SIMEON TUPPER,
THOMAS STARR,
JNO˙ BISHOP,
HETH˙ PECK,
STEPHEN MEEKER,
JAMES SHAW,
LUTHER BALDWIN,
ELI RUNDLE, Serg' t˙
JOSEPH BOOTH,
JOSIAH CLARK˙

To Governour Trumbull.