now numbered two hundred and five men, all
armed and equiped as the law directs; it was
delightful to see the companies, for they were all
young men, except one company whom we called
the Silver Grays, and who ate at my table. We
were all in good spirits, and were taught the
sworde exercise by brother Willam Cherry (who was a
native of Ireland) an expert drill master, who had
been in the British dragoon service for upwords of twenty
years, and deservs much credit for his unwearied
exertions ^in^ importing all he knew to the brotherin.
This was our first attempt at learning the sworde
exercise; brother Hiram Stratton and Nelson Tubbs
procured a shop of Myers Mabley, and repared
every firelock that was out of order in the camp,
and David Elliot shod our horses. Here brother James Forster was taken sick, I proposed to him
to remain behind he said, "Brother Joseph let me
go with you if I die on the road." I told him
in the name of the Lord if that was his faith, to
go on his bed in the wagon and he whould
get better every day untill he recovered, which was
literally fulfilled. We reorganized the camp, I was
acknowledged the Commander-in-chief, Lyman
Wight General; I chose twenty men for my life guard
consisting of two companies, (my brother Hiram
was chosen captain of the first ten, and Roger Orton
now numbered two hundred and five men, all
armed and equiped as the law directs; it was
delightful to see the companies, for they were all
young men, except one company whom we called
the Silver Grays, and who ate at my table. We
were all in good spirits, and were taught the
sworde exercise by brother Willam Cherry (who was a
native of Ireland) an expert drill master, who had
been in the British dragoon service for upwords of twenty
years, and deservs much credit for his unwearied
exertions in importing all he knew to the brotherin.
This was our first attempt at learning the sworde
exercise; brother Hiram Stratton and Nelson Tubbs
procured a shop of Myers Mabley, and repared
every firelock that was out of order in the camp,
and David Elliot shod our horses. Here brother
James Forster was taken sick, I proposed to him
to remain behind he said, "Brother Joseph let me
go with you if I die on the road." I told him
in the name of the Lord if that was his faith, to
go on his bed in the wagon and he whould
get better every day untill he recovered, which was
literally fulfilled. We reorganized the camp, I was
acknowledged the Commander-in-chief, Lyman
Wight General; I chose twenty men for my life guard
consisting of two companies, (my brother Hiram
was chosen captain of the first ten, and Roger Orton