1st January, 1761. I arrive at Salem my native place, to my great joy and content, and thus I conclude my Journal, with my best wishes and good will to all brother soldiers.
He ends with kindness and pride. This shows how soldiers felt close to each other even after hard times.
hey inform us of ye death of our Lord George the Second….
News of the king’s death shows how connected colonists were to Britain at this time.
. I enlisted again for ye ensuing campaign against Canada.
Even though life was hard, Clough signed up again. This shows he was proud to serve his country, but also maybe loyal to Britain.
The first says there is great talk of a Spanish war.
This shows how news traveled slowly. Colonists didn’t always know what was really happening in Europe.
Soldier was condemned to die with him
The army was about to kill him for stealing. What does that tell us about British rules and power over soldiers?
was whipped thirty stripes for disobedience of orders.
Why was punishment so harsh?
. An escort went from here bound to Spanish River, consisting of 43 men, commanded by Lieutenant Henderson and Ensign Berry, one Sergeant and two Corporals. They went for to carry blankets to Capt. Davis’ men, who were on command there, and cutting wood there for the garrison; and the escort went there and returned in nine days.
The soldiers were guarding supplies in cold weather near Louisbourg, Nova Scotia. This shows how tough army life was in the winter.
And so we stayed all winter, which was hard as we were only enlisted for six months
Colonial soldiers often joined for short times. The army made them stay longer, which made some unhappy with British control.
the Seven Years War.
Clough is talking about the French and Indian War, when the British and colonists fought the French and Native Americans for land in North America.
Court Martial
A military court where soldiers are tried for breaking rules or laws.
ye year 1738,
Ye” just means “the.” People used it in old English writing.