Joshua Campbell - On the Frontiers in 1778

[Saturday  October 24, 1778]  Robert Milliken's Home  (The normal rendezvous point)

Joshua Campbell (son of Joel Campbell) had worked on Fort Montgomery last year as a sixteen year old.  He undoubtedly did the same work described by his neighbor Robert Aldrich who “worked hard at drawing stones, cutting sod, and facines.”[i]  Perhaps Joshua was also at the Battle of Fort Montgomery.  If so he was likely at Fort Constitution where most of Colonel Jonathan Hasbrouck’s militia were stationed. 

The fortifications on the great North River were his first taste of military life.  Now he was seventeen and the action had moved to the frontier.  On this day he was recruited into a 30-day levy that was to serve in the western portions of Ulster County...   the Frontier.  He found himself in the company of Captain William Cross of Colonel John Cantine’s Third Ulster Militia regiment.[ii]  His uncle, Reuben Campbell, was also recruited into the same regiment but serving under Captain Johannes Hardenburgh.[iii]

As the days became shorter and colder, the glamour of army life quickly faded.  Joshua’s location was recorded as “Mamakating.”  That description comprised quite a large area in western Ulster.  The bulk of the troops were likely at a place called Napanoch on the west side of the Shawangunks (north of Ellenville).  From Napanoch it was 11 miles southwest down the valley to the gap in the mountains and the main east-west road.  From there it was another 11 miles to Peenpack.  The boredom might have led a few of them into a bit of mischief.

Whatever trouble they got themselves into, it cost them a months pay.  It is possible that the payment was for supplies and militia accoutrements and not for restitution of ill deeds.  But a record of this sort typically does not exist for the routine outfitting of troops. Joshua Campbell and eleven other members of his company signed a contract on November 18 to have their captain direct their monthly wages to Private John Shorter.[iv]  The other soldiers were George Grover, Robert Dayly, David Gillespy, Daniel Helms Cpl, Samuel Hull, Abraham Milspaugh, William Smith Cpl, Archibald Thompson, Gabriel Truxes, and Israel Tuthill.

IOU from Joshua Cambel and 11 others to John Shorter.

This IOU is signed on the reverse by John Shorter:  “16^th April 1779 then Recd of Willm Cross thirty three Pound ten Shill and ten Pence Being in full of the within teder Pr me  John Shorter.

Wages – 31-15- 3
Rations - 5-
Deduction for Ammunition 3-4-4” [v]

Back of IOU.  Signed by John Shorter acknowledging full payment of amounts due.  This was five months after the initial IOU was signed.

If we only knew the rest of the story! 

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[i] Revolutionary War Records, www.fold3.com, NY Pension Records for Robert Aldrich

[ii] Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives, Roll 73, Folder 86, Image 236.

[iii] Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives, Roll 73, Folder 86, Image 241.

[iv] Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives, NY, Jansen’s Regiment, Folder 120, p. 19.

[v] Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives, NY, Jansen’s Regiment, Folder 120, p. 18.