Views of Gloucester

n the year previous to the commencement of the Revolutionary  war, there was a minute company formed in Gloucester, commanded by Capt. Samuel Rogers .I think his subalterns were Nathariel Warner and A. Kobie ; myself  one of the sergeants. Soon  after the battle of Lexington, Capt. Warner took orders to raise a  company, and invited me and other young men to enlist. I hesitated on account of my health. I had been out of health for about  a year, and was supposed by some to he in a decline. But he said if I would enlist, a number of others would, a2nd if my health continued bad, he would release me. I consulted my physician ; he said it would be as likely to help as injure me. When the company was full and before we marched, he appointed me first line, and Daniel Collins second.
We Marched to Cambridge towards the last of May. The day after the redoubt was thrown upon Breed's Hill, and when it mas discovered that the enemy were preparing to land, we had orders to march to that place. We made a very rapid march to  Charlestown, and in crossing the Neck, there was a, British ship  which kept up a constant fire upon us, which very much broke the order of our troops. When we had passed, there was n large number of men in great confusion. Some officers were endeavoring to put their men in order, and some appeared willing to remain there. We stopped two or three minutes to regulate our men. We found we had missed a number of our men, and our second line. The Capt. looked round to me and lifted up his hands, and with a voice and words which I never forgot when going into action, '' Do you keep your platoon in order, Sir ; I will mine. We will march on, let who will stay here." He immediately ordered his company to march without any regard to the regiment. We went on more upon a run than a quick march ; we arrived at the line of action but a few minutes before the firing began. The captain steps up to General Putnam, who was on his horse, asks him, "Where shall we take our post?" He replies, "Get to the fort if you can." We marched to the fort which was but three or four rods off. 
The moment the captain was entering the fort, the firing commenced. I discovered there were some scattering men firing over the breastwork into the fort. I ran up to stop that firing ; when I turned to go back, I found my men had followed me up the line, instead of going in with Capt. Warner. I then went on till me came in view of the left flank of the enemy, then we began our fire at the outside of the southwest corner of the fort, and remained there till the Americans were driven out of the fort. I had two men killed and three wounded in my platoon; the three were wounded as the retreat began. At this time, Capt. Warner came out of the fort over the breastwork and went towards the rail fence. Our troops were not yet driven from thence, as the greatest force of the enemy bore against the fort.   Webber says to me, " Lieutenant, will you take my gun for I am wounded ;" and immediately another man cries for help for he was wounded. I says to Webber, " Where are you wounded?" he says, " In my arm." I told him,  "You have one good arm, take your gun and get off as fast as possible." I went to the other man that was wounded; says to him, " Where are you wounded?" he says, " In my hip." He was hopping on one foot, touching the toes of the other to the ground. I told him to put his hand on my shoulder, he did so, and hung on till I could go no further with him. I told him I must stop and rest. I was then by a wall, where the bars had been taken out. I sat down by the end of the wall supposing it would shield me from the shot a little, but the shot came so thick I did not stop long. I then went on after the wounded men. 
The troops were all upon the retreat by this time. After Warner came out of the fort, in firing his gun the barrel split in his hands but did him no injury. He soon found another and charged it, but in raising it up to fire, a ball struck it near the tail pipe, split the stock, glanced off the barrel, and did him no injury. Being near, he steps up to the colonel and says to him, " Give me your gun a minute ;" he gives it to him ; he steps back and says, "Why, colonel, give up your gun in time of action I hare a mind to blow you through " he hands the colonel his gun and says, "Take back your gun, I will find one." He soon found a gun. Another ball struck on the pocket of his small clothes, split the handle of a penknife, glanced off and did him no injury. Our army then retreated over to what was then called Ploughed Hill, and remained there until night. I do not recollect of anything else remarkable to the close of this campaign. At the close of the campaign, I was ordered to Gloucester to enlist mien for the year's service, and in the course of the winter, I enlisted about fifty men from Gloucester and marched them to Cambridge. Cap. Warner then told me I was entitled to a captain's commission ; he was willing to give up the men, and recommended me for it if I chose it. I told him I had rather serve another campaign under him.