Book Description

Excerpt from The Journal of Lieut. William Feltman, of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, 1781-82: Including the March Into Virginia and the Siege of Yorktown The Journal of Lieut. William Feltman, of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, from May 26, 1781 to April 25,1782, embracing the Siege of Yorktown and the Southern Campaign. [The Society is indebted to Horn R. Kneass, Esq., for permission to publish this Journal. The following letter from that gentleman to the Chairman of the Publishing Committee furnishes some particulars of the author.] Dear Sir, - Lieut. William Feltman was a native of Lancaster_County, Pennsylvania, which place he claimed as his residence as long as he lived. He died a few years before the beginning of this century, but the precise year when he died, or his age at the time of his death, I am unable now to ascertain. The journal was handed to me over twenty years ago by my grand-mother, (now deceased, ) who was a sister of Lieut. Feltman, and has been in my possession, ever since. Very respectfully yours, Horn R. Kneass Philadelphia, April 27, 1853. York Town [Pennsylvania], 26th May,1781. This day we left York at 9 o'clock in the morning with about eight hundred effective men, under the command of Gen. Wayne, and encamped 11 miles on the road to Frederick Town. 27th. - The general beat at sunrise, and We took up the line of march, and halted near Peter Little's Tovvn - it being 14 miles. 28th. - The troops took up the line of march at sunrise, marched through Tarrey Town and halted near Pipe Creek, being about 14 miles. 29th May. - The troops took up the line of march at three o'clock in the morning, and encamped on the S. W. of Monococy - 15 miles. 30th. - This day continued on the ground: the soldiers Washed their clothing and furbished up their arms and accoutrements, and in the evening at 7 o'clock we were reviewed by Gen. Wayne. 31st. - Took up the line of march at sunrise; marched through Frederick Town, Maryland, where there was a number of British officers (prisoners), who took a view of us as we passed through the town. We made a very respectable appearance. We crossed the Pomoek [Potomac] at Newland's ferry; were obliged to cross in bad scows. One unfortunately sunk, loaded with artillery, &c., and a few men, in which one Sergeant and three privates of our Regiment were drowned; encamped on this side of the river. A number of us dined at the Tavern (or ornery as the Virginians call it.) The night turned out to be very heavy With rain, and We were obliged to take up our quarters in Col. Clapham's Negro Quarters, I mean a number of the of cers of our Regiment. We rose early the next morning and breakfasted at said Ornery - 18 miles. June 1st. - Continued on our ground until 4 o'clock in the afternoon; moved 5 miles towards Leesburg, Where I am informed that Dan'l May lives and keeps a public house. London Co. - 5 miles. 2d. - Continued on this ground till evening, it being very wet and disagreeable. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."