A Journal of Two Campaigns of the Fourth Regiment of U.S. Infantry / In the Michigan and Indiana Territories, Under the Command of Col. John P. Boyd, and Lt. Col. James Miller During the Years 1811, & 12.

Transcriber's Note: Printer's inconsistencies in punctuation and hyphenation have been retained. Variant and alternative spellings have been preserved, except for obvious misspellings.
PREFACE.
When the Author of the succeeding pages had determined on recording the events and operations of the Regiment to which he belonged, it was far from his intention to give them publicity.—They were noted down for the amusement of his leisure hours and the perusal of his Friends, when he should return from the toils of the Camp and the fatigues of war;—to portray to the view of those Friends the various vicissitudes of fate attendant on the life of a Soldier.—But since his return, many who have perused the manuscript, have expressed their ardent desire to see it published, and to gratify their wishes, he has been induced to submit it to the press.—He indulges the hope that his simple narrative will fall into the hands of none but the candid and liberal, who affect not to despise the humble and unvarnished tale of the Private Soldier .
THE AUTHOR.
JOURNAL.
The 4th Regiment of U.S. Infantry was raised principally in the year 1808—from the five N. England States, viz. Vermont, New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode-Island and Connecticut, and consisted of between 8 & 900 men—under the command of Colonel John P. Boyd.—The regiment was not embodied until—
Ap. 29, 1811—When we received orders from Government to rendezvous at the Lazaretto Barracks on the Schuylkill, 5 miles below Philadelphia—Capt. Whitney's Company of U.S. Riflemen, then stationed at Newport, R.I. was also ordered to join the 4th regiment at this place.
May 24th—The whole regiment (except one Company under Capt. Rannie, which were detained at Marblehead) had arrived, and were immediately formed, consisting of about 600 of as noble fellows as ever trod the tented field; all in good health and fine spirits, and their discipline unrivaled;—nothing worthy of note took place while we remained here, which was but a few days, except the degrading situation in which Capt. Whitney of the Riflemen, had placed himself, while Commanding Officer, by descending to the level of a Musician, and with his own hands bestowing corporeal punishment upon the bare posteriors of two privates of his Company, in the face of the whole regiment on parade. Such conduct in a commander, merited and received the pointed scorn of every officer of the regiment.—The two men, who had heretofore been good soldiers, deserted within two hours after receiving their punishment—and a few days afterwards Capt. Whitney resigned a command he was totally unworthy of, and returned home.—Lieut. A. Hawkins, a fine officer, was afterwards appointed to the command of this Company.—We received our tents, camp, equipage, &c. and Col. Boyd and Lieut. Col. Miller, having arrived to take the command.—On the