[22] Mr. Gordon evidently used the word “self” in his entry of June 3 to throw any too curious reader off the track.
[23] History of Braddock’s Expedition, p. 387.
[24] History of Braddock’s Expedition, p. 365.
[25] In the Gordon Journal, under the date of June 10, there are two entries. One seems to have been Gordon’s and reads: “The Director of the Hospital came to see me in Camp, and found me so ill.... I went into the Hospital, & the Army marched with the Train &c., and as I was in hopes of being able to follow them in a few days, I sent all my baggage with the Army.” Without doubt this was Gordon’s entry, as no sailor could have had sufficient baggage to warrant such a reference as this, while an engineer’s “kit” was an important item. Then follow two entries (June 24 and 26) evidently recorded by one who remained at Fort Cumberland, and a second entry under the date of June 10, which is practically the first sentence of the entry under the same date in the original manuscript, and which has the appearance of being the genuine record made by the sailor detained at Fort Cumberland. The confusion of these entries in the Gordon Journal makes it very evident that one author did not compose them. The two entries for June 10 are typical of “Mr Engineer Gordon” and an unknown sailor.
[26] This form of the name of the modern Rock Creek is significant and is not given in the expanded form of this journal. “Rock’s Creek” suggests that the great bowlder known as “Braddock’s Rock” was a landmark in 1755 and had given the name to the stream which entered the Potomac near it.
[27] The use of full names in this journal is strong evidence that it is the original.
[28] The Gordon Journal assiduously reverses every such particular as this; it reads here: “there are about 200 houses and 2 churches, one English, one Dutch.”
[29] Though in almost every instance the Gordon Journal gives a more wordy account of each day’s happenings, it never gives a record for a day that is omitted by this journal, as April 22, 23, and 28; at times, however, a day is omitted in that journal that is accounted for in this; see entries for May 9 and May 25—neither of which did Mr. Morris give in his footnotes, though the latter was of utmost significance.
[30] The words “from the French” are omitted in the Gordon Journal, which makes the entry utterly devoid of any meaning—unless that Cresap had been ordered to retire by the Ohio Company! Cresap in that document is called “a vile Rascal”; cf. Pennsylvania Colonial Records, vol. vi., p. 400. For eulogy of Cresap see Ohio State Archæological and Historical Publications, vol. xi.
[31] This is given for the 13th in the Gordon Journal.