23d. Sergt. Carlile of the General’s Company Objected to Ens. Johnstone as a member of a Regimental Court Martial, set upon his Accusation [to] which [he] pleaded not guilty, & for certain Reasons desired the benefit of a general Court martial, which was denyed him.
30th May 1771. That evening after Roll Call, a Delinquent, James Coleman, soldier of the Lieut Colonel’s Company, sentenced to Receive 1000 Lashes for Desertion, received near five hundred & would have received more had not I intervened to hinder any more proceedings as he was not able to endure any more.
That very evening of the 30th he was ordered by the Commanding officer to the flogging post to receive the rest of his punishment, without Consulting me whether he was fit to receive them or not. He appeared under a file of men, in presence of the whole garrison, to undergoe that which he was not able to support. At that Juncture, he immediately fell upon his Knees & begged Capt. Turnbull to delay the rest of his punishment till he was more fit to undergoe them. Upon this application Capt. Turnbull asked my oppinion. I answered he was not fit, & consequently he was under the necessity of being carryed home to the Guard house by two soldiers of the guard.
This lenity of mine in favours of the prisoner produced the following Garrison orders (tho’ there was no previous complaint lodged):
Michilimackinac 31. May 1771. For the future the officer of the Day will visit the men’s barracks every forenoon at 12 o’clock to see that the Barracks are kept clean & that the sick or lame are regularly visited by the Surgeon; when prisoners are in that situation the Sergt. of the Guard will report to the officer of the day if it should happen that they are not Regularly attended.
The 10th of June 1771. Ens. Johnstone quarrelled with Phinehas Pond, a trader from New England. The dispute became very warm with high & insulting Expressions. At length in the height of their dispute Ens. Johnstone took down a brace of pistoles off the chimney brace, presented them to Pond at the Table, challengeing him to take up one of them, which Phineas Pond did directly. Ens. Johnstone in wrath desired Mr. Pond to give his Pistol to Mr. Howard, trader, to charge. He replyed he would not give his Pistol to any man to charge; upon which Pond began to charge his Pistol as fast as he could work. Ens. Johnstone (observeing that Mr. Pond was about chargeing so brisk) took hold of his own pistol by the barrell & pushed the butt of it violently & struck him with great fury in the Pit of the stomach, which staggered him surpriseingly. This unexpected proceeding prevented Pond from loading his Pistol, which he was obliged to drop & make of his hands in his own defence, which he plyed about so manfully that Ens. Johnstone fell flat directly upon the floor. Phineas Pond gave him such terrible bruiseings, black eyes &c. that Ens. Johnstone was obliged to keep his Room for several days, & tho’ this day is the 6th. since his disaster, he is not Yet recovered, walking about slowly with a pair of black Eyes. What the consequences of this uggly affair will turn out to I cannot determine.
Ensign Johnstone sold Mr. [Ezekial] Solomon the Jew ninety gallons of common Rum June 1771. The year before he sold fifty bundles of dryed Venison to the said Solomon at 2 sh. & 6d for the benefit of Capt. Turnbull, commanding officer of this Fort.
“... without these expenses I must starve of cold.”