With this partial quotation of a line from Virgil’s Aeneid which refers to the hideous one-eyed monster, Polyphemus, stumbling about after he had been blinded by Ulysses, Morison expresses his opinion of Captain Turnbull. Angered at the treatment he received from Turnbull, the surgeon’s mate presumably pictured his commanding officer as a monster, blind to the needs of his men.
George Turnbull had received his commission in the Royal Americans in 1756 at the time this famous fighting force was being recruited “to avenge Braddock’s defeat.” In 1758 he had been wounded in the costly British attack on Ticonderoga. After the French and Indian War, Turnbull was promoted to captain in 1765, and before coming to Michilimackinac in 1770 he had been the commander at Detroit for three years. While at Detroit he had been involved with some of the local citizens in a dispute over property rights on Belle Isle, but, according to the adventurer, Jonathan Carver, who visited Detroit in 1768, Turnbull was respected by the inhabitants and traders “for the propriety of his conduct.” This record should be borne in mind as one reads what Morison has to say about Turnbull.
Michilamackinac July 9th. 1771. Betwixt the hours of 3 & 4 [in the] afternoon, Capt. Turnbull sent for me to his house upon an affair in which he had not the least concern. No sooner I appeared than he Opened upon me with Volleys of scurrilous Language (in presence of Lieut. Donald McAlpin of the 2d. Battn.) viz: That I was a scandalous fellow, a man of no principles, of a bad heart &c. lastly ordered me go out of his house & commanded me to keep my Distance, which I am determined punctually to observe.
N. B.: All these Epithets (to the conviction of many) are imputations that more peculiarly belong altenarly [alternately?] to himself when his character is canvassed by proper judges. If [such things as] Oppression, Detraction, Melediction, Violence, fornication, adultery, breach of Sabbath, tradeing, selling of common rum, Molasses, Wine, Spirits &c., Supporting a Suttlery in which he himself is principally [interested], which is Diametrically opposed to a Military Character, [be considered], he himself is justly entitled to these Epithets & imputations which cannot be attended with much difficulty to prove. Upon these considerations I left his house, whose dirt I shook off from my feet & left the Dirt where I found it. Monstrum horrendum Ingens!
The 26th. augst. 1771. Sent the weekly return by my servt. as I happened to be sick on that morning. Capt. Turnbull enquired of my servt. what my sickness was. My servt. answered, it was a severe attack of the Rheumatism to which I was subject. The Commandant asked my servt. if he could cure me. My servt. replyed he would if he could. After many frivolous questions of this nature, he at last ask[ed] him what did he think I deserved, to which my servt. Replyed, he did not know, “but Sure I am Sir, my master deserves well at my hands.”
Upon Tuesday the 17th. Sept. 1771. Capt. Turnbull after Roll Call sent the Sergeant Major to acquaint me he wanted to speak to me. Accordingly I appeared. Then Capt. Turnbull in presence of Lieut. Christie, Ens. Graham and Ens. Strickland asked how I came to move to another house without his leave, & I answered that I thought there was no necessity of giveing any trouble to him for removeing to good Quarters, which I hired for the Winter as there was no possibility of liveing for the Winter in that house Which he ordered me to, May last; especially as both of them were the property of traders in this place & tho’ I applyed to him last fall for a Room in the officers’ Barracks, as there was one Vacant then, as he did not grant this I thought I had a Right to provide myself the best I could.
He told me [that] tho’ I have been so long in the army I made a great progress in the knowledge of my duty as I did in that of my profession, meaning in which I appeared to be equally ignorant. (So far according to the Sultan.)
“I suppose,” says he, “You want I should put You into arrest, that You may be exempted from Your duty. But,” continued he, “I will not do You that Honnour. You are not worth my Notice. I hope You will not give me the trouble to provide a Room to provide for You next summer.”
I told him I’d give him as little trouble as possible and that I’d endeavour [to do] the best I could for myself, tho’ at the same time I beged leave to observe that I thought (while I continued to act in the King’s Service) I had a right to a room in the King’s barracks, which benefit was never granted me during his incumbency. He Replyed he did not chuse to hear any more upon the Subject, and ordered me to be gone, which I did quietly, in presence of the abovesaid gentlemen.