In “The Neutral French or the Exiles of Nova Scotia,” by Mrs. Williams, issued in 1841, will be found the same story, but with New York as the scene of action. That doubtless was the source of suggestion to Longfellow.
Martin I. J. Griffin.
Philadelphia.
CAPTAIN JAMES DUNCAN’S DIARY OF THE SIEGE OF YORKTOWN
Colonel Hazen’s regiment was the second regiment of the kind and was known as “Congress’s Own,” because under authority of a resolution of Congress of January 20, 1776, permission was granted to enlist one thousand Canadians or more for one year, as was done in a previous case under Colonel James Livingston. This regiment was not chargeable to any State, and hence its name, “Congress’s Own.” The troops were sometimes called “Canadian forces.”
Colonel Moses Hazen was appointed Colonel and Edward Antill Lieutenant Colonel, by Congress. In the early part of 1776 about 500 Canadians were secured for the regiment; but the evacuation of Canada reduced the number to less than 100 by the time it reached Albany. Colonels Hazen and Antill then went to Philadelphia to lay the matter before Congress. As a result they received authority to recruit anywhere within the United States. Hazen went to New York and the New England States; Antill to Pennsylvania and the Middle States. The latter was the more successful in securing recruits.
In the early part of 1781 the regiment moved from West Point down the Hudson and joined the army en route for Yorktown, when it participated in the siege. After the surrender of Cornwallis it was ordered to Lancaster, Pa., where for ten months it guarded English prisoners. Then it moved to New York, and was finally disbanded at White Plains in November, 1783.
In this regiment served James Duncan, first as a Lieutenant, commission dated November 3, 1776, and next as Captain, commission dated March 25, 1778.
James Duncan was a native of Philadelphia, where he was born in 1756. He graduated at Princeton College and was studying for the ministry when the war broke out. As related by himself afterward, “The beating of the d— drums past my window made such a noise that I could not study;” so he concluded to enter the army. He became a member of Colonel Hazen’s regiment, and continued with it till the close of the war. For his services he received from Pennsylvania 500 acres of land. This tract was situated in the Shenango valley, in what is now Mercer County. When Adams County, Pa., was formed, Captain Duncan was appointed first Prothonotary, and held the position until 1822. During the twenty-one years he filled this office, he was never beyond the sight of his Court House; and during that time he never opened his office at night nor allowed a candle or lantern to be used in his office, so carefully did he regard his duty to preserve the public records.