Craft Masonry in Albany County, New York - Onondaga and Oswego ...

July 22, and was soon talked out of sending it by General Gates, who apparently flattered Baldwin sufficiently about his outstanding
work to persuade him to stay.
- During the retreat, American forces captured a set of orders from British General Carlton to British forces pursuing the Americans.
On August 12, 1776, Baldwin entered into his diary what appears to be a lengthy direct quote from what he called these "insolent"
orders. According to Baldwin, Carlton defined the "enemy" as "rebels, traitors, rioters, disturbers of the publick peace, plunderers,
Robbers, assassins, or Murderers" and instructed his forces to capture and imprison any and all of these whenever possible.
- As Baldwin rose in rank, he gained responsibilities for supervising and paying many workers. The diary records the receipt,
periodically, of what seem large sums of money (but which must have been inflated greenbacks). For instance, on October 8, 1776,
while at Ticonderoga, he notes receipt of £1372 New York Currency Equal to 3431 1/8 Dollars.
- Apparently one of Baldwin's last major constructions was an attempt to build a bridge across the narrow water passage between
Ticonderoga and what he first called Independency (later Independence) Point). He seems to have designed it and supervised it for
some time. Construction began on March 1, 1777. By the time he left Ticonderoga in early July, construction was still under way,
and the Americans were in retreat again, so the bridge probably was never finished (I didn't research this further).
- The diary "peters out" (my words) in late 1777. Baldwin was in the Saratoga area before and after the battle and reports on
Burgoyne's surrender on October 16 and 17. By November 17, he was home again, on leave. An entry for December 1 contains a
lengthy, detailed statistical list of the crucial numbers of Saratoga (deaths, casualties, prisoners, cannon, etc. etc.). Evidently,
Baldwin made no additional entries until the next July.
- The diary picks up again on July 6, 1778, describing a lot of travel and dining with generals up and down the Hudson River.
Although Baldwin doesn’t describe what work he’s doing, it must have been military work and probably construction. Still, little of
interest is contained in the very short entries during this time, until the manuscript ends. The last clearly dated entry is for December
28, 1778. However, single-line entries continue for three more days.
The third section of the manuscript, which concerns the Shays' Rebellion trial, raises an interesting historiographical issue:
What Baldwin decided to record is a detailed listing of those who testified during the several-day trial, who each was, and, in
summary, what each said. The pages of this part of the manuscript are filled with several block paragraphs on each double-page,
each paragraph starting with a person’s name. Someone knowing about the Shays Rebellion and its aftermath could be quite
interested in the details here. Note that this part of the manuscript is NOT included in the printed book.
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http://books.google.com/books?id=F0kSAAAAYAAJ&pg=PR32&lpg=PR32&dq=%22colonel+Jeduthun+Baldwin%22&source=bl&ots
=nsNZUPgEvw&sig=mLAC7sKkK5lhzAD_vJ9Cl6goFNg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Z2tbUKbfMKjx0gGrqoHICg&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=on
epage&q=%22colonel%20Jeduthun%20Baldwin%22&f=false
Journal [pages 3-142] 79/35
REVOLUTIONARY JOURNAL OF COL. JEDUTHAN BALDWIN
1 Dec 1755 – 17 Jan 1779 [not inclusive]
DECEMBER 1, 1755 I Workt a clearing out the perade. Caried out the Chips Without the gate & onto the wall begun Around the
Perade.
2 Draw the Timber of the perade up onto the Wall & hald. 2 Logs out of the Lake for Bords.
3 the Coll. moved into his house. I was Puld Down with others By a rope, the Well Laid out, Brought into the Camp 187 oxen
4 Being Thanksgiving at NB. I was Comanding officer for to Day & had the Care of killing the Cattle, We Kild a large Number of the
Oxen. Laid the Sills of our house
5 I Went to Killing Cattle With all the men. the Drovers Went of. Capt Fay Went of home With many of the Sick.
6 I went to work at my house. Ensign Stone Died and Was Buried. the rest of the Catel are kild
7 I Workt at my house.
8 I Was officer of the Day. the Beasts Cut up and Salted. Capt Whiting Lodged in his house. Several horses Came in for the Sick &
Coll. Fay. my Chimny Begun, Mayger Kingsbury Moved into his house yesterday. Pleasant Wether. I Was very Poorly. Went to
David Stones Funeral, Who died in the morning.
9 Nothing Remarkable hapend. I Workt at My house Cuting & Salting Beef. I finisht my house. Moved in. Several horses Came in for
the Sick from Coneticut. herd of Coll. Bagly at fort Edward.
11 we Cleard the Perade had all the men under arms. Moved S Brown Corpl Metcalf & Thos Layton & Benjn Dolber out of the fort
Sick. Went to meet Coll Bagly 2 ½ Miles Down towards fort Edward
Decr 12 Hald in Col. Plasteds house for a Guard house.
13 thro'd Chips onto the Wall to make room for the Beef. in the forenoon I Was tak Sick. in the afternoon I Had 2 Blisters Drawd &
Polticed, in the Evning Exceeding Bad.
15 Being Sabath. I Grew Worse my fever Seteled Which was a Slow fever. I had an Extreem Pain in my head. & Body very much
Bound. I continued Loosing my Strength & flesh till the 28 Day by Which time I Was Brought almost to the Gates of the Grave. But
God apeard for me & Bles't the means Used for my Recovery. I had 2 Doctors, Dr. Bliss & gott. I was Well taken care of & my fever
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