FRENCH & INDIAN WAR, BOAT-BUILDER'S JOURNAL. FULLER, NATHANAEL. Autograph journal kept during an expedition to Fort Niagara, v.p. [Boston, Albany, Schenectady, Fort Ontario, Oswego, Fort Niagara], 13 March l760 - 28 October l760. 73 pages in a blank book of l00 pages, 8vo, edges untrimmed, written in ink in a clear, ornate hand, first page with inscription "Nathanael Fuller His Book Rote in Shenecadey," bound in original gray-blue paper boards, worn. THE JOURNAL OF A BOAT-BUILDER AT FORT NIAGARA A rare survival, and very likely the only surviving journal of its type, kept by a Fuller, a surprisingly literate carpenter from the Boston area who was one of two companies of carpenters and boat-builders enlisted under Captain James Barton. They in turn were part of a detachment sent under direct command of Commodore Joshua Loring (1716-1781) to fortify and strengthen Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario, an outpost which had been seized from the French the previous summer. Fuller's detailed journal, with daily entries, provides a fine record of the company's extended expedition, which commenced in Boston on March l9. They marched in stages, to Shrewsbury, Westbury, Springfield, Sheffield, to Albany and thence to Schenectady, on the Mohawk River. There the company was employed, as Fuller notes, in "a Corking [caulking] new battoes [a shallow-draft boat]...and repairing old ones," or, on other days, in "a spinning of Oakum to forward the business of corking the battoes." The little flotilla complete, they departed Schenectady on 30 April, bound up the Mohawk River for "Syawo" (Fort Ontario, at Oswego). In the course of the journey, they emcamp at Little Falls, and at a fort on Oneida Lake. On May l6 Foot records that they "took our Departure from Swago to cross the Lake Ontario bound for Niagara with four Battoes one with a guard and one officer of the Artillery." After arrival at Fort Niagara on May 21, they were employed in "getting Timber and Clabords to build a house for both Companies," and in building a barge, a brig and a schooner for the defense of the Fort. The schooner's main deck was laid on June l9, her masts raised on July 7 and the finishing work completed by early August. On July 25th, he notes, "All hands were employed making of Oars and repairing of wailboats [whaleboats] and Battoes. Four companies of the Royal Ammerikans came to releave the forty-fourth at this Fort...." With winter approaching, the company sailed from Fort Niagara and returned via Oswego, Schenectady and Albany, and on to Springfield, Massachusetts, where Fuller breaks of his account, on 28 October l760. On other pages of the book, Fuller has recorded the cost of various woodworking tools bought in l76l, wages earned, debts owed him and, for April l760, a two-page "Memorandum of Liquers had of Mr. McDaniel." Provenance : Same as lot .
FRENCH & INDIAN WAR, BOAT-BUILDER'S JOURNAL. FULLER, NATHANAEL. Autograph journal kept during an expedition to Fort Niagara, v.p. [Boston, Albany, Schenectady, Fort Ontario, Oswego, Fort Niagara], 13 March l760 - 28 October l760. 73 pages in a blank book of l00 pages, 8vo, edges untrimmed, written in ink in a clear, ornate hand, first page with inscription "Nathanael Fuller His Book Rote in Shenecadey," bound in original gray-blue paper boards, worn. THE JOURNAL OF A BOAT-BUILDER AT FORT NIAGARA A rare survival, and very likely the only surviving journal of its type, kept by a Fuller, a surprisingly literate carpenter from the Boston area who was one of two companies of carpenters and boat-builders enlisted under Captain James Barton. They in turn were part of a detachment sent under direct command of Commodore Joshua Loring (1716-1781) to fortify and strengthen Fort Niagara on Lake Ontario, an outpost which had been seized from the French the previous summer. Fuller's detailed journal, with daily entries, provides a fine record of the company's extended expedition, which commenced in Boston on March l9. They marched in stages, to Shrewsbury, Westbury, Springfield, Sheffield, to Albany and thence to Schenectady, on the Mohawk River. There the company was employed, as Fuller notes, in "a Corking [caulking] new battoes [a shallow-draft boat]...and repairing old ones," or, on other days, in "a spinning of Oakum to forward the business of corking the battoes." The little flotilla complete, they departed Schenectady on 30 April, bound up the Mohawk River for "Syawo" (Fort Ontario, at Oswego). In the course of the journey, they emcamp at Little Falls, and at a fort on Oneida Lake. On May l6 Foot records that they "took our Departure from Swago to cross the Lake Ontario bound for Niagara with four Battoes one with a guard and one officer of the Artillery." After arrival at Fort Niagara on May 21, they were employed in "getting Timber and Clabords to build a house for both Companies," and in building a barge, a brig and a schooner for the defense of the Fort. The schooner's main deck was laid on June l9, her masts raised on July 7 and the finishing work completed by early August. On July 25th, he notes, "All hands were employed making of Oars and repairing of wailboats [whaleboats] and Battoes. Four companies of the Royal Ammerikans came to releave the forty-fourth at this Fort...." With winter approaching, the company sailed from Fort Niagara and returned via Oswego, Schenectady and Albany, and on to Springfield, Massachusetts, where Fuller breaks of his account, on 28 October l760. On other pages of the book, Fuller has recorded the cost of various woodworking tools bought in l76l, wages earned, debts owed him and, for April l760, a two-page "Memorandum of Liquers had of Mr. McDaniel." Provenance : Same as lot .
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