Beschreibung:

FRENCH & INDIAN WAR, CANADA CAMPAIGN]. KEMBLE, Stephen, Lieutenant, Aide-de-Camp to General Lord Jeffery Amherst. Manuscript Orderly book, Montreal and other locations, 5 March 1763 -- 30 July 1764. Oblong 4to, 118 x 180mm., written in ink in a blank notebook bound in limp marbled paper boards, sewing defective (but all pages intact), with five ms. documents, dated 1763, relating to Kemble's affairs, folded and concealed in a specially designed hidden pocket of the front cover . AN AMERICAN OFFICER WITH AMHERST IN CANADA An unusual and unpublished orderly book, kept by a young American aide to Lord Jeffrey Amherst during the final months of the British Army's successful campaign in Canada and its subsequent demobilization. Amherst had departed New York in May 1760 at the head of a sizeable force of British regulars, American provincial troops, and Indian allies. Seizing in succession all French forts at the head of Lake Champlain and along the St. Lawrence, they reached La Chine in September. Joined by two other British armies, Amherst forced the surrender of Montreal and its garrison on 8 September. Amherst was named Governor General and remained, with his army, in occupation of Montreal and France's former outposts. Official congratulatory resolutions from both houses of Parliament are entered in their entirety in January 1763, praising the Army's "courage & zeal...exerted for the glory & honour of this nation." The Treaty of Paris, agreed in February 1763, finally ended hostilities. Word of the Treaty reached Amherst's army on 16 May, and a formal observance was held on 26 July: "...the Grenadier & Light Infantry Compnys., Colours, Drums fifes & Musick of the Battn. will assemble before the Government House...where Peace will be proclaimed. first and afterwards repeated at the Market Place and on the Parade. The artillery will fire 15 rounds after the first Proclamation..." The order of march is detailed. A few days later, it is advised that "some upper Indians being expected...the Soldiers during their stay in Town to have no connection with them." As the army prepares for peacetime demobilization, "officers & men are to be acquainted that a Plan is under Consideration to encourage them to stay in America...to take up Lands...the King leaves it to the Officers & soldiers to do as they please..." On August 22 it is announced that the King "has been pleased to Pardon all deserters...on Account of the Peace." Demobilization orders abound: "The Draughts for Fort Ontario to march to-morrow to La Chine..."; on 7 September the 24th Regiment is ordered to "march...by the New Road for St. Johns where they will embark on Board the Sloops for Crown Point." Court-martials are convened to try soldiers accused of various offences and numerous Canadian civilians, including a woman accused of "having poxed several soldiers," various persons charged with selling Rum to the Indians and smugglers. One of the latter entries, made in New York on 7 January 1764 records the King's "approbation of the conduct and Bravery of Col. [Henry] Bouquet" in two actions in August in which they "repelled & defeated the repeated attacks of the savages & Conducted their Convoy safe to Fort Pitt." The entry for 4 April 1764 records prices fixed by Amherst for the price of various commissions from Captain to Ensign. Locations mentioned in the record include Fort St. Ann (on Lake Champlain), Fort William Augustus (Ogdensburg, NY), La Chine, La Prairie, Pointe Claire, Fort Ontario, Chambly, etc. Kemble (1730-1822), is one of the more fascinating Americans who served in the British regular army. From New Jersey, he enlisted under Thomas Gage in 1757. Gage married his sister and, with his support, Kemble was rapidly promoted, serving throughout the Canada campaigns. He remained in the British Army and served as assistant adjutant under Generals Howe and Clinton from 1775-1778. Kemble later served in the West Indies but returned to the U.S. in 1805.