Extract from the Diary of Joshua Hempstead, 1711-1758, 
New London Historical Society

Thought you might be interested in these entries from the "Diary of Joshua Hempstead 1711-1758" beginning in the month of April 1745. Hempstead lived in New London and his diary is in our collection.
[Edward Baker" edward@newlondonhistory.org ] See also: http://newlondonhistoricalsociety.org/ 

April. Mond 1. fair aftern a little in ye morn. I was at home all Day. wee
began to plow New ground. Josha held & adam Drove. the Dept Govr (alias
Majr Genll) Woolcot is come to Town. ye guns fired at ye County Sloop & at
ye Fort.

Sund 7 fair & moderate. a Sacramt Day. Mr adams pr [preached] all Day. in
ye foren to ye C. Chh in the aftern to ye Souldiers who are gare going to
Cape Britton. the Lt Genll & Several of the Captains & officers & Soldiers
ye Rhd Island County Sloop come in after meeting. a Child of William
Attwell Baptized.

Mond 8 fair & pleasant. I was at home foren mending the Tonge of Madm
Winthrops Cart yt drawed out & Tennant broke a Saturday, aftern at the
freemens meeting. Colln Saltonstall & Jer. Chapman Junr chose Deputys. wee
plowed ye old Ground for barly. the fairfield County Company as well as
Hartford & N London were in the field exercising near ye Courthouse. old Ms
Smith the only Daughter of old Mr Gibson Died this morn aged about 80 years.

Tuesd 9. a warm Morning. I was at home foren. I sowed 3 bushll of barley.
afternoon to See the Majr Genll Woolcots Tent on ye hill between Colln
Saltonstalls wall & ye burying place & ye Regiment 8 Companys in the
Trayning field drawn up to Close order & ye Comisions published near the
Couthouse the Lt Govr or Majr Genll with Colln Andrew Burr on his Right & Lt
Coll Simon Lathrop on ye Left Marched bareheaded from the Tent to ye place
near ye West Door & yn I went to the funeral, Raw Cold.

Thursd 11 fair. In the foren I went with Ephm Deans of Norwich on Board ye
Rhhd Island Country Sloop to take the acknowledgemt of a power of attorney
from his Son. I came a Shore beforenoon & went to Mr. Millers to Wait on
the Dept Govr & Dined with him & then home to the funeral of Hu. Minor ...

Saturd 13 Rain a little in ye foren. I was at home. aftern fair I went out
to Crossmans Lot &c. the Souldiers of the 8 Companys are getting on Bord the
Transports. I was up in the Evening to take Leave of Several &c. the wind S
E Some days.

Sund 14 fair. mr adams pr all Day. the fleet Sayled for Cape Briton about
... & one, wind S W fresh gale. our Country Sloop & Rhd Island Do. 2 Briggs
... Schooner & 4 Sloops more. our Country Sloop Semd to out Sayle all ... .

June

Wednsd 19 fair. put 2 cows 1 ox & 1 horse in ye Com Pasture. I the foren
I Stayed at minors and then went to See old Mr Dean & Dined there & then wee
both went to Peirpoints to See my Daughter Mary who hath been DD of a Son,
both as well as can be Expected in a week. I Stayed there till the Post
came who brot news that our forces at Cape Breton hath been Defeated in an
Enterprize agst the Island Battery there & had Lost 170 men, killd Drowned &
takn. I Came home with the Post. got over in the Evening, & wee have the
accot of the Death of Majr Israiel Newton of Colchester & Isrl Dodge of N.
L. North parish at Cape Breton by Sickness, a negro Boy. 6 or 7 yr old
buried. Drowned yesterday fell of the wharff. Mr Robinsons.

Sund 30 fair. mr adams pr all Day. a Sacramt Day. 2 Transports arrived
from Boston to Carry away our 200 Soldiers for Recruits at Cape Breton.

July

Sund 7. fair. Mr William Adams pr. all Day. the 200 Soldiers are gone for
Cape Breton. a post came from Boston to bring ye glad Tidings of our forces
having Taken ye City of Louis-bourg on ye 17th Instant without the Loss of
one man on yt Day having taken their Strong holds before & forced them to
Set open their gates having Battered down most of their houses &c.

Thursd 18 fair. I was at home all day. I finished mending and old cart
wheel & wrote a Deed &c from Wm Douglas &c to Anthony whipple &c. in the
Evening I went to Mr Millers to Wait on the Dept Govr Majr Genll Woolcott
who is come from Cape Briton in Done of Midletown on of the Transports
Several Sick Some well persons come near about 80.

Sund 21. fair. Mr William Adams pr all Day. Lt Govr Majr Genll of the
Connecticut N England forces against Cape Breton was at meeting prety well
Recovered.

Thursd 25. a publick Thanksgiving in this Colony on accot of ye Sucess at
Cape Breton. mr adams pr. it Rained divers Showers.

October

october .1. Tuesday fair. I was at Mamacock. I fence the grt hay Stak &
helped adam & Sha wright Cock up the Salt hay 55 Cocks. aftern at home.
one of the Souldiers from Cape Breton buried. came here Sick in El ... .
Bull a fairfield man.

Wednsd 16 fair. I was about home all day. Nicholas Clark Son of Mr John
Clark of Hartford Returning from Cape Breton died toward night att Mr
Roberts.

Thursd 24 fair & moderate. I was about home & in Town. the Country Sloop
arived from Cape Breton afternoon went out Last april in the Expedition Capt
John Prenttis & 100 men (the Majr Genll Woolcott went in her also & he came
home before). they have Lost about one Quarter part of their men by
Sickness. none killed.

Wednsd 30th fair. I was at home most of ye Day. toward night I went into
Town. the funeral of a Souldier from Cape Briton. a young man 3 or 4 & 20.
belonged to Killingworth Named Merchant Eaton. died at Roberts.

November

Sund 3d fair. Mr adams pr all Day. a Child of Jos Truman Junrs Decd Baptizd
John. one Abrah Starke a Soldier yt came from Cape Breton Sick. died in ye
Neck at his kinsmans where he was carryed in a Cart from on Bord ye Country
Sloop. ys is ye 6th yt hath died here.

Mond 11. fair. I came away in the morn & got home a Little afternoon. Since
I was gone John Coits wife Died aged near 50 a fryday & buried a Sunday
aftermeeting. also Souldier from Cape briton Died fryday Named Jellit from
winsor. also Ebenezar bolles wife Died on Saturday. got cold a Lying in.

Sund 17 fair. Mr adams pr all Day. Robt Westcoat & Esther Harris published.
2 Transports Sloops sayled wth 150 Soldiers for Cape Briton.

April 1746

Thursd 29 fair. I was at home most of the day mending fence by Mr Chapmans
& poling hopps. toward night I went into Town to Madm Winthrops to Renew
Capt Geo. Mumford Lease for one year for L1100. I was Bondsman for him.
adm Carted Cole for Joshua & Josha did nothing for me. news is Come of the
Death of my Nephew John Edgcumb att Cape Breton about a month Since & mr
Backus ye Minister & Do[ct]r Tozar & Divers others.

May

Tuesd 6 fair & windy Cold. a white frost at night. I was at Gilbert lots
most of the day. Adm& Ben Want hoing. adm Carted up a boat Ld of Wood for
Mr Miller. 7 Cord. a Cape Briton Soldier named West of Lebn buried. died
at Roberts.

July

Wednsd 2d fair. In the foren I was at home, aftern in Town. I bot a Salem
Sythe of mr Gardner & pd him 29s 6d. a Scooner Come in fro Cape Briton with
Soldiers about 50 wch are the Last of our men. Some few have Enlisted there
for 3 years.

August 1758

fryd 18 fair. I was about home in the foren & in the aftern I Rid about to
Look up my Geese. no Luck. this is a Day of great Rejoycing. the News of
the Surrender of Cape Britton to the English. above 200 Guns fired att the
fort & on bord the Several vessels in the Harbor. began firing before
Sunset & kept itt going at times until 9 oe clock att night above 200.