This Day in History: April 1

The Troops who have had the small Pox will march on Monday next, about one hundred and forty or fifty as appears by the Officers Returns: The remaining part will go into the Hospitals, the day after tomorrow. There is a great Difficulty in providing Cloathing and Blankets; Recruiting is very slow. The Necessity of keeping a large Proportion of the Inhabitants, in actual Service, upon the Shores, has, in a great Measure, been the Source of this Misfortune, the Malitia giving considerable Wages above the Public Allowance, to men they have hired to take their Tour. This State is in a Melancholy Situation: The neighboring States fail in sending their Proportion of Troops. It is now in the Power of the Enemy to make horrid Devastations, should they attempt it. In a very short time we shall be destitute of Troops excepting about two hundred engag’d for fifteen months, and one sixth of our own Alarm list & Malitia. [More]

Very real personal hardships were endured. Very real personal sacrifices were made.