Tilden, Ezra, 1751-1819 [Diary of Ezra Tilden]

Provides a detailed day by day account of Tilden's march through New York during the Revolutionary War. Writes extensively about daily duties, poor rations, hunger, hardships along the march, sickness and death amongst the soldiers, and the demoralized spirit of the men. Possibly writes something about the cruelty of the officers in code on p. 34 by mixing the letters of the words. Includes lists of towns he passed through (p. 12, 49, 107, 141), an item by item list of contents of his pack (p. 9), a list of the monthly wages for each military rank (p. 54), rations for each soldier (p. 55), and the lyrics to a Revolutionary song sung to the tune of "The Black Sloven" (p. 56). Talks at length about an illness he suffered in mid September 1776 (starts p. 62). Prays to get well and survive the war to see his family again. Includes extracts from letters to and from Tilden discussing the War. Describes a battle and its aftermath at Stillwater, New York (commonly called the Second Battle of Saratoga) 7 October 1777 where the American troops won a victory over British General John Burgoyne. Many entries written from camp at Ticonderoga. Tilden was a Continental soldier from Stoughton, Massachusetts.