[page 19]

15.

namely cherries, apples, pears, etc. Those men in the rowboats were all black, that is to say they were Moors[54]. But we could not speak to them, as their language was English, this is why they could not speak to us either[55].

welches waren Kirschen, Äpffel, Bieren etc. Diese Leute in denen Schalluppen waren alle schwartz, nemlich Mohren. Wir aber konten kein Wort mit ihnen sprechen, dann ihre Sprache ware Engelisch, desgleichen konten sie auch nicht mit uns sprechen.

On the 14^th, around 9 o’clock in the morning, we began to disembark, something we had waited for impatiently, as we were very curious to see the inhabitants of this place; but upon arriving in the town we saw no one save a few Moors here and there, which made us think that the town was inhabited entirely by Moors! But it was not the case, as all the white people had gone into hiding, believing us to be enemy troops, but as soon as they learned that we were their friends and auxiliary troops who had come to help protect them, they came back to the town little by little[56]. As for us, we thought we would be lodged in the town, but the path they showed us crossed through the town and led us to a place nearby the village where they made us set up camp[57].

Den 14ten morgens gegen 9 Uhr fangten wir an aus-zuschiffen, nach welchem wir sehr verlangeten, nur um die Einwohner zu sehen die sich alda befanden, sobald wir aber in die Stadt kamen konten wir niemand sehen als etliche Mohren hin und da einen, worauf wir glaubten die gantze Stadt wäre mit Mohren bewohnt! Es ware dem aber nicht also : Dan die weissen Einwohner haben sich alle verborgen, dan sie haben geglaubt wir wären feindliche Truppen, sobald sie aber vernahmen daß wir Freund von ihnen und dennoch Hilffs-Truppen seyn sie helffen zu beschützen, kamen sie nach und nach wiedrum herbey in die Stadt. Wir glaubten aber in der Stadt loschiert zu werden, aber nein, der uns angewiesen Weg ginge langs durch die Stadt, nach dem Platze zu allwo wir mußten das Lager schlagen nahe bey der Stadt.

The next day we did all we could to transfer the sick ashore to hospitals, the inhabitants having accepted to lend the town hall and a church to serve as hospitals. A few days later we were reminded of the English flotilla, but it was too late. But as we thought they were going to attack,

Gleich den andern Tag suchte man alle Angestallt zu machen vor die Krancken aufs Land in Spithäller zu schaffen, indem sich die Einwohner auch gleich verwilligten das Rath-Haus und eine Kirch zu Spithäller zu geben. Einige Täge darauf begrüßte uns die engellische Flotte wiedrum aber es ware zu spath; gleich aber darauf weil man glaubte sie wolten einen

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https://gallica.bnf.fr/iiif/ark:/12148/btv1b10110846m/f10/pct:50,0,100,100/,700/0/native.jpg

Strasbourg, Médiathèque André Malraux, ms f 15, p. 19.

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Notes

54. The word “Moor” was a term used in reference to black slaves. As the ships often were very significant sites of infection, it is not surprising that the slaves were the ones charged with making the first contact with the newcomers. Moreover, one can imagine how much the sight of these people was striking for our young German.

55. A striking encounter indeed, as Flohr is keen to point out that these “Moors” speak English, the language of the land.

56. As the English combined blockades with naval and land attacks, the colonists fled the coastal towns when the enemy came near and took refuge on their plantations located more inland.

57. The question of soldiers' accommodation was the focus of much thought in the eighteenth century. The traditional system of housing them in residents’ homes did lead to a certain amount of trouble, soldiers sometimes taking advantage of their physical superiority to impose upon their landlords. Moreover, accommodations in residents' houses posed the problem of the separation of civil and military realms, and made it difficult to establish discipline. So barracks were built little by little to house the troops in times of peace. However, in times of war, camping was the norm. If Flohr’s regiment was led out of the town to set up camp, it is without a doubt for public safety reasons, as the troops were always seen as troublemakers, and therefore kept apart. Moreover, as France was operating on allied terrain and not on enemy terrain, the practice and the requisitioning of housing was much more difficult to implement.