[page 193]

129.

129.

But our army quite simply refused this, and the beautiful women had to return home saddened, without men[264].

Alda bey unsrer Armée aber, wurde es ihnen gantz kurtz abgeschlagen, welche schöne Mägdgens hernach gantz betrübt wiedrum nach Hausse mußten gehen, und keine Männer mit sich gebracht.

On the 14th, we set off again for 18 miles to Plackpoint or Pleackpoint, a beautiful region where we made our camp beside the mountain. We had a day’s rest there.

Den 14ten brachen wir wiedrum alda auf 18 Meillen biß Plackpoint oder Pleackpoint eine schöne Gegend allwo wir unser Lager schlugen gantz nahe am Gebürge. Wir hatten Rastag alda.

On the 17th we set off again for 8 miles to Peekskill, a very small town. That day we passed through Werb-Plain, a beautiful great stretch of land where the American army’s camp was located: it was surprising to see that camp with its decorations made of all sorts of archways and artistically constructed balconies. That army was composed of 12,000 men etc. Each regiment had planted the seal of their province on the archways before the camp entrance etc. it was magnificent[265].

Den 17ten brachen wir wiedrum auf 8 Meillen biß Bicks-Kiel ein gantz kleines Städtgen. Wir passierten selbigen Tag die Werb-Plain ein grosses schönes freyes Feld, allwo die americanische Armée im Lager stunde : Welches Lager wunderwürdig zu sehen ware, mit seinen verfertigten Zierathen, in aller Sorten Laubwercken und Altanen sehr kunstreich zubereitet. Diese Armée bestunde aus 12000 Mann etc. Jedes Regiment hatte seinen Wapen von der Profintz in Laubwerck vor der Front aufgepflanzet etc. auf eine wunderbahre Art.

That afternoon, after having crossed the North River[266] at Königsfery, we went another 5 miles to Peekskill, where we made our camp on a high mountain that we only reached late in the night; we were almost unable to put up the tents as there were so many stones and rocks. From this mountain the North River can be seen flowing through the high mountain at a distance of up to 6 to 8 hours; only rocks and cliffs can be seen

Wir passierten selbigen Nachmittag an der Königs-Fery den Nord-Fluß und gingen noch 5 Meillen biß Bicks-Kiel, allwo wir unser Lager auf einem hohen Berg geschlagen und gantz spath in der Nacht ankammen, alda konte mann fast vor Stein und Felßen keine Zelten aufschlagen. Von diesem Berg siehet mann den Nord- Fluß auf 6-8 Stund durch das grosse Gebürg flüssen allwo nichts als Felßen und Steinklippen dem

[réclame]

wasser

https://gallica.bnf.fr/iiif/ark:/12148/btv1b10110846m/f97/pct:50,0,100,100/,700/0/native.jpg

Strasbourg, Médiathèque André Malraux, ms f 15, p. 193.

[agrandir]

 Notes

264. Eighteenth-century armies tried to limit the relations soldiers could have with young women, for reasons of morality but also because the army was a highly infectious environment, and venereal diseases could easily develop there. Moreover, such relations could encourage jealousy and rivalry between soldiers, even cause them to desert.
265. Regiments often bore the name of the province or country (Royal Deux-Ponts, Auvergne, Saintonge, etc.) where most of the recruiting – but not all of it - had been organized. The Royal Deux-Ponts was, for example, composed of Germans, Alsatians, and men from Lorraine. Although there was a link between the name of the regiment and the geographical origins of its soldiers, this link was nevertheless not exclusive. The regiment being associated with a province, the soldiers identified with it, even though all did not necessarily come from there.
266. Cf. Anonymous, Vue de l’Hudson en 1777, etching, 1777, Blérancourt, Musée franco-américain du Château de Blérancourt [reproduction en ligne - RMN].