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Show -2- neighbor, was commissioned colonel commanding. He appointed me major, and second in command. Loyalists watched gathering, appeared to be writing names of militiamen. Nearest British garrison fifty miles away. No danger. April 8, 1775 Three month enlistments over this day. Most of the older men do not like the Saturday drills and mock battles. Col. Greene and I tried to keep regiment together, but only 450 of the original 800 would sign up for another three month enlistment. No indian uprisings or war. Men feel drilling and soldiering a waste of time. Many do not want to fight the British, should it come to that. Discipline is an extreme problem. The regiment is ill equipped. We have no uniforms. Men furnish own weapons. Colony has no money to pay militiamen. April 23, 1775 A post rider reported this day to Col. Greene that on April 19 British and Mass. militia fought at Lexington. Eight of our people killed and ten wounded. Col. Greene believes war now a reality. Another 50 men re-enlisted when they heard that the trouble with Britain had finally started. As I continued to read Major Avery's entries through the rest of 1775 and 1776 on into 1777 the impending drama of a war for independence began |