Winter at Occupied Fort Malden, 1814

From the diary of Orderly Sergeant Ennis Duncan, a Kentucky militiaman stationed at Fort Malden in 1814:

December 2 Detachment Orders:

 Mr Spencer is detailed to do the duties of Post Master for the Regt of Ky Militia stationed at this fort. Persons wishing to send for letters from the Detroit Post Office will furnish Mr. Spencer with a list of their names-- at Mr Spencer's quarters there will be a small box in which letters are to be deposited. On the return of the mail a list of the letters in the office will be posted and no one are to apply to the office unless he sees his name on the posted list. Application to go to Detroit to search the post office of that place will therefore be useless in future.

Signed C. Gratiot Col. Comdt.

....

 December 15 A pleasant day. This evening when we were drawing rations the commissary Blair would issue no salt which caused some words between him and me. Said his word was law here and he would give no salt because the beef was a little salted which raised my temper so high that I expected he would lodge a complaint against me for telling him some little of what I and some more thought of him but he did not. A rainy night. Also some little thaw took away some of the snow. Very high wind which blew down several of the tents and tore some pretty much. Parole: "French" Countersign: "Scotch" Watchword "Irish"

 December 16th A windy day. This evening Edward Wilson of Captain Whaly's Company got 9 slaps with the paddle on the lower end of his heck bone for stealing and corporal Loyd of the Artillery got 6 slaps for leaving his post while on guard. Also reduced to the ranks. Parole: "Man" Csign "Woman" Wword "Child".