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".

"This day no less than seven of our brave soldiers was buried": In the Garrison at Detroit, 1813.

From the Diary of Captain Stanton Sholes, 2nd Regiment of Artillery: 1813--

Sunday Decr. 12th Commenced with a clear and a cold morning, and so continued through the day, this morning I reced a note from the General (Brig. General Lewis Cass) to this affect-- Capt. Sholes you will give orders to the sentry at the (fort?), to take into custody any soldier bringing into the fort any poles or rails. If they bring anything except wood really cut for them, they must be apprehended & shall be punished. L. Cass. 

This day agreeable to the General's order, the whole of the troops that was of duty & well attended church. At eleven o'clock, at the brick store where we had a very excellent discourse delivered, we then marched off in good orders to their several quarters. --So ends this day--

Monday Decr. 13th Commences with a fine cold morning-- Died this morning of a long and lingering complaint Leut. Col. Robert Morrison of the 27th Regt. Infantry-- In this noble young officer his country has lost, one who was possessed of the most amiable qualities that this country can boast of. He was brave, cool and deliberate, he was kind and humane, his attachment to his country and its cause is seldom exceeded. This evening the General gave orders for Nichols from Westminister, a suspicious person from the British, to be put in confinement which was accordingly done--So ends this day. 

Tuesday December 14th Commences with a fine and pleasant morning, this day Col. Robert Morrison of the 27th Infantry was interred. At two o'clock the corpse was moved on to the place of depot (deposit), with the honors of war, when the President McLensey delivered a very handsome speech to the army on this solemn occasion. This day no less than seven of our brave soldiers was buried. --So ends this day.

(Editor's note: I will come back and link all the named persons to their own pages on my blog, recapitulating what I can find out about them on a searchable webpage.)