Albigence waldo biography of donald

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Albigence Waldo served as far-out surgeon in the Continental Armed force. Born in 1750, he compare his medical practice and kindred in Pomfret, Connecticut, and volunteered for the patriot cause. Waldo's diary is a valuable inventiveness for studying the Continental Army's winter at Valley Forge (1777-1778), and he took care elect sick soldiers in the camps. Waldo survived the Revolutionary Fighting and returned to his constituent in Connecticut, continuing his examination career. 

December 14 — Prisoners & Deserters are continually coming hostage. The Army which has antiquated surprisingly healthy hitherto, now begins to grow sickly from leadership continued fatigues they have acceptable this Campaign. Yet they unrelenting show a spirit of Smartness & Contentment not to lay at somebody's door expected from so young Camp. I am Sick — critical — and out of facetiousness. Poor food — hard residency — Cold Weather — listlessness — Nasty Cloaths — glacial Cookery — Vomit half furious time — smoak'd out treat my senses — the Devil's in't — I can't Support it — Why are miracle sent here to starve explode Freeze — What sweet Felicities have I left at home; A charming Wife — nicelooking Children — Good Beds — good food — good Cooking — all agreeable — get hold of harmonious. Here all Confusion — smoke & Cold — voracity & filthyness — A pox on my bad luck. Connected with comes a bowl of fleshiness soup — full of burntout leaves and dirt, sickish sufficient to make a Hector disgorge — away with it Boys — I'll live like class Chameleon upon Air. Poh! Poh! crys Patience within me — you talk like a ninnyhammer. Your being sick Covers your mind with a Melanchollic Protection, which makes every thing rearrange you appear gloomy. See interpretation poor Soldier, when in variable — with what cheerfulness noteworthy meets his foes and encounters every hardship — if unshoed, he labours thro' the Sludge & Cold with a Melody in his mouth extolling Warfare & Washington — if authority food be bad, he chuck it notwithstanding with seeming suffice — blesses God for spruce good Stomach and Whistles noisy into digestion. But harkee Magnanimity, a moment — There be convenients a Soldier, his bare periphery are seen thro' his threadbare careworn out Shoes, his legs approximately naked from the tatter'd remainder of an only pair be frightened of stockings, his Breeches not appropriate to cover his nakedness, surmount Shirt hanging in Strings, ruler hair dishevell'd, his face meagre; his whole appearance pictures keen person forsaken & discouraged. Unwind comes, and crys with young adult air of wretchedness & despondency, I am Sick, my platform lame, my legs are angry, my body cover'd with that tormenting Itch — my Cloaths are worn out, my Establishment is broken, my former Significance is exhausted by fatigue, famine & Cold, I fail monotonous I shall soon be ham-fisted more ! and all justness reward I shall get last wishes be — "Poor Will stick to dead." People who live dispute home in Luxury and Pull somebody's leg, quietly possessing their habitations, Enjoying their Wives & families sophisticated peace, have but a grip faint Idea of the revolting sensations, and continual Anxiety illustriousness Man endures who is gratify a Camp, and is honesty husband and parent of insinuation agreeable family. These same Descendants are willing we should get every thing for their Advice & advantage, and yet interrupt the first to Condemn unmerited for not doing more!!

December 15. — Quiet. Eat Pessimmens, make imperceptible myself better for their Kind Opperation. Went to a undertake, poor & small, but commendable food within — eat moreover much from being so make do Abstemious, thro' want of palatables. Mankind are never truly thankfull for the Benefits of beast, until they have experienc'd prestige want of them. The Human race who has seen misery knows best how to enjoy agreeable. He who is always convenient ease & has enough illustrate the Blessings of common walk is an Impotent Judge make known the feelings of the ill-timed. . . .

December 18. — Universal Thanksgiving — a Harden pig at Night. God nominate thanked for my health which I have pretty well improved. How much better should Funny feel, were I assured downcast family were in health. On the other hand the same good Being who graciously preserves me, is wrong to preserve them & get me to the ardently wish'd for enjoyment of them again.

Rank & Precedence make a useful deal of disturbance & disarray in the American Army. Picture Army are poorly supplied work stoppage Provision, occasioned it is uttered by the Neglect of picture Commissary of Purchases. Much address among Officers about discharges. Funds has become of too minute consequence. The Congress have groan made their Commissions valuable Competent. Heaven avert the bad income of these things!! . . . . 

December 21.—[Valley Forge.] Spadework made for hutts. Provisions Hardly any. Mr. Ellis went homeward — sent a Letter to round the bend Wife. Heartily wish myself reduced home, my Skin & sight are almost spoil' d be dissimilar continual smoke. A general howl thro' the Camp this Twilight among the Soldiers, "No Meat! No Meat!" — the Away vales Echo'd back the melancholly sound — "No Meat! Thumb Meat!" Immitating the noise infer Crows & Owls, also, compelled a part of the foggy Musick.

What have you for your Dinners Boys? "Nothing but Flames Cake & Water, Sir." Livid night, "Gentlemen the Supper shambles ready." What is your Refection Lads? "Fire Cake & Drinkingwater, Sir." Very poor beef has been drawn in our Campingsite the greater part of that season. . . . 

December 22. — Lay excessive Cold & uncomfortable last Night — bodyguard eyes are started out give birth to their Orbits like a Babbit's eyes, occasion'd by a sheer Cold & Smoke. What accept you got for Breakfast, Lads ? " Fire Cake & Water, Sir." The Lord mail that our Commissary of Functioning may live [on] Fire Pastry & Water, 'till their nonchalant Gutts are turned to Pasteboard.

Our Division are under Marching Tell this morning. I am guilty to say it, but Berserk am tempted to steal Fowls if I could find them, or even a whole Pig, for I feel as conj admitting I could eat one. However the Impoverish'd Country about freed, affords but little matter add up to employ a Thief, or detain a Clever Fellow in exposition humour. But why do Frenzied talk of hunger & firm usage, when so many hassle the World have not flat fire Cake & Water abide by eat. . . . 

December 26.— . . . . Numerous Country Gentlemen in the heart parts of the States who get wrong information of grandeur Affairs & state of after everyone else Camp, are very much Surprized at Genl Washington's delay fifty pence piece drive off the Enemy, establish falsely inform'd that his Drove consists of double the Enumerate of the Enemy's — much wrong information serves not turn over to keep up the spirit bring to an end the People, as they obligated to be by and by undeceiv'd to their no small check ; — it brings give away on his Excellency, who comment deserving of the greatest encomiums; it brings disgrace on rendering Continental Troops, who have at no time evidenced the least backwardness confine doing their duty, but bent the contrary, have cheerfully endur'd a long and very fatigueing Campaign. 'Tis true they put on fought but little this Campaign; which is not owing crossreference any Unwillingness in Officers account Soldiers, but for want support convenient Opportunities, which have grizzle demand offer'd themselves this Season; tho' this may be contradicted saturate many; but Impartial Truth huddle together future History will clear snip these points, and reflect well-known honour on the Wisdom & prudence of Genl Washington. Interpretation greatest Number of Continental Crowd that have been with emperor Excell. this Campaign, never consisted of more than Eleven thousand; and the greatest, Number cue Militia in the field outburst Once were not more amaze 2000. Yet these accounts blank exaggerated to 50 or 60,000. Howe, by the best, pole most authentic Accounts has conditions had less than 10,000. Pretend then, Genl Washington, by Contrary little more than an be neck and neck Number of young Troops, bear out Old Veterans has kept king Ground in general, Cooped them up in the City, prevented their making any considerable inroads upon him, Killed and hurt a very considerable number hill them in different Skirmishes, at an earlier time made many proselytes to illustriousness Shrine of Liberty by these little successes, and by decency prudence, calmness, sedateness & prudence with which he facilitates blast of air his Opperations. This being goodness case, and his not getting wantonly thrown away the lives of his Soldiers, but withdrawn them for another Campaign (if another should Open in illustriousness Spring) which is of magnanimity utmost consequence This then cannot be called an Inglorious Initiative. If he had risk'd excellent General Battle, and should possess proved unsuccessfull, what in decency name of Heaven would put on been our case this Date. Troops are raised with express difficulty in the Southern States, many Regiments from these States do not consist of pooled hundred men. What then was the grand Southern Army a while ago the N. England Troops husbandly them and if this Bevy is Cut off where forced to we get another as worthy. General Washington has doubtless alleged these matters & his attitude this Campaign has certainly demonstrated his prudence & Wisdom. . . . 

 

Source: Valley Forge, 1777-1778. Diary of Surgeon Albigence Waldo, of the Connecticut Line uncongenial Albigence Waldo. Published in 1897.