>From the Journal of Nicholas Cresswell: Leesburg, Virginia, Wednesday, September 18th, 1776 Left Alexandria in company with Harry McCabe. Dined at the Falls Church. Got to Leesburg in the evening. Found my old friend P. Cavan ill of the fever and ague. Lodged at Captn. Taylor's. Cattail, Loudoun County, Virginia. Thursday, September 19th, 1776. Mr. Kirk insisted on me dining with him. Expected I was goine aboard the Fleet. I am sorry it was not so. Lodged at The Cattail. Friday, Sept. 20th, 1776. Dined at Mr. Kirk's. Very unhappy. Saturday, Sept. 21st, 1776 .At town. Mr. Booker returned this evening. Sunday, Sept. 22nd, 1776. Dined at Mr. Mason's. Monday, Sept 23rd, 1776. Mr. Kirk sent for me this morning to assist him. Mr. Cavan is sick of the fever and ague. Wednesday, Sept. 25th, 1776. At Mr. Kirk's. News that General Howe had got possession of New York. Lodged at the Cattail. Friday, Sept. 28th, 1776. Went to town in the morning. After dinner went to Kite's Island. Spent the evening and slept at Mr. Cartwright's. Sunday, Sept. 30th, 1776. At Cattail, too much time for reflection. I am now disappointed in my favourite plan of getting home and it is reported that the Indians have begun to commit outrages on the back inhabitants, so that my Canada scheme is rendered abortive. I have nothing to trust to but Providence, and I have but little faith in that. However, I am determined to rot in Jail rather than take up arms against my native country. Tuesday, October 1st, 1776. Went with Mr. James Booker to Mr. Matthew Campbell's. Spent the evening there and got most feloniously drunk. This is a bad preface to the new volume of my diary. Drunkeness the first remark. Wednesday, October 2nd, 1776. At home, sick with my last night's debauch. O! Temperance, temperance, thou best of virtures, what pains we take to ruin our constitutions by these nocturnal excesses. Saturday, October 5th, 1776. Employed I can't tell how, a worthless life indeed. Sunday October 6th, 1776. Mr. Booker and I went to the Quaker meeting, but were too late, tho' it would have been equally as well as if we had been sooner, for the spirit did not move any of them to speak. Dined at Mrs. Baker's with a Sleber officer. Got home in the evening. NOTE: Sleber is REBELS spelled backwords. It took me a minute to figure out what he was talking about re SLEBER. Also he speaks of those loyal to the crown as sgnik sdneirf or KINGS FRIENDS. He himself was a "Kings friend" and loathed those who were "rebels" though he had to depend on them for a living while in America. Cattail, Loudoun County, Virginia. Tuesday, November 12rh, 1776. Mr. Henry Peyton was shot through the body attempting to take a deserter from the sleber Army My notes on a few more entries: In the next few entries, Thompson Mason and Thornton Mason mentioned. Peter Carr also mentioned. James Kirk, his greatest benefactor mentioned. William Harthorns. Captn. G. Johnston "a violent sleber". James Nourse could be corruption of James Norris. Very good man. Daughter Kitty Nourse very attractive to James Kirk. They may "amount to something" though Kirk is much older. Would carry letters from Mr. Nourse to friends in England if he could get out of the country. Letters to: Charles Fouace Esq., Admiralty Office, Mr. Huges, Linen Draper, York Street, Covent Garden, and Mrs. Seaman, Honiton, Devon. Mentions Jacob and John Kite. Jacob killed by the Cherokees. John Gibbs is mentioned. Went to Winchester with Kirk and Gibbs, and dined with Colnl. Jacob Alligood "who is a prisoner here" meaning he can't get back to England either. John Reynolds an Irishmen of Winchester, had two daughters the Miss Reynolds visiting Mr. Gibbons. William Neilson , a Sgnik Dneirf. Josiah Moffit tells Nicholas to have his things ready by next Saturday. Mr. Booker (James) is going to live near Williamsburg. He is going to be an Overseer to a Gentleman near Williamsburg. Describes James Booker as a young man and "one of the most curious characters I have ever met with. He is proud and affable, ostentatious and niggardly, a beau and a sloven, by turns". "Whether the Moon has any influence over his passions, or he was born under some capricious Planet, I cannot pretend to determine." My note: Nicholas is so judgemental of everyone, bites all hands that feeds him. If I am sending too much through either list, please advise me. I am not sure that the majority on the list is interested in this journal. Barbara