The Journal of Francis Smith: June-July 1775
As June dragged on, there was finally the first sign of action on the Ontario front. A rebel army led by Warner himself attacked our Indian allies' village. This was the first official battle of the war (other than my defeat). It was a disaster. Warner won the day, inflicting double the casualties that he took. It was a relatively minor battle, but it sure did not set a good example for the coming months. After this battle people took to calling Warner "Hermes" due to his quick movement.
The Battle of Onondaga Village:
Meanwhile, on a more important front, a new leader has risen at the head of the army besieging Boston. A man by the name of George Washington now leads the rebel army. Judging by his record in the previous French-Indian War, I feel like we are safer in Boston than we were before.
George Washington as General:
The rest of the month went without much change, other than the fleet arriving back in Boston harbor. When June became July, Gage re-assessed his options. Richard Prescott had clearly failed in capturing "Hermes", so Gage ordered him to take Fort Ticonderoga. Meanwhile; a new force led by Joseph Brant, an Indian, was assembled to stop Warner's swift raids.
Prescott's Planned Assault on Ticonderoga:
Joseph Brant and the Mohawk Warriors:
In the South, a rather forgotten front, Gage was reminded that he could not ignore it forever. Georgia, considered the last bastion of loyalty, had fallen to rebel sentiment. However, Gage continued his plan as though the South did not exist.
The Growing Worry about Georgia:
On the bright side, Howe is prepared to march on Philadelphia. Lightly defended, it is predicted that the city will fall easily. Gage said, "Once the head of the rebellion is gone, it will lose the will to fight." I still think those troops would be better here in Boston.
Howe moving on Philadelphia:
With ships in Boston harbor, I naturally anticipated that we would be transported out of Boston, like Gage had said last month. But now Gage wants us to stay for another month and see what happens. God, the man can never make up his mind! Why did the King opt for such indecisive leadership!