Stephen Darley

History often focuses on the experiences of the officers who lead rather than the privates and other everyday soldiers whose contributions are also essential to the cause. This book is particularly timely because of its emphasis on lesser known individuals who faced hardships on the 1775 March to Quebec. For each solider’s journal, a description of the journal, introduction to the publishing history, a short biography of the journalist along with the journal itself is provided. In addition, the book shares six pension stories. An appendix includes a table listing the known journals. The general notes are useful because they provide interesting information about key people, places, events, and subjects that often come up when reading the journals.

Most impressive was the care the author took in chronicling his experience accessing each primary source. For instance, Darley skillfully presented the journal of my ancestor William Preston. I’m honored that Darley was the first to publish the journal and identify its contribution to our understanding of this historical event. While others may not consider the experiences of a private to be significant, I believe that all the individuals who participated in this campaign from well-known figures like Benedict Arnold to the unknown soldier deserve to be recognized.

I highly recommend this book for anyone who enjoys learning about history through the journals written by those who experienced the 1775 March to Quebec. It will particularly appeal to those seeking new insights into the unique perspectives of soldiers in the field and the challenges they faced.… (meer)