A Report from the Field

A party of Acastas, whose names will be kept from my log entries until after the mission is concluded, was rowed ashore this morning in the early hours in an attempt to avoid detection by the local populous. As we grew closer to the coast in our long boat we suspect that a small boat of local fishermen may have seen us as we slipped through the water in the fore-dawn darkness, but it is difficult to be certain, and my vision in that dim light is not what I would like it to be. 

We have been given another mission to retrieve stolen documents from the hands of an American Spy known to be in the vicinity of New Boston. It is believed that the spy is in the area where the annual fair takes place. 

Once we arrive in the area, our task will be to set up camp and conduct an investigation to discover the identity of the American Spy and recover the stolen documents. 

Lt Ramsey and I after the capture of the courier
at Mississinewa.

We are currently making our way inland toward New Boston as quickly as we can. We are a larger party than on previous operations of this sort, as the area of New Boston currently houses large encampments of American Militiamen and Army troops. 

There are several immediate disadvantages that spring to mind in this current mission as opposed to a similar mission undertaken at Mississinewa last year. 

Firstly, there is a distinct lack of locally camped English forces at New Boston to aid in our efforts. At Mississinewa, there was a great encampment of British soldiers, a force at least equal in size to the Americans there. At New Boston there is the American Militia encamped on the north end of the fairgrounds and the American Army encamped at the south. This coupled by the patrols of the local Constable(s), means that the Acastas will be hopelessly outnumbered by enemy forces. 

The American Militia at New Boston

New Boston is not completely without allies, there is a fairly sized Indian encampment that may be sympathetic to our cause. 

Another disadvantage that comes to mind is the size of the fairgrounds themselves. The Fair at New Boston is much smaller in scale than Mississinewa and will offer fewer places to seek refuge from enemy forces in the event our operation is discovered. 

A third disadvantage in my own mind is the uneasiness I feel at undertaking such a mission with men I have previously not been in the field with. Operations at sea are one thing, but it is many a sailor that does not function half as well on land.

We are scheduled to arrive in the area of New Boston on or about 1st Sept.

If you will be in the vicinity of New Boston this coming weekend, you are invited to join us!