by DANIEL MORISON, Surgeon’s Mate Edited by George S. May Illustrated by Dirk Cringhuis Mackinac State Historic Parks Mackinac Island, Michigan ISBN-0911872-05-1 ISBN-0911872-05-1 Private BRITISH 60th FOOT ROYAL AMERICANS Copyright © 1960 by The Fort Mackinac Division Press Printed in the United States of America by Harlo Printing Co., Detroit Michigan Third Printing, 1969 15,000 copies Fourth Printing, 1974 15,000 copies Fifth Printing, 1984 10,000 copies Sixth Printing, 1993 5,000 copies Seven

O n September 28, 1761, a year after France’s vast North American empire had been surrendered to the British at Montreal, Canada, the flag of Great Britain was raised over Fort Michilimackinac, far to the west at what is now Mackinaw City, Michigan. A force under Major Robert Rogers, leader of the almost legendary Rogers’ Rangers, had reached Detroit in 1760 and had taken control of that post, but the coming of winter had compelled the British to wait until the following year to take over the ot

D r. Morison begins his journal innocently enough with an account of a party which he and others gave in the fall of 1769. Among the other hosts was Isaac Todd, who later helped found the great Canadian fur-trading firm, the North West Company, and whose long-time partner, James McGill, endowed McGill University in Montreal. The party began to get out of hand with the arrival of a couple of rowdy traders—John Chinn, who is best remembered as a partner in an unsuccessful copper-mining venture in

[1stly.] That a few days after this unwarrantable Outrage perpetrated against my dwelling House & person, John Chinn & Forrest Oaks were so conscious of their Enormous guilt [and] struck with such a Remorse, that they declared that they would upon their knees publickly on the Parade beg to be pardoned if that would satisfy for the Errors they were conscious of haveing committed. This they expressed in the Audience of William Maxwell, Commissary, Sergt. McMurray, George McBeath, [

T he little domestic tragedy involving Sergeant Thomas Carlile, his wife, and Ensign Robert Johnson, the first two acts of which transpired in the last chapter, now comes to an end with the utter defeat and humiliation of the poor sergeant. Brought to trial on a charge of being disrespectful to an officer, Carlile sought to get his case tried not by a regimental court-martial, but by a general court-martial which would have a larger number of judges, including officers from other units, who woul

1. Knocked down a frenchman at Grosse pointe. 2. Quarrelled with Mr. [Alexander] Baxter. 3. Quarrelled with Major [Robert] Rogers, & used uncommon freedom with his wife, common fame says to the extent of carnal conversation with her. 4th. Wounded Corpl. Johnstone of the general’s Company in the arm. 5thly. Attempted to draw his sword upon Mr. [Benjamin] Frobisher for which he was put under arrest. 6thly. Quarrelled with & insulted Capt. [Frederick] Spiecmacher [commandant, 1767-6

W ith this partial quotation of a line from Virgil’s Aeneid which refers to the hideous one-eyed monster, Polyphemus, stumbling about after he had been blinded by Ulysses, Morison expresses his opinion of Captain Turnbull. Angered at the treatment he received from Turnbull, the surgeon’s mate presumably pictured his commanding officer as a monster, blind to the needs of his men. George Turnbull had received his commission in the Royal Americans in 1756 at the time this famous fighting force was

D aniel Morison’s journal ends at this point. After July 2, 1772, we lose sight of the unhappy surgeon’s mate. It appears at least that he did not remain much longer at the Straits for later that year the various units of the Second Battalion of the Royal Americans were assembled from Niagara, Fort Michilimackinac, and other frontier posts and shipped off to serve in the balmier climate of the West Indies. Captain Turnbull retired from the army in 1775 by selling his commission, but some of the

H istorians recently discovered in the Frederick Haldimand Papers of the British Museum in London a document which sheds additional light on the obscure life of Daniel Morison. The document is a petition written by Morison to Frederick Haldimand in Quebec. The document is undated. To His Excellency Frederick Haldimand Captain General and Governor in Chief in and over His Majestys Province of Quebec, and the Territories depending thereon, in America, Vice Admiral of the same, General and Commande