suitable and a great
deal of mirth for two or three hours, and then returned to our tents."

The stay at Otsego Lake seems to have been for the most part a pleasant
experience. There was plenty to eat. A drove of fat cattle was brought
from the Mohawk valley for the use of the troops. The Sixth
Massachusetts improved upon the culinary equipment of camp life by the
construction of a huge oven. Lieut. McKendry writes enthusiastically of
the delicious apples and cucumbers gathered near the camp.[44] Col.
Rignier was a leader of fishing parties, and quantities of trout were
taken from the lake to be served sizzling hot from the coals to hungry
soldiers. There was much liquid refreshment, for the officers at least,
which came not from lake or river. On June 28th there had been a
luncheon of officers at Camp Liberty, Low's Mills (near Swanswick),
greatly enlivened by the toasts that were drunk, for General Clinton had
given to each officer a keg of rum containing two gallons. On July 7,
Lieut. Beatty records that "all the officers of the line met this
evening at the large Bower, and took a sociable drink of grog given by
Col. Gansevoort's officers." This sociable drink seems to have created
an appetite for more. Under date of July 8, the next day, this laconic
entry appears in the journal of Lieut. McKendry: "The officers drew each
one keg more of rum."

Had the journals of the officers been more confiding in their records,
an intimate view of the camp life might have been disclosed to
posterity. For example, judging from McKendry's journal alone, Sunday,
August 1, was decorously uneventful. He has this entry:

"August 1, Sunday--Mr. Gano delivered a sermon."

Lieut. Beatty also remembers the sermon, but frankly subordinates it to
other incidents of the day to which Lieut. McKendry was indifferent, or
thought best not to allude. Beatty has this comment:

"August 1, Sunday--To-day at 11 o'clock the officers of the brigade met
agreeable to general orders to learn the Salute with the Sword. The
General's curiosity led him out to see how they saluted.

"After they were dismissed the officers formed a circle round the
General and requested of him to give them a keg of rum to drink. We
little expected to have the favour granted us, but we happened to take
the General in one of his generous thoughts, which he is but seldom
possessed of, and instead of one he gave us six. We gratefully
acknowledged the favour with thanks, and i