Wilderness Route Followed by Caleb Gordon*
I Caleb Gordon, aged Sixty three years, a citizen of the United States, born in Brentwood in the State of New Hampshire on oath testify & declare (being now resident in Augusta in the District of Maine) that in April 1775 I enlisted as a private soldier for the Continental Service into what was called the Eight months service, into the company commanded by Capt Ballard— My Colonel I think was Colonel Jackson of the Massachusetts line — In August or September 1775 while serving under my first enlistment I volunteered to go with Col. Arnold in Capt Thayer’s Company to Quebec by the way of the Kennebec through the woods. I went accordingly, and after great suffering by hunger and fatigue I arrived at Quebec. At the storming of the town, I partly ascended the wall in a scaling ladder, which was cut off by a chain shot from the enemy and I fell, having failed in our attempt upon Quebec. I afterwards was taken sick with the small pox and lay in a hospital near Quebec. After I had nearly recovered, upon an attack from the enemy, I effected my retreat with great labor, suffering and difficulty, and arrived at Bennington Vermont having passed by the way of Lake Champlain in August 1776, having served from my enlistment fifteen months. I was actively engaged with the enemy in the Battle of Bunker Hill. From the above campaign and service I took no formal written discharge. In August 1777 I again enlisted as a private soldier into the Continental Service of the United States against the common enemy for the term of three years into the Company commanded by Capt. Stone and regiment commanded by Col Brewer of the Massachusetts Line. Under this last enlistment I served two years and five months, and my wife being sick I hired for one hundred dollars a substitute for the remaining seven months. I myself by permission of my officers left the Army on the Hudson near New York in January 1780 — On my return, but within the three years, my right leg was amputated in consequence of a sore occasioned, as the Surgeon stated under oath, by the heats and colds of the Service. I took no formal written discharge, being unable in consequence of my misfortune to go and procure it. I am very poor, and in need of the bounty of the government. And I do hereby relinquish all my claim to every pension heretofore allowed me by the laws of the United States if any, but I am not to my knowledge borne on any pension list whatever —I request to be put on the Pension List for the District of Maine
Caleb Gordon
Source: Sherman, Sylvia J., Ed. Dubros Times. Maine State Archives. Augusta. 1975.
See the background for the depositions.
*This survey shows the “Great Carrying Place” used by Benedict Arnold and his troops, including Caleb Gordon, on the expedition to Quebec during the American Revolution.