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Campaign Map  |  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6
 |  Part 7


Part 1 of the Third NY Regiment History

> June 1775: The Third New York Regiment is authorized under the command of Colonel James Clinton for five month's Canadian service. The Regiment is comprised of ten companies and is raised with men from a mixture of southern New York counties. Lewis Dubois of Dutchess County is appointed the 4th Captain of the Third New York Regiment (i.e. in command of the 4th Company). He receives a warrant for enlisting men and sets rapidly to work. The other Company officers are 1st Lieutenant Elias Van Benschoten Jr. and 2nd Lieutenant Andrew Ter. Lawrence (a replacement on 11 July for Cornelius Adriance, who never accepted the job).

> July - August 1775: The newly raised Third New York troops are sent to Albany to be uniformed and equipped. Soldiers in the Third New York Regiment receive gray regimental coats faced green. Seven of the ten companies of the Third New York Regiment are assigned to Major General Philip Schuyler's Northern Army and will participate in the invasion of Canada via Lake Champlain, including Dubois' Company. The remaining three companies serve as Long Island coastline guards and later assist in both the construction of Fort Constitution adjacent to West Point, and manning Fort George and Fort Ticonderoga.

> 9 September 1775: Dubois' Company heads north to Fort Ticonderoga. Major Livingston of the Third New York Regiment notes in his journal while at Albany: "To day marched Cap't Dubois, Billings & Johnson of our Reg't. Cap't Goforth of 1st Batt: & Cap't Lamb of the Artillery. The 3 first named companys got each man a months pay this morning. Twas delivered to their respective captains yesterday..."

> 21 September 1775: By September 21st, Dubois' Company has reached Fort Ticonderoga. From Colonel James Clinton's Orderly Book for the Third New York Regiment: "Also that Captain Dubois and Denton Draw Amuntion Sufficient to fill their Catredges Boxes and that no Soldier Discharge his Gun in or Near the Camp or Wast his Amunition or pain of his Being Sent to the Guard and Tried by a Court martial...".

> 28 September 1775: While at Fort Ticonderoga, a muster roll of Dubois' Company is compiled: "A Muster Roll of Cap Lewis Duboy's Company For the Third Regiment of New York Forces Now in Service of the United Colonies. Dated in the Camp at Ticonderoga Under the Command of Col'l James Clinton Esq'r: the 28 Day of September 1775."

> Early October 1775: Dubois' Company heads north from Fort Ticonderoga to join other Colonial forces already at Ile aux Noix and Fort St. John. Colonial forces have had the British forces at the fort under siege on and off since early September. since several earlier attempts to actually take the fort have failed due to the Colonial troops' fears of being ambushed by pro-British Indians. The Colonial forces at Fort St. John are under the command of General Richard Montgomery (click here to see an image of General Montgomery), General Schuyler's second in command. General Schuyler had been north to Fort St. John in early September, however, due to illness, he was forced to return to Fort Ticonderoga, thereby leaving Montgomery in command at Fort St. John.

> 4 October 1775: Livingston: "At 4 in the afternoon set of from Ticonderoga with Coll'o Clinton, Cap't Nicholson, Billings & Johnson & 165 men in 14 battoes. That evening reach'd Crownpoint. Left that place next morning & got as far as one Nights 27 miles from Crownpoint in Company with 2 Battoes besides my own. The rest went forward 2 miles. The next evening my battoe reach'd a point of land opposite the southern part of Grand Isle; at which Island the rest of the boats all stay'd. We kept on point till 10 in the evening & then with a small breeze stood down the Lake & went slowly on till 3 in the morning when we touch'd on shore & rested in the boat till day light & again stood down the Lake, went on shore at the Isle of Mott... From there we all set of together & at evening landed on the east side of the Lake at 7 miles distance to S. of Isle Aux Noix - pitch'd our tents on the sand, & early next morning set of again in a violent rain which lasted without any Interruption till we arrived at Isle Aux Noix were we came abt noon. Next morning got on board again & arrived safely at the Camp abt a mile 1/4 above St. Johns at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the 9th inst."

> 11 October 1775: The Colonial officers leading the attack at Fort St. John decide to place an artillery battery on the east bank of the Richelieu River (across from Fort St. John). Livingston: "...the General ordered Coll'o Clinton and 200 of his men to go upon that Business. The Col'o pitch'd upon myself to go with him... Cap't Nicolson, Dubois, Billings & Denton were pitch'd to go with us. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon we set of for the east shore in 7 Batteaus and proceeding down to where a road had been just cut on the east side & coming within little more than a half mile of the Fort they gave us several shot with Ball but every one went too high... We made no Regular Encampment but lodged about in the woods as well as we could for the night."

> 12 October 1775: The day is spent cutting and carrying fascines and stakes for the battery position. At night, the battery position is completed.