Corpus of Modern Scottish Writing (CMSW) - www.scottishcorpus.ac.uk/cmsw/ Document : 367 Title: James Campbell's Second Letter Home from Fort Oswego Author(s): Campbell, James Sir I take this opportunity to let you know I am still in the Land of the Living at this uncomfortable Place Osweygo but I don't Repent my Coming to this Country as I have got my Preferment without Purchasing and tho' the Regt. may be broke in the event of a Peace my half pay will be better. I wrote Archd. some time ago under Genll. Campbells Cover that Genll. Shirley had appointed me a Capt. in his own Regt. I have not Receive'd my Commiſsion but I believe its Sign'd and in our Majors hands the winters here being Severe all our Communication with the Inhabited Port of this Country is Cut off till the beginning of Aprile at which time if the War is to Continue we expect the army to advance this Way I hope our Next Campaign will be more Succeſsfull than this has been but there are many difficultys to support an army so far from Inhabitants. almost unsurmountable. I have taken every opportunity of writing home and hope my letters have Come to hand. Some of them have for I receiv'd an answer to one I Wrote from this Place I was Glad to hear from Annie that the Bridge was finish'd and the Road in a fair way of being so. it will be of Great Service to your Part of the Country, and you may tell Mr. Collquhoun I give him Joy of it. I shou'd be very Glad to hear from him and how the Improvements go on in the Country. This Place affords nothing New, its quite in its Primitive State. Situated on a River at the side of a Vast Lake on which we have four arm'd Veſsells on the other Side in a Boundleſs forest of Prodigious fine trees. Tho here of no Value. I have burn'd more for firewood this winter in my house than wou'd make a Poor man Rich with you. I begg to be remember'd to all my good acquaintances tell them I am well and in good health tho' I have but very little Fresh Provision to eat I drink their Health often in very good madeira Wine. I shall be glad often to hear from my sisters and of your Wellfare which I most Sincerely Wish I hope at my Return to find you in good health I wish my friend Mains had sent his son John a Voluntier into this Country if he is not better Provided for where he is had he behav'd himself well I think he wou'd have got a Commiſsion as there has been many Vacancy in this Country by battle fatigue and feverish disorders which has Swept. of many. I am affraid it will now be too Late to advise him to take a step of that sort as it may not meet with Succeſs. Tell Mr. Graham I have wrote him sevll. times which I hope he has Receiv'd. I expect to Paſs a Winters night with him at his fireside drinking some of his good strong Beer. I shall have a Prodigious budget of adventures to tell him, which I can not Commit to Paper youll communicate this to Arch: as I have not time to write him the Indian that carries it being just setting out So shall conclude with wishing you and yours all Health and happineſs and I am Dr. Sir your most Dutifull Jas. Campbell OsweygoJany ye 23d 1756