This arduous enterprise was committed to Col. Arnold. About a thousand men consisting of New-England infantry, some volunteers,[1] and a company of artillery under Captain Lamb, and three companies of riflemen were selected for the service. Notwithstanding the utmost exertions that could possibly be made, the detachment could not commence their march until about the middle of September 1775. Mr. Stocking, a native of Chatham, in Connecticut, was one of the little band of patriots designed for this expedition. As he was a man capable of making judicious observations, and a good penman, he was probably appointed to keep a regular journal of the events of each day during this distressing campaign. The detachment commenced their march from Cambridge, near Boston on the 23rd of September, at which time and place Mr. Stocking began his journal. [Illustration] AN INTERESTING JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING OF CHATHAM, CONNECTICUT DETAILING THE DISTRESSING EVENTS OF THE EXPEDITION AGAINST QUEBEC, UNDER THE COMMAND OF COL. ARNOLD IN THE YEAR 1775 _Published by relatives of Abner Stocking, now deceased_ JOURNAL OF ABNER STOCKING AS KEPT BY HIMSELF, DURING HIS LONG AND TEDIOUS MARCH THROUGH THE WILDERNESS TO QUEBEC, UNTIL HIS RETURN TO HIS NATIVE PLACE. All things being in readiness for our departure, we set out from Cambridge, near Boston, on the 13th Sept. at sunset, and encamped at Mistick at eight o'clock at night. We were all in high spirits, intending to endure with fortitude, all the fatigues and hardships, that we might meet with in our march to Quebec. September 14th. This morning we began our march at 5 o'clock and at sunset encamped at Danvers, a place twenty miles distant from Mistick. The weather through the day was very sultry and hot for the season of the year. The country through which we passed appeared barren and but thinly inhabited. September 15th. This morning we marched very early, and encamped at night within five miles of Newbury Port. The inhabitants who visited us in our encampment expressed many good wishes for our success in our intended enterprise. September 16th. Zealous in the cause, and not knowing the hardships and distresses we were to encounter, we as usual began our march very early.--At eight o'clock we arrived at Newbury Port where we were to tarry several days and make preparations for our voyage. We were here to go on board vessels which we found lying ready to receive us, and carry us to the mouth of the Kennebeck. The mouth of the Kennebeck river is about thirty leagues to the eastward of Newbury Port. September 17th. We are still at Newbury Port and are ordered to appear at a general review. We passed the review with much honor to ourselves. We manifested great zeal and animation in the cause of liberty and went through with the manual exercise with much alacrity.