I once asked my friend George Woodbridge to define the word historian for me. George said that a historian is anyone who makes their living from history. Applying this formula I am pleased to acknowledge the historians who helped me craft this book. They are economic historian John J. McCusker (Trinity College), the distinguished author Thomas Fleming; Philander D. Chase, Senior Editor of the Papers of George Washington; Arthur Spiess and Leon E. Cranmer, Historical Archaeologists with the Maine Historic Preservation Commission; Patricia Kennedy from Parks Canada; André Charbonneau, Ph.D. from the Quebec Service Center of Parks Canada who expertise is the military history of Quebec; Thomas L. Nesbitt, Park-Recreation Supervisor at Crown Point State Historic Site, New York whose special interest are bateaux; Christopher Fox, curator of the Fort Ticonderoga Museum; Eric Schnitzer, the National Parks historian at Saratoga National Historic Site, New York, economics historian Robert E. Wright, Ph.D., and Henry M. Cooke, historical costumer, researcher, and writer whose outstanding work includes the reproductions of George Washington’s uniforms on display at the new Mount Vernon Visitors Center.
Among the other professionals who shared their special knowledge with me were Joseph Rubinfine, an antiques dealer and authority on early American manuscripts; Forrest R. Bonney, a Regional Fisheries Biologist with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and Lewis Flagg, Deputy Commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources.
I am also pleased to also acknowledge the help of a number of my fellow enthusiasts who enjoy studying history but earn their living doing something else. Topping this impressive list is Duluth (Dude) E. Wing, a retired Maine Forest Service Ranger who is an expert on the route of the Arnold Expedition. Dude grew up in the heart of Arnold Expedition country and it was my great privilege to have him as my guide through the Dead River, Chain of Ponds, Height of Land and Lake Magentic sections of Arnold’s route. Talking to Dude about the Arnold Expedition over breakfast at the Maine Line Café in Stratton, Maine, was one of the highlights of this project.
I especially enjoyed listening to Dude’s stories about the Maine wilderness. One of my favorites is how he told about going into the forest near his home with his father to hunt and fish. Dude said they would often sleep in the woods at night rather than walk back home. “In the Maine woods, there’s nothing that will hurt you,” Dude’s father told him. “Bears usually vanish, poisonous snakes are nonexistent, and there is no poison ivy. So lay down at dark and enjoy the pine spills or fir bough bed, drink pure mountain water from the books, and feel sorry for all those people who live in the cities and have many things to fear.”
The other enthusiasts who helped me were the late George C. Woodbridge, illustrator and authority on the organization, uniforms and weapons of the armies of the American Revolution; John Rees whose interest is 18th Century foods and cooking; Raymond J. Andrews, an architect and expert on the uniforms of the American Revolution; Lt. Gen. David Richard Palmer (retired), the former superintendent of West Point and the author of several military history books my favorite being The Way of the Fox, American Strategy in the War for America; Richard G. Bell, a lawyer and authority on the court martial of Lt. Col. Roger Enos; Dr. Richard Prouty, my eminent research companion and friend whose interest is the history of military medicine; Michael Leonard, computer analyst and U.S. Naval Reserve Commander who advised me on 18th Century nautical terms and technology and George C. Neumann, corporate executive and acknowledged as America’s leading expert on Revolutionary War weapons. I am also indebted to Rusty Arsenault, a retired rural Maine truck driver and Ronald Gammage, who was the postmaster of Skowhegan, Maine for 29 years. Both are students of the Arnold Expedition and were my guides to the Great Carrying Place section of the Expedition’s route.
Research was done for this book at The New York Public Library, The David Library of the American Revolution, The New York Historical Society, Princeton University Libraries Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, The Library Company of Philadelphia, The Maine Historical Society, Rutgers University Library Special Collections and the Connecticut Historical Society.
Transforming a manuscript into a book is a arduous undertaking. I was fortunate to have a team of dedicated professionals at Savas Beatie to shepherd me through the process. Outstanding among them were my editor Terry Johnson and marketing director Sarah Keeney.
I am also grateful to my wife Susan for her patience and help during the long process of creating this book.
Arthur S. Lefkowitz
Piscataway, New Jersey, 2007