eral Journeys to Fort Stanwix and
Oswego and whilst I was absent he got acquainted with some of the
soldiers on this Island who persuaded him to get off from me and
accordingly he got off in the manner following: when Lieut.
Peppin of the 5th Regiment and his Party were embarking on board
the Haldimand to go to Niagara, he privately got on board and
remained there Incog. for one Day and a Night on which I made an
application to Mr. Peppin to make a search for him and
accordingly he did and found him and likewise brought him before
the Commanding Officer who asked the Boy his Reasons for Running
away from me: he replied He did not chuse to live with me on
which Capt. Aubreay has sent him down as Prisoner to Yr.
Excellency.

"May it please Your Excellency I expect your Excellency will
please to take my Case into consideration by granting me the
Request of being paid for what I have lost by said Prisoner or
the Yankee Boy, to be returned to me...."[33]

There were not wanting at this time or later instances of those
convicted of crime buying their lives by enlistment for life. One case
of a mulatto, a slave, may be here mentioned. A mulatto called
Middleton was convicted at Montreal in 1781 of a felony (probably
larceny) which carried the sentence of death. He was an expert
mechanic of a class of men much in demand in the army and he was given
a pardon conditioned upon his enlisting for life. He chose the Second
Batallion of Sir John Johnson's Royal American Regiment then in Quebec
and was handed over by Sheriff Gray to the officers of that corps
after having taken the oath of allegiance administered to all
recruits.[34]

Many slaves were employed as boatmen, laborers, and the like, in the
army. We find a letter from headquarters at Quebec to Captain Maurer
who was at Montreal, dated October 6, 1783, which reads:

"Having had the Honor to communicate to His Excellency, the
Commander-in-Chief, your intimation that applications have been
made by the Proprietors of some Negro's Serving Capt. Harkimer's
(Herkimer) Company of Batteau Men to have them restored to them
and desiring to receive His Excellency's Pleasure therein, I am
directed to signify to you His Excellency's Commands that all
such Negro's to be given up on the Requisition of their owners,
provided they produce sufficient Proofs of their Pro