lifax they were without sufficient clothing or
proper food, or pay, and the officer in charge--Captain Alexander
McDonald--without authority to draw money, or a regular warrant to
receive it. In January "the men were almost stark naked for want of
clothing," and even bare-footed. The plaids and Kilmarnocks could not be
had. As late as March 1st there was "not a shoe nor a bit of leather to
be had in Halifax for either love or money," and men were suffering from
their frosted feet. "The men made a horrid and scandalous appearance on
duty, insulted and despised by the soldiers of the other corps." In
April 1778, clothing that was designed for the first battalion, having
been consigned to Halifax, was taken by Captain McDonald and distributed
to the men of the second. Out of this grew an acrimonious
correspondence. Of the food, Captain McDonald writes:

"We are served Served Since prior to September last with Flower that
is Rank poison at lest Bread made of Such flower--The Men of our
Regiment that are in Command at the East Battery brought me a Sample
of the fflower they received for a Months provision, it was exactly
like Chalk & as Sower as Vinegarr I asked the Doctors opinion of it
who told me it was Sufficient to Destroy all the Regiment to eatt
Bread made of Such fflower; it is hard when Mens Lives are So
precious and so much wanted for the Service of their King and
country, that they Should thus wantonly be Sported with to put money
in the pocket of any individuall."[158]

It appears to have been the policy to break up the second battalion and
have it serve on detached duty. Hence a detachment was sent to
Newfoundland, another to Annapolis, at Cumberland, Fort Howe, Fort
Edward, Fort Sackville and Windsor, but rallying at Halifax as the
headquarters--to say nothing of those sent to the Southern States. No
wonder Captain McDonald complains, "We have absolutely been worse used
than any one Regiment in America and has done more duty and Drudgery of
all kinds than any other Bn. in America these thre Years past and it is
but reasonable Just and Equitable that we should now be Suffered to Join
together at least as early as possible in the Spring and let some Other
Regimt relieve the difft. posts we at present Occupy."[159]

But it was not all garrison duty. Writing from Halifax, under date of
July 13th, 1777, Captain McDonald says:

"Another Attempt has been made from New England to inv