Recollections of an old soldier.

Description

As they were in those days, the full title of Capt David Perry's book is its own description: <Blockquote> Recollections of an old soldier. The life of Captain David Perry, a soldier of the French and revolutionary wars, containing many extraordinary occurrences relating to his own private history, and an account of some interesting events in the history of the times in which he lived, no-where else recorded. Written by himself. </Blockquote> Perry's *Recollections* was first printed through the generosity of a young printer and newspaper publisher, Simeon Ide (who does not mention his name), at his Republican & Yeoman Printing Office in Windsor, Vermont, 1822. Later editions include one in the early 1900s, one in 1928, and one in 1971. Capt. David Perry (1741-1826) was born in Rehoboth, Massachusetts; raised a family in Killingly, Connecticut, and then in Plainfield, New Hampshire, where he accepted a captain's commission after the war; wrote his *Recollections* in Chelsea, Vermont; and lived out his old age in Ira, Vermont, where he died and is buried. <Blockquote> (See "The Captain David Perry Web Site" for more detailed information. <small>Be aware that the entire site including photos is under copyright protection. Notification is posted at the top or bottom of each web page, and also under "How to Cite this Site."</small>) </Blockquote> During the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War), Captain David Perry served in the Massachusetts provincial forces under the British against the French and their Indian allies. He fought or served at Ticonderoga, 1758; the Siege of Quebec, 1759; Nova Scotia, 1760 and 1762; and the recapture of St. John's, Newfoundland, later in 1762. During the American Revolution, he served as a second lieutenant at the Siege of Boston, 1775; and at as a first lieutenant at Providence, Rhode Island, during the winter of 1776-77. The last war through which Perry lived, but in which he could not serve due to age, was the War of 1812. He devoted the end of his *Recollections* to that war, and to the situation in the New England States then and shortly after. His entire book was written to his posterity and future generations, but none more so than his final words. Capt David Perry's conclusion to his book, is stirringly patriotic, written by one to whom America's new-found liberties meant so much, and who'd lived through the wars that made them so. <Blockquote> <small> (Source: The Captain David Perry Web Site: Summary, http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dagjones/captdavidperry/summary.html Copyright c 1999-2013, Denise G. Jones, accessed 11 Feb 2013.) </small></Blockquote>

Description

The National Union Catalog [NCU] description follows here with corrective revisions in brackets by Denise G. Jones: "The writer's life was spent in Rehoboth and Dighton, Mass., Killingby [Killingly], Conn., Plainfield, N.H., and Chelsea, Vt. [Note: He lived his final years in Ira, Vermont, where he died in 1826, and was buried.] He served in four campaigns of the French and Indian War from Massachusetts, 1758-1762 and in two campaigns of the Revolution from Connecticut, 1775-1776 [1775, and 1776-1777]." Note: Anytime the pages given are 55, the book is either an actual first edition published in 1822, a microform of it, or a scanned copy of one, as the case with this edition listed here. (Microforms include microfiche and microfilm.) Any edition that gives the number of pages as 73 is a form of the Alden edition, that is, a republication by Mrs. John Ferris Alden, complete name Mary Emma Bogue Alden, which she produced in the early 1900s, with a few differences, and printed at her own expense by Vredenburg & Co., Inc., Rochester, N.Y. The forms of her republication are either an actual book, a microform, or a reprint of hers in 1971 pubished by Winston DeVille using her plates but with changes to the title, and published under his imprint Polyathos Press, Cottonport, La. (later New Orleans, La.), or else a microform of that one. The only other case is where a book is scanned, but the number of pages still holds true as an identifying marker between the first edition (55 pages) and the Alden/Polyanthos editions (73 pages). (Source: Denise G. Jones, The Captain David Perry Web Site, c1999-. Mrs. Jones has researched Perry's book, his life, his times, and his posterity for over 35 years. See this site for more information on Capt. David Perry and on the events and experiences he described.) This copy is a scanned first edition book, contributed by the Boston Public Library, Call number: 39999063215881, Digitizing sponsor: Boston Public Library. NOTE: For more information on Captain David Perry's book, click on “Recollections of an old soldier” AT THE TOP OF THIS PAGE to go to the main Recollections page. Included are a description of Perry's life and time, excerpts, links, etc.

Subjects

Genres

• Personal narratives