Monday, July 17th, 1775: We’re more than sixty miles from York, Pennsylvania. Capt. Morgan told the men this morning he wants us to be north of York by Thursday, the 20th of July and offers to have us stop there to put on a brief “sharpshooter show” if we’re on schedule. The Riflemen promise they will give him no less than twenty-five miles a day. He orders Ensign Bruin and me to “have your wagons on the road not later than 5 a.m.” We pulled out onto the dusty turnpike at about 4 a.m. but the half moon is waning to nil by the 27th, so leaving camp before sunrise isn’t going to be an option for long. We stopped after twenty-six miles tonight at Mechanicstown,6 because it’s been an “uphill day” and a local militiaman told Lt. Humphrey they might have some gunpowder to sell us. They didn’t.

Tuesday, July 18th, 1775: We logged twenty-eight mostly uphill miles today and hiked to the north side of the borough of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just before dark. This is a little “crossroads” town with several taverns, one of which is operated by the Getty family. They came out to our encampment with a barrel of cider and generously offered every Rifleman more than a mouthful.

Wednesday, July 19th, 1775: It’s thirty miles from here to York, Pennsylvania. Still no rain and the temperature has to be over 90 degrees. For the Rifleman slogging along on the dry, dusty turnpike, it’s tough. For the horses pulling the heavy wagons, it’s brutal. We set out shortly after dawn at a blistering pace. Just as we entered York, the skies opened. It’s the first rain we have felt in over a month.

Thursday and Friday, July 20th and 21st, 1775: The route on the turnpike from York to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is ninety-eight miles. But the road is now a three-inch-deep muddy quagmire. After conferring with the York Co. militia commander, Captain Morgan calls off the shooting competition and orders the men to “stay as dry as you can.” It’s the first time we have stayed in the same place more than one night on the march. It’s still raining as we bed down for the night.

Saturday, July 22nd, 1775: The rain stopped before dawn. Captain Morgan told us to hustle packing up because even though it’s only thirty-five miles from York to Lancaster, crossing the Susquehanna by ferry was sure to take more time than he wanted. He was right.

Based on information from the York County Committee of Safety, the Captain ordered us to head for the Keesey Ferry crossing from Accomac to Marietta on the eastern shore. According to the intelligence, the operator is known to be a Patriot and several other ferry operators are not.