Select passages from the diary and letters of the late John Blackader, Esq.

1708.] col. blackader's papers. 73
fatigue, for we marched all yefterday, all
the night and all the day ; had a conftant
heavy rain moft of the time, which made
the roads very bad, and the march very
tedious. Sometimes we took four hours
in marching half a mile. I was thirty
hours on horfeb-ack, which is the longed
time ever I was in my life, either the laft
war or this. I know not how things will
turn,but I think there are appearances of a
battle, for the French feem not to fhun
it much, if we be very keen in courting
the occation, as we {till pretend to be.
Lord, I commit myfelf and all to thee, and
through grace will be very eafy, come
what thou pleafeft to fend.
26. This day was kept, by public or-
ders, through the army for preaching and
prayers for fuccefs to our arms this cam-
paign. O Lord, grant the Englifh army-
may not be found mocking thee, and ag-
gravating their own guilt on fuch ccca-
lions, when there is not fo much as the
appearance of ferioufnefs, or that they be-
lieve there is a God who can either give
fuccefs or mar it. I retired as much as
poiiible from company, and we had fer-
mon. O Lord, let me be among the
H