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Fort Fairfield, Apr. 11, 1839.
Thursday 11th. All men employed on block house,
Mr. Bartlett returned from [River] De Chute, he reported that, he arrived at De Chute on the 10th at noon where he hired seven horses & eight men whom he found engaged in the timber business, his object then was to bring them back with him to the Fort - a distance of about ten miles on the line, all of which he would have had to swamp this idea he did not entertain for a moment, his only chance then was to ascertain the least possible distance to Smiths camp on the Houlton &Aroostook road & to swamp through to that, the two men he sent out for this returned and reported that with our small force it would be impossible. He then proposed to the owners of the horses to let them remain in charge of a guard man whom he found with them, provided they would give a bond to the Land agent for their delivery at Fort Fairfield or to pay the value say 400$ which they readily assented to.
As one of our Prisoners had effected his escape from the two volunteers whom he sent to explore he was apprehensive of an attack or surprise before he could retreat beyond their reach. In this he was not deceived. At half past five o'clock A. M., they arrived numbering twenty eight with [fouling?] pieces & muskets and demanded of him the horses & prisoners which of course he protested against but was not strong enough to prevent a rescue his 10 men being armed with but a horse pistol each --
The mob was headed by the commissary of the drafted men in the Province of N.B.
Friday 12th. All men employed as yesterday, river nearly clear of ice below piers
Messrs Harvey & Kearney gave a bond for delivery of horses etc and were allowed to go as by agreement with Mr. Bartlett.
The boom irons arrived today, finished ironing the boom, began to make [coal?] for Blacksmith and finished the cellar to block house at boom and sent six men on the ridge to make sugar
Saturday 13th. Four red coats from Tobique settlement were here today. Mess. [?] Babcock, Buck & Morrill left here for Presque Isle to build boats. Also Buffam, Powers & Badger went on an exploring expedition to the River De Chute, discharged Geo. A. Stevens a rifleman, not able or to lazy to work.
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Sunday 14. Snow Storm Monday 15 Snowed in the A.M. Men employed on boom and block house
Tuesday 16. All the men employed on boom & block & guard house. Buffum and others returned at 2 o'clock all reported that there is no practicable route southerly to the trespassed timber on River De Chute so good as the line, and that the route examined is nearly impractable on account of swamp. There were men employed clearing out the river DeChute and making preparations for driving etc.
Wednesday 17 Men employed on guard house at boom & block house, finished digging cellar in the P.M. and commenced on breast works.
Thursday 18. [?] rainy weather men employed as yesterday. 1 P.M. ice started above and ran for four hours, four men on one of the piers in great danger for some time but escaped uninjured Whole damage about ten dollars, about twenty tons of timber escaped, Capt. [?] arrived this P.M.
Friday 19. Men employed on defenses etc. as before. P.M. another small run of ice ran nearly all night boom met with no further injury. The timber [?] in the afternoon was carried away out of the eddys by the ice. In the night two bateaux arrived, Sargent Brown & 20 men were sent at night to see if a party was going through to Little Madawaska trespassing as an intimation that such was the case had been rec'd. Benjamin Tibbetts & Mr. Martin have been frequently at Fitzhuberts for several days.
Saturday 20. Men generally employed as for the past days, weather pleasant but squally at times
P.M. Brown returned reported that no larger party had gone through that some straggling trespassers had been warned off and had come down river one also reported that the water is too low to run timber out of the Little Madawaska, average rise of water this last rain about two feet.