Chapter IV: A Catalogue of Foul Deeds

_Dr. Morison now summarizes the evidence he had collected against Ensign Johnson into a catalogue of his "exploits." In addition to proving that the ensign was a respecter of no one, regardless of age, rank, sex, or position, the catalogue includes the intriguing report of alleged intimacies between Johnson and Mrs. Robert Rogers. This information may be true since we learn from another source that Major Rogers was said to have been jealous of Johnson. The ironical aspect of this whole matter is that ten years later when Elizabeth Rogers sued for a divorce from the major one of her grounds for the action was that her husband had been unfaithful to her while they were at Michilimackinac._

_Ensign Johnson finally met his match in the tough Connecticut trader, Phineas Pond, and resigned his commission in November, 1771, and disappeared from the scene._

_Sentencing a soldier to receive a thousand lashes, which Morison also relates in this chapter, was an unusually brutal penalty, although at least one sentence of fifteen-hundred lashes of the "cat" is on record. Ordinarily ten lashes was regarded as sufficient punishment for most offenses and as many as thirty-nine lashes was considered cruel._

Michilamackinack, 10th Aprile 1771. Ens. Johnstone attempted a rape on a girl betwixt nine & ten Years of age. Her shrieking out Violently alarmed her step-father, Arthur Ross, & others in the barracks. This Arthur Ross was servant to Ens. Johnstone at the time, who upon makeing remonstrances the next morning to Ens. Johnstone of his rude & uncommon behaveour, Received a very severe blow on the left breast from his master, Ens. Johnstone, which made him quit his service instantly.

Ens. Johnstone acknowledged publickly, by way of Bravado, he had carnal dealings with Mrs. Oldham (the mother of this girl upon whom he attempted this Rape) three years agoe, and about twenty Days agoe he vaunted of the same foul deed, declaring publickly it was [no one's business?]. This declaration happened two or three days before he attempted the Rape upon her Young Daughter.

Tuesday the 23d Aprile 1771. We had a kind of horse race here; the most of the garrison walked out to enjoy the pleasure of the Show. Ens. Johnstone being appointed as one of the Judges upon the Occasion, Ens. Strickland's mare was saddled for him, that he might be enabled to execute the important office with the more Alacrity. The racers appeared on the ground expecting Ens. Johnstone with outmost impatience. [They] sent several messages in quest of him; his mare was found; but he himself could not, & no wonder for he was then in a Captain's Cabin marking barrells of Liquor to be Rolled over to the Suttler's house, which was observed to be conveyed in this manner by Creditable Witnesses. Ens. Johnstone seized this opportunity very seasonably while the racers waited half one hour for his Judicial appearance before they could start.

After secureing his Cargoe in this manner he appeared soon after the racers started. The horse won & the mare lost the race (which is a surprizing Circumstance) according [to] the prevailing constitution of this fort.

Thursday 25th. Aprile 1771. A Barrell of Liquor, at least presumed to be, was Rolled over to the Suttler's about 12 o'clock forenoon. This Barrell was marked Capt G. T. [George Turnbull] & rolled over by Donaldson [?] of the General's Company.

A Catalogue of Ens. Robert Johnstone of the 2d. Battl. Exploits.

1. Knocked down a frenchman at Grosse pointe.

2. Quarrelled with Mr. [Alexander] Baxter.

3. Quarrelled with Major [Robert] Rogers, & used uncommon freedom with
his wife, common fame says to the extent of carnal conversation
with her.

4th. Wounded Corpl. Johnstone of the general's Company in the arm.

5thly. Attempted to draw his sword upon Mr. [Benjamin] Frobisher for
which he was put under arrest.

6thly. Quarrelled with & insulted Capt. [Frederick] Spiecmacher
[commandant, 1767-68], for which he was under arrest for five
months.

7thly. Selling of Common Rum to the Soldiers, mixing water with it, &
selling it afterwards at 18. sh. York Currency pr. Gallon.

8thly. Knockeing down Mr. Farrol, Barrack master, betwixt 70 & 80 Years
of age, on board of the Gladwin.

9thly. Nonsuited at a prosecution in favours of a prostitute.

10thly. Committed Felony, attempted by him & two accomplices, against
the person of Doctor Morison.

11thly. Intended murder by Poison.

12thly. Mixing four ounces of Jallap with the water boiled for Punch at
a publick Enter[tain]ment.

13thly. Challenged Lieut. Christie, & asked him pardon without coming to
a tryal.

14thly. Sporting with Capt. [John] Browne & Capt. Glazier's Characters,
calling the last a mean, low lived, Dirty fellow.

15thly. Flogged Knight, Soldier of the General's Company, by his own
hand with a wooden Switch, in presence of Capt. Turnbull without
the benefit of a Court martial.

16thly. Kicked & Cuffed Sergeants & Soldiers upon the publick Parade, to
which the Commanding officer was present at some of those
Irregularitys.

17thly. Attempted to Murder William Morison, Nephew to Doctor Morison,
to which Capt. Turnbull, Commanding Officer, was present, with
many others.

18thly. Kicked and Cuffed Sergt. Carlile in his own house upon a Sabbath
day when the garrison was at Church, & in the Scuffle hurt one of
his stones.

19thly. Some days after that he decoyed away the Sergt's wife, Mrs.
Carlile, who lived with him upwards of six weeks at Bed & board
&c.

20thly. Vaunted he had Carnal dealings with Mrs. Oldham & three Years
after attempted a Rape upon her daughter betwixt 9 & 10 years of
age.

2lst. Was put under arrest by Capt. Turnbull for the space of 24 hours
for Quarrelling with Maxwell the Commissary.

22d. Attempted to sow Discord betwixt George McBeath and his wife to
whom he offered one hundred pounds &c provideing she would take up
with him & quit her husband.

23d. Sergt. Carlile of the General's Company Objected to Ens. Johnstone
as a member of a Regimental Court Martial, set upon his Accusation
[to] which [he] pleaded not guilty, & for certain Reasons desired
the benefit of a general Court martial, which was denyed him.

30th May 1771. That evening after Roll Call, a Delinquent, James Coleman, soldier of the Lieut Colonel's Company, sentenced to Receive 1000 Lashes for Desertion, received near five hundred & would have received more had not I intervened to hinder any more proceedings as he was not able to endure any more.

That very evening of the 30th he was ordered by the Commanding officer to the flogging post to receive the rest of his punishment, without Consulting me whether he was fit to receive them or not. He appeared under a file of men, in presence of the whole garrison, to undergoe that which he was not able to support. At that Juncture, he immediately fell upon his Knees & begged Capt. Turnbull to delay the rest of his punishment till he was more fit to undergoe them. Upon this application Capt. Turnbull asked my oppinion. I answered he was not fit, & consequently he was under the necessity of being carryed home to the Guard house by two soldiers of the guard.

This lenity of mine in favours of the prisoner produced the following Garrison orders (tho' there was no previous complaint lodged):

_Michilimackinac 31. May 1771. For the future the officer of the Day
will visit the men's barracks every forenoon at 12 o'clock to see that
the Barracks are kept clean & that the sick or lame are regularly
visited by the Surgeon; when prisoners are in that situation the
Sergt. of the Guard will report to the officer of the day if it should
happen that they are not Regularly attended._

The 10th of June 1771. Ens. Johnstone quarrelled with Phinehas Pond, a trader from New England. The dispute became very warm with high & insulting Expressions. At length in the height of their dispute Ens. Johnstone took down a brace of pistoles off the chimney brace, presented them to Pond at the Table, challengeing him to take up one of them, which Phineas Pond did directly. Ens. Johnstone in wrath desired Mr. Pond to give his Pistol to Mr. Howard, trader, to charge. He replyed he would not give his Pistol to any man to charge; upon which Pond began to charge his Pistol as fast as he could work. Ens. Johnstone (observeing that Mr. Pond was about chargeing so brisk) took hold of his own pistol by the barrell & pushed the butt of it violently & struck him with great fury in the Pit of the stomach, which staggered him surpriseingly. This unexpected proceeding prevented Pond from loading his Pistol, which he was obliged to drop & make of his hands in his own defence, which he plyed about so manfully that Ens. Johnstone fell flat directly upon the floor. Phineas Pond gave him such terrible bruiseings, black eyes &c. that Ens. Johnstone was obliged to keep his Room for several days, & tho' this day is the 6th. since his disaster, he is not Yet recovered, walking about slowly with a pair of black Eyes. What the consequences of this uggly affair will turn out to I cannot determine.

Ensign Johnstone sold Mr. [Ezekial] Solomon the Jew ninety gallons of common Rum June 1771. The year before he sold fifty bundles of dryed Venison to the said Solomon at 2 sh. & 6d for the benefit of Capt. Turnbull, commanding officer of this Fort.