Journal of Dr. Elias Cornelius, a Revolutionary Surgeon

Step onto the dusty roads of 1777 through the eyes of a Continental surgeon who fought as both healer and combatant. The journal opens with a vivid sketch of a skirmish near East Chester, where Dr. Cornelius rides with captains to probe enemy lines, only to find his troop scattered and the enemy closing in. In a matter of hours, the narrative shifts from battlefield maneuver to a sudden, brutal capture.

What follows is a portrait of life as a prisoner in New York’s Provost Jail, where the surgeon endures theft, interrogation, and the harsh discipline of Tory guards. His entries record the small details of loss—horses, pistols, a tattered coat—alongside the camaraderie of fellow captives and the indignities imposed by a tavern keeper. Interwoven with these observations is a concise biographical sketch that places his medical training and patriotism in context, offering listeners both a personal and historical lens on the Revolutionary struggle.