RRB-001X -- Merry Grenadiers!

Meanwhile back at the British Camp, celebrations have started early for Christmas!

For soldiers cooped up in the isolated garrison forts in the wilderness there was little to do in the off-duty hours but eat, sleep, gamble and drink! New England Rum, popularly known as "Killdevil”, was issued daily to the men.

A gill or quarter pint was the authorized ration, but men could earn an extra gill in lieu of money for extra duties such as road building or fort construction. Also in some cases after returning from strenuous patrols or successful expeditions. Enterprising soldiers could always find extra drink somewhere.

At Quebec in the winter months it was a serious problem "Liquors were extremely scarce, and when men could procure them, they generally drank to excess, it was no uncommon thing in the morning, to find several men frozen to death, from the above cause.”

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