William Casterline was a typical yeoman settler on the New Jersey frontier in 1755 when he was mustered into Captain Nathaniel Rusco's company of the New Jersey Regiment. Most descendants of colonial Jerseymen would have made a brief footnote in the family genealogical records, and possibly applied for membership in one of the patriotic chowder-clubs. Only the most spirited - or naive - would attempt to write a book about it.

"Colonial Tribulations" presents the French and Indian War from a New Jersey perspective, using William Casterline as the central character. Although only scraps of original source material still exist to document his service, the author has carefully studied the available literature and has vividly re-created the hardships of Oswego (1755-56) and the disaster at Lake George (1757). Of special interest to genealogists is his carefully prepared chapter listing New Jersey soldiers - a project which has never before been attempted. Historians of the colonial period will be particularly impressed with the book's extensive illustrations.

The key source of primary material appears to be a collection of payroll and settlement accounts included in the Stevens Family Papers in the collections of the New Jersey Historical Society. Originally penned by provincial assemblyman and commissioner John Stevens, the documents are titled "Old Blues Acco'nts & Rec'ds" and "Records of John Stevens Regarding the New Jersey Regiment in the French & Indian War." Occasional references to these sources can be found in essays published in the Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, usually footnoted as "Stevens/Yard Papers." However, these important records were completely ignored by colonial researchers and genealogists. The most prolific of New Jersey historians, William Whitehead and William Nelson apparently handled them over a hundred years ago, as there are a few dozen footnoted references to Stevens and Yard documents in their editions of the New Jersey Archives. However, even Theodore Thayer, whose "Colonial and Revolutionary Morris County" (Morristown, Compton Press 1975), is probably the best modern work on the general subject, did not include these documents in his bibliography of manuscripts. Several years ago, this reviewer visited the library of the New Jersey Historical Society to review these materials and was told that they did not exist.

Professional historians will find many reasons to criticize "Colonial Tribulations," but the undeniable reality is that this important effort has finally been completed and published. Moreover, as a self-published work, it was accomplished without a taxpayer subsidy or a team of "professional" editors. As such, the presses of Rutgers and Princeton, which print and distribute works by celebrity New Jersey historians, have missed an opportunity to fill a special gap in their catalog.

Until Greg's work there have been but a few paragraphs written about our New Jersey men in arms during the French and Indian War. This valuable work will certainly inspire many more and serve as a "must quote" source for all future publications on the period. The New Jersey Frontier Guard is proud to have been of assistance in the preparation of "Colonial Tribulations" and take great pleasure in awarding Greg Casterline our 2007 Book Award.