Sargent says, "I do not know who was the author of this Journal: possibly he may have been of the family of Capt. Hewitt. He was clearly one of the naval officers detached for this service by Com. Keppel, whom sickness detained at Fort Cumberland during the expedition."[1]
A comparison of the expanded version with the original here printed shows that the "Morris Journal" was written by Engineer Harry Gordon of the 48th Artillery. The entry in the expanded version for June 2 reads: "Col. Burton, Capt. Orme, Mr Spendlowe and self went out to reconnoitre the road."[2] In the original, under the same date, we read: "Colonel Burton, Capt. Orme, Mr Engineer Gordon & Lieut Spendelow were order'd to reconnoitre the Roads." Why Mr. Gordon desired to suppress his name is as inexplicable as the failure of the Rev. Francis-Orpen Morris, who compared the expanded and the original manuscripts, to announce it. The proof is made more sure by the fact that Mr. Gordon usually refers to himself as an "Engineer,"
