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MEMOIRS

OF

Captain Lemuel Roberts.

CONTAINING

ADVENTURES IN YOUTH,

VICISSITUDES EXPERIENCED AS

A CONTINENTAL SOLDIER,

EIS -

SUFFERINGS AS A PRISONER,

AND

ESCAPES FROM CAPTIVITY.

WITH

SUITABLE REFLECTIONS

ON THE

CH4NGES OF LIFE,

WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.

. - ■ - ■ -■■■- •

BENNINGTON, Vermont,

MINTED BY ANTHONY KASWELL, FOR THJ5 AUTHOR,

3809,

MEMOIRS

OF

CAPTAIN LEMUEL ROBERTS*

BUT few things are more frequent, perhaps, than for men to conceive, that the occurrences of their lives have been lingular, and that they pofTefs a fufficiency of interefting incident, if underftandingly communicated, to excite fur- r—prife, produce pleafure, & probably be of fome Tervice to mankind ; in difplaying the changes of life, and the bounty and care of a kind fuper- intending providence.

The writer and fubjec~l of thefe memoirs is ^ready to acknowledge, that this idea has fre- quently imprened his mind, and from his hav- sL ing been very often requefled to make his fuf- -Sferings and eieapes public, by thofe to whom he tir has made them partially known, he has at length ^decided to comply with their requelt, and while ^his aim will be to render the narrative worthy c of public notice, from its incidental variety and l*"the manner of relation, his intention is to pay a ^-flri£t regard to truth, and to detail events in ^he language of honed fimplicity. Ai The place of my nativity was Canaan in Con- necticut ; my birth took place, agreeably to l^theaecount of my parents, in x\prii 1751, and jjmy father was pleafed to give me his own chrif- ^Ttian rame. When I was in my tenth year my flfather removed, with his family, to the town of '.Stillwater, in the irate of Newyork. At this

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j^lace I continued to refidc with my parents, un- tTl I had attained my feventeenth year ; when, being of an enterprifmg mind, and anxious to do fomething that (hould forward my intereft, and turn to more account than common domef- tic labor, I communicated my views to my pa- rents, and with their confent entered into part- nerfhip with my elder brother, then in his twen- ty firit year, in company with one Peter CaftJe and Ebenez er Allen, to go on to the Grand Ifle, in Lake Cbamplain, for the purpofe of cutting lumber. This was in the year 1768 : and that pleafaiit and fertile ifland, which now conftitutes a county in Vermont, was then a complete and totally uncultivated wiidernefs, not an inhabit- ant reiiding on it, and bat here and there a fmall houfe or two on the lake (bores in its vicinity. Our inducement to go to the Grand Ifle pro- „ceeded:rcniuiciX«j;;.5iicf a Mr. George Maibm, agent to a company of Britifh merchants, in procuring £ large quantity of lumber from Ame- rica, who offered us fuch terms as, in our view, would afford a handfome reward for our toil. — W« went on to the ifland in the fall, and fpent there a cold and dreary winter, amidft great fa- tigue and toil, proviiions being irregularly fur- niihed us by our employer, from Canada : but after all our arduous and uncommon exertion, we found our labor by no means obtained us a recompence equal to our expectations. One reafon of this failure was, that when Mafom came on to the ifland in the fpring, to draw off the lumber, accompanied by a number of Cana- dian laborers, he brought with him a man of the name of Mallet, to infpecT; our ftaves. This

Mallet was a man fubjecl to intemperance, and would often attend to his bufinefs of inipeclion when his wine was too heavy for him ; tor this or for fome more powerful reafon, he threw out fo many of the ftaves, under pretence that they were not fit for market, that it appeared as if we were likely to lofe our labor, and icarcely to obtain enough to defray the expences which had been incurred.

Senfible of our injury, yet not knowing well how to obtain redrefs, after various confuta- tions, we at length came to the determination to burn the culls, or refufe fluff, but to this* both'Mafom am! Mallet violently objected, and after much altercation Mafom fettled with us, and paid us for our labor, a fufficiency of money to carry us handfomely home to Stillwater, and to leave each of us a trifling pittance be tide.

It may not be amifs here to mention a few lin- gular things that took place on our paffage to, and during the time of our Hay upon the ifland. If my recollection is correct, we went on in the month of October : on our arrival at Crown Point, where a fmall Britifh garrifon was then Rationed, Mafom obtained a boat and Tour or [ivt ibldiers, to carry us on to the Grand Ifle, and from thence to accompany him down to St. John's. We left Crown Point in fair and plea- fant weather, and met with nothing worth men- tioning on our paiTage to the place now called Williborough. where we landed and purchafed a grindftone, and fome refrefhment, and again fat fail for our place or' defunation. Soon after we left Williborough, we were overtaken with a fmart fouth wind, and the lake loon became fo

boifterous, as to put us all into the utmoft dan- ger of our lives. For m> felf, being entirely in- experienced as a failor, I was ftruck with the terrors of the fcene, and naturally led to con- eeive that our fate was inevitable". To add to the trouble of my mind fea-ficknefs too over- came me to fuch a degree, as totally to deftroy my capability of action, and my reaching and draining to puke was fo fevere, as to make me conceive that I fhould certainly tear away my vitals from their feat; but we efcaped, through the kind care of a merciful providence, that pro- bably not one of our number had the grace to acknowledge. During the tenveit Mafom him- felf flood at helm, and after a few hours of moil violent buffeting and peril, we made a Anall ill- and, Couth of the Grand Ifie, and run into a lit- tle inlet, or harbor, where we lay fafely moored until the dorm was entirely over.

The next morning we reached the Grand- iflev madeafafe landing, and immediately went out, in company with Mr. Mafom, itvfeach of timber whereon to commence our operations. In this employ we fpent the day, and towards evening reached what we called the Gut, at the north end of the South Hero. Here, upon the fpot which has ft nee been generally known by the name of Gordon's farm, we found excellent tim- ber, and what was very agreeable to us, we al- fo found a chauntee or lumber fhed, ready built to our hands, that had formerly been made ufe of by fome Canadians, who had been on the ifl- and before us, on the bu fine's of lumbering.

Mafom having anfwered his views thus far, and being fatisfied in his mind that he had reack-

^d the iftand he had ia view, as it eventually proved to be, he left us next morning, and pro- ceeded on his voyage to St. John's. Here it may not be amifs to mention, that my fea-fick- nefs had begun to abate, before we reached the little ifland before mentioned, and that after- wards I was not affected by lieknefs of any kind, through all the changes and hardships which we experienced in the expedition.

We commenced our operations immediately, and being refolutely bent on making an advan- tageous bulinefs of it, we wrought with deci- ded energy, refraining from our labor only on the Sabbath, which we agreed on obferving as a day of reft.

One Sunday, having laid aftde ufual labor, I went out to take a walk with Ebenezer Allen, and took an axe in my hand left, any thing ihould take place that may call for its ufe ; in our ex- curfion I obferved fome fcratches on a hollow tree, which made me conceive there may be raccoons or fome fuch creatures in it, and be- ing invincibly attached to the bufmefs of hunt- ing for game, I felled the tree, but was difap- pointed in my view. The idea of finding fome raccoons in the woods, however, ft ill p offering my mind, I call my eyes around, and perceived a large white elm, at a little diftance, which I conceived to be hollow, and on coming up to it found confiderable fcratching, apparently new ; animated with new hopes, I ftruck a blow or two on the tree, and immediately heard a fcratching within, and Allen cried out, cut a club ! cut a club ! the raccoon is coming out at the top of the tree : ♦! call my eye on a ilrait faplin at a

rod'or two diftancc, and fteppedto cut it, wheu Allen came running by me in apparent fear, and calling my eyes round to difcover the caufe, I perceived a large bear earning fwiftly down the great tree, on which I lifted my axe and ran to- wards him, but my fwiftnef? prevented my get- ting a ftroke at him, before he reached the ground, upon doing which he gave but one growl and a gnafli with his teeth, "and then got out of my reach as fpeedily as he could, or I fliould have grapled with him at all hazards. To fhew the lingular prefervations that pro- vidence is often pleafed to afford, to creatures unmindful of the goodnefs that fupports them, I < {hall here mention an incident that befel two of our company ; which threatened at the time, by the lofs of their lives, to fruftrate our whole plan of operation. Soon after the fetting in of winter, my brother and Allen being out on a walk one Sunday, took it into their heads to go over to the main, to a place called Point a Rulh, on the weftern (bore, and fee if they could find any inhabitants. They accordingly crofted and found the ice good ; here after fome travel they found a large chauntee, and a number of refid- ents, engaged in Uufinefs fimilar to our own : — . but the fausfying of their curiofity coft them ve- ry dear: the broad lake was not clofed, and a fmart fouth wind arifing, while they were on the main, the ice began to break up, and they had to run round a conliderable diftance to find a fpot where they dared to attempt to crofs, and at laft had to exert themfelves with all their might, to fidp from cake to cake, at the conltant and imminent rii'k of their lives, a diltanoe of fe-

veral miles ; but Frovidewe was pleafed t*> prefrrvc them, and after the endurance of al- mojf incredible fatigue, to enable them both t® get back in fafety to the ifland.

In this event, as in many others that I have noticed in the courfe of my life, the terrors of providence have been calculated to bring men to a momentary ienfe of their dependence, and an idea of the vilenefs of their condufl : the fingu- lar prefervation he had experienced, had fuch an effect upon Allen, that a viable change in his language and conducl was evident for fome time. In relating the incident, ct I thought," faid he, " that my hair flood erecl, and would even turn white with horror : and I determined if my life was fpared, that I would never utter another pro- fane oath while 1 lived.' ' Alien was a profane man, and had not grace enough to keep his en- gagement ; his terror foon fubfided, and he re- turned like the dog to his vomit again, and liks the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.

I mat] here mention another inftance of Pro- idential deliverance, which particularly refpeSl- ed myfeif, and which tranfpired during our re- fide nee on the ifland.

Some time in the month of January, on afoul day, when we had laid by from work, I took, my gup, and determining to hunt a little, crofled on the ice from the North to the South Hero- After hunting for fome time, and meeting with »o game worth notice, I fat out on my return on the ice, and had proceeded unlufpicious of dan- ger, until I reached the middle of the paffage,. B

10

when one of my feet broke through, and fink- ing fuddenly with the other to favc myfelf, that likewife breaking through, caft me down on my face, and threw my gun from my (boulder to "a confidence diltance from me. While thus lying on the ice, to my furprize I perceived, that the fudden thaw had fo affedred it, as to ren- der the very fpot where I lay a mere honey- comb : without endeavoring therefore to rife on my feet, I crept on my hands and knees to my gun, and perceiving the ice thereabouts to have fewer eyelet holes than that where my feet broke through, I ventured to rife, and with great cau- tion proceeded to the fhore.

But to return to my narrative. After the fet- lirig of our account with Mafom, in the beft way we could, as has been before mentioned, we fat out on our return home to Stillwater ; but the broad lake not being frozen over, we had to go over to the eaftern fhore. It was now about the 20th of March, and in two days travel we reach- ed Shelburne, where we got fome refrefhment, at Logan's fettlement, nGt having been able to obtain any, except what we had with us, or to find any houfe, except one at Pottier's Pointr from the time we left the iiland until our arrival at Logan's.

We left Shelburne the next morning and tra- velled on to Split- rock, where we took the ice again, and run to Crown Point before night ; the next morning we reached Ticonderoga, be- fore we took breakfaft, and by night got to Sab- bath day point, on Lake George, where,, wt put up for the night, at the houfe of Samuel Adams. The next morning we reached Fort George, a

n

diftance of twenty four miles, before we took breakfaft, and the fame night put up at the houfe of one Mr. Morfe, near Fort Edward, and the day following' arrived fafe in Stillwater.

The next winter enteing my eighteenth year, and being robuft of ;rame, and firm of conftitu- tion, with the confent of my parents, I again engaged in an arduous bufinefs, with a number of others, which was to get out mafts for Gen. Schuyler, in Saratoga ditirict ; and in this labo« rious and fomewhat hazardous bufmefs, found very few men capable of bearing more fatigue and hardfhip than myfelf. The fpring following I removed with my parents, on to a tract of land, on Deerfield river, on the eafl fide of Hoofick mountain*, in Maflachufetts ; & about this time my father being rendered incapable of labor, and my elder brother coming of age, and entering into the world for himfelf, the charge of a large family, in a great meafure', devolved on me, and I underwent the fatigue of clearing away con- fiderable part of a large farm, and of fupporting my father's family, for fix years, which brings us to the year 1775. x

I now come to a part of my hhtory, that may render it neceffary to make the reader acquaint- ed with my difpofition and propensities from my early youth. I had the molt ardent love for the exercife of hunting, even when too young to have experienced either its toils or pltafures, but when 1 was about thirteen years of age, be- ing out in the woods one night with my axe, and my dog, to hunt for raccoons, the dog bark- ed around a white elm tret, which drew my at- tention; but coming up to it, it proved fo large

12

that I dare not undertake to cut it down. The dog would not leave it, however, and therefore I returned to the tree again, it being then a little pail midnight, as I judged, and began to cut on the tree. I had many fpells of cutting and relt- i-ng, but b.fore it was much more than two thirds down, cutting my curve out, and being difcou raged again, I left the tree and endeavored to call the dog away, but he was now even more anxious than before ; upon this I returned to it again and labored till after fun rife, when the tree fell, and a great he raccoon rolled out of it, which my dog inftantly feized and killed. This fuccefs added to my tliirft for the enjoyment of the exerciie, and I afterwards fpent many nights in -catching, and perhaps as many, or more, \w fruitlessly hunting after raccoons and other forts ©f game.

Another- of my fingular hunting fcrapes took place when I was in my fourteenth year. The fever and ague had afRicled me for fome time, end I was but juit getting the better of it, when one day my father told me I might take my gun, and go to a fait lick at a fhort diilance from the houfe, and probably I might get a {hot at a deer* I accordingly took the gun and fat out, but be- fore I got to the lick, i heard a dog bark at a tree, which upon getting fair fight of, I perceiv- ed a yearling bear on the tree, near the crotch, and after calling for the owner of the dog fever- al times, and receiving no anfsver, I fired at the bear, and wounded him in one claw of a forefoQt, and he fell. The dog feized it, and the beir hugged him and opened his mouth to bite, on which I inltantly jammed the butt of my gun

15

into it v/jth all my /night, and then (hatching my hatchet from my girdle, I kiikd the bear, and though much enfeebled by my diforder, yet I made a fhift to rfrag him home.

To gi jq the reader an idea of the firmnefs of mv ftren^th and boldnefs of adventure at the time of my entering the army, I mall here recite a few incidents which occurred during the term of my refidence at the foot of Hoofick mountain, which immediately preceded the date of my en- fill me nt; h had become my frequent practice, and ffioft eiieemed amufeinent, even in the fevered of weather, to go out on the hilfe to hrt ; and once, on an extreme cold day, foon : I had betaken myfeJf to the mountain, on my mow Ihoes, having a good clog with me, I ftarted fome cfeer^ and punned them from moun- tain to mountain, to an extreme height ; at length my dog feparated one from the reft, and drove it into an open glade in the river : I was near to it, and the deer feeing me jumped out of the glade on to the ice, and ran acrofs the river. I fired at her but miffed my aim, and my dog being exceedingly fwiff of foot, foon overtook her and fnappea her by the ham, but the deer being in (Witt motion, though the dog threw her, yet jhe broke his hold, and the dog fell and Hid on the ice himfelf, nearly two rods frotirber ; this p;3ve the deer an opportunity tofpring into ano- ther glade, but the dog was fo clofe at her heels that he folio wed her in ; I was foon up with them, and found the deer bad turned on the dog, and was whipping him under the water, and would probably Icon have drowned him, but

C

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difcovering me fhe left him, and drove for the upper part of the glade, which having gained, fhe was endeavoring to pet out on to the ice, and was poifed as it were, not being quite able to ef- fect her purpofe, when I got fo near that I threw my hatchet at her, and ftruck her in the head, • when fhe fell backward into the glade, and the water running exceedingly fwift, i was fearful ihe would be carried under the ice : rather in- confiderately therefore, I fprang in, and the cur- rent being exceeding fwift and the water up to my arm pits, I fhouid unavoidably have been driven und^r the ice, but throwing my right arm over the back of the deer, which had begun to revive, and ilruggle to get out, I was fupport- ed in part by her, and forced her idong to the place where my hatchet lay. The water was here about up to my middle, and gaining good foot-' hold, by a ftrenuous exertion I threw the deer partly on to the ice, and feizing my hatchet killed her before I got out of the water.

After difpatching this deer, I betook myfelf t© the mountains after the others, though from the ieverity of the weather, it was \ ut a few minutes before my outilde* clothes were frozen entirely ilifF. I foon had the fortune to ftart another deer, which made for the water and I followed it, till it got into a glade and was driven under the ice. On this I made for the place where my firft deer lay, and from thence fat out for home, dragging my game after me upon the ice, a dis- tance of near three miles.

At another time, when I was fplitting out min- gles, my dog itarted and foon feizeci a itarely buck : feeing this I dropped my fro and ran up

15

to them with 'my maul, and feizing the buck by the ear, tried to knock him down, but could not : the mow being very deep, I ftepped round, and fpringing on his back, with one hand turned up his noie, and with the other, having now a better opportunity to ftrike than before, I foon knocked him down with my maul, and then cut his throat with my drawing knife.

Added to the hardy enterprizes of my hunting life, my fleadfaftnefs of mind to undertake haz- ardous achievements, and the correfpondent firmnefs of my conditution, & mufcular (Lrength, enabled me in the courfe of my adventures, in two inftances, to be the infirument, in the hand of providence, to fave the life of two of my fel- low creatures, when in great diftrefs, on Hoofick mountains. When I was in my twenty third year, if my memory ferves me rightly as to time, my father returned home o%e day, towards eve- ning, and informed me, that in ftrusfling acrofs the mountain, from the weft fide, in company with a ftranger, an infirm man, who had been to Lebanon fprings_for the benefit of his health, he had hiinfelf got bewildered, and after leaving the Granger's horfe, from the difficulty of getting him gioog, and difcovering the river, where the fcow was light, fb'oner than he had expecled, lie had unfortunately permitted the ftranger to re- turn, to endeavor to get his horfe along, with;di- rections how to fteer for our houfe, and under promife to fend me out to meet him : but that having been near Deerfield river, inflead of Cold river when he gave his directions, and fuppofing himielf near the former, he had c nfequently giv- en wrong directions, and was ierioufly apj

IG

henfive cf dlitreiling cr fatal coniequences re- fusing to the unforunate fcranger. On this I took a little food with me, to cherifii the man if I mould find him capable of receiving it, and to iupport myfelf, and immeoialely fat out,

When 1 came to the place where rny father di- rected the uranger 10 turn to the left inffead of to the right, I found the man hid got his hone on, and followmg the unfortunate directions of my father .punctually, he bacl gooe up inReacl of down the river, which led him on to a fevere cobble of a mountain. I took his track hence,&" followed it a conhderable way, till I found his horfe tied to a trcc^nd it being now dark, it be- came impoflibte to perceive his track from hence. In this dilemma I hallowed feveral times, and once or twice received an aufwer, but though [ continued to halloo, at intervals, for a confidera- ble time, I received no further anfwer, and to add to my perplexity, I could not for my life decide, whether he was on the mountain before mentioned, cr down at the bend of the river be- low mc : I concluded the latter to be the cafe, in all probability ; and accordingly defcending to where the horfe was, I with great exertions got him down to the river fide, but to my furprife I found no track of his mailer.

Coming- now to forne flood wood, in a narrow paffage, which I conclude 1 he could not poflibiy pais without obferving me, I decided upon mak- ing up a fire and laying by till morning, when I would again hunt for the man, if he did not find his way to me in the courfe of the night. I ac- cordingly put my defign in execution, and riling at dawn of day, took my own track to where I

17

found the fictffe tied ffeq Di^ht before, and again halloed with ail my might feveral rimes, but got noanfwer, I however now plainly difcovered a* track, and following on for (brae diHar.'ce, hal- loing at ftated intervals, at laft, to my great py, I received an arTwer, and keeping the direction the voice, as {foiled he ILkewiie did of mine, I (bon perceived him defending from the rfiCH tain, bat fa extremely debilitated and weak, that when he met with any little obitrudion he would pitch headlong into the fnow. I got up to him, •and making him lean on my flioulter for fup- port, 1 descended to where hi* horfe was, and from thence onward to our houfe, where he h\id to tarry a day or two before he obtained firength fuftlcient to enable him to venture home, This man's name was Belding, and at the Time of this event, belonged to Bhehmrn, in MafTachiifetts. Khali now cloie my relation respecting him, with juft remarking, that in my way home with him, I had to crofs the Deerrield river feveral time?, the water being above my waiil, the river wide and rapid, and the ice perplexing and yet re- ceived no injury, from cold or otherwife, that I, was ienhble of at the time.

The fecond infiance in which providence was pleafed to enable me, apparently to be the n cans of faving the life of my fellow man, was fame tone the winter fucceeding that in which 1 had afforded relief to Mr. fielding, It was on an ex- ceeding cold day, pretty late in the afteniedtf, when one Mr. Anderfon, or Henderfon, came to where rny father and my'elf were getting wood, and informed us of his having left a man on the mountain, without (how flhoes, who rnu't, in I

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©pinion, inevitably perifh, unlefs he obtained fpeedy affiltance. My father propofed to have me go acroC* the river, and get fome young men who liver! there, to go with me in fearch of the diftreffed Granger, but to this I objected,* efiring him, if he thought it expedient, to g-> af er them, while I would proceed on, which, after procur- ing two pair of mow (hoes, I did.

Following Mr. Ande- fen's direction and track, I found the (Iranger, foon after dark. He had kindled a little fire in an old rotten ftump, but had not'refolu ion enough to break up any thing that was attainable to put on to it, and confe- quently he had reaped but li'tle advantage from the heat. When I came up to him 1 found him to' ally difcouraged ; and having got fully per- fuacled that he mould die, let him do what he would, he utterly refufed to put on the fhow does 1 had brought for him ; but after I perfuaded him, laughed at him and fcolded at him for fome time, and partly forced him, I at length got him into motion, and when he had got a few falls on his fnow fhoes, he began to go on them tolerably well, and after a few hours of exertion, he arrived fafe, though not without be- ing fomewhat frozen,. at mv father's houfe.

I mail mention but one more irrftance of lingu- lar enterprife in the hunting line, that took p)c\cQ while I re(i led under Hoofick mountain, which was as follows. There had been a deep fnow on the mountain, and a Cud den thaw happening, in- ftantly. iucceeded by a fevere froft, the hills were completely covered with glare ice. 1 fpoke to my two younger br< thers, and told them that I guefsed if they were to take the clog, ana go t®

19

where the old indian roar] went up the mountain, probably they might catch a deer. The boys fat off and i prepared to go to Chariemont, and had but juft eat my breakfaft and ftarted, when I heard the dog bark on the mountain, and foon after difcovejred a deer, on Deerfield river, which ran into a glade, and the. dog foon got up to it. On discovering this I caught a gun, and ran for the glade, and got a (hot at the creature, which proved to be a fine large buck, but my ihot did him no injury .except it wounded him in one claw of one of his fore feet, which was lifred up to free him from the water : On perceiving him at- tempting 'o get out <^f the glade, I dropped my g in and run up to it, my dog being on the op- polite fide of the glade ; and the buck at laft grew fomad that he would fpring firft at the dog and then at me with the greateit violer ce, as either of us approached him. Ashe came near the lower part of the glade he fprang at me, when feizing him by the ears, and turning him on his fi i!e, 1 drew him out of the water on to the glare ~ice. I then got hokl of his under jaw with my right hand, my thumb being in his mouth, and clapping my foot on his^ moulder, endeavored to break his neck, but my utmoit exertions 3 found, did no more than partially to disjoint the under jaw.

While I was doing this he rolled over, and by that means getting on to rougher ice, he re- covered his foothold, and railing up whipped me feverely over the head and moulders v ith his fore legs: my only refource, therefore, was io force him on to the ghreice again, where 1 threw him, and renewed my atrempi to break his neck,

2§

b\&$ fbnii 1 nuy exertions fitaitie&. Befp*iririgrat length of effecting my cieiign in this way, I let

g6 my hoi-] of his jaw with rny right banct3 en- deavorip^mfeize it at the lame frtrwe with my Icfr, i*efoiiring to itrike him with my litl r.ar the ki neys, hoping td overpower hk» in that way. itslflwas eridms?orkrg hoyt^gvir to (hi ft rny hold of the jaw, the buck fprucg from me. and pot into th^glade again. 1 renewed my attack, wi h ihedog* and the bock con-inued to fight us as re ; at length in one of his jumps at me, I rht him again by the ears, and endeavored to draw him out of the glade, but he got his hind ^eet agaLhift e of the ice, and made (b 2*reat

: to free ; \ \r:.}i from my grafp, that I came very near being- drawn into the glade by hfasntj but breaking rny hold I efcaped. As foori as he recovered he a^ain made at me. and I had . e goad for- ore to catch him by the cars ->cr;r^ and bringing]; Ida head on to the ice, whirled his body into the ftream, turning hitn at the fame ":me oa n Ids ii'e^and the current brought his back op againft the ice, where by dint of perfe- verence, & a fc\ ere exertion of {lrcnp;tb, I held Inm in that r-od ion, till one of my brothers who had descended from the mountain, ran to me whh a knife, with which I cut the throat of the buck, and then drew him out of the water.

My brother now informed me, that the dog toarted a young buck and an old one in company, and tne young one making for the Cold river, the dog purfued and ibon overtook and killed it, then finding the o\3 one's track, betook if, which b^-ioht him to the foot fthete I w&s, and where I had fo fiifsukr a comeft with the buck,

21

®n thence, enduring a moft violent degree of" betting over the head and fhoulders while he was up. and a fevere raking with his hind feet when I held him down ; fo that it was quite a trial of my fortitude topreferve my hold, very often, for I had him up and down at lead eight or ten times.

Thus to give the reader an idea of my bold- nefs. peifeverance and ftrength, from early youth until the time when I entered into the fer- vice of my country, I have made a long digref- fion, and muft now return to the direct courfe of my narrative. We had progreiled on to the year 1775. At this period the revolutionary war in America commenced ; in the fpring of the year 1775, the tyranny of Britain became iniuff rable ; her fleets appeared on our coafts in molt hoilile array y her armies were quartered in our mod populous cities, againft the will of the inhabitants ; the moft bitter animofiiies became prevalent, and at length, fo early as the 19 h or April, he blood of the fons of Liberty was wan- tonly fpilt b< the Britifh, at Lexington.

[ he whole continent now became attentive to the call of liberty ; the alarm was univerfal, and feeling my bofom glow with love for my coun- try, I turned out on the firft alarm, with many of my fellow youth, and marched, under the command of one Captain Avery, to Cambridge, near Boil: n. In Cambridge I iniifted under one Captain Maxfield, to ferve as a foldier for eight months.

The fervice was a novelty to me, but my zeal for liberty urged me to an attentive obfervance

D

5!

of all neceffary orders, and consequently I Toon became fo great an adept in the military exercife, that I was appointed a corporal in the company ; and though 1 was a new foldier, having never feen action, >et having been long inured to tt il, and hardihip, I condantiy {ought oecafion for enterpriie, though I never had the fortune to be in any ferious engagement with the enemy dur- ing the 'campaign.

About the firft of June we marched to Chelfea, rear Bodon, under the command of Col. Ephraim Doolittle ; a gentleman whom I ever efteeme 1 more for the Strength of bis head than the valor of his hears: ; more as a difeeraiaig man than a refolu.e ibldier : He kept his men too dole for rny idea cf loidlerfliip, and erred by taking too much caution. Under him as a commander, I Lad no opportunity to flgnalize myfelf in any way, or even to come into contact with the ene- my'. -'-'•.- '"•-< ; -.

The nrft opportunity • that prefented for my er;jov:r::.r a feaibo of exertion, occurred as fol- lows. In the beginning of June a pretty ievtre action happened between a large reconnoitri: g party of Americans under General Putnam, a d a party of the Brftifli, who landed on Hog III- and to drive the Americans off; in this action the fpirit of America was invincibly oifpiayed. The Briom were beaten at every point ; they were forced to retreat to their boats and fly to iNoddie's IiTmd, to place themfelves under the protection of their Clipping.

A day or two after this action, Col. Doolittle with his reinforcement, of which I was one, ar- rived at Cheiiea ; juft on our arrival, a Britifh

23

i"; Sooner, ('probably fettt to afford alTo-arce <o their party on Noodle's hland, wi;o had been in the battle on Hog Ifhnd,) arrived oppofue Chel- fea, and being driven on to the way:, ft ruck ground and ituck fait. This being riifcover. a few refolute fellows from omr •■'euchment, and from Putnam's party; procured a field piece, : ran down to endeavor to take the fchooner : to e fleet our eleftgfi the more certainly, we p'aced a bundle of fcrewed hay on a pair of low wht to ferve as a bread work for the party while advancing, and to hide our field piece from the Britim on board the fchooner : in this manner we ruined upon them until we came within fuitahk nearnefs, when removing our breaft wui k we gave them a falute ; but they no fooner per- ceived our force and iraentmm than they let fee to the fchooner fore and afr, anJ fie ; oil in their boat. It was imp^flible fur us to Lvc the fchooner, but *^e gained her guns, which were much needed lai that time by onr army,

! likewiie her ball aft, which was pig iron, and once more evidenced to the enemy that they had to contend with fnroy and emerprizmg men.

The next day being down en the beach, look- ing about ioi feme occaiion to exert myfelr to advantage, I perceived two of our men, whom I knew to be bold and refwlme fellows, fwim- ming over to Noddle's {Hand : 1 was no fwim- .mer, but longed exceedingly to be with them, and with fix or eight more went in fearch of a boat, which we found and ibon were under w y for the ifhnd. The Bn;i(h party, probably ob- ferving our motions, and ieeing the two zmn

m

on the iQand, fled fr@m their quarters, and retreated under cover of their Ihipping. On our arrival at theilland, we found an abundance of horfes cattle an' fheep, which, presuming they belonged to the enemy, we be^an ro prepare for removing : but to effect our defign, and keep as •much as poffible out of the way of the artillery of their {hipping, we had to drive our drove through a marfh, where the horfes and catt e got mired down generally. 1 immediately Grip- ped to the buff, and went to work to extricate our creatures from the mud and mire of the marfh, my comrades afli (ting me all they coul ; air! a number of our foldters on the main, ob- fer\ii._g our arduous toil loan came to our affift- ano . While we were thus employed in the marfh, being in plain light of the enemy, they brought fome guns to bear upon us, and fired among us brifkly with gr ' e ihot ; but as prov- idence was pleafed to order they did no injury. Our numbers now conftantly encreafirsg from the main, thebulinefs of dragging out the horfes and cattle went on brifkly, and the enemy on more began to be uneafy in their Ration ; to add to their terror, our indians b* gan to (how themfelves to them, fkuiking round to gain ad- vantage ; upon this they made a precipitate re- treat, and the indians immediately plundered and fat fire to the houfe from which they were driven. In this bufinefs we took fixty three horfes, feventy five head of horned cattle, and about five hundred (beep, which we conveyed fafely to Chelfea, • ranging them hrough the marfh on the ifhnd. and through the mud on the fho^c, between the IfUnd and Chelfea, the wa».er being

was low. On iny reaching Chelfea, I found I had loft my fhirt, but Col. Doolittle made good the damage by prefenting me with another im- mediately, which was among the plunder brought off from the ifland.

After adjufting this bufinefs I heard that there were three fat hogs on the ifhnci. that might be obtained by exertion, and I motioned to fome of my companions to go and get them. One Jon- athan Thayer and myfelf fat out on the expe- dition ; we got fafe on to the ifland, and made immediately for the ruins of the houfe that the indians had burnt. Near the houfe was a gar- den curioufly picketed in, but the gate was open, and lay on the enemy's fide, within fair (hot from their (hipping. We concluded the -hogs were in the garden, but Thayer thought the at- tempt to get at them would be too venturefome, as the enemy were vigilant and the gate in plain, fight : I however ran round; and driving out the hogs, that were in the garden feafting on £ne green peas, I headed them to prevent tLeir running toward the enemy, but they difcovcring me, and perceiving my drift, fired at me from a cannon, and the ball pafTed fo near my head as to make not only my hat but my whole frame, and very fenfibly to affect my feelings. In a for? *)f frantic zeal 1 fprung over the fallen wall of the burnt houfe, and cocked my gun, but in a moment, 1 laughed at the folly of the a£Hon, and reflected on the inefficiency of my bread work, on which I left it and drove the iiogs over to the place where our boat lay, and conveyed them in triumph to Chelfea fhore ; but when i was about

E

<><

to butcher them a Mr. Toy came to me, and in- formed me that he was tenant to Mr. Brown, of Noddle's ifland, to whom the hoc^s belonged : that Mr. Brown was a good fbn or liberty, and had fullered much injury : and on his offering me a compenfation for my trouble in laving the property, I delivered over to him the hogs, in behalf of his landlord. We were foon remanded back to Cambridge, and we here made applica- tion for fatisfaclion with refpeefc to our 11. ire of the plunder, &c. brought off from Noddle's ifl- and, but our officers fo managed the bufinefs that we never obtained any recompence for our fa- tigue. Thus injuftice is too often done by oiil- cers, to foldiers who rifk their lives with bold- nefs, and who render eilential fervice to their countrv, and thus a crood caufe is too often fa- tally injured.

I exerted myfelf to the utmoft to obtain juf- tice for myfelf andcomrades, with refpeel to the plunder brought off the iiland, as before men- tioned, but all was in vain ; and while anxioufly engaged in this purfuit, I was fuddenly and fe- verely feized with ucknefs, and lent to the Imf- pital, where I flayed two nights, purfuing my own mode of cure inilead of the prefcriptions of the phyficians, when hearing that our company were about to draw a month's wages, I found means to pafs the centry at the hofpital, and having received my pay, yet fHll remaining unfit for duty, though apparently on the recovery, I requeued of the captain a furlough, to enable me to vifit the fatherlefs family, which fmce the de- ceafe of my father had fallen to my charge. The captain faid he could grant no furloughs at that

time, but that he would give me a pafs, and I

plight rco home, if able. Accordingly 1 fat out, and obtaining the chance of a horie to ride oa home, was foon with them, continuing dally- on the recovery ; but I had been at home only- one night, when we were iurpriied at the hear- ing of a heavy cannonade, from a great diitance, which proved to be the battle of Bunker's KiiL

The found of thk cannonade lb railed my fpirits, that I immediately fat cut for camp ; and io e:>g;cT was niv deSre to be there, that J reach- ed it. being a diilanqe of one hundred and twen- ty mile?, in very little more than two days. On my arrival I found that our company had been in the engagement, that the captain had receiv- ed a ball through the moulder, during the action, that one of the company was killed and two were miding, of whom we never got any account. I re- gretted exceedingly the circumitance of my net having been with them to mare the dangers and honors of the day, more especially fo, as for the remainder of the campaign I had no opportunity of exchanging a {hot with the enemy.

On my term of erdiftment expiring I returned home, pretty much determined to give up the idea of having any thing further to do with a fb'dier's life : Bat meeting with fame reappoint- ments, and my eider brother returning home by agreement with me, to take charge of the family, together with the news arriving of the unfortu- nate failure of our troops in their attempt upon Quebec, together with the folemn tidings of the death of the brave General Montgomery, it alto- gether weighed too heavily on my mind to ad- mit of rny itaying at home, and I enlifted for a

2S

year's fervice, into the company of Captain Tho- mas Alexander, in Col. Porter's regiment, of the Manachufetts' line, and in April 1776 we march- ed from Old Hadley for Quebec.

The early feafon of the year and the newnefs of the country through which we had to pafs, rendered this march peculiarly troublefome both to man and beaft. Our route lay through Ben- nington by Caftleton, to Ticanderoga, and tho* 1 had fervcd my country eight months in the ar- my, I never knew the hardfhips a foldier had to encounter till this campaign.

From Ticonderoga we marched to Crown Point, where, as it had then become dangerous to go on the ice, we were detained till the lake was clear of it ; then proceeded in boats to* St, Johns, and after a few days went down the riv- er Chamble to the St. Lawrence, and from thence to the Three Rivers, where a detach- ment from our regiment was to remain, and I was fcrongly urged to flay, under the command of my old friend Peter Caftle, who was with me on the lumber businefs, on the Grand Ille, and had now obtained a lieutenancy in the fervice. I was exceeding glad to meet my old friend, but my mind was lb impressed with the idea of ai- inting in fcaling the proud ramparts of Quebec, that I could not confent to relinquish the enter- prize.

From Three Rivers we boated down to Wolf's Cove, & marched from thence to the Plains of Abraham. Here we experienced fcenes pecu- liarly trying to our feelings ; the fmall pox was in almoft every houfe, and our regiment not hav- ing had it, and it being againft orders to inocu-

2§

late, we were filled with eonfternation. Many of cur foldiers got privateh inoculated, and my- fe!f among the reft ; when, a few days after our arrival, it being a very foggy day. we were, all collected in a body under the command of Ge- neral Thomas, arid the idea was circulated that we were to be led immediately on to fcale the walls of Quebec. At this time my gun was aC the armorers, having got injured on our route, but determining not to lofe my ihare in the glo- ry of the day, I paraded with my tomahawk and sutlafs ; but the bufmefs turned out to be only a* plan of the General's, to try the fpiritof the fol- fliers. Finding the army as alert as he could wiih, the Commander in. Chief addrefied his men in a very handfome manner, thanking them for their fpirit and ambition, and vvifhing them «very poflible iuceefs in their career of glory.

Kens now coming to the officers' ears mat great numbers of the foldiers had been private- ly inoculated, the enforcing the orders againft it was found impreclicuble, and we were lent back about 30 miles, for the reft of the regiment to be inoculated. Here we eroded a fmali riv- er, an d marched about 2 miles up, to a frenck Settlement, where we were billeted out to await the iiTue of our diforder, but the enemy finding the weak and deranged itate of our camp, took inflant advantage and we were alarmed the ve- ry next morning after getting to our quarters, with the roaring of cannon, which appeared to approach us i/i ith rapidity, until it grew'very near. At this time being all engagednefs to d if cover the occafion of the cannonade, we ob- served a man running towards us ; on coming

tip he enquired for head quarters, and inform- ed, that our army were on ihe retreat, and were crofTlng* at the mouth of the river up which wc were, while the enemy were wring upon them from their light veifels.

The occurrences which enfued iliocked me bab&dlAgly ; agroupe of exceeding pale faces appeared around me, on recek^f the news : we were ordered to fw-ing-our packs immediately, <j and join the army. The fymptoms of the fmali . pox, or ib\v,c other fymptoms, operated too ex- ten lively to fuit my feelings ; one cried I can- not carry my pack, another, I mult leave my clothes, eVc. in inert all was buftle and confu- ilorr, and according to rny conception the pale Symptom* were raiher more evident in the ofli- cers than amoim* the men. I could not refrain from laughing at feme, bantering others, and fcolding at as' many, to excite to motion.

As there is fehlorn any confiderahle evil how- ever, without its attendant benefit, fo it happen- ed here, with refptcl: to mylelf. Though I was ibmething weakened by dieting. &c. for the ihiail pox, my pack was too valuable for me to abandon, and while I was preparing to fwing it, our enfign offered me two good inirts, if I would carry a third for him, and I packed them up ; our captain too, wanted me to take a pair of his fhoes, and a pair of his fon's who waited on him, and I obliged him, and kept receiving from one and another, till my pack weighed about fe veri- ty pounds ; and tiling much per fu a ft on to induce ©thers to follow my example, fo far at lead as to fave their own eiothes, and laughing fome out •f their plea of inability, 1 fwung my pack and

31

flarted with them on our march for the bank of the river St. Lawrence, to join our retreating army.

On reaching the bank of the river we per- ceived two Britifh veiTels had pafYed us, and lay at anchor ,o\ne di dance from the fhore, on the line of our projected march. On our coin- ing oppoiite to them a great part of cur men crept along up the bank, among the bufhes, and a few kepi the road, on the Hats, in light of the em my. Setting down in this place, -with one of my comrades, on a pile of rails which lay in the road, and looking at thefe veiTels, I humor- oufly obferved to him, that as long as I had been a foldier, I never yet had an opportunity to lire at the enemy, and was thinking to improve it now : On this, levelling my piece about top- mail high, and difcharging it iivu.n, at that very inftant the veifels gave us one or two broadndes each, and it became laughable to fee the fkulk- crs fcamper out of the bufhes into the road, as the balls made tearing work among the brufh, while they entirely overihot the flats. From this firing: of the enemy I believe no iniurv was received. But to proceed with the hiftory of our retreat.

We marched that evening to Point au Cham- bo. The next morning we procured two bat- teaux, for the uie of the invalids ; but thefe boats being infuiTicient to receive the hck, and admit of well men to manage the boats, the in- valids alone embarked, under the care of colon-l Thomas Williams, znd the moil able among is were obliged to u~ke the oarj by turns.

32

Expelling the enemy upon us every hour, we made ufe of all pofiiible exertion, and the prevalence of a fouth wind kept the enemy back and favored our retreat.

A bout two o'clock we landed, flruck up a fire, and prepared a little pauada without fait, which, we eat with molaffes ; but here the fymptoms ef ther fmall pox fo fuddenly and diftreffingly af- fe£Kd me, that it feemed to me T could fcareely have fwallowed a mouthful of their foodthougk it had been tofave my life. The ftm now fhut in, and it began to rain ; )et fick as we were, we had to betake ourfelves to the open baat, and I now began to learn how much need there was of pitying, thofe of whom I had made io .muck Iport.

I crawled to the boat and got under a feat, concluding it was impoilible for me to row any further, but on arriving at a rapid place in the river, the wind being ahead, and the boat be- ginning to drop aftern alter my comrades had attempted twice to flem the current, my fpirits were roufed, and crawling out I again manned my oar, plied it with determined refolution, ind the other oarfmen feeonding my efforts, we oalF- ed the rapids. The remainder of this afternoon was very rainy, and having no covering t« our boat, while laboring under the forenefs and lick- nefs of a mortal difeafe, the tedioufnefs of our fkuation will br eafily conceived.

At niffht we landed on the weflern fhore, but en landing we found it nearly a hundred roos to a houfc, and that too acrofs a flat w here the wa- ter, for a confiderable part of t!v fjfrfllance*, was tip to the ankles i to add to our difircfs too,

33

when we reach e--* the houfe, we found that our troops who curie by land, had got poffeffion, and claiming a prior right, we could get but a poor chance at the fire

Jn this exigence, I retired to the back part of the r.3<>m and laid down, taking ever} opportu- nity to fhove feet-fore moll to the fire b\ flow degrees, and 1 after a while got as near as I could bear and with much patience endured to be frequently trodden on that night, rather than re fig n my piace.

Tne next morning we continued our retreat with all poffiblc fpeed, expecting every minute to fin.' the enemy at our heels ; but a wind ad- re rfe for them dill prevailed, and while it pre- vented their purfuit, though it occaiioeed us ve« 'ry great an 1 inseuant toil, yet it did not wholly interrupt our proceeding

When we were cTroffiog the lake St. Peters, and had nearly gained the fouth eaftern Ihore, th* wind proved too ilrong for us and drove us back nine or ten miles, but we at laft effected a landing, on the north well part of the lake, on the well bank or the St. Lawrence ; and here our Colonel, apprchenfive of the approach of the enemy, or from feme other motive, imme- diately procured a carriage, and left us to our fate. The wind having fubiided by the next morning, we again fat forward, and our Colo- nel foon rejoined us, and we worked on upon the weftcrn fhore, to a French fettlement called Bar- ke. and from thence crofted over to Sorel.

Here I muft mention the progrefs of my dif- ©rder. The pock had come out upon me very

F

34

thick, efpecially upon my feet, legs, and feat, which lay to the fire, the night in which I had difficulty to get to it, as before mentioned ; and while it was founding in our ears, that even to wet our feet would be certain death, we were conftantly expofed to wet and cold, and to all the changes of weather incident to a fevere cli- mate.

To do juftice to our Colonel I mull here men- « tion, that he was not inattentive to the fuffer- ings of the men committed to his charge : he fupplied the neceiTaries within his power, and iurnifhedaa much rum as he thought we could in any way bear, giving us ferrous caution as to the ufe of it, which I endeavored to obferve, yet before we reached Sorcl, my pock had be- come fo fore and troublefome, that my ©lotkes flack fail to my body, efpecially to my feat ; and it became a fevere trial to my fortitude, to bear my diforder and a (Fid in managing the boat : yet I was fupported and carried through, and after ■ being billeted out for a few days at Sore?, grew Well fail, while a great many of my companions were appointed unto death.

From Sorel we retreated to Chamblee, by which time I got fo as to be able to do duty, » and on arriving at Chamble, finding one of our company miffing, belonging to the land party, I was fent back after him. I found him foon, at a French houfe, as thiek of pock as he could be, but all flatted, and the man extremely fick. I procured a canteen of rum, with milk and fugar, I and made him fome good milk punch, which he I drank freely till his pock began to fill : this was en a Sunday, and my attention and care was

3£

fo remarkably fueeeeded, that on the Sunday follow [ng be marched v ith liae to camp.

Our Lieutenant vv'vf. name was Pool, was now taken extremely fiek and I was fent with him to a place called St. Rale, if I mifiakehoc, a vi'dagc between Chambie aid Si. Johns: — Here we met General Sullivan's brigade, going on to the north, and my hopes were once more warmly excited that Canada would be our's after all. The diforder of my lieutenant proved to be the fma'i I pox, ana he had it very bad. I at- tended to him for a few days, with all the care and fkill of which I was mailer, but now orders came, for all who were able to return to 5orelv and however much I regreted to leave my wor- thy charge yet as I was well able to march, and a corporal who did not feern to have much of a flomach to face the enen^F, interceded for my place ; our Captain confeated, and 1 joined the regiment, and marched immediately back to So- rel. At this place we fpent <ome time, in high fpirits, in the bufmefs of fortifying, till Colonel Thcmpfon with his party were defeated at the Three Rivers, on which unfortunate event tranf- piring, we were again ordered to retreat.

On the day this retreat commenced I was tak- en exceeding kverely with the dhTentery, and b' ing on the rear guard, I was obliged to drop behind the whole, and wa« moft ieverely put to it to regain my place. Endeavoring to do it, however, { came up to an imperious young offi- cer, ftationsd in the rear. This man feeling rhe importance of his commiffion. ufed me with ve- ry rough language, for ftragiing behind, wi:h in- tention, as he fuggelted, to be taken by the en-

3G

emy : I refented his ir>fu1t with fp\rVt\ and he fufnifhing1 himfeif m h a heavy dub, thr^terrea me wiiji loud founding words, and told h > v he would ierve me ifi-did not run i told h:m [ \Uis unable to ra\. and he came at me with Ap- parent fury, but having a torn a hawk in mv hartd; with a Iphg kaftdie, which i had ufed as a ft IF, 1 flood my ground, and h* was careful not to come within my reach. There were in compa- ny with this choleric young officer, one or two others, itfftb iariieftly requested him to defift, and he readily complying w ith their reqneic. and at the fame time flackeni ng his .pace, while I ex- erted rnyfetf as before to regain my place in the guard, we loojri parted company.

M nee^iT.iry ftops were fo fr.'-quent as to rem tier it impoffible forme to overtake the guard till the regiment halted ; and towards evening ourenfi^n came to &~ and finding my fituation, immediately furmlhe I another man to take my place in the guard, and contrived 5o get me on baard a boat with the invalids, where 1 found my captain.

Daring this night 1 was fo much out of ord- er, and my head was fo peculiarly affected, that I knew very little that pad ; but the next day by taking a good dofe of bohea tea, and iome o- ther fimple medicines of my own, 1 felt quite re- lieved, and was enabled to enjoy repofe the '»ight following, when we reached Chamble.

Our army were detained fome days at Cham- ble. in getting on the baggage, artillery, &c. and my recovery progrefled fodefirably, that in a d iv or two I was able to take my place, and fhare the fatigues of the day. From Chamble

37

we progreffed to St. Johns, where on account of our baggage, Sec. we were again detaiaed for a ihort time, and from Sc. Johns we pro- grefTed to the Ifle aux Noix, where we landed for the night ; but the ifland being fmall, the army numerous, and the feafon wet, we had but an uncomfortable refpite, many of our men laying where they were greatly incommoded by the water.

From the Ifle aux Noix we retreated toCrown Point without meeting with any thing worthy of notice. From this place I was difpatched into the country with a fmall party, to go to Caftle- ton, after a drove of cattle that Captain Udney Hay, our purchaiing comxniiTary, ha|l bought of the inhabitants who had moved off from Onion River, which duty we performed and returned fafe wife our drove to Addifon, oppofite Crown Point. Here the charge of the cattle, with the party, lay up»n my hands more than four weeks, during which time our army had marched to Ticonderoga and Mount Independence ; but as I had no orders to remove the cattle, we lay pe- culiarly expofed to the enemy. At length I re- ceived verbal orders from the commilTary to de- liver the cattle to another Captain Hay, with a party fent to receive them ; and thinking it pru- dent to comply, I delivered them over accord- ingly, taking his receit for them, and marched my partyimmediately to Mount Independence, 2nd fliared with thera the fatigue of clearing away and fortifying the mount, to guard it a- gaiaft our Britifh foes.

G

S3

We now endured a confi lerable term of fevere fatigue, while the arn:»y wi'.b fiekly, ajul deaths frcque nt and fudden, many of die foldier? after great toil in the day expiring in the night At this time 1 was feized witha fever fo violently, that I became, in a few hours, as yellow as faf- fron ; yet the enemy heaving in fight, one &<j9 jny fpirit fo far exceeded my ability, that I pa- raded with the company, hut after fume hours fatigue, on the enemy's withdrawing, my fpirits funk, my ftrcngth failed, and I had hard work to crawl back to camp. Kind providence how- ever, interpofed in »iy behalf, and after endur- ing the torture of a fevere relapfs*, I regained my health, in a defirable degree, and towards the elofe of the campaign was* enabled to return i& my duty.

We now received orders to march to Albany, where we expected to be difcharged, and I was iliil fo weak as to find it a hard tour to march t« lake George landing, which was only four miles, but here finding a friend who was crofting the lake, 1 got liberty to crofs with him, and being thuseafed I put my pack into a baggage wag- gon, and having obtained leave to get on in the bed way I could, it gave a pleafant opportunity for me to vifit my friends at Stillwater, from whence, after a few days' refpite, I marched on to Albany.

Here, inftcad of being difcharged, all who wer© able, were ordered to march for Newjerfty ; on inFpe^lion, thefurgeon pronounced me unfit for fefViqc, but I lemonf rated with the captain againft being turned off/in my fta;e of inability, and he told me I might have my choice ; fo I

S3

entered on board the (loop and ptogrefled to the Highlands, and from thence to the King's Ferrv, and landing on the J«.il\y fhore we marched for Morriilou n. Iicre for tlie fir it time I was put on duty, after a confidcrable turn of fieknefs and my lot was to go on_the Sank guard, which i feared would be ^too heavy for me, our road being exceeding crooked, and the of- ficers in a confiderable degree, lineonfcious of our fatigue, or unwarrantably cruel in their conduct ; for they would (bmetimes march with great hafte, and then lie by unreasonably to reft themfelves, in convenient quarters, while ih$ foldiers had to recline on the bard ground, with nothing but the canopy of heaven for their cov- ering, and that too in the month of December.

On our arrival near Morriftown, general M*- Pougal requeiling a guard to efcort him in, I turned out as one, and we marched with him nearly ten miles, Where he put up with a mili- tia Col. leaving his guard to fhiftfor themfelves, in the open air, and ftrte too after having trotted a confiderable part of the way on his hot fe, and confequently having kept his guard in fmart mo. tion. in the evening our brigade arrived in town, and the uncomfcrtableneis of our fit u a- tion coming to the ears of cur officers, Lieuten- ant Seth Hunt was fent to look into the bu* fmefs, and about ten o'clock we got quarters. As for mvfelf, beinq* on fentrv at the oenerai's door, ami feeling rel>ntful for his unfeeling con- duct, I kept fuch a ftaropingon the Ioofe boards of the (loop, as to prevent his Deeping, and at length he fent the colonel out to flill me .: This gentleman, judging rightly of the exifting facls,

4$

came ©ut with a safe bottle of • whifkey, which he left with me for the fervicc of the fentries on the {land, with a requefl that they would be as i\i\\ as poiTible, and his polite nefs very much fa- vored the churiifh general's repofe.

.. We tarried in Morriftown a few days and then marched to Connecticut Farms, during our quartering at which place we heard of a party of Hefiian light-horfe-men being at a little diftance from us,, and after taking fuitablc precautions to prevent their efcape, we marched with great hatte, and the whole party fell into our hands, a party of the Jerfey militia having joined. and gal- lantly aifiiled us in the enterprise. A day or two after this we received information that the cneBiy had evacuated Eiizabethtown, and we inarched with expedition for that place, being about four- miles diflant : on our approaching Ihe town we heard a feattering fire, at a frnall tliilance, and conceiving it may be the e»emy •endeavoring to decoy us, we made a momentary halt, but it proved to be a party of the enemy, who failing in With a fcouting party of Jerfey mi- litia, and being worflcd, fled to Eiizabethtown, not knowing of the evacuation, and fell direclly into our hands,

We had previouily heard of a fehooner lying in the creek, belonging to the enemy, and vol- unteers being requeued to attempt to take her, I turned out among them and marcheclelown : we ibon effected our purpofe, taking the fchoener, 8c about fifty Scotch High!a«ders, whom we fen-t eff under guard. A waggon being procured, to carry the arms we had taken, myfelf and three ethers marched eff with it as a guard, expecting

4!

every minute an attack from the enemy, m confequence of the firing before mentioned : but we arrived with our booty in fafety.

We now returned to our quarters at Connec- ticut Farms, and our year's fervice being out, ss likewife two weeks additional fervice which we had performed, in cosfequence of the earneft re- queft of General Wafhington, made known t© us at Morriftov/n ; we expected to be difcharg- ed the next day. We had now juft entered on the year 1776, and the night preceding the day in Which we were to be diichare-ed, we were or- dered to parade, which we did and went through feveral manoeuvres, as the officers ordered, but at the word advance we did not ftir a ftep— oup o -filters in front had advanced, but finding we did not follow, they returned, and enquired the reafon : urged on by my companions, Ifiated in a few words, the prominent abufes we had re- ceived during the campaign, and the right we had to have then received a difmimon ; and then adding, tkat we would fulfil our duty to a punc- tilio, even to the laft moment, we defirtd their orders anew, which were then obeyed with alac- rity, although inftead of proceeding homeward, according to previous engagement, they led us on towards Brunfwick, which place we con- cluded they meant to take that night, to clofc their term of fervice by real aelion.

This march, on account of the fe verity of the weather, and the bad flate of the foldiers, partic- ularly with refpecl to fhoes, there being many nearly barefooted, and the whole very ill clad, beeame a very tedious bufmels, and numbers of eur brave fellows cried like children with the

42

fovc^iir of the cold, and the pain of travelling, their faodL ps often leaving traces of blood. At length ue halrld and kinc;i< cl up fires, w ith rails and ever\ Inch thing that was near at hand, but had foar-i e got our fires well going before we wese ag-itn ordered to parade and march, uhieh ieemed to augment the feverity of the cold.-— Whether our officers had received intelligence nhich -occafloned thtm to alter their original de- fign, or wheiher the faff* ring of the men operat- ed too powerfully on their feelings, we never knew, but our eourfc was now turned from Bruniwick towards Anaboy, and we foon reach- td a fmail fett'ement. and all got into houfes fo as to obtain a little red, before morning.

Next morning a fcout of ten volunteers were called for by Capt. Crandal, an enterptifing Jer- feyrnan, who was well acquainted with the roads, to go in fearch of fome party of the enemy, and give Colonel Vofc a chance to clofe his military* lour by a&tuaj engagement with them. 3 turn- ed out for ore, and we had the good fortune to take a waggon loaded with provisions, which we got in lafeiy, and alio a horfe that was tied to the waggon, which horfe belonged to the ene- rgy, and which «ne of our men, on rniftaking a pod and rail fence and fome fturaps for a party of the enemy, by viewing them between us and the grove, jumped en to, and in a panic rode oil* wiili, but which was fecurcti for us by the Colonel. The waggon & horfes which drew it, Juu! been prefled into the fervice from the in- habitants, and were delivered up to the owner.

With this waggon we took the ileward of the family oi General Grant, who then commanded

43

the Britlfh Forces in Brunfwiek. The provi- so s he had purchafed Wcri defigned for the General's own rabies and conf q Kutiy v. ere of the btft kind. There were two harrei&.fcf ex- cellent boiled cyder, a number ^f jars of apple fauce, a large quantity of pouim , dead and a- live, and one good fat hog, well dreffecl* Th* ftcwaid perceiving himfelf nearly Unrounded, unci efcape conf-qaentiy difficult or impractica- ble, pulled off ru^ hat and laid, t% gentlemen, I acknowledge myfeif your prilbner this morn* ing ." and on our queiiioning of him, he in- formed us, that theie were a party cf about two hunf red of their men very near us. On hear- ing this we drove into a gap to pais through the woods, and had got but a little dillanec when c u r h c g f : I I o ff t h e waggon ; i h e enemy no \y hf ve in fight, but loth to !cfe our hog. 1 caught hold of him, and afked adiilance, w lien a good fellow ilepped back, and we threw the hog on. By this time the enemy were on the hill where we took^the waggon, and not more than twenty rods diftance : why they did not fire upon us is unaccountable, but our fafety probably urofe from their conceiving a large party of us to be ly- ing in ambuih, or \w ihnuld not have dared to be for. bold. VVe prngrfcjTed f»»iftly alorg the narrow pais till getting through the grove we gained a height. . fr -m whence we could p-iuinly fee the pofnion of die enemy; they 1" eing oft a about equal in height, on the oppofk'e tide of the grove. We now proceeded about half a ?nile, to the place wftere we expected to in<ec Col. V_uie, with ins party of about two hn^ccd men, with fchom we hoped to t&ufa atid at-

u

tack the enemy, but to otsr great difappoint-' ment vie met an exprefs from him, directing us to follow him to Wobdbridge, about two miles eaft ; inflead of obeying him however, we fent the fame exprefs back to him, notifying him cf our fuccefs thus far, and refuelling his aid to purfue after the enemy : being now joined by a Jerfey lieutenant with a fcout of feven men, we appointed a guard to_ keep our prifoners and waggon, where they were, and with the re£duc of our force fet out, at the requeft of Capt. Cran- dal, to fee what had become or our enemy. We were now about ten fir on g, and coming to the kill again which overlooked the grove, we obser- ved the enemy ftill in the pofition vfe left them. On this we entered the grove and advanced to- wards them, till we got nearly halfway through, when the lieutenant obferved that it appeared to him prefumptious to approach nearer, but our Captain perfiited in aliening, that there was no need of fearing them while we ceuld keep the woods, we continued advancing till we came within about twenty five rods of the party, when coming to a fwamp difficult to pafs, we turned to the right a* little, and palled the enerm 's front, about thirty rods, who being alarmed at our ap- pearance, ftood to their arms, but neither hail- ed us, nor fired a (hot. We now wheeled to retire from them, when we perceived a guard of their's, lying in the buihe*, not more than three or four rods off, and found ourfelves between them and the main body. It was my lot to dis- cover this guard, and pointing them out to our captain, he ordered us to run, and turning a- gain to the left, we were foon through the grove,

0

and now perceived a party on the oppofite hill, a. id thinking them to be enemies, we conceiv- ed oiirfelves in critical circumftances, while oa t^ieir part, they had been looking acrofs the f^iov.-. ,'a . 1 h.'trht the enemy in fight to be V"' \ .> i ty Oil. pereetving us. therefore, they jenj two 1 ght hole men to us, and finding them frlen s, we gave them what information we cou'd. refpe&kVg the. enemy, on which they re- turned full ioeed to their party, w ho inllantly purfued the enemy, 2nd drove them buck to Am- boy. Wt endeavored to get up wish this par* ty, butthey outwent us, and it drawing toward (- 1 ning, we turned and. went to Woodbridge, to fee what had became of 011 r Colonel ; where getting information xrhat he had returned to Connecticut Farms, we retired to look afer our guard and waggon, Sec. We found all fafe, but it had got to be fb late that we concluded it to be bell to put up for the night, which we did, and fetting ft ntrtes, we brought too and detain- ed all travellers, black and white, to avoid dif- covery ; and in the morning our Captain found his precaution had been of ufe, for a party of nearly iOO of the enemy, had encamped for the nigh% not more than half a mile from us.

VVe returned now to Connecticut farms, and found that the brigade had been elifmiiTed the day before, and we receiving our difcharge, as foon as» our tfFtcls taken from the enemy could be etifpoled of, I purch; fl ci me a horie with my part of -he money, and returned to Charlemont, in Mafiaohuf. its. I was now, in confequence ©f the fatigues I had undergone, fo troubled

II

AG

with the he art- burn, that at turns it took away my flrength, and pretty much determined me not to have any thing further to do with the bufinefs of the army.

I therefore hired out for a year to Do&or Mo- les Eaton, of Charlemont, but when I heard of the retreat of our army under General St. Clair, from Ticonderoga, and of the progrefs of the enemy into the country, my old fpirit and zeal for the caufe, fo operated on my mind, that I felt determined again to rifk my life for it's fupport ; and the Doctor consenting to releafe «ie from my agreement, I engaged for fix weeks with Cant. Samuel Taylor, of Col. Eliiha Por- ter's regiment, and we marched to Fort Miller.

At Fort Miller, I heard that a brother of mine who lived at Queenfborough, about twenty miles diftant, had get fo far difcouraged with the re- peated defeat of our troops, as t© have given up his fentiments, and determined to take protec- tion under the Britifh, He had two of my younger brothers with him, the youngeft of whom was about thirteen ; and the thoughts of him and them being put into a fituation, hoflile to the caufe in which I had fo often rifked my life, affeeled me to that degree, that I determin- ed to vilit them if poffible. Getting leave there- fore of my officers, I travelled from More's Creek, where we were pofted, a little above Fort Miller, to our but- polls, wlvre General Learned's brigade lay, in the crotch of the Fort Ann road, and finding there the captain under ■whom I ferved the firit eight months, he favor- ed me with ax'ma!l fcoutiug party, under the •©mmand of a flergeant Shaddock, & we mascft-

If

ed that day to my brother's houfe in Queenfbo- rough. Wnen we reached the houfe, my broth- er was in the woods after his cattle, and we had to wait for fome time, cxercifed with confider- able apprehenfion, for the enemy's fcouts were very frequent at that time in thofe quarters. At lengtk we blew the horn, and all three of my brethren foon came in. After confiderable con- verfation with the eld eft , in prcfence of the oth- ers, upon the folly of deferring a righteous caufe, that muft ultimately prevail, he became affected, immediately armed my two young brothers, and let them return with us ; in addition to this, he agreed to meet me, (if I would come with a fuitable fcouting party to guard him,) at the houfe of his father-in-law, about two miles near- er to our camp, than his own houfe was, and to take his property with him, and put it under the protection of our army.

To evade the (ufpicion of the enemy, in cafe he was aiked his icafon for removing, we had agreed he fhould tell them, that his wife thought that her refidence at her father's would be fo much more free from alarms, than the tarrying in fo remote a place as th«ir houfe flood in, that he thought it bed to gratify her by going. This agreement being completed, I returned with my two youngeft brothers towards the camp, and when we had got within about a mile of it, we heard a firing of fmall arms, which proved to be indians firing upon our fentinels. This firing augmented our fpeed. and we foon reached the camp ; where finding our troops paraded, we advanced and joined Capt. Max- field's company, and one thing that gave me a

43

pleafure, which perhaps none but foldlers w*itT fenlate like me, was. that my little brer her of thirteen years of age, kept up with rue, and feveral times I ooki/ig upfaid, brqfhdr Lem. you muft ihew me hb.^f to c!o : i huwevcr h?.d no op- portunity to (hew him, for the enemy fpeedijy rehired, and our men performed little c;her iev- vice, than to pi k Up the bodies of fome of our poor f Hows, who had been killed by the indians, one erf whom a {ergeaftt Farrar, was found with his fibers cut (If, ills body fadly mutikued, and bis head fcalped.

General Schuyler now gave orders icr the ar- my in retreat to -.he fouthward, and we marched that night from the out pod to Fort Edward. — The next morning I waited on both General Learned and General Nixon, and r< q netted a fcoutiog party, 10 enable me to fulfil my engage- ment with my brother, but I filled in thefe ap- plications. This day we re.reated down to Mare's (/reek : in the morning I arofe early and went to General Schuyler's head quarters, whom I found writing general oidcrs : look- ing up on my entering, he requeued to know my buuiiefs, I informed him of the fituation of my brother, and mv agreement to efeort him and his property within our Hies. The General heard me with attention, and immediately wrote a line to Coi. Porter, ordering him to Itt me have fifty men, and on receiving the order, the regiment was paraded, and the number of men fpecifr d, with a Captain lo command them, turned out as volunteers immediately, and we marched on to Fort dward At this place, I found, that either by the fuggeftions of fomc

49

evil- minded perfon, or from fome other unac- countable caufe, the officers had conceived a fufpicion that I was about to lead them into a fnare. Alarmed at lo injurious a thought, and feeling refentful, yet being exercifed with great anxiety about a brother who v/as dear to me, I ufed every argument to allure them of my integ- rity, and told them I was ready to put my life in. their hands, to be forfeited and taken whenever a treacherous trait fhcruld appear in my conduce- On this, after a little halt they agreed to pro- ceed, but for our greater fecurity, and to avoid the enemy's fcouts as mudi as poffible, it was decided on to take to the woods, which we did. When night came on we took the road again, and having to.pafs by a houfe then called Wing's, we obferved a bright fire light, and knowing the owner to be a loyaliil, we were appreheniive that fome party of the enemy were there, and we afterwards learnt that our fufpicions were well founded : we however paffed on without interruption, and I foon reached the houfe where I ex peeled to have found my brother, but great* 3y to my difappointment he was not there, and I could obtain tio other fatisfa&ion, than the pitiful ccnfolation derived from upbraiding the parents of my brother's wife, as being the ccca- fion of his changing fentiment, and in my opin- ion, the caufe of his ruin. After venting my refentment I had to leave them however, and with the three men who had attended me to the houie, returned to our party, when I earneilly requeftcd of the Captain to grant me fix men, to go the other two miles, to my brother's houfe,

$0

but it was denied me, and I was eonftrained t* return, with apparently as heavy a heart as if I had loft May brother.

After having lain iaa&ive for a few days, wd were again ordered to retreat, and without any great interruption, but through much fatigue, arrived at Saratoga, where wc lay by for a few days longer, employed in getting our boats, &c. c\er the Rapids, and to make as faying a retreat as poffible ; but our rear guard was often fet fo iar back from the main body, and the light corps of the enemy were fo cloie upon us, that the guard frequently fuffercd lofs before they could obtain fupport from the main body, and fometimes were literally cut to pieces.

Mere again it is impreffed on my mind to be proper to mention, a fingular prefervation of pro- vidence, as it appeared with refpcSfc t© myfelf. Ik getting our boats, &c. over the Rapids, from my intimate acquaintance with fuch bufmefs, and from a natural aptitude to exert myfelf to the utmoit at trying times, I was fo fatigued, that our captain would not confent to my going on guard in my turn, I being by no means well, and he being fearful of iofing my needed fervic- es. A young man of the name of Daniel Jones, s worthy and delirabie youth, was thercTOre ord- ered to mount guard in my (lead, ■ <^ like many others fhared a «olemn fate, being killed by the enemy, and the whole guard literally cut to pie- ces. On this event tranfpiring, I had many lol- Gifiti contemplations, and fometimes fecretly re- greted that I had not Hood in my own lot ; but a kind 6Ver-Tuiing Providence ordered other- , .ivd J was \ et prefer ved to experience many

SI

perilous and affii&ive fcenes, by land and water, in mr country'* fervicc.

We now retreated down to Stillwater, and the term of fervice for which our regiment en- lifted being expired, we were difnufted, and I returned home through Patch Ho one, where we were informed of fuch appearances of fpies in the meadows.. &c. as caufed us to have ferious apprehenfions for the fafety of the inhabitants ; but I continued my march home. On reaching my journey's end, I was folemnly {truck with a perception of what God had been doing by his judgment in the way of ficknefs among the peo- ple : the ravages of death in the army had been evident, but it fee'med to me as if the ravages by ficknefs had been greater.

Two days only had patted, after my return to Zoar, betore we received an alarm by exprefs, and heard at the fame time the roar of cannon and mufketry from towards Bennington. 1 was in an ill Hate «f health, and my observations on the equal dealings of God, in the camp, on my road, and at my home, had a very imprefiive and famewhat of an abiding influence on my mind : religning m}felf therefore, with fomething of a fenfe of religious acquiefcence in the divine dif- pofal, I determined to do my duty, at every riikt as a citizen and a foldier, and endeavored to en- fpirit others t© follow my example, and My with me to the affiltance of thole whom I conceived to be in. diftrefs at Bennington. My neighbors, however, pretty univerfally, chofe to watt for particular orders; which not fuiting the impa- tience of my mind, I fit out immediately, with three friends, viz, Sylvanus, Artemas and Mar-

m

tin Rice, to fliare the fortune of the day, if poffi- ble, with our aifaulted friends.

We fat out but could not complete our jour? aney acrofs the mountain that night ; laying by therefore for a few hours, but riling with the day, we purfued our courfe, expe£ting every minute to meet the fugitives from Bennington, flying before a fuperior and cruel enemy ; but herein the mercy of Heaven difplayed itfelf to* our view, for when we had crofled over, we per- ceived fignals of joy and rejoicing ; the intrepid Col. Stark had been plumed with a moft iignal victory, a large party of the enemy were in cap- tivity, and the terror of Bennington was turned into triumph.

I ftlll remained much out of health, but find- ing a doctor in Bennington, from whom I receiv- ed aiTiftance, I went to Captain Ebenczer Allen, and once more tendered Riy fervice in the caufe of my country, if he would accept of a man in my fituation. He faid he could not enlifl: me for he had no bounty money ; I told him that I did not enlifl: from interefted views, but was willing to engage, and to receive fuch compenfu- tion for my fervices as the country allowed ; on which he received me, and from the purelt of motives I again entered the military life, con- ceiving that while the righteous judgments of God were abroad in the land, my hard and flinty heart might be as eafiiy foftened in the camp as in the country ; by the exhibition of blood and carnage, as eafiiy as by languifhing on beds of iicknds ; and indeed the dangers of war ap- peared lefs in my view, than the calamities of infection and difeafe exhibited at home.

S3

I mentioned before ray great difirefs anting from the heart-Burn, and this was the arll.&ion that purfued me ftill. On my tedious fcours it was fometimes diftrefiing ; it would take away my (Length at times, and even deprive me of mv fight ' but this by way of digreffion. We tar- ried but a few days in Bennington before our regiment re- ceived orders to march to Arlington ; here we lay for Come time, frequenriy fc >utiftg abrsut on the hunt for fories, etc. but met but little fuccefs, the affair at Beqnington having defeated their hopes and rendered them fhy, From Ar- lington we marched to Manchefter, & from thence in a few days to Pawtet. Here I met our furgeon, to whom I made known my cafe, telling him that unTefs I obtained foeedy adiftftnee it would certainly kill me : On this he told me to procure a buck's horn and burn it white, end then eat it at times wheu my diforder raged, and it would cure me. I followed bis prescription caretully, and it had a very de- iirable effect., for in ten days time my complaint in a great degree left me, and I became more fie for duty than I had been for many months before.

Colonel Brown wiih a detachment of militia n??w pa fl- ed through Pawlet, for Caft'eton, and me receiving orders to march, proceeded after and joined him at that place. — Here we received orders immediately to prepaie for a march office day."?, and the next morning Cat out on our marclt toward the Narrows of Lake Champlain, between Ti- conderoga and Skeenfoaroagh. Tine march through the woods proving tedious, I was referred towards night to climb a large tree, that ftood on a rife of ground, to fee if the lake was in view from thence, or whether 1 could make any other difcovarv that would be ferviceable or encourag- ing. Thisbullnefs 1 performed, but could make no dis- covery : purfuing our couife therefore, with affiduify, we reaehed the lake by ni^ht, at the place we fleered for, where, agreeably to our views, we found a parry of our' men, with boats, for our afiiilance, from Skeenfboro*.

In tfie evening we took an enemy 'i boat with fome white men and two negroes in it, whom wefecured : next morn- ing we croiTed the Narrows, being about five hundred men, under the command of Colonels Brown and Herrick,

54

ibe latter of wham being quite out of health, requeued r»e to join his family, and afford hica afSiftance, in his weak flare, with which reqneft I readily complied.

We were now dneeted to ftupe our courfe through the wilderness again, towaids lake George Landing, adifUnce ©f about fifteen miles, over an uncultivated wildernefs fel- aom exceeded for its roughuefs ; in this defert we had to en- camp for one R^.ht. The next e"ay we aontinued our March, till the oficcrs thought hi to order us t» half, we being now in the neighborhood of the enemy: immediate- ly upon coming to a hair, a few officers, with chofen pilots, went out to reconnoitre Mount Defiance, and an en- eampmentof the enemy at Lake George Landing. Thefc officer*, &cc. returned in the evening, and the c&afequence at their feouriag was, that Captain Alien agreed, with his ©ompany, to (cite Mount Defiance and difiodge the enemy from thence, while another party was io attack the encamp- ment at the landiag : Accordingly we%d marched on roge- tkef, but it beitfg in the even«ag, and our numbers couhder- abie, oar progrefs through the woods was flow ami d;ga- eutt, and my ta(k peculiarly ardaoua, as I had ta arHfr Col. Herrick in carrying his pack, and constantly t« fee back ani forth fubfervient to his orders

On this march a a? men wobM often gat fcattered, an*1 our raliyin g figiial wis a hoof, like that of an owl, whieki eaufed a aretty irequcnt apparent hooting af the owls that night, wh:ie we ware ferablilig over logs ana* other impe- diments, and were frequently falated with the jingling of rattle fnakes, which was more terrific to aiany of us than the tbaaghts of the enemy : At length we difcovered tac light of torches en uke George, and concluding .we were near the enemy, our officers ordered a halt, and concentrat- ed their farces m the belt manner we eeuld.

Silence became neceffary to effect our defiga, as furprife was ©ur objeel ; and it now becoming evident that fome of our men had bad colas, and cougbe^ often, to prevent inju- ry ariGng from this quarter, enters were given to depafic our camp kettles here, and for thofe who had baa coughs to ftay with them as a guard ; but the cough ra i Short lime became (o frequent, that the eiders were couater-

51

nwnueil, sad we all maicbed on together, Captain Alle» foon prectediag dire&ly up Mount D-funce, and the reft of us towards the Laedmg, tbe intention of our officers biing to attack diem in every part at the fame period.

We came. bow to a little brook that rie down by the fide of a hill, which hiil inrervened between us and the en- emy's camp; at this brock we halted to refrffli owfelves, it being new abou: day break, and our cScers here helil a flioft council, I being prefem $$ a necefiary attendant to Colonel Herrick. Colonel Brown claimed as his privilege, the choice of his place of attack, and decided on takhsg the right, which wai about eighty reds further than t© clcfe direclly upon them from the left ; Colonel Herrick acceded to Brown's proportion, but to hi* fir ft motiest Brown ad- ded, that he wiihtd to take the rangers wkh h:m ; to this Herrick ohjc&cd, claiming the rtfljt cf corrnjandiisg his •wn men, but faid he was wdiing to go round ; Cod. Brown defired him to proceed, and Herrick flantd ok, defirmg me to keep clofe by his fide. On turning the point ot a hill we were ordered to throw our packs in a heap, before wc paffed through a gap which led us directly into view of the enemy's encampment ; we advanced thiough the gap, an4 being directly hailed by acentrv, we ordered hire to iurren- der, or he was a dead man : on which, without dilchaiging his piece, he ran to a marquee, to inform his officers that the rebels were upon them : we now ran wall ail hafte, two deep, tofanound them, from the gap in the woods to the water, and Col. Brown, on thelert, clofed them in fr m the woods t© the lake at the fame time : their guaid foon formed and conmei ted a fmart firing on the left, which foon became general, when Col. Herrick gave orders for the whole parry to face toward the eaemy and advance : at this period the firft coe*pauy got into entire d.forder, on which Co!. Herrick called f&v the oncers t© form them in- liantly, but receiving no arifwer, he requeued me to flep and form them, which I did, and after exchanging a few <n >t with the enemy, their firing ceaied. At this period a captain came up, and enquired what bufinefs 1 had with his men ? I told him they were in dm ulcr, and that the Col. csmtsanded me to put tnein iuio cider and le'M

them on to the charge, which I had dene : he faid he eculd take care of his own men ; why did yen not do it, fir, faid I, in theheat cf adlion ? he replied, that a ball ftnuk the tender part of his knee and knocked him down. Not fey any means wiflv.ng to purfae ufelefs altercation, I gave up to him the command of the company, and returned to Co!. Hetritk; but we never, knew whether what the Captain faid,with refpe6fc to a bail hurting his knee, was true or not : my perfuafion was that it was net, for I never knew any perfon that faw a breach in his clothing, or a mark on his {kin. occafioned by the ball he fpoke of. I think it proper hereto mention, that the reaioa of the company's being without an officer was, that the enfign fell with a wound upon tbefirit. lire of the enemy, and the lieutenant was not with the company at the time.

But to return again to my narrative, as I obferved before the firing had bow ceafed, and the enemy finding them- felves completely furrounded, fui rendered themfelves pi if* oners, to the number of about three hundred men. In this rencountre there were a few men wounded, but whether any were killed, on cither fide, I am not able to fay.

After this affair was over, Col. Herrick ordered Major Wait to take fifty men and penetrate as far toward the old French, lines as he thought would be prudent; I requefKd leave to go with the Major, but the Col. defired me not to quit iiim. The Major immediately formed his party and raarched off, and the Col. being bufy in preparing a guard, and arranging the prifoners for a march, on fome account or other pieftcd through a thick, bod v of them, and they in- ftaruly ciofinr, (hut him from my view. Having thus lofl fight of mv Col I fprung forward to overtake the Major, and had advanced about half a raiie, when I heard the rlr- h\g of Captain Allen's party commence on Mount Defi- ance, which feemed to give a new tyring to my fpiri's, and a frefh pu'fe to my heart, and pu firing forward with re- doubled vigor, I foon met a few (battering prifoners, with a final! guard fi>m Major Wait's party, whom I quickly aher overtook, On coming up to him, I tola him that I had waited on the Col. hitherto, and was now come to claim the privilege of waiting on him for a while : but continued

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I, your men are fcattered, veiy much, In the fear, Major; I know it, favshe, the men id as if thgderil was in them. 1 with you would Oep forward, Roberts, asd a£t as an advance for me, continued he ; with this I inftantly ecm- plied, and fteppiog forward, kept at the diftance of three c-r four rods from the front. It was in this fituation we were proceeding, when, the merning being exceeding foggy, I tame clrtfe upon two Britifti (entries, fct to guard the boats at tlse bridge on the out-let of Lake George. When we difcovered each other we were not more than two or three rods apart. They bailed me, and prefenting my piece, I fprung upon them, telling them to furrender, or they were iexi men : one of them gave up his gan, the ether, with- out discharging bis piece5, fprung on board a covered boat, rot under its cover, and fhut to the door. I was in an nsftant after him, and turning the butt of my muikct bur ft in the d«or, and ordered the fenny to dslircr up h's gun, which he did, asd I made oft of it afterwards in lieu of my own, which I had damaged very much in buriling open th§ door. The party now took charge of my prifoners, and marched immediately on, and having equipped myfeif anew, I followed them as speedily as pf fiible. When I got up wiih them they were near a houfe, where the party had divided, enc fe&ron haviag marched to the barn, under Major Wait, and the refidue remaining to attack the houfe under the oonrniand cf Lieutenant Lcvell. Lovell, with his party kept at fevers! rods diftance from th* houfe, and he exerted his lungs to the utraoft, calling to them to turn out and furrender. This by no means ftiited my idea of fold»erfh:p ; it was giving them too great a chance t» re- eover from their furprife, and to do us a material injury, that a more direct affault would at lea Pi have had a tenden- cy to have prevented. To remedy this defeat, therefore, I fprung forward, ran round to the door which was quarter- ing from our afTailJBg party, and had turned the breech cf my gun to burn: it, when it was thrown open by a foldier in his ihirt, who prefented his bayonet at my breaft. In- ftantly turning ray gun, and knocking his piece ailde, I bid him inamsdia'.elv furrender, or he wa6 a dead man ; afe

K

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furing him of quartets if he furrendered : he Teemed intimi- dated, but though I had knocked his gun afide, flill kept it levelled, while the party within were muttering, fome in the greatefl: apparent affright, otheis hurrying on their ac- coutrements to prepare fur action. There was no time for further delay, I fired, the unfortunate ioldier fell, the Maze and wad of my gun flew in among them, and fragments of the poor man's linn (the charge driving again the chim- ney) fcattered into both rooms, and greatly encreafed their contlet nation. Taking advantage of their terror, I clap- ped a new charge into my gun, and fprung in among them, ordering them out, fometimes preferring the muzzle, and fometimes the butt of my firelock, at the fame time exert- ing my voice to the utmoft, while the whole party turned out with great fpeed, and were received by our men at the door ; not a man, tomv knowledge, belonging to our party, but myfelf, having entered the h.oufe, till it was cleared of the Britifh. One thing that affected me confiderably was, foon after 1 entered the houfe, I was met by an old lady, who cried out, " Lord Jefus, don't kill us, you are a good man, don't kill us, don't kill us." I told her they muft turn out, and not a roan fhould be injured, and I foon found that I had cleared the houfe of between fifty and fix'v men, who furrendered at difcretion. In the mean time Major Wait had fecured the centries at the barn, and releafed about an equal number of American prifoners, to the Biitifh we had taken in the houfe, and having rejoined Loveli's party re- ceived the prifoners at the door.

As foon as I left the houfe, Roberts, fays the Major, take the command of the front, and guard off the priioners you have taken, and I will bring up the rear. I replied, there are officers here, Major, and 1 am nothing but a waiter ; to which he anfwered with an oath, to which he was too much addicted, you took them and you {hall guard them off.

We new marched on towards the Landing, and here I muft mention, that previous to ray overtaking the Major and his party, after lofjng fight of my Col. as before men- tioned ; when he had taken the prifoners whom I met, and weakened his party by fending them off under guard, he

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had fent to the Col. for a reinforcement, and Capt. Warn- er with a partv of men, was difpatched to his aid : but when they reached (he place where I had taken the two fentries, who guarded the enemy's boats, they perceived the party at the block houfe, on Mount Hope, to whom the fentries belonged, that I had taken, and immediately at- tacked them ; the garrifnn perceiving Warner's fuperiority of numbers, marched out and had laia down their arms, at the inftanc when we came in iighr, over the pitch of a hili. On feeing fo many red coats, with a tew of our men in front, and the prifoners whom .ve had reieafed capering about in every dirednon, Warner concluded it was Wait'* party in diftrefs, and prepared tor their reception : mean time the block-houfe party, who were about laying down their arms, conceiving it was reiser for them, matched up their arm*, ran into the block-houfe, and firing upon War- ner's company killed two of his men, and kept up a fmart but ineffectual rite upon us, while we marched along near- ly an hundred rods to the landing, to fecure and fend off our prisoners.

At the Landing I again found my Col. who called me to him, and entering a houfe prefented me with forne fpi- rits, of which I drank, and which was the firfr. refrefhment 1 had tatted, lince we halted at the little brook, before the commencement of the firfr. adtion. Captain Warner now- reached the Landing, having left his comoany on a height near the biock-houfe, and applied for a reinforcement and a rield-piece, to render the capture of the blodt^houfe the more certain. Col. Herrick replied to the Captain's re- queff, that the men were fo Scattered he harcrty knew how to grant him a reinforcement, but if I could be of any fer- yice to him he would fpare me, aad would fend on a field- piece as foon as poffible.

When I reached the height, which was about one hun- dred rods from the block-houfe, I found that Warner's company, in the abfence of their captain, had got er urely difperfed, only two or three men remaining on the hiil,wi»fi the bodies of the two dead men. In a fhort time however a field piece came on, wiih a gunner and a few men to. manage it, and fooa after our foldiers collected, and we

6*

put onrfe!<fes in a regular pofhire to esrrmience the attack. At this inftant ihe commanding officer of the block-houfe appesred on its out-fid'?, and waved his cap, making a lig* nal, indicating that he wifhed to be admitted to a parley, with us, dawn at the mills below us ; to this tw«* Captaw* who had join«d us conieated, by anfwering u>ns, and I at- tended them down t© th§ mills, to hear the meffage.

After a little introductory char, the Britifh officer re- •[uefted liberty to go to the hsll to view our force, and our captains conferred, on which we all fat out for the hill to- gether. On reaching the hill, and making a prettv clofe tfifpe&ion, the oftce* requeued pernnlfeoa to vifit his poM: and coftfult with his mea,to which our poiite captains very courteously affented ; on wh-ich aa enfign SdfTurd, who was prefent at this conclu&on of the parley, obierved, that he muftconfefs it was a new thing ia the hiftory of wars to htm, to admit an eneray t* view your forces, and arrange- ments, and then to permit him to return and profit in op- pofirion by the advantages th«s gained. One of the Cap- tains obferved, that he believed he under ft ood the rules of war as well a* S^.fFord : but Safo-rd continuing to difputc the propriety of the meafurc, 1st leegth interfered, and be- ing convinced that SafF;;rd was in the right, and the pro- ceedurc of the Cap'ains unwarrantable, I obferved to him, tfever mind it Safford, let tbera fend ihe gentleman back, it they think befit, and if he has a mind to rifk it ; but if he does, we will make a riddle of his (kin before he gets t@a rods.

My addrefita SffTord being delivered aloud, before them all, I -oWferved the Britifh officer f welled with agitatioa for a minute or two, and then fherfdieg a few tears, he advanced a httle, and fwung his cap towards his men, whei atteiding, marched to the mill unarnmd, and we immediately took pofleSon of the arms, and putting tfoe prifoners under a proper guard, marched them to the landing.

Having adjufted thefe buiinefTes at the Landing, we imme- diately marched, with a coiiGderable party and a field piece,, to the French lines, and began from thence to fire upon Ticonderega. It rnuft here be obferved, that when we maieked t<? attack the eaemy a; the Landing, Blockhoufc,

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$*c. Colonel Warner was to march arousd in the other direction, t« attack Meant Independence. Whew we be- gan firing on Ti'uhey drove to bring their artillery to bear booh us from Mount Independence, and fome of their (hot ftruck our breait works at the old lines, but did us no in- jury. One ludicrous event here oecafioned confidersblc iport, our doc%;>r feeling considerably valiant, perhaps fiOfH having taken an exhili rating drop or two too much, determined to quit the fecurity ot the hofpital for a while, to (hare the dangers of the field, and>ecord nglv came to us at the lines ; but when the firiftg began from Mount Inde- pendence, the doctor laid down under the breaft works, and juft at that time a ball from the enemy ploughed up the rampart near bins, and comple ely buried the valiant do&or, bu: ar\er a tew minutes toil we uncovered him again and fern him in falety back to his gaily pots.

Mijor Wiritcomb with two others and myfelf, bow tho't proper to take a fcout, and fea what di-fsovenes we could mike, or whatarsss we cou'd obtain ; accordingly we ad- vanced cowapds the enemy, along the water fide, under co- ver of a bank, until arriving oppose old TV, we rofe the bask, in full view of their lines, and within fhort mulkst ihor, and rag about fix rods, to a hut ; where pulling uifa board from the back iide, we perceived merchant goods, th« door being open in front, within about fit' y rod* of the ene- my, who, ft«od paraded on the walis. On fight of the goods, however, Whitcomb and the two others ran round, get in at the door, andfoon loaded themfelves with plunder, the enemy from the wails playing upon us all the while., as fat* as they could loa^ and fire. I thought the attempt of getting in and out at the door, without attempting in fome wav to check the fire of the enemy, was too hazardous ; uufinafs ; and therefore, making a breaftwoik of an old «himnev which itood near the hut, I gave them a falute, which they returned, and I exchanged feven (hot with them, while nay comrades were fee u ring and running oi? wah their plunder, when the enemy jumped cffibe breaft- work, within their lines, and I went to the hut, got into it through the back fide, and throwing out a large refe blaa-

J-4

6S

ket, filled it with the befl I could find, as full as I thought I could conveniently carry it, and then made oflF with my booty as faft as poffible, the enemy conftantiy firing upoa me wh le I remained* in fight, but wiihcut efTedf.

Our rangers now re urned to Lake George Landing, leaving one Captain Benjamin, with a company of militia, at the French lines. Here the boats of the enemy kept coming in, not knowing of the taking of their garrifon, and , we fecured them as fart as they came, till we had captured almoft all their water craft belonging to the Lake, and at laft there came in a little boat loaded with potatoes, with two or three men in her, among whom was a Mr. Terry. This Terry appearing to be much of a gentleman, our offi- cers admitted him and his crew to their paroles. Conclud- ing now that we were aSle to command the Lake, our Col. manned out a floop, a gunboat, and a number of bat- teaux, and fat out to take Diamond liland, having fent our prifoEers acrofs the way that we came, to Skeeribor<>ugh, and directed our plunder to be carried by water, paffmg the Britiih (hipping on Lake Champ! ain, to the fame place, and all arrived in latety. We progreffed on our. intended ex- pedition, cmly as far as Sabbath day Point that evening, be- ing put to much difficulty to get into a harbor, as the af- ternoon and night proved very windy and rainy ; to add to our perplexity, our parole gentlemen, with the potatoe boat, who had agreed to keep under the ftern of Col. Her- rick's boat, before we reached the point, made their efcape, and we had no doubt would put the enemy on their guard againfi us.

The next scorning the weather continuing uncomforta- ble, I arofe early and prepared bieaktaf! for the Colonel's mefs, but our officers feemed to be fo much dilcoTxerted on account of the efcape of our potatoe boat, (not doubting but our run- away parole gentlemen, by divulging cur plans, would render us an efTentsal injury,) that we lay alnaoft ihc whole day ina-fhve At length having come to a decifioa to proceed, we rowed on till we reached an iiland wi'.hin about fix miles of the enemy, where we landed (or the nighr, and the next morning fat out for the attack of Diamond iflaad.

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Here the fioop and gun boat were deftined to cover the landing of the party on one Gde, while the batteaux were lent round ro attempt a land.ng by fome means on the other part <yf the ifland, the militia having their choice of the point of attack. We fooa found to our colt, that our ap- psehcniions with refpedx to the enemy's getting notice of our approach, were well founded ; foi they were prepared foT our reception at all points, and plied their cannon to fo good advantage, that we were constrained to retire, leaving of our boats, and even committing iome of our wounded men to iheir mercy. Our lofs, however, though diftreffing, was by no means very confiderable.

Leaving Diamond ifiand, and having gained the ealtern fhore, we prepared ourfelves for a march in the beft man- lier we could, defining to lay our courfe once more thro* the woods, to Skeenfbjrougb. In this tour it became ne- cefTary for each man to carry what he could, as we had conhderable booty with us in the boats, which had been previously taken. My pack, when I reached Skeenfooro' weighed ninety feven pounds, befides my gun, ammunition, and accoutrement, which made the whole amount to cue hundred and nineteen pounds. This knowledge I obtained from tiie c rcumltance, that our packs were weighed on our arrival at Skeenfbjrough, to dec.de on what each man had a right to receive, as a recompence for the labor lie had performed : on reaching this place it was decided on, to di- vide our booty according to the allowance of rations, which threw a great proportioa of it into the hands of our officers, and d:d coniiderible injuftice to many, who had greaily riiked their lives in its acquifnion.

From Skeenlb trough we marched to Pawlet, where we* weie Qa:ioned, until General Gates fen: for us, to affift in endeavoring rofurroaod and capture General Burgoyne, a« Saratoga, in this memorable tranfadtion we were lituated to the-noith of the Britifh army, and clofed down upon it at riK period of its funendery. After the capitulation, I viewed attentively, loth the Britiih army and their adher- ents, the lovaiifis, among the latter or whom I found many cm r.y old nei^L^ors and acquaintance. The light of thefe aien, in to uiiieaiable ciicumftances, gave me many fenou*

64

reflections ; white I defpifed their principles aid practices, I could,not help feeling for their misfortunes : excreifed with tHefe feelings I ohferved to one of" them, a Mr Ephraim Jones, how unhappy it was, that old ncighb rs and frier.ds ihould entertain fen:iments fo adverfe to each other : that they fh oul J become fo embitte;ed as to fe.ek to take each others' lives, or, as in the prcfent instance, to make them prifonerg, ban. ill diem from their native country, and fepe- jate rnaay of them from near rcUtions and affectionate friends. It fo happened that Mr. J mes did not emeriaia fentiments exactly coincident with mine, or I was not hap- py enough to communicate my though* fo cordiallv, as to avoid giving offense : He even received mv addrefs to him as an infuh, thin whirh uotUing was moie foreign from my intentions.

It was now ordered that Col." John S ark, the hero of Bennington, (liouid t*kc charge oi the loyalifis, to deliver there at Like George- Landing, purfii*ru to the anicle of capitulation refpeebng them, and ur corps compofed a part of the necefTiry guard, Having execuied this duty we suarched to Pa%viet, where we received an honorable dif- charge, and I once more paid a vilh. to my old friends in B&nni*jgt8fi.

H-ie I e*ga^ed 23 a hand, to sfFift in building a lar^e fjore, and continued in this employ una) the beginning of Januiiv, 177S, at which time Col. Hsrrick came to me and fed) Roberts will you engage to go as a fcout upon an important bufinefs ? I anfwc ed, if the public good requires it, Col. I am devoted to your commaad, and the ferviue of my country, and will exert mvfelf to the belt of my abili- ties. I wast you to take three men, fays he, and go to L'.ke Champlain, to Sr. Johns, to fee whether the enemy keep their Hupping cut eur, or whether they are frozen in. I lold him Vh&a rather not take the command, but go as an afnttant ; he a(kfd me to chufe a companion, and I named one Samuel Rice, a brave young foldier, and a true hearted American, and the Col named James Hill and Abner Bianchard ; we accordingly agreed to go, and as tn encouragement, warrants were made out to us, •nulling ass to •ommifSons, one as a Captain, ami the other three

65

si Iveutenanrs, with double psy, and eViuble ratio»t, t«* eompenfate us for the rifiting of our lives, and (he waduraiOCe cf unavoidable fatigue. And the intention of the General was, that a regiment mould be raifed ;n our abfcnce, if* which, on our return, W« fhouU enter on the df; huge ©f theducics of ourco n.ii-3l»n. Accordingly the bulinefs of recruitiBg a regiment •ommenced, but was not profecur- ed, as the expedition contemplated was never carried in t@ ^erfetStion.

We now prepared tf f«t out on our hazardous en*erprifer and per ha pi tew, if anv companies, ever utiderta k a hu&. rsefs wi'ha m ne cordial agreement, or with more cordial friend (lii p. As an evidence f this I vrill 'oate one ( aa, we met at the hoofe of C ionel Nathaniel Bub, aiv.! agreea- b v to aiy r -q left, drew \ms t>\ r&e Captaincy, which fell tCbSamuei R eT tire y^ungeft man among us: sad he ac- ce •» ef ton t»e exnrefs condition of eacb man (hiring eq* -ily in the emoluments derived fr m the expedition.

On he 12 h of January, 1778 Capt. Rice re- c^ved his orders frona the 'hen Brigad.ti General Siark, winch was in the for.n folic! wing, v z

Sift,

Ycu are hereby re que ft cd, with out Ufi of time, fe pro* e^ed on d.-'J-'n Lake Champ lain, there to reconnoitre tne Jituaiio* of the enemy* s /hipping, the /Irength #' ihc r.et &c. wi \h ihe f»rtre; s of, S: f/h **i, a?:d mak; a rcium to Col. Samuel Herruk, who wilt deliver this ts your hand.

Given under my hand this llth day of January, 1778.

JOHN STARK, B. Gems* it. To Capt. Samuel Rice* On receipt of this ardor we immediately fet oar, ?nd readied Newhaven Fails, now called Vergennes. withont meeMng with aay thing worthy qf notice : this fir ft tour we pes formed in flei^hs. Here fwnging out ^nc.kg, and taking to our mow thoes we marched down that day t© Soeiborn. The next day, travelling chjejy on rhe iee, we paSed down on the e&ftern fide o( the Grand Ifle, and oa •ur way meeting wilh three or foar fi ieadiy inhabitants,

66

who informed us, -that they had received certain informa- tion of a Brifiih fcout being on the coaO: : This pur us Hipre circumfpe&Iy on out watch, and we loan d:feovered their track.

When it grew towards night, it was very fnovvy, and we approached a fmall ifland, called Weiden's ifiand, on which we intended to pais the nighr, but litre again we dif- covered our gendemew, o\ at leaft found where they were, W their fi-es, On this we immediately fell hack, being as we conceived, und (covered by them, and laid <<ur courle for the eaftern fhore. The night coming on and the iturm enereafing, we foon loft fight of the ifiand, and getting on jQiare we penetrated a fwamp, where we encamped for ihu night, bur the ftorm encrealiog we had a very uncomfort- able night, and what was the worft of all, our guns got fo cofriplebly wet, as to be rendered for the time ufelefs a3 firearms.

in the morning it was very heavy fnow- (hoeing, yet we concluded up m Parting, though our efforts were cuiilome and our prog rei's flow. Sinking Georgia Bay, we deter- mined to venture acrofs it ro S . Albans Point, and having gat a confiderable ddtance from rhe fhore, we d fcovend i wo men on Bellamy queens bay, and tfoiirkirtg we were too Car out to make a faCe retreat, being appreheimve they might pive intelligence refpeclir>$> us to f ■ni.r-ng pavti«-&, if they (houldfall in with any, i told my comrades tliat 1 thought ir was beil, as the men fcfemed to be ftfcenug for an ifiand then iii view, to follow them up plofe, let them get on the other fide of the iflmd, and iben mn fuddenly upon them ; this we did, and the men (ui rendered thcmfelves piifoners.

Upon examining them we found that they were going to the Briti fli ; and concluding that it was not fare for us to let them go on, we ennverfed with them, and rather than be fubjecl-d to inconvenience, they promoted to behave well, and Mr. Bianchard took charge of them, to convey them back to Parfons's m Slieiburne,

We came whh Mr. Bianchard and the prifoners from the north to the foudi fide of the ifiand, where we took our leave of them, and defigning to make hut one track, we Marched m m-liaa file, Hiil, being the fm&iieit man,leading,

67

Rice following with great prcc:fion, and mvfelf, being the large ft of the company, followed their track with the ut- raoft caution* in order to elude the vigilance of purfuers, i r deceive then*-, if poflible, and thus we travelled onto the (here of St. Albans Point.

At the fouth ihore of the Point we tied on our foow- (hpes, a*nd proceeded on as before, ftill making but one track in eroding over to the north fide, where we came \o a ma-rib, between whieh and the Lake, the {now had drifted io as to form a bank, like a wail ; over this ru-nk v. e eroffed, and iat down on a pine log projecting from the bank toward the [ike : Here we rcnfulted on what if was molt prudent to do, and the refult was that we pu;led efi our fnow ihors, determining that we would recrufs the bank, make a fire, and dry ourfelves, our arms, ammuni- tion, 6cc. but to our great furprze, while we were in io undeiirablea fituation as to be unable to fire a ffeat, we heaid the found of voices near us, and looking up faw fev- en men coming down a fmall point towards us, and within about eight rods of us.

In this critical juncture, Captain Rice requeued me to take-command : intlantty I ordered, take trcesiht whole \ fpring:.»g m-jelf behind a fmall pine, while they each tt?k to a la* g* one that fl*od on the jhore.. placing our- J elves on the defer. Jive The oppofing party demanded, of us who and vjhence we were, and I told them we were continental /oldiers ; they in return informed us they were §ur enemies, and o< dered us to lay aswn our arms ; to this challenge I replied, that we wet e not likely to be in their hands, but they in our's ; ordering them to Jut render in- ftantly : and jumping on to the bank, called aloud- Capt. Aliens advance on the right ! Capt. Sawyer* on the left \ and then fp> ung to my t> ee again. For a few moments they pauled, as if irrefolute tvhat to do, but after filing upgn us jcveral times, without receiving a return, and finding no parties appeared, they began to advance* and we were obliged io turrender Qtirjeives prijoners.

Our loyahits.'as thefe men proved to be, marched with us to Point au Fair that night, and the next morning w« were ient, under guard, to the Me aux Ncix, where we

68

were examined by a 3 itifh lieutenant in a very rougk manaer. H: rir ft examined me, and his language was fo impolite, that I gave him very Ihort anfwets, without any folieit-ude about pleating, giving him every niece of intelli- gence iefpe£hng our army, which he enquired after, in its moil provoking form ; on his enquiring about the battle of Monmouth, 1 told him all I know of the matter f Sir, is, that our moi intelligent papers ft ate, th'at inZ'afew days, if Cimtsn continues on hn pre/ent routo\ sur arm-, have great hopes they /hall Burgoyne him. Burgoyne him, G — d — them, [as he \ then they eall it Bwgoyning of him do they. Yes. pleafe your honor fays I, that is the name our primers give it. Hs paffion at length fo far exceeded his curs City, that he ordered me away in a very rough manner. Afterwards each of ray comrades under- west a pret y fimilar ex-isuination, which terminated much in the nv-nner m ne had done, and very little indeed to the £a isfa&ion of our examiner.

Fr »m thif p -ft we were fent on to St. John's ; and be- ing-h. I c'i at admittance from the fort, notice refpe&rag us was Tor warded to the garrifon. In a Jkort time an officer same to us from the fort, bringing three napkins, with which we were hh*d fielded, and thus condu&ed we ksew m t whilier, until we t')\irA ourfelves in a fmatt room, with? in [fit garrifon. H -re the blrnd folds were taken off, and the Bntiffc 'Seers or the garrifon treated «s very politely. A'ter a fliort time we were again blindfolded, and taken one mile from the fort, before we were permitted to fee, whe.i Mr. Terry, who ran away with- our potatoe boat, breaking his parole as before mentioned, came up and fpoke to me, and made himfeif known, I having forgotten his race; On his making himfeif known, 1 upbraided him for his breach of faith, and he told me that J muft not judge too hard of him, as all the intercft he had in the world was on Diamond Ifland, and the intelligence he carried refpe&ing us, was, in ail probability the means of preferving it.

We were now fent on to Chamblec, where as we were marching »p to the gate of \h? fort, two foidien who ixood by it, looked hard at roc, and one obferved to tfee

€9

•ther, there is the man who killed B'llv Donnsvan, at Portafli; that being the name which the BirOi had given to [be place, near Lake George, where it fell to mv lot to kill a poor unfortunate teliow, and clear the houfe of a lar^e number of his comrades, as before mentioned.

The next day we were fent on to Montreal, where we were brought before general Powell, who after giving us a flight and abrupt examination, concluded by faying, " take the rebel rafects a"Joay\ let them £o> to Air. Jones, at the prove /i ; their heads jhall each of them make a button fer a halter.1'

From this imperious officer's quarters we were conduct- ed to the provoft, being frequently vi filed in our prifon, by old acquaintances, belonging to the corps of ioyalifts, fome of whom ufed us very indecently, others with neighboiiy 2'tention and good manners : In the couife of our tarrying at Montreal we underwent frequent examinations, before different perfons, but they obtained very little fatisfa&ion horn us.

In the prifon at Mon real, we received feme ill ufage, and a few threats, and to cap the whole bufmefs of infult,. one day the fergeant of the gaard came into the prifon, bringing two pairs of hand-cuffs, which he faid were for Rice and me, if we did not behave ourfelves, and added that we had got to march to Quebec. On this, the fel- low who .fually officiated as the hangman, came in, and feigning fomething like crying, told us that he had come to crave our forgivenefs, on having received orders to go to Quebec to hang us : is return 1 told him to be gone and drove him out of the rooen. Soon after we were marched for Quebec, and having progrefied about twelve miles, they procured carriages, and we rode the reft of the way.

Here we again paned feveral examinations, and were ultimately delivered over to the provoft, and once more lodged in prifon. After lying in this prifon for a week or two, they propofed to put us out to billet, we giving our paroles that we would Rot efcape.

We had concluded on cfcaping from them, fhould prov- idence favor us with an opportunity, and therefore were M

?8

refolded not to claim anv title a* officers, efpeeially as we nad received fco cosnoi Mi ons, and cjnfequentiv objected to this in ode of proceed u re.

We cold them therefore, that we did not efteem our- felves officers, and of courle (hould not conceive our paroles to be binding ; to which thofe who pretexted the written paroles replied, that ihey d<d not cave how we con- ceived or it, if we would iign them, and relieve them from the trouble of a tending us ; on which we iigned them, and they carried us out twenty three mdes into the ifland of Orleans, where they put us out to billet. Here we found twenty or thirty other prisoners, among whom were Col. Peilinger and Major Fry, from the Mohawk river. The prifoners here were under the care of a Biitifh offi- cer, who had the command of the Cambden militia, and who had two waiters to attend him. At this place we ftayed peaceably till fome time in March, when hearing from the Canadian militia that our troops had got to St. Johns, and St Francois, we concluded we could in fome way get to them, and accordingly fat out one evening, the fnow being nearly fix ha deep, but it would bear pretty weil in the o\ en fields.

We run off the ifland of Orleans on the weftcrn fid*, keeping up toward Qjebec, which we appreache^ within a mile or two ; then leaving it to ihe left, we llruggled en, fomctimes in the fnow up to our arm pits, and fume- times borne on the cruil, acicfs the open country. At length our foremoit man was out of £ght in a moment ; the next as Suddenly followed him, and 1 ftepping bri&ly op to fee what had become of them, lhared their fate, and fell precipitately down a fteep bank, or drift, at lead ten feet in height, where we found ourfelves ail together bat received no injury. W^ again rofe and purfucd on, till at length getting to the road on the plains of Abra- ham, (having paflfcd the city of Qjebec about two miles) and it being now near day light, .ve perceived the .trains and carry -alls began to move. It appealed neceiTary, therefore, for us to quit the road, and taking acrofs the fields to a point of wo ds, (though near to a houfe,) there fe*iD£ a thicket gf fpruse bulkcs there, we featured to take

71

«ur abode in thsm tor ths dav, though the cold was ex- treme, and we dire no? kindle a tie.

la this ex'geoce, to prevent Ueexmg, we tro 1 and beat down a deep hole imo the mow, then breaking oft boughs and putting fhem down, we fpread one blanket under and the r«ft over ub, and there we laid till evening, thus keep- ing ourfelves from abfolutily fufFering by the feverity of the weather.

In the evening we renewed our march, and kept along the back fide or the fields, till we came to where the road went koto the woods ; but here being near to a houfe or two and a company »f young folks appearing to be walking to the wood- a*n3 hack to the h >ule, with fev- eral tfogs barking aiounj, wa thought it ibupofiio-ic to get into the road without being d fcavered : we therefore had no other rcfource, but t"> break through the point of the wools, .where we became atmaft covered with the faftw, and our laboring through this difficulty, cod us almoft in- conceivable to 1 : at length however, coming to the roa«3, acr.ifs this p'»inc of woods, we rnxde the cuojft fpeedy ad- vance poilible, and towards day reached the village of ~PS\rd au Tremble ; but here obterying that the carryall* be^an to be moving agim, we were once more coaftraiaccl to concen measures of fecrefy, hiving, with all out toil, only gained a chilaoce of about fixrecn mtUs, £y reafon ©f our numerous and fevere obftru&ioB*.

The cold was fiiii fo intenfe, (hat I was fearful oi"perr i(fimg, if we did not obtain fome fori of (heller : in out perplexity, therefore, I mentioned to my comrades, tha there was a houfe then in view, where I had b.eo o«ce billeted, and I th »ught it was better to venture in there, ih-ia to rifk perifhmg in the open air; but my compan- ions were not willing to comply. I then urged the* pro- priety of making (or the b^rn, and fecreting ourtelve* there ; but to this they likew-.fe objected, urging, that 1 was very apt to (a re in my deep, and as foon il I fell into a i\ i n'^er we ihouid be liable to he ohfeovered, if any per- fon thoiild Lome to, or pafi fry the barn: finding it im- pompie for m to agree to feek {h?lter in the houfe or hitii, ws took back to the woods, abaut a mile, but sow

my comrades began to cry out that they fhou'd certainly freeze to death if they did not k ndle a fire : I told them if we kindled a fire we fliould more certainly freeze : hui fhey could not be perfuaded to deft ft, and we according- ly kindled a ire, and in fame meafure thawed our clothes, hut no fooner did we quit our fires, than the wet clothes became (o uncomfortable, that we each of us fuffercd fome by (he froft.

In the rnoi ning, at fun about two hours high, the Cana- dians be^an to come out after wood : previous to which, our fmoke be ng probably discovered, one of them came out on mow (hoes, fleering towards our fire till he difcov- ered us ; then he attempted to change his couife and retire : but we ordered him to come to, which he did. Seeming to be a fimple Canadian, we converfed with him upon our circumftances, and endeavored to buy his fnow (hoes of him ; but to this he objected, dating that if would probably be the means of our detection, as his neighbors would afk hitn what had become of them. We acceded to the pro- priety of his obfervatioris, and he profeffing friendmip tor us, and promifing to keep our council, we let him go.

The teams now beginning to pafs at no great difiance from us, we concluded to remove a little, to find a more fafe place to lay in ; which we accordingly did, and reaching rfpbt where the defcent was coniideiable, though gradual to the fouth, and the fun coming out clear, it feemed as if we may here enjoy comfort, and as we hoped fecurity : though we could look down on the fettlement to which 1 had been formerly fent to have the fmali pox, and were within about five miles of the houfe of the friend which I wifhed to have reached the night before.

Here we concluded to tarry until evening and then run in to the fetflement, to my old fiiencft houfe, and a£t as circum^anees may require ; but to our great chagrin our pleafmg views were foon interrupted ; for while Rice and myfelf were taking a nap, Mr. Hdl getting up to mend his mockafin, fuddenly exclaimed "haik ! 1 hear fome- hody talk : I arofe in an inftant, and foon heard them, and in a fhort time, coming within about three rods of us, they haii#d us very fharply, on which ftarting up, and

seeing oar preterwu-d friendly Canadian among their number, we became fully assured of their being after us, and finding it to be impossible to escape, we surrendered at discretion.-

pur captors took us into the settlement, and carried us to the very house at which we had aimed to call, where we found a number of loyalists, under the command of Capt. Ephraim Jones, the man whom I mentioned as taking offence at me, for speaking to him of the apparent horror of friend being set against friend, as before reared, on meeting hiai at Saratoga i ixnd who, contrary to the articles of capitulation had again re- turned inso service. As soon as he saw me, he upbraided me again for insulting him hen a prisoner: and I again, (as I had previously, and with truth) averred, that I had no such inten- tion : I however told him I was now in his band;, and he may use me as he saw best ; and whether my address to him had any influence on him, or not, I cannot tell, be it as it may, he did not use us with^great severity, but went with us, with the commander of the Canadians who took us, back to Quebec.

Here we were received by the commissary of prisoners, and sent before the Governor, and again delivered over to the provost master, whose principal aim in our examination seem- ed to be, to find out who n*d supplied us with provisions, t.i cnabie u, lo attempt an escape^ promising that none ot us sh >uld be injured by the disclosure : but of this perfidy wf were, incapable : rather chu-.ing to undergo any thing in their power to inflict, than to betray ,so good a 'friend. On the, whole, upon Lodging us in me prison, the prov; -« ;: ; j -> ; .}. you have done nothing in reality criminal, and'tshail no: put you in irons. With this address he bid us good bye, and Uift u^ once more to our own reflections.

We were now again in clo^e prison fotL about ,two wee^

and alt ho1 on some accounts, it was undesirable, taec? was one

jn which it favored us, viz. it gave time and vr •.;:':>.. \v for

our frost bitten limbs, to get well. After about t - o weeks the

commissary of prisoners coming in, says to me, "Mi. Re;- ■■-.,

I recollect you told me, tiiat"j|pu esteemed your p-<ro;e, given,

as a private soldier, not to be 6iodang| I do not Relieve you

would so esteem your word of honor." 1 told him I sho-j!«f

not Well, continued he, then if you will give me your word,

th.it you will not attempt to escape from us, yo.u shall return

again to your old quarters. I'a-ked him if he supposed we

aid be exchanged in the spring : I wiil^ive you my wore?,

i he. that as :>ocn as the river is navigable, by b?:~^ k;-i&

N

74

from the ice, you shall sail for exchange. On that eomlitlon, Sir, I replied, 1 v1 ill give you my word not to attempt to escape from you, til! (he time you' mention : and each of my comrades giving him me same assurance, we here ended our Jriendiy ne-

gOC-£L10Il.

Carriages were soon provided, and we were conveyed to our eld quarters, where according to our promise, we tarried peace* ably until the water craft began to move on the river, and of course until the incumbrance of the ice was removed. By this time therd was quite a number of prisoners at our post, and myself and comrades began to plan a new means of escape. Not willing however to subject ourselves to the imputation of dishonorable proceedure, we agreed not to start til! the con- tra&- was decidedly violated on the part of our enemies : we therefore fixed as a criterion, (our provisions being marly ex- hausted,) to wait till our present supplies were gone; and if then they sent on any considerable quantity, for 'future con- sumption, it should be the ground on which we would decide j snri we would, ai'ier that, leave them the first convenient op- portunity.

The names of tjiose teho were now concerned in my plan, were Blauchard, Rice, Hiil, Osgood and Evans ; we were not long m stfsperxse^ mr after we had fixed this business, a num- ber more of prisoners, with a fortnights provision for the whole, arrived at our quarters ; upon which we again fixed oa a night, made the best preparations our circumstances would allow, and I hr.zd a signal for them to give to me, when all was in readiness after which I went to bed, but not to sleep ; vainly listening to the terrors of a very boisterons night : but *he appointed signal at my window was never given to me, and my company escaped without me, notwithstanding the tempest, and get safely home.

It is perhaps impossible for me to describe my feelings ia full, on meeting with this disappointment; I knew not to what to ascribe ray being left ; and sometimes felt enraged with, the whole of them, sometimes dejected, and the whole tims much agitated : theT escape soon became the general topic of conversation, and I said to some of the prisoners, that if I could get any to join me I would see who would get home first, and two men of the name ol Divine and Hasfcill, immediaich join- ed me, but being disappointed with respect to procuring a compass, our intention of escaping, was, for that ntehtj frus- trate v.

75

The next day there was a great commotion ivnioog us, our houses were closely watched, and |; at roles traveled the streets i Pretending to be surprized at the movements, Mr. Divine and myself went to see cur Col. and Major,' to ei quire into the cause of the bustle, when we found, that one Bigfcrd, a pris- oner with u , had informed a British ofheer, that I was plan- ning an escape with a number of others ; that I was to com- mand the party, who meant to disarm scree of the Canadi- ans, and return as a scouting party to our. army. Findn-g that Bigford had really been guilty of this meanness, I went in searc'n of him, and after a while, to his sorrow, 1 found him ; for I did not Uave him, rill (as far as a sound drubbing would go,) he had reason to repent of his treachery. This proceed ui;; caused Mr, Divine and myself r<> be taken that night, and carried to the main guard in Quebec, and the next morning to the provost, and irom thence, in a izv days, on board of a British frigate, where we found Capt. Fry Bailey, Lieutenants John Powei, and Nehemiah Lovell, against whom Bigford had likewise operated, by informing, that they were to be cf my scouting party. On board this ship, we fared the hardest for provisions that we had done in any instance ; but happily our stay" on board of her was but short, for in a few days vVe were removed on board the Maria, with all the rest of our prison- ers, the Colonel and Major excepted, who were admitted to their paroles.

I laid several fruitless pians to tfrtcl an escape, at length, I concluded to adopt one, if I could get any of our men to join me. Our guard were one day British, and the next Kessians, who came on board from the shore daily, and my plan was, when the Hrssians were upon duty, to improve a time, steal the ship's boat, and attempt an escape ; and some agreed, that if we did nor sail for exchange,, by a certain time, they would a: all hazards join me ; yet when the time had expired, eheir hearts failed tntm, though they with myself, 'eceived many abuses Irom some villainous loyalists ; who, as far as respected me. generally got their change, as I thought in full; but it grieved me exceedingly to think my scheme was- defeated.

A little while after this a number of prisoners were" brought >n from D'.troit, among whom was a Mr John Dudge, form- erly a merchant at that place ; who on suspicion of being in oon/ederacy with Congress, for the reduction of Canada, had been most barbarously used by governor Hamilton, and who fitter suffering almost every thmg human nature could endure

tit dungeon?, had been rr^eJ foi hi

tn in duress, to av\ ait the ultimate award of his tyrants ; this trian and seven other's agreed to join me, and to attempt an es- cape, at theriokof their lives, and the night was set when our revive should be execu:; '.

J must here remark that the tide served but about one n:ght m two weeks tc carry us up the river, so that our time wr-s jirmcal. VY hen this nigh; tame I had made every preparation y power: one of. the Gentries sat by the mainmast, appa- rently asleep, the other was stepping very slowly on the quarter ceck : I called on my company, but cka'b stared them s-.> im- mediately in the fnctt that only two of ihem would venture, aid we rhiee rot being sufficient to stand any chance, if discov- ered, were obliged, with heavy hearts, to give up our design.

I now a!;TK.bt gave up the hopes of effecting an escape, hut Mr, Holmes, one of the two who would have run any rhk wish roe, as bdorc mentioned, now sfirtted up eleven 'men, who <:-' 0aged to join in another arrempr, come life or deaih. J" he set urght again came ; the caprain being on short oars were hi trie hoar, that shr rihy be ready at Ids call ; our usual privilege H'2% to keep a candle burning till nine o'clock, but at this time whe ruie was not rigidly enforced, i,ud we wished for darkness ; seven cur of my tkvtn men had fallen back ; and to add to c ur c'nat-rin, Dodge and some others, among our fainthearted^ hav- ing thai ilay received money, had got some rum and a pack of Cards, and krpt insisting upon playing one game ^fter another* tili my patience was totally e^.hau^eJ ; we being ail ready, but i*ot daring to stir, while asin»!e man, except rho&e in our confl- uence, could possibly see us. At la>t I toid my four friends, in a low whisper, to i3y their hands on iheir packs, and start when the candle went out, for the lumber port, and then with my hat I knocked our the candle, and all was total darkness. Getting to the lumber port myself, I found there three of my compan- i-' !v, the other 1 left engaged in taking leave of his friend. I crept out of the lumber port, reaching a tender, or rope hung to the bide of the ship, with a firm coil at the lower end, de- signed to prevent the boat from dashing against the ship's side : v.i this fender I hung, with my toes on its coil, and reaching the rope that held the boa', drew her up under the port, and then stifl keeping one root on the coil, and placing the other on a seat of the boat, I took my jack-knife, which I bad holden alt the time in my mouth, and as soon as my comrade-, now only ihree in numbet were in, I cat i:?;- looie, pushed her ger.t!/

77

from the ship's side, and as still as death drifted with the tide up the river.

Here I must mention, that the night was dark, windy, and something rainy, yet our escaping undiscovered, was almost mi- raculous j it was to be sure difficult to discern objfc&a by look- ing down on the water, but as i looked up I could see both sen- tries aii J my head was not more ihan four fret below that of one of them, (while I hung upon the* tender') who * as walking on the same side of the snip within, to which I hung wiihout, and only the ship's side between us. The other sentry was also very plain in my sight, and the ship's watch awake looking out for events with vigilance*; jrer-at this time providence fav- ored o.ir plan, and we escaped undiscovered, passing tiiero as the tide drifted us, and as before observed, without daring to row a stroke.

After drifting out of the harbor, we manned three oars, one of us attending to steering, and there being but four in the whole, viz. one Holmes, 3 -ackman, Put, and myself. We In this manner exerted ourselves to the utmost, amidst tne riti and uncomfortable scenes of a 'empesrucus night, 2nd in a short time reached the eastern shore, bring, as we judged, at this time, aboot six miles from the sljip; but here we experienced a most distressing disappointment indeed, for when we came to prepare to swing our packs we found mine was missing be- ing in our hurry left in the ship, in which was much the great* eit part of our provision?, and what was va.tly more import- ant and discouraging to us, it likewise contained our compass : I however encouraged them, telling them not to be discouraged, for a? providence had favored us with a safe passage to the I«nd, we should esteem it as a token that fortune would be on our side, and we should succeed in our attempts.

We now made tne best or our way to the wood«, and having got a little distance therein, our first business was ro examine our store of prov'jssions, which we found to consist of about two pounds and a half of pork, and fourteen hard sea biscuits; which, conside ing our necessity to expend it as prudemiahy as possible, we calculated should last us seven days, being an al- lowance of half a biscuit a man per day.

Oh account of this our scantiness cf provision^ I proposed to keep near in with the inh? : •-, tfiat if providence favored us, we might on our way' replenish oiir stores, but the'gericrai voice of the co 'ost me, their dread of being re-

taken surmounted every other consideration, mv motion was consequently ever ruled, ahd #t betook Ourselves to the v^oz:r

78

depending greatly on the favors of a kind protecting provi- de nek, though vastly too insersihieol the reality of our depend* ence.

At the particular and universal request of the whole compa* ry, I undertook the conducting of the march, sreering wholly by the sun when the weatner was clear, but erring most egre- ^iously when it was cloudy, as we found by unhappy experi- ence in the result ; stinting ourselves to our half biscuit per day, xv'.h only one or at most two mouth-lulls of pork, which were cut as careluly, and touched off or a'Moted as critically, as if it had been an immense treasure. In this manner we proceeded the first seven days, when we still found ourselves in a dresry wilderness, our provisions expended, and our on]y resource the, unfailing beniiicence of providence. We still endeavored to Keep our course, subsisting en leeks r.nd a few roots which we sometimes lound, and the inside of the bark of white pine; of which latter substance we obtained applies, by means of the jack-knife which I have before had occasion to mention, tilt one day wanting a fresh supply, and making enquiry for the fcnife, we found that it was losr, %nd our regret and almost ab- solute despondence on the occa>k>n,can be more easily conceiv- ed than related.

We now had to pass several days of severe toil and hunger, Sustained by the hopes that we had got nearly through ; yet even these hopes were weak and un sheering, for once or cwice in cloudy weal her, in the woken flat country, we had perce v- ed tracks on the moss, and every moment feared the assault of Indians ; *iil at length coming to some objects we recollected, we found to our surprise we had got upon our old back track, and had to retrace our steps again with heavy hearts.

One day in our progress through a swamp, I picked up a large bull- frog, and killed it, but our punk had got so wet that we could not at that time kindle a? fire, to dress it, and we had not then got near enough to starving to enable us to eat it raw ; it was frequently proposed for us to trv, but our stomachs as cf:en revolted, so that after carrying it along, for a considerable distance, we threw it away.

On the thirteenth day of our march, and the 6th of our being witteoutany provision*, except roots and bark, we came to the side of a river, which according to the account we had receiv- ed of the geography of the country, we concluded was the Connecticut river, as we had previously forded two rivers, which we conceived to be the forks of the St Francois: we had ah© found some small streams, in which, by diligent seaich,

79

ve obtained a few elarm, some of which we roasted, and some ft>ok raw, but they appeared to yield very little sustenance.

Oie chv after we got to the river, we caught a small mud turtle, and our puaK b--ing now dry, we kindled a fire, and roas'edthe ereanjrein tnesheil, *od it suppl ed us wuh one lit- tle mouthful apiece, being carc'uliy divided and touched oif, a: interestedly as it it had been an invaluable patrimony.

In our march along the river, we also one day came to a •am;), where we found a string of moo e meat, weighing prob- ably abuur tro pounds; but ii had lain so longexpos:d to the weatner, chat it had become nearly as hard as wood : we how- ever got it so far to pieces, as to be- able to shallow it, but the .voiding of it put us into very severe distress.

Oa the sixteenth May of our march, the third of our follow- ing the river, the naturally intrepid soldier, Holmes, gave out entirely, Black nun was not in a much better condition, and evenPueand myself --were so enervated by toll, and crippled by travelling, that ve were scarce aole to walk : we therefore lay- by on Hilmes's account, Biackman laid down with him, Pue e.c-trd himself in CQile'lHhg fuel, and making a fire, while I waded into the river, and iViiectrd near a hat crown full of aiam:, which we roasted and feasted on that night.

Here sleep entirely forsook m*- ; through the whole night the thoughts harrowed up my feelings, that I should certainly, however unintentionally, be the cause of my esteemed compan- ions' perishing, in the wilderness, by real hunger, and that I too should suffer, without even the consolation of alleviating their distresses. Tormented 'with these refl' eTions I lay rest- less and distressed till day light appeared, when I arose and by- diligent search found a fresh supply of ciarns, on which we re- freshed ourselves, and Holmes am! Sbckman were so much bet- ter, that we were abte to pursue rmt journey, as fast as their weakness and our extrtmelv sore ftet would ad mi J ; we being all of us nearly, and souse of us entirety barefooted, and the sharp slate stones, along the bank ot toe river, had cut u3 almost like knives.

This day as we were travelling, «e observed some small fisi^ in the edge of the river, and Holmes having a hock and line with him, we cans t a grassboj \ er, with which he baited, and soon caug :t thiee mail bass* the wliole, perhaps, sufficient foj a common meal tor a man : but our idea of the necessity cf economising, still continuing, v\e made a meil upon'the gut of the whole, and oiie r>! the frih ; a;tcr having roasted, divided, and touched them off, as exact as it it bad been of the greatest

so

possible value ; ann indeed faw tilings ever appeared of more value to men, than a mouthful of food then did^o us.

Atter partaking of this refreshment, we travelled on til! near noon, when one cf our company, on a sudden, ci ied out I see a man ! easting our v.iew forward, we perceived men building a fi-tli ware across me river, and beyond them, on the other side of the river, we thought we perceived houses and cleared fields. I immediately said let us sep back into tae woods, my lads, eat our fisp, and conclude how we had best proceed to obtain more, tb: night. We proceeded accordjnglv, and after we had dined, I asked them one and ail what we had best to do. Pue dircCtiy gave it as his opinion, t-Hat we had best take' to the woods, and steer for Coos ; I obiecVd to this, urging that we were now almost starved, and if u e attended such a business, without first having obtained a supply of provisions, v*e should certainly ^erisn with hunger. The rest of our company then said, Robert*, we will leave the matter to you Well then, says I, yonder is a bluff point, on this side the river ; we will go round on to that and see what discoveries we can make from thence ; if there are any troops, we s' all probably know them by their dress, and will arrange our future plants accordingly. On this we sat out for the point., 2nd when we came near to it, discovered a foot path, leading direcYiy oti to it ; following this path, through a thicket of Lmaji sapDas* being myself loremost, I observed a little pole, which I sup- pose Ad-, a fisn pole, rise up before me, and looking forward, I perceived a wigwam, ju>t at xhc edge ot the thicket, and not more than three rods from me. Oi> this I turned^ aod gave notice to my companjions, and we all faced about, went back a few rods through the thicket, and then tosk into the woods, intending ro go round tlac wigwafn,; but on this new route we had progressed but a fe>7. rod-1, before we perceived a squaw, h ho had been figging roots; Pue proposed to kill her, but I oboclc' r. account that we should most

gi >ab ly be fqftpjl ou^ and auo, because that in my view (t would be murder.

At this instant, the rq-taw sajf us, and rising up, came to« wards us, on her wav toioe upgw^m. Passing near to me. she said, in French, hov dp vou do Sir ? I answered In the same language, how do yoa do, '•■■z!i\^. In a. few moments after, « e heard the Indian yei' at the wigwam, repeated dis- tinctly, -j.s many times, as our company consisud of persons : thi; oed'ous sound answered from -Ivc islands in \\k~

ffl2?.y;r, and Tptter#e4 hi almost every direcY-cis around «;:■:

Ml

with very little interaction, beginning from one quarter, as soon as it ceased in another. I now asked again, what shall we do boys? the general answer was, we leave it entirely to yon. Well then, says I, let us avoid falling into the hands of the inciians, it possible : the houses across the river, look like the habitatioHs of white people ; let us endeavor to wade the rivtr bv the foot of the iilands, it possible, and give our- selves up to the whites : to this the whole agreed, and we be- gan, with all the speed we could, to execute our plan ; but in parsing the iirst island, we discovered two birch canoes, with thru? Indians in one, avd two in the other, within five rods of us, who fell diieclly down, and ordered us on boartl, with which order we were obliged to comply. As soon as we were in the came, I observed some provisions on board, and said :o my comrade*, God biess me, my boys, there's some bread! the indiaus from this, conceiving we were hungry, gave, us what provisions they had, which we eat like ravenous wo v'es.

They now proceeded with their canoes about a m»le and a half, 10 tfieir v lUge, where, we feared they would make us run the gauntle', to prevent the endurance of which indignity, we agreed to take our sticks wkfi us, ai.d to fight till we d ed. U vj reaching the shore, however, when one indian stepped our, and mi^dc signs for u« to follow, the terror of immediate death so operated on my mini, and so sunk my spirits, that I followed him and forgot my stick ; mv companions uid tin ssme, and we were taken to 'he house of their chief, and there examined bv an indian "lad who could j.peak English — Being complete^ in their power, and conceiving aild.»gu>se to> be unavailing, we told them who and from whence we were, ho v long we had been on our march, and our sufferings by hunger : On wheb (he chief ordered an indian guard to take us before the commander of a H->sian party, who after exam- ining us, a» the place where we were carried to him, a iiiile out of the village, ordered the same indians to take us back to his guard in the village.

On our way one of the indians began to deride and pester Pue, calling him indian, and placing nis wampom cap upon his head, the l<>ng'ta-her of which almost reached the ground, Pie being very iow of stature. For a while J thougot all- was going well, but Pue being angry, called to m-, engaged ly, to r, ; ;:r ; ivhen looking roand I perceived the contest to be "about hi3 pack, which the iudian, had hold oft and Pue refused tos&r-

O

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render ; at the instant I looked round the Indian had raised h& tomahawk, when I bid Pue to let the pack go as resistance was vain : he did so, and in a few moments we were stripped of cur's in like manner. After being tl us plundered bv the in- dians, without receiving any otiier ill us*nage, we were delivered pver to the Hessian guard.

We now were Judy convinced, that by reason of the loafing weatber, we had for some time been uriprcniably wandering round, and for four days had been following the St Francois River, into the enemy's country. But even here we found the prevalence of humanity, for the Inhabitants hearing of our suf- ferings for want of food, came with terreens, or trays, of mi k, and bread, from various qnarren, and in such abundance, that we almost/killed curselves, for want of prudence to regulate txs with regard to eating.

The morning after our capture we were marched off, under guard, for Montreal and at Masco River » ere delivered ovtr to ■<* frssb guard : but here the pain/i*) consequences of aiy over- caring were so excruciating, that I had no thought I could sur- vive an hour.

The Hessians no;v made ''.igns that we must march, but as I was writhing and groaning, with rcrryfss like the agon-res of d^ath, I returned signs that 1 could not ; hut they pointed to a bouie across the river, signifying that ue shouluVpui up there for the night, and by great efforts I got to the river, threw myself Into the boa% and we were soon across, and up* ro thebou.c Upon entering the house I saw a guard bed, on to which I threw myself, as I thought to die ; but two men had followed us in, spoke to us in go <d English, which great])? revived me, yet my affectionate companions were so Distressed en mv account, that they took no norce, until I speke to the strangers, and 'informed them that having U'ely been ready starved, i had now killed myself by eating to excess ; on this one of them, whom I afterwards found to be the d.-ilor of a Hessian regiment, retired for a few rnomen's, and returned- wi;h a glass of cordial, which I drank, and found almost instant and efftftual relief. Our gua/d would not suffer them to con- verse much vsrith us : my kind reliever told me to be sure to call on him in the mornings, this I was not permitted to do, but he stood at his door, and called to us to come to him, but the guards compelled as to proceed ; observing me to be barehesd ed i:i the scorching sun, the indians having Eaten a vay rtiy hate he ran to me wi:u a g >od white fur one,- saying take thi«, G d bless you, it is all I can do for you. This kind treatment

as

from a frien-JivT Str'atlg'er, and that toe froiir one ih the garb of an enemy, dre* tcar^ from my eyes, and many a thankful emotion frbm my i ea f.

At Sore!, we a ere delivered over to another Hessian guard, and i.ere my companions, especially Holmes, were in r. as great distress, in consequence of eating to excels, as I nad been the day before ; yet v\e were obliged to proceed, the guard however allowed the poor tomifed crea ures to stop at t?mesr when their pains were excruciating : this clay try sick compan- ions suffered beyond accour.r, the day being sultry" and iifte pinioned,- though loosely, and linked together with rope<", something like a four csule team. Our guard came to a half, after travelling about four miles, and set down their guns in the stoop of the house, near to where they left us; admiring thetr carelessness, I looked on our cords', and concluded that we Cv)u!d clear them off in a few motnents ; I looked at the fbougnt- 1^-ss creatures,' and felt assured that I could kill three out of the five, of which nifrtiBer our guard consisted, at one shot, I had even picked out the shoes that would suh each of us ; and men • tinned to my comrades die ea e with which we might regain our liberty, and at the same time furnish ours' Ives with provisions rmd arms : But my friend Holmes obji-cled, saying, if you do Roberts, I must die in their hands. To desert so faithful a friend "was impossible, rind this consideration prevented my shedding of blood at that time.

Holmes and the rest of my companions got better the ne&£ 6:,yf and w,e \v ere delivered from guard to guard, till wear* rived at ftlotit rea'!. In our guard at this time, from Cham- b'c to Montreal, was the soldier, who as I befbre mentioned; informed his companion, (on our first arrival at Cbamble,) that I was the man who killed Billy Donnivan, lit Portash ; on our march now, he inh.rmed me, that he lay srek in the hou^e, at '.hat place, when 1 fired, entered, and drove cut the party ; and he added my appearance struck him so sm^uiaily, that it would never be erased from his mind: he could com- pare me to iK thing, he said, but a wild boar, foaming with fury against his oppdsers, for the hre of my eye was frightful, and the froth, stood on both sides of my mouth, like a suds, while I thundered upon them to quit the house. This man used me with every attention in his power, while on the march.

On cur arrival at Slorftreal, we had once mere to undergo the aSuse and threat of General Powel, who again sent us to the provost. Mr. Jones, the provost master, was one of the best men ih the world, and iluring near three weeks that we

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remained under his charge, treated us with great generosity : but this was so far from being the case with others, that it gave me a very lasting idea of the difference between H.au and man.

By way of contrast I shall mention, chat dne day a loyalist", an old acquaintance, who had several times insulted rne before, came by as I stood by the centry at the gate of the prison yard :

on seeing me, he says, Roberts, you are a d 'd rascal ;

you call me so, Capr. said I, because I wish to return to our common country, the place of my affections, but where you dare not shew your head ; he continued his abuse and I strove not to remain in his debt j he certainly would have got a little more than his change, had there not been a sentry between us.

O.ie dav I asked the benevolent Mr. Jones, it he knew one Samuel Adams, m Montreal, he said he did, and on my asking if he wou.d inform him I was m the prison, and wished to see him, i-e, .-.aid he would ; and accordingly, towards nig.it, he came and told me to go and see my friend Mr. Adams : I wsnt accordingly, and we seated ourselves for conversation^ uhen he tolii me ma tew word^, of his severe sufferings, on account of being suspected of being friendly to America : and added he, out conversation must now be short, or I shall be again suspected ; and \t 1 am tried for my life now, as ^ have heretofore been, perhaps I Rnay not fare even so well s 1 d;d before. On this he gave me a dollar, and bid me goGd bye for tl.it time: and toe next day, his man brought me several pounds of loaf sugar, near a pound of tea, and a cake of choc- olate ; yet 1 knew no reason why Mr. Jones the provost matter, or Mr. Adams should befriend me, more than the Cap- tain I have mentioned., only that the two former appeared to be humane gentlemen, and the latter a brutish churl.

Liberty was still so dear to me, and my great desire to be at home, became so irresistible, that notwithstanding all I had suffered i;i my former disappointments, and unfortunate at- tempts, I again bes>a-:i to concert plans for another attempt ; but calling to mind the severe feelings I had experienced on account of tne sufferings of those who were with me, partic- ularly on my last distressing excursion, I came pretty much: to the determination to go alone ; especially as I found several places where I thought I could get out singly : but it appear- ing too cruel to make such an attempt, and not let my for- mer faithful companions know my intentions, I at length told them, and thev said no, you must not leave us ; we stuck by you once, and we will again. Upon this it was unitedly agreed on, that we would together make another trial tc re&aift

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freedom, and the night *ras set far t^c execution of our design. At this crisis oi our affairs, a prisoner from the ., hawK river, "finding that we were g ~>i;:g, agreed to join u^, bu' the afternoon oi the day in which we sat our, he fell back, bting either really, or feignedly, extremely sick, and groaning like a dying man.

This person, we had reason to suspect, told one John Carree*, a xzry treacherous man, of our plan, who we had equal rea- son to apprehend informed the guard : for they lived a ha? across the gate that day, and kept a more siricl: watch over us than had been usual \ the sergeant in particular, was up sever- al times to look to the prisoners, which was not a common bu- siness with him, for he had usually been considerably remiss in that part of his duty. I however in a great measure deceived fhern, by beginning in the afternoon to complain much of the camp distemper, wi:h a slight attack of which 1 was in reality distressed, and the doctor was sent to visit me, who feeling my pulse bid roe take courage, for I should soon be better ; q:i this Be left me a poniori of rhubarb, which I rook from him and concealed, while, to forward my plan, I maintained my course of deception, and kept the orderly man running to at-er.d me, to and from the necessary, all the afternoon and .evening, I all fl t Time crouching, groaning, and complaining, the better to conceal our dc-

Trtus I continued my deception till the hour a. ' ■ 'rh I

had^destined fof\ the execution of my plan. Onr roo - -. . a chamber, and the windows from vrhjch we intei above ten feet ia^n fhe ground ; My agreement comrades to spring for and open the gate, while I would en counter the guard, 3.nd defend them, or perish rn the attempt. But concluding that jumping fr(.m the wiridow would ic: a ftw moments, by the jar, deprive me of the ability of defendi r them, a- I might otherwise db, I decided on following u\> my m ofk cf deception a iktie further ; that I wn inp-

t - . ressed turn, and in coming back- would take cafe to ige so that tlie orderly man attending me s.

m first ; hat then I would give my cu" - ap>«

pointed srgnal for jumping, then catch up the axe, - 'h:«h I would place handy for the purpose, knock d tentry, if

and perform every a# of defence that circa may require; m were to follow H 'Imtrs,

if they c ula eifcer art escape from the ga;e together, or, in c tss of se^eratioiij run to a certain smbusiete, w^hefe, if I esciapeel

85

\vith my life, I would endeavor to join them. 2 accordingly prrgiersed so far as to give the signal for thtir jumping, but their hearts filled them : I therefore stepped on the seat or the lower window , and reached up the ax fo the chamber window, Which Holmes took in I then following my attendant into the guard house went up to our room, where finding them still willing to venture, 1 told Holmes to jump out. of the window near him and Biackman to follow, while Pue should follow me out of the other. This was all done in a whisper, yet not so }ow but that we were overheard by a prisoner of" the name of 14 'Wire : who asked in a lpw whisper, Roberts where are you going ? adding, I am your friend : if you'are, *aid I, lay s'ill, but he got up softly and came to me, kissed my cheek affec- tionately, and chen laid down. Either our whispering or the motion of M'Wire was heard by the rascal Carteel, v. ho lodg- ed in the next room, wherein was the window out of which Pue and I were to jump, and to our great surprise he halloed in a loud voice wjto's there ? which alarm was immediately re- peated by the Hessian sentry at the gate. On this I stepped to Carteel, & told him in a low but firm tone to lie still or he was a tiead man, and he held his peace I then stepped to my win- dow, Pue being close behind me, made my signal, dropped the ax, and immediately jumping out regained it, and perceiving the sentry making from the gate for the guard room door, I met him and made a stroke near him with my axe, not meaning to strike him ; and seeing he had not his gun, but stood sentry with his cutlass, as Hessians frequently do, I threw my axe by him, and springing upon him, threw him, and fixing my knee on his breast, attempted to take his cutlass, but it being naked, and the guard now attempting to get at me with their cut- lasses, in the dark, I could ner carry this point, but rising oft' the centry 1 broke through the croud, though there were not less than fourteen of them, and run to the gate, where I found the bar hanging by one end, and gave it a pull, but did not get it cut, my assailants coming up I turned upon them, who I con- ceive were not apprised, it being very dark, that there were any more attempting to escape than me. We now went round the yard swiftiy, I attempting to drive them back, and they to kill ine, till at length we fell in a heap on some low gun carriages, in one corner of the yard, almost all together, and doubtless the difficulty of distinguishing me from the rest, in the dark, was here my safeguard. As I had two or three under me, this fall did riot hurt me, and fully realising that it was life or death with me, I exerted every muscle of my frame, and there was a horrid

87

swearing and yelling among the Hessians, especial ">y one poor wretch, wn > being undermost, was sadly bruise^ and crip- pled. Rising asspeeddy a* possible, 1 laid hold of one of my assailants by bom arms, and twitching him ofFhia feet, swung him against the others, in both directions, till having cleared & passage, I ran to the gate, and finding it now open, got out, but tripping over the threshold, I went blundering across narrow street, and fell on the pavement.

This gave some of my pursuers anppportunity to fall on nnr* press me down on the stones, but not being hurt by the ; cleared myself once more, from all of them, except one who" hung by my loose coat for a few sieps, when stopping sh brought him wirhin reach, and stopping him with my left ban''* I struck him so forcibly with my right* as to knock him *o a considerable distance. His comraces in the mean time passed me, I therefore jumped over him I had knocked dew: % then sprang to The other sk)e of the street and ran for the cm - i*sr, but here striking my toe against the fender of the corn.."-, I pitcned on the hard pam so forcibly, as it seemed to rae had nearly beat my bowels out of my body ; yet I soon arose, and struggled on, and turning to my right hand gained the gre°i whicn led to the town wall, where soon coming to an ambn- siere, I jumped down into the trench, a depth of about eigh- teen feet, and thence climbing ever a wail or about eight feet in height, I got into Montreal meadow. In this meadow, run- ning to the north, the moon being aboift rising, 1 had not gone far before I perceived a man, in a white cor, within a few rods of me, and supposing him to be one of my party, went to meet him, and gave him my token, wnich insread of returning* he bid ms good night, which compliment I returned, and u heix he was out of sight changed my course, for fear he should give informal on respecting me and I should be pursued. At kngth I came to a thicket of bu-hes, and it being now near morning, I lay down to pass the day

As soon as night came on I steered for the river; it was ex- ceeding dark, but I felt along the fence till I found a stake- whicn I procured, thinking it would serve me for a paddle, if I could find a canoe. I went on searching carefully along the river, and at length found one, but it was chained tco se- curely to give way to my strength. After a while I found one, the lock to the chain of which was so defective that it easily submited to my efforts.

While releasing tne canoe I saw a torch light on the river bank, and soon perceived men oi\ shore and in the boat tow-

88

5rg h< r up toward mir, on this account I hastened in my oper- ations, and having freed my b-.-at pushed her af! nar, taking two or three silent but forcible *tu>kes with my uaddlt, to char a birth /or them between me and the shore, I then laid down in t-he bottom of the boar, drifting with the current till some «ay below them, whtn I piied my paddle with all my might, to Cross the iiver, which was here three miles in width.

Ip my way across, alter great toii, I struck upon an island, V/here, conceiving I. Lad got to the main, 1 at first thought of setting n«y boat afloat ; but Providence prevented by instilling the idea, that it may operate injuriously for some honest Cana- «.- an ; on this thought occurring I drew up ^ he- boat, and hap* py was it for me that I did so, for after walking on a consid- erable time, wondering I did not find a road, I perceived through. the gloom something of white appearance, and com- ing to it found it to be water. Alarmed at this discovery I tri- tdengagetjly to find a place where the river was fordable, but all in vain, for after many fruitless attempts I v. as convinced of its impracticability. At a loss for some time for a mode of proceedure, at length I took my direction along the shore, and $0on coming to the point of the island rassed round to my ca- noe, and once more getting afloat, labored round said point, pucdiiiig^or setting with my oar with all possible energy, where the water admitted, and dragging or pushing my beat along where the shoals obs;r,;c~?ed my passage, till I again struck land.

Here I once more hauled up my boat, and travelled on, | found no road, which made me conclude that I had sirock^o- the'r island., and should here have to, spend the day, or perhaps be retaken* Having reached the further side of this island, a i: -_k oi sheep started up before me, and I followed them to a house, before which laid a large and a small canoe, and in the forna -t lay two oars, one of which I seized, and was pushing the srn -ill carroe from the shore, when two dogs came furiously Upon me from the house, and I did but just escape them.

hieing once more afloat "I exerted all my strength to get over to the main, a fair sight of which presented, from the clear- ness of the sky, and the rising of the moon ; and by great £%■ ertjon I speedily reached it.

li'vir.g gained the shore, I found myself in the plain road, and directed my course up the river toward Langale j but row my camp distemper became so severe, that my former feigning was turned to a solemn reality. I got into the woods fatigued and tortured, but wearisomewess getting the better of my pain, L fell asleep, the sun being then about rising, and did

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not awake till about ten o'clock. It was in the beginning

of October, and a cold frosty morning ; which rendered my situation, afflicted as I was with a painful disease, oo I'.MCom- forta'de, or i. -.deed miserable, for me to describe. I was com- p i . t e ! v chilled, my bowels were tortured, my head swan*, a id it »• as near a quarter of an hour before I could gain strength enough to stand on my feet. In this distressed state, I grxn seriously to consider my deplorable circumstances, and t6 reflect on what 1 had best to do. I had hankered exceeding!-/ after milk, and several times in passing covvs on the road, had attempted to obtain a little, but could find no one which would stand st 11 fvr me ; I had then attempted to find a milk house, which are frequent among the Canadians, but was disappoint- ed on entering an out house, to find it a bake house instead of a milk house : in coming out, two dogs from the stoop of tl - -::t dueling house flew otr, and 1 escaped from them

by fiignt ; thus disappointed in my views, I had fled to the i on. as before mentioned, and was there brought seriously to review rny own case : the attempt to take to the woods, as Y then a^t appeared to me to be terrain death: by delivering rnyself up, I could but die, and my relatives may hear of my fate at some time or other ; or I may providentially find a humane friend, and yet be preserved I therefore resolved to use every prudent precaution in my power, but to enter a house by some means, to seek :or shelter and relief.

fitter having fixed this determination, I travelled on and soon sintered a savannah, or wild meadow, full of cocks of hay, and saw a Canadian at a distance, to whom I thought to address myself; but getting my eyfe off from him, he eluded my vigi- lance, and all my%tff«rts were vain to obtain s i o h t of him again, This occasioned my thoughts to be trout : I concluded

the man was startled on seeing me ; \j&a he had probably heard of my escape, and would very likeiy inform oi me : . I therefore ?ock to the thicket again, till I cams to a pbee froth whence a house was fairly in view, where 1 determined to lay that day, and watch the motion of things, to discover, if possi- ble, whether there were any soldiers in the neighborhood, 2nd at night to venture in there, if I should deem it proper. I had not been here long, before a woman came along, on the o her side of the fence, with two cK. den, wnen putting one over within a short distance of tne spot where I lay, and reaching back to take Hold of the bthef, I rose up and said to h r in French, how do von do Madam : -he appeared consid- erably affrighted, but mildly answered how do you do Sir.

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Her voice and appearance was somewhat pleasing to me, and I immediately, in broken French, made known to her my state of health, and deporable circumstance!:, and she invited me to her house : I objected, and requested her to ask her husband to come out to me ; but she rejoined with engagedness my husband is a boon iriend to the Yankees, ail one, all one as the Bostonians. On tkis friendly aisur nee I rose up, and fol- lowed her, and with them and one other Canadian family of their neighborhood, I tarried a week, experiencing every spe- cies of kindness that their .circumstances admitted, and my ne- cessities required. On the day I found trn\ much needed asy- lum, ray friend, the husband of my protectress, saw a British party when he went for his cows in the evening, wh© informed him of our escape, and that they were going to Point au Fair in search olF us

Having now recovered my health, in a desirable degree, I took leave of my very humane friends, particularly nvy kind first protectress, and the mistress of the other Canadian family that favored me ; some tears were shed on both sides, and in- deed heartfelt sensations experienced on my parr, that can be better imagined than described. I then endeavored to steer for Ticonderoga, through La Prairie, and coming to where three roads met, one leading to St. Johns, and one to Caugh- nawaga, I took the rniddte road, and run to the end of Jt that might I here took to the woods, and kept travelling till near day, and then laid down, and took a very comfortable nap. On arising, I found the sun shone clear, and felt grateful, tho' I contemplated the tediousneis of a march of an hundred ana fifty miles, as I conceived, to be made through the woods, before I should reach Ticonderoga, and not a voice to cheer, or a hu- man arm to assist me.

The weather was fair for a few days, but then changed, and a rain ensued, which obliged me, as I had no compass, to tit still, at the foot of a pine tree, for almost one day ; but to- wards evening the sun shone out, and I travelled on till al- most dark. This night, I think, I ventured to make a fire, and rested very comfortably ; in the morning, when I awoke, 2 sat considering of the great goodness of God, manifested to- wards me in so many sparing mercies, when my mind became more than commonly exercised, and I felt constrained sol- emnly to covenant with Jehovah, that if I should be preserved home to Bennington, I would serve him with my life ; and as an open profession of my gratitude, would cause my friend., the minister of that town, to return public thanks for my de-

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Everance and refufn. While these thoughts engrossed my mind, as if providence was pleased to take me at my word, 1 v.-as alarmed by a scratching on a iree near me, and looking round I'iaw a raccoon, running up a saplin, chough it was not the one I had heard. 1 catched up my staff, a. id raa hastily to the saplin, when I saw the creature that first alarm- ed me, on a larje pine tree, but I could nor see the one on me Saplin, (which was a witch hazel or hard hack,) ^s he had hid- den himself in its tcp : I thought, however, (hat I would shake the saplin against the pine tree, to scare the raccoon that was on the tree, and en taking hold of it 1 found it top- heavy : on which I shook it severely, and the creatuie^t length fell, and I killed hirrj wifti my staff, and cooked him ; and having a rag of fine 'sail, w .ich one of my friendly Canadian W<>men had given me, I enjoyed for several days, witu singu- lar satisfaction, the fond Which God had favored mt with, as a seat of agreement, frxed by Heaven to the engagement I had solemnly though unfaithfully entered into.

One day after this, the clouds ag in seemed gathering for a storm; it appeared unfavorable, and being on a flit, whereon were many large high pine-, I concluded that if I climbed one of thrm I miohrsee the lake, or perceive the range of the hill^ soOJ to oc , :le to keep my course, if the sun should shut in, I accordingly ascended a very high one, and though 1 could not see the lake I gained the direction of the hills : but here I was fcear to finishing my career, tor being more than one hundred feet in the air, Providence Was pleased so to order that the limb on which I stood broke, and I fella little distance, but catching Another limb was severely shocked, but almos miraculously preserved from death.

Descending carefully from the fee, I again commenced my journeying, and after a series of renewed exertion* endured for several days, I struck the lake, somewhere about Peru, with- out meeting with any thing particularly w irthy of being re* corded.

From Peru 1 took the track that General Burgoyne pursued witn hi* cattle and horses. The day iff which I expected to have reached Gillinard's Creek, where I conceived I should ob- tain shelter for a night, I was impeded by a very severe rain, and obliged to pass a dreary night, in a howling wilderness, un- der the shelter of a great oak : and indeed this night I was more disturbed and terrified, than in any other of my journey. It became exceeding dark soon after I had laid bv tor the night, and the rain descended like a torrent; I thought before darfc

S2

that 3 once or twice htzrd the howling of a wolf, ou: w'Ser, all fc^as darkness, and tie tempest severe, itsey seen-,. ;cct-

ed around me, in almost every direction, h< wong as if ti.ey Would rend the elements, and apparently at but a few rods distance- from me I really thought at times, thar they would have hold of me in a moment, and frequently^refleclcd upoii the expediency of endeavoring to find and ascend a Mnall tree ; l>ut besng something apt to s-umbie in the dark, and fearfuj if 1 should, that they would the more certainly and t :fftc"tu«lly snnoy Qiej I kest my ground, and a liule before day they drew ofiF, so that I saw none of them Next morning I moved on, the rain siill continuing, and had gone but a short distance be- fore i discovered Gillinard's house, wherein I mig t have had a shelter for the night, by a few rm-nutes acditiona! exertion.

I entered the house, and finding nobody there, enjoyed its sbcitcr lor a while, and being ?s wet as it I bad been in the river I concluded if I could find any tbmg to .vnicli I could strike fire I would venture to kindle one, to dry my clothes, &c. on which I began to search round in the cracks, and p/e- senfly went up the ladder into the chamber ; bui here a-> I was stteppmg oiY the ladder, on.to the floor, I perceived a blanker, Apparently thrown over two men. On this, I wi. very r.car to hastening down the ladder and fleeing; bin I verrtare.it up, an'd pulling ctTthe blanker, 2 round that it had been laid over ti ree fuil bagsj one containing eora and br^r.:. another iam,, and the third parched corn, fine y powdered.— •• This last was a vaJusbfe acquisition to me, wherefore, iaki about six quarts of it, andtne bianktt, I ieit ti - £;!-

once more, with something of a grateful heart, I trust, be my felf to -my journey, steering d wn across the open fzrxins \& Split Rock, lltrt J went 10 a harbor, where maoy tnpes be a'.men put hi to loege, and finding nothing to alarm me, I concluded to lay by umil ihe w'mci feU, zvd she:: t&ityvox to cross the hke, it being a narrow placej but gojJ'g tip. a c^\ bank, and taking a view of the lake fro^m thence, 1 f. Served a British vessel under full tail u. wards me ; On this I speeu^y £ot out of view, and regardless pf the rain pursued my jour; ney up the lake.

it now stopped raining, and having got a new store of provision-, trJough 1 W*s jtery wet, yet I '.ravelled on wiife- cum repining, and .wo nights ajier reached B i] w "■ . positt Grawn Pm,t. This night was exceedingly cold for the season j and I aimos: suffered by the irost ; i either w in such a situation as to fed sale, or to enjov very £«&* c<

»3

jK»Vitr? o/ mir*fit fot I saw the flash cf both evening sm! morn • m^ join from an English vessel, which lay bet Ween Crown and Qhimncy Points.

. In the morning I pursued my tour round tbc hsv, and diw tinclJv heard srmwb Jy on Crn.» n Point, hail th« DritJefe vessel that lay ij»ere. 1 then steered for Putnam'* Creek, and from thence to Ti< or.deroga, but evening coming on I Here uied the grrwteat caution, for though thf British troop* had left the ajur- riv»n, 'Jirir »c« 0*1 frequently *i*:ted those parts. Meeting interrupt! on I began immediately to make a raft of some o brands and a lar^e door 1 found, and toon finished it and art mj se f atroti on to mount Independence, fcjere I met with lira Scotch tamilie% a ml received hospitable treatment* they being the only human beings 1 bad seen for ten daya.

The house 1 fun called at was that of an pfd u »dowee« who had ^ toting daughter as a house- keeper, and be ordered some- thing to be set t/efore me for rrfrrnhme*!, and in return* I talked in proportion t«. njy joy, no? regarding his patience, till i conceived him to be wearied; however in the Otnrotog he again entertained me according to hi* ahii'ty and ctrtutrWaacw.

The next day I travelled to Ca tlcion, and through the ioo<J- nets ot God was enabled to sensate liberty, and in a desirable degree to relikh alt it< sweets- Here 1 found man? friends and enjoved peculiar happiness in their company and fiiend!y r< mmiieriiion. The nent day I obtained a chance to ride, a < iruarnstjpcet may require, lo Sunderland, aahere I met wrth a frtenel, jrho had some money I had left svtrl^awm, and wbkh he paid mr9 with $ punctuality that evinced hit honest), aod a plr.isure that shewed the goodness of hit heart.

With my kind friends In Sunderland I enjosed sevrra' sgtre- tWe interviews, and my faithful agent procured me a Bprttao i le t<» Bennington, on mv way to which place, I called, at the House of Mr. jnnas Galusha, of Shaft *hury, who tint ev .redietglv «urprivr<j »o *ee me, his fir*t salutation being, ■«■ 0*s* t Ui I me t k*c f$jm A T Art fu*tt\+ /— / i>e\* put rtteixtJ a) MrtMg$ ft omyhir dd c«m • «<fo, /# e»n try /• Cel J In rV*\ t$ mj»> m k'*itl*Mtfiurj***tU*rt% im mit?mhri*£ f mskt sain €<**e ntm is.* /trtyajtrum :• Mtntrtml "> Mr Galushntrca ed me with aja at* unti m», suited to my sufferings in a righteous cause, and tothe • v of his heart. I stakl with him to dine, and thtn sat

m \m Be n rt i ogt 00,40 car a| n< ws rrMtcVwg myself to the Col» «**j i^rrr baJ i, r {.U ajurt of needing nuny hearty cangm:*-

Q

94

only fce-go* mytoirmu vows a»d nr^hOtcJ n»y incumbent duty mi tab respe6, but returned i^nn t«» n-v ofct and debasing J*ra6fce«, and to my vain companion*, tik* the jvw ikt* wmt

Suites en my ret ero, tod fo'rerei*e tokens of4 sincere from a gresvi ouny very ear^ent fnwds.

Alt O the unaccountable lolly of man ( the awful iitgretU hade of tee hurom heart ! the forgftfulnesa and wkk»Uoew of the ensap&uled mind ! I forgot my solemn prompt to God, made in the day when he presetted, and almost mireee- lesjslr led me in the wddet neat j and neglected to make a public or even private aolemu acknowledgement to Gnd lor lla, manifold good nets to preserving me amidst dangers Ced- ing me imidsijpliiary wild*, and returning me in the haves ofafl my denial* To my ahanie I mo>t mention that I not rmu vows* and neg but returned again t< ny vain compen /• aW vW/»f**x i» 4* m.'fg.

Afttr spending a lift days in Bennington, I sat out toga to ale my friend* down cout.try, especially my mother In West Spring M, on Conn. fticut R«vif.

Bit O the coldness of a sin-pardoning God ! the wonder* ful sopcrtninNbocc of an ever present, and mercfrut Provi- dence ! the infinitely operative fewer of • warning and re* dain tug Ifdeemcr. Th- ugh 1 was thus ungrateful ar.d on. dutiful to my O *d and Heavenly Fahrr, yet he w.i« pleased not to let me go on e*tf» »ut mS heavenly admonition, and ietrMi vtvi»«iion. He m<t me on m> jonrnev in the vhiont of the .night, anuWwis pleased to set my sins in hedsous order before my fie*.

I dreamt that I was In a house in Old Canaan, in Con* oeAifut, W'i ch mv father moved from, wiien he wn t to re- sidfc? in Stiu water, NtWynrk ; which event took pUr when I was^nc years of a&t. I tlimigut that I wis standing hik- ing out of a west wind w towods SaiUbury hill On a <u4. dm, a dreadful and tremendous hiaze burst out of the south end of the htil, 'u!l in my sight, a blue and terrible blaze, and fashed from twi to end of the hill, aid as far as my eye could attend.

Oo observing this mott dreadful scene, my first impression! Were, 'hat the World was torning.to an rud ; th.f my fate was fixed tnd my domn sealed forever; on which my sin«, even my secret et.orrmt e% as w* 11 as my op n violations of solemn Covenant with H< aven, >'ar'd mt hi tt.e face, and filed my ejtal wi'h fear ami iremblwg. Even the £la*> of ihr window seeriwd to ujelt cl >»e to my face, and the snlphtlrious siei>t fiflftfetcd ilQSX llie blaze, aimoi: cheahivi mc j en which I

«Vi#kc and fonnd v »i> • dream | and 0ke all »he other r« of a benaicent Creator, It vis for the lime di»re<

i rm on n» my moogh'lesi carer for ton* rears* pecttj | many solemn convsAions, bot misting the divine mftucoce, tod slighting the, gracioot inviiatioos of a gloriont

At ran time a solemn awatentn* urcvaBnd In Bennington, wiiian place I rcturoeo* after vuiuag of my fritndi \ anal rt again 1 nasi to coushdt the operations at the spirit i«r5 Ur manner j for alibo* many of my fanajn* vain coife- i, and some of tboar too ohom 1 an** astectriui, wen* cot favored of the Lord, apparent!*, (Ring inoluyd to

singelar

ssng a> new snog, and to call (or mercy, in then; »otW% jam*- Wy prayers j yet I cleaved to the pr od^ate rrramant tb>t re* main id, and forwarded their vain, soul polluting merrrroeoti, wane, on my -bee!, cnnviAlon would often so powerfully assait nw, as to caase one to water my pillow with nsauy a bhtcr aanr*

Immediate! v on my return to Bcnnicgton, arWaav journey, I applied to Col Herrtck for asmiance, win retprft to obtain* ing nay for my service*, if not some a<mprnra<ion for mm towerings i and he promptly agisted in procuring any pay roff, as f lieutenant, with the all* wimt f<at one ration, amounting In the witott to sig hond ed and twtnty sip dollars.

Win this instrument he went to $ illwaier, toSeflL^nrir who era* equally free in doing every thin* oclnogWtnnan him •000,10 ascertain me strvicn, and secure t ft payment of my demand : but by rrason of the then deranged state of* the finances of the United Slates, payment we*, by some snaiee po» p-.neo, aod a remuneration for my services, or lor mos£ nf my compsniy, hat never been made. But to inmnTHo my narrative again ;

I vp-«t this winter in Bennington, at common labor ; bul row ton csf«d- id niv numerous hardship*, hears and cold*, a d rain*, bet an e apnaren' ; lor I wai tailed with so severe a pain 10 my b*»ae*, •• frequently to render me mtireiy inca- pable of butii***. In the spring, being a lit te better, I en- gaged in carrying flour across the mountain, for Col HafceiVs sogiment, from Manchcsteiy in Vermont, to Charleston, in New'»ampshire; but mi my return the second time I mil atiacd with %o severe , aim in aiv hack and Ui|* (w kn tqoa at tiled info my right koec, aod produced very large xswjftiaja, aitendcd With entrant torture) as to deprive mc of all pans

9*

** ^«%>^1W, wvMMM«iig ifirrMr Vr««*-Jf»tt to«tamjtTicf.

i «m» trww x«wn to icaion I wt* oo, fomctWnes abJt to mtfort •;** ktig,**, ot othm obiip* to Uy wM\f by, beix* oA^td mith uocouwno* octet oo4 ***** the rctoii of former ■hi^tet t/e eipcr iemr ; yet c*co at tkuyoti, woeo thclWta oi pubik cito^rr ptwnkd, tod partfctfUr eicnion became ne* cew* mo 6*4 t*»rit ol »>cr^,t* rerioeo; tod I fek con- ttfolfesHo engage my voluntary «rnc«, o* oroou or otferwi*, Iffc MtopulH ni jny mind being >rmi«rtolr. • / *V »*? **'** •** o/r»co*oo/ iloirpotmoj. * *lr>if >OK# /*o, *r o* «#*»,* 'J 4**/o**r <#«*», * ot^ «/ »,>>,, ■**4jm* r«k$codt9 tkt.mmkttiy mf ttxtnty r mJtwmd : mud ON _<jb/0\;># ojwnr ***r oom/iv rfr<¥# y «y sufetimgs. » 9* J-r 407! tyir «*i**t / *rmkm* yt^ . «« v /tokft /tor ots// room* o mm^^t^myment/frnmummmreu) ,Ut t mtify UUn*> im tkt timn wkijk kmt n*<t elm/,em\ J imvt «o/ ore* mkU * Mmfmm mmt tkmm hdftk* Utm thmi mdtm ***** oow JUr, 090** /mm*,.

/low tkt dtsmrdtr *#*<«? fmlltu into my right mm. I mm lendffd limit „t+JLi***U< t. mtmd to Udih Ukm uf mmy hud. . But kUssm**mw Gm\ Jtemtt J km* moo 000JM tkemmk mm* jmmce. mt kmim to rufitm uf my mtom mmd sc&H krtmektt qf trmumui mttk Jii*v*k>m*dto*mb,sf<tmt kind iumitmtimt tf tkt Ruhr. Xkumklj trust tkmi fkmijfun Im tmmiumltd im <*ru*>u<n, mud mm Immft/iit enmjmtnt ff tkt n*Ju ifimJvmtf* t'hci, *k tkt meittf mtoum uf mm%tmtu% ;/«i/mu Mediator. Jnd my m*>t emsmtst />**}** f $+* is% mo/ kt wm]jmm<t/*Uy enmkU me t% t/emd tkt remmmmi nf mm^ttmmfmg^mh mttmtvtd life 19 iu smmim, mmk m xeml im t«m$ im*%Jtf»fi^fimud t* my eaerttmn in •umJdJy cwxetmt.

Q tmmt tkt Imd mmymmmu met* fin severe to tkt tmm\ tkmi to I mmf^myitmr tkt i mi stmJ tf tkt tkr—t *f mil ^ met mmd di*vnth* k%ih kwivv fftkt turn-lms/iMf crmnmmt mf rtdmfmimg Urns.

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