whelmed with sorrow and anguish, for one whom he held most dear.

May 1st.-Thirteen cannon have just announced the arrival of M. Gerard, the French minister, and a gentleman of distinction from Spain, by the name of Don Juan de Mirrilliars; and preparations are making to afford these foreign gentlemen an opportunity of reviewing our army.

2d.-The whole of our army in this quarter was paraded in martial array in a spacious field, and a stage was erected for the accommodation of the ladies and gentlemen spectators. At the signal of thirteen cannon, the great and splendid cavalcade approached in martial pomp and style. A very beautiful troop of light horse, commanded by Major Lee, a Virginian, marched in front, then followed his Excellency the Commander in Chief and his aids de camp, next the foreign. ministers and their retinue, and the general officers of our army and their aids, closed the procession. Having arrived on the field of parade, the Comma with the foreign mist.

ceis, passed in front of the dhe army from a betref in review, and received

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ue gened to the stage, and took seats dsngton, Mrs. Greene, and Mrs. Knox, and a number of other ladies who had arrived in their carriages. The army then performed the field manoeuvres and evolutions, with firing of cannon and musketry. The business of the day was closed by the troops displaying, and marching in front of the stage, and paying the marching salute to their Excellencies. The whole performance was conducted with such marked regularity and precision, as to reflect great honor on the character of our army, and afford the Commander in Chief, and the spectators, the highest degree of satisfaction. On this occasion we cannot but pride ourselves on the conspicuous figure exhibited by our Commander in Chief. While mounted on his noble bay charger, his stature appears remarkable, and being a good horseman, he displays a lofty carriage, and benign dignity of demeanor, and I hope not to incur the charge of undue partiality, when I say, his appearance was incomparably more majestic and dignified than either of his illustrious visitors.

14th.-Our brigade was paraded for the purpose of being reviewed by General Washington and a number of Indian chiefs. His Excellency with his usual dignity, followed by his mulatto servant Bill, riding a beautiful grey steed, passed

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in front of the line and received the salute. companied by a singular group of savages, whose appearance was beyond description ludicrous. Their horses were of the meanest kind, some of them destitute of saddles, and old lincs were used for bridles. Their personal decorations. were equally farcical, having their faces painted of various colors, jewels suspended from their ears and noses, their heads without covering except tufts of hair on the crown, and some of them wore dirty blankets over their shoulders waving in the wind. In short, they exhibited a novel and truly disgusting spectacle. But his Excellency deems it good policy to pay some attention to this tribe of the wilderness, and to convince them of the strength and discipline of our army, that they may be encouraged, if disposed to be friendly, or deterred from aggression, if they should become hostile to our country.

28th. The Baron Steuben reviewed and inspected our brigade. The troops were paraded in a single line with shouldered arms, every officer in his particular station. The Baron first reviewed the line in this position, passing in front with a scrutinizing eye, after which he took into his hand the muskets and accoutrements of every soldier, examining them with particular accuracy and precision, applauding or condemning, according to the condition in which he found them. He required that the musket and bayonet should exhibit the brightest polish; not a spot of rust, or defect in any part, could elude his vigilance. He inquired also into the conduct of the officers towards their men, censuring every fault, and applauding every meritorious action. Next ne required of me, as surgeon, a list of the sick, with a particular statement of their accommodations and mode of treatment, and even visited some of the sick in their cabins. The Baron has sustained the office of aid de camp to his Majesty the King of Prussia, and is now Inspector General with the rank of Major General in our army. He appears to be about fifty years of age, and is venerable and dignified in his deportment, rich and elegant in dress, having a splendid medal of gold and diamonds designating the order of fidelity, suspended at his breast. He is held in universal respect, and considered as a valuable acquisition to our country. He is distinguished for his profound knowledge of tactics, his ability to reform and discipline an army-for his affectionate attachment to a good and faithful soldier, and his utter aversion to every appearance of insubordination

and neglect of duty. The continental army has improved with great rapidity under his inspection and review.

30th.-Dined with Major Storer, at his quarters in the country. Spent a few hours at General St. Clair's quarters, with Dr. McKinzie and Major Dunn, and called on Colonel Scammel at the Adjutant General's office.

Smith's Clove, June 10th.-Smith's Clove is a fine level plain of rich land, situated at the foot of the high mountains on the west side of Hudson river. It is about fourteen miles in the rear of the garrison at West Point, and surrounded on all sides by the High Lands. The few families who reside here find a profitable employment in cultivating the fertile soil. Our brigade marched from quarters at Middle Brook on the 2d instant, and arrived at Morristown, where we received orders to leave all our heavy baggage, and proceed with all possible expedition, as the enemy was advancing towards West Point. Marched rapidly through Troy, Pompton, and Ringwood, and on the 7th instant, encamped in the Clove. By a number of deserters from the enemy, information has been received, that the greater part of the British army is advancing, and is now near King's ferry, only thirteen miles below West Point; and that part of their fleet is proceeding up the river; their object is supposed to be the garrison at West Point. For the secu rity of this very important post, General Washington has arranged his army as follows. Three divisions, consisting of the Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania troops, commanded by Major Generals Lord Stirling, Baron de Kalb, and Major General St. Clair, form the right wing, and is commanded by General Putnam, as the senior Major General, and posted at Smith's Clove. All the New England troops, including the militia, compose the left wing, and are so distributed at West Point and its vicinity, on the east side of the river, as to guard all the passes leading to the garrison. Our army thus posted is supposed to be adequate to the defence of the garrison against all the force which the enemy can bring in array against it; and such is the confidence among our officers, that many of them express a strong desire that the royal troops would afford an opportunity to try our strength and courage. Should this be the event, the struggle must indeed be violent, and the slaughter immense. The British commander, however, not deeming it prudent to hazard a battle, after a few days retired to New York.

12th. Two officers of our regiment have just had occasion to adjust an affair of honor. Captain E. had given of fence to Captain H. and a challenge ensued. Captain E. was well apprised that if the ball from the pistol of his antagonist should pass through his heart, it would produce immediate death, of course it was most prudent to decline the hazardous combat. But the consequence is, he subjected himself to a contest of a less honorable nature. His antagonist inflicted the chastisement of the horsewhip. This he supported with wonderful fortitude and magnanimity; apprehending, probably, that powder and ball might prove more disastrous than the chastisement which he had received. But his brother officers treated him with contempt, and threatened to hoot him out of camp. There is a kind of mechanical courage excited by the necessity of the occasion, which may push a coward to venture on an act of heroism. This fact was now exemplified, for Captain E., reduced to the alternative of retrieving his character in a spirited manner, or of quitting the army in disgrace, came to the desperate resolution of deciding his fate by facing his bold antagonist in single combat. The usual arrangements being made, my services as surgeon were held in requisition. The parties took their stand at ten paces, and each discharged his pistol. But behold, a harmless explosion, no blood shed, not even a hair of their heads injured. But the combatants conducted like gentlemen of honor, of course harmony and mutual friendship were restored. Captain E. has the best cause of triumph, for he has rescued his character from the stigma of poltron, to an honorable standing among the gentlemen officers.

14th.--I rode with Major Meriweather to West Point; took our route through the woods over abrupt and rocky mountains, almost impassable for our horses. Spent an hour at General Parsons's head quarters, then crossed the North river to Fishkill. The next day we recrossed at Fishkill landing, and rode to New Windsor, thence we visited my friend Colonel Malcom at his seat fourteen miles in the country. This gentleman, having resigned his office in the army, is beautifully situated on a farm west of the Hudson, retired from the bustle of war, and devoted to domestic affairs and rural enjoyments. We spent the night with this agreeable family, and Mrs. Malcom received, in the evening, the visits of a number of ladies and gentlemen. We returned

to our camp the next morning, and found the brigade under marching orders.

West Point, June 16th.--We marched from Smith's Clove through a thick wilderness, and over the prodigious High Land mountains. My curiosity was excited by a vast number of huge rocks, marked with fissures and cavities, occasioned by some stupendous power beyond our comprehension. These, with various brooks, winding in every direction, among rude cliffs and precipices, afford a singular and romantic landscape. Our path was narrow and rugged, and probably will not again be traversed but by savages and wild beasts. We arrived here in the evening, without our baggage, and were obliged to seek lodgings among our friends. The next day dined with Dr. I. Thomas, and accompanied him to General Patterson's quarters, where we spent the evening, and I was introduced to Major Haskell, aid de camp to General Patterson. He is a native of Rochester, and Dr. Thomas of Plymouth, Massachusetts.

20th. I have lately been favored with a letter from my friend Dr. D. Townsend, who is a surgeon in the military hospital at Providence, state of Rhode Island. He invites me to accept of the office of surgeon to the Massachusetts regiment commanded hy Colonel Henry Jackson, which is now stationed at that place. My principal inducement to exchange my present station, for the proposed new appointment, is, that Colonel Jackson and all his officers are from my native state, and there is a prospect of receiving some compensation in clothing and other articles, to which I could have no claim while serving in the Virginia line. It is proper, and on many accounts convenient, that officers should serve in the line of their own state; and though I have enjoyed the most friendly intercourse, and numerous kind favors from the Virginians, yet I cannot but prefer the manners and habits of the New Englanders.

21st. The officers of our regiment invited a select number of officers of the Pennsylvania line to dine on sturgeon, a large fish which Major Meriweather caught in the North river. This fish is a favorite with the Dutch, at Albany, and is on that account by some called Albany beef; but in my view it is worse than horse beef, and it was merely an auxiliary at our table.

24th. I have just had the satisfaction, with a number of gentlemen, of viewing a remarkably large fat ox, which has been presented by some gentlemen in Connecticut, to his