defiance of our cannon, which were continually playing on them. Their object appears to be, to seize some of our small vessels which are passing down the river with supplies for our army. One small sloop, loaded with bread for the French army, has fallen into their hands.

17th. A fine corps of light infantry, selected from the several New England regiments, is now formed and put under the immediate command of Colonel Alexander Scammel, formerly our adjutant general. This select corps, consisting of the most active and soldierly young men and officers, is intended to march in advance of the main army, constantly prepared for active and hazardous service. Colonel Scammel was indulged the liberty of choosing his own officers, rejecting those whom he deemed unfit for his enterprizing purpose. According to regular detail it fell to the lot of Dr. C. to act as surgeon to this corps, but it was the doctor's misfortune to have one blink eye, and not being perfectly active, Colonel Scammel objected to him, and desired that he might be exchanged for one more competent to the duties of the service. In consequence of this, I received a billet from Dr. James Craig, chief physician and surgeon to the army, requesting me to repair to the detachment immediately, and take the place of Dr. C. Colonel Jackson, unwilling to have his regiment left destitute of a surgeon, strongly protested against it, but Colonel Scammel was strenuous, and finally prevailed, and I now enjoy the honour of officiating as surgeon to a fine corps of infantry, commanded by an officer of the first military reputation. Dr. Munson, of the Connecticut line, is my mate, and the medical duties of Colonel Jackson's regiment devolve on Dr. Francis Le Baron Goodwin, surgeon's mate, during my absence.

19th.--The British frigates that passed up the North river a few days since, took the advantage of wind and tide to return to New York. A severe cannonade commenced from our battery at Dobb's ferry, where the river is about three miles wide, they were compelled literally to run the gantlet. They returned the fire as they passed, but without effect. On board the Savage, ship of war, a box of powder took fire, and such was their consternation, that twenty people jumped into the river, among whom was a prisoner on board, who informs us that he was the only man who got on shore, all the others being drowned. He reports also, that the Savage was several times hulled by our shot, and was very near sinking. In the evening of the 21st, our army and

the French were put in motion, marching with great rapidity through a thick unfrequented wood and swamps, and through fields of corn and wheat: Passing through a swamp in the night, our rear guard, and myself with Dr. Munson, lost sight of the main army for more than an hour, and I got a severe fall from my horse. In the morning, we arrived near the enemy's post at Morrissania, but they had taken the alarm, and escaped to New-York. Having continued there during the day, we retired in the evening about five or six miles, and lay on the hills near King's bridge, where we remained unmolested till the night of the 23d, when we returned to our encampment. While near the enemy's lines, the army was drawn up in a line of battle, and General Washington, General Rochambeau, and all the general officers and engineers, were employed in reconnoitring the different positions of the enemy's works in all directions. The position which we now occupy is the neutral ground between the lines, a beautiful fertile country, and the roads and commons as well as the enclosures are loaded with grass, while the deserted houses in ruins, and the prostrate fences, exhibit the melancholy devastation of war.

Camp, near Dobb's ferry, July 31st.-Our detachment under Colonel Scammel, marched last evening down to Phillips' house, near the enemy's works, on a foraging expedition. After our wagons were loaded, we retired into the woods and lay in ambush, with the hope that the enemy would give us an apportunity to engage them, but they did not make their appearance.

August 13th.-A most tremendous storm of rain came on last night, and continued almost incessantly; about two o'clock in the morning, a sudden gust rent our tents asunder and whirled them about our ears, leaving us destitute of shelter, and most thoroughly drenched.

15th. A French soldier, who deserted, and was taken. on his way to the enemy, was shot in the French camp.

General orders are now issued for the army to prepare for a movement at a moment's notice. The real object of the allied armies the present campaign, has become a subject of much speculation. Ostensibly an investment of the city of New York is in contemplation-preparations in all quarters for some months past, indicate this to be the object of our combined operations. The capture of this place, would be a decisive stroke, and from the moment such event takes place, the English must renounce all hopes of

subjugating the United States. But New York is well fortified both by land and water, and garrisoned by the best troops of Great Britain. The success of a siege must depend entirely on the arrival and cooperation of a superior French fleet. The enemy have a garrison at Staten Island, which is separated from Long Island only by a strait of two miles wide. The capture of this garrison would be a brilliant affair, and would essentially facilitate our operations against New York. General Washington and Count Rochambeau have crossed the North river, and it is supposed for the purpose of reconnoitring the enemy's posts from the Jersey shore. A field for an extensive encampment has been marked out on the Jersey side, and a number of ovens have been erected and fuel provided for the purpose of baking bread for the army. From these combined circumstances we are led to conclude, that a part of our besieging force is to occupy that ground. But General Washington possesses a capacious mind, full of resources, and he resolves and matures his great plans and designs under an impenetrable veil of secrecy, and while we repose the fullest confidence in our chief, our own opinions must be founded only on doubtful conjectures. The royal army at New York, have received a reenforcement of three thousand Germans from Europe.

20th. According to orders, we commenced our line of march yesterday, a party of pioneers being sent forward to clear the road towards King's bridge, and we expected immediately to follow in that direction; but an army is a machine, whose motions are directed by its chief. When the troops were paraded for the march, they were ordered to face to the right about, and making a retrograde movement up the side of the North river, we have reached King's ferry, and are preparing to cross the Hudson at this ferry. Our allies are in our rear, and it is probable we are destined to occupy the ground on the Jersey side.

Camp, Trenton, August 31st.-Colonel Laurens has arrived at head quarters on his way from Boston to Philadelphia. This gentleman is the son of Mr. Henry Laurens, our ambassador to Holland, who is now confined in the tower of London. We have the pleasing information, that he has brought with him from France, a large sum of specie for the United States. He reports that the different powers of continental Europe are friendly to the cause in which we are engaged.

Our situation reminds me of some theatrical exhibition where the interest and expectations of the spectators are continually increasing, and where curiosity is wrought to the highest point. Our destination has been for some time matter of perplexing doubt and uncertainty; bets have run high on one side, that we were to occupy the ground marked out on the Jersey shore, to aid in the siege of New York, and on the other, that we are stealing a march on the enemy, and and are actually destined to Virginia, in pursuit of the army under Lord Cornwallis. We crossed at King's ferry, 21st instant, and encamped at Haverstraw. A number of batteaux, mounted on carriages, have followed in our train, supposed for the purpose of conveying the troops over to Staten Island. 22d. Resumed our line of march, passing rapidly through Paramus, Acquackanack, Springfield, and Princeton. We have now passed all the enemy's posts, and are pursuing our route with increased rapdity towards Philadelphia; wagons have been prepared to carry the soldiers' packs, that they may press forward with greater facility. Our destination can no longer be a secret. The British army, under Lord Cornwallis, is unquestionably the object of our present expedition. It is now rumored that a French fleet may soon be expected to arrive in Chesapeake bay, to cooperate with the allied army in that quarter. The great secret respecting our late preparations and movements can now be explained. It was a judiciously concerted stratagem, calculated to menace and alarm Sir Henry Clinton for the safety of the garrison of New York, and induce him to recall a part of his troops from Virginia, for his own defence; or perhaps keeping an eye on the city, to attempt its capture, provided that by the arrival of a French fleet, favorable circumstances should present. The deception has proved completely successful, a part of Cornwallis's troops are reported to have returned to New York. His Excellency General Washington, having succeeded in a masterly piece of generalship, has now the satisfaction of leaving his adversary to ruminate on his own mortifying situation, and to anticipate the perilous fate which awaits his friend, Lord Cornwallis, in a different quarter. Major General Heath is left commander in chief of our army in the vicinity of New York and the High Lands, and the menacing aspect of an attack on New York, will be continued till time and circumstances shall remove the delusive veil from the eyes of Sir Henry Clinton, when it will probably be too late to afford

succor to Lord Cornwallis. To our officers, the inactivity of the royal army in New York, is truly unaccountablethey might without risking a great deal, harass our army on its march, and subject us to irreparable injury; but the royalists are more dexterous in availing themselves of treachery and insurrection, than in effecting valorous achievements. In passing through Princeton, but little time was allowed me to visit the college. This once celebrated seminary is now destitute of students, and the business of education is entirely suspended in consequence of the constant bustle and vicissitudes of war. The little village of Princeton is beautifully situated, and the college edifice is of stone, four stories high, and lighted by twenty-five windows in front, in each story. It has suffered considerable injury in being occupied alternately by the soldiers of the two contending armies. Trenton, where we are now encamped for the night, is a much more considerable village, and more advantageously situated, on the north eastern bank of the Delaware, twenty-seven miles above Philadelphia. This is the town which General Washington has rendered famous to the latest times, by a victory in which he so happily displayed the resources of his genius, in the severe winter of 1776. Great indeed must be the resources of that man who can render himself the most formidable to an enemy, when apparently he is the most destitute of power. General Washington and Count Rochambeau having proceeded to Virginia by land, Major General Lincoln takes the command of our troops, and the Baron de Viomenil, those of the French.

Camp, Head of Elk River, September.-We crossed the Delaware river at Trenton ferry, on the 1st instant, and in the afternoon crossed a small river at Shammany's rope ferry. Our boats were pulled across with facility by a rope made fast at each shore. We marched nineteen miles, and encamped at a place called Lower Dublin. 2d. In the afternoon, marched through the city of Philadelphia. The streets being extremely dirty and the weather warm and dry, we raised a dust like a smothering snow storm, blinding our eyes and covering our bodies with it; this was not a little mortifying, as the ladies were viewing us from the open windows of every house as we passed through this splendid city. The scene must have been exceedingly interesting to the inhabitants, and contemplating the noble cause in which we are engaged, they must have experienced in their hearts a glow of patriotism, if not emotions of military ardor. Our line of march, including appendages and attend