New-York daily tribune., 1844-01-11

so on this expedition. Myself and eleven others
turned out under the Sergeant's command and
went on this perllous enterprise We were alto
gctLer too few IN number-therc should nave
been at least one hundred men instead o Twelve
on this hazardous route.
Our route lay over a marshy piece OF grouna
covered with logs for the distance OF a huhoteo
wards or more. After crossing thus logWay' we
got on road leading throughtlmber iano towards
the Court House. When about three quarters ol
= mile from the field Of battle. we discovered
large body Of horsemen coming towards US Opf
SERGEANT ordered US to form behind trees; bu.
| these were small and there was no under brush
| TO conceal us from the enemy. When the enemy
came near our commander discovered their forces
| to be too grcat to warrant an attack. He ordered
! us TO save our fire and make the best of our way
| tack towards our line IN the field. We all ran
| back. Ihappenedto to bein the front rank. When
| we came to the long causeway, my right hand
man fell back. | soon heard the clattering OF
| the British troopers on the causeway. Ihcy
overlook my rlght hand man, and one Of the
troopers gave him a cut with his sword on the
side of his head. ] saw him after the battle the
skin hung down over his ear. He told me ne was
stunned for while by the blow, and fell off the
causeway; when he recovered a little he crept
| into the woods, where he lay Until the enemy
passed HIM on their return.
believe the same horsemcn intended to give
me a slashng. After passing the causeway and
getting over a fence, Capt. Estey called to me
and said the horsemen were coming at mo- L
turned and presented my piece; it missed tire
which gave the horseman, the opportunity OF the
first fire. Hc missed me. / returned the com
pliment. lie fell from his horse and got on
/ When wheeled the horse to come oh troop OF
horse in the lane close by me fired a volley OF
Distols at me. The horse received two flesh
wounds in the thigh and leg, and three balls
were drove in the sack Of clothing which was
out Of their reach.
| The enemy had got US IN cross fire. The
| Iiessian riHcmen in front Of our line and the
troop Of horse on the eastern extremity. was
| compelled to incline to the left between two fires
which led me to the retrcating militia on the
right. IN coming up to them | had fence to
cross Captain Shook put down the fence or
nc. had just got over, and on going oil, heard
so!1c person call out, saying, return with the
horse the Captain is wounded. returned think
iDr to cct him on the horse. lie told me 1t was
only a flesh wound; he bid me go on, saying,
YOU need the horse more than | do.-in gong
on some distance, [ overlook boy with a mus
ket: he was CRYING. [ got off the horse and put
the boy on, and gave him directions to take good
care OF the horse until came or sent for him.
EIc gaye his name and the company lie belonged
TO.
now felt little recruited. 4 body OF our
troops was now coming on to secure the retreat
Of our militia. ! oincd that body, thinking to
have an equal chance in preventing the enemy
from taking advantage Of our ground The
troop of British horse that had given US chase
h., cd
an opportunity 10 escape from the barbarous
refugee horsenen, who gave no quarters, neither
did thcy expect any from US. When our troops
had got on the rise of ground, we saw the enemy |
coming slowly on, in a large body, with a long |
tram of artillery; from every appearance they IN
tended to make an obstinate stand. rs they |
were much greater IL number than our forces, we |
were commanded to retreat.
| felt thankful to Captain Estcy for bis manly |
behavior in keeping his men in such order, that |
the troop of horse did not see fit to engage with
him, although superior in numbers. While our
line on the right was retreatlng, Captain Estcy |
stood his ground until he was finally obliged to !
retreat, which he did in good order. Had he re-
treated when the line on our left did, must have |
suffered by the enemy, as | was exhausted by ia |
tigue in the chase, and could go no more. Capt |
i1stey's bravery saved me from being cut down
by the enemy. But believe none Of the twelve |
volunteers, the forlorn hope, escaped, except my
sell and the wounded man before mentioned |
They were all cut to pieces by the refugee |
horsemen.
The enemy took possession of the ground we
left Our army was compelled to cross valley
of marshy ground which was done with great
difficulty, expecting every moment to receive the
fire Of the British. But General Washington ap-
G 1oI fl,,R tIcE
10 prepare for a general engagement, winch com
mcnced shortly after we passed through the line
OF our army.
VIC all suffered severely from the want OF
water The tongues of some of our men were
so swollen with thirst that they could with diff
Guilty speak so as to be understood. But when
we arrived at English Town, we had good atten-
ton paid us by the inhabitants OF that place
RALPH SCHENCK,
near Caughnawass, Johnstown.
The following affidavit was made by Captain
Estey, and the certificate Of the Clerk Of Middle
sex county, New-Jersey, is hereto annexed.
State of Ne3c-Jer&ey, .NidaleSeg county S.
Moses Estey being duly sworn onhis oath saith, that
he is now i'll the eighty fourth year OF lls asc-tilat
he row resides in the city OF Philadelphia, in the
State OF Pennsylvania and formerly resided III the
county OF iiorris, in the State of New-Jersey.
That he was Captain in the Regiment ofColoncl
Tayio. and was present and in command at the bat
tie of Monmouth, during the Revolutionary war.
That he recolects seeing Ralph Schenck (who
now resides III the town OF JohnstowH, in the county
of Montgomery, in the State Of New York as he is
informed, he being the same person who; is now
applying for pension on the day of the bastlc and
during the battle engaged on the field; that he be-
!oAged at that time 10 the company OF CAPTAIN John
Scheu1k, which was attached 10 the regiment of
/ Colonel Chambers, General Dckerson beng the
Brigadicr General; ;hut during the battle, he saw
one OF the British Light Horse make an attack upon
! the SAID Ralph Schencl; that Schenck shot the