Year: 1875


river from Fort Washington, and crossed
over on the Jersey side in the night, and
then came down the river till they were I
discovered by our guard. As soon as the !
guard saw them they ran to the fort, and
gave the alarm, and said there were
large body of the British close at hand.
Our officers well knowing that they
could not withstand them, ordered every
man to march in an instant, some went
leaving blankets, baggage and tents, and
all had to run as hard as possible till
they came to Newark creek.+ This be-
ing a tide creek and we, knowing there
was mill dam there, ran for that place,
thinking it might be possible we could
cross out of their reach, and at our arri-
val we found considerable water craft, !
such as pirogues, and the like which we
made use of and got across. But before
our men reached the other shore, we saw
in the distance behind us large body
of horse in pursuit They soon came to
halt, there being half mile of salt
water marsh as soon as they came to it
their horses mired, and they had to re-
treat now the sun had got up so as to
shine and we being somewhat pleased at
the Yankee trick, and stopping to see
our pursuers get their horses out of the
mire, we cast our eyes around on the
highland, and to our joy saw an ever
lasting great body of troops paraded in
the west, the sun shining on their gay
and red coats. They looked pretty-it
was because we were out of their reach.
From this place we continued our retreat
on TO Trenton and crossed the Delaware


river into Pennsylvania. After several
days stay at this place without blankets
, or tents, and but small allowance of pro-
: visions, our officers ordered us to cook
two or three days provisions.


? While we were cooking our morsel of
: meat, and what little else we had, we


could see the Hessians on the other side


of the river in Trenton, and at sunset
: our drum beat for roll call, as usual,


then we were ordered to stack our arms,


then dismissed, then the stewards were
2 called for with their camp kettles, then
!, they gave us a gill of new rum and wa


ter sweetened with gunpowder.


There was now an appearance of storm
! and as soon as it was dark, we were or


dered to take our places in silence. AT


ter few minutes stay we were ordered


to march silently and without music VI


the river. The march continued fo


some time About II o'clock it rained
?. then our orders were to keep our arm
a dry, for they thought we might need t
! use them. After long march, eight o
nine miles | should think, at last W
:. came to the river. Here we found boat


ready to convey us across the river t
4 the Jersey side, the rain falling rapidl


till we were all across, then we were oil


dered to march down the river again
a. Our rain turned to snow storm. Whe
j. we came near Trenton we were divide
i into three columns, each consisting {
II one regiment.


o. Then we attacked the village on thre
no sides, and the river being on the othel
cd the enemy could not retreat, then W
ho rushed in upon them SO sudden that the
-, had not time to dress themselves, som
being up, fought, but they soon had /
i, surrender.


- AS soon as we had possession of IL


whole, our boats came down the rive
/. against the village, and the prisone
"' were ordered into them, and carrie
- across the river to the place where v
y came from the night before, and by
=, or / o'clock we all got home again, e,
' cept those who were killed or wounded
.I ~ This l called sufficient pay for the


driving us from Fort Lee into the mars
- across the creek into the Delaware.


The prisoners consisted of about 10(


Hessians, and day or two after the
were sent off to some place, do n


know where.


Our three columns closed up al
=, brought them in the middle of us,


one time. / saw an old Hessian lay {
- - one side wounded through the hip; wht
~; he saw me he cried quarter. | stoopc
rho to take up his gun; as | was stoopiI


down, he drew his cutlass from und


him, struck back-handed at me as spit


ful as he could. But he did not qui


reach me- In an instant l clapped Il
80 muzzle of my own gun to his head, al
Al he did not strike me any more.


~ l enlisted at this time for three year
- the officers told us that the war wou
soon cease, and we should then be
- charged and save our bounty money. al
IN we believed them, on account of o
:. good luck at Princeton and other plac'
a. Soon after this we went into winter qua


ters.


CHAPTER II.


deei Early in the spring of 1777, we el
.oon ess barked for Albany; after staying he
= " for some time we went to Fort Edwa
lied lied and encamped. While at this pla
the Can't. Lane called for volunteers to