see the number and habiliments of those attending it; of all specimens of human beings, this group capped the whole; a carravan of wild beasts could bear no comparison with it. There was "Tag, Rag and Bobtail;" "some in rags and some in jags," but none "in velvet gowns." Some with two eyes, some with one, and some, I believe, with none at all. They "beggared all description;" their dialect, too, was as confused as their bodily appearance was odd and disgusting; there was the Irish and Scotch brogue, murdered English, flat insipid Dutch and some lingos which would puzzle a philosopher to tell whether they belonged to this world or some "undiscovered country." I was glad to see the tail end of the train, and waited with impatience for the arrival of our baggage, which soon after made its appearance; but the men with the wagons knew no better than myself where to go;—we, however, proceeded and soon after met one of the sergeants coming to meet and conduct us to where our people were, which was at Dobb's ferry, and about three miles from any part of the rest of the army;—most of the Artillery belonging to the army was at the same place.
Here we lay till the close of the campaign. We built a strong blockhouse near the ferry, in which we were assisted by detachments from the main army, and erected a battery near it; but that fiend, scarcity, followed us here; and when we chanced to get any meat we had no salt. For a long time we had to go three fourths of a mile to the river to get water, which was somewhat salt, before we could cook our breakfasts,—this was trifling, however, compared with the trouble of having nothing to cook, which was too often the case with us. There was, indeed, a plenty of fruit to be had, and we being few in number, and so far from the main army, this resource was not soon or easily exhausted; but there were musquetoes enough to take a pound of blood from us, while we could make an ounce. We had some plague or other always to torment us;—says the reader, "who is without?"
Soon after our arrival here, a British brig passed up the river; the same that conveyed the unfortunate Major Andre to his bane. Poor man! he had better have staid where he was better acquainted.
