an escort, and had picked up those of my party who had given out by the way. We met him just as he arrived at his father's house, a lucky circumstance for us, as we stopped and got something to eat. He then sent me off alone, to a place on the river, where some spy boats (as they were called) were stationed, with directions to request the officers commanding them to take up the three deserters, should they see them. I executed this commission and returned to the Lieutenant, who then told me to take all the men and return to our corps. The country all about here was infested by Tories, especially a certain district through which I had to pass on my return. The Lieutenant charged me not to stop at this place through the night, but to rest short of it, or proceed beyond it. I again set out with my twelve men, little heeding the Tories. It being some time to night when we arrived at the abovementioned Tory-land, we pushed on and did not stop till we got quite back to Smith's house. We, particularly myself and the three men who held out all night, were tired enough, having travelled about ninety miles in twenty-four hours, and I had travelled five or six miles further than any of them, in going to, and returning from the spy boats. We were hungry and tired but had nothing to eat. I had six or seven dollars in specie, which one of our corps (an Irishman) had desired me to keep awhile for him, to avoid the importunity of his friends; but he was not with us; I however ventured to make use of one dollar that evening and the next morning, in purchasing some bread and cheese, and a little something to wet our whistles with. I afterwards paid the man, and he informed me that that dollar did him more good than all the others. I had, the day before this expedition, put on a pair of new shoes, which, not having got fitted to my feet, caused blisters upon them as large as cents.
The deserters were, all the time we were in pursuit of them, within three miles of the place where they left us. The man whom they forced off with them, made his escape from them soon after and returned; he told me that they saw us on our return; that they were then in Haverstraw mountan, not more than a quarter of a mile from us. Thus I had another useless and fatigueing expedition for nothing.
