ton and Schmidt,[1] came with a trumpeter to the post
which I held near New Brunswick, in Jersey, in the
beginning of the campaign of 1777, after General Howe
had advanced from New Brunswick to Milztown,[2] and
marched back again. They had unimportant letters to
General Grant from two English officers of his brigade,
who had been taken prisoners the day before, through
their own carelessness in riding about for pleasure. I
let these two gentlemen, who were very elegant and
polite men, understand that I was very well aware of
their business, and gave them the well-meant advice
to be off as quickly as possible, and not to visit me
again in a hurry. At this they seemed very much
astonished, but followed my advice with all speed. I
would certainly have sent them under arrest to
headquarters, with their eyes bound, if I had not known
from experience that people would have laughed at
such prudent measures against the Americans. The
best thing to do, when such gentlemen come at
unseasonable times with messages, is to take them about
with one for at least half a campaign.”[3]
I do not at all believe that Hamilton came to the British outposts with the object here attributed to him, and I am certain that if he did so it was without Washington's knowledge. There is no reason, however, to doubt that Ewald suspected him, and dismissed him as described.
It was in this winter of 1776-77 that negotiations
