fore regular troops. However, they did very well and deserved praise, whether they received it or not.
The next morning we marched again, I then applied to our commander and obtained permission to go on in advance of the troops and see my grand-parents again, I would have done this sooner, but I could not forego the pleasure of seeing the Militia muster. I remained at home that day and the next, and then started for camp. I was acquainted with the country, and consequently could reach camp by a much shorter way than the troops went, as they kept the country roads, by which means I arrived there within a few hours after them.
On some duty, I do not recollect what, I was deprived of my rest for a night or two; the next day I took a ramble into the woods near the camp, determined, if I could, to take a nap; the trees had just began to leave out and "all nature was gay;" I walked about half a mile, when I came to a flat ledge of rocks covered with soft thick moss, as smooth as a carpet; I laid myself down and soon fell into a sound sleep; I had not slept long before I was attacked by that delectable disorder, the night mare, I recovered partly from the first attack, but before I could fully overcome it, it took a second gripe upon me more serious than the first. I had often heard people say, when they had been under the influence of this disorder, that they were confident they were awake, and had the full possession of their faculties, and I had many times thought so myself; recollecting this, tormented as I was, I thought I would now satisfy myself whether it was so or not; accordingly, I took a survey of the trees about me, which I imagined I saw distinctly; one tree in particular I noticed, a large black birch tree, which had a limb broken off, leaving a stump some five or six feet long and a foot in diameter; but when I was fully recovered there was no such tree there, which convinced me that I was not awake, and had not so full command of my reason as I thought I had. I should not have mentioned so trivial a matter, but to satisfy those that read this, that they may be as much deceived in their conjectures as I was at the time I have mentioned.
We remained here a short time after my return from New-London, when we received information that the
