found ourselves at Philadelphia. We, that is, the Sappers and Miners, staid here some days, proving and packing off shells, shot and other military stores. While we staid here we drew a few articles of clothing, consisting of a few tow shirts, some overalls and a few pairs of silk-and-oakum stockings; and here, or soon after, we each of us received a month's pay, in specie, borrowed, as I was informed, by our French officers from the officers in the French army. This was the first that could be called money, which we had received as wages since the year '76, or that we ever did receive till the close of the war, or indeed, ever after, as wages.
When we had finished our business at Philadelphia, we, (the Miners,) left the city. A part of our men, with myself, went down the Delaware in a schooner which had her hold nearly full of gunpowder. We passed Mud Island, where I had experienced such hardships in Nov. '77. It had quite a different appearance to what it had then, much like a fine, fair, warm and sunny day succeeding a cold, dark, stormy night. Just after passing Mud Island, in the afternoon, we had a smart thunder shower; I did not feel very agreably, I confess, during its continuance, with such a quantity of powder under my feet; I was not quite sure that a stroke of the electric fluid might not compel me to leave the vessel sooner than I wished,—but no accident happened, and we proceeded down the river to the mouth of Christiania Creek, up which we were bound. We were compelled to anchor here on account of wind and tide; here we passed an uneasy night from fear of British cruisers, several of which were in the Bay. In the morning we got under weigh, the wind serving, and proceeded up the creek, fourteen miles, the creek passing, the most of its course, through a marsh, as crooked as a snake in motion,—there was one place in particular, near the village of Newport, where you sail four miles to gain about forty rods. We went on till the vessel grounded for lack of water, we then lightened her, by taking out a part of her cargo, and when the tide came in we got up to the wharves and left her at the disposal of the Artillerists.
We then crossed over land to the head of the Elk, or the head, or rather bottom, of Chesapeak bay. Here we found a large fleet of small vessels, waiting to convey
