and he was—he was shot dead on the field. I never saw a
man so prepossessed with the idea of any mishap as he
was. We fell back a little distance and made a stand:
detached parties engaging in almost every direction. We
did not come in contact with the enemy again that day,
and just at night we fell back to our encampment. In the
course of the afternoon the British took possession of a
hill on the right of our encampment, which had in the
early part of the day been occupied by some of the New-York troops. This hill overlooked the one upon which
we were, and was not more than half or three fourths of
a mile distant. The enemy had several pieces of field
artillery upon this hill, and, as might be expected, entertained us with their music all the evening. We entrenched ourselves where we now lay, expecting another attack. But the British were very civil, and indeed they
generally were, after they had received a check from
Brother Jonathan, for any of their rude actions; they
seldom repeated them, at least, not till the affair that
caused the reprimand, had ceased in some measure to be
remembered.
During the night we remained in our new made trenches, the ground of which was in many parts springy; in that part where I happened to be stationed, the water, before morning, was nearly over shoes, which caused many of us to take violent colds, by being exposed upon the wet ground after a profuse perspiration. I was one who felt the effects of it, and was the next day sent back to the baggage to get well again, if I could, for it was left to my own exertions to do it, and no other assistance was afforded me. I was not alone in misery; there were a number in the same circumstances. When I arrived at the baggage, which was not more than a mile or two, I had the canopy of heaven for my hospital, and the ground for my hammock. I found a spot where the dry leaves had collected between the knolls; I made up a bed of these, and nestled in it, having no other friend present but the sun to smile upon me. I had nothing to eat or drink, not even water, and was unable to go after any myself, for I was sick indeed. In the evening, one of my messmates found me out, and soon after brought me some boiled hog's flesh (it was not pork) and turnips, without either bread or salt. I could not eat it, but I
