much to the seeming satisfaction of our old messmates,
and as much to the real dissatisfaction of ourselves; at
least, it was so with me.
Thus far, since the year commenced, "Dame Fortune had been kind," but now "Miss-Fortune" was coming in for her set in the reel. I had now to enter again on my old system of starving;—there was nothing to eat; I had brought two or three days' rations in my knapsack, and while that lasted I made shift to get along, but that was soon gone, and I was then obliged to come to it again, which was sorely against my grain. During the past winter I had had enough to eat and been under no restraint; I had picked up a few articles of comfortable summer clothing among the inhabitants; our Lieutenant had never concerned himself about us, we had scarcely seen him during the whole time,—when we were off duty we went when and where we pleased "and had none to make us afraid;" but now the scene was changed, we must go and come at bidding and suffer hunger besides.
After I had joined my regiment I was kept constantly, when off other duty, engaged in learning the Baron de Steuben's new Prussian exercise; it was a continual drill.
About this time I was sent off from camp in a detachment consisting of about three thousand men, with four field pieces, under the command of the young General Lafayette. We marched to Barren hill, about twelve miles from Philadelphia; there are cross roads upon this hill, a branch of which leads to the city. We halted here, placed our guards, sent off our scouting parties, and waited for—I know not what.—A company of about a hundred Indians, from some northern tribe, joined us here,—there were three or four young Frenchmen with them. The Indians were stout looking fellows, and remarkably neat for that race of mortals, (but they were Indians.) There was upon the hill, and just where we were lying, an old church built of stone, entirely divested of all its entrails. The Indians were amusing themselves and the soldiers by shooting with their bows, in and about the church. I observed something in a corner of the roof which did not appear to belong to the building, and desired an Indian who was standing near
