John André

“ On the other hand, by not firing we knew the foe to be wherever fire appeared and a charge ensured his destruction; that amongst the enemy those in the rear would direct their fire against whoever fired in front, and they would destroy each other. General Grey's detachment marched by the road leading to the White Horse, and took every inhabitant with them as they passed along. About three miles from camp they turned to the left and proceeded to the Admiral Warren, where, having forced intelligence from a blacksmith, they came in upon the out sentries, piquet and camp of the rebels. ”

“ His daring words from all the crowd such great applause did gain
That every man declared aloud for serious work with Wayne,
And now the foe began to lead his forces to the attack,
Balls whistling unto balls succeed and make the blockhouse crack. ”

“ At 12 General Grey came on board the Carisfort, the whole being reembarked. We had a few men wounded by people lurking in the swamps behind stone fences, and by a few shots which were fired as the grenadiers and light infantry took possession of the heights near Crane's Mills (the head of the river) . The rebels carried from New Bedford four pieces of brass cannon from which they fired a shot or tow as they retired on the Boston Road. A company of militia and the artillery men belonging to those guns were, we heard, the only troops there. ”

“ The main body of the Army under Sir William Howe had just passed this place and marched towards Iron Hill when General Knyphausen came up. By this time a considerable drove of cattle had been collected and was a very seasonable supply to the other column, which had none. The whole however, had a very narrow escape, having gone near half a mile on a road leading to the Enemy's posts. The van of Sir William Howe's column, consisting, of chasseurs and light infantry, fell in with a body of about 500 rebels posted a little beyond Aiken's on the road to Iron Hill. ”

“ The Rebels however were soon aware of our retreat, and their light troops watched the rear of General Grey's column, whose march was much retarded by the insufficiency of the horses and the badness of the roads, over which two 12 pounders he had with him were carried with some difficulty. At the crossroad leading from Abingdon to Germantown, a body of horse and foot pressed on the rearmost parties drove them in. The Jagers who had successively formed on each height and filed off to the next, were at this time drawn up on very good ground, in posture of defence. ”

“ The Corps took post on the ground from which the rebels had been driven, with the jagers in front. The light infantry of the guards advanced to the right and Simco's advanced to the left. The light infantry of the guards were very briskly attacked about an hour after taking post, by very superior numbers, but they maintained their ground and repulsed the enemy, with the loss on their side of only one man.
It was some time before we heard anything of the other column, excepting only a few shot from time to time, which we knew could not be the attack expected. ”

“ The rendezvous of the French fleet was off Rhode Island, from whence on the 17th they sailed for Boston. The Monmouth of Admiral Byron's fleet came in.
August 2nd Lord Howe sailed again from the hook. (Lord Howe arrived off Boston the 31st August, two days after the French fleet) . About this time the regiments were withdrawn again from Sandy Hook.
25th Some provision ships came in. during these transactions the rebels had landed 20,000 men on Rhode Island and were carrying on approaches against Newport. ”

“ A few persons came in from Philadelphia. Several deserters came in from Washington's Army.
25th The Army marched in two columns to Germantown, and encamped on the heights near that place. On the march some militia were seen in front of the right-hand column. A good many people came in from Philadelphia; most of them represented that place as in the greatest confusion and expressed fears of its being burnt. A few rebels dragoons with a captain were taken by a party of Burgoyne's. ”

“ The Hessians and light dragoons returned at night. At the rising of the moon the troops were in readiness to march and at ... o'clock began crossing at Fatland Ford.
23rd At ... o'clock the troops, artillery and baggage had all passed and were drawn up on the opposite shore. As soon as the men had dried themselves, the whole marched and proceeded to Norrington where the Army was encamped, with their right on the Reading Road, and their left to the Schuylkill. A battalion of light infantry was posted at Swede's Ford. ”

“ At 2 o'clock in the morning the whole Army struck tents, but the Second Division (which was encamped two miles from Brunswick on the road to Amboy, and therefore waited for the Troops encamped near Brunswick) did not begin to move till 7. At about 5 the Rebels appeared at the Jager post, and a few shots were fired. The Army had scarce begun to march when a body of the Enemy shewed themselves on the heights behind Brunswick and where the Hessian Grenadiers had been encamped. They fired several cannon across the river. ”

“ An order given the preceding to march at three o'clock this morning was countermanded on account of heavy rains. The order was only to part of the Army. Lord Cornwallis, General Grey, and Sir William Erskine reconnoitered the road toward the Head of Elk. They found the habitations in general deserted, but some cattle remaining in the fields. The road they reported to be through very rugged and broken ground. This part of the country is not very thickly settled. The chief produce is orchard fruit and Indian corn; the latter of the most luxuriant growth, often from ten to fifteen feet in height. ”

“ Major Galloway (a man of considerable property in this province) valued the numbers of inhabitants who have quitted Philadelphia, at one-sixth; some respectable Quakers said one-third. Some operations were making at this time near the mouth of the Schuylkill towards opening the communication with the ships. Lieutenant-Colonel Stirling marched from Germantown with the 10th and 42nd Regiments, in order to take possession of some rebel works at Billingsport below Mud Island, on the Jersey shore of Delaware. ”

“ These not only maintained themselves a great while, but drove the rebels off repeatedly, till, from their unsupported position, fresh bodies of men appeared and pressed on both their flanks and rear. The light infantry then fell back and the 40th regiment, under lieutenant-colonel Musgrave, threw themselves into a house from the avenues to which they had driven the rebels. They here for upwards of an hour resisted the efforts of the enemy, who in vain brought several pieces of cannon upon them and attempted to storm the house, until released by the 44th regiment. ”

“ On the 12th I was able to embark on board the vessels which arrived that day from Rhode Island, 6000 sheep and 130 oxen.
The 13th and 14th were employed in embarking cattle and sheep on board our own fleet; in destroying some salt works; in burning or taking in the inlets what vessels or boats could be found, and in recovering the arms of the militia. I here again refer your excellency to the returns.
On the 15th the fleet left Martha's Vineyard, and after sustaining the next day a very severe gale of wind, arrived the 17th at Whitestone without any material damage. ”

“ Security and Protection are likewise extended to all persons inhabitants of the Province and Counties aforesaid, who, not guilty of having assumed legislative or judicial authority, may have acted illegally in subordinate stations, and, conscious of this misconduct, been induced to leave their dwellings, provided such persons do forthwith return, and remain peaceably at their usual places of abode. ”

“ Near 200 must have been killed, and a great number wounded. 71 prisoners were brought off; 40 of them badly wounded were left at different houses on the road. A major, a captain, and two lieutenants were amongst the prisoners. We lost Captain Wolfe killed and one or two private men; four or five were wounded, one an officer, Lieutenant Hunter of 52nd Light Company. It was about 1 o'clock in the morning when the attack was made, and the rebels were then assembling to move towards us, with the design of attacking our baggage. ”

“ During the succeeding days the embarkation was carried on.
A bridge of boats was thrown across the gap in the isthmus, which till lately had connected Sandy Hook with the main, and the troops were marched into the hook and embarked on board transports. The 3rd, 4th and 5th brigades were landed on Long Island; the 1st and 2nd on Staten Island and the guards, Hessians and cavalry on York Island.
Thus was completed a march of many mile thro' the enemy's country, in defiance of every obstacle they threatened or attempted to throw in our way ”

“ Simco's corps and the 5th brigade took post on the Cranberry Road. At 5 o'clock Lord Cornwallis moved. Parties of horse and foot appeared on the heights to the left of the Cranberry Road, and colonel Simco with two or three companies was sent along the skirt of the wood, to endeavor to get around them. He fell in with a very superior body of militia, whom he charged with his mounted company, killing or wounding several of them. ”

“ We supposed the rebels to have lost between 200 and 300 killed, with the proportion of wounded. On our side about 300 were killed or wounded. Amongst the killed were brigadier-general Agnew and Lieutenant-Colonel Bird of the 15th regiment. We took 380 prisoners, whereof 50 were officers. It has been said since that the 2nd light infantry and 40th regiment had been left unsupported through some mistake, for that the 55th and 5th regiments had been ordered to move towards them and again unfortunately countermanded and drawn off to the right. ”

“ The quarter majors were employed in distributing quarters to the troops in Philadelphia. Deserters came in daily, sometimes to the number of 14 or 15 a day.
22nd The pontoon bridge having been laid over the Schuylkill, a considerable body was appointed to the defense of the lines, and the Army marched across the river, and hutted to an extent of three miles from Derby to Grey's Ferry. The wagons were employed in the rear in collecting forage, which was conveyed to the Philadelphia side of the Schuylkill. ”

“ It was represented to the men that firing discovered us to the enemy, hid them from us, killed our friends and produced a confusion favorable to the escape of the rebels and perhaps productive of disgrace to ourselves. ”

“ On one of these hills they had thrown up a small breastwork with two guns, on a 12 pounder, and beneath this, flanking the ford and road, another battery of three guns and a howitzer. Felled trees obstructed the passage at other fords near this place. It was not without some opposition that General Knyphausen took up his ground, and whilst he was there a body of 2000 men crossed the river and came upon his right. They were driven back by one or two regiments. On the left, Sir William Howe drawing near Birmingham found the Rebels posted on the heights to oppose him. ”

“ A tender arrived from Lord Howe with orders to the fleet to return to New York. The Nantucket Expedition was of course set aside. The cattle and sheep were embarked on board the men-of-war and transports. Colonel Donkin was ordered to return from Chilmark.
14th The remainder of the cattle was embarked. The troops embarked. The deserters were restored and the militia officers and committeemen released, with a solemn injunction to abstain from taking part any more in the war or persecuting others fro their political opinions ”

“ The ships could not all get thro' the hole before the tide turned.
10th The fleet weighed anchor at 6 in the morning and turned thro' the Vineyard Sound, passing Tarpaulin Cove, Wood's Hole Harbor and Falmouth. The galleys went into the last place and cut out two sloops and a schooner, and burned another vessel. At 1 o'clock the Carisfort came to an anchor off Holmes Hole. The transports and small vessels were ordered into the harbor, excepting those which carried the grenadiers and light infantry and 33rd regiment, which troops general Grey intended taking with him to Nantucket. ”

“ This day, however, it was much restrained in the Second Column (then in front) . We scarcely met a man at home excepting the old and infirm. The Army hutted this night along the banks of Rahway, six miles from Amboy.
28th The Army marched to Amboy. Several Regiments crossed to Staten Island and a great many horses.
29th More troops, horses and artillery crossed to Staten Island. A report was current that Sullivan (a rebel general) was at Rahway with 4000 men.
30th The remainder of the Army crossed unmolested from Amboy to Staten Island. ”

“ November 5th The Rebels opened a battery upon the ships from the Jersey shore, at some distance below Red Bank, which obliged some of them to move. Sir William Howe visited Province Island. The 27th and 28th regiments were marched there and took post on the island. The 17th regiment moved to Philadelphia and hutted near the 49th.
6th A report prevailed that Rhode Island was in possession of the rebels. ”

“ Raisonable was station here.
19th Off Patuxen River
20th Off Poplar's Island
21st Off Patapsco River
22nd Off Swan Point
23rd Off Sassafas River. A pilot came on board the Somerset.
24th The fleet proceeded to Turkey Point. The Augusta, Isis and Nonsuch lay off Sassafras River with the Somerset. Orders for disembarking received. The Somerset lay at the same place. A white man and three negroes came off. This long boat and pinnace came ashore. The people were inclined to traffick for fresh provisions, but wanted salt and other articles in preference to money. ”