and our army moved to the Wright towards Peak's Kill the Chief of whom was order'd to cross the River-by this Time Fort Washington was closely Invested-while the main Part of Enemy was crossing the North River Washington thought best to abandon Fort Lee, (24) as Fort Washington was Surrender'd (25)-at this time the weather was getting very cool. Gen'l Swartout's Brigade was posted on the South side of the first mountain north of Peak's Kill. In December we had very cold weather and severe Snow Storms-all this Time we was in Tents-we had to build Chimnies with sods and stone at one End of tents-about the first Jan'y we was discharged. On my Discharge I was presented with a Commistion In the Standing Army. I was a good deal Surprized at it for I was very little known and unSolisited for. I was so strong a patriot that I very readily accepted and was orderd to join Col'l Lewis Debois Regiment and take his orders-I did and was sent on the Recruitng Service. I was kept on that Service for some time-I took my first Station at Bedford, Westchester County and made my home at Elijah Hunter's that winter, and as uncle Leggett then was at Poundridge with his family I went there part of the time. In the Spring I took my station at and near Upper Salem. I made my home at Isaac Norton's and in that and Spring of 1777 I Enlisted forty-five Good men for army, most of them for during the war-as I had been more successful than many others I kept on that duty-in May I obtain'd a Flag on my own a/c and several others to Cross the Sound to Huntington, to fetch off some Familys and in the company Two yong ladys, a Miss Smith who was under engagement to Joseph Titus and R. Morgan (26) who was also under promise to myself. While we lay at Huntington Harbour the famous creditable Expedition of Governor Tryon (27) from New York landed at Compo between Norwalk and Fairfield, march'd up through the Country to Danbury where was a large Quantity of provisons and stores and destroy'd the whole and the town and on their way back they burnt Richfield and Norwalk (28)—as soon as they had accomplish'd that Enterprize they suffered us to depart-on our arrival at Norwalk we was astonish'd to behold the destruction and on

arriving at Ridgfield we beheld several of the wounded and dyingone man had a ball threw his head and was still alive-at Every breath the blood would blubber up Tho' he had been wounded before. I remaned a few Days at Salem and 29th May was married. In a few days I had to join the Regiment at Fort Montgomery (29) in the Highlands-there I Remaned till 4th Oct'r-at night I was order'd with Gard and boat down to Verplanks Point (30) to recornoiter and observe the conduct and movements of a British Frigate that had got there. I Reman'd there all night with muffled oars-all was Quiet-at day I return'd as orded and reported—on 5th In the Evening Col'l Bruen was Sent down to the mountain first above Stony Point-this was in consequence of the information of a large Force arrived there-they tarried there Till morning-saw no movements and return'd to Fort but as it seemed when our Gard left the mountain the Enemy ascended, for the Col❜l and his Gard had not got there breakfast before we had news the Enemy was ascending the mountain-a strong party was orded to meet them-we met them in the hills and bushes Two miles from the fort. Part had got up the mountain and a part had gone round to attack the other part of Fortwe faught them on a retreat the two miles till we enter'd Fort Clinton (31) on the west Side of Kill-the two Forts were connected by a Bridge. Part of the force was orded over the bridge to Montgomeryby this Time it was very dark. A Flag was sent and met by Col❜l W. Livingston-their Demand was for a Surrender-the answer was they must take it. Soon as the answer was return'd Col. Campbell who commanded the attack as soon as he was informed the answer he gave orders to spare none-they came on Very Furiously and was beat back and the second and third Time when the Chief of line was silenced-all but the Redought I was in commanded By Left. Col'l Bruen and Major Logan-at this time we was Closely beset by Col❜l Turnbull of British and offered Good Quarter to surrender and was accepted but the moment we surrender'd they crowded in upon us and began to strip and pillage what ever we had on or about us. (32) I spoke To Turnbull myself "Sir you Promist us Good Quarter—

your Soldiers are stripping us and leaving us naked"-his answer was "They have captur'd the Fort at the risk of there lives and I Can't restrane them"-we had then to Submit-it was fortunate for us that Campbell (33) who was for putting all to the sword, Fell in the first repulse-had he survived I dought if any would have been spared as we was informed he was a very Bloodthirsty fellow. They lost in that enterprize five Field officers and near six hundred in all killed and a Grate many wounded-we lost but Trifling in killed and the most of them after Surrender. We kill'd our number-we had not to Exceed from 6 to 700 and the half of them was new recruites and raw millitia-that night on 6th Oct'r we was taking to the Barracks for confinement-it So happened that I was put in the same room that I occupide before the attack and my Baggage was safe But it was not long before Some of these hungry officers came in the room and asking silly Questions took the liberty to remove our trunks out of the room under the pretence of searching for arms—a Capt. J. Barns of Emmirick Core whose station was on the lineswhen Barnes attempted to remove the trunk I claim'ed and told him I was the oldest son of John Leggett who was his very intimate friendhe said he was only going to search for arms-if he found none would Return the trunk but he did not find any I well know, but the next day I saw him dress'd in my clothes-and what I most Regretted was a pair of Small Clothes of the best make of Alsup & James Hunt, Leather Breeches makers (34) we was captur'd on Monday Evening 6th Octo'r after Dark-we was kept in the Barrack Till Wednesday in the Forenoon when we was taken from thence and Convaid Down the North River a little below Peak's Kill, and put on board of a small Transport Ship call'd the Mertell, [commanded by] a Capt. Coatswe was in all about three hundred officers and privits crowded up in heaps between Decks being so crowded that one Half could not lie Down at the same Time and so Close we could scarsely respire-a grate call was made For water-after considerable delay there was a Tub or Bucket put down but so foul that altho' we was almost dying for thirst could not drink it-at the same time at low tide the

water along side was drinkable-the officer who had the Gard at this Time on Deck was a Capt. or Lt. Robertson a son of Beverly Robertson whose family then lived at there Seat a little above Fort Montgomery whose young Ladys and the mother the night before the Fort was taken entertained Gen'l Putnam (35) with that pleasing attention that he forgot what he had been informed of the night before by myself. Had he attended and sent over the Forces he had in his power, we should not have been taken. (36) Sir H. Clinton's effective force at that onset was more than three thousand strongwhile we was lying at anchor I formed a plan of going on shore. I had prepared myself with a rope by making it fast to the stantion and crawling out feet foremost I Could lower myself in the water and swim for the East Shore I was fully confident I could gain the shore, But Col❜l Brown and Major Logan set In to perswade me from the attempt, as it would cause more severity with the Rest on boardThere treatment was so severe they had some fear that we would attempt to Rize on the Gard-For they placed two 4 Pounders at the hatch and loaded and pointed down the Hatchway with a threat if we made the least noize they would fire down amongst us we was kept so close that several was near sufficated-on Saturday morning the ship Came to at the Forage Yard then kept at Bear Market (37)— about ten o'clock we was landed and the officers was separated from the privits-they was sent to the Sugar House and the officers was escorted to the main Gard then in the old City Hall (38) at the head of Broad st-all this time we had nothing to Eat, but that night Col❜l Wil'm Livingston sent a note to Mr. Simons (39) who kept a Public House at the Corner of Nassaw st. By that means we was supply'd for that Time-on Sunday morning we was escorted from that Prizen to the new Jail (40) Call'd The Provost Gard and at both removes we was very highly Complemented on the way by the loyal subjects with all the hard names they Could think of, such as D-d Rebels and all other fulsom names they could think of. We did look Very bad, for the soldiers stripp'd whatever we had on that was worth taking off. I saved myself from being stripp'd, for the morning we was ordered out

to meet the enemy I put on the poorest clothes I had not wishing to dirty Good ones. On our way up Nassaw st. near Maiden Lane I espide my yongest sister Susan (41) standing on Mr. Norwood's (42) Stoop as soon as she espide me she dropp'd*-I saw no more of her she could not get to see me but sent me some Beding and provisions that was of grate releaf-when we got to Gard House we was divided-twelve of us was shut in the North corner Room on the First floor and thirteen was Put up on the second floor East Corner Room-after we was shut in the Keeper Came In and search'd and took everything we had about us, not leaving a pen knife: and on Wednesday they threw in through the Hole in the Door Some raw salt Beef and a little damaged sea bread-as soon as the bread fell on the floor it Took legs and ran in all Directions-so full of lifethe flour was very filthy-more like hog sty than anything else— This was Ten Days without drawing provisions after taken-the Reason they gave for their severe Treatment they said we had attempted to set the Barracks on fire at our leaving them to go on board but the case was soon changed after the capture of Burgoine and His army (43) of which we got news in Prizen before the matter was known in the Citty except by some of higher officers-the way the news was convaid to the Prisen was in a large loaf of Breadthe statement on paper and Placed in a loaf and baked and was sent Colonel William Livingston who was taken with us as soon as that was Read in the Congress Room, the whole Prizen resounded with three cheers (44)-the keeper was alarm'd with such an uproar as he call'd it—Hasten'd to the second floor to know what was the uproar-then he was inform'd-he denide it and said it was a D-d Rebel lie-after this was fully known we was offer'd our Forlows as other officers on our Signing a Declaration wich they offer'd that we Did not attempt to leave fire as was against us-we then signed the Parole bond and was taken out of Prizen on the first day of Nov'r and placed at different houses in and about Bedford three miles from Brooklin-we was only in that situation one Month, for we was too

*She fainted.