Sl)c Javmcr'0 iUoi\tl)lij lUsitor. 



12^ 



by most of llie field officers to listen to them. 

 You would scurcely lielieve it, hut the enemy iiad 

 the assMiiiiire to hiiiif; down ii sim.cII piece ol' 

 Ciinnon to fire us their nioiiiiri^ ;,'nii, so iieiir to 

 our qoarler friiiud thut llie wadding rebounded 

 against the works. 



We have within these lew evenings, exclusive 

 of other alarms, been under aims most ol' the 

 night, as there lias been a great noise like the 

 howling of dogs U|pon the riylil of our encanip- 

 liient ; it was ioiagincd that the encuiy set it n|i, 

 while tliey were tneilitaling some attack. The 

 two firs; nights this noise was heard, Gen. Kra- 

 sor tliou;:ht it to have been the dogs helunguig 

 to the officers, and an order was given liir the 

 dogs to be conliiied w iihin the tents; any that 

 Were seen running ubout, the Provost had orders 

 to hang. 



The next niirht the noise was much gre.itcr, 

 when a detachment ot Canadians and I'rovin- 

 cials were .sent out to reconnoilre, and it proved 

 to have arisen from large droves of wolves that 

 came after the dead fco(/i'es. They were similar to a 

 pack of bounds, lor one selling up a cry, they all 

 joined ; and w ben they approached a cor|)se, ilieir 

 noise was hideous until tliey bad scratched it up. 



1 have sent you a vi<nv of the encampuient, of 

 our hospital tents, park of artillery, &,c., fnun a 

 redoubt we have on the opposite side of the river, 

 by which yon may form some idia of the eocui- 

 try: this view was taken by Sir Francis Clark,* 

 one of Gen. Bureoyiie's Aids-ile-cauip, who fa- 

 vored nie with a co|)y. 



•'Phis officer Tell in the buttle of Oct. 7, while convpy- 

 inn :in order to llie artillery to l.ill buck. 'I'he ^'uns IkhI 

 just been taken by a party commanded by Lieut. Col. 

 Henrj Dearborn. Sir i-'rancis lell mortally wonnded.and 

 was by Col. Dearborn's orders carried to the rear — hf be- 

 inL' then on (not, look possession of Sir t'rancis' horse, 

 and rode il the remainder oC the day. I saw the pistols 

 winch were found in the holsters, in the possession ol' 

 (>en. H. A. S. Dearborn the list sunmier. Sir Francis 

 died on the niyht of Oct. 7. 



V. 



Battle of October 7. 



Camhridjie, JVeio England, .\ov. 20, 1777. 



Dear Friend: — The despatches sent by Lord 

 Pelei'sham relative to onr mislurlmie will have 

 reached England long helbre this conies to hand. 

 Yoiu' surprise then will cease at receiving a let- 

 ter dated from this place. As every little cir- 

 cumstance relative to a campaign cannot he given 

 in an official despatch to he laid belbre the pidi- 

 lic, i shall relate the transuctions of the army 

 till the convention took place. 



The day after the date of my last (Oct. G) a 

 detachment of 1500 re;.'nlar troops, with two 12 

 pounders, two howitzers, and six G pounders, 

 went out betweeti eleven and twelve o'clock. 

 The reason no doubt for the General's mareliing 

 at this time, rather than earlier in the morning, 

 was that in case he should not prove victorious, 

 he had the night to tiivor bis retreat. 



The intention ol this detacbmeiit was to make 

 a movement to the enemy's hli, not only to dis- 

 cover whether there was possibility of forcing a 

 |ia.«sage, if necessary to advance, or dislodge the 

 enemy, in order to favor a retreat, hut likewise to 

 cover the forage of the army, throiigb the scarci- 

 ty of which we were in great distress. This be- 

 luga project of much importance, (Jen. Biiigoyne 

 took with him Geneials Phillips, Keidesel and 

 Fraser as officers best qualified, ami wiih whose 

 assistance be had every hope that the plan would 

 succeed. 



The t'uard of the camp upon the liei::lits, was 

 left to the command of JJrigailier Gunerals Ham- 

 ilton and Specht, and the redoubts and plain lo 

 Urig. Gen. Gall. 



This day having the quarter guard of the reg- 

 iment, I reiiiained in camp, and of course can 

 give you no inforinatiou as to the various posi- 

 tions thai were taken. 



After the detachment hail'been out some time, 

 we heard a very heavy firing with the ariillery 

 an. I some little skirmishing with small arms. 

 Ai this lime Major Campbell of the 29{U reirt. 

 field ofiicer of the day, came lo my guard aiVl 

 desired me to go with a sergeant and some men 

 lo reconnoitre across two ravines in front of the 

 guard, to listen if 1 could hear the enemy mareli- 

 ing' tliat w;iy. All was (]uiet in that quarter, lint 

 as the firing began to be very heavy on the lefi, 1 

 relurned to the guard. In this fiille circuit J 

 A\as couviiiued how inucli the Americaus were 



pushed in onr late action of Sept. 19, for I met 

 with several dead bodies of the enemy, and 

 amongst tliem, la\ iiig close together, two men 

 and a woman, the latter had her arms extended, and 

 her hands grasping cartridges. 



Soon after my return to the gu.-ird, the firing 

 became general and very heavy. About this 

 time the Bat-men of the army who went out for 

 (orage, came galloping into camp, having thrown 

 oir their forage to save themselves and horses by 

 flight. The gallant behaviour of an ol<l soldier 

 ol' the 2(lth regt. deserves to he retnembered. 

 He had been wounded at the battle of Minden, 

 anil ;is he lay on the ground a French dragoon 

 rode over liiin and the horse's feet rested on his 

 breast. After having recovered from this acci- 

 dent he thought liiiiiself invnhierahle and held 

 the Americans in great contempt. When they 

 attacked the foraging p.irty the hardy veteran sit- 

 ting upon the forage which be had upon the 

 horse, kept loading and firing bis piece at the 

 enemy and in this maimer broiigbl his forage 

 safe into camp. Upon his arrival, bis m.ister 

 reprimanded him for the damage lo which he 

 had exposed himself and hoise.s, when he said, 

 " May it please your honor, I could not throw 

 away my linage— 1 would sooner lose my life 

 llian my poor horses should starve." 



You must allow this deleat of the Bat-inen 

 and a nnmher of wounded men coming into 

 camp was no very IJuorable omen of success; 

 nor can you conceive the sorrow visible on Gen. 

 Fraser's beiiio broiioht in wounded ; your old 

 friends Campbell and Johnston oil each side of 

 his horse supporliiiir him. I cannot describe the 

 scene; il was such lint the iinaginati<in must 

 help to jiaiiit. The officers all anxious, eagerly 

 enquiring as to his wound — Ilie downcast iiielan- 

 clioly that was vi>ible to every one as lo bis situ- 

 ation, — and all the answer be could make to the 

 many iiupiiries, was a shake of his bead expres- 

 sive that it wasall over uilh liim. So much was 

 he beloved, that not only officei-s and soldiers, 

 but all the women flocked around, soliciions for 

 his fatf. When he had reached his lent and was 

 recovered a little from tlie liiiutness occasioned 

 by loss of blood, be told those around him that 

 he saw the man who shot him — he was a rifle- 

 man in a tree. The ball entered a little below 

 his breast and penetrated just below the back 

 bone. After the smgeon hail dressed hisHoimd, 

 he said to him very composedly — "Tell me, 

 Sone, to the best of your skill and judi;ment, if 

 you consiiler my wound mortal." He replied, 

 "J am sorry. Sir, lo inform yoii that it is ; and 

 ihatj/ou cannot live four and twenti/ ho\trs." He 

 then called for pen and ink, and after making his 

 will and distributing a few litlle tokens of regard 

 to the officers of his suite, desired that he might 

 be removed to the general hospital. 



In camp and not in personal danger, the mind 

 is left to reflection. It is impossible to describe 

 how much it is afl'ccted in beholding the wound- 

 ed continually comiilir in, amid an incessant ro.ir 

 of cannon and musketry, where perhaps many 

 biave fellows are dyiiiji for their country — per- 

 haps too, in ail nnsnccessfiil battle! I can never 

 consent lo be left in camp again. 



Alter many honis iuipaiient aiixieiy, towards 

 the close of the evening, the grand stroke came. 

 1 had litlle hope 10 become a partaker in the ac- 

 tion ; hut ahiiut that time, the troops came pour- 

 ing into CHmjias fi>t as they could, and shortly 

 after. Generals Hiiri;fiyiiP, Phillips and Keidesel. 

 It is impossible to describe the aiixioiisiiess de- 

 picted in the counteiiaiice of Geii. Biir^oyiie, 

 who iiiiinediately rode up to the qnarler gii.inls, 

 and when he crime to that of our regimenl I was 

 aiM'OSS a ravine posting a .ser;;eaiit's iruard. 

 Upon liis enquiring eagerly for the officer.*, 1 

 came to him. "Sir," said the General, "yon 

 must defend Ibis post lo the very last man." 

 You may easily conceivo that upon receiving 

 lliese orilers, I judged every thing to be in a dan- 

 gerous situation. 



There was not a moment for thought, for the 

 .\inericaiis, stormed with creat fury the part of 

 ihe Light Inliiiilry under the command of Lord 

 Bdlcanas, rushing close, u> Ihe lines under a se- 

 vere fire of grape shot and siiiall arms. This 

 post was defended with great spirit, and the ene- 

 my led by Gdiieral .Vriiold, as t'allaiiily assaulted 

 the works ; but on the General's beino wounded, 

 the enemy were repulsed, which was not till 

 after dark. In this attack 1 was but an observer, 



.•IS the quarter gii.ird was some distance from tli) 

 lines, hut not siiffii-ienlly so as to be out of dan; 

 irer, as the balls were coiiiiimally droppiii!.' dowi' 

 ainongst ii.s. That you may form sorne idei 

 with what ohstin.icy the enemy assaulted tin 

 liiie.s bom the coiiiTnenccmeni, at uliich time i 

 was ilark, 'till tliey were lepliUed, there was i 

 continual sheet of "fire al u'; llie lines, and in lliiJ 

 attack we were fully convinced of what essentia 

 service our artillery was. Dm in^r the time tli( 

 enemy were .so vigorously aiiacking mir lines, t 

 party assaidted those of the Girinans commaiidet 

 by (;ul. Breyman ; hnl either fur want id conrag^ 

 or presence of miiiil, they, iqion the first attacl; 

 of the enemy, were shuck vvilli siiih terror thai 

 instead of g.-dlaiiily sustaining their lines, ihej 

 looked oil all as lost, and aflcr fiiiii;; one volleji 

 hastily aban ;oned tlicin. That brave officer 

 ("ol. Breyman, in endeavoring lo rally bis sol 

 diers was miHirlunately killed. By Ihe enemy' 

 obtaining possession of the Giiiii.in lines iIkm 

 gained an opening upon our ri^ht anil rear. 



In this engagemeut we lost many brave nfli 

 cers. To add to the line of Gen. Fraser, Gen 

 Bnrgoyne's .Aid de Camp, Sir Francis Clark' 

 was killed; — Colonel Ackland wounded and i 

 prisoner. Major Williams, M;,jor Bloomfield. am 

 Liiiitenimt llowarth of ibe Artillery were like 

 wise prisoners, both the latter «onniled. M.ijn 

 B's wound was very remarkable; a shot passin 

 iruoui;h both cheeks wilhont hurting ihe iiisidi 

 of his month (a sini;nliir shot,) Your frien( 

 Howarlh's wound I bear is in bis knee ; il is ver 

 siniiular that he was prepo,«sessed with an idea (' 

 being wounded , for when orders came lor tli, 

 detachment, going out, he was playing picqnc 

 with me, and after reading the orders that hi 

 brigade of guns was to yo, he said to me, "Ga 



blcssyou, A , farewell, for I know not hoV 



il is, but 1 have a strange presenlimeiil that I 

 shall either be killed or wounded." I was rathe 

 snrpriserl at such an e.\pres-ion, as he is of a i::> 

 and cheerful disposition, and cannot but say tin 

 dining the liltle lime I could bestow in reflt:cliO| 

 thai day, I continually dwelt upon his remark. ■ 



After Major Ackland was wounded, when h| 

 ob.-erved the army were retreating, he requestei 

 Capt. Siripson of the 31st regt. who was an int' 

 male fi ieiid, to help him into camp, upon whic 

 being a very stout man, he conveyed the Maji 

 on his back, a considerable way, when the em 

 my piirsiiiiiir so rapidly he was obli<;ed to leav 

 him behind to save him.-ielf. .\s the Major la 

 on the ground, he cried out to the men who wei 

 running by him, that he would give fifty guinei; 

 to any soldier who wcmld convey him iiilocam| 

 A stout grenadier instantly took him on bis baci 

 and was ha.steiiiu}; into camp, when they wer 

 overtaken by the enemy and in.-.de prisoner 

 Here you must naturally conceive what were lb 

 feelings of Ltidy Harriet .Ackland, who afte 

 hearing the whole of the action, at last receive 

 the shock of her individual misforinne, iiiixC 

 with the general calamity of the deleat. 



Whatever tavorable opinion ilie (Jeneial li.'l 

 entertained of onr l.ile encanipment, alier ill 

 attack he tlioui.dil our Hank liabli; to he liirnei 

 and it would he impossible to accomplish ii 

 honorable retreat, fearing the only secnrily i 

 the army would consist in an ignominious fliirli 

 as onr works would by no means resist canuii 

 shot. Befoi'e we rpiitled them wr' heard the em 

 my brinoing up tlnir arlilhry, no doubt with 

 view to attack us at daybreak. 



Therefore laboring under tlie.se apparent disa^ 

 vantages we had orders to quit our present situi 

 lion, dniiiig the ni^flil, and l.nke po.-t upon tl: 

 heights above the hospiial. By this niovemeii 

 the whole army were now asseiiihled upon ll 

 heights and plain, of which yon have a view i 

 the drawing I sent yon. 



Our lale moveineiil, which was effected will 

 out any loss, occasioned the enemy lo make 

 new disposition, and on the 8lli of October, iF 

 liaL'fiage incumbrances of llie army bein;.' rem 

 veil, we ofTered battle, anxious for a conflict in 

 plain, where we could discern our enemy, } 

 liilherlo all our acltons bad been in the wood 

 where it is iiiipi.s,~ihle to prescribe lo an am 

 or separate body how to govern tliemselve 

 Every diff'eient nioiion of Ihe enemy, and ll 

 various acconnts a (ieneral receives of thei 

 oiij;lit lo make him alter bis measures ; and the' 

 is no lajiiig down lo a commaudlng officer 

 any corps, other than general rules, — the re 



