Qi6 COtONEL HANGER'S 



down in the ranks, with his rifle under \\k 

 arm ; nay, oftentimes have we been forced 

 to be'nnder arms whole nights, permitting 

 the men only to sit down in the ranks. 

 Riflemen can feel no confidence in them- 

 selves on a dark, and more particularly on a 

 stormy and rainy night ; nor can they enjoy 

 any confidence in their own strength, when 

 any distance from camp unsupportfd. 



I shall never forget the night before the 

 battle of Monmouth Court-House. It was 

 uncommonly dark, with frequent thunder- 

 storms and rain. It fell to my lot, that 

 night, to have the outermost picket. 

 Never could man pass a more anxious time; 

 the fires all put out, the enemy *s patroles 

 feeling us and firing every half hour and 

 oftener at the advanced sentries ; our men 

 on sentry firing sometimes at the enemy's 

 patroles and sometimes at cattle in the 

 woods, as soldiers will do when they hear 

 a noise in the bushes, challange, and gain 

 no reply ; the night so dark (taking it by 

 turns every half hour, with two lieutenants, 

 to visit the sentries) as not to be able to 

 perceive our own men until we came close 



