156 THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 
September 3rd .—This morning at 5 o’clock we began our march 
towards Iron Hill. The grenadiers, light infantry, jagers and Queen’s 
rangers 1 in front, the heavy artillery following the Hessian grena¬ 
diers. After marching a little way, a smart firing began in our front. 
The rebels fired as usual from the fences and trees. It was briskly 
returned on our side and they were pursued for some time. The 
army went about six miles and encamped at the foot of Iron Hill. 
The guards and 27th regiment are in possession of the summit. On 
our march we saw a number of the rebels killed ; the wounded were 
either carried off or crawled into the bushes for none were to be seen. 
Between 40 and 50 of the rebels were buried by our pioneers, and it 
is imagined many more are killed in the woods. I saw in a field a 
corporal and five men lying near together, killed by grape shot. Five 
others bearing captains’ commissions and a field officer, were carried to 
the General. A General Maxwell commanded the whole here, and it 
is thought they had upwards of 1,500 men. We had only two or 
three killed and about twenty wounded. Some deserters came in 
to-day. They mention Washington’s being at Christian’s or Brandy¬ 
wine Creek with 13,000 or 15,000 men and a number of cannon, 
strongly posted. We entered Pennsylvania this day, having passed a 
large stone that is the boundary mark. 
September 4th .—Kemain on our ground very quiet. This afternoon 
I walked up to Iron Hill, and had a view of part of the Delaware river 
at the distance of about eight miles. 
September 7th .—This day about noon the army received orders to 
be ready to march at an hour’s notice. We struck tents immediately 
and got everything in readiness. Lay under arms all night. 
September 8th .—About 4 a.m. the 1st division of the army began 
their march; the 2nd and 3rd followed according to orders. We 
went through Newark, a deserted and destroyed village. The front 
and centre of the army got to the heights of (blank) in the afternoon, 
but the rear guard to which I belonged, with the 2nd brigade of artil¬ 
lery, did not reach our ground till 11 o’clock at night, after a very dis¬ 
agreeable march of 16 hours without anything to eat, and almost suf¬ 
focated with dust, owing to the vast train of baggage waggons and 
cattle that were in front. We did not meet with the smalle-st inter¬ 
ruption in our march from the rebels, for we took a different road to 
that which they expected, and where they had raised works and col¬ 
lected a force. Mr. Washington is now encamped about three miles 
from us on a very strong ground with 20,000 men. The Congress is 
sitting at Philadelphia and have sent positive orders to him to come to 
action. Our General and other officers are going to reconnoitre with 
a very strong detachment. In all probability a day or two will decide 
the fate of America. 
September 9th .—About 5 o’clock this afternoon we began to move 
forward, and made a forced march all night through bad roads. 
Halted in the morning about 6 at Kennet Square. Skirmishing in 
front; the rebels have had some loss. 
l Colonel Simcoe’s Queen’s Ranger Hussars, a corps of Provincial horse. 
