THE SERVICES OF LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 221 
son’s Ford, his only line of retreat, than Barren Hill. General Grant, 
however, instead of at once marching to the Ford hesitated, and after 
some delay advanced towards Barren Hill. La Fayette having by 
this time become aware of his danger hastened with all speed towards 
the Ford. Grant, on reaching the hill, discovered the enemy well on 
their way to the Ford and marched in pursuit, but it was too late and 
they escaped. It was a very badly managed affair. Had the advice 
of the Quarter-Master-General, Sir William Erskine, been taken, La 
Fayette could not have escaped. 
On Monday the 18th a number of gentlemen of the army, possessed 
of more money than wisdom, gave an entertainment to Lord, and Gen¬ 
eral Howe, General Clinton, etc., and the rebel * of this town. 
The managers gave it the name of Mischianza. It consisted of a 
variety of matters, and I think might as well have been distinguished 
by the appellation of shamfontic or anything else. It was given, very 
mal apropos, just after we had heard the rebels to be supported by 
France and that a war with that nation was inevitable. The following 
is an account of it from first to last:— 
The army, anxious to give Sir Wm. Howe a most publick and 
splendid testimony of the high esteem they entertain of him as a 
general, and of the affection and attachment which his popular con¬ 
duct had secured to him from all ranks, both of officers and men, pre¬ 
pared a magnificent entertainment to grace his departure. It con¬ 
sisted of a variety of parts and was therefore called Mischianza. The 
admission tickets were decorated with a sun just verging to thejiorizon, 
with the inscription Luceo discedens , aucto splendore resurgam. On 
the lower part of the shield was the sea. At the top the general’s 
crest with the words Vive! Vale!, and at bottom and all round dif¬ 
ferent military trophies. The fete began at four o’clock in the after¬ 
noon, by a general grand procession on the river, consisting of 
three divisions—a galley and ten flat boats in each division. In the 
centre division was the Hussar galley with the General, Admiral, Gen¬ 
eral Clinton and the ladies of their party. The flat boats, with bands 
in each, led the procession. They set out from Knight’s wharf (so 
called for the occasion) at a signal from the Vigilant, and proceeded 
till they arrived at the market place, when the Fanny, armed ship, was 
drawn off into the stream beautifully decorated with a variety of 
colours, where they laid on their oars while the music played “ God 
save the King,” then proceeded to the Old Fort where a landing place 
was prepared, and as soon as the General landed he was saluted with 
19 guns from the Roebuck and the same number from the Vigilant. 
The company as they quitted the boats formed themselves into a line of 
