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154 so soon. The commissary observing my chagrin, told me that my Captain and eight or ten of our people were in the country, about twenty miles off, where they were undergoing the operation of the small pox. The next day I went out to them and remained with them two or three days; but that would not do for me; I told the Captain that I would go after the men; he said I might act my pleasure as it respected that, but that he should advise me to stay with him till he had got through with the small pox, and the other men that were with him had recovered, and then they should all go together; but that would not content me, I was as uneasy as a fish out of the water. The Captain then told me that if I was determined to follow the corps that my arms were with him, and I might take them and go. I took them and went back to West point, to the commissary, where I procured three or four rations of provisions, and an order for five or six more, in case I could find any commissary on the way. The commissary filled my canteen with liquor, and thus equipped I set off on my journey alone, not expecting to find the men within less than four hundred miles.

I encountered nothing very material on my journey, except it were fatigue and some want, until I arrived at Annapolis, in Maryland; there I found what I had so long sought after, the Sappers and Miners, they were returning to West point. They were on board vessels, and were blocked in at Annapolis by some British ships at the mouth of the river. Shortly after I joined them an opportunity offered, and we escaped with our little fleet, by sweeping out in a dark night, and went up the bay.

We went directly on to West point and took possession of our new barracks again and remained there till sometime in the month of May, when we (with the rest of the army in the Highlands) moved down and encamped at the Peekskill. We remained here awhile and then moved down near King's bridge, fifteen miles from New-York. A part of the army, under the command of Gen. Lincoln, fell down the river in batteaux and landed near old fort Independence, where they were soon attacked by the enemy, when a smart skirmish ensued; our corps, among others, immediately marched to reinforce Gen.