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Rh and impatient enough to have eaten the fellow had he been well cooked and peppered.

Soon after landing we marched to Williamsburg, where we joined Gen. Lafayette, and very soon after, our whole army arriving, we prepared to move down and pay our old acquaintance, the British at Yorktown, a visit. I doubt not but their wish was, not to have so many of us come at once, as their accommodations were rather scanty. They thought "The fewer the better cheer." We thought "The more the merrier." We had come a long way to see them, and were unwilling to be put off with excuses; we thought the present time quite as convenient (at least for us) as any future time could be, and we accordingly persisted, hoping, that as they pretended to be a very courtly people, they would have the politeness to come out and meet us, which would greatly shorten the time to be spent in the visit, and save themselves and us much labour and trouble; but they were too impolite at this time to do so.

We marched from Williamsburg the last of September. It was a warm day; when we had proceeded about half way to Yorktown we halted and rested two or three hours. Being about to cook some victuals, I saw a fire which some of the Pensylvania troops had kindled a short distance off; I went to get some fire while some of my messmates made other preparations; (we having turned our rum and pepper cook adrift;) I had taken off my coat and unbuttoned my waistcoat, it being (as I said before) very warm; my pocketbook, containing about five dollars in money, and some other articles, in all about seven dollars, was in my westcoat pocket. When I came among the strangers they appeared to be uncommonly complaisant, asking many questions, helping me to fire, and chatting very familiarly. I took my fire and returned, but it was not long before I perceived that those kind hearted helpers had helped themselves to my pocketbook and its whole contents. I felt mortally chagrined but there was no plaster for my sore but patience, and my plaster of that, at this time, I am sure was very small and very thinly spread, for it never covered the wound.

Here, or about this time, we had orders from the Commander-in-chief, that in case the enemy should come out to meet us, we should exchange but one round with them