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28 came to the spot where the militia were fired upon, the ground was literally covered with arms, knapsacks, staves, coats, hats and old oil flasks, perhaps some of those from the Madeira wine cellar, in New-York; all I picked up of the plunder, was a blocktin syringe, which afterwards helped to procure me a thanksgiving dinner. Myself and the man whom I mentioned as belonging to our company, were all who were in company at this time, the other man having gone on with those who were fired upon; they did not tarry to let the grass grow much under their feet. We had to advance slowly, for my comrade having been sometime unwell, was now so overcome by heat, hunger and fatigue that he became suddenly and violently sick. I took his musket and endeavoured to encourage him on. He was, as I before observed, a nigh neighbour of mine when at home, and I was loath to leave him behind, although I was anxious to find the main part of the regiment, if possible, before night—for I thought that that part of it which was not in the lines was in a body somewhere. We soon came in sight of a large party of Americans, ahead of us, who appeared to have come into this road by some other rout; we were within sight of them when they were fired upon by another party of the enemy; they returned but a very few shots and then scampered off as fast as their legs would carry them. When we came to the ground they had occupied, the same display of lumber presented itself as at the other place. We here found a wounded man and some of his comrades endeavouring to get him off. I stopped to assist them in constructing a sort of litter to lay him upon, when my sick companion growing impatient, moved on, and as soon as we had placed the wounded man upon the litter I followed him. While I was here one or two of our regiment came up and we went on together;—we had proceeded but a short distance, however, before we found our retreat cut off by a party of the enemy, stretched across the Island. I immediately quitted the road and went into the fields, where there happened to be a small spot of boggy land, covered with low bushes and weeds; into these I ran, and squatting down, concealed myself from their sight. Several of the British came so near to me that I could see the buttons on their clothes. They, however, soon