Grave men there are by broad Santee,
Grave men with hoary hairs;
Their hearts are all with Marion,
For Marion are their prayers.

And lovely ladies greet our band,

With kindliest welcoming;

With smiles like those of summer,

And tears like those of spring.

For them we wear these trusty arms,

And lay them down no more

Till we have driven the Briton,
Forever, from our shore."

Sometimes whilst we laid at West Point, fort Ticonderoga, and at other military posts we drew what was called "state's stores." I dont know why they were called by this name unless it was, that these goods were donations from store keepers made to their respective State Governments, and then from the State Governments to the United State's Government, for the use of the army in general. From these state's stores we drew coffee, tea, sugar, chocolate, soap, tobacco,* pepper and other articles that were very serviceable to us. It was considered a great thing among us to draw rations thus. This good fortune came but seldom, perhaps once in six months we fared thus well. A shorter period, however, might have elapsed at times between, but oftener a longer elapsed than a shorter one.

Nothing of consequence that I recollect of, transpired whilst we laid at Crown Point and Ticonderoga. Something like skirmishing would occur occasionally. It was in consequence of some diversion or feint having been made by one of the British commanders that we had been detached there. The necessity of this force at that point having been done away with and we needed in a

Nothing could be more acceptable to us than tobacco. It was hard doing without it or its substitute. I have known soldiers to chew leaves of various kinds, and also roots, some would use Calamus as a substitute for tobacco.

more enlarged sphere, we were ordered back again to West Point. I do not recollect our route from West Point to Crown Point, neither can I recollect by what route we returned. I remember, however, of having been at Fort Schuyler a short time, but whether it was at this time or not I cannot now state.

a

CHAPTER XI.

After our arrival at West Point (which was perhaps sometime in June, 1780.) Several expeditions were made and for various purposes. I recollect that when we encamped out for sometime when on one expedition, General Washington led the army in person. Here, aided by my recollections of that great and good man, I will attempt to sketch in a brief manner his character, as regards one amiable, merciful and righteous trait therein --as regards his strong and enlarged TRUST in the mighty and overruling Providence of the Most High.

Washington it was, that trusted in the strong arm of the Almighty God of battles. He it was who was often known to be outside of the camp and upon his knees in fervent prayer to the Most High for direction and aid, pleading for his blessing to descend upon the glorious cause of Liberty, and upon the armies of his country, and that, success might crown the American arms.— Washington-did he not live to behold the holy fire of all his hopes, the offspring of his faith in his God realized and blazing high in consummation upon the emblazoned altars of his stupendous labors and duties for his common country?

The Commander-in-Chief was not always to be seen (like to many of the other officers of the army) crossing our pathways daily. Sometimes his labors would keep him out of our sight for a week or for two weeks at a time, and so (also it may be stated) of La Fayette, who

was the bosom friend and soldier brother of our beloved chief. When these two great chiefs were seen separate and apart from all the other officers, and in close and quiet converse together, then it was customary for soldier to say to soldier: "Now boys look out for a skirmish or a battle with the British," "there is something brewing," "I'll warrant you, there is some plans laying," "you'll see, there is some grand exploit on foot now. Huzza boys keep a sharp look out, &c. &c.— These camp byewords uttered on these occasions were not idle words, for so certain as Washington and La Fayette were seen thus, as certain it was, that a skirmish or a battle ensued, or some expedition was made and something worthy of remark transpired shortly afterwards.

Before an expedition of any kind was made, General Washington (if it was possible) would procure the services of a Minister of the Gospel to preach to the army upon the Sabbath. This was another sure signal that some struggle was about to be made by the Commanderin-Chief. A signal so certain, that the soldiers relied. upon it with as much certainty, as if they had received orders to march, or had known the purport of the expedition.

When a Minister was obtained, it was customary to make some elevation (upon which the Preacher stood) by nailing up a board or two at some distance from the ground. Sometimes a few logs would be rolled together or piled up one upon the other. Sometimes an empty hogshead would be placed on end, and a board or two laid crossways upon the head, and a few steps of some kind erected along side of it to enable the Minister to get upon it. The soldiers would be formed into a large circle around the spot occupied by the Minister, and after stacking their arms they would stand up on their feet or sit down upon the ground as would best suit them until the Minister would deliver his discourse.

I recollect whilst upon this expedition, that General Washington had procured the services of a Minister who

was quite a small man. A hogshead was placed on an end and the men formed into a large circle around it. The officers (among them Generals Washington and La Fayette) and music, within the ring and seated in groups immediately around where the Preacher was to stand. The man of God mounted the hogshead and after praying and singing commenced his discourse. He had proceeded to a considerable length therein and being quite enlisted in his own discourse, feeling no doubt the force of what he said, and moving about with somewhat of a warmth upon the hogshead, the head of which (owing perhaps to its having stood in the sun sometime,) had become somewhat loose gave way and he fell down into the hogshead. He being low of stature the upper "chime" of which, almost hid his head from the view of the soldiers. He continued to jump up and to show his head above the hogshead, and still preached on. This caused quite a hearty and loud laugh among the soldiers. The officers immediately jumped to their feet and by the time that some assisted him in getting out and replaced him upon the hogshead, (which was done by placing a board across the top of it) others succeeded in quieting the soldiers, and restored order in all parts of the circle. This accident happened towards the heel of his discourse. When matters were again adjusted, the Minister mounted the hogshead again and proceeded with his discourse as if nothing had happpened until he finished his sermon and made a final close of the exercises. The place where this happened I do not now recollect.

The following eloquent Revolutionary Sermon preached on the 10th of September, 1777, the eve of the battle of Brandywine, by the Rev. Jacob Pront, to a large portion of the American soldiers, in the presence of General Washington and General Wayne, and others of the continental army, was recently discovered among some old papers of Major John Jacob Schoefmyer, an officer of the Revolution. It should be perused by every lover of patriotism:

REVOLUTIONARY SERMON.

'They that take the sword shall perish by the sword." Soldiers and Countrymen :-We have met this evening perhaps for the last time. We have shared the toil of the march, the peril of the fight, the dismay of the retreat-alike we have endured cold and hunger, the contumely of the internal foe, and outrage of the foreign oppressor. We have sat, night after night, beside the same camp fire, shared the same rough soldiers' fare, we have together heard the roll of the reveille, which called us to duty, or the beat of the tattoo, which gave the signal for the sleep of the hardy soldier, with the earth for his bed, the knapsack for his pillow.

And now soldiers and brethren, we have met in the valley, on the eve of battle, while the sunlight is dying away behind yonder heights, the sunlight that to-morrow morn, will glimmer on scenes of blood. We have met, amid the whitening tents of our encampment; in times of terror and gloom, have we gathered together-God grant it may not be for the last time.

It is a solemn moment. Brethren, does not the solemn voice of nature seem to echo the sympathies of the hour? The flag of our country droops heavily from yonder staff, the breeze has died away along the green plain of Chadd's Ford-the plain that spreads before us, glistening in sunlight-the heights of the Brandywine arise gloomy and grand beyond the waters of yonder stream, and all nature holds a pause of solemn silence, on the eve of the uproar of the bloodshed and strife of to-morrow.

"They that take the sword shall perish by the sword."

And have they not taken the sword?

Let the desolate plain, the blood-soddened valley, the burned farm house, blackening in the sun, the sacred village and the ravaged town, answer-let the whitening bones of the butchered farmer, strewn along the fields of his homestead, answer-let the starving mother, with the babe clinging to the withered breast, that can