She anointed my arm with grease or oil of some kind, and rubbed it well and then she made up a large poultice of leaven and applied to it. By the next morning the swelling had drawn down so much to my hand, that my fingers nearly bursted asunder. In the course of a short time, she scattered all the swelling and healed the cut at the elbow.

This good old lady, was a great blessing to me, through my after life. up to the present time and this will but terminate with my life. It was providential that she was thrown across my way at that particular point of time, for (as I have before stated,) had she not visited me, the Doctors would have amputated it next morning as they had agreed to do.

Although my arm has been stiff ever since, it never has hindered me to play the fife, providing that I always placed my fingers over the holes of my fife before I would put it to my mouth. There was an old man, a camp Doctor at the barracs, who was passionately fond of music. Often after we would get done beating the reveille, he would ask us to go over to his quarters and play and beat awhile for his amusement. He took quite a liking to me, and happening to notice me one morning fixing my fingers upon the holes of my fife before I placed it to my mouth, and the difficulty I labored under of bringing my right hand up to my mouth, asked the Fife Major what was the cause of my doing so. The Fife Major told him all about it. The Doctor then observed to me, that had I informed him of it long before that, he could have done something for me and would have given me some stuff that would have made it supple, put that now, he could do no more than strengthen it. He said he would give me a stuff that would make it stronger than the other. He took me in, and placed a plaister upon it, some of which was still on it at the end of three months after he put it on. The old Doctor I believe made good his word, for my right arm, has been a great deal stronger, than the left ever since.

The British prisoners were sent off to some military

post not now recollected, as I did not accompany the detachment sent with them, I am the less able to remember to what point they were removed to.

After they had started, I frequently amused myself with a bow and arrows, in shooting at rats in the stoccades. They were very numerous, and of an enormous size. This kind of sport I enjoyed very well. I one day shot at one which was nearly the size of a cat. I had shot my arrow through his body and he bit off the arrow. I followed him up and finally clubbed him to death. There were millions and tens of millions of fleas in the cellars. I have very often rolled up my trousers above my knees, and ran down into the cellars and up again as hard as I could "heel it," and my legs would be so covered as to be black with them. When I would run out of the cellars I would take my hands and push them down along my legs as a person would stockings, and then clear myself as fast as I could, to some distance from them. This besides, being sport for myself, was fine fun for lookers on.

Pat

On the return of the American troops (sent off with the British prisoners,) Captain Steake's company was ordered to march on to Reading to take charge of the Hessian prisoners that laid there, and march them off to Elizabethtown Point in Jersey, in order that an exchange of prisoners should be made with the British. Coner, Drummer and myself, Fifer, to Captain Steake's company had to accompany them. All things being in readiness, we marched off with the tune of "over the hills and far away." When upon the march to Reading, we halted one day at a tavern about noon. Our officers they took their dinners and grog at the tavern, whilst we sat down and took a bite such as we had, out in front of the house. After we had finished eating our "cold" hunger "check," I walked out a little distance from the rest of the company. Whilst reconnoitering, I es, pied a fine looking Peacock sitting upon the top of the barn. Ogleing his beautiful feathers, I thought that I must have some of them. I could throw a finger stone

to a certain distance at a mark with almost as much precision as I could shoot a rifle-ball. I searched around and found a stone that I thought would suit my purpose exactly, so "letting slip" at him I hit him as near as might be to the spot I wanted to "tap" him, and he came tumbling down along the roof of the barn and fell to the ground. I ran and caught him before he was able to recover himself and pulled out his splendid feathers. These I doubled and rolled up as tenderly and nicely as I could, so as not to break them, and then stowed them away in my knapsack, I had but just finished my business of plucking, when I was called to "beat up the long roll." We set out immediately on the march again and I never sent a Doctor back to see how the poor pa tient peacock fared in his short tail ailment. We marched to within three miles of Reading that afternoon, and there we remained until the next morning. Before we resumed our march in the morning, we were ordered each man to put on clean clothes with which we had provided ourselves before we started from Lancaster. I divided my peacock feathers with Pat Coner, and we decorated our caps in fine style with peacock plumes. They were much admired by the officers and men, but none of them knew where they had been procured, and I, not choosing to tell tales out of school, did not take the trouble to inform them.

All being in readiness we took up the line of march for Reading. When we crossed the bridge over the Schuylkill and was about to enter the town I struck up the air called "The Boyne Water." The streets every where were filled with people, and as that place had been my old home, I could over-hear some that knew me, say, as we marched through the town, "there goes little Sam Dewees." "Look here fellows there's little Sam Dewees," &c. At this time I must have been twenty-one or two but very small for my age.

After we had marched through the town we were led up near to where the prisoners laid and were billeted in a barn that night. As soon as we were dismissed, one

of my old comrades, who lived about three miles from Reading, stepped up and took me by the hand. He invited me to go home with him and stay all night, I told him I could not go. He insisted on my accompanying him. I then told him I durst not go without the permission of my officers, and that I thought they would not let me go were I to ask them. He went to Captain Steake and plead so hard with him, that he at length consented for me to go with him but told him that I must be back at the break of day to play the reveille and if not I should be punished. I then went with him to his home, where meeting with others with whom I was acquainted, I was quite happy indeed. I played the fife for their amusement a long while. Being quite merry, (girls and boys,) we enjoyed ourselves well and sat up singing and playing the fife until a very late or rather an early hour, for we did not retire to bed until it was nearly two o'clock in the morning. Owing to this, we all overslept ourselves. When I awoke it was "broad day light." I up and ran as swiftly as I could and not without trembling with fear, for I thought of the punishments I had seen inflicted at Carlisle barracs, for trivial offences. Notwithstanding the haste I made, I had the mortification when I arrived at the billeting ground to behold the company in line and upon parade. The Captain brandished his sword about and gave me a few curses for disobeying orders and then told me to "fall This was a signal to me that a pardon was granted, and that it was all over for this time. The order that of "fall in," relieved me altogether.

in."

We then marched to where the Hessian prisoners lay. Our company then divided and formed a line on each side of the road. The prisoners were then placed in the centre, a guard in front and another in the rear. The officers and music preceding the front guard. In this order we set out on the march, and continued to play until we were ordered to march at ease.

After this we had good times, for there was a "band" among the prisoners and our officers allowed it to play

during our march. Owing to this, we had to play but very little all the way. Nothing of any great consequence transpired from the time we set out from Reading until we arrived at Elizabethtown Point. We did

not remain long at the latter place but returned back immediately to Lancaster rejoicing. When we arrived at Lancaster we found that the soldiers we had left there when we marched away had all drawn three months pay and their discharge too. Then every man went to his home, or to where he pleased to go until settlement day. The place appointed for settlement was in Philadelphia. I was among the first that entered the army in 1776 after Independence was declared, and now among the last discharged. As soon as I received my discharge I went on to Poplar Neck, within three miles of Reading, and hired with Lewis, who was a brother to my old master, and at that place I remained until the settlement day was approaching. I then set out for Philadelphia.

CHAPTER XVIII.

After reaching Philadelphia, I chose a man of the name of George Saval to act in the capacity of Agent or Guardian for me, giving him a power of attorney to receive all monies due me by the government. Saval went with me and I bound myself to one George Cooper, a skin dresser, who was located at the corner of Market and Fourth streets, Philadelphia. Saval drew all my pay and cheated me out of every cent of it. This practice is followed by guardians yet, and to speak without regard to truth it is highly creditable for them to cheat orphan's and widow's out of their all, especially out of that, hard earned by themselves, as this money was by myself. Of the Hessian prisoners captured at Red Bank below Philadelphia and at other places, quite a number of them staid in this country, took them wives, and settled in dif