of the Council of Safety, 1776. 339

an Apprehension that I have incurred their Displeasure for
having omitted writing when on our March from Maryland
for New York, and since our Arrival here, nor shall I in a
pointed Manner urge anything in my Defence, but leave them
at large to condemn or excuse me, upon a presumption, that
should they condemn, they will at least pardon, and judge me
perhaps less culpable, when they reflect in the first Instance,
on the Exertions necessary to procure Baggage Waggons,
Provisions and House Room for 750 Men march'd the whole
Distance in a Body, generally from 15 to 20 Miles per Day,
as the several Stages made it necessary,—and in the Latter I
trust they will give some Indulgence for this Neglect, for since
our Arrival at New York it has been the Fate of this Corps to
be generally stationed at Advanced Posts, and to act as a
covering Party, which must unavoidably expose Troops to
extraordinary Duty and Hazard, not to mention the extraordi-
nary Vigilance and Attention in the Commandant of such a
party in disposing in the best Manner, and having it regularly
supplied,—for here the Commanders of Regiments exclusive of
their military Duty, are often obliged to exert themselves in
the Departments of Commissary and Quarter Master Gen^l and
even Directors of their Regimental Hospitals.

Perhaps it may not be improper to give a short Detail of
Occurrences upon our March to Long Island and since that
Period—The Enemy from the 21^st to the 27^th of August were
landing their Troops on the Lower part of Long Island, where
they pitched a large Encampment, and ours and their advanced
Parties were daily skirmishing at Long Shot, in which neither
Party suffered much, on the 26^th the Maryland and Delaware
Troops which composed part of Lord Sterling's Brigade were
ordered over, Col Haslet and his L^t Col: Bedford, of the Dela-
ware Battⁿ with L^t Col Ware and myself were detained on
the Tryal of L^t Col Zedwitz, and tho' I waited on General
Washington and urged the Necessity of attending our Troops,
yet he refused to discharge us alledging there was a Necessity
for the Tryal's coming on, and that no other Field officers
could be then had. after our dismission from the Court
Martial it was too late to get over, but pushing over early next
Morning, found our Regiments engaged Lord Sterling having
marched them off before Day, to take Possession of the
Woods and difficult Passes between our Lines and the
Enemy's Encampment—but the Enemy the Overnight had
stole a March on our Generals having got through those
passes, met and surrounded our Troops on the plain Grounds
within two Miles of our Lines. Lord Sterling drew up his
Brigade on an advantageous rising Ground, where he was
attacked by Two Brigades in Front, headed by the Generals