y keenest want, officers were resigning,
large bodies of soldiers whose time had expired were leaving, while such
as remained were disheartened,--less by the remembrance of hardships
past, than by what the future seemed to forebode. It was under such
discouragements, when

"Allegiance wand'ring turns astray
And Faith grows dim for lack of pay."

that Van Arsdale re-entered the army, to share its fortunes whatever
those might be. An Act had been passed March 11th, 1780, to raise a body
of levies for the defense of the frontiers. It required every
thirty-five male inhabitants, of competent age, to engage and equip one
able-bodied recruit to serve in their stead in said levies. Whether at
the solicitation of his neighbors, liable under this Act, or prompted by
his own devotion to the service, or both combined, we have no means of
knowing, but we find Van Arsdale joining the levies on the 2d of May.
But under an act of June 24th ensuing, which permitted privates serving
in the levies to enlist in either of the continental battalions
belonging to the State Line, provided they engaged to serve for the war,
Van Arsdale with the then common idea that this was the more honorable
service, took his discharge from the levies, and enlisted in the company
of Capt. Henry Vandebergh (being the 1st company) of the 5th New York
regiment, of which Marinus Willett was Lieut.-Col. Commandant, and
belonging to Gen. James Clinton's brigade. This brigade was then in
garrison at West Point, and Van Arsdale's initial service was fatigue
duty on the four redoubts at that post, and guard duty at Fort
Montgomery; the latter reviving but too vividly the campaign of 1777,
and its great disaster, many traces of which were still visible.
Vandebergh, who had had command of the company as lieutenant for the
four months since its captain, Rosecrance, became a major, was now
promoted July 1st, and on the 30th, was officially put in command as
captain. Upon the latter date (it having before been given out that an
attack was to be made upon New York City), the New York brigade was
directed to march next morning at sunrise. They moved accordingly,
crossed the Hudson and took up a position below Peekskill. But the
object of the advance, which was merely strategic, having been served,
the army again crossed the river at Verplank's Point, and on August 7th
made headquarters at Clarkstown. Washington had given orders a week
previous for the immediate fo