hear, before you see
this, that we have had an engagement with the Enemy--were surrounded,
& had a Number Killed & Taken. I was with the Party who were
Surrounded & through a kind Providence, got through their fire without
being Wounded or Taken.--The Particulars of which I have not time to
relate as the Enemy are close to us & we expect to be attacked every
hour. I have wrote to Brother Josy by this conveyance which letter he
will let you see.--May God Bless & preserve you from every disaster,
is the unremitting wish of yours &c.

N. YORK Sept. 1st 1776.

Last Friday we left Long Island, (being unable to keep it any longer,
without being made Prisoners) and came to New York. How long we shall
stay here is uncertain--Our Public Enemies are numerous--Our private
Ones not a few. Happy shall I esteem myself, if I live to see these
Publick Calamities at an End, when we can live peaceably at home &
Enjoy the Fruit of our Labors, the Sweets of Liberty, & none to molest
us: 7 Regiments marched to King's Bridge Yesterday Afternoon. Lord
Sterling & Gen. Sullivan are made prisoners by the Enemy. Sullivan was
with us yesterday and is now gone to Philadelphia to Congress. Numbers
of our People who were surrounded by the Enemy at Flat Bush, and we
thought were Taken by them, have since got in--My Duty to Parents.
Love to Sally, Bettsey, Ruthy & Josey, Brothers, Sisters & all
Friends, with which I conclude,

Yours, &c.

WHITE PLAINS, Octr. 31st, 1776.

In your last, you want to know whether I was in the Brush or
Battle,[233] mentioned in my last.--I was there. In our Brigade was
Kill'd & Wounded, 75--in the whole Kill'd & Wounded on our side, about
100--of the Enemy by the best Information we have about 500--since
which we have had several Skirmishes. I was not in them, though I saw
several of them. One of them last Week was fought by Reed's &
Learned's Regts., where we had six--kill'd & a number Wounded; the
Enemy had Kill'd & Wounded, about 200--the same Week, a Scouting Party
came across the famous Rogers Scouts, with a scouting party of the
Enemy, took 30 of them Prisoners, & kill'd a number of them--This Week
we had some Battles with them. Monday the 28th Inst. about 2000
of them came on a height of Land on these Plains, Attacked our
Picquet, & after some time, forced our People to give Back. The Loss
on either side I cannot ascertain, but suppose we had Kill'd & Wounded
near 100, as the Fire of Cannon & Small Arms was he