gh a single
rail of the fence at which the enemy were standing when the action
began. The British gave back and our people advanced into the field.
The action soon became warm. Col. Knowlton a brave man and commander
of the detachment, fell in the early part of the engagement. It was
said, by them who saw it, that he lost his valuable life by
unadvisedly exposing himself singly to the enemy. In my boyhood I had
been acquainted with him; he was a brave man and an excellent citizen.
Major Leitch fell soon after, and the troops who were then engaged,
were left with no higher commanders than their captains, but they
still kept the enemy retreating. Our regiment was now ordered into the
field, and we arrived on the ground just as the retreating army were
entering a thick wood, a circumstance as disagreeable to them as it
was agreeable to us, at that period of the war. We soon came to action
with them. The troops engaged being reinforced by our regiment kept
them still retreating, until they found shelter under the cannon of
some of their shipping, lying in the North River. We remained on the
battle ground till nearly sunset, expecting the enemy to attack us
again, but they showed no such inclination that day. The men were very
much fatigued and faint, having had nothing to eat for forty-eight
hours--at least the greater part were in this condition & I among the
rest.... We had eight or ten of our regt killed in the action & a
number wounded, but none of them belonging to our company. Our Lt.
Col. was hit by a grape-shot, which went through his coat, westcoat
and shirt, to the skin on his shoulder, without doing any other damage
than cutting up his epaulette.

[_A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers and
Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier, etc._ Hallowell, Me.
1830.]

[No. 28.]

CAPT. JOSHUA HUNTINGTON[236] TO ----

[Footnote 236: Of Col. Samuel Selden's Conn. Regiment.]

CAMP NEAR KING'S BRIDGE, Sept. 20, 1776.

You have most likely heard of our retreat from the city, before this,
but I will give you some of the particulars. Sunday morning last, our
regiment, with a number of other regiments, were ordered to the lines
a little below Turtle Bay, where lay five or six ships within musket
shot of our lines. About six o'clock a most furious cannonade began
from the ships. At the same time the enemy landed a large body of men
a little above where our men were posted, and marched directly for th