ho, during the action, were throwing earth
from the new trenches, with an alacrity that indicated a determination
to defend them, every visage was seen to brighten, and to assume,
instead of the gloom of despair, the glow of animation. This change,
no less sudden than happy, left little room to doubt that the men, who
ran the day before at the sight of an enemy, would now, to wipe away
the stain of that disgrace, and to recover the confidence of their
general, have conducted themselves in a very different manner.

[Life of General Putnam, by Colonel Humphrey.]

[No. 32.]

TESTIMONY AT A COURT OF INQUIRY RESPECTING THE RETREAT FROM NEW
YORK[238]

[Footnote 238: Col. Tyler, commanding the 10th Regiment of
Continentals (from Connecticut) was ordered under arrest by General
Washington for "cowardice and misbehaviour before the enemy on Sunday,
the 15th instant." The testimony at the preliminary trial brought
out some of the incidents of that day's confusion and panic.]

... Brigadier General _Parsons_: Says on the 15th, he ordered three
regiments of his brigade, viz: _Prescott's_, _Tyler's_, and
_Huntington's_, to march from the lines near Corlear's Hook to assist
the troops in the middle division under General _Spencer_, where the
enemy were attempting to land; that he soon rode on after these
regiments by General Putnam's order, and found them in the main road;
asked the reason why they were not near the river where the enemy were
landing, as he then supposed; was told by the officers that the
enemy's boats were gone farther eastward, and probably would land at
or near _Turtle's Bay_, on which they pursued their march on the road
to the barrier across the street; he, the examinant, being then near
the rear of the three regiments, observed the front to advance on the
road called _Bloomingdale_ road, instead of going in the post-road; on
which he rode forward to the front of the brigade, in order to march
them into the other road, when he found Colonel Tyler with his
regiment, and was there informed they marched that way by order of
Generals _Putnam_ and _Spencer_, who were just forward; this examinant
then rode forward on that road some little distance, perhaps sixty or
eighty rods, to a road which turned off eastward to the post road, and
found General _Fellows'_ brigade in that cross road, marching
eastward, and also saw Generals _Washington_, _Putnam_, and others, at
the top of the hill eastward, and rode u