ture, and gave this account
of the affair to the Rev. Dr. Stiles, then at Dighton, R.I.]

"Gen. Lee had advanced with his Division to Baskenridge, about
twenty-two miles from the Enemy's advanced Guards, where they lodged
the night of Dec. 12th, Gen. Sullivan being with the body of the
Division, & Gen. Lee in the Rear, or on the flank of the rear about 2
Miles from the body, having with him only his aid-de-camp, Mr.
Bradford, a Major with an express from Gen. Gates, a French Colonel, a
French Captain, the latter in our service, the former just from Paris
by the way of Dartmouth in Mass. with dispatches for Congress, &
perhaps a dozen guards. The house was surrounded on one side with a
wood, on the other an orchard. The Gen. had just sent forward Gen.
Sullivan, who marched with the Division about 8 o'clock in the
morning, tarrying himself to finish dispatches to Gen. Gates, which
having just done, dressed & sent for his horses, was ready to mount, &
would have been gone in 5 or 10 minutes, when about 10 o'clock they
were surprised with about 50 horse, which came on the house from the
wood & orchard at once & surrounding fired upon it. The French Col.
escaped & was pursued & overtaken. Gen. Lee looked out of the window
to see how the guards behaved, & saw the enemy twice with his hanger
cut off the arm of one of the Guards crying for quarter--the guard
behaved well, fired at first, but were rushed upon & subdued. The Gen.
sees then that they must submit, & after walking the chamber perhaps
10 or 15 minutes, told his aid-de-camp to go down & tell them Gen. Lee
submitted. Mr. Bradford went to the door & on opening it a whole
volley of shot came in the door--he spoke loud & opened again &
delivered his orders. Gen. Lee came forward & surrendered himself a
prisoner of war, saying he trusted they would use him like a
gentleman. Of this one of them gave assurance & ordered him instantly
to mount. He requested His Hat & Cloke and Mr. Bradford went in to
fetch it, but changing his clothes on his return they did not know him
from a servant & laying down the General's Hat and Cloke he escaped
back into the house. They immediately rode back in triumph with the
Genl."

[From the Stiles MS. Diary, Yale College Library.]

[No. 47.]

GENERAL OLIVER WOLCOTT TO HIS WIFE

LITCHFIELD, CONN.

PHILADELPHIA[245] December 13 1776

[Footnote 245: Gen. Wolcott, at this date, was a delegate in Congress
from Connecticut.]

MY DEA