llsborough and Westfield, with which the
operations for 1777 commenced. Immediately afterwards the army embarked
for the Chesapeake. In the battle of Brandywine, a part of the 71st was
actively engaged, and the regiment remained in Pennsylvania until
November, when they embarked for New York. Here they were joined by two
hundred recruits who had arrived from Scotland in September. These men
along with one hundred more recovered from the hospital, formed a small
corps under Captain Colin Mackenzie and acted as light infantry in an
expedition up the North river to create a diversion in favor of General
Burgoyne's movements. This corps led a successful assault on Fort
Montgomery on October 6th, in which they displayed great courage.
Captain Mackenzie's troops led the assault, and although so many were
recruits, it was said that they exhibited conduct worthy of veterans.

In the year 1778, the 71st regiment accompanied lord Cornwallis on an
expedition into the Jerseys, distinguished by a series of movements and
countermovements. Stewart says that on the excursion into the Jerseys "a
corps of cavalry, commanded by the Polish count Pulaski, were surprised
and nearly cut to pieces by the light infantry under Sir James
Baird."[168] This must refer to the expedition against Little Egg
Harbor, on the eastern coast of New Jersey, which was a noted place of
rendezvous for American privateers. The expedition was commanded by
Captain Patrick Ferguson, many of whose troops were American royalists.
They failed in their design, but made extensive depredations on both
public and private property. A deserter from count Pulaski's command
informed Captain Ferguson that a force had been sent to check these
ravages and was now encamped twelve miles up the river. Captain Ferguson
proceeded to surprise the force, and succeeded. He surrounded the houses
at night in which the unsuspecting infantry were sleeping, and in his
report of the affair said:

"It being a night-attack, little quarter, of course, could be given;
so there were only five prisoners!"

He had butchered fifty of the infantry on the spot, when the approach of
count Pulaski's horse caused him to make a rapid retreat to his boats,
and a flight down the river.[169] Such expeditions only tended to arouse
the Americans and express the most determined hatred towards their
oppressors. They uttered vows of vengeance which they sought in every
way to execute.

An expedition cons