ng you
to remain still in your houses; and those, if any there be, that
are friends to the king will instantly repair to the fort, and join
the hair-buyer[437-4] general, and fight like men. And, if any such
as do not go to the fort shall be discovered afterward, they may
depend on severe punishment. On the contrary, those who are true
friends to liberty may depend on being well treated; and I once
more request them to keep out of the streets. For every one I find
in arms on my arrival I shall treat him as an enemy.

"(Signed) G. R. CLARK."

I had various ideas on the supposed results of this letter. I knew that
it could do us no damage, but that it would cause the lukewarm to be
decided, encourage our friends, and astonish our enemies.

We anxiously viewed this messenger until he entered the town, and in a
few minutes could discover by our glasses some stir in every street that
we could penetrate into, and great numbers running or riding out into
the commons, we supposed, to view us, which was the case. But what
surprised us was that nothing had yet happened that had the appearance
of the garrison being alarmed,--no drum nor gun. We began to suppose
that the information we got from our prisoners was false, and that the
enemy already knew of us, and were prepared.

A little before sunset we moved, and displayed ourselves in full view of
the town, crowds gazing at us. We were plunging ourselves into certain
destruction or success. There was no midway thought of. We had but
little to say to our men, except inculcating an idea of the necessity of
obedience, etc. We knew they did not want encouraging, and that anything
might be attempted with them that was possible for such a
number,--perfectly cool, under proper subordination, pleased with the
prospect before them, and much attached to their officers. They all
declared that they were convinced that an implicit obedience to orders
was the only thing that would insure success, and hoped that no mercy
would be shown the person that should violate them. Such language as
this from soldiers to persons in our station must have been exceedingly
agreeable.

We moved on slowly in full view of the town; but, as it was a point of
some consequence to us to make ourselves appear as formidable, we, in
leaving the covert that we were in, marched and counter-marched in such
a manner that we appeared numerous. In raising volunteers in th