here?"

The statement was made in the form of a question, and I replied that it
suited me to do as he thought best, for when Colonel Gansevoort mapped out
the route I believed he was sending us on a longer detour than was
necessary.

We crossed the Albany road at that point where it bends in toward the
hill, walking at our best pace, and, once behind the elevation, were
screened from view of the enemy's camp.

While we were going over the open country I kept my eyes fixed upon the
British batteries and the redoubts thrown up to cover them, but failed to
see any signs of human life. That the enemy had abandoned these posts even
for a few moments seemed incredible, and yet it was all of the same piece
with what we could see in their camp.

Sergeant Corney led us directly into the redoubts which had made so much
trouble for us in the fort, and, had we been disposed, we might have
loaded ourselves down with plunder of every description, for the
belongings of the men were strewn about as if cast aside in great haste.

It was not safe to remain many moments where we were; in fact, I came near
to believing the sergeant had lost his wits when he led us into the
British nest, and we hurried out of the works, going directly toward St.
Leger's quarters until we were sufficiently near to see men moving about
excitedly, when he struck off for the rear of the encampment, where could
be found such cover as stout bushes and small fir-trees would afford.

We had advanced boldly on this last stage of the journey, emboldened to do
so by the evidences of panic, or something near akin to it, which we saw
on every hand, and trusting to the possibility that if seen it would be
believed that we belonged to the encampment.

The sun was yet an hour high in the heavens when we found a hiding-place
overlooking the camp, and so easy of accomplishment had been our task,
with nothing of danger attaching to it, that I was heartily ashamed of
having displayed ill-temper in the sergeant's presence.

Neither of us spoke when we were finally come to where we could have a
fairly good view of the scene of confusion. The surprise at what we saw,
and the perplexity because of it, was so great that we could do no more or
no less than stare in bewilderment at this army, every member of which
appeared to have suddenly been deprived of his reason.

The foremost scene which met our wondering gaze was a group composed of
General St. Leger himself, Sir Joh