mations tending to
dissuade the people from their allegiance, and inviting them to
furnish his army with provisions. He immediately began to press
the wagons and teams in the vicinity, and loaded them with his
heavy baggage and stores. From this I was persuaded he intended
to attack this place. I had but just returned from the lines,
where I had commanded a fine brigade, which was broken to form
the division under Major-General Izard, ordered to the westward.
Being senior officer he left me in command, and except the four
companies of the 6th regiment, I had not an organized battalion
among those remaining. The garrison was composed of convalescents
and recruits of the new regiments, all in the greatest confusion,
as well as the ordnance and stores, and the works in no state of
defence.

To create an emulation and zeal among the officers and men in
completing the works, I divided them into detachments, and placed
them near the several forts; declaring in orders, that each
detachment was the garrison of its own work, and bound to defend
it to the last extremity. The enemy advanced cautiously and by
short marches, and our soldiers worked day and night; so that by
the time he made his appearance before this place we were
prepared to receive him.

General Izard named the principal work _Fort Moreau_, and to
remind the troops of the actions of their brave countrymen, I
called the redoubt on the right _Fort Brown_, and that on the
left _Fort Scott_. Besides these three works, we have two
block-houses strongly fortified.

Finding, on examining the returns of the garrison, that our force
did not exceed fifteen hundred effective men for duty, and well
informed that the enemy had as many thousands, I called on
General Mooers, of the New York militia, and arranged with him
plans for bringing forth the militia _en masse_. The inhabitants
of the village fled with their families and effects, except a few
worthy citizens and some boys, who formed themselves into a
party, received rifles, and were exceedingly useful. By the 4th
of the month, General Mooers collected about 700 militia, and
advanced seven miles on the Beekmantown road, to watch the
motions of the enemy, and to skirmish with him as he advanced;
also to obstruct the roads with falle