r landing not a man had undressed
excepting to bathe; and many had worn the same shirt for weeks
together, Besides all this, heavy rains now set in, accompanied
with violent storms of thunder and lightning, which lasting
during the entire day, usually ceased towards dark, and gave
place to keen frosts. Thus were we alternately wet and frozen:
wet all day, and frozen all night. With the outposts again there
was constant skirmishing. With what view the Americans wished to
drive them in I cannot tell; but every day were they attacked,
and compelled to maintain their ground by dint of hard fighting.
In one word, none but those who happened to belong to this army
can form a notion of the hardships which it endured and the
fatigue which it underwent.

Nor were these the only evils which tended to lessen our numbers.
To our soldiers every inducement was held out by the enemy to
desert. Printed papers, offering lands and money as the price of
desertion, were thrown into the piquets, whilst individuals made
a practice of approaching our posts, and endeavouring to persuade
the very sentinels to quit their stations. Nor could it be
expected that bribes so tempting would always be refused. Many
desertions began daily to take place, and became before long so
frequent, that the evil rose to be of a serious nature.

There occurred, however, one instance of magnanimous fidelity on
the part of a British soldier, which I cannot resist the
inclination of repeating. A private of the 95th, whose name I
should have joyfully mentioned had I not forgotten it, chanced
one day to stand sentinel, when he was addressed by an American
officer. The American offered him a hundred dollars and a
quantity of land if he would come over; representing, at the same
time, the superiority of a democratical government, and railing,
as these persons generally do, against the title of king. Though
the Englishman heard what was said distinctly enough, he
nevertheless pretended to be deaf, and begged his tempter to come
a little nearer, that, in his own words, "he might tell him all
about it." Jonathan, exulting at the prospect of drawing this
fine fellow from his duty, approached within twenty paces of
where he stood, when just as he had opened his mouth to renew his
offer, the sentinel levelled his piece and shot him through the
arm. Nor was he contented with inflicting this punishment.
Walking forward, he seized his wounded enemy, and reproachin