AUTHOR RECEIVES HIS TRUNK.

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wards, and Dr M'Henry, who afterwards became a member of General Washington's family, and secretary of war. Colonel Cadwalader (through the interest of General Prescott, who, when a prisoner with us, had been liberally treated by Dr Cadwalader, the father of the colonel) was immediately released, and went home on parole.

From the number of her boarders, Mrs Carroll might be supposed to have a very large house, but this was not the fact. It was but an humble tenement in Queen's Street, of two stories, with two or three chambers: but adjoining it was a building, which, having been abandoned, we, at her instance, under the auspices of General Robertson, took possession of, and furnished with our own mattresses and blankets. Nothing was scarcer in New York this winter than fuel; but, clubbing our weekly allowance of coal, we were enabled to supply for our hostess the parlour and kitchen fire.

The next object of our cares was our baggage at Fort Washington. The security of that belonging to those taken in the fort was stipulated for on its surrender ; and although I could not claim the benefit of the capitulation, I did not doubt that mine, as a part of the mass, would fare as well as the rest. It chiefly consisted of a mattress and a trunk, in which was a bundle of letters, the fruits of an interesting correspondence, which had never been intermitted, from the time of my leaving Philadelphia, to that of my captivity; and which I valued far beyond all my other possessions. They were now more precious than ever; since all letters, to or from us, being subjected to inspection, the intercourse must cease; and the reperusal of these must console me for the privation of recent communications. My anxiety,

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AUTHOR APPEARS IN REGIMENTALS.

however, was soon removed, by the safe arrival by water, two or three days after our reaching New York, of my trunk and mattress. I lost, indeed, a fowling-piece, small sword, and some other articles; but these were of little consequence; and I thought myself supremely fortunate in losing no more. The advantage of a change of clothes being by this time very desirable, I gladly availed myself of the contents of my trunk, which, besides linen, stockings, &c. afforded me a better suit of regimentals, and a newer hat than those I had on. As I saw no reason why I should not wear them, I put them on for the purpose of taking a walk through the city. My fellow lodgers, who had been taken on Long Island, being older and more prudent than myself, evinced some surprise at my temerity. To them I appeared much better dressed than rebel beseemed; and they predicted the probability of insult and abuse, should I exhibit myself in a trim so remote from the garb of humility; for as to themselves, they had, with the exception of Colonel Atlee, and one or two more, exchanged their martial habiliments for plain clothes; and even in these they rarely went out. Without regarding their suggestions, however, I sallied forth alone, and walked past the coffeehouse, down to the battery. Finding the gateway open, I entered it, and, after traversing it to its extremity, I strolled back again: almost every sentinel, to my great surprise, I must confess, handling his arms to me as I passed. Leaving the battery, I took a turn into another part of the town, and after a considerable round, regained my lodgings, without having met with the smallest molestation. But I afterwards learned from Mr Theophilact Bache, (of whom I shall have occasion to speak in the sequel,) that he well recollected

once seeing me pass the coffeehouse, probably at this very time; and that he and some other gentlemen had been obliged to exert themselves to prevent some blackguards insulting me. This conduct of mine would seem to indicate an arrogance, or an apathy, that I can aver was not in my character. It was not a want of feeling, but an excess of it, which prompted me to the proceeding. Revolting against the design to treat us as state criminals, and to overwhelm us with the odium attached to that condition; smarting, too, from the personal insults I had received, and in a state of cruel suspense respecting my brother, the prevailing colour of which was, that he had been killed, my mind was slightly tinctured with that sombre enthusiasm, which exults in the opportunity of setting persecution at defiance; and which, in its excess, can subdue the strongest instincts of nature, as was evinced in the ferocious heroism of Charlotte Corday.

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PARDON OFFERED TO AMERICANS.

CHAPTER IX.

Pardon offered to the Americans upon return to their Allegiance-Letter of General Washington-Sufferings of Prisoners-General Lee taken-British Provost MarshalCharacter of Colonel Allen-A partial Exchange of Prisoners-American Officers removed to Long Island.

ONE of the first measures of the Howes, in consequence of their late successes, was to issue a proclamation, tendering pardon to such as should renounce the cause of rebellion. I only recollect its general tenor, and that the proffered grace might have been spared. Not more than one or two, and, indeed, not one to my certain knowledge, embraced the invitation, although warmly recommended to us by Mr Commissary Loring. This was, no doubt, a matter both of surprise and mortification; and one which, in no degree, tended to mitigate the contemptuous rigour of our treatment.

upon me.

Mr Becket, it may be recollected, had promised to call He kept his word, and sought me at our allotted quarters on the Holy Ground. Not finding me there, or meeting with any one who could tell him where I lodged, he left a message for me, importing that, after the most diligent inquiry, he had not been able to learn any thing respecting my brother. Some time after, meeting in the street a serjeant who had belonged to his guard, I inquired for him, and was informed, that, very shortly after I had seen him, he had embarked for Rhode Island.

AUTHOR HEARS FROM HIS MOTHER.

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Among the rare exceptions to the haughty demeanour of our lordly masters might be mentioned the occasional civility of Major Skene, who seemed, for himself, to have adopted the conciliatory mode of conduct, and sometimes called to see us. Besides a slight ac

quaintance he had made with Colonels Atlee and Miles, he had, while in durance among us, contracted a sort of general acquaintance with the rebel character of America; and he appeared not to think very ill of it, notwithstanding its collision with the high pretensions of British supremacy, of which he was an unqualified votary. He was a portly man, about forty or forty-five, apparently frank and good-humoured; and so far was he from resenting the usage he had received from us, that he acknowledged he had been treated full as well as he had a right to expect, since he had made it a point to be as troublesome and vexatious as possible.

Between two and three weeks had elapsed, when I received a letter from my mother. It was brought by a Captain Hesketh, of the British army, who had been a prisoner with us. It acquainted me he had money for me: but a piece of intelligence, of still greater consequence, was, that my brother was safe and at home. A boat had got over the Hudson, as I had heard, and to avoid falling into the hands of the enemy, by whom he had been closely pressed, he had put himself on board. Nothing now was wanting to make me as happy as my situation would admit. I waited upon Captain Hesketh, found him at home, and was very politely treated both by him and his lady, to whose notice I had been particularly recommended by Miss Amiel, of Philadelphia, a mutual acquaintance. Among other things, Mrs Hesketh, who was the most communicative, informed me,