Читать книгу The Life and Times of Gen. John Graves Simcoe - D. B. Read - Страница 25

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he last chapter concluded the campaign of 1777-1778, and we now enter on the campaign of 1779. I mentioned two instances in the last chapter where foraging expeditions were undertaken, the one to seize horses, the other to seize other live stock for provisioning the troops. The campaign of 1779 opened with an expedition of another sort, and was undertaken to seize men. I have before mentioned that many of the Loyalists, not in the service, either regular or Provincial, frequently fled from their homes to claim the protection of the British army. The Queen's Rangers was a favourite regiment for them to appeal to, there being so many sons of the soil in that regiment—not a few friends and relatives, their neighbours when at home following their peaceful pursuits. Such persons, when they became in a manner enrolled, were called "Refugees." On the 18th of April a party of Refugees went from Oyster Bay, being furnished with arms, agreeably to an order from headquarters, to take the American Generals Parsons and Silliman from the opposite shore, in fact, to endeavour to kidnap these two prominent officers of the enemy. They did not risk the attack on General Parsons, but they brought Brigadier Silliman to Oyster Bay, and he was sent the next day to New York.

The Provincial troops received in May of this year a signal mark of the royal favour, which must have been particularly gratifying to them, as an acknowledgment of the services they had rendered to the crown in time of danger. On the 2nd of May the Commander-in-Chief was pleased to signify, in general orders to the Provincial troops, "that his Majesty, anxious to reward their faithful services and spirited conduct, upon several occasions, has been pleased to confer upon them the following mark of his royal favour": The articles were then enumerated, and were all material to that service. The principal were: "That the officers of Provincial corps shall rank as juniors of the rank to which they belong, and if disabled in service should be entitled to the same gratuity as officers of the established army; and to distinguish the zeal of such as shall be completed, his Majesty will, upon the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, make the rank of those officers permanent in America, and will allow them half pay, upon the reduction of their regiments, in the same manner as the officers of the British reduced regiments are paid."

In consequence of this order the Queen's Rangers were recommended by the Commander-in-Chief, and styled and numbered as the "First American Regiment."

Early in June we find Simcoe at Croton Bridge, having marched to that place for the purpose of recapturing cattle which the enemy had seized upon, the property of people in the neighbourhood. At the same time, he covered the retreat of Lieut.-Col. Tarleton, of the Legion, who had passed that bridge and beat up the quarters of a party, four miles further.

During the struggle for Independence, as is well known, there were regular troops as well as militia on both sides. An army marching through the country had to be especially watchful or they would be sure to fall into an ambush or ambuscade of some sort. Each party was always looking out for stragglers from the other in the hope, by force or persuasion, to win them over to their cause. The Queen's Rangers had, up to the 10th of July of this year, 1779, been particularly fortunate in keeping well in hand. They seldom afforded an opportunity to the enemy to capture them individually or in squads. A misfortune of this kind, however, did happen to the corps on the day above mentioned, in their march from Byram's Bridge to Marmaroneck. Upon this march three soldiers straggled a small distance from their ranks and were taken by some of the enemy's militia. This occurrence gave great concern to Simcoe and was the first of the kind that had happened. He thought it necessary to give a gentle rebuke to the corps in consequence of it, by a general order, in which he said:—"The Lieutenant-Colonel is most sensibly affected at the loss of the three men who straggled from their posts during the last march. He feels himself but ill repaid for the confidence he has placed in the regiment, and his inclination to ease their duty by never posting an unnecessary sentinel; at the same time he trusts that as it has been the first instance of the kind during the time that he has had the honour of commanding the Queen's Rangers it will be the last; and that the soldiers will reflect what they must suffer by a long imprisonment from a mean and despicable enemy, who never has or can gain any advantage over them but what arises from their own disobedience of orders."

This order not only shews the high appreciation the Lieutenant-Colonel had of his own corps, but the contempt he felt for the enemy. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe was one of those officers desperately in love with the service; he entered the Provincial Royalist force because of the strong belief he entertained that the Continentals had rebelled without cause, and that they never could or would succeed in their revolution. Time has shown how mistaken he was in this; but this does not in the least detract from his honour or that of his regiment as soldiers in the King's service, however much it may detract from his prescience as a man. He was not alone in the belief of the Royalists of the day, that the Americans would not obtain their independence as a Republican nation, or if they did that they could not maintain their autonomy.

But to follow the Queen's Rangers. On the 8th August, after recapturing a number of the peaceful country Loyalists, who had been seized by the enemy, the light troops fell back on the redoubts. A grand guard being in advance, which reported to Lieut.-Col. Simcoe as senior officer of the Provincials, the Queen's Rangers were for the first time since they left winter quarters permitted to take off their coats each night until further orders. In case of sudden alarm they were ordered to form on their company's parade, with silence and regularity, without delaying to dress, and their bayonets were never to be unfixed. On the 9th October the Queen's Rangers were ordered to be in readiness to embark at the shortest notice. They immediately marched to Richmond, on Staten Island, where they relieved a regiment which had been sickly while at that post.

At the end of October Lieut.-Col. Simcoe and the Rangers were engaged in an enterprise which had the sanction of the Commander-in-Chief, Sir Henry Clinton. This was to march into the Jerseys and over-awe the rebels who were giving countenance and support to Washington's army. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe had the impression that fifty flat boats, upon carriages, capable of holding fifty men each, were on the road from Delaware to Washington's army, and that they had been collected together at Van-Vacter's bridge upon the Rariton. It was important, if this information was correct, that these flat-boats should be captured. Stratagem had to be resorted to to effect the purpose; and Lieut.-Col. Simcoe set about it, and succeeded in accomplishing all that was necessary for the security of his troops and the discomfiture of the enemy. On the 25th October, by eight o'clock at night, the detachment, which had been detailed for the service, marched to Billop's Point, where they were to embark. That the object of the enterprise might be effectually concealed, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe gave out that a rebel spy was on the Island (Staten Island), and was endeavouring to escape to New Jersey; a great reward was offered for taking him, and the militia of the Island were watching all the places where it was possible for any man to leave the Island, in order to apprehend him. The batteaux and boats, which were to be at Billop's Point, so as to pass the whole over by twelve o'clock at night, did not arrive till three o'clock in the morning. No time was lost; the infantry of the Queen's Rangers were landed; they ambuscaded every avenue to the town, the cavalry following as fast as possible. As soon as they had formed in position Simcoe called together the officers; he told them of his plan, which was to burn the boats at Van-Vacter's bridge, and crossing the Rariton at Hillsborough, to return by the road to Brunswick, and making a circuit to avoid that place as soon as he came near it, to discover himself when beyond it in the heights where the Grenadier Redoubt stood while the British troops were cantoned there and where the Queen's Rangers had afterwards been encamped; and to entice the Militia, if possible, to follow him into ambuscade which the Infantry would lay for them at South River Bridge.

Major Armstrong was instructed to re-embark, as soon as the cavalry marched, and to land on the opposite side of the Rariton and South Amboy. He was then, with the utmost dispatch and silence, to proceed to South River bridge, six miles from South Amboy, where he was to ambuscade himself, without passing the bridge or taking it up. A smaller creek falls into this river on the South Amboy side. Into the peninsula formed by these streams Lieut.-Col. Simcoe hoped to allure the Jersey militia. In case of accident, Major Armstrong was desired to give credit to any messenger who should give him the parole of "Clinton and Montrose." It was daybreak before the cavalry left Amboy. The procuring of guides had been entrusted by Sir Henry Clinton to Brigadier Skinner. He either did not or could not obtain them, for but one was found who knew perfectly the crossroad he meant to take, to avoid the main road from Somerset Court House, or Hillsborough to Brunswick.

Captain Sandford formed the advance guard, the Hussars followed, and Stuart's men were in the rear, making in the whole about eighty. A certain Justice Crow was soon overtaken; Lieut.-Col. Simcoe accosted him roughly, called him "Tory," nor seemed to believe his excuses when he said "he had only been sparking," but sent him to the rear guard, who, being Americans, easily comprehended their instructions, and kept the Justice to the belief that the party was a detachment from Washington's army. Many plantations were now passed, the inhabitants of which were up, and these the party accosted with friendly salutations. At Quibletown Lieut.-Col. Simcoe had just quitted the advance guard to speak to Lieut. Stuart, when from a public house on the turn of the road, some people came out with knapsacks on their shoulders, bearing the appearance of a rebel guard. Captain Sandford did not see them till he had passed by, when checking his horse to give notice, the Hussars were reduced to a momentary halt opposite the house. Perceiving the supposed guard, they threw themselves off their horses, sword in hand, and entered the house. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe instantly made them re-mount, as he was afraid to delay so that they could search for some thousand pounds of paper-money which had been taken from a traveller, the master of a privateer, by the previous visitors. In order to let the man suppose he was of the same party he told him "that he would be answerable to give him his money that night at Brunswick, where he should quarter," then exclaimed aloud to his party "that these were not the Tories they were in search of, although they had knapsacks," and told the country people who were assembling round "that a party of Tories had made their escape from Sullivan's army, and were ready to get into Staten Island, as Jeff (who had been defeated near this very spot, taken and executed) had formerly done, and that he was sent to intercept them." The sight of Justice Crow would probably have aided in deceiving the inhabitants, but unfortunately a man who personally knew Lieut.-Col. Simcoe recognized him, and an express was sent to Governor Livingston, then at Brunswick, as soon as the party marched. It was now conducted by a country lad whom they fell in with, and to whom Captain Sandford, being dressed in red and without his cloak, had been introduced as a French officer. He gave information that the greater part of the boats had been sent on to Washington's camp, but that eighteen were at Van-Vacter's bridge, and that their horses were at a farm about a mile from it. He led the party to an old camp of Washington's above Boundbrook. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe's instructions were to burn these huts, if possible, in order to give as wide an alarm to the Jerseys as he could. He found it impracticable to do so, they not being joined in ranges nor built of very combustible materials. He proceeded without delay to Boundbrook, from whence he intended to carry off Col. Moyland, but he was not at Mr. Vanhorn's. Two officers who had been ill were there; their paroles were taken, and they were ordered to mark "Sick Quarters" over the room door they inhabited, which was done, and Mr. Vanhorn was informed that the party was the advanced guard of the left column of the army, which was commanded by General Birch, who meant to quarter that night at his house, and that Sir H. Clinton was in full march to Morristown with the army.

The party proceeded to Van-Vacter's bridge. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe found eighteen new flat-boats on carriages; they were full of water. He was determined effectually to destroy them. Combustibles had been applied for, and he had received in consequence a few port-fires. Every Hussar had a hand-grenade, and several hatchets were brought with the party. The timbers of the boats were cut through; they were filled with straw and railings, and some grenades being fastened in them, they were set on fire; forty minutes were employed in this business. The country began to assemble in the rear, and as Lieut.-Col. Simcoe went to the Dutch meeting-house, where the harness and some stores were reported to be, a rifle-shot was fired at him from the opposite bank of the river. This house, with a magazine of forage, was now consumed, the commissary and his people being made prisoners.

The party proceeded to Somerset Court House, or Hillsborough. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe told the prisoners not to be alarmed, that he would give them their paroles before he left the Jerseys, but he could not help lamenting to the officers who were with him the sinister events which prevented him from being at Van-Vacter's bridge some hours sooner, as it would have been very feasible to have drawn off the flat-boats to the South River instead of destroying them.

At Somerset Court-House, three Loyalists who were prisoners there were liberated. One of them was a dreadful spectacle, he appeared to have been almost starved, and was chained to the floor. The soldiers wished, and were permitted to burn the Court-House. It was unconnected with any other building. By its flames it was shown on which side of the Rariton he was, and they would, most probably, alarm the neighbourhood of Brunswick, who would assemble at its bridge, to prevent him from returning by that road. The party proceeded towards Brunswick. Alarm guns were now heard, and some shots were fired in the rear, particularly by one person, who, as it afterwards appeared, being out a-shooting, and hearing of the incursion, had sent word to Governor Livingston, who was at Brunswick, that he would follow the party at a distance, and every now and then give a shot, that he might know which way they directed their march. Passing by some houses, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe told the women to inform four or five people, who were pursuing the rear, "that if they fired another shot, he would burn every house which he passed." A man or two were now slightly wounded. As the party approached Brunswick, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe began to be anxious for the cross-road, diverging from it into the Princetown road, which he meant to pursue, and of which, being once arrived at, he himself knew the by-ways he wished to attain, as he had frequently done duty there, and was minutely acquainted with every advantage and circumstance of the ground. His guide was perfectly satisfied that he had not yet arrived at this road; and Simcoe was in earnest conversation with him, and making the necessary enquiries, when a shot, at some little distance, discovered there was a party in the front. He immediately galloped forward and sent back Wright, his Orderly Sergeant to acquaint Captain Sandford, "that the shot had not been fired at the party," when, on the right, at some distance, he saw the rail fence (which was very high on both sides of the narrow road between two woods) somewhat broken down, and a man or two near it. Putting his horse to a canter, he joined the advance men of the Hussars, determining to pass through this opening so as to avoid every ambuscade that might be laid for him, or attack upon more equal terms Colonel Lee, whom he understood to be in the neighbourhood, and apprehended might be opposed to him, or any other enemy. Presently he saw some men concealed behind logs and bushes, between him and the opening he meant to pass through, and he heard the shout, "Now! now!" and found himself, when he recovered his senses, prisoner with the enemy, his horse having been killed under him with five bullets and himself, though unwounded, stunned by the violence of his fall.

The expedition was thus only partially successful; it would doubtless have succeeded had not the larger number of the boats been removed before the arrival of the Lieut.-Col. and his band at Van-Vacter's bridge. The Americans in the capture of Lieut.-Col. Simcoe became possessed of a rich prize, which they took care to keep behind bars till the last day of December, 1779. It was perhaps fortunate that the Colonel on falling from his horse was stunned and rendered unconscious, as while he laid senseless on the ground Marener prevented a boy bayonetting him, saying, "Let him alone; the rascal is dead enough;" and another of the enemy regretted that he had not shot him through the head, which he would have done had he known him to be a Colonel; but he thought "all Colonels wore lace."

Some little time after the accident befel Col. Simcoe there were some casualties which impeded the expedition. For example, when the British troops quitted the ranks at Hillsborough and marched to Brunswick several houses were burnt; among others was the one which the guard relied upon as marking the private road a party of the Rangers was to take, and had been fixed upon as one of his guide-posts, as it were. Col. Simcoe, then at the head of the party, did not know of its being burnt, and by the destruction of the house he was led into an ambuscade. When the party had passed by on the full gallop they found themselves on the high land beyond the barracks at Brunswick. Here they rallied and had little doubt but that Lieut.-Col. Simcoe had been killed. The surgeon of the corps, with a white handkerchief held out as a flag of truce, at the manifest risk of his life, returned to enquire after him. The militia assembling, Captain Sandford drew up and charged them, when they fled. A Captain Voorhees, of the Jersey Continental troops, was overtaken, and a Hussar, at whom he had fired, killed him. This killing of Captain Voorhees was well-nigh being of the most serious consequence to Lieut.-Col. Simcoe. The populace of the country were incensed, indeed driven to fury, at his death, and would, even though Lieut.-Col. Simcoe was a prisoner, have been willing to wreak their vengeance on him had not such a catastrophe been prevented by other counsels. Injury to the Lieut.-Col. was averted by the Governor of the State issuing an order directed to that end. The order was as follows:

"The Governor being informed that some people have a desire to abuse and insult Lieut.-Col. Simcoe, a British captive, and wounded in a skirmish that happened this day between our militia and the British horse: though the Governor is not inclined to believe a report so great a disgrace upon the people of this State as that of the least inclination of revenge against a wounded enemy in our power; yet, to prevent the execution of any such attempt, it is his express order to treat the said officer according to the rules of war known and practised among all civilized nations; and as it is his desire to be carried to Brunswick, it is his further orders that no molestation be given to him in his being carried hither, and that while there he be treated with that humanity which the United States of America have always observed towards their prisoners.

"William Livingston.

"Brunswick Landing,

"2nd October, 1779."

The following letter which Lieut.-Col. Simcoe received from Lieutenant J. Wilson, and preserved among his papers, shews the estimation in which he was held both by officers and men:

"Richmond, October 28, 1779.

"Yesterday and the part of the day before there was nothing but the picture of distress in every countenance; but this morning the soldiers are shouting 'the father of the Rangers is alive'; in short, nothing can exceed the joy which appears in the countenance of officers and soldiers, and prayers for your speedy recovery; but none can possibly be more sincere than those of, etc.,

"J. Wilson."

On the day of the date of the above letter Simcoe was removed from Brunswick to Borden Town to a tavern kept by Col. Hoogland, of the Jersey Militia, by whom he was treated with great civility. While there Col. Lee, of the American service, who ever had the highest regard for Col. Simcoe and by his actions shewed he was anxious to be his friend, wrote offering him pecuniary assistance, which offer Simcoe was obliged to decline, as Lieut.-Col. Campbell, of the 74th Regiment, who was on parole, had kindly ministered to all his wants.

On the 5th November, 1779, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe received the following letter from Col. Lee:

"Monmouth, 6th Nov., 1779.

"Sir,—I am happy to learn by your polite reply, to an offer dictated by the feelings of man for man, that you had already been supplied in cash by the friendship of a brother officer; should you hereafter stand in need of that article you will not suffer your want to continue long. From some insinuations I have heard, and from a paragraph in the last Trenton Gazette, I apprehend your local situation is not the most agreeable; perhaps you may wish a remove, of course you must address the Governor, being employed in a similar line by our respective Generals; it may not be amiss to appeal to me should His Excellency require contradiction to the reports propagated prejudicial to your character. I am a stranger to what officer the barbarities on some captured militia in Buck's County, Pennsylvania, can be truly attributed. I have never heard yourself declared as the author and am led to believe you were not present; the unhappy sacrifice of Captain Voorhees in the late enterprise, I am told, took place after you fell. Your treatment of one of my dragoons, who fell into your hands last campaign, was truly generous; and this made an impression on my mind which it still retains. Anxious to prevent injustice being done to the unfortunate I have been particular in the letter, though I please myself in presuming that it will be unnecessary.

"Your most immediate humble servant,

"H. Lee, Jun."

Lieut.-Col. Simcoe, in his reply, made his acknowledgments to Col. Lee, and informed him that no cruelties whatever were committed by the Queen's Rangers. On the 7th November Governor Livingston came to Bordentown. From what occurred in his conversation with him the Colonel had hopes of immediate exchange; instead of this, however, he was removed to Burlington Jail. Col. Lee still continued his generous attention, and with persistent kindness supported the request which Lieut.-Col. Simcoe had made to be permitted to go on parole to Staten Island.

On November 14th Col. Lee wrote to Col. Simcoe as follows:

"Sir,—I have received an answer from Governor Livingston to my letter of request in your behalf, and although I cannot congratulate myself on its full success, I flatter myself it will lead to the completion of your wishes. The following is an extract from the Governor's letter:—'Col. Simcoe's treatment by this State is not founded on his character. We think it our indispensable duty to retaliate the enemy's severity to some of our citizens in New York; but that such treatment should, however, happen to be exercised on a person of whom you entertain so favourable an opinion (besides the disagreeableness of such measure at any time,) is particularly afflictive to, etc., etc.' From the above declaration, I presume that your parole may be procured in a few days, if any expectation can be held out to the executive power of the State tending to a liberation of any of our citizens in New York. Perhaps your presence with Sir Henry Clinton might effect an alteration in the measures complained of, and a system of perfect liberality might be established in the future. If you will permit me to declare your determination on this point, and it answers my expectation, I will do myself the pleasure of waiting on the Governor in person to attempt the full settlement of the unhappy business. I have as yet no reply from Mr. Boudinot, though his station does not promise much service, and therefore his opinion will be very unimportant.

"I have the honour to be, etc.,

"H. Lee, Jr."

The letters which passed between Lieut.-Col. Simcoe and Col. H. Lee show that these officers were personally on the most friendly terms; each was willing to help the other in an emergency, while at the same time fulfilling all the requirements of military duty. A great difficulty seems to have arisen in regard to the law and custom of exchange of prisoners. Lieut.-Col. Simcoe was not disposed to submit to any indignity, nor was he in fear of any at the hand of Col. Lee, but he was not so confident in regard to other officials in the American service. By a letter of Governor Livingston, addressed to Lieut.-Col. Simcoe in answer to a letter received from the Colonel without date, he expresses to him his wish that an exchange might take place, at the same time reminding him that his confinement was in consequence of the advice of the Privy Council, with which he could not interfere. Later on Lieut.-Col. Simcoe enclosed the correspondence he had had with Governor Livingston, with a full statement of his case, to Sir Henry Clinton. The following is his letter to Sir Henry Clinton:—

"Sir,—Governor Livingston having promised me to forward to your Excellency my letters, I take the earliest opportunity of acquainting you with my late and present situation. The result of my incursion your Excellency is acquainted with, and I have only to observe that it was neither the valour of my enemies nor the least inattention of my party that occasioned my being made a prisoner, but it is to be attributed to the most common and malicious fortune. My life was preserved by the eagerness with which, as I have been informed, I was plundered when in a state of insensibility, and afterwards by the humanity of Mr. Morris. A Captain Voorhees was killed by the detachment in its return after I was taken; his relations seemed to the Governor so determined to revenge his death by my destruction that he gave me a written protection, and afterwards directed Major Nairns, who treated me with great humanity, personally to prevent any injuries that might be offered to me. I was removed to Bordentown on my parole until the 9th, when I was taken from it and closely confined in Burlington Jail. As my commitment expressed no reason for this treatment, I wrote to Governor Livingston on the subject, and enclose to your Excellency the correspondence. I look upon my present situation as most particularly unfortunate. My private affairs called for my greatest attention, and having procured your Excellency's leave, I had great prospect of success in them.

"I trust, sir, that having obtained your recommendation near a twelvemonth since for promotion, you will still patronize the application you then honoured with your approbation. My fair fame has been struck at, and cruelty, the attribute of fear, has been imputed to me in the public prints and industriously propagated by ignorant, designing and cowardly people. My honest ambition has been most severely disappointed, and I am doomed to pass the flower of my youth in a gaol with criminals, when my state of health, affected by my fall, leads to an imbecility of mind that will not permit to me the consolations resulting from my liberal education. Yet, should I even be doomed obscurely to perish in the quicksand of deceit and calumny with which I am now surrounded, it is my duty to expect that no further ungenerous advantage may be permitted to the adversary who, trampling on the respect due to his own adherents, and presuming on the attention your Excellency may be inclined to pay to my situation, may think to offer without impunity some further insult to the British service, the liberal customs of war, and to the honour of my country.

"Of my proposed exchange, you, sir, are the best judge. Governor Livingston observed to me that I was the more likely to be immediately exchanged by being a prisoner of the State of New Jersey than if I had been taken by the Continental army. I acquiesced in his opinion, not then conceiving how much the field officers fighting under the banners of the State are depreciated in its estimation.

"There is one hope near, very near, to my heart, which is that your Excellency will promise my corps, and employ it in the same line as if I were present; its reputation would be the greatest comfort I could receive in a situation that excludes me from participating in its danger and its glory. . . . . . .

"Your most obedient and humble servant,

"J. G. Simcoe."

This letter shows the constant care the Colonel had for his regiment, thinking more of them than his own personal convenience, always, however, claiming to be treated as a prisoner of war and not as a common criminal; moreover, he would not submit to be exchanged for a number of privates of the enemy. In a letter to Governor Livingston he says:—"I do conceive, sir, that when it was proposed that Col. Billop and I should be exchanged for Lieut.-Col. Reynolds and as many privates as make up the difference of rank between a Colonel and a private sentinel, that neither did you or the Council seriously imagine it could be accepted of. I know of no officer in the British army who, consistent with his duty, could apply or wish for so disproportionate a mode of exchange; the proposal is ungenerous to your prisoners, nor do I conceive that your own field officers, or those whom you rank equal with them, will consider it as intended to expedite their return from captivity."

The state of affairs became so irksome to the Lieutenant-Colonel, and his treatment so contrary to what he conceived to be the rules of war in an honourable service, that he finally made an appeal direct to General Washington, and as that appeal obtained his release, I give his letter to General Washington, giving a history of his imprisonment and the efforts he had made for exchange or release. These efforts had hitherto been futile, and for causes which he could not or would not believe were known to the General commanding the American forces. His letter to General Washington was as follows:

Sir,—I am induced to lay myself before you from what I conceive to be a principle of duty, and that not merely personal. You may perhaps have heard, sir, of the uncommon fortune that threw me into the hands of the Jersey Militia. Governor Livingston told me I was a prisoner of state, a distinction I never till then was acquainted with, and observed that it was probable I should be soon exchanged as such, naming to me officers of similar rank as the likely persons.

"I was allowed my parole, was taken from it on the 9th, and have ever since been confined a close prisoner in Burlington, with Col. Billop, who is in irons and chained to the floor, to retaliate for F. Randolph and Leshier, the latter of whom is said to be confined in the same manner in New York. My mittimus hath not expressed what I am imprisoned for, but by the tenor of Governor Livingston's letters I suppose it is to retaliate for the former of those citizens, whom he allows to be a private soldier, and who is simply confined as such.

"I apply to you, sir, either as a prisoner of war or as appealing to you from an unjustifiable stretch of power, without precedent or generosity. I am led to consider myself as a prisoner of war under your authority, from Governor Livingston's doubts expressed to me of his having the disposal of me; from his correspondence with Gen. Robertson, published in the newspapers, where he submits Gen. Dickinson's prisoners to your disposal, and from Col. Billop, my fellow-prisoner, being taken by a party of Continental troops, receiving his parole from Mr. Beaty, and living under it till he was taken from it by a party of militia, and by Mr. Boudinot's orders confined in Burlington jail.

"He claims the protection that was first extended to him by the first Continental Commissary of prisoners.

"I hope, sir, you will make use of the power that I conceive enabled you to transfer Col. Billop to the State of New Jersey, in extending to me the rights allowed by civilized nations, and which, without a given reason, I have been deprived of.

"If, by any law I am acquainted with, I am in the power and disposal of Governor Livingston, I think myself entitled to appeal to you, sir, from the injustice used toward me, as I cannot suppose there is no application for redress in a case which, if drawn into a precedent, must confound every distinction of rank, and will operate in a wider circle than that of the State of New Jersey.

"Governor Livingston has offered, as he has written to me, to exchange me for Lieut.-Col. Reynolds and Col. Billop for as many privates as made up his rank, naming among them the people for whom Col. Billop is avowedly retaliating. This proposition, I conceive, it never was supposed General Sir Henry Clinton could comply with.

"I hope, sir, you will do me the favour of early attending to this letter; if Col. Billop only should be claimed by those whose prisoner he unquestionably appears to be, I should look upon it as a fortunate event, though I should be doomed to wear his ignominious chains.

"I am your obedient and humble servant,

"J. G. Simcoe."

General Washington never answered this letter, but in a very few days Colonels Billop and Simcoe were exchanged. The exchange being effected on the last day of December, Lieut.-Col. Simcoe returned to Staten Island. He was mortified to find that the expedition, which was continued under the Commander-in-Chief, after his being taken prisoner, had failed. Upon his landing at Staten Island he received a letter from Major André, Adjutant-General, saying:—"If this meets you a free man prepare your regiment for embarkation, and hasten to New York yourself."

He immediately joined his corps at Richmond. Thus ended the campaign of 1779.