army on the North River, at Fort Edward, the regiment
to which I belonged was detached, and marched to Fort
Schuyler, and relieved that post, which was besieged
by General St. Leger.
“On the retreat of General Schuyler’s army from Fort Edward, I commanded the rear guard of the army; and, being two miles in the rear, was attacked by a large body of British troops and Indians at daylight in the morning, in which action were killed and wounded between thirty and forty of my guard. And I received the particular thanks of General Schuyler for my conduct on the occasion.
“I was in the two memorable battles, on the 19th of September and the 7th of October, on Bemis’ heights, against General Burgoyne’s army, previous to its surrender. In the action of the 19th of September, I commanded a detachment of three hundred men, who fought the principal part of the afternoon, and more than one half of them were killed or wounded.
“On the 7th of October, I likewise commanded a detachment from the brigade which assisted in attacking the enemy on the left of our position, defeated him, followed him to the right of his lines, stormed his entrenchments, and took and held possession of the right of his position, which compelled him to retreat to Saratoga, and there to capitulate.
“After the memorable event of the capitulation of General Burgoyne’s army, the regiment to which I belonged was ordered to Pennsylvania, to join the army under the command of General Washington. I remained with the army the winter of 1777, at Valley Forge; and in the spring of 1778, when the British army evacuated Philadelphia, I was in the battle of Monmouth.
“From December, 1778, to May, 1779, I commanded the American posts in advance of the White Plains, near Kingsbridge, during which time I had various skirmishes with the enemy. In May, 1779, the principal part of the British army advanced up the North River to Verplank’s and Stoney Point, and I was ordered to retreat before them to West Point.
“I then joined the light
infantry, under the command of General
Wayne, and was in the memorable
attack on Stoney Point, with a
separate command of four hundred
light infantry.
“For my conduct on this
occasion I received the particular
thanks of General Wayne, General
Washington, and congress.
“In the summer and autumn of 1780, I commanded the advanced posts of the army; and in December of that year, I commanded an expedition against the enemy, stationed at Morrissina, which was successful, and for which I received the thanks of General Washington, in his general orders to the army, and likewise the thanks of congress. General Washington, in his orders, I well remember, made use of these words: ’He thanked me for my judicious arrangements in the plan of operations, and for my intrepidity and valour in the execution.’