o join him; but Van Aken reached Aghquaga, or Anquaga, on
the Susquehanna, the day after Clinton had passed, so missed of seeing
him; and remaining there some days, as would appear, then returned to
camp, where he arrived September 1st. It transpired that Clinton had
reached Anquaga on the 14th, and, waiting till the 16th, then sent out
Major Church, with the Fourth Pennsylvania Regiment, five or six miles
to look for Pawling, but they returned without seeing him, and the next
morning Clinton pursued his march. This was a great disappointment to
Van Arsdale and others, who were full of ardor to share in the
expedition under Sullivan, and our statement must correct the existing
belief that Van Arsdale did take part in it, while it explains how he
failed of the coveted opportunity.

Major Van Benschoten, with a detachment of the levies, including Van
Arsdale and his company, in which he was serving as corporal, proceeded,
October 31st, to the camp on the Hudson, and were ordered to Stony Point
to augment its garrison. But the winter setting in with severity, the
men through anxiety to reach home, began to desert in great numbers, on
account of which they were ordered to Poughkeepsie, and set out December
16th. At Fishkill, the next day they were paid off, up to October 31st,
the date they arrived in camp. What Capt. Faulkner then paid him was all
that Van Arsdale received in lieu of his services, past or subsequent,
till after the war ended. He remained with his company until it was
disbanded on December 25th, when he was honorably discharged and went
home, having acquitted him as "a good soldier" in the estimation of his
captain.

He spent the winter at Neelytown, giving spare time to improving his
mind in some useful studies. It was the famous "Hard Winter," and it
made a fearful draft on the woodpile; taking the brothers often to the
woods with their axes, to keep up the supply of fuel. Snow covered the
ground to an average depth of six feet or more, fences and roads were
obliterated, and travel went in all directions over the hard crust.
Being difficult if not dangerous for a team, they drew their wood home
on a hand sled. On the melting of the snow in the spring, the stumps
left were of sufficient length to be used by Tunis for making fence
rails!

A dark cloud hung over our cause in the spring of 1780; there were no
funds with which to pay the army, or even to supply it with necessary
food and clothing. Pressed b