breaches made by our guns, and over the embankments, and were speedily
in possession of the enemy's works. As the smoke cleared away, the
ground far and near appeared covered with the bodies of the slain and
wounded, some with arms, others with legs, shot away, while parties of
fugitives were seen flying in every direction, pursued by our men,
especially by the Hessians, who seemed little disposed to give the
quarter which was asked.

I was not only a spectator but a participator in what I have been
describing. As soon as the ships ceased firing, our boats, of which I
commanded one, were ordered to aid in towing the flat-bottomed boats on
shore. As soon as the troops had landed, leaving Grampus in charge of
my boat, I, with another midshipman and Tom Rockets and two other men,
followed them into the entrenchments, and found myself shortly in the
rear of a body of Hessians as they charged over the ground. A poor
American was flying for his life, shrieking out for mercy. One of those
savage mercenaries either did not or would not understand him, and
before I could interpose had with a sweep of his sword severed his head
from his body, then, in savage triumph worthy of a Red Indian, sticking
it on a pole, carried it through the entrenchments, shouting out as if
he had performed some noble act of heroism.

Meantime several of the ship's boats were ordered to pull along-shore to
annoy the enemy in their flight and to prevent them from rallying. My
friend Hargrave and I, midshipmanlike and thoughtless of danger, set off
in the direction the enemy had taken along the shore, picking up a
number of articles which in their terror they had dropped or thrown
away, such as rifles, pistols, swords, spy-glasses, and even watches,
plate, and camp utensils of various sorts, which we knew would be most
acceptable to our mess. We passed many of the slain, knocked over in
their flight. As we ran thoughtlessly on, very little moved by these
sights, to which even the youngsters were becoming familiar, I heard a
deep groan. Looking round, I saw behind a bush a militiaman stretched
on the ground with a bad wound in his side.

"Oh, kill me! kill me! put me out of my misery!" he exclaimed as soon as
he saw me.

"No, I will not do that," said I; "but I will try if I can relieve you."

I had a flask of some rum and water in my pocket; I gave him some of it
to drink. There was, fortunately, a stream near; I got some fresh water
in a