ind
from absolute inability to keep up.

Yet, in spite of all this, there was that in to-day's march which
rendered it infinitely more interesting than any we bad performed
since the landing. We had learnt, from various quarters, that
the enemy was concentrating his forces for the purpose of
hazarding a battle in defence of his capital. The truth of these
rumours we had no cause to doubt, confirmed as they were by what
we had ourselves witnessed only the evening before; indeed the
aspect of various fields on each side of the high road (which we
had now regained), where smoking ashes, bundles of straw, and
remnants of broken victuals were scattered about, indicated that
considerable bodies of troops had passed the night in this
neighbourhood. The appearance of the road itself, likewise,
imprinted as it was with fresh marks of many feet and hoofs,
proved that these troops could be no great way before us; whilst
our very proximity to Washington, being now distant from it not
more than ten or twelve miles, all tended to assure us that we
should at least see an American army before dark.

It was now that we experienced the great usefulness of our badly
mounted troopers, or as they were called by the private soldiers,
our Cossacks. The country, from being extremely close, had
become open on every side to a considerable extent, although
thick groves, instead of hedges, frequently separated one field
from another. This was exactly the ground on which cavalry could
act with advantage; because they might lie in ambush behind these
groves, totally unperceived, and when an opportunity offered,
charge the column, before it had time to prepare for their
reception. There were one or two places, indeed, where such
events were confidently anticipated; whole rows of paling having
been pulled up from the side of the road, and open spaces left,
through which several squadrons of horse might gallop; and the
consequence was that every man held his breath in expectation,
and prepared himself to form square in a moment. It was here
that the mounted drivers became peculiarly useful. They were
divided into small parties of six or eight, and sent out in
different directions to reconnoitre, two of them generally taking
post at every suspicious corner, that one might give notice to
the column, whilst the other watched the motions of an enemy.

It so happened that these precautions were unnecessary, for
whatever might be the strength o