The guard would often drive me
away with their fixed bayonets. A Hessian one day followed me five or
six rods, but by making use of my legs, I got rid of the lubber.
"Sometimes I could obtain a little conversation notwithstanding their
severities.
"I was in one of the yards and it was rumoured among those in the
church, and sundry of the prisoners came with their usual complaints
to me, and among the rest a large-boned, tall young man, as he told me
from Pennsylvania, who was reduced to a mere skeleton. He said he was
glad to see me before he died, which he had expected to have done last
night, but was a little revived. He further informed me that he and
his brother had been urged to enlist into the British army, but had
both resolved to die first; that his brother had died last night, in
consequence of that resolve, and that he expected shortly to follow
him; but I made the other prisoners stand a little off and told him
with a low voice to enlist; he then asked whether it was right in the
sight of God? I assured him that it was, and that duty to himself
obliged him to deceive the British by enlisting and deserting the
first opportunity; upon which he answered with transport that he would
enlist. I charged him not to mention my name as his adviser, lest it
should get air and I should be closely confined, in consequence of it.
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