In
this condition he accompanied the other prisoners to a church in New
York where the exchange was effected. One or more of the American
surgeons accompanied the prisoners. In some way Daniel was conveyed to
Philadelphia, where he completely collapsed, and was taken to one of
the military hospitals.
Here, about the first of January, 1777, his devoted brother, George
Michael Bedinger, found him. Major Bedinger's son, Dr. B. F.
Bedinger, wrote an account of the meeting of these two brothers for
Mrs. H. B. Lee, one of Daniel's daughters, which tells the rest of the
story. He said:
"My father went to the hospital in search of his brother, but did not
recognize him. On inquiry if there were any (that had been) prisoners
there a feeble voice responded, from a little pile of straw and rags
in a corner, 'Yes, Michael, there is one.'
"Overcome by his feelings my father knelt by the side of the poor
emaciated boy, and took him in his arms. He then bore him to a house
where he could procure some comforts in the way of food and
clothing. After this he got an armchair, two pillows, and some leather
straps.
"He placed his suffering and beloved charge in the chair, supported
him by the pillows, swung him by the leather straps to his back, and
carried him some miles into the country, where he found a friendly
asylum for him in the house of some good Quakers.
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