The next morning we set out after our troops, who had
gone on for West point, about eighteen or twenty miles;
we found them on the eastern side of the river. Here
we got some provisions and a day or two after crossed
over to West point, where we encamped and worked some time in repairing the fortifications.
Towards the latter part of the Summer, we went on to Connecticut Island, opposite to West point, and were employed awhile in blasting rocks, for the repair of the works on that side of the river. It was not so dreary at this time as it was when we were there wheeling dirt upon the magazine, in 1780. Our duty was not over hard, but the Engineers kept us busy.
In the month of September, while we lay here and our tents were pitched about promiscuously, by reason of the ruggedness of the ground, our Captain had pitched his marquee in an old gravel pit, at some distance from the tents of the men. One day, two or three of our young hotheads told me that they and some others of the men, whom they mentioned, were about to have some fun with "the old man," as they generally called the Captain. I inquired what their plans were, and they informed me that they had put some powder into a canteen and were going to give him a bit of a hoist. I asked them to let me see their apparatus, before they put their project in execution; accordingly, they soon after showed me a wooden canteen with more, as I judged, than three pounds of gunpowder in it, with a stopper of touchwood for a fuze, affixed to it, all, they said, in prime order. I told them they were crazy, that the powder they had in the canteen would "hoist" him out of time; but they insisted upon proceeding,—it would only frighten him, they said, and that was all they wished to do,—it would make him a little more complaisant. I then told them that if they persisted in their determination and would not promise me on the spot to give up their scheme, I would that instant go to the Captain and lay the whole affair before him. At length, after endeavouring, without effect, to obtain my consent to try a little under his berth, they concluded to give up the affair altogether; and thus, I verily believe, I saved the old man's life; although I do not think that they meant any thing more than to frighten
