had the ill luck to get cut off from the woods and fixing himself on a tree standing alone and surrounded by
several of the soldier's huts, sat upon the tree till he
starved to death and fell off the tree. He, however, got
rid of his misery soon. He did not live to starve by
piecemeal six or seven years.
While we lay here, there happened very remarkable northern lights. At one time the whole visible heavens appeared, for some time, as if covered with crimson velvet. Some of the soldiers prognosticated a bloody battle about to be fought, but time, which always speaks the truth, proved them to be false prophets.
Soon after the British had quit their position on Chesnut-hill, we left this place, and after marching and countermarching back and forward some days, we crossed the Schuylkill in a cold rainy and snowy night, upon a bridge of wagons set end to end, and joined together by boards and planks; and after a few days more manœuvering, we at last settled down at a place called "the Gulf," (so named on account of a remarkable chasm in the hills;) and here we encamped some time, and here we had liked to have encamped forever—for starvation here rioted in its glory. But, lest the reader should be disgusted at hearing so much said about "starvation," I will give him something that, perhaps, may in some measure alleviate his ill humour.
While we lay here there was a Continental thanksgiving ordered by Congress; and as the army had all the cause in the world to be particularly thankful, if not for being well off, at least, that it was no worse, we were ordered to participate in it. We had nothing to eat for two or three days previous, except what the trees of the fields and forests afforded us. But we must now have what Congress said—a sumptuous thanksgiving to close the year of high living, we had now nearly seen brought to a close. Well—to add something extraordinary to our present stock of provisions, our country, ever mindful of its suffering army, opened her sympathizing heart so wide, upon this occasion, as to give us something to make the world stare. And what do you think it was, reader?—Guess.—You cannot guess, be you as much of a Yankee as you will. I will tell you: it gave each and every man half a gill of rice, and a table spoon full of
