The Documentary history of the state of New-York; arranged under direction of the Hon. Christopher Morgan, secretary of State. By E. B. O'Callaghan ...

SECOND ESOPUS WAR. 71
Indian interpreter, and promised the Indian his freedom with a
cloth coat, on condition that he brought us truly to the Esopus
Indians. We got eight horses with very great difficulty from
the farmers, as they were so very unwilling and could not be
brought to give us any horses, except Thomas Chambers, who,
without any solicitation, presented me with two for the expedition. Several of the others, who would not give any, used
much offensive language to the Sheriff and to the company's
officers, saying —" They will have horses; they may see if they
can get them." Marched that afternoon about three miles from
our fort to the creek which runs past the Redoubt; lay there that
night, during which we had great rain.
4th ditto. Found such high water and swift current in the
Kill that it was impossible to ford it; sent six men immediately
on horseback to our fort Wildwyclk to fetch rope and axes to
make a raft or some other convenience to cross the creek; they
returned to us about ten o'clock; brought three axes and rope.
Passed the rope over the stream in order to hold fast to it so
that the people may not be swept far down the creek. Crossed
over with all the men about two o'clock in the afternoon and
marched about four miles further on, where we bivouacked
during the night. Considerable rain fell this afternoon.
5th ditto. Set out again at day break, and about noon came
to their first maize field where we discovered two Squaws arind
a.Dutch woman; who had come that morning from their new
fort to get corn. But as the creek lay between us and the cornfield, though we would fain have the women it was impossible
to ford. the stream without being seen and then discovered. We
therefore, adopted the resolution to avoid the cornfield and the
road, and turned in through the woods so as not to be seen.
Arrived about two o'clock in the afternoon within sight of their
fort, which we discovered situate on a lofty plain. Divided our
force in two-Lieutenant Couwenhoven and I led the right wing,
and Lieutenant Stilwil and Ensign Niessen the left wing. Proceeded in this disposition along the hill so as not to be seen and
in order to come right under the fort; but as it was somewhat
level on the left side of the fort and the soldiers were seen by a
Squaw, who was piling wood there and who. sent forth a terrible