with a few dragoons, to take the near cut, and possess, with all
possible dispatch, the bridge, while he, with the rest of his men,
followed Champe. He could not doubt but that Champe, being thus enclosed
between him and his sergeant, would deliver himself up. Champe did not
forget the short cut, and would have taken it, had he not remembered
that it was the usual route of our parties when returning in the day
from the neighborhood of the enemy. He consequently avoided it, and
wisely resolved to abandon his intention of getting to Paulus Hook, and
to seek refuge from two British galleys, lying a few miles to the west
of Bergen.

This was a station generally occupied by one or two galleys. Passing
through the village of Bergen, Champe took the road toward Elizabethtown
Point. Middleton's sergeant gained the bridge, where he concealed
himself, ready to intercept Champe as soon as he appeared. In the
meantime, Middleton, pursuing his course through Bergen, soon arrived,
also, at the bridge, when, to his mortification, he found that Champe
had escaped. Returning up the road, he inquired of the villagers of
Bergen, whether a dragoon had been seen that morning preceding his
party. He was answered in the affirmative, but could learn nothing
satisfactory as to the route taken by the fugitive. While engaged in
inquiries himself, he spread his party through the village to discover
the trail of Champe's horse. Some of the dragoons hit it, just as the
sergeant, leaving the village, reached the road to the point.

Pursuit was now vigorously renewed, and again Champe was descried.
Apprehending the event, he had prepared himself for it by lashing his
valise and orderly-book on his shoulders, and holding his drawn sword in
his hand, having thrown away the scabbard. The delay occasioned by
Champe's preparations for swimming had brought Middleton within two or