speedily obtained the confidence of his military superiors, who
remarked with admiration not only his intelligent zeal in performing
his hospital functions, but his calmness, quickness of perception,
and generous self-devotion when in the field of battle. On one
occasion, although suffering at the time from severe indisposition,
he remained, under a heavy fire, succouring the wounded, in spite of
the remonstrances of the officers present. On another, having
observed the British commander, Colonel (afterwards General)
Tarleton, in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, who had
routed the royalist troops, he galloped up to the colonel--whom a
musket-ball had just dismounted--pressed him to mount his own horse
and escape, whilst he himself, with a white handkerchief displayed,
quietly proceeded in the direction of the advancing foe, and
surrendered himself at once. The American commander, who did not
know what to make of such conduct, asked him who he was? He replied:
'I am assistant-surgeon in the 71st regiment. Many of the men are
wounded, and in your hands. I come, therefore, to offer my services
in attending them.' He was accordingly sent to the rear as a
prisoner; but was well treated, and spent the first night of his
captivity in dressing his soldiers' wounds, taking off his shirt,
and tearing it up into bandages for the purpose. He afterwards did
the same good office for the American sufferers; and when the
wounded English could be exchanged, Washington sent him back, not
only without exchange, but even without requiring his parole. At a
subsequent period during the same unhappy war, when the British
under Lord Cornwallis were in full retreat, the sick and wounded
were placed in a building which the colonists, on their approach,
began to riddle with shot. Several surgeons, not caring to incur the
risk of entering so exposed an edifice, agreed to cast lots who
should go in and see to the invalids; but Jackson, with