converted into an hospital, was filled at this time with wounded, both
from the British and American armies. To mark its uses, a yellow flag,
the usual signal in such cases, was hoisted on the roof--yet did the
Americans continue to fire at it, as often as a group of six or eight
persons happened to show themselves at the door. Nay, so utterly
regardless were they of the dictates of humanity, that even the parties
who were in the act of conveying the wounded from place to place,
escaped not without molestation. More than one such party was dispersed
by grape-shot, and more than one poor maimed soldier was in consequence
hurled out of the blanket in which he was borne.

The reader will not doubt me when I say, that seldom has the departure
of day-light been more anxiously looked for by me, than we looked for it
now. It is true, that the arrival of a little rum towards evening served
in some slight degree to elevate our spirits; but we could not help
feeling, not vexation only, but positive indignation, at the state of
miserable inaction to which we were condemned.

There was not a man amongst us who would have hesitated one moment, had
the choice been submitted to him, whether he would advance or lie still.
True, we might have suffered a little, because the guns of the schooner
entirely commanded us; and in rushing out from our place of concealment
some casualties would have occurred; but so irksome was our situation,
that we would have readily run all risks to change it. It suited not the
plans of our general, however, to indulge these wishes. To the bank we
were enjoined to cling; and we did cling to it, from the coming in of
the first gray twilight of the morning, till the last twilight of
evening had departed.

As soon as it was well dark, the corps to which Charlton and myself were