[undecipherable] I Take the Liberty of Communicating to you a Recelling The disagreeable News of your defeat We still had a being for the Recovery of Soffe [?] a Israel [?] of the whole proceeding as on account I hope to give the Honor to enclose to you but that ... [undecipherable] ... in the Encloser this Israel I know not to have given you pain and thought it not a care to give you a little offence and give you every Information in my power and lend. I really forward to give the Day Mercy we were attacked. We advanced 24 Miles from Fort Washington and ... a Small Fort Which we I thought more bang about from them ... from the banks of the ... a ... [undecipherable] where the raft was ... a Mile on a Straight Line by the camps though for the way ... advanced and will another fort in which we left on the 23 October ... from that time to the 4^th he got 23 miles where we were in able ... about 60 yards a front the ... Night Joking in front Commanded by General Butler the Left in the which I commanded ... our General Discovered ... something about Camp in the Wood and fired on them. That we expected to come [undecipherable] as they had taken Many of our horses near Fort Washington and on the way ... from Your Man As soon as it was light On the Morning of the 4^th Nov^r the advanced Guards of the Militia fired the Militia being incamped a Small Distance ... a Scattering from the Troops were certainly for [?] to drive them and they struck Militia Soon broke in to the Center of our incamp[ment] the our Guard were driven in and our whole [undecipherable] advancing of [?] from [?] Lines and Wa[undecipherable] [undecipherable] ordered the left wing to turn ... with the [?]ptance of the gallant officers that were then left with [?] generally on them to do the [?] as best as the [?] ... disable the [?] begat with them ... the left of the [?] rally ... raised a Small body of [?] men as that flank to make a small check on ... and the enemy about one hundred ... [undecipherable] old about but by this time the left flank of the [?] going in ... many Numbers of the Indians yet ... [undecipherable] from Artillery and [?] Parties ... written upon a man [undecipherable] and beat them quite off the Ground and yet, we ... the not and it was impossible the troops to again assault them we [?] Still then have ... been them off the Ground and Paris that came from the left going from in ... with these after the enemy fire being almost ... many ried ... others from by [undecipherable] then in some order to prevent ... [undecipherable] there they would [?] them ... [undecipherable] until the enemy ending they ... not ... to any lithoe officers with them and that ... were of them made the Lines as again, and the whole [?] them have Gotten the Mob at again and had I not [?] for the [?] Street of the officers would have stood there ... the [?] But then lent to the [?] of [?] to get them off that [?] Making a large I found my endeavors [?] for Some ... but at length got Several Soldiers together that I had observed [?] being brave and Encouraged them to lead of which they [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and wound in the thigh badly on the action and owing to [?] my left [?] was to [?] make about [?] of [?] that the [?] in the Retreat is beyond description. The Men thinking our arms not withstanding all the [?] of the few Remaining officers I think we Must have lost [?] Men of [?] Militia D. it is [?] to give any good account of this at from what their [?] you have [?] the [?] and much the [?] in their Head. I have [?] in [?] you a disagreement [?] both of the [?] letter. I at the time am hardly able to write having been [?] ... not Not having left [?] leave since the defeat. The [?] has been [?] by the [?] behaviour of [?] Major. I run [?] on [?] track, and [?] my the [?] as [?] of [?] [?] that. [?] both. Hawkwood about Twenty-two Miles in ... from the first [?] ... [undecipherable] Indian ... and [undecipherable] before, I [?] [?] [?] after one I ... of 200 [?] ... [undecipherable] well that [?] a [?] ... [?] did not [?] a [undecipherable] if they ... at the [?] [undecipherable] there was there [undecipherable] [undecipherable] about come [undecipherable] the [?] ... the [undecipherable] day. and the rest have [?] ... between two [?]. The [undecipherable] General called a march I ... midnight [?] ... is to age [?]. it was Concluded to march to reconnoissance the Retreat at [?] O'Clock where was [?] I think ... that so ... and and in a ... the [?] ... at [?] with [?] ... who was ... and. I [?] ... [?] ... and as well for ... [?] and [?] the [undecipherable] had with [?] about two O'Clock [?] a and [?] an army as I thought from [?] ... as that. Major. [?] to ... Influence arises and ... prevent the from being [?] [undecipherable] as a good [undecipherable] O'Clock at until [?] the Regiment and the [undecipherable] about [undecipherable] to halt the first Regiment as a guard, and when I met the at them told them to halt and make [?] to look immediately I made sure they would be sent back with the [undecipherable] but when I met the [?] and Major [?] I [?] with [?] St Clair to order to turn back and had the [undecipherable] that was all the [?] they were to have he would ... give an [undecipherable] if I got us all the went back with the army and though the Men had been [?] saving and on them [?] miles from the of action. I ... not seen ... there to [?] for the going down [undecipherable] [?] all [undecipherable] a for their Relief. I [undecipherable] that that Night with the beacon [undecipherable] but a [?] had many [undecipherable] and 200 soldiers [?] I got back. I alone normal that Night. My and ... officers being in [undecipherable] the next day. I was [?] all [undecipherable] been to every continued officers choosing to ... there. any got a of but they not to the [undecipherable] the that night. After [undecipherable] O'Clock by which my ... was to about 1:12 large as my and hot that I could feel the warmth with hand off it. I could Sleep more and have Slept all. The [undecipherable] and much that fort [?] is now [?] by the Indians – night within fifteen miles of it coming [undecipherable] [undecipherable] quantity of [?] Ammunition and all the [undecipherable] and Soldier Clothing and [?] ... except [?] ... those the gave [?] to none as Most of the Women were Killed before we left the Ground. I think the Slaughter far greater than [undecipherable] there being 39 brave officers [?] ... on the Ground 27 wounded that we know, and Some ... having exclusive of the Militia — and I know their Col^o [undecipherable] and two Captains [?] killed. I do not think an [undecipherable] the surviving officers with [?] ... as it ... the Chief of the Men killed are of the Levies and indeed many of them are as well out of the World as in it. as for the [?] officers, they are much to be [?] ... as the behaviour [?] most of them would have done honour to the first Division in the world. the few that [?] without wound it was Chiefly accident that ... and then as it is [?] to Say No. in their [?] than they deserve officers, though they had no [?] ... for anything. Capt Turman [undecipherable] and Glen [?] of the Soldiers) Capt. Snowden is I think Not Calculated for the Inf^y [undecipherable] Capt. Snowden [?] is great [?] as [?] Levies [?] as ... of the First United States Regiment is as brave good and determined from [?] of the Service. is aided by the Most [?] and Respectable [?] in the world in private as good an officer as ever [?] both. his gallant [?] in Action drew the attention of every officer that was near him. More than any other, there is one perhaps a Colonel in the [?] Regiment who highly deserved [?] for his bravery through the whole action he made the of the of any Man taken in the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] I cannot [undecipherable] I am entirely at a loss to [?] you ... any act at what General [?] ... in ... to do. I will [?] what I would do was I in his place and would [?] to [?] my of the Indians have not [?] the [?] [?] the Younes if I did not take them by going there on three days or [?] of two month I will then have [?] ... many others brave ... killed. I can not think. any to as they say ... but many I ... were and the most [?] fellows which has ... in and I know we were able to beat them ... and that a violent [?] with one hundred brave men when the left the [?] from them would have the Scale in our favour. in [?] I think would in the Scattered they were ... and as a [undecipherable] the Riflemen from [?] ... the force we have [?] ... of [?] many ... offer to go with me a number of officers offer to go as [?] and I never was treated with [?] in any part of the world as I have been this day in this wilderness ... the [?] I am of my of any belonging to the town. as I lost all my own horses. I shall [?] the General in the Morning and [?] be ... than I am in. [?] I have of all the officers with that respect they Rightly deserve. I [?] in I ... to [?] help as when all the were hidden and I ... that to company when the ... to [?] all and lying in about to the and [?] him he without of the enemy [?] the [undecipherable] of the [?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in the Course of the [?] to have the [?] you when I may have in my power to answer any questions you are pleased to ask Concerning the [undecipherable] Hav[e] the [?] to be your Excellency [?] most [?] Simon [?] [P.S.] No. I have proceeded on the good [?] ... a strong party to Carry Supplies to Fort Jefferson which I hope will be able to [?] it and as I have [?] a wound and the Swelling much [?] I find myself able to [?] back will [?] with the party as I can be very ... by taking myself with blankets W^m [undecipherable] His Excellency The President of the United States [seal]