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JOHN HODGES.

167

blood: would be at our doar; do
not know that Hodges wea pres-
ent when this one was stated to
be « deserter. .

Never was people 20 univer-
sally alarmed on God's earth as
the people of Upper Marlbor-
ough; death and destruction
were threatening them every
moment if they refused to de-
liver up these men.

Guatavus Hay, Was called up-
on by prisoner to assist in con-
dueting the prisoners to the Brit-
ish lines; at first refused; Hodg-
es eaid American must do
his duty without regard to dan-

or inconvenience; it was
that Robert Bowie and
Brookes should go to the British
end aseortain precisely what wat
the demand; the rest of the par-
ty, with the prisoners, was to
follow st a distance; there was
no time to spare, it being then
near 12 o'clock.

After they had proceeded
about eight miles they were met
by a detachment of the enemy,
headed by Major Evans, who
said, “By ——, gentlemen, you'll
all be ruined; you are keeping
them prisoners yet.” Upon pee
ing only four, he said, “Where
are the other two 7” “the men (al-
Juding to R. Bowie and Brookes)
that eame to the army said there
‘were six; you wanted to sneak
off with two, did you?” Hodges
or Lansdale answered, “No, we
don’t—they are up at ‘that
howse;” pointing to one which

they had just passed, and where
the two had been left.

William Lansdale, Dined with
Dr. Beanes, in company with
General Bowie and others; he re-
lated the capture of the prison-
ers, and their being sent to
Queen Anne, after which I went
to Harry Hall’s, where T found
‘the deserter; put him on a horse
and took him to Queen Anne; in
the morning was awakened by
Hodges, who told me of the
British demand; went to the

mn; Caton and Hodges got
inte an altercation about deliver-
ing up the deserter; Hodges
said he did not mean to deliver
‘him up,

Mejor Evana told me his or
ders were Peremptorily to de-
stroy the town if the prisoners
wete not returned before 12
glock the next dey ‘upon the

jor being asked who gave
these orders, he answered “the
General.”

‘We then asked to pee the gen-
eral, and Major Evans under-
took te conduct us; he asked
where the other two were and
directed me to go back for them.
On my return Hodges asked him
what we had done; informed him
of the demand; Hodges said
they could not give up the de-
serter, One of the British offi-
cers said, “Gentlemen, do you
mean to cheat us? Tf you treat
us in this way we shall do as we
did in Spain—put you all to
death and destroy every thing.”

‘he British carried off Dr.
Beanes in consequences of his
agency i eapturmg the prison-
ore. it apprehension was en-
tertained for him. :

We had no expectation of
mesting the British #0 soon;
They came upon the American

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