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We know, we say, that these young men perished awfully, rather than enlist in the British army; that posterity has almost forgotten them, and that their dreadful sufferings ought to be remembered wherever American history is read. We have already said that it is impossible now to obtain the names of all who suffered death at the hands of their inhuman jailors during the fall and winter of 1776-7.
Yet Washington could never count on more than a few thousand such; Americans in general simply would not fight except under pressure of invasion and in defence of their homes. During 1776-7, the revolted communities assumed something of the appearance of settled governments.
One of the most interesting and best memoirs of revolutionary times is that written by Alexander Graydon, and as he was taken prisoner at Fort Washington, and closely connected with the events in New York during the winter of 1776-7, we will quote here his account of his captivity. He describes the building of Fort Washington in July of 1776 by the men of Magaw's and Hand's regiments.
"The fortune of war has made me your prisoner," he said. "It was through no fault of yours," replied Gates, with a grave courtesy, as he handed back the sword. Washington spent the winter of 1776-7 at Morristown.
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