When the militia had begun to leave him a few days before, although he despised their action and protested bitterly to Congress against their employment, yet in his letters he displayed a keen appreciation of their feelings, and saw plainly every palliation and excuse.

But there was one thing which he could never appreciate nor realize.

It was from first to last impossible for him to understand how any man could refuse to fight, or could think of running away.

When he beheld rout and cowardly panic before his very eyes, his temper broke loose and ran uncontrolled.

His one thought then was to fight to the last, and he would have thrown himself single-handed on the enemy, with all his wisdom and prudence flung to the winds.