merited compliments to his skill, and persevering gallantry.

Captain Biddle is of a middle size, perhaps a little below it, and slender in his make. Yet his countenance and deportment bespeak great spirit, animation, activity, and intelligence.

MAJOR-GENERAL

HENRY DEARBORN

Is a descendant from one of the first settlers of New-Hampshire, who emigrated from the county of Devonshire, in England.

He received a medical education under the instruction of Doctor Hall Jackson, of Portsmouth, who was a distinguished surgeon in the revolutionary army, and justly celebrated as one of the most able physicians which New-England has produced. Dearborn was settled in practice of physic at Nottingham-Square in New-Hampshire, three years previous to the commencement of the revolutionary war, where, with several gentlemen of the neighbourhood, he employed his leisure hours in military exercises; being convinced that the time was rapidly approaching, when the liberties of his country must either be shamefully surrendered, or boldly defended at the point of the sword.

This band of associates were determined to be prepared, and equipped themselves for the last resort of freemén.

On the morning of the 20th of April, 1775, notice by an express was received of the affair of the preceding day at Lexington. He assembled with about sixty of the inhabitants of the town, and 'made a rapid movement for Cambridge, where

they arrived the next morning at sunrise-haying marched a distance of fifty-five miles in less than twenty-four hours. After remaining several days, and there being no immediate occasion for their services, they returned. It being determined that a number of regiments should be immediately raised for the common defence, Dearborn was appointed Captain, in the first New-Hampshire regiment, under the command of Colonel John Stark. Such was his popularity and the confidence of the people in his bravery and conduct that in ten days from the time he received his commission, he enlisted a full company, and joined the regiment at Medford on the fifteenth of May. Previous to the battle of Bunker-Hill, he was engaged in a skirmish on Hog-Island, whither he had been sent to prevent the cattle and other stock from being carried off by the British, and soon after took a part in an action with an armed vessel near Winnesimet Ferry.

On the morning of the glorious seventeenth of June, information was received that the British were preparing to come out from Boston, and storm the works which had been thrown up on Breed's-Hill the night before by the Americans. The regiment to which he was attached was immediately paraded, and marched from Mystic to Charlestown Neck.

Dearborn's company composed the flank guards of the regiment. They crossed the Neck under a galling fire from the British men of war, and the floating batteries, and having sustained some loss, arrived at Bunker's-Heights. The enemy were landing on the shore opposite Copp's-Hill, when Stark advanced and formed his regiment on the declivity of Breed's-Hill, in rear of a rail-fence, which ran from the redoubt, commanded by the gallant Colonel Prescott, to Mystic river. The

action soon commenced, and the Americans stood their ground until their ammunition was entirely expended. Dearborn was posted on the right of the regiment, and being armed with a fusee, fired regularly with his men.

In September he volunteered his services to join the expedition of Arnold up Kennebec river, and through the wilderness to Quebec. He was permitted to select a company from the New-Hampshire regiment for this arduous service. Thirtytwo days were employed in traversing the hideous wilderness, between the settlements on the Kennebeck and the Chaudiere river, during the inclement months of November and December, in which every hardship and fatigue of which human nature is capable, was endured indiscriminately, by the officers and troops, and a large portion of them starved to death. On the highlands, between the Kennebeck and St. Lawrence, the remnant of provisions was divided among the companies, who were directed to make the best of their way in separate divisions to the settlements on the Chaudiere. The last fragment of food in most of the companies was soon consumed, and Dearborn was reduced to the extremity of dividing his favourite dog among his suffering men. When they reached the Chaudiere, from colds, extreme hardships and want of sustenance, his strength failed him, and he was unable to walk but a short distance, without wading into the water to invigorate and stimulate his limbs. With great difficulty he reached a poor hut on the Chaudiere, when he told his men he could accompany them no further, and animated them forward to a glorious discharge of their duty. His company left him with tears in their eyes, expecting to see him no more. Dearborn was here seized with a violent fever, during which his life was despaired of for ten days; without medicine,

and with scarcely the necessaries of common life. His fine constitution at last surmounted the disease, and as soon as he was able to travel he proceeded to Point Levi in a sleigh-crossed over to Wolfe's Cove, and made his unexpected appearance at the head of his company, a few days before the assault on Quebec. At four o'clock in the morning, on the thirty-first day of December, 1775, in a severe snow storm, and in a climate that vies with Norway in tempests and intense cold, the attack was commenced. Dearborn was attached to the corps under General Arnold, who was wounded early in the action and carried from the field. Lt. Col. Green succeeded in the command. They stormed the first barrier and entered the lower town. Montgomery had already bled on immortal ground, and his division having made a precipitate and most shameful retreat, as soon as their General fell, the corps under Green was exposed to a sanguinary but unavailing contest.

From the windows of the houses, which being constructed of stone, each was a castle, and from the tops of the parapets, a destructive fire was poured upon the assailants, which threatened inevitable destruction to every one who should appear in the streets. The American troops maintained this desperate warfare until at last they were reduced to the necessity of surrendering in small parties.

The whole corps led on by General Arnold, were killed or made prisoners of war. The offcers were put into rigid confinement, and every day were tauntingly told, that in the spring they would be sent to England, and hanged as rebels.

In May 1776, Majors Meigs and Dearborn were permitted to return on their parole. They were sent round to Halifax in the frigate Niger, and treated with the usual contumely and hateur of

English officers. On their arrival at Halifax they were put on board another ship of war, and the commander instructed, by General Howe, to land them in some port in New-England. After the ship had cruised with them on board for upwards of thirty days, during which period they <met with the grossest insults, they were put on shore in Penobscot bay, from whence they proceeded to Portland by land.

In the fore part of the following March, Dearborn was exchanged, and appointed a Major to the third New-Hampshire regiment, commanded by Colonel Alexander Scammel, and early in May arrived with the regiment at Ticonderoga.

On the 6th of July the post of Ticonderoga was abandoned on the approach of General Burgoyne's army. General St. Clair retreated with the main body of the troops, by land, through Vermont to Hudson river, near Saratoga, and soon after continued to retreat until the army crossed the Mohawk river, near its junction with the Hudson, where considerable reinforcements were met, and General Gates assumed the command of the northern army.

had

Soon after the capture of the British detachment under Baum at Bennington, by General Stark; and the retreat of General St. Ledger from Fort Stanwix; General Gates advanced to meet the enemy, who was encamped near Saratoga. When the army arrived at Stillwater, a corps of light infantry was formed, by detachments from the line, consisting of five full companies, and the command given to Major Dearborn, with orders from General Gates to act in concert with Colonel Morgan's regiment of riflemen, which had joined the army a few days previous. A strong position was selected, called Bemis'-Heights, and immedi "ately occupied by the American army. The rifle