“I was after put on board siezed violently with the disentarry--it followed me hard upwards of six weeks--after that a slow fever, but now am vastly better * * * my sincere love to you and my children. May God keep and preserve you at all times from sin, sickness, and death * * * I will Endeavor to faintly lead you into the poor cituation the soldiers are in, espechally those taken at Long Island where I was; in fact these cases are deplorable and they are Real objects of pitty--they are still confined and in houses where there is no fire--poor mortals, with little or no clothes--perishing with hunger, offering eight dollars in paper for one in silver to Relieve there distressing hunger; occasioned for want of food--there natures are broke and gone, some almost loose there voices and some there hearing--they are crouded into churches & there guarded night and day. I cant paint the horable appearance they make--it is shocking to human nature to behold them. Could I draw the curtain from before you; there expose to your view a lean Jawd mortal, hunger laid his skinny hand (upon him) and whet to keenest Edge his stomach cravings, sorounded with tattred garments, Rotten Rags, close beset with unwelcome vermin. Could I do this, I say, possable I might in some (small) manner fix your idea with what appearance sum hundreds of these poor creatures make in houses where once people attempted to Implore God’s Blessings, &c, but I must say no more of there calamities. God be merciful to them--I cant afford them no Relief. If I had money I soon would do it, but I have none for myself.--I wrote to you by Mr. Wells to see if some one would help me to hard money under my present necessity I write no more, if I had the General would not allow it to go out, & if ever you write to me write very short or else I will never see it--what the heshens robbed me of that day amounted to the value of seventy two dollars at least. * * * I will give you as near an exact account of how many prisoners the enemy have taken as I can. They took on Long Island of the Huntingon Regiment 64, and of officers 40, of other Regiments about 60. On Moulogin Island 14, Stratton Island (Staten) 7, at Fort Washington 2200 officers and men. On the Jersey side about 28 officers and men. In all 3135 and how many killed I do not know. Many died of there wounds. Of those that went out with me of sickness occasioned by hunger eight and more lie at the point of death. “Roger Filer hath lost one of his legs and part of a Thigh, it was his left. John Moody died here a prisoner. “So now to conclude my little Ragged History * * * I as you know did ever impress on your mind to look to God, for so still I continue to do the same--think less of me but more of your Creator, * * * So in this I wish you well and bid you farewell and subscribe myself your nearest friend and well wisher for Ever John’a Gillett New York, Dec. 2nd, 1776. To Eliza Gillett at West Harford