Never panther from his fastness, through the forest’s gloomy vastness,
Coursed more grimly night and day for his prey.
I was in the main force posted; Lee, of whom his minions boasted,
Was commander of the vanguard, and with him were Scott and Wayne.
What they did I knew not, cared not; in their march of shame I shared not;
But it startled me to see them panic-stricken back again,
At the black morass’s border, all in headlong, fierce disorder,
With the Briton plying steel at their heel.
Outward cool when combat waging, howsoever inward raging,
Ne’er had Washington showed feeling when his forces fled the foe;