"
"That you will, of course, do," General Hamilton said coldly. "I shall be
perfectly prepared to answer for my conduct."
There was no goodwill between the English and foreign sections of
Ginckle's army, and General Hamilton had some trouble in preventing the
soldiers from attacking the Hessians, and in inducing them to retire to
their camp. As soon as he arrived there, he ordered the drums to be
beaten, and the whole division to get under arms. He then despatched an
officer to General Ginckle, narrating the circumstances, and saying that
the honour of the whole army was concerned in preventing an officer,
fairly taken prisoner in war, and not while acting as a spy, from being
injured; and that, indeed, policy as well as honour forbade such a course
being taken, as there were several officers of rank in the hands of the
Irish, who would naturally retaliate on them the execution of prisoners
of war. He made a formal complaint against Colonel Hanau, for refusing to
delay the execution until he could lay the matter before the general. As
for his own conduct in the matter, he said he was perfectly prepared to
defend it before any military court, but that court must be held in
England, where he purposed to return at once, with the division his
majesty had intrusted to his command.
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