gates were placed at different parts of this line. At
one of these gates, Abraham Carlisle

was stationed by
direction of General Howe, in order to examine all
who went out of the city, or came into it, and it was
made his duty to stop any suspicious persons. This
constituted the charge exhibited against him. They
were both tried by Judge McKean, condemned to be
hanged, and were accordingly executed. John
Robert's funeral was at Merion, on which occasion
a meeting was held, which was very large. He was
extensively known, and much beloved. Nicholas
Waln, and others, preached, and I attended, as did a
large number from the city. Abraham Carlisle was
interred in Friend's burial ground in Fourth street;
his funeral, also, was very large. When the British
troops evacuated Philadelphia, my brother Charles
removed to New York, and in 4th month, 1779, 1 also
left my native city and came by land to New York.
At this period it was very dangerous travelling with-
out a passport. I was put over to Staten Island (pos-
sessed by the British troops) at night, and next day
reached New York. My brother Charles had, some
time before, sailed for England. I had sold my
horse at Rahway, and had only ninety-six dollars on
my reaching New-York, where I was totally a stran-
ger, and as to a knowledge of any kind of business,
entirely ignorant. My school learning, as I have be-
fore mentioned, was very limited, so that, of course,
I had to encounter many difficulties, and laboured
under great disadvantage in my attempts to acquire
a sufficiency to defray my expenses. I took board
with William Backhouse, in the house now occupied
by Daniel McCormick in Wall street, at the rate of
eight dollars per week, besides having to pay one
dollar weekly for washing; Samuel Elain, late of
Newport, deceased, John I. Glover, and two or three
other respectable merchants, boarded at the same
house; becoming acquainted with them was highly
useful to me, as it was the first opportunity I had