On his way to Philadelphia, he stopped at Morristown, then the head-quarters of the army and found there on a visit to General Wasuineron, the French Minister, his Secretary Marbois and the Spanish Agent Don Juan Mirales. For their entertainment a review and ball were had. It was this session that he completed his brief in the Vermont case, but the matter was not argued before Congress until September following, and then ineffectually as regarded Vermont, who refused to appear or submit to the decision of Congress; in effect, however, it put an end to any further serious claims of New Hampshire or Massachusetts in that quarter.

After a short visit home Mr. Duane returned to Philadelphia on the 4th September. On his way he again visited head-quarters, and as he writes to his wife, " The General was so good as "to give mea view of our native city. It was a remote one

"from a point above Weehawk ferry, it however gave me some

"satisfaction. The Island was in full sight and the enemies " works and ships. . The island itself makes a desolate appear- "ance and the works do not seem so formidable as reported." This was probably the only time he had seen the city since he left it in June, 1776, and although he had left there a valuable property, he makes no Jamentations, even to his wife, about tueir own losses, but directs his attention to the defences erected to prevent his country's army from regaining it by conquest.