stragglers, and the militia began
to signalize themselves in voluntary skirmishes with regular troops.

Morristown, where the main army was encamped, had not been chosen by
Washington as a permanent post, but merely as a halting-place where
his troops might repose after their excessive fatigues and their
sufferings from the inclement season. Further considerations persuaded
him that it was well situated for the system of petty warfare which he
meditated, and induced him to remain there. It was protected by
forests and rugged heights. It was nearly equidistant from Amboy,
Newark, and Brunswick, the principal posts of the enemy; so that any
movement made from them could be met by a counter movement on his
part, while the forays and skirmishes by which he might harass them
would school and season his own troops. He had three faithful generals
with him: Greene, Sullivan, and Knox.

Washington's military family at this time was composed of his
aides-de-camp, Colonels Meade and Tench Tilghman of Philadelphia; and
his secretary, Colonel Robert H. Harrison of Maryland. His
head-quarters at first were in what was called the Freemason's Tavern,
on the north side of the village green. His troops were encamped about
the vicinity of the village, at first in tents, until they could build
log huts for shelter against the winter's cold. The main encampment
was near Bottle Hill, in a sheltered valley which was thickly wooded
and had abundant springs.

The enemy being now concentrated at New Brunswick and Amboy, General
Putnam was ordered by Washington to move from Crosswicks to Princeton,
with the troops under his command. He was instructed to draw his
forage as much as possible from the neighborhood of Brunswick, about
eighteen miles off, thereby contributing to distress the enemy; to
have good scouting parties continually on the look-out; to keep
nothing with him but what could be moved off at a moment's warning,
and, if compelled to leave Princeton, to retreat towards the mountains
so as to form a junction with the forces at Morristown. Putnam had
with him but a few hundred men. "You will give out your strength to be
twice as great as it is," writes Washington; a common expedient with
him in those times of scanty means.

Cantonments were gradually formed between Princeton and the Highlands
of the Hudson, which made the left flank of Washington's position, and
where General Heath had command. General Philemon Dickinson, who
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