l a
report would be heard by the sentinels at the headquarters, who would
fire their guns; then there were the guns in Morristown, and so on out
to the camp, and very soon a detachment would hurry into the town at a
quickstep. But before they reached the place, the life guard encamped
near the headquarters would rush to the house, enter the lower story,
and barricade the doors; and five men at each window, with muskets
loaded and ready to fire, would await the approach of the enemy.

But although no British soldiers ever reached Morristown, there was good
reason for all the precautions taken. Besides the frequent attempts
which were made by large bodies of the Redcoats to penetrate to the
region occupied by Washington's army, there were small expeditions even
more dangerous. One of these consisted of a party of picked British
cavalrymen, who started from their camp near New York, by way of
Elizabethtown, for the express purpose of capturing General Washington.
They advanced in the direction of Morristown until they reached Chatham,
about six miles distant, and there--being overtaken by a terrible storm,
and finding so many difficulties ahead of them--they gave up their
project.

Outside of Morristown, on a high hill which stretches away to the
southwest, the American army was encamped during this winter. Among
these men we can scarcely believe there were many festivities or
merrymakings. In fact, the sufferings and privations of the common
soldiers at this time were very great, and even the table of the
commander in chief was sometimes furnished with the plainest of food.
In a letter written by Washington at this time, he says,--

"We have had the virtue and patience of the army put to the
severest trial. Sometimes it has been five or six days together
without bread; at other times as many days without meat; and once
or twice, two or three days without either. I hardly thought it
possible, at one period, that we should be able to keep it
together, nor could it have been done, but for the exertions of the
magistrates in the several counties of this state [Jersey], on whom
I was obliged to call, expose our situation to them, and in plain
terms declare that we were reduced to the alternative of disbanding
or catering for ourselves, unless the inhabitants would afford us
their aid. I allotted to each county a certain proportion of flour
or grain, and a certain n