merchants down at
Wilmington, which they had hauled up to this point when they considered
their own town threatened. As the British pressed their company upon
Emmor with great unreserve, they speedily found the prize in the cellar.
The casks were rolled out, the heads knocked in, and the officers,
quaffing the old madeira, drank to its rebel owners, whose chagrin may
be imagined when they heard of its fate.

To cross the creek, General Howe ordered Jefferis to act as guide and
further to direct them down the roads toward the American position.
Emmor obeyed with great hesitancy, and later, when the battle was on and
a bullet flew uncomfortably near, he flinched so perceptibly that Howe
felt called on to say, "Don't be afraid, Mr. Jefferis: they won't hurt
you." Notwithstanding which assurance, Emmor still was not happy.

The hour of crossing must have been near noon or a little after. They
turned down the road toward Birmingham as they reached the east side,
and soon the head of the column passed through Sconnel's, by the
meeting-house so lately vacated. "The space occupied by the main body
and flanking-parties was near a half mile wide." Sarah Boake, the wife
of Abel, whose house stood near, called to Joseph Townsend and his
brother William--who since meeting closed had gone home to secure their
horses in the stable, but had now returned--to see what fine fellows
these were. "They're something like an army!" cried she. As the column
passed "one of the most eligible houses" in the little cluster at
Sconnel, "divers of the principal officers" entered and soon "manifested
an uncommon social disposition," being full of inquiries where the
rebels now were, and especially where Mr. Washington was to be found. To
this William Townsend answered that he thought if they would have
patience they would presently meet with Mr. Washington, as he and his
men were not far distant--a dry joke that does great credit, under the
circumstances, to Quaker William. Moreover, as they plied the young men
with further inquiries, William said he had seen the commander down at
his quarters at Chad's the day before, and described him as "a stately,
well-proportioned, fine-looking man, of great ability, active, firm and
resolute, of a social disposition, and considered to be a good man."
This was observed, Joseph says, "to check their ardor for a sight of
him," though one rejoined that "he might be a good man, but he was most
damnably misled to ta