ctively at work in Washington's own camp, undermining the
feeble authority which everybody believed was tottering to its fall. Be
that as it may, the fact remains that active operations were for the
present wholly suspended. At the officers' messes or in the barracks all
the talk was of going home. Besides, if Howe had really wanted to take
Philadelphia there was nothing to prevent his doing so. There were no
defences. If saved at all, the city must be defended in the field, not
in the streets.

Bordentown being rather the most exposed, Count Donop was left there
with some 2,000 Hessians, and Colonel Rall at Trenton with 1,200 to
1,300 more. Both were veterans. As these Hessians were about equally
hated and feared, it was well reasoned that they would be all the more
watchful against a surprise.

[Illustration: THE ATTACK ON TRENTON.]

[Sidenote: Rall and Donop.]

As soon as he had time to look about him, Donop at once extended his
outposts down to Burlington, on the river, and to Black Horse, on the
back-road leading south to Mt. Holly, thus establishing himself at the
base point of a triangle from which his outposts could be speedily
reenforced, either from Bordentown or each other. The post at Burlington
was only eighteen miles from Philadelphia.

In order to understand the efforts subsequently made to break through it
this line should be carefully traced out on the map. In spots it was
weak, yet the long gaps, like that between Princeton and Trenton, and
between Princeton and Brunswick, were thought sufficiently secured by
occasional patrols.

To meet these dispositions of the enemy Washington stretched out the
remnant of his force along the opposite bank of the Delaware, from above
Trenton to below Bordentown, looking chiefly to the usual crossing
places, which were being vigilantly watched.

[Illustration: OPERATIONS IN THE JERSEYS.]

Under date of December 16 a British officer writes home as follows:
"Winter quarters are now fixed. Our army forms a chain of about ninety
miles in length from Fort Lee, where our baggage crossed, to Trenton on
the Delaware, which river, I believe, we shall not cross till next
campaign, as General Howe is returning to New York. I understand we are
to winter at a small village near the Raritan River, and are to form a
sort of advanced picket. There is mountainous ground very near this post
where the rebels are still in arms, and are expected to be troublesome
during the wint