l have carried discouragement to the stoutest hearts,
this little band of heroes now closed up around their careworn chief,
and like the ever-famous Guard at Waterloo, were fully resolved to die
rather than surrender. This was much. It was still more when Washington
found his officers inspired by the same hope of striking the enemy
unawares which he himself had all along secretly entertained. The hope
was still further encouraged by a reenforcement of Pennsylvania
militia, whose pride had been aroused at seeing the invader's vedettes
in sight of their capital. These were posted at Bristol, under
Cadwalader,[1] as a check to Count Donop, while what was left of the old
army was guarding the crossings above, as a check to Rall.

To do something, and to do it quickly, were equally imperative, because
the term of the regular troops would expire in a few days more, and no
one realized better than the commander-in-chief that the militia could
not long be held together inactive in camp.

[Sidenote: Rall's danger.]

The isolated situation of Rall and Donop seemed to invite attack. Their
fancied security seemed also to presage success. An inexorable necessity
called loudly for action before conditions so favorable should be
changed by the freezing up of the Delaware when, if the enemy had any
enterprise whatever, the river would no longer prevent, but assist, his
marching into Philadelphia, and perhaps dictating a peace from the halls
of Congress.

Donop being considerably nearer Philadelphia than Rall, was, as we have
seen, being closely watched by Cadwalader, whose force being largely
drawn from the city had the best reasons for wishing to be rid of so
troublesome a neighbor.

[Sidenote: Gates sulking.]

More especially in view of possible contingencies, which he could not be
on the ground to direct, Washington sent his able adjutant-general,
Reed,[2] down to aid Cadwalader. This action, too, removed a difficulty
which had arisen out of Gates' excusing himself from taking this command
on the plea of ill-health.

[Sidenote: In Philadelphia.]

Below Cadwalader, again, Putnam was in command at Philadelphia, with a
fluctuating force of local militia, only sufficiently numerous to
furnish guards for the public property, protect the friends, and watch
the enemies, of the cause, between whom the city was thought to be about
equally divided. Most reluctantly the conclusion had been reached that
the appearance of the British i