The character of Washington had been assigned to 'Squire Wood,
a well-to-do and influential farmer, while that of Cornwallis
had been given to the village lawyer, a kind-hearted but
rather pompous person, whose name was Caleb Jones.

'Squire Wood, the Washington of the occasion, had met with
many unexpected difficulties in preparing his forces, and in
his perplexity he had emptied not only his own canteen but
those of most of his aids. The consequence was--mortifying as
it must be to all true Americans--blushing as I do to tell it,
Washington at the commencement of the mimic struggle was most
unqualifiedly drunk.

The sham fight commenced. Bang! bang! bang! from the
Americans--bang! bang! bang! from the British. The bangs were
kept hotly up until the powder gave out, and then came the
order to charge. Hundreds of wooden bayonets flashed fiercely
in the sunlight, each soldier taking very good care not to hit
anybody.

"Thaz (hic) right," shouted Washington, who during the
shooting had been racing his horse wildly up and down the
line, "thaz right! GIN it to 'em! Cut their tarnal heads
off!"

"On, Romans!" shrieked Cornwallis, who had once seen a
theatrical performance and remembered the heroic appeals of
the Thespian belligerents, "on to the fray! No sleep till
mornin'."