to bring on an engagement on ground less disadvantageous than that now
occupied by the American army. But Washington understood the importance
of his position too well to abandon it.

On the first intelligence that the enemy was in motion, he drew out his
whole army, and formed it to great advantage on the heights in front of
his camp. This position was constantly maintained. The troops remained
in order of battle during the day, and in the night slept on the ground
to be defended.

In the meantime the Jersey militia, with alacrity theretofore
unexampled in that State, took the field in great numbers. They
principally joined General Sullivan, who had retired from Princeton,
behind the Sourland hills toward Flemington, where an army of some
extent was forming, which could readily cooperate with that under the
immediate inspection of Washington.

The settled purpose of Washington was to defend his camp, but not to
hazard a general action on other ground. He had therefore determined
not to advance from the heights he occupied into the open country,
either towards the enemy or the Delaware.

The object of Howe was, by acting on his anxiety for Philadelphia, to
seduce him from the strong ground about Middlebrook, and tempt him to
approach the Delaware in the hope of defending its passage. Should he
succeed in this, he had little doubt of being able to bring on an
engagement, in which he counted with certainty on victory.

The considerations which restrained Howe from attempting to march
through Jersey, leaving the American army in full force in his rear,