“Yes,” said Greene.  “And I believe he will.  You are like a sudden cold wind on an August day.  Come on.”

They walked rapidly toward Washington’s tent.  He was sitting on his camp-stool, but rose as they approached.

“Gentlemen,” he said, “I anticipate the object of your visit.  You wish me to fight.”

“Yes!” exclaimed Hamilton.  “As much as you wish it yourself.  Why should you regard the councils of the traitorous and the timorous, who, for aught you know, may be in the pay of the Cabal?  If the British retreat unmolested, the American army is disgraced.  If Congress undertake to manage it, the whole cause will be lost, and the British will be stronger far than when we took up arms—­”

“Enough,” said Washington.  “We fight”

He ordered a detachment of one thousand men, under General Wayne, to join the troops nearest the enemy.  Lafayette was given the command of all the advance troops—­Lee sulkily retiring in his favour—­which amounted to about four thousand.  Hamilton was ordered to accompany him and reconnoitre, carry messages between the divisions, and keep Washington informed of the movements of the enemy.  There was but a chance that he would be able to fight, but the part assigned to him was not the least dangerous and important at Washington’s disposal.  The Chief moved forward with the main body of the army to Cranbury.

Clinton had no desire to fight, being encumbered with a train of baggage-wagons and bathorses, which with his troops made a line on the highroad twelve miles long.  It being evident that the Americans intended to give battle, he encamped in a strong position near Monmouth Court-house, protected on nearly all sides by woods and marshes.  His line extended on the right about a mile and a half beyond the Court-house, and on the left, along the road toward Allentown, for about three miles.

This disposition compelled Washington to increase the advance corps, and he ordered Lee to join Lafayette with two brigades.  As senior officer, Lee assumed command of the whole division, under orders to make the first attack.  Both Lafayette and Hamilton were annoyed and apprehensive at this arrangement.  “Washington is the shrewdest of men in his estimates until it is a matter of personal menace,” said Hamilton, “and then he is as trusting as a country wench with a plausible villain.  I thought we had delivered him from this scoundrel, and now he has deliberately placed his fortunes in his hands again.  Mark you, Lee will serve us some trick before the battle is over.”

Hamilton had been galloping back and forth night and day between Lafayette’s division and Headquarters, wherever they happened to be, and reconnoitring constantly.  The weather was intensely hot, the soil so sandy that his horse often floundered.  He had not had a full night’s sleep since Washington announced his decision to give battle, and he would have been worn out, had he not been too absorbed and anxious to retain any consciousness of his body.  Early on the morning of the 28th, a forward movement being observed on the part of the enemy, Washington immediately put the army in motion and sent word to Lee to press forward and attack.