By the time we returned to the encampment, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Enos and his Reserve/Rear Guard Force had arrived and were setting up their tents and digging latrines. Capt. Febiger and I joined Captain Morgan and told him what we learned from Messer’s Tracy and O’Brien.

Capt. Morgan said, “I’m glad you are back. According to Lieutenant Colonel Enos, Colonel Arnold should be here by 3:00 p.m.” Reaching into his jacket pocket, he pulled out a large key, handed it to Capt. Febiger, and said, “This is the key to the front door of the farmhouse. Mr. Tracy gave it to me yesterday. Please give it to Colonel Arnold when he arrives.”

He looked at his watch and said, “twelve-thirty. We’re going to have a lot of company here very soon, bringing all manner of food. I have Captains Hendricks and Smith and their two Pennsylvania Rifle Company contingents preparing targets over there,” he said, gesturing to the open field to the west.

“Our company working parties are setting up the range, measuring distances and preparing, with the help of the carpenters, places to stage the food prior to cooking and serving it after it’s prepared. As you know from Wednesday night, our Advance Guard has some very good cooks posing as Riflemen. I asked for volunteers to assist our cooks this afternoon and fifty men from other units volunteered. I also turned down the idea of opening one of our barrels of rum. We only have sixteen left to last us all the way to Quebec.”

It was a spectacular event. Nearly 400 Patriots—over 100 families—showed up with food. They brought everything from freshly butchered beef, pork, lamb, turkey, and quail to scores of just-caught fish, oysters—even several dozen lobsters. There were potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumbers, corn, and squash. People brought freshly baked cakes, apple pies, and countless loaves of bread. One of the cooks made a half-barrel of delicious beef gravy.

Colonel Arnold and an eight-man detachment of Continental Dragoons rode into camp just as the cooks began preparing the feast. Capt. Febiger rushed over to him and escorted him into the farmhouse. Captain Morgan and I joined them in the dining room.

The Expedition commander was clearly agitated. His first questions were, “How much did all this cost and who is paying for it?”

His anxiety was instantly relieved by the answer, “It is all donated by generous Patriots.” When Captain Morgan told him the Rifle marksmanship competition was about to begin and reminded him about the “test fire” question from Major Meigs back in Cambridge. Colonel Arnold nodded and said, “Just one round each, right?”

Capt. Morgan’s reply was spot-on: “Yes, sir. I have already placed a wager. Would you care to bet?”

“When does it start?”

“As soon as you get to the firing line, sir.”

Now smiling, he said, “Let’s go.”

Firing his one shot at a 300-yard target, Corporal Sullivan won hands down.