As usual, Capt. Morgan, 1st Lt. Humphrey, and I arrived for dinner at Reuben Colburn’s comfortable home a half-hour early. He greeted us at the front door with a hearty, “Welcome, gentlemen. Thank you for joining my wife and me for dinner. As I’m sure you understand, in these days we do not have the opportunity to entertain very often.

“Colonel Arnold and Captain Febiger are in the library where I have lighted some lanterns and candles. My wife or I will knock when Dr. Senter arrives and our meal is prepared.”

When the door closed, Colonel Arnold got right to the point, “Daniel, what is your solution to my ‘Chain of Command’ ­problem?”

“Simply this, sir. When we were still in Cambridge, we all agreed the three Rifle Companies would serve as the Expedition’s Advance Guard under my command. But after the Advance Guard departed for Newburyport, someone on His Excellency’s staff issued a new organizational arrangement, adding two musket companies to the Advance Guard, thus reducing the number of divisions in the Expedition from four to three and justifying the assignment of Lieutenant Colonel Greene as Advance Guard commander.

“Since then, we have learned much more about the terrain and river conditions we must traverse. We now know a ‘three division’ organizational arrangement will slow the movement of our entire expedition. The Riflemen are fit. They know how to move quickly and quietly in rough country. Rifle Company baggage is a fraction of what the Musket Companies are carrying.

“The Rifle Companies ought to be well out in front of the main body of the Expedition to prevent ambuscades by Indians loyal to the British.

“I suggest the best organization for rapid movement should be along the lines of your original idea: Four divisions, leaving Fort Western one day apart:

“First Division: Three Rifle Companies as Vanguard; departing on the 25th under my command;

“Second Division: Three Massachusetts Musket Companies commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Greene departs Fort Western the following day;

“Third Division: Three Vermont and Connecticut Musket Companies commanded by Major Meigs head upriver on Wednesday the 27th;

“Fourth Division: Three New England Musket Companies as Rear Guard, plus Captain Reuben Colburn’s boat-repair unit, the engineers, pioneers David Hyde’s quartermasters, the commissary, Dr. Senter and his medical personnel and ‘extras’—such as the cattle, all under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Enos. By Thursday, the 28th the twenty additional batteaux now being built should be finished for the fourth division to commence moving north.”

Colonel Arnold said nothing for almost a minute, then turned toward the three of us junior officers and said to his Adjutant, “Christian, what do you think of this idea? Is it the right thing to do and will it pass muster when we communicate it to Adjutant General Gates in the missive I must send to Cambridge when we depart here?”