During the evening of this luxurious entertainment, and while at supper, General Clinton announced to his officers his intention to march at daybreak to Barren Hill, and bring back for their next evening’s guest, the distinguished French officer, Marquis de Lafayette. At four o’clock on the morning of the nineteenth, when the twenty hours of hilarity, adulation and extravagance closed, General Clinton, accompanied by Generals Grant, Gray, and Erskine, and five thousand picked troops, marched to capture Lafayette. General Gray crossed the Schuylkill with two thousand men to cut off Lafayette’s retreat, in case Clinton successfully attacked in front. Washington advanced sufficiently to observe the movement of General Gray, and signalled with cannon to Lafayette of his danger; but Lafayette, by occupying a stone church and other buildings, and showing false fronts of columns as if about to take the offensive, caused the advance column of Grant to halt for reënforcements; and then retired safely with the loss of but nine men. Lafayette gives an amusing account of portions of the skirmish: “When my Indian scouts suddenly confronted an equal number of British dragoons, the mutual surprise was such that both fled with equal haste.” The officers and men of Lafayette’s command were greatly elated by his conduct of the affair, especially as he was at one time threatened by a force more than twice that of his entire division; and the confidence thus acquired followed his service through the entire war. The congratulations of Washington were as cordial upon his return, as those of the officers of the Philadelphia garrison were chilling upon the return of Clinton, without Lafayette as prisoner. On the same day, General Mifflin rejoined the army. In writing to Gouverneur Morris of New York, the American Commander-in-Chief, noticing the event, expresses his surprise “to find a certain gentleman who some time ago, when a heavy cloud hung over us and our affairs looked gloomy, was desirous of resigning, to be now stepping forward in the line of the army”; adding: “If he can reconcile such conduct to his own feelings as an officer, and a man of honor, and Congress have no objection to his leaving his seat in another department, I have nothing personally to oppose to it. Yet, I must think that gentleman’s stepping in, and out, as the sun happens to beam out, or become obscure, isn’t quite the thing, nor quite just, with respect to those officers who take the bitter with the sweet.”