It shifted its character almost from day to day.

The curse of short enlistments, so denounced by Washington, made itself felt now with frightful effect.

With the new year most of the continental troops departed, while others to replace them came in very slowly, and recruiting dragged most wearisomely.

Washington was thus obliged, with temporary reinforcements of raw militia, to keep up appearances; and no commander ever struggled with a more trying task.

At times it looked as if the whole army would actually disappear, and more than once Washington expected that the week's or the month's end would find him with not more than five hundred men.