Colonel Reed, who was with the division of Cadwallader, passed the ferry with the van of the infantry, and immediately despatched some trusty persons to examine the situation of the troops at Mount Holly.

The report made by his messengers was, that they had looked into several houses in which the soldiers were quartered, and had found them generally fast asleep, under the influence, as was supposed, of the spirituous liquors they had drunk the preceding day, which was Christmas-day.

That there appeared to be no apprehension of danger, nor precaution against it.] Nothing could surpass the astonishment of the British commander at this unexpected display of vigour on the part of the American General.
His condition, and that of his country, had been thought desperate.

He had been deserted by all the troops having a legal right to leave him; and, to render his situation completely ruinous, nearly two-thirds of the continental soldiers still remaining with him, would be entitled to their discharge on the first day of January.

There appeared to be no probability of prevailing on them to continue longer in the service, and the recruiting business was absolutely at an end.