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By Root 1256 0

object to it as long as the army kept its overall discipline. There had not yet been any serious problems of looting, or abuse of the citizens, which surprised Cornwallis. All around the camps, notices had been posted, warnings of strictest discipline for those who would violate the civilians or their property. On the march from the Head of Elk, there had been the usual problems, houses burned, pantries and barns ransacked, debate in the ranks if the Hessians had been more responsible than some of the new British recruits. There was punishment, of course, and several soldiers had been hanged, dozens were flogged. But Cornwallis had long ago issued his own order to his division. There would always be hanging for the most serious offenders, but the use of the whip was stopped. He had long believed that flogging was simply a man’s ticket to misbehave, that any man could endure a bloody back if his crime was to his liking. To some of the old veterans, scars from the whip were a badge of honor, a sign of their virility, and he had heard of men who goaded their comrades into some criminal act just to test their mettle. He knew that you could not change a man’s character by punishing him, that if a man was inclined to abuse or steal from a citizen, the whip was merely his cost. He focused instead on the officers, inspiring his junior commanders to exercise discipline over their men under the threat of censure from the high command. The threat of demotion in rank or dismissal from the service was a severe embarrassment to a British officer, and Cornwallis knew that threat would be more effective than any damage that could come from a whip.

OCTOBER 4, 1777

While Cornwallis occupied Philadelphia, Howe had established his main headquarters at Germantown, five miles north of the city. Washington’s army was still close, and with Cornwallis protecting the city from direct assault, Howe felt that dividing his army, and placing a large force in a more rural area would allow them better mobility to respond to any sudden moves that the rebels might make.

Cornwallis was relieved that the Hessians seemed content to stay in their camps, had caused no problems in the city. Under the command of Wilhelm Knyphausen, the Hessians seemed more subdued, more accepting of order. Cornwallis had wondered if there was more to the man than he had seen of de Heister. Both were aged men, veterans of many wars and several monarchs. With Knyphausen in command the change in the Hessian camps was clear, and Cornwallis could not let that pass without some attempt at understanding their commander.

Knyphausen still spoke no English, and at the councils, Howe had lost patience with the translators, had begun to avoid speaking toward the old man at all, addressing his remarks directly to von Donop, or whoever else might be by Knyphausen’s side. It was a serious show of disrespect, and Cornwallis had wondered if Knyphausen was as unaware as he seemed, or in fact, if the old man’s dazed expression hid a greater understanding than anyone realized.

He turned out of the main street and rode through the front entrance trailed by his surprised staff, stopped the horse on a wide platform of flat stones. He looked toward the front yard, the river, saw no one moving, and he knew he was hesitating, his eye following the splendor of the house, the ornate woodwork along the roof. He looked toward the back door, realized there were guards standing stiffly to each side, green-coated jagers, their helmets polished to a silver sheen, each man’s hair braided in a tight black queue that reached nearly halfway down his back. He expected them to acknowledge him, but they stared ahead, ignoring him and his staff. He studied them for a moment, thought, I suppose it’s a bit late to just turn around and leave. Surely they will tell someone.

Cornwallis climbed down from the horse, felt he was in some very foreign place, a place where a man in a British uniform was completely insignificant. He looked back at his aides.

“Perhaps we should have sent word. I should have considered that