1. Thomas Barclay’s country house, Summerseat, stood on the Pennsylvania shore of the Delaware River opposite Trenton.

2. For the terms offered, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 8 Jan., n.1; see also Continental Congress Committee on the Pennsylvania Line to GW, 9 Jan., n.1, and Joseph Reed and James Potter to GW, 19 February.

3. For the arrest of the two emissaries from the British, John Mason and James Ogden, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 8 Jan., and n.5 to that document. The mutineers turned Mason and Ogden over to the committee of Congress on 10 Jan. (see board of sergeants to Reed, that date, in Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 2d ser., 11:665). Major General Stirling, the senior Continental officer present, ordered a court for an inquiry and trial on the same date: “A court of inquiry to set this afternoon at 4 o’clock, at Somerset, State of New Jersey, to hear and report their opinion, whether John Mason, late of N. York, and James Ogden, of South River, State of New Jersey, were found within the lines of the American army, in the character of spies. And if the said court find the charge, then to give their determination thereon. General Wayne will preside. Gen’l Irvine, Col. Butler, Col. Stewart and Major Fishbourne, members” (Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 2d ser., 11:665).

4. For one of these emissaries, see Arthur St. Clair to GW, 8 Jan., and n.2 to that document. For two others, see Anthony Wayne to GW, 11 January.

5. On 9 Jan., British general Henry Clinton, who had until then obtained only spotty information on the progress of the revolt, received a report from one of his spies in New Jersey with further details, some of it inaccurate, especially as to the state of negotiations. The spy also gave the erroneous report that Mason and Ogden “had been well received” and would “be sent back in safety” (entries for 5–9 Jan. in Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:444–48, quote on 448; see also Maj. Oliver De Lancey’s journal in Van Doren, Mutiny in January description begins Carl Van Doren. Mutiny in January: The Story of a Crisis in the Continental Army now for the first time fully told from many hitherto unknown or neglected sources both American and British. New York, 1943. description ends , 245–46). For Clinton’s tentative plans to strike into New Jersey with the troops he had assembled on Staten Island if the mutineers accepted his overtures, see the entry for 9 Jan. in Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:448–49. Clinton went to Staten Island on 10 Jan. to await developments, and remained there until 15 Jan., when a report arrived that Mason and Ogden had been arrested and executed. The following day, he gave up all hope of the mutineers accepting his terms (see the entries for 10–16 Jan. in Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:449–54). Clinton’s lack of firm and accurate information resulted from the action of the New Jersey militia. British major Frederick Mackenzie wrote in his diary entry for 14 Jan. that “the Militia keep so strict a watch on the Coast, and guard the avenues to the quarters of the insurgents so narrowly, that it is with the utmost difficulty any person can get into the Country or approach them” (Mackenzie Diary description begins Diary of Frederick Mackenzie Giving a Daily Narrative of His Military Service as an Officer of the Regiment of Royal Welch Fusiliers during the Years 1775–1781 in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New York. 2 vols. Cambridge, Mass., 1930. description ends , 2:452).

6. Samuel Morris (1734–1812) captained the Philadelphia Troop of Light Horse, a cavalry unit composed of prominent gentlemen from the city. Morris and his troop supported GW’s Trenton-Princeton campaign in December 1776 and January 1777 (see General Orders, 22 Jan. 1777, and n.1 to that document). Morris and the troop also served with the army during the battles of Brandywine and Germantown later in 1777. Morris served on the Pennsylvania committee of safety in 1775 and 1776, and in the general assembly in 1776–77 and 1781–83. A sportsman and an excellent horseman, he presided over the Gloucester (N.J.) Fox-Hunting Club from its organization in 1766 until his death. In 1787, he sent a pack of hunting dogs to GW as a gift (see GW to Clement Biddle, 10 and 19 Sept. 1787, and Morris to GW, 21 Sept. 1787, in Papers, Confederation Series description begins W. W. Abbot et al., eds. The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series. 6 vols. Charlottesville, Va., 1992–97. description ends 5:323, 335–36).

7. The court met on the night of 10 January. After hearing “the evidences and allegations of the parties concerned,” the court determined that Mason and Ogden were spies, “and that according to the rules and customs of Nations at war, they ought to be hung by the neck until they are dead.” Stirling confirmed the sentence and ordered their execution to take place on 11 Jan. at 9:00 A.M. (Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 2d ser., 11:665–66).

Maj. Benjamin Fishbourn, with a detail of cavalrymen from the Philadelphia Troop of Light Horse, was placed in charge of the execution. A trooper from that detail wrote of the last hours of Ogden and Mason: “Ogden was much agitated & overcome upon hearing his Sentence, but still expected it would not be effected. Mason seemed to feel his situation, but declared to the Writer that if they hung him, he was in fault, but that he would die a true and loyal Subject of George the 3d. During the Night, while on Guard, they seriously asked me if they had any hopes; & I went & spoke with Genl Wayne, who decidedly told me nothing could save them unless we let them escape, which would involve us in Trouble. I then procured a Bible from Mr. Barclay, & past the Night in Reading it to them; Mason was devout, but Ogden was in terror & distress. I got them something to eat, & in the Morning Mason slept a little while. After getting the best Breakfast we could obtain, & Our Troop having crossed the River and joined us, we were ordered to bring out the Spies, & their sentence being again read to them, & their hands secured by a rope, they were led to a Tree nearly back of Colvin’s ferry-house, & his Waggon and a Negro pressed to hang them; upon their being brought in the waggon to the Tree, a difficulty occurred for a Rope, when Lieut. Budden saw a New Rope Collar upon the horse my Servant was on, who had just arrived with cloaths, &c., for me from Philad.; with this, the business was soon finished, & before nine, having Orders to return home, we galloped off and left them hanging” (Rogers, First Troop Philadelphia Cavalry description begins Fairman Rogers et al. History of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry from Its Organization November 17th 1774 to Its Centennial Anniversary November 17th 1874. Philadelphia, 1875. description ends , 28). Fishbourn promptly reported the completion of the execution (see Pa. Archives description begins Samuel Hazard et al., eds. Pennsylvania Archives. 9 ser., 138 vols. Philadelphia and Harrisburg, 1852–1949. description ends , 2d ser., 11:666).

8. GW replied to John Sullivan on 16 January.