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The Diary
Trenton, New Jersey ~ December 25, 1776
~ a diary entry, translated from the original German ~
"There was no relief to be found from the frigid cold today, and in spite of my best efforts, the ladies of the camp are determinedly sullen. It's unseemly, I think, for such faces to be shown before the men, but Colonel Rall is the very model of spirited assurance. I've heard him say that the Kontinentals are vastly worse off, they being unaccustomed to the cruel winters, and additionally short of the one thing that separates their leaders most sharply from our British patrons - finance. He harbors hopes that this conflict will be put down by springtime, and we may all return to the homeland.
A curious incident occurred earlier today, one without which I might not have realized that the day was meant to be for celebration. Of course, on waking, I found the camp to be strangely silent, bereft of the usual sounds of drilling, but I attributed that to the inclement weather, and went about
the business of stoking the day's fire - we were fortunate enough to have commandeered several large game birds from the local township, which the Colonel made clear to me, yesterday evening, he wished dressed and served in as fine a feast as I and the other ladies could muster.
We are camped at a site that the surrounding villagers refer to as the "Old Barracks". Colonel Rall secretly calls them the Zerfetzt Gefängnis, as they offer nearly as much amenity as a drafty prison. I suspect that the infantry on their bedrolls outside enjoy more comfort.
This odd sort of fort is, at least, equipped with an old brick oven, and I, for the past several weeks, have been able to provide the regiment with freshly baked loaves, and it delights me to no end to consider that the Kontinentals have no such luxury.
But this morning, I discovered, much to my dismay, that the oven door was nowhere to be found. I set Else and Betine to the task of putting the birds on the spit, then set off to learn what I could of the mysterious disappearance. Apparently, some of the men had stolen it during the night, and burned it for firewood.
Around midday, as I was fretting over the andirons, a page came scampering into the kitchen, whom I recognized as the Colonel's aide, and with some erstwhile hope that the culprits had been discovered, I was called away. It was not to be, but when I learn who the fiends are, they shall certainly find a little something special added to their plates in the future.
As it happened, a contingent of colonials had arrived at the camp, some fifteen or so men, and an equal number of women, all waving a banner of peace in the form of their arms laden with parcels and the cart they carried in tow. As I am one of only three women of the regiment who speaks fluent English, I was to translate for the Colonel, and it was to my delight to learn that they were Loyalists, who had come in the spirit of the yuletide.
At this very moment, they are all hard at work in the kitchen, and I am taking this time to set down the events, and my worries for the evening to come. There will be bread for the feast, but I will not be there to enjoy it. With luck, I will find solace in the surrounding wood, but I fear that the bitter weather, and the Weihnachszeit celebration, will keep most of the townspeople to their homes, and so I shall spend the night steeped in hunger. It is no great trial, to be sure, only in the concern that I might be driven to return to the camp, and that, I fear, would be a grievous calamity."
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