Officers’ Tents

Colonels and generals often used oval marquee tents, similar in size and shape to General Washington’s tent, as their sleeping and office quarters. The tents seen here may belong to officers from the five brigades of New England troops that served at Verplanck’s Point. Rhode Island Regiment officer Ephraim Kirby wrote to his future wife, Ruthy, about the turn of cold weather at the encampment in October 1782: “I am in a tent, destitute of any fire and a violent cold northeast storm of rain beats about my ears.”