 But all the while, thousands of men snuck out in silence. Now, I've always loved the idea of those soldiers, thousands of soldiers sneaking out at night under the enemy's nose. It's like the ultimate strategic prank. You only wish you could have seen Cornwallis' face when he found out what happened. Now, although the Patriots were exhausted from the previous week's fighting and sleep-deprived, they marched on once again through the harsh winter, on their way to yet another battle.