twelve o'clock
It was a long road for a lad , but the people received me with open arms and urged me on when I told them whither I was riding . After several days of travelling along the shore of the Delaware and across the low-lying plains of New Jersey , I came to the banks of the Hudson , and saw across the water the great city of New York , its clustering houses and steeples . And then it was not long before I was on the ferry that conveyed me across the river , and heard the sharp ring of the pavement under my horse 's feet as I rode toward the great common where lay the encampment of the troops . It was near twelve o'clock when I came to the camp of the patriots and asked my way of an officer to the quarters of the Maryland Line . `` You must be a stranger , '' he said , `` or you would know that the Maryland Line always has the place of honour in the camp ; '' and he showed me where their quarters lay . I felt aglow with pride when I heard this tribute to my countrymen . I thanked him and rode on .