midnight
The men threw down their arms going home and went over in a body to the Pretender . But in a social conflict men are mere non-combatants , and their surrender did not seriously injure the cause that they deserted . The war went on without abatement . During the spring that followed the winter of the beefsteak dinner many skirmishes , minor engagements , ambushes and midnight raids occurred . But the contest was not decisive . For purposes of military drill , the defenders of the Winthrop faith formed themselves into a Whist Club . _ The _ Whist Club they called it , just as they spoke of Priscilla Winthrop 's gowns as `` the black and white one , '' `` the blue brocade , '' `` the white china silk , '' as if no other black and white or blue brocade or white china silk gowns had been created in the world before and could not be made again by human hands .