Our soldiers frequently obtained furloughs to visit their parents or families. This often happened while the army was at Valley Forge; but it was a hazardous thing to do, as the enemy were constantly on the watch. On one occasion Daniel Righter obtained a furlough and came home to Roxborough to visit his father, who then lived where the Manayunk Poorhouse used to be ( at the corner of Ridge Road and Righter Street) While he was in the house a party of British, or Hessians, came along, and having a hint that an American soldier was in the house they surrounded it and took him a prisoner. He preserved his presence of mind and affected to believe they were Americans who wished to frighten him, and he told them that he had seen some of their party not far off; but they were not to be caught. So they mounted Daniel on a horse and rode off towards their camp. As they passed down the Old Ridge Road (now Righter Street) Daniel tried another game...a species of ruse de guerre...justifiable, under the circumstances, by the rules of war. He pretended to be crazy, and succeeded so well that he entirely deceived the enemy, who pushed him off the horse into the road, and ere long Daniel had disappeared in the thicket of trees.