"The next night, which was the sixth of October, the same men were ordered to the lines that had been there the night before. We this night completed laying out our works. The troops of the line were there ready with entrenching tools, and began to entrench, after General Washington had struck a few blows with a pickaxe, a mere ceremony, that it might be said 'General Washington with his own hands broke ground at the siege of Yorktown.' The ground was sandy and soft, and the men employed that night eat no 'idle bread' (and I question if they eat any other), so that by daylight they had covered themselves from danger from the enemy's shot, who, it appeared, never mistrusted that we were so near them the whole night, their attention being directed to another quarter. There was upon the right of their works a marsh. Our people had sent to the western side of this marsh a detachment to make a number of fires, by which, the British were led to imagine that we were about some secret mischief there, and consequently diverted their whole fire to that quarter, while we were entrenching literally under their noses.
As soon as it was day they perceived their mistake and began to fire where they ought to have done sooner. They brought out a fieldpiece or two without their trenches, and discharged several shots at the men who were at work erecting a bomb battery, but their shot had no effect and they soon gave it over. "
- Sergeant Joseph Plumb Martin
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