In the 1700s, few armies had dedicated soldiers whose sole job was moving supplies, ammunition, equipment, and personal belongings on any scale, so wagon drivers, teamsters, and other such personnel were typically contractors hired for a specific operation. For the American-Franco army that passed through Prince William County in September 1781, many had been hired in New Jersey. As the army moved toward the siege at Yorktown, two major columns carried baggage and supplies, one for the French Army and one for the Continental Army. Together they used about 270 wagons pulled by about 1,000 oxen in 6 ox teams. About 160 wagons carried official army materials, while the remaining 110 carried officers' personal belongings. After crossing the Occoquan River at several fords and the Colchester Ferry on September 27, 1781, the French wagon train camped on Marumsco Creek that night and came south along this road the next day. The American wagon train had preceded it on the 21st, crossing at the ferry and continuing to Dumfries.