CH. II.]

Although General Cadwallader had not been able to pass the Delaware at the appointed time, yet, believing that Washington was still on the Jersey side, on the 27th, he crossed the Delaware, with fifteen hundred men, about 1776. two miles above Bristol; and

even after he was informed that the commander-in-chief had again passed into Pennsylvania, he proceeded to Burlington, and next day marched on Bordentown, the enemy hastily retiring as he advanced. The spirit of the people was again fully roused in Pennsylvania, and considerable numbers of the militia repaired to the standard of Washington, who again crossed the Delaware, on the 29th, and marched to Trenton, where, at the beginning of January, 1777, he found himself at the head of five thousand men.

The alarm was now spread throughout the British army. A strong detachment under General Grant marched to Princeton; and Lord Cornwallis, who was on the point of sailing for

England, was ordered to resume 1777. his command in the Jerseys. Cornwallis, joining Grant, pressed forward expeditiously to Trenton. On his approach, Washington crossed to Assumpink Creek, and took post on some high ground, with the rivulet in his front.* The British troops ad

461

vanced, on the afternoon of the 2d of January, and a cannonade ensued, which was kept up until night. Cornwallis, though urged to an immediate attack by some of his officers, concluded to wait till the next morning, when, he doubted not, victory would not be difficult of attainment.

It was a critical moment for Washington and his troops. To await the attack would be temerity; to attempt escape by crossing the Delaware, would be even more hazardous. A council of war was called, at which the bold design was adopted, of getting into the rear of the English, falling upon their magazines at Brunswick, and carrying the war again from the neighborhood of Philadelphia into the mountainous interior of New Jersey. No time was lost in putting the plan into operation. The superfluous baggage was sent down the river to Burlington; the watch-fires were kept up; the patrols were ordered to go their rounds; and still further to deceive the enemy, parties were sent out to labor at the entrenchments, within hearing of their sentinels. About midnight, the army silently defiled from the camp, and marched off in a circuitous route through Allentown, towards Princeton.

Although it was the most inclement season of the year, the weather greatly favored the Americans. For two days, it had been rather warm, soft, and foggy, and great apprehension was entertained lest the roads should be almost impassable for a march requiring rapidity; but about the time the march commenced, there was a sudden change in the weather. The wind shifted; an

intense frost set in, and the road speedily became solid and easy of passage. The soldiers were encouraged by this, and, believing that Providence had again interposed in their hour of difficulty, they marched forward with high spirit.

Cornwallis had left three regiments at Princeton, under Colonel Mawhood, with orders to advance on the 3d of January. Toward daybreak, they suddenly came in sight of the approaching continental troops, with whom they were almost immediately in action. The Americans, posted behind a fence, poured in a heavy and well-directed volley, after receiving which, the British, with fixed bayonets, charged them with such impetuosity, that abandoning their shelter, they broke and fled precipitately, closely pursued by their victorious enemies. Both fugitives and pursuers, however, were suddenly arrested by the sight of the force under Washington, who, beholding the rout, hastened on, colors in hand, to rally the discomfited troops. At no time in his life, perhaps, was he exposed to more imminent hazard. The Americans immediately rallied, the English re-formed their line, both levelled their guns, and prepared to fire, while Washington, whose ardor had hurried him forward into a most perilous position, stood like a mark for the bullets of both. But God preserved him for his country and mankind. He escaped without a hurt, and urged his men forward to the attack. The British, however, did not wait the onset. Mawhood, already severely handled, and seeing reinforcements coming up, wheeled off, leaving

his artillery, and regaining the Trenton road, continued his march to join Cornwallis.

Washington advanced to Princeton, putting to flight a regiment of British troops, and taking a number of prisoners in the town. The loss of the British was about a hundred killed, and some three hundred were made prisoners. The American loss was only about thirty killed, including several officers. The principal loss was General Mercer, a gallant soldier and able officer, who was mortally wounded, and expired on the 12th of January. His death was deeply deplored by his countrymen.

Early in the morning, Cornwallis was greatly chagrined at discovering that Washington had escaped out of his hands, and he was for a time perplexed to ascertain where he had betaken himself. But the booming of cannon in the direction of Princeton opened his eyes, and showed him how Washington had out-generaled him. Alarmed, as well he might be, for the safety of the British stores at Brunswick, he advanced rapidly towards Princeton. In the American army, it had indeed been proposed to make a forced march to Brunswick, where all the baggage of the British army was deposited; but the complete exhaustion of the men, who had been without rest, and almost without food, for two days and nights, prevented the adoption of the measure. General Washington proceeded towards Morristown, and Lord Cornwallis pressed on his rear; but the Amer icans, on crossing Millstone River, broke down the bridge at Kingston, to im

CH. II.]

pede the progress of their enemies; and there the pursuit ended. Both armies were completely worn out, the one being as unable to pursue as the other was to retreat. General Washington took a position at Morristown, and Lord Cornwallis reached Brunswick, where no small alarm had been excited by the advance of the Americans, and where every exertion had been made for the removal of the baggage, and for the defence of the place.

Washington fixed his head-quarters at Morristown, situated among hills of difficult access, where he had a fine country in his rear, from which he could easily draw supplies, and was able to retreat across the Delaware, if needful. Giving his troops little repose, he overran both East and West Jersey, spread his army over the Raritan, and penetrated into the county of Essex, where he made himself master of the coast opposite Staten Island. With a greatly inferior army, by judicious movements, he wrested from the British almost all their conquests in the Jerseys. Brunswick and Amboy were the only posts which remained in their hands, and even in these they were not a little harassed and straitened. The American detachments were in a state of unwearied activity, frequently surprising and cutting off the British advanced guards, keeping them in perpetual alarm, and melting down their numbers by a desultory and destructive warfare."

* For a letter from General Robertson to Governor Livingston, of New Jersey, and the Governor's reply, both of interest, as illustrating the state of affairs at the beginning of 1777, we refer the reader to Appendix I., at the end of the present chapter.

463

General Howe, as stated on p. 442, had issued a proclamation on the last day of November, calling on the people to yield submission to the British government, and promising them protec tion as well in person as in property. Taking advantage of this proclamation, many Americans in the vicinity of the British troops, and among these Joseph Galloway, who was a member of Congress, in 1774, from Pennsylvania, abandoned their country and joined the British standard. Washington, on the 25th of January, 1777-before the sixty days named by Howe were ended

in virtue of the extraordinary powers with which he was charged, issued a counter proclamation, in which he strictly commanded all persons, who had subscribed the declaration, taken the oaths, and accepted the protections mentioned in the declaration of the British commissioners, to repair to headquarters, or to the quarters of the nearest general officer of the conti nental army, or militia, and there deliver up such protection and take the oath of allegiance to the United States; granting liberty, however, to such as preferred "the interest and protection of Great Britain to the freedom and happiness of their country," to withdraw themselves and families, within the enemy's lines. He, also, declared, that all those who should neglect of refuse to comply with his order, within thirty days from its date, should be deemed adherents to the king of Great Britain, and be treated as common enemies to the American States.*

*Mr. Curtis notices the fact that the legislature of New Jersey were disposed to complain of this

This was a seasonable proclamation, and produced much effect. Intimidated by the desperate aspect of American affairs, when Washington retreated into Pennsylvania, many of the inhabitants of the Jerseys, looking upon the cause of America as hopeless, had been induced to submit to the British authority; but with respect to the promised protection, they had been entirely disappointed. Instead of protection and conciliation, they had been insulted by the rude insolence of a licentious soldiery, and plundered with indiscriminate and unsparing rapacity. Their passions were exasperated; they thirsted for vengeance, and were prepared for the most vindictive hostility against the British troops. Roused by a burning sense of the wrongs to which they had been subjected, they were ready to join the standard of their country, with more alacrity and determination than they had ever before manifested.

On a review of the results of Washington's vigorous movements, it is plain that he displayed energy, fire, and consummate generalship, the effects of which were at once of the most favorable description upon the country at large. "Achievements so astonishing," as Botta finely says, "obtained an immense glory for the captain-general of the United States. All nations shared in the surprise of the Americans; all

His

equally admired and applauded the prudence, the constancy, and the noble intrepidity of General Washington. An unanimous voice pronounced him the saviour of his country; all extolled him, as equal to the most celebrated commanders of antiquity; all proclaimed him the FABIUS OF AMERICA. name was in the mouth of all; he was celebrated by the pens of the most distinguished writers. The most illustrious personages of Europe lavished upon him their praises and their congratulations. The American general, therefore, wanted neither a cause full of grandeur to defend, nor occasion for the acquisition of glory, nor genius to avail himself of it, nor the renown due to his triumphs, nor an entire generation of men perfectly well disposed to render him homage.

It is one of the saddest features of war, under any circumstances, that it leads to shocking excesses, and outrageous violations of almost every thing held sacred among men. The evil and brutal passions are roused, and thousands of opportunities are offered for their unlicensed exercise. When the royal army entered the Jerseys, the inhabitants generally remained in their houses, and many thousands received printed protections, signed by order of the commander-in-chief. But neither the proclamation of the commissioners, nor protections, saved the people from plunder any more than from insult. Their property was taken or destroyed without distinction of persons. They showed their protections; Hessians

*Botta's "History of the War of Independence," vol. ii., p. 227.

: