322 WASHINGTON MADE MILITARY DICTATOR-HIS CRITICAL SITUATION. [1776. hard money was scarce. Fortunately a wealthy | enemy, and obtain information. Six of the Quaker, in this moment of exigency, supplied Philadelphia light-horse, spirited young fellows, the "sinews of war," and early the next morning the money was forwarded by the express. At this critical moment, too, Washington received a letter from a committee of Congress, transmitting him resolves of that body dated the 27th of December, investing him with military powers quite dictatorial. "Happy is it for this country," write the committee, "that the general of their forces can safely be intrusted with the most unlimited power, and neither personal security, liberty, or property, be in the least degree endangered thereby." * Washington's acknowledgment of this great mark of confidence was noble and characteristic. "I find Congress have done me the honor to intrust me with powers, in my military capacity, of the highest nature and almost unlimited extent. Instead of thinking myself freed from all civil obligations by this mark of their confidence, I shall constantly bear in mind that, as the sword was the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firmly established." CHAPTER XLVI. GENERAL HOWE was taking his ease in winter quarters at New York, waiting for the freezing of the Delaware to pursue his triumphant march to Philadelphia, when tidings were brought him of the surprise and capture of the Hessians at Trenton. "That three old established regiments of a people who made war their profession, should lay down their arms to a ragged and undisciplined militia, and that with scarcely any loss on either side," was a matter of amazement. He instantly stopped Lord Cornwallis, who was on the point of embarking for England, and sent him back in all haste to resume the command in the Jerseys. but who had never seen service, volunteered to accompany Reed. They patrolled the country to the very vicinity of Princeton, but could collect no information from the inhabitants; who were harassed, terrified, and bewildered by the ravaging marches to and fro of friend and enemy. Emerging from a wood almost within view of Princeton, they caught sight, from a rising ground, of two or three red coats passing from time to time from a barn to a dwelling-house. Here must be an outpost. Keeping the barn in a line with the house so as to cover their approach, they dashed up to the latter without being discovered, and surrounded it. Twelve British dragoons were within, who, though well armed, were so panic-stricken that they surrendered without making defence. A commissary, also, was taken; the sergeant of the dragoons alone escaped. Colonel Reed and his six cavaliers returned in triumph to head-quarters. Important information was obtained from their prisoners. Lord Cornwallis had joined General Grant the day before at Princeton, with a reinforcement of chosen troops. They had now seven or eight thousand men, and were pressing waggons for a march upon Trenton.* Cadwalader, stationed at Crosswicks, about seven miles distant, between Bordentown and Trenton, sent intelligence to the same purport, received by him from a young gentleman who had escaped from Princeton. Word, too, was brought from other quarters, that General Howe was on the march with a thousand light troops, with which he had landed at Amboy. The situation of Washington was growing critical. The enemy were beginning to advance their large pickets towards Trenton. Every thing indicated an approaching attack. The force with him was small; to retreat across the river, would destroy the dawn of hope awakened in the bosoms of the Jersey militia by the late exploit; but to make a stand with The ice in the Delaware impeded the crossing of the American troops, and gave the Brit-out reinforcements was impossible. In this ish time to draw in their scattered cantonments, and assemble their whole force at Princeton. While his troops were yet crossing, Washington sent out Colonel Reed to reconnoitre the position and movements of the * Am. Archives, 5th Series, iii. 1510. emergency, he called to his aid General Cadwalader from Crosswicks, and General Mifflin from Bordentown, with their collective forces, amounting to about three thousand six hundred men. He did it with reluctance, for it seemed *Life of Reed, t. 282. Er. 45.] CRITICAL SITUATION OF WASHINGTON. 323 like involving them in the common danger, but | tion from which he could not escape, but where the exigency of the case admitted of no alterna- he might make a desperate stand; and he was tive. They promptly answered to his call, and willing to give his wearied troops a night's remarching in the night, joined him on the 1st pose to prepare them for the closing struggle. of January. He would be sure, he said, to “bag the fox in the morning." Washington chose a position for his main body on the east side of the Assunpink. There was a narrow stone bridge across it, where the water was very deep; the same bridge over which part of Rahl's brigade had escaped in the recent affair. He planted his artillery so as to command the bridge and the fords. His advance guard was stationed about three miles off in a wood, having in front a stream called Shabbakong Creek. Early on the morning of the 2d, came certain word that Cornwallis was approaching with all his force. Strong parties were sent out under General Greene, who skirmished with the enemy, and harassed them in their advance. By twelve o'clock they reached the Shabbakong, and halted for a time on its northern bank. Then crossing it, and moving forward with rapidity, they drove the advance guard out of the woods, and pushed on until they reached a high ground near the town. Here Hand's corps of several battalions was drawn up, and held them for a time in check. All the parties in advance ultimately retreated to the main body, on the east side of the Assunpink, and found some difficulty in crowding across the narrow bridge. From all these checks and delays, it was nearly sunset before Cornwallis with the head of his army entered Trenton. His rear-guard under General Leslie rested at Maiden Head, about six miles distant, and nearly half way between Trenton and Princeton. Forming his troops into columns, he now made repeated attempts to cross the Assunpink at the bridge and the fords, but was as often repulsed by the artillery. For a part of the time Washington, mounted on a white horse, stationed himself at the south end of the bridge, issuing his orders. Each time the enemy was repulsed there was a shout along the American lines. At length they drew off, came to a halt, and lighted their camp fires. The Americans did the same, using the neighboring fences for the purpose. Sir William Erskine, who was with Cornwallis, urged him, it is said, to attack Washington that evening in his camp; but his lordship declined; he felt sure of the game which had so often escaped him; he had at length, he thought, got Washington into a situa A cannonade was kept up on both sides until dark; but with little damage to the Americans. When night closed in, the two camps lay in sight of each other's fires, ruminating the bloody action of the following day. It was the most gloomy and anxious night that had yet closed in on the American army, throughout its series of perils and disasters; for there was no concealing the impending danger. But what must have been the feelings of the commander-in-chief, as he anxiously patrolled his camp, and considered his desperate position? A small stream, fordable in several places, was all that separated his raw, inexperienced army, from an enemy vastly superior in numbers and discipline, and stung to action by the mortification of a late defeat. A general action with them must be ruinous; but how was he to retreat? Behind him was the Delaware, impassable from floating ice. Granting even (a thing not to be hoped) that a retreat across it could be effected, the consequences would be equally fatal. The Jerseys would be left in possession of the enemy, endangering the immediate capture of Philadelphia, and sinking the public mind into despondency. In this darkest of moments a gleam of hope flashed upon his mind: a bold expedient suggested itself. Almost the whole of the enemy's forces must by this time be drawn out of Princeton, and advancing by detachments toward Trenton, while their baggage and principal stores must remain weakly guarded at Brunswick. Was it not possible, by a rapid night-march along the Quaker road, a different road from that on which General Leslie with the rear-guard was resting, to get past that force undiscovered, come by surprise upon those left at Princeton, capture or destroy what stores were left there, and then push on to Brunswick? This would save the army from being cut off; would avoid the appearance of a defeat; and might draw the enemy away from Trenton, while some fortunate stroke might give additional reputation to the American arms. Even should the enemy march on to Philadelphia, it could not in any case be prevented; while a counter-blow in the Jerseys would be of great consolation. 324 NIGHT MARCH OF WASHINGTON-AFFAIR AT PRINCETON. [1777. road Washington defiled with the main body, ordering Mercer to continue along the brook with his brigade, until he should arrive at the main road, where he was to secure, and if possible, destroy a bridge over which it passes; so as to intercept any fugitives from Princeton, and check any retrograde movements of the British troops which might have advanced towards Trenton. Such was the plan which Washington revolved in his mind on the gloomy banks of the Assunpink, and which he laid before his officers in a council of war, held after nightfall, at the quarters of General Mercer. It met with instant concurrence, being of that hardy, adventurous kind, which seems congenial with the American character. One formidable difficulty presented itself. The weather was unusually mild; there was a thaw, by which the roads might be ren- Hitherto the movements of the Americans dered deep and miry, and almost impassable. had been undiscovered by the enemy. Three Fortunately, or rather providentially, as Wash-regiments of the latter, the 17th, 40th, and ington was prone to consider it, the wind veered to the north in the course of the evening; the weather became intensely cold, and in two hours the roads were once more hard and frostbound. In the mean time, the baggage of the army was silently removed to Burlington, and every other preparation was made for a rapid march. To deceive the enemy, men were employed to dig trenches near the bridge within hearing of the British sentries, with orders to continue noisily at work until day break; others were to go the rounds; relieve guards at the bridge and fords; keep up the camp fires, and maintain all the appearance of a regular encampment. At daybreak they were to hasten after the army. In the dead of the night, the army drew quietly out of the encampment and began its march. General Mercer, mounted on a favorite gray horse, was in the advance with the remnant of his flying camp, now but about three hundred and fifty men, principally relics of the brave Delaware and Maryland regiments, with some of the Pennsylvania militia. Among the latter were youths belonging to the best families in Philadelphia. The main body followed, under Washington's immediate command. The Quaker road was a complete roundabout, joining the main road about two miles from Princeton, where Washington expected to arrive before daybreak. The road, however, was new and rugged; cut through woods, where the stumps of trees broke the wheels of some of the baggage trains, and retarded the march of the troops; so that it was near sunrise of a bright, frosty morning, when Washington reached the bridge over Stony Brook, about three miles from Princeton. After crossing the bridge, he led his troops along the bank of the brook to the edge of a wood, where a byroad led off on the right through low grounds, and was said by the guides to be a short cut to Princeton, and less exposed to view. By this 55th, with three troops of dragoons, had been quartered all night in Princeton, under marching orders to join Lord Cornwallis in the morning. The 17th regiment, under Colonel Mawhood, was already on the march; the 55th regiment was preparing to follow. Mawhood had crossed the bridge by which the old or main road to Trenton passes over Stony Brook, and was proceeding through a wood beyond, when, as he attained the summit of a hill about sunrise, the glittering of arms betrayed to him the movement of Mercer's troops to the left, who were filing along the Quaker road to secure the bridge, as they had been ordered. The woods prevented him from seeing their number. He supposed them to be some broken portion of the American army flying before Lord Cornwallis. With this idea, he faced about, and made a retrograde movement, to intercept them or hold them in check; while messengers spurred off in all speed, to hasten forward the regiments still lingering at Princeton, so as completely to surround them. The woods concealed him until he had recrossed the bridge of Stony Brook, when he came in full sight of the van of Mercer's brigade. Both parties pushed to get possession of a rising ground on the right near the house of a Mr. Clark, of the peaceful Society of Friends. The Americans being nearest, reached it first, and formed behind a hedge fence which extended along a slope in front of the house; whence, being chiefly armed with rifles, they opened a destructive fire. It was returned with great spirit by the enemy. At the first discharge Mercer was dismounted, "his gallant gray" being crippled by a musket ball in the leg. One of his colonels, also, was mortally wounded, and carried to the rear. Availing themselves of the confusion thus occasioned, the British charged with the bayonet; the American riflemen having no weapon of the kind, were thrown into disorder and retreated. ET. 45.] AFFAIR AT PRINCETON-MERCER MORTALLY WOUNDED. 325 Mercer, who was on foot, endeavored to rally" Away, my dear colonel, and bring up the them, when a blow from the butt end of a troops," was the reply; "the day is our own!" musket felled him to the ground. He rose and It was one of those occasions in which the defended himself with his sword, but was sur- latent fire of Washington's character blazed rounded, bayoneted repeatedly, and left for forth. dead. Mawhood pursued the broken and retreating troops to the brow of the rising ground, on which Clark's house was situated, when he beheld a large force emerging from a wood and advancing to the rescue. It was a body of Pennsylvania militia, which Washington, on hearing the firing, had detached to the support of Mercer. Mawhood instantly ceased pursuit, drew up his artillery, and by a heavy discharge brought the militia to a stand. At this moment Washington himself arrived at the scene of action, having galloped from the by-road in advance of his troops. From a rising ground he beheld Mercer's troops retreating in confusion, and the detachment of militia checked by Mawhood's artillery. Every thing was at peril. Putting spurs to his horse he dashed past the hesitating militia, waving his hat and cheering them on. His commanding figure, and white horse, made him a conspicuous object for the enemy's marksmen; but he heeded it not. Galloping forward under the fire of Mawhood's battery, he called upon Mercer's broken brigade. The Pennsylvanians rallied at the sound of his voice, and caught fire from his example. At the same time the 7th Virginia regiment emerged from the wood, and moved forward with loud cheers, while a fire of grapeshot was opened by Captain Moulder of the American artillery, from the brow of a ridge to the south. Mawhood, by this time, had forced his way, at the point of the bayonet, through gathering foes, though with heavy loss, back to the main road, and was in full retreat towards Trenton to join Cornwallis. Washington detached Major Kelly with a party of Pennsylvania troops, to destroy the bridge at Stony Brook, over which Mawhood had retreated, so as to impede the advance of General Leslie from Maiden Head. In the mean time the 55th regiment, which had been on the left and nearer Princeton, had been encountered by the American advance guard under General St. Clair, and after some sharp fighting in a ravine had given way, and was retreating across fields and along a byroad to Brunswick. The remaining regiment, the 40th, had not been able to come up in time for the action; a part of it fled toward Brunswick; the residue took refuge in the college at Princeton, recently occupied by them as barracks. Artillery was now brought to bear on the college, and a few shot compelled those within to surrender. In this brief but brilliant action, about one hundred of the British were left dead on the field, and nearly three hundred taken prisoners, fourteen of whom were officers. Among the slain was Captain Leslie, son of the Earl of Leven. His death was greatly lamented by his captured companions. The loss of the Americans was about twentyfive or thirty men, and several officers. Among the latter was Colonel Haslet, who had distinguished himself throughout the campaign, by being among the foremost in services of danger. He was indeed a gallant officer, and gallantly seconded by his Delaware troops. Colonel Mawhood, who a moment before had thought his triumph secure, found himself assailed on every side, and separated from the other British regiments. He fought, however, with great bravery, and for a short time the action was desperate. Washington was in the A greater loss was that of General Mercer. midst of it; equally endangered by the random | He was said to be either dead or dying, in the fire of his own men, and the artillery and mus- house of Mr. Clark, whither he had been conketry of the enemy. His aide-de-camp, Col- veyed by his aide-de-camp, Major Armstrong, onel Fitzgerald, a young and ardent Irishman, who found him, after the retreat of Mawhood's losing sight of him in the heat of the fight troops, lying on the field gashed with several when enveloped in dusk and smoke, dropped wounds, and insensible from cold and loss of the bridle on the neck of his horse and drew blood. Washington would have ridden back his hat over his eyes; giving him up for lost. from Princeton to visit him, and have him conWhen he saw him, however, emerge from the veyed to a place of greater security; but was cloud, waving his hat, and beheld the enemy assured, that, if alive, he was too desperately giving way, he spurred up to his side. "Thank wounded to bear removal; in the mean time God," cried he, "your excellency is safe!" he was in good hands, being faithfully attended 326 CORNWALLIS OUTGENERALLED, BAFFLED, AND PERPLEXED. to by his aide-de-camp. Major Armstrong, and treated with the utmost care and kindness by Mr. Clark's family.* [1777. break the expiring watchfires and deserted camp of the Americans told him that the prize had once more evaded his grasp; that the general whose military skill he had decried had outgeneralled him. Under these circumstances Washington felt compelled to leave his old companion in arms to his fate. Indeed, he was called away by For a time he could not learn whither the the exigencies of his command, having to pur- army, which had stolen away so silently, had sue the routed regiments, which were making a directed its stealthy march. By sunrise, howheadlong retreat to Brunswick. In this pur- ever, there was the booming of cannon, like suit he took the lead at the head of a detach- the rumbling of distant thunder, in the direcment of cavalry. At Kingston, however, three tion of Princeton. The idea flashed upon him miles to the north-east of Princeton, he pulled that Washington had not merely escaped, but up, restrained his ardor, and held a council of was about to make a dash at the British magawar on horseback. Should he keep on to zines at Brunswick. Alarmed for the safety Brunswick or not? The capture of the British of his military stores, his lordship forthwith stores and baggage would make his triumph broke up his camp, and made a rapid march complete; but, on the other hand, his troops towards Princeton. As he arrived in sight of were excessively fatigued by their rapid march the bridge over Stony Brook, he beheld Major all night, and hard fight in the morning. All Kelly and his party busy in its destruction. A of them had been one night without sleep, and distant discharge of round shot from his fieldsome of them two, and many were half-starved. pieces drove them away, but the bridge was They were without blankets, thinly clad, some already broken. It would take time to repair it of them barefooted, and this in freezing weather. for the passage of the artillery; so Cornwallis Cornwallis would be upon them before they in his impatience urged his troops breast-high could reach Brunswick. His rear-guard, under through the turbulent and icy stream, and again General Leslie, had been quartered but six pushed forward. He was brought to a stand by miles from Princeton, and the retreating troops the discharge of a thirty-two pounder from a must have roused them. Under these con- distant breast work. Supposing the Americans siderations, it was determined to discontinue to be there in force, and prepared to make rethe pursuit, and push for Morristown. There sistance, he sent out some horsemen to reconthey would be in a mountainous country, heav-noitre, and advanced to storm the battery. ily wooded, in an abundant neighborhood, and There was no one there. The thirty-two on the flank of the enemy, with various defiles pounder had been left behind by the Ameriby which they might change their position ac- cans, as too unwieldy, and a match had been cording to his movements. applied to it by some lingerer of Washington's Filing off to the left, therefore, from Kings-rear-guard. ton, and breaking down the bridges behind him, Washington took the narrow road by Rocky Hill to Pluckamin. His troops were so exhausted, that many in the course of the march would lie down in the woods on the frozen ground and fall asleep, and were with difficulty roused and cheered forward. At Pluckamin he halted for a time, to allow them a little repose and refreshment. While they are taking breath, we will cast our eyes back to the camp of Cornwallis, to see what was the effect upon him of this masterly movement of Washington. His lordship had retired to rest at Trenton with his sportsman's vaunt that he would "bag the fox in the morning." Nothing could surpass his surprise and chagrin, when at day See Washington to Col. Reed, Jan. 15. Without further delay Cornwallis hurried forward, eager to save his magazines. Crossing the bridge at Kingston, he kept on along the Brunswick road, supposing Washington still before him. The latter had got far in the advance, during the delays caused by the broken bridge at Stony Brook, and the discharge of the thirty-two pounder; and the alteration of his course at Kingston had carried him completely out of the way of Cornwallis. His lordship reached Brunswick towards evening, and endeavored to console himself, by the safety of the military stores, for being so completely foiled and out-manœuvred. Washington, in the mean time, was all on the alert; the hon part of his nature was aroused; and while his weary troops were in a manner panting upon the ground around him, he was despatching missives, and calling out |