by Lee's division, the regiments from Ticonderoga, and the militia from Philadelphia and the eastern parts of Pennsylvania, who turned out with spirit and in considerable numbers. These latter troops were in two bodies, one at Bristol under General Cadwalader, the other nearly opposite the town of Trenton, commanded by General Ewing. The Continental regiments were still retained in their original position higher up the river.

At length General Washington resolved to hazard the bold experiment of recrossing the Delaware, and attacking the enemy on their own ground. At Trenton were three regiments of Hessians, amounting to about fifteen hundred men, and a troop of British light-horse. Small detachments were stationed at Bordentown, Burlington, Black Horse, and Mount Holly. These latter posts were to be assaulted by Cadwalader, who was to cross near Bristol, while Washington should cross above Trenton, and Ewing a little below, and unite in the attack upon the Hessians in that place. The night of the 25th of December was fixed on for making the attempt.

At dusk the Continental troops selected for the service, and commanded by General Washington in person, amounting to two thousand four hundred men, with twenty pieces of artillery, began to cross at McKonkey's Ferry, nine miles above Trenton, and it was supposed they would all be passed over by twelve o'clock; but the floating ice retarded the boats so much, that it was almost four o'clock in the morning before the whole body, with the artillery, was landed on the opposite bank of the river ready to march. The troops were then formed in two divisions. One of these, commanded by General Sullivan, marched in the road near the river; and the other, led by General Greene, moved down a road farther to the left, called the Pennington

road. General Washington was with this division. The roads entered the town at different points, and as the distance by each was nearly the same, it was intended that the attacks should begin simultaneously. At eight o'clock the left division fell in with the enemy's advanced guard, and almost at the same instant a firing was heard on the right, which showed that the other division had arrived. They both pushed forward into the town, meeting with little opposition, except from two or three pieces of artillery, which were soon taken. The Hessians, being driven from the town and hard pressed, made a show of retreating towards Princeton, but were checked by a body of troops sent to intercept them. Finding themselves surrounded, and seeing no other way of escape, they all surrendered prisoners of war.

The number of prisoners was twenty-three officers and eight hundred and eighty-six privates. Others were found concealed in houses, making in the whole about a thousand. The British light-horse, and four or five hundred Hessians, escaped at the beginning of the action over the bridge across the Assanpink, and fled to Bordentown. Six brass field-pieces and a thousand stand of arms were the trophies of victory. Colonel Rahl, the Hessian commander and a gallant officer, was mortally wounded. Six other officers and between twenty and thirty men were killed. The American loss was two privates killed and two others frozen to death. Captain William Washington, distinguished as an officer of cavalry at a later period of the war, and Lieutenant Monroe, afterwards President of the United States, were wounded in a brave and successful assault upon the enemy's artillery. The fact, that two men died by suffering from cold, is a proof of the intense severity of the weather. It snowed and hailed during the whole march.

The ice had formed so fast in the river below Trenton, that it was impracticable for the troops under Cadwalader and Ewing to pass over at the times agreed upon. Cadwalader succeeded in landing a battalion of infantry; but the ice on the margin of the stream was in such a condition, as to render it impossible to land the artillery, and they all returned. If Ewing had crossed, as was proposed, and taken possession of the bridge on the south side of the town, the party that fled would have been intercepted and captured. And there was the fairest prospect that Cadwalader would have been equally fortunate against the detachments below, or have driven them towards Trenton, where they would have met a victorious army. This part of the plan having failed, and the enemy being in force at Princeton and Brunswic, it was thought advisable by General Washington not to hazard any thing further, especially as his men were exhausted with fatigue. He recrossed the Delaware with his prisoners the same day, and gained his encampment on the other side.

The British and Hessian troops posted at Bordentown, and in the vicinity of that place, immediately retreated to Princeton, so that the whole line of the enemy's cantonments along the Delaware was broken up and driven back. As soon as his troops were refreshed, General Washington again passed over the Delaware, and took up his quarters at Trenton, resolved to pursue the enemy, or adopt such other measures as his situation would justify. Meanwhile General Cadwalader succeeded in crossing over with eighteen hundred Pennsylvania militia, who were followed by as many more under General Mifflin, all of whom formed a junction with the main army at Trenton.

At this critical moment the term of service of several regiments expired, the dissolution of the old army

VOL. I.

T

occurring on the last day of the year; and, worn down with the extraordinary hardships of the campaign, the men seemed at first determined to go off in a body, and return to their homes. By much persuasion, however, and the exertions of their officers, seconded by a bounty of ten dollars to each man, more than half of them agreed to remain six weeks longer.

It was not presumed that Sir William Howe would long permit the Americans quietly to possess the advantages they had gained, or delay to retaliate for the disasters his army had suffered. He was now in New York; and, when the intelligence of the late events reached that city, he ordered Lord Cornwallis, then on the eve of embarking for Europe, to suspend his departure, and take the command in the Jerseys. This officer hastened to Princeton, followed by additional forces from Brunswic. In the morning of the 2d of January, it was ascertained that the enemy's battalions were marching towards Trenton, and General Washington prepared to meet an attack. To harass them on their march, and retard their progress, he sent out strong parties on the road to Princeton, with orders to skirmish at every advantageous position. These orders were faithfully obeyed, and the head of the enemy's columns did not reach Trenton till four o'clock in the afternoon. The American army then retired to the high ground beyond the Assanpink. The bridge was defended by artillery, and a sharp cannonade was kept up, particularly at that point, and at the fords above the bridge, which the enemy attempted to pass. At dusk the firing ceased, and Lord Cornwallis encamped his troops near the village, intending to renew the combat in the morning, when his reinforcements should arrive. The Americans encamped on the ground they occupied after crossing the Assanpink, and the fires kindled by the two armies were in full view of each other.

To all appearance a general action must be fought the next day, and this with fearful odds, as the British were superior in numbers, and immeasurably so in the discipline and experience of their men; for more than half of the American army consisted of militia, who had never seen a battle, and had been but a few days in the service. At the beginning of the evening General Washington assembled his officers in council, and a bold resolution was adopted. From the number of Lord Cornwallis's troops it was rightly conjectured, that he could not have left many in the rear; and it was decided to move by a concealed march on the east side of the Assanpink to Princeton. If no obstacles were met with on the way, it was possible that the army might push onward to Brunswic, surprise the enemy there, and capture the stores, before Lord Cornwallis could return. To secure his baggage and prevent it from encumbering the army, General Washington ordered it to be silently removed to Burlington, and at twelve o'clock at night commenced his march. the suspicion of the enemy might not be awakened, the fires were kept burning, and the guards were ordered to remain at the bridge and the fords, till the approach of daylight, when they were to follow. Men were employed during the night digging an intrenchment so near the enemy's sentries, that they could be heard at their work.

That

Pursuing a circuitous route, General Washington reached Princeton a little after sunrise. Three British regiments were found there, being the seventeenth, fortieth, and fifty-fifth, commanded by Colonel Mawhood, two of which were designed to reinforce Lord Cornwallis that morning at Trenton. These two were already on their march. The American vanguard first engaged the seventeenth, and a short but very severe