Seeing in what a comfortable manner their countrymen lived, they left us in great numbers as we marched through New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Washington, in a letter from Englishtown on the day after the battle of Monmouth, writes that thus far Sir Henry Clinton in his march through the Jerseys had lost by desertion five or six hundred men, "chiefly foreigners." Six days later General Arnold, who had been left in command at Philadelphia, reported that five hundred and seventy-six deserters had reached that city, of whom four hundred and forty-six were Germans. The journal of von Krafft recites that there were so many desertions among his countrymen during the retreat across the Jerseys that General von Knyphausen announced, through his regimental commanders, that the men must not believe the "statements in circulation that the rebels would give plantations and houses to those who remained behind." This general, as a warning to the troops, as they marched by caused a deserter to be hanged on a tree by the road," which caused a dreadful uproar." When the English marched out of Philadelphia they were but eleven thousand strong. When Howe landed at the head of Elk he had eighteen thousand men. As a writer of that time says:This terrible diminution can be only accounted for by the spirit of desertion, which, among the Hessians, prevailed to a very great degree.

General Greene, in a letter to John Adams written from Basking Ridge in March, 1777, thus speaks of the Germans captured at Trenton :

The mild and gentle treatment the Hessian prisoners have received since they have been in our possession has produced a great alteration in their dispositions. Desertions prevail among them. One whole brigade refused to fight or do duty, and were sent prisoners to New York. Rancor and hatred prevail between them and the British soldiery.

From Lossing we learn that of the officers captured at Trenton, Ensign Carle Fried Frurer, of the Knyphausen regiment, and Ensign Kleinsmith, joined the American army; and the historian Onderdonk claims that many leading families of Long Island trace their descent from deserters from the ranks of the mercenary troops. Von Eelking mentions by name twelve officers of the Brunswick contingent who settled permanently in America. Among them were six who remained by permission after the peace, two who returned home but came back to this

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country, and four who deserted during the war. The latter included Chaplain Carl Melsheimer of the dragoon regiment. On the Sunday after the battle of Princeton, General Maxwell with some Jersey militia came out of the Short Hills, and falling suddenly on the British post at Elizabethtown, made prisoners of fifty Waldeckers and forty Highlanders. A writer who describes this affair in a letter dated at Philadelphia on the sixteenth of January, recites:

The English troops at Elizabethtown would not suffer the Waldeckers to stand sentry at the outposts, several of them having deserted and come over to us.

At the time of the battle of Germantown there was living in that place a rich German baker, named Christopher Ludwick. Having learned that among the prisoners taken during that engagement were eight Hessians, this patriotic baker conceived the idea of putting his unfortunate countrymen to a more valuable service than that of being guarded or paroled. He went to headquarters and induced the commander-in-chief to place these men completely in his hands, the only proviso being that there should come to them no bodily harm. He then constituted himself their host and guide, and taking them all about Philadelphia and its vicinity, showed them how the Germans were prospering in this country; how comfortably they were housed, what fine churches they had, with what freedom and independence they followed their avocations, and with what happiness those in the humbler pursuits of life were living. This wise custodian then dismissed his prisoners, charging them to return to their regiments and inform their fellow-soldiers of all that they had seen, and explain to them the happiness awaiting those who would desert and settle in Pennsylvania. The seed thus planted bore rich fruit. It is said that among the deserters resulting from this action, numbers afterward became prosperous citizens of Philadelphia. Ludwick's success in this enterprise encouraged him to further endeavors in the same direction; he visited a Hessian camp on Staten Island, and without detection succeeded in causing several soldiers to flee to Pennsylvania. This honest German afterward became baker-general to the American army. He is said to have often been a visitor at headquarters, where Washington recognized his worth, and appreciated to the full the value of his services.

Speaking of General Washington brings to mind the fact that, while living in Philadelphia as chief magistrate of the nation, his coachman was an ex-Hessian soldier. It was one of the events of the week to see "Fritz," seated on the box of the executive's carriage, drawing up his four bright bays on Sunday morning in front of Christ church. He was tall and muscular, looking the soldier, his long aquiline nose pressing closely down over a fierce moustache. In a livery of white, touched with red, he carried himself with an important air, showing a severe countenance under his cocked hat, which was worn square to the front, but thrown a little back on his queue. Washington's arrival at church was always the occasion of an enthusiastic but a quiet and respectful ovation. Long before the hour he was expected Second street would be packed with a patient throng of citizens. On the approach of the well-known white coach, ornamented with medallions, the crowd silently opened a narrow way or lane from the curb to the church door, and, as the president stepped with calm dignity from the carriage, profound silence reigned, every eye being riveted on the distinguished form. As Washington, stately in person and noble in demeanor, slowly moved across the pavement toward the sacred edifice, it was an impressive spectacle. From the dense crowd there came not a sound, but the respectful silence in which the assembled multitude stood in the presence of the "father of his country," testified more strongly than would have the bravest shouts, or the loudest acclamations, to the admiration and veneration with which they viewed this "greatest, purest, most exalted of mortals."

CHAPTER XXVI.

Washington's March from Trenton to Morristown-The Battles of Assunpink and Princeton - The American Army Encamped at Pluckamin-Death and Burial of Captain William Leslie.

With the turn of the year 1776-'77 important events rapidly succeeded each other. Naturally one would say that the history of this time will make trite reading, but the occurrences of the next few weeks are too closely identified with the experiences of Bedminster people to be passed over without a somewhat extended notice. In addition, an endeavor will be made in this chapter to present some facts and incidents that have hitherto escaped the attention and knowledge of the ordinary Revolutionary student. It is not my purpose to tell over again the wellknown stories of Assunpink and Princeton, but rather to dwell on the many minor scenes and events connected with the march of the continental army from the second to the sixth of January, 1777; to relate some details of interest that historians generally have been forced to pass by, in order to dilate on the two noted engagements which at that time entirely altered the current of American history. While the foundation and continuity of the narration cannot be preserved without mentioning these actions, yet, whatever of interest and value may follow will be due to the lesser historical gleanings presented, which may be said to be, to some extent, the result of an intimate knowledge of the locality in which the scenes are depicted, and a lifelong acquaintance with its people.

The Christmas holidays of the year 1776, which will ever be considered one of the great epochs in American history, completely changed the aspect of the Revolutionary contest. Sir

William Howe and Lord Cornwallis, astounded at the news from Trenton, were at once alive to their error in thinking that American independence was a matter of the past. Abandoning his proposed home voyage, Cornwallis hastily marched his troops toward the Delaware, being joined on the way by Count von Donop's force from Bordentown. The British column, five thousand strong, reached Trenton late on the afternoon of the second of January. Washington was already there with nearly an equal number of men, although his army was largely composed of undisciplined, ununiformed militia. Intent on reoccupying if not recapturing New Jersey, he on the thirteenth of December had again crossed the Delaware.

Cornwallis on reaching Princeton had with him about eight thousand men. Leaving fifteen hundred there under Lieutenant Colonel Mawhood, and dispatching General Leslie with fifteen hundred more to Maidenhead, he marched with the remainder on the morning of the second, intent on annihilating Washington's ragged army. The American general, to check this advance, on the evening of New Year's day sent out a strong force of riflemen and artillery under Generals de Fermoy and Adam Stephen. They met the enemy on the following morning, arresting their progress for nearly two hours, then falling back toward the Delaware continued harassing and impeding the hostile march, until it was nearly dark before the British faced the main body of the Americans at Trenton. After sunset the enemy advanced in two heavy bodies to the north side of Assunpink creek in order to force the bridge, but from the opposite shore the American dogs of war barked from their iron throats a dubious welcome. The enemy's attempt to force a passage of the stream was defeated by the effective manner in which General Knox handled his artillery, which was advantageously planted on the high southern bank of the creek. Owing to the lateness of the hour Cornwallis retired to the rear of the town, on the Princeton road, deciding to await daylight before renewing the attack, and when, as he boasted, "he would catch that old fox Washington." The British general's confidence in what the morrow would bring forth proved to be misplaced. From time immemorial a fox has been the most uncertain of all game, and Lord Cornwallis had quite neglected to remember that it was not uncommon for