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THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY
NINETY YEARS AGO:
AN ESSAY
RKYEALINfl NEW FACTS IN CONNECTION WITH
WASHINGTON AND HIS ARMY
IN
1776 AND 1777,
Bj- C. C. HAVEN,
MEMI1EK OF THK HISTORICAL SOCIETIES OF NEW .JERSEV AND PENNSYLVANIA.

TRENTON:
PRINTED 'AT THE ",§TATE GAZETTE*' OFFICE.
JANUARY, 18 6 7.
For sale at the Gazettk Office, and the Bookstore? of this and other Statee

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY
YEARS AGO.

Those who believe that all the #wonderful events in
the world have occurred in their time, need not be in
vited to have their delusions dissipated by a perusal of
this humble Essay. Nor need those fastidious Novel-
fanciers, who detest a story founded on fact, expect to
have their love of pure fiction gratified by what I shall
venture to prove. Ninety years ago in this country f
when, Hercules-like, our young Republic leaped from its
cradle to wrestle for its life with the British lion, was not
a time for idle sport or ordinary enterprises. Later ex
periences on a larger scale, and our recent gigantic Rebel
war especially, which the athletic maturity of the loyal
sons of our great country has been able to terminate
successfully, cannot, ought not to be underrated. But,
if there ever was a period that really tried mens wouIp
and bodies with intense suffering and fortitude, the won
derful events in New Jersey in the campaigns of 1776
and 1777 may fairly challenge contemplation. History
is full of these gloomy revelations — but all has not yet
been told — nay more, a part of them could not have
been prudentially revealed by Washington in that
agonizing crisis, when the success of our Independence
rested solely upon the pivot carried in his bosom, and
almost instant perdition seemed to overwhelm the glori-

4 THIRTY DAVS IX NEW JERSEY XTXETY YEARS AW).
ous cause, whose triumph has since revolutionized so
great a part of the world.
' lt is not to glorify this epoch above all other events
in our country's earlier or later achievements that I un
dertake to gather together a few of the lost Sibyl leaves
of the Revolutionary history. 1 seek only to do justice
to what occurred in this part of New Jersey in the
gloomy period which was the turning point where the
fortunes of our young Republic were reversed, and
when some suppressed details caused what has been
called a " casus omissus'' in the official reports published
at the time. Facts have been since revealed and fully
corroborated in regard to the second engagement in
Trenton, which took place on the banks of the Assun-
pink, which demonstrate it to have been a much more
important fight in its consequences, as well as strategic
skill and bravery, than that of the surprise of the Hes
sians, or the gallant but much more costly victory at
Princeton. Credence of this fact, however, at this time is hard to
be secured. It is a matter of surprise that many readers
have never heard so much as. that there was any battle
on the 2d of January 1777, and that others only con
ceived it to be a cannonade. But Lord Cornwallis* did
not even admit in his official report that he ever ap
proached the bridge where the struggle was, and Wash
ington-}- scarcely alluded to his position there (being one
that would not bear to be disclosed at the time), although
he afterwards alluded 10 it as one of the most perilous
and memorable events of the war. -See Trumbulls
Memoirs and Picture of the battle at the Bridge, and
* See Appendix. f See Appendix.

THIRTY DAYS TN .NEW JERSEY NrNETY YEARS ,\li(). 5
Washington's letter to the matrons and maidens who
welcomed him there in 1789.' Even our early Histo
rians said but little about it, making the capture of the
Hessians on the 26th of December 1776, and the victory
at Princeton on the 3d of January 1777, the glorious
Phenix-like events of the Revolution, reviving hope and
reversing despair.
In later years, it is true, some of our distinguished
readers and writers of history have had the veil lifted
before their eyes, and have cautiously admitted there
must have been at least a bloody skirmish, or a severe
repulse on that bridge, and at that ford below it, which
Lord Cornwallis' generals told him he ought to take at
night-fall, and not to leave until next morning. But no
one has yet done justice to the real combat, by which
he was so roughly handled and out-generalled, excepting
the cotemporary witnesses who were in or saw the
battle. Their evidence will be herein produced.
A retrospect of ninety years, and a faithful collation
of facts, put together like Mosaic work, and agreeing so
as to make a marvellous and yet true and consistent
whole, ought to command attention. But as a mistake
is considered by some writers as worse than an ordinary
fault, some will not be convinced against their will. But
I design, nevertheless, showing even them my proofs*
and if they are not convinced let them be unconvinced
still. Post-mortem examinations often reveal truths that
are hid from living savaiis. But the operator must be
ware that his own hands are without a scratch. Dead
blood is dangerous to handle. I shall proceed cautiously
in probing for truth, and if it is found all I ask is an ac-

t) THIRTY DAYS IX NEW JERSEY NTINETY YEARS AGO.
knowledgment from those who are bold enough to admit
it, in spite of prejudice or partiality.
It is the prerogative of the Historian to tell the truth
and the whole truth ; to develop the events of the past
for the benefit of future times, in a clear, impartial and
accurate manner.
He should be comprehensive without redundancy —
impressive without devious ostentation, but emphatically
instructive without impairing the interest of the narra
tive, so that it can be remembered and appreciated by
the reader when left to his judgment to decide upon it
according to the evidence produced.
In this enlightened age readers of history will examine
facts and principles and judge for themselves, and should
be furnished with references and proofs that have guided
the historian. He might be deemed supercilious who,
fallible himself, would deny this to others. Consistent
circumstances do not lie, but what narrator is always
true to himself when prejudice or misapprehension may
bias his pen? Even Voltaire showed this obliquity.
His first life of Chailes the XHth made that hero the
great man worthy to be glorified in history ; but in his
second edition, influenced, it is said, by the Empress
Catharine the First, he calls Peter the Great, " beaucoup
plus grand homme que lui."
Even Time, which is called the test of Truth mavlonf
conceal errors, hoary with antiquity, a fact which was
made manifest by the revelations of Columbus, Coperni
cus, Galileo, Newton and others. Let stolid criticism
put on her screws and insist that
"What has been, spite of Jove himself, has been,"
but the world moves. If what I have to prove in this

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. I
Essay regarding what took place in Trenton during the
thirty days ninety years ago, cannot be proved let it not
be believed. Judicial and legislative judgments some
times are reversed, but in regard "to the authorities nowr
believed to be in error, there will be no occasion to im
pugn their motives or their known integrity. Certainly
not by me.
These premises being stated and admitted as neces
sary to enable me to proceed with frankness and fidelity
in my Essay, I beg leave to state briefly its
ORIGIN AND DESIGN.
Twenty years ago, a native of Portsmouth, New Hamp
shire, (where was the first outbreak of the Revolutionary
war in 1774,) I became a resident in New Jersey and
settled at Trenton, with a New England curiosity prone
to investigate and enjoy its classical associations con
nected with early American history, I found much of
an interesting nature not authentically published, and
some facts unrevealed, or misstated.
In 1855 I had collected and arranged in a consistent
and credible form an analysis of events connected with
remarks historical and explanatory, based on cotempo-
rary evidences referred to, which in 1856 were read be
fore the Literary and Philosophical Society of this city,
and published. The Address was entitled, " Washington
and His Army." It was novel, and thought somewhat
mythical in some of its revelations, but it was fearlessly
sent to several of our historical writers and societies, and
I had the satisfaction then of receiving the thanks of
such societies and of such distinguished men as Irving

8 THIRTY DAYS IX NEW JtfRSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
Bancroft, Lossing, Professor Silliman, senior, and Pre
sident Felton, of Harvard College, as well as others
whom I should be proud to name. With this approval
of so humble an essay, and the pamphlet being all dis
posed of, and now out of print, I ought to have been
satisfied. But this not being the case, as some of the
prominent facts are not authentically admitted by some
historians, although most of them are, and as I have since
discovered many new proofs of their correctness, I feel
at liberty to make a new Digest of what is relevant to
the matters in question, quoting freely from my own
publications, as abovenamed, as well as my " Annals op
Trenton," published here this year, and also placing be
fore my readers all my proofs and references, leaving
the whole subject to their decision, and the candor of a
liberal criticism. What I published in my 70th year.
and what I have since found confirmed and can find no
cause to doubt in my 80th, must be my apology for per
severing in an undertaking called for by some of my
friends, who think that the correctness of my statements
and revelations, so interesting to Jerseymen, and particu
larly to Trentonians, should be fully acknowledged.
I will now proceed with the narratives.
WASHINGTON'S RETREAT INTO PENNSYLVANIA AND RE
TURN TO NEW JERSEY TO SURPRISE THE HESSIANS.
It was on the Fth day of December 1776, when the
Army was got safely across the Delaware, and the boats
were all sent up the river and secured on its western
banks. It was a Pass-over long to be remembered.
Washington, whose retreat into Pennsylvania, beino-
almost without an army, created a foreboding terror

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YKA11S AGO. V
over the whole land, managed still to secure himself
from his pursuers. Howe and his generals were baffled.
and giving up the final victory for the present, they post
ed the hireling Hessians to watch our troops and plunder
the inhabitants. But our lion-hearted chief was not
long quiet in his lair. Turning back upon his pursuers, he
soon captured most of the Hessians and drove the British
into narrow quarters. Rest, however, was needed for
his fatigued and almost abandoned arm}*. Their suffer
ings were partially relieved ; but for him there was no
rest, no relief. He had to uphold and carry Independ
ence almost solely upon his own shoulders. For Wash
ington thete could be no substitute.
Let those who would have a more comprehensive
view of the sufferings he and his army endured at this
time, read Bancroft's ninth volume, particularly chapters
12th, 13th and 14th. They treat of the wonderful days
in New .Jersey.
I quote now from my own Address : pp. 20-28.
"In that portentous exigency, when every ray
of hope appeared to have abandoned the wavering
and frightened masses of the people, and a gloom like
that of a sudden and unexpected night had settled on
all below and around him, his eagle eye was soaring still
higher and higher, to keep its steady gaze upon the de
parting day ; and thus from his habitual trust in God
and the light of conscious rectitude in his cause, it
seemed as if 'Eternal sunshine settled on his head.'"
He had to deal, however, with so many mortal calami-
2

10 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
ties, that neither the pen of a Bancroft, nor Irving's feel
ing narration, nor Leutze's nor Sully's pencil could
portray his embarrassments.
" Besides these disheartening circumstances, the Com
mander-in-chief had his own private griefs to contend
with — dissatisfaction, disobedience and desertion of some
of those highest in favor in the army and who became
so in the country generally, because they had been suc
cessful, and he was not — they had reaped laurels which
others had won for them — and he had lost them because
his chance of obtaining them was frustrated by insuper
able difficulties, aud because like Fabius, he preferred
securing victory by fortitude, prudence and delay, rather
than rashly risking everything to exhibit what they
called decision! General Lee (since proved a Traitor)
refused moving to his assistance, after reiterated orders
and remonstrances; but, as if to clip his self-importance,
he was soon afterwards taken a prisoner by his own folly
and imprudence. Gates preferred deserting him at his
utmost need and going to Congress to suggest his own
plan for saying the country — and, worse than all, his
own ' bosom's oracle,' his Marcus Brut as, in the camp
and in council, the friend who absolutely had the love
of sych a heart as Washington's (I name him not), at
that moment faltered in his confidence in him, and if he
had not promptly repented of his folly and injustice, he
would thereby have fixed an eternal stigma on his own
hitherto unsullied character. Washington was only ex
alted the more by all these pitiable misgivings. What
he knew of them he overlooked and forgave ; but he
did not know all."
My intimations ten years ago have turned out correct.

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 11
It is proved by " Donop's Diary," according to Mr. Ban
croft, vol. , page 22". and other evidence, that Colonel
Reed went over to the enemy's camp and took a pardon,
about the time Washington was crossing the Delaware.
He afterwards tried to conceal this, and recover his lost
honor. But such a leap in the darkest hour, and back
again the next day when light broke upon our benighted
cause, although it might serve to satisfy his own idea of
being all right, did not (and in spite of his lineal pane
gyrist), cannot satisfy others. Still let him be remem
bered gratefullj>- for his services, and let his proud,
treacherous, and unenviable character pass out of mem
ory as soon as possible.
The Comma,nder-in-chief consumed a few days in ma
turing his plans for future operations. Among other
things not yet told in our histories, he ordered up a com
pany of hardy long-shore riggers, sail and block makers,
consisting of eighty-two young men, all less than twenty-
three years old, under the brave Captain Moulder, of
Philadelphia, whose battery of two guns, long four-inch
pieces, did so much gallant service at the battles of
the Assunpink and Princeton. This fact was communi
cated to me by the son of Lieutenant Cuthburt, Of Phi
ladelphia, whose father was afterwards Captain of the
same company ; whose commission was exhibited to me
signed by Colonel Joseph Reed.
Cornwallis, after posting about twenty-five hundred
Hessians, under Colonels Rahl and Dunop, all along the
Trenton side of the Delaware, to watch Washington's
movements, or pardon the frightened inhabitants, pre
pared to go to England to assure his Royal master that the
Revolution was quelled, and Peace with his loving Colo-

12 THIRTY DAYS IX NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
nists was likely to be soon settled on a surer basis than
ever. '' Congress at the same time appeared to be alarmed
for their safety, and resolved to adjourn to Baltimore.
Even the cradle of Independence in Philadelphia seemed
almost within the grasp of the enemy, and the example
and the watchfulness of the brave old Putnam could
hardly preserve order in that city of brotherly love, nor
restore the lost confidence in the success of our arms
anywhere. Everything seemed to go wrong." * * *
"Fortunately for the country. Washington possessed
a spirit that seemed not only invulnerable to disaster,
but so tenacious of success eventually, that victory and
independence were always cherished guests in his bosom,
never to be abandoned. Congress, therefore, transferred
their waning confidence in the cause to his care, and in
vested him with almost dictatorial powers. How safe
this trust was in his keeping, history has told !
' ' He began immediately to make use of it. His
retreat thus far, which military men give him now great
credit for, -was looked upon, at the time, as most disas
trous ; but even before it was accomplished, his thought
ful mind was then meditating a reaction upon the foe.
" His first scheme was now to be tried — to fall upon
the harpies that were pursuing him, and to clip their
wings whilst distended. The time was come to attempt
something on their unguarded outposts, to showr that he
was not wanting in decision, and to convince the country
that it was necessary to turn upon their invaders to
punish and drive out the brutal Hessians, whose lustful
and rapacious soldiery spared neither age nor sex, whigs

THIRTY DAYS IX NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 13
nor tories. A vigorous resistance, he thought, would
rouse the drooping spirits of the people in this and other
States, and induce some of them to abandon the royal
standard, and return to help their own countrymen
whom they had so cravenly deserted."
The remnants of the old army, reduced to less than
three thousand men, mustered on the west side of the
Delaware, were in the most destitute and suffering con
dition. " It was so heart-rending, it would not be tolerated
for a moment in our days, and scarcely can be believed
by us. In our comfortable homes, well clothed, and
warmed, and fed, many of us, by our own parlor
firesides, surrounded with almost every luxury that
wealth and taste can supply — how can we realize what
we have never felt, and actually know nothing about ?
I speak of those who often experienced absolute hunger,
sparingly allayed by tainted meat and mouldy bread —
marching and fasting for nights and days together, weary,
suffering, fainting, perhaps with bleeding feet, or attacks
of small-pox, which was then prevalent, encountering
snow, rain, or hail, with ragged, shabby clothing, not
being provided, generally, with shoes or stockings or
tents, or cooking utensils, or money to buy anything
with !
" With this motley array of an army, of about five
thousand men, including raw recruits, and ill fitted
for duty or discipline, Washington was emboldened to
make his celebrated coup de main on the Hessians at
Trenton. By this strategem he hoped to relieve New ¦«
Jersey from their ravages, to prevent Philadelphia from*^
falling into the hands of the British, and to rouse the

14 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
drooping spirits of the country, which were now at their
lowest ebb.
"This force was divided into three separate corps, of
which Washington had under his command about two
thousand four hundred men ; General Ewing and Gene
ral Cadwalader, with the remainder, were to co-operate,
by simultaneous attacks, at Trenton Ferry and at Bristol,
whilst Washington was to cross at McKonkey's Ferry,
where the boats, under the charge of Colonel Glover
(who General Wilkinson states was here), with the Mar
blehead fishermen, had been got in readiness. These
hardy, sea-bred soldiers (together with Moulder's boys,
and Captain John Blunt, whom, according to the "Ram
bles of Portsmuth," page 263, Washington asked to take
the helm,) were engaged for ten eventful hours in ferrv-
ingo ver the last reserved hopes and fortunes of our coun
try, through the booming ice-crags of that stormy Christ
mas night. Without the aid of these brave fishermen and
the stentorian lungs of General Knox, it is admitted the
army, with its artillery, could not have been got over,
nor could the splendid results which followed, which
turned the night of despair into a day of rejoicing
throughout the country have been realized.
" I shall not , attempt to give a description of the
attack and capture of the Hessians in this city, every
particular of which is as familiar as household words to
you all. The conception, execution, and beneficial in
fluence of this successful enterprise have an epic grandeur
in our history, worthy the pen of genius, and the pencil
of our best painters to portray. Suffice it for me to say,
Washington commanded, Greene, Sullivan, St. Clair,
Mercer, Sterling, Knox, Dickinson, Stevens, Wilkinson

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YI'ARS AGO. 15
Stark, Hamilton, Baylor, McPherson, Glover, Forest,
Monroe, Captains Washington, Frelinghuysen,* Mott,
Moore, Moulder, and others of our brave officers, and
about two thousand four hundred of our hardiest and
most reliable troops all did their duty that night, and
after taking about one thousand of the Hessians prison
ers, with their colors, cannon, stores, &c, breakfasted in
their camp and then returned on the same day, by the
same road they came, to the other side of the Delaware."
In addition to the foregoing succinct account of the
engagement at Trenton, I think it will be acceptable to
my general readers to republish what has appeared in
my " Annals of the City of Trenton," printed here last
year. They were written in a more free and familiar
style than is usual in historic narratives, but they con
tain graphic details and interesting anecdotes that may
be thought pertinent to the correct illustration of the mar
vellous, or rather Providential events that occurred in
this quarter in 1776, making the first Christmas night
of our young Republic the most memorable of any that
has ever occurred in this quarter :
" It has been a subject of some uncertainty, but of
much interest to Trentonians, how and where the Hes
sians were captured. We will here give a condensed,
account of the result of our critical investigation of the
historical and local statements of this most important
event. When the two divisions of Washington's army
entered the town, about 8 o'clock on the morning of the '
26th of December, 1776, Colonel Kahl's forces were off
their guard and much scattered. It was Washington's
* It m as Captain, afterwards General, Frelinghuyson, who, it is staled,
shot General Rahl with a musket, but this is doubtful.

16 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
design to entrap them, as well as all the British forces
at Mount Holly and elsewhere under Count Dunop;
but the failure of Ewing's and Cadwalader's two detach
ments of our army to get across the Delaware, defeated
a part of this bold and complete plan. Washington, on
arriving at the entrance of the town where Warren and
Greene streets (then King and Queen) unite, came down
Warren with his artillery and the greater part of his
division, which had entered by the Pennington road, but
he sent a detachment under Colonel Hand down Greene
street to prevent the enemy from escaping to Princeton.
The first conflict with the main part of the Hessians,
who were endeavoring to form into line with a bat
tery, took place near the head of Warren street, where
Captain William Washington (afterwards the distin
guished partisan officer) and Lieutenant Monroe (the
future President of the United States) were successful,
with a few brave men, iu capturing two of the enemy's
guns, which were afterwards turned upon them. Thus
repulsed, they scattered and ran across to Greene street-
General Sullivan's division, with Stark in the advance,
had rushed through Willow street and along Front
towards the bridge that crossed the Assunpink at the
foot of Greene street. Only the dragoons and a few
light horse escaped over it towards Bordentown. The
Hessians had to turn back in that quarter, and with
Colonel Raid's other forces, whom he was trying to form
into something like a line, were forced back by Wash
ington's division, and finally huddled together in an old
apple orchard which extended from Academy and
Hanover streets, towards where the Canal now is and
eastward to the Assunpink. Here, between Montgom-

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 17
ery and Stockton streets, east of the old Quaker Church,
Washington was about directing, in person, a discharge
of cannister shot from Morgan's battery upon the disor
dered and bewildered Hessians, whose commander had
been mortally wounded, when, according to General
Wilkinson, who was a witness of the morning's encoun.
ter, Captain Morgan told Washington they had struck!
Their colors were down, and they had grounded their
muskets. Raising his arms and being satisfied of the fact-
he exclaimed, " Why so they have," and galloped to
wards them. The bleeding and vanquished Colonel
Rahl, no longer the dreaded master of this important
post, but unhorsed and dying, gave up his sword to
General Washington, at that moment pre-eminently the
savior of his country.
"Americans! imagine his emotions at that exciting
and auspicious event. Success had seemed to have
abandoned the proud cause for which he had risked his
life, his fortune, and his fame ; and instead of disastrous
battles and almost hopeless retreats ever since he had
left New England, here was his first signal triumph to
reward him for his brave perseverance, and his comrades
for their long-endured sufferings, fidelity and patriotism.
Imagine the heartfelt burst of exultation Washington
and the brave band with him felt at that ecstatic
moment. From " Freedom's dying embers" here were
again rekindled those altar fires over our happy land
which have spread their beacon lights throughout the
world — lights which no campaign of disasters can now
extinguish, and no succeeding glory can eclipse. In
the inspired language of our Trenton poetess (Mrs. Ellen
Clementine Bowarth), we will gratefully give expres.
3

IS THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
sion to our own feelings. Let Jersey's sons and daugh
ters be no longer unmindful of their monumental duty,
but erect a suitable Cenotaph on the consecrated ground
here best suited for it.
' To place his statue whsre the beams of morning
Shall earliest kiss his brow ;
Where he who led the hope of freedom's dawning
May herald sunrise now 1
Then build the monument — record the story,
And while our waters run,
Let the first name upon our page of glory
Be Washington !'
"In these engagements Washington acknowledged a
Providential influence. What we are now about to
record, from information accurately investigated, and
published by us before, seems to confirm Washington's
opinion, and may be thought interesting enough to be
included in the Annals of Trenton.
" Colonel Rahl, with three regiments of Hessians and a
! company of British light horsemen, had two warnings
ji&nt him ; one, that he would be attacked on Christmas
"day, as before alluded to, and the other by some tory, pro
bably from up the river, announcing Washington's > ross-
ing at McKonkey's ferry. Both failed of their design.
The first was defeated in this wise : The particulars
were obtained by the writer from the Potts family and
General Anderson, of glorious Fort Sumter fame, and
Lars Anderson, Esq., of Cincinnati, sons of the distin
guished hero of our narrative, Captain Richard Clough
Anderson, of Kentucky, serving in Scott's Virginia regi
ment during the old war.
^Colonel Rahl was a brave, jovial officer, fond of music,
Wine, hot whiskey punch, and card playing. Stacy
Potts, a Quaker, who was his host, was no card playe,-

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY XIXETY YEARS AGO. 19
and no Tory, but still a non-combatant, of course ; yet
good for a game of chequers, or fox and geese, with an
enemy, even when concealing Mr. Limning, the Whig
spy who piloted our army down the Pennington road
on the 26th of December. It is stated that Colonel
Rah], after waiting all day on the look out for the enemy,
was playing a game of Fox and Geese, or Chequers, with
his loyal-like host, when an alarm from the outskirts ol
the town was heard, and springing up, he left his head
quarters, mustered his troops, found the "out-guard"
attacked, as Sir William Howe reported to Lord George
Germaine, and drove the enemy off, and then the next
morning, he (Rahl), attacked Washington "unsuccess
fully," instead of defending the village, as Sir William
Howe said he should have done, and lost his army and
his life. This account appeared in the London Magazine
of February, 1777. Gordon, the historian, says : Colonel
Rahl dismissed his men to their quarters after the flurry
on Christmas night, " and some got drunk." This is very
probable. Mr. Potts stated that the brave Colonel never
returned that night to finish the game, but next morn
ing, after he was mortally wounded, he was brought to
his house and died there.
"The company of Virginia regulars before alluded to,
under command of Captain Anderson, were on a scout
by permission of General Stevens, but without Washing
ton's knowledge, and approaching Trenton, on Christmas
evening, attacked and wounded the picket, took their
guns, and hastily marched back to join the army on its
way to surprise the Hessians. They and their com
mander were satisfied there was no further cause of
alarm and were probably off their guard, although Sir

20 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
William Howe's report states that Colonel Rahl was
advised of Washington's approach and made an unsuc
cessful attack upon our troops. General Washington
says in his report the enemy 'never made any regular
stand." The surprise, however, was complete, more so>
perhaps, than our General apprehended, for, it is said'
he was angry with General Stevens, when Anderson's
altack was told him, fearing he had alarmed Rahl, and
that his plan would be defeated. Captain Anderson,
however, was afterwards complimented for his brave and
well-timed manoeuvre. Washington, with many a noble
General, has been free to admit
' There's a Divinity that shapes our ends.
Rough-hew them how we will.'
"Another anecdote connected with this 'strange event
ful history' is related on good authority, and the belief
in it is quite current here. The reported statement of
Mr. Potts that Colonel Rahl never returned to his head
quarters after he left his house on Christmas night, and
Sir William Howe's belief that he was apprised of Wash
ington's approach, render the truth of the following
story possible, if not probable :
"It is said that in those times that tried men's souls,
the taste of American Independence did not agree with
some stomachs as well as British punch and old Jamaica.
In the old mansion still standing at the corner of War
ren and State streets, lately occupied as a liquor store
by our deceased friend Mr. Norcross, and now converted
into a wholesale apothecary store by its proprietor, S. K.
Wilson, for Dr. George McDonald, there resided a
respected friend of the Tories in the Revolution, named
Abraham Hunt. On the night of Christmas. 1776. when

THIRTY DAYS IX XEW JERSEY XIXETY YEARS AGO. 21
loyal subjects, of his most Christian Majesty, George the
III, were supposed to be in the best spirits, it was
natural that they should wish their British friends and
allies, tempted by the gold and coppers that they would
get for cutting Yankee throats, to partake of the spirits
of the times, and to join in a game of brag, perhaps.
Colonel Rahl, it is reported, after his great alarm was
succeeded by the brilliant victory over the ragamuffin
Yankees at his outpost, could not or would not resist
having a good time at Mr. Hunt's hospitable home.
" Cards, wine and dice, no Coffee-house nor Inn,
But tea and scandal cheered the souls within!"
The wintry night was whiled away, and towards morning
whist and whiskey-punch, monopolized the ring. Washing
ton and state affairs were not thought of. The colored
man in charge of the door was ordered to let no one go
out or in. This was the custom of the times, as we have
heard the venerable Charles Cotesworth Pinckney say,
who was a General in these matters as well as in diplo
macy, when he told Talleyrand, " Millions for defence,
but not one cent for tribute." Well ! not to be too gar
rulous, we will here say the janitor obeyed orders. After
midnight, Colonel Rahl being in the midst of a very
interesting game of whist, a rap summoned the servant to
the door, (we do not remember hearing his name), who
inquired, " who is there ?" " A friend ; I must speak to
Colonel Rahl." " I must !" with the emphasis of Julius
Caesar, when he said, " Veni, vidi, vici." " No !" said the
janitor, "I have orders to let no one in."
Now, to make the story short, which it is not, the
messenger, having a note he was ordered to deliver into
the hands of Colonel Rahl, informing him that Washing-

22 THTRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
ton was on his way down to surprise him, and having
called in vain at his headquarters, had to submit to circum
stances. He sent it in to him, and being delivered into
the bands of the Colonel, he glanced at the superscrip
tion and thrust it into his pocket, intending to read it.
but forgot it until, bleeding and dying, he was taken to
his quarters, when handing out his pocket-book to Mrs.
Potts, he discovered the note, and reading it, he said,
with a sigh, " had I read this at Mr. Hunt's, I should not
now be here."
Two reflections naturally present themselves in clos
ing our allusions to the two wonderful occurrences
which secured Washington's success in this portion of
the perilous enterprise, planned by him, when both the
other parts of it failed. The post of duty should never
be neglected as it was in Colonel Rahl's case, for selfish
gratification, and a good* cause, however hopeless, may
be saved by perseverance and energy, when entrusted
to a General who, like Washington, never listened to
despair, but relied steadfastly on the Providence of God.
BATTLE OF THE SECOND JANUARY, 1777, AND REPULSE OF
CORNWALLIS.
In approaching the narrative of events long ignored
in many of the early histories of the Revolutionary war
and which were not put .together in a credible form
until they were published by me in 1856, in a pamphlet.
which is now out of print, I feel at liberty to furnish the
readers of this Essay with full extracts from that work
repeating the arguments and details connected with
this somewhat mysterious and still partly unrevealed
subject for history.

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 23
But, in addition to this, I wish to add the new evi
dences 1 have since received, strongly corroborating my
previous statements, and to prove by six agreeing attesta
tions of contemporary witnesses that, in spite of the
reticence of the two distinguished commanders on that
occasion, (viz: Washington and Cornwallis — see their
reports in Appendix,) yet their exact positions and move
ments of their forces have been so graphically made
known by others, whose positive evidence is circumstan
tially and unitedly so much more reliable than negative
omissions relative to their whereabouts, rendered prudential,
it must be clear there was a desperate struggle at the As
sunpink bridge with cannon and musketry on the Ameri
can side, against masses of British troops rushing down a
narrow street, besides a bootless attempt to cross the
fords above and below the bloody scene of the conflict
in Greene street.
Washington's position was his sole protection. He
knew it, and the necessity of taking it; but as it was a
desperate one, on the wrong side of the river, over
which he had recently retreated for safety, he did not
wish frightened and recreant turncoats, and deserting
military cavillers to make capital by noising it abroad,
even although the hazard of the die might result, as it
did, favorable to his bold strategy. No doubt a resolu
tion was taken in the Council of War after the battle,
to say nothing about his position that night, if he could
triumph at Princeton, or get to Brunswick as he hoped
to do. Secrecy enjoined on his officers then is manifest
and was not to be broken by them afterwards officially.
The other lookers on, however, and participants in the
fight told the truth about it.

24 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
Cornwallis was in every way out-generaled — did not
accomplish anything and had to keep dark, as Napoleon
did running away from Russia, until he got back to Paris.
He did, however, say to the Abbe de Pratt, that "there
was but one step from the sublime to the ridiculous" and
Cornwallis might have told Sir William Howe, his
sublime movement on a small scale, turned out rather
ridiculous, and like Napoleon's mistake, eventuated in
a failure at last, as Yorktown witnessed.
After the exploit of capturing the Hessians which so
astonished Sir William and Lord Howe as to,
" Confound their politics
And frustrate their knavish tricks,"
our infant Republic ventured once more to look out of
its cradle with an air of Independence. " But Washing
ton knew the perils that still surrounded him. He could
judge how best to turn the enemy's panic to our own
advantage, and to prepare for that vindictive reaction
which was sure to stimulate the haughty British lords
who, whilst hunting the lion, had presumed to sell his
skin. Angered and excited, for he was not impertura-
ble when great occasions required his being aroused, he
wished to give back some blows like those he had
received, whilst his blood was warm. He therefore lost
no time in arranging a plan, in connection with Generals
Cadwalader, Putnam, Dickinson, and Mifflin, to' follow
up the attack of the Hessians, and to drive the British,
if possible, out of this State.
"That he was not incited to this extra hazardous
undertaking, which all military critics have ventured, in
spite of its success, to consider a departure from his own
usually prudent policy, by a desire to exhibit decision

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 25
the doubt of which, as a military chief, he must have
felt prompted to rebuke, I shall not assert nor deny.
But I will certainly maintain, that he always had the
good of his country most at heart, and however hazard
ous this second adventure to measure swords with the
enemy on the fields of Trenton was, whatever ¦ mixture
of feeling and purpose there was in his own breast, there
never was a time in the whole management of any
threatening disaster, when his genius shewed itself more
resplendent, and his military tactics more decidedly
efficacious. His early history, his whole life, had exhibi
ted that invincible constitution of soul that rose with the
difficulties it had to encounter, and he wanted then to
inspire the country with a confidence in him and in their
cause, which should know no fear, and, as far as his
guarantee for success could go, his own life, his ample
fortune, and unblemished reputation were then cheer
fully staked.
" On the 29th of December he wrote Congress of his
intended project ' to pursue the enemy in his retreat,
to try to break up more of their quarters, and in every
instance to adopt such measures as the exigency of our
affairs require and our situation will justify.' This is
what Wilkinson calls being ' infected with a chivalrous
spirit' " The eclat which attended the first achievement at
Trenton, the capture of a thousand of the ferocious Hes
sians, for a while eclipsed all subsequent events. This
was one cause why the second, less brilliant, but equally
hazardous and much more important engagement, on
the same ground, should be passed over slightingly, both
in the private reports of it as well as in the imperfect
4

26 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
representations of those who have alluded to it in
history. " There is another cause for the meagre reports of the
killed and wounded in these several encounters, and of
their being ignored in the official returns, or rather of
there being no published returns of what took place in
these continued skirmishes prior to the attack and cap
ture of the British, near Princeton. Both armies were
on flying marches, and their commanders, British as well
as American, must have both found themselves in bad
positions. Now we know how tenacious military men
are of honor and cautious of exposing their mistakes. It
is sometimes even as impolitic to boast of a victory as
to acknowledge a defeat. Besides, the British army
concealed its loss of men by being on the advance all
the time it was being attacked by our retreating forces,
which continued several hours, and they undoubtedly
picked up their killed and wounded, whether few or
many, and left us no account of them. When the
attack on our troops, posted South of the Assunpink,
took place, their loss was easier to be reckoned. Now,
because a few old people in this neighborhood do not
remember any thing about there being any fight on this
occasion, whilst others do, and have published the par
ticulars of it, some having been in the battle, some look
ing on, and one who was engaged in it having published
its very interesting details in the same month when it
took place, I do not see that we need to be in any doubt
about the matter.
" With as much brevity as possible, I will now endea
vor to show that there were many severe skirmishes or
fights, which continued from before noon until dark, in

THIRTY HAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 27
which a good many of the pursuers must have been
killed, and that Lord Cornwallis was not only baffled,
but eventually met with a severe repulse in trying to
pass the Assunpink on the 2nd, besides being completely
outgeneraled on the morning of the 3d of January. My
evidence is derived from reliable and authentic reports
from those who were participants in, or observers of
what was going on at the time, and I shall certainly
endeavor to state them fairly, leaving others to form
their own opinions.
" Three days after the first victory at Trenton, Wash
ington set out with the troops under his command to
cross the Delaware in boats, but it was two days before
they all could be got over. The weather was soft and
the ice drifting, and the roads almost impassable with
mire .and snow. On their arrival they took up the
quarters which the Hessians had occupid the week
before. Here they were joined by about three thou
sand of the new levies under Generals Cadwalader and
Mifflin, and a part of the Massachusetts and Rhode
Island brigade, commanded by the gallant Colonel
Hitchcock, who died of fatigue and suffering the week
after at Morristown. This junction of the old and new
troops took place on Tuesday night, the last day of the
year, and also the last day of service of nearly all the
old soldiers whom Washington had to depend on.
"Early on the morning of the 2nd of January, 1777,
General Cornwallis, with Grant's division, left Princeton.
Their outposts extended to the eight mile run. The
whole army amounted to about eight thousand troops,
part of which, under General Leslie, were to be posted
on the road, and another part was left to follow next

28 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
morning from Princeton. Probably about five thousand
were to move forward to break up General Washing
ton's quarters at Trenton. The usual prestige of the
British, with their proud red coats and glittering arms,
and St. George's banner heralding their devoted attach
ment to loyalty and booty, had lately received such a
check from the " ragamuffin rebels," that redoubled ven
geance now lighted up their maddened countenances, as
they cursed the cowardly Hessians, and were ready to
pounce on their presumptuous assailants. Cornwallis
was determined to make an end of such troublesome
traitors, who would neither stay beaten, nor submit to
royal pardon, nor consent to tempting bribes. Annihila
tion was the only remedy.
" Washington, aware of his enemy's real superiority
in numbers, and condition of his troops, made prompt
and determined exertions to check his advance, and to
provide as strong a position as possible for his own
army. The arrangements for the day were as follows :
" The main body of the army was posted on tho south
side of the Assunpink — the tributary, but on this occar
sion the rival of the proud Delaware in story. Its
sloping bank above the bridge, eastward, was soon
thrown up into parapets, so that the infantry could fire
diagonally in line over each other's heads. Near the
bridge below, the only one then in Trenton, over which
a part of the Hessian dragoons escaped the week before
to Bordentown, and the same where Washington was
crowned with flowers by the ladies of Trenton, in 1789 
there stood, in 1777, the old Stacy or Trent Stone Mill-
Below this, on the high ground on the opposite side of
the road, to the south-west, Knox's battery was posted,

THIRTY DAYS IN XEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 29
in a capital position for firing up Greene street, to check
the enemy's advance, as well as to defend the fords on
either side of the bridge. Still lower down the stream
there was a field on its margin, extending towards the
flats of the Delaware. On this ground Washington
directed Colonel Hitchcock's New England regiment to
take their stand and guard the fords where they could
easily have been crossed, and would probably have been,
but for their determined show of resistance. A small
space of the artillery ground on that occasion is still
unoccupied near the street, on the top of the hill next
the bridge. All the residue, with the field below, is now
covered with thriving factories, foundries, flour mills, &c.
*" Washington having thus taken his position, dis
patched a strong division under General Fermoy, with a
battery of six guns, under charge of the brave Captain
Forest, Colonel Hand's riflemen, Colonel Scott's Virginia
regiment, and the German battalion of Houssiger, to
five-mile run, on the Princeton road, where they were
posted on the night preceding the battle, with pickets
extending to what is now Lawrenceville. It was evi
dently Washington's intention to check the advance of
Cornwallis, to thin his ranks and by harrassing him
during his march, to weaken his confidence, and to
decoy him adroitly in pursuit of a retreating but galling
adversary, with as much procrastination as practicable,
so that the day might be consumed before he could
reach our fortified position on the Assunpink, toward
which Washington wished his attention exclusively
invited in order not to have his rear so exposed as to
place our army in a cut de sac. To prevent this, he
* Wilkinson, vol. I.

30 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
ordered General St. Clair with part of his brigade to
guard the fording places of that river above the town with
two guns, which actually prevented the enemy's flank
ing parties from crossing there. If these stray hawks,
who got upon that sight, had not been called off to pur
sue the game ahead, it might have been a sorry day
with our army, as good a quarry as our General was.
He must infallibly have been caught, if by his sagacity
he had not used the most admirable skill and precaution
in the whole arrangement of this almost ignored part of
the day's achievements, eclipsed, as they scarcely were,
by those of the succeeding night.
" As these precautionary orders were given early,
with the full foresight of what might be the ultimate
fortunes of the day, could not Washington have had
then revolving in his mind that famous night retreat to
Princeton, which was afterwards adopted in a council of
war, and which, General Wilkinson says, was first pro
posed by General St. Clair ?
" I do not presume to say that this was not so, for
that brave old comrade of Washington , in former wars,
however unfortunate afterwards, was ever trusted and
beloved by him, and on this occasion was particularly
confided in as he was well acquainted with the ground
in this neighborhood. However, in the throes of that
agonizing night, whoever may have suggested the
C cesarean operation of delivering the army out of its
perilous situation, and eventually causing a separation
fatal to the hopes of the mother country, let it be
remembered that many may be entitled to a share of
distinction, whose particular merits may never have been
justly recorded in history ; but it would be invidious to

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 31
deny any who assisted in it, especially the barefooted
soldiers, whatever share of glory they were richly
entitled to.
" The first shot that was exchanged between the two
outposts of the British and Americans on the morning
of the 2nd, killed a Hessian Yager, pursuing a Mr. Hunt
towards Lawrenceville, within the American picket.
Apprized by this of the enemy's approach, our troops at
five-mile run were called to arms and retired slowly
until orders were received from Washington to dispute
every inch of ground without too great risk of the guns.
Colonel Hand with his riflemen, and Major Miller with
the guards, and Forest with his six pieces of artillery,
at once faced about and made a stand that checked the
enemy's advance, and this they continued to do, with
much loss to the British as they advanced, until they
reached Shabbakong, a little rivulet about two miles
from Trenton, where there was a thick wood extending
on one side of the road nearly a mile in depth. Here
Hand posted his riflemen, and with Major Miller's guards
on the left, waited under cover of the trees until the
British came within point-blank shot, and then opening
a heavy fire, drove them back with great loss and con
fusion. " As they retreated, their flank and advanced guards
were pursued by our riflemen.
" The boldness of this manoevre completely checked
the whole British forces, and by threatening them with
a general attack, caused Cornwallis to form them in
order of battle, and bringing up his artillery he scoured
the wood for a half an hour to dislodge our riflemen.
Before this whole arrangement could be got through

32 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
with, full two hours were lost to him and gave our
fatigued soldiers time to refresh themselves and prepare
for another such skirmish, or more properly repulse.
The British finally got by the wood and leaving the
Shabbakong in their rear, wheeled to the high ground
on the right.
" On the North side of Trenton, about a mile from
where the town then was, there is a ravine leading to
the Assunpink. On the South-west side of the' hollow
the advance of the Americans was posted in strong force,
having Forest's battery with about six hundred men to
defend their position. Here they made their last stand.
Here Washington with Greene and Knox, were on the
ground about three o'clock, and after thanking the
troops, especially the artillery and riflemen, for their
bravery, and encouraging them to make as bold a resist/
ance as they could on that ground, the General returned
to marshal his troops for the defence on the Assunpink.
He was then expecting, undoubtedly, that there would
be the battle on which depended the fortunes of his
country, and his own reputation, with the probable
sacrifice of his life, and the total destruction or capture
of his devoted officers and soldiers ! He was mounted
on his proud white charger, as undaunted as himself,
and, if Trumbull's picture of the scene is correct, they
both seemed to breath defiance and to anticipate victory;
for, after dismounting and taking his stand on the West
side of the bridge, which old Mr. Howland states, was
precisely his position, as the sun was about setting, the
artist paints him with his head uncovered, and standing
as if waiting the crisis
' Like Teneriffe or Atlas unremoved.'*
* See Trumbull's Picture and Memoirs.

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 33
" The last skirmish with the British in the 'outskirts of
the town was now waxing warm. Wilkinson states that
they brought up a battery to attack ours, and when the'
action had continued twenty or twenty-five minutes,
they partially displayed column, and advanced in line.
The firing of musketry was soon mingled with that of
artillery, but the enemy's forces being three times more
numerous than ours, he continued his advance until he
forced us to retire by the bridge across the Assunpink.
(He then says a cannonade ensued, &c. But his account
is somewhat ambiguous and conflicting).
" The main conflict of the day has now to be described.
I shall avail myself of four several accounts of.it, and
the reader will be able to judge whether their concur
rent testimony makes it out worthy the name of a battle.
At all events it was a repulse, and not a bloodless one
to our enemies, nor of small advantage to the Americans,
who kept the field as long as they thought proper to
hold it. This is certainly written in the king's chroni
cles, and that field, is it not still with us ?
" General Wilkinson, who was an eye witness of this
' day's disaster' to Cornwallis, which was so visible on
the morrow ' in his morning face' states that he had a
fair flank view of this little combat near the bridge, from
the opposite side of the Assunpink, and recollected per
fectly that the sun had set and evening was so far
advanced that he could distinguish the /lames from the
muzzles of our muskets.
* " A writer in the Connecticut Journal, who was an
officer in the battle, states on the 22d of the same month
in which it was fought, that ' on Thursday the enemy
* Copied from Howe and Barber's New Jersey.
5

34 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
marched down in a body of four or five thousand men
to attack our people at Trenton. Not long before sun
set they marched into the town and after reconnoitering
our situation, drew up in a solid column in order to force
the bridge, which they attempted to do with great vigor,
at three several times, and were as often broken by our
artillery and obliged to retreat, and to give over the
attempt after suffering great loss, supposed to be at least one
hundred and fifty kVledl "
An eye witness published an account in the Princeton
Whig, November 4th, 1842, from which the following
was selected by Howe and Barber :
"Washington's army was drawn up on the east side
of the Assunpink, with its left on the Delaware riven
and its right extending a considerable way up the mill
pond along the face of the hill, where the factories now
stand. The troops were placed one above the other, so
that they appeared to cover the whole slope from bot
tom to top, which brought a great many muskets within
shot of the bridge. Within sevent}- or eighty yards of
the bridge and directly in front of, and in the road, as
many pieces of artillery as could be managed were star
turned. * * * The British did not delay the attack.
They were formed in two columns, the one marching
down Greene street to carry the bridge, and the other
down Main (now Warren) street, to ford the creek, near
where the lower bridge now stands. From the nature
of the ground, and being on the left, this attack (simul
taneously with the one on the bridge) I was not able to
see. It was repelled, and eye witnesses say the creek
was nearly filled with their dead. The other column
moved slowly down the street, with their choicest troops

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 35
in front. When within about sixty yards of the bridge
they raised a shout and rushed to the charge. It was
then that our men poured upon them with musketry
and artillery, a shower of bullets, under which however,
they continued to advance, though their speed was
diminished, and as the column reached the bridge, it
moved slower and slower until the head of it was grad
ually pressed nearly over, when our fire became so
destructive that they broke their ranks and fled. It was
then that our army raised a shout, and such a shout I
have never since heard ; by what signal or word of com
mand, I know not. The line was more than a mile in
length and from the nature of the ground the extremes
were not in sight of each other, yet they shouted as one
man. The British column halted instantly ; the officers
restored the ranks, and again they rushed to the bridge,
and again was the shower of bullets poured upon
them with redoubled fury. This time the column broke
before it reached the centre of the bridge, and their
retreat was again followed by the same hearty shout
from our line. They returned a third time to the charge,
but it was in vaio. We shouted after them Again, but
they had enough of it. It is strange that no account of
the loss of the English was ever published, but from
what I saw it must have been great."
In addition to the three preceeding statements, which
agree as to there having been an attack by Cornwallis
on the American forces at the bridge,' and a repulse by
means of cannon and fire-arms, I now introduce the tes
timony of the fourth witness, who was the late venera
ble John Howland, President of the Historical Society
of Rhode Island, a veteran of Revolutionary distinction,

36 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
who was in the fight on the Assunpink in 1777, arid
whose particular details of many events of thrilling in
terest, and whose graphic description of the locality is
so remarkably accurate, I quote largely from his letter
published in 1831 :
"This was the time which tried both body and soul.
We had, by order of the General, left our tents at Bristol,
on the other side of the Delaware. We were standing on
frozen ground, which was covered with snow. The hope
of the Commander-in-Chief was sustained by the charac
ter of these half-frozen, half-starved men, that he could
persuade them to volunteer for another month. He made
the attempt, and it succeeded. He directed, or requested,
General Mifflin to address or harangue our brigade ; he
did it well, although he made some promises, perhaps
without the advice of General Washington, which were
never fulfilled. He said all or every thing which should
be taken from the enemy during the month, should be
the property of the men, and the value of it divided
among them. These promises, although they had no
weight or effect in inducing the men to engage, ought
to have been fulfilled, though, at the time they were
made, no one could suppose it probable we could take
stores or baggage from the enemy, who had six men to
our one then in Jersey. The request of the General
was assented to by our unanimously poising the firelock
as a signal. Within two hours after this vote we were
on our march for Trenton, which place we had left two
days previous. From ihe badness of the road, the dark
ness of the night, and accidents to the artillery carriages,
or the falling of a horse, &c, we consumed the whole
night in the march, arid quartered in the morning in

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 37
houses from which the Hessians had been taken the
week before. When we had kindled a fire and were
collecting from our knapsacks or pockets a stray rem
nant of bread or tainted pork, and thus taking our lit
tle, share of rest or comfort, the drums beat, and we
. were immediately paraded. Most of those whb have
attempted to write a history of the war, have given
some, though imperfect, accounts of the transactions of
this day. Lord Cornwallis was on the march from
Princeton with, as it was said, ten thousand men to beat
up our quarters. Here was the whole army of the Uni
ted States, which was supposed to amount to about four
thousand men, commanded by His Excellency General
Washington, Mifflin, Sullivan, Greene, Knox, &c.
"Our troops were posted on the south side of a brook
or small river which crosses the town near the south
end and enters the Delaware — a continuation of the
main street crossed this little river over a stone bridge.
It was evidently the purpose of General Washington to
induce Cornwallis to approach and enter the town at
the north end; foi; this purpose a company of artillery
and a picket was placed on the road leading from
Princeton, who were attacked by the advance of the
British. Our brigade was ordered to cross the bridge
and march through the main town street, to cover the
retreat of the artillery and picket, into and through the
north end of the town. This was towards the close of
the day. We met them, and opened our ranks to let
them pass through ; we then closed in a compact and
rather solid column, as the street through which we
were to retreat to the bridge was narrow, and the Brit
ish pressed closely on our rear. Part of the enemy

38 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
pressed into a street between the main street and the
Delaware, and fired into our right flank at every space
between the houses. When what was now our front
arrived near the bridge which we were to pass, and
where the lower or Water street formed a junction with
the maii> street, the British made a quick advance in an
oblique direction to cut us off from the bridge ; in this
they did not succeed, as we had a shorter distance in a
direct line to the bridge than they had, and our artillery,
which was posted on the south side of the brook, be
tween the bridge and the Delaware, played into the
front and flank of their columns, which induced them
to fall back The bridge was narrow, and our platoons
were, in passing it, crowded into a dense and solid
mass, in the rear of which the enemy were making
their best efforts. The noble horse of General Wash
ington stood with his breast pressed close against the
end of the west rail of the bridge, and the firm, com
posed, and majestic countenance of the General inspired
confidence and assurance in a moment so important and
critical. In this passage across the bridge, it was my
fortune to be next the west rail, and arriving at the end
of the bridge, I pressed against the shoulder of the
General's horse and in contact with the boot of the Gene
ral. The horse stood as firm as the rider, and seemed
to understand that he was not to quit his post and sta
tion. When I was about half-way across the bridge, the
General addressed himself to Colonel Hitchcock, the
commander of the brigade, directing him to march his
men to that field and form them immediately, or instantly,
or as quick as possible — which of the terms he used I
am not certain — at the same time extending his arm

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 39
and pointing to a little meadow at a little distance, on
the south side of the creek or river, and between the
road and the Delaware. This order was promptly obeyed,
and then we advanced to the edge of the stream, facing
the enemy, who soon found it prudent to fall back un
der cover of the houses. What passed at the bridge
while we were forming as directed, I of course did not
witness, but understood that as soon as our brigade had
passed, the cannon which had been drawn aside to leave
us a passage, were again placed at the end of the bridge
and discharged into the front of the enemy's column,
which was advancing towards it, at the same time several
pieces placed at the right and left of the bridge, with
musketry at the intervals, took them partly in flank. They
did not succeed in their attempt to cross the bridge,
and although the creek was fordable between the bridge
and the Delaware, they declined attempting a passage
there in the face of those who presented a more serious
obstruction than the water.
"Night closed upon us, and the weather, which had
been mild and pleasant through the day, became in
tensely cold. On one hour — yes, or forty minutes, com
mencing at the moment when the British troops first
saw the bridge and creek before them — depended the
all-important, the all-absorbing question, whether we
should be Independent States or conquered rebels!
Had the army of Cornwallis, within that space have cross
ed the bridge or forded the creek, unless a miracle inter
vened, there would have been an end of the American
army. If any fervent mind should doubt this, it must
be from his not knowing the state of our few, half-
starved, half-frozen, feeble, worn-out men, with old fowl-

40 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
ing pieces for muskets, and half of them without bayo
nets, and the States so disheartened, discouraged, or
poor, that they sent no reinforcements, no recruits to
supply the places of this handful of men." * * * *
The following remarkable confirmation of the prece
ding accounts published in my "Washington and his
Army" in 1856, 1 obtained the year after from Rev. Dr.
Styles' Diary, in the library at New Haven. The
article was copied by me and printed in the Weekly
State Gazette of this city, August 15th, 1857. Being
originally published by a gentlemen (supposed to be Dr.
Rush or Mr. Armstrong), then in attendance upon Gen
eral Mercer " near Princeton," and written within the
same week the events narrated took place, they are
entitled to great credit, as is the short letter from Gen
eral Greene to Thomas Paine, copied from the same
Diary, as evidence of the great losses the enemy suf
fered.LETTEK FROM A GENTLEMAN OF GREAT WORTH IN THE
AMERICAN ARMY TO THE PRINTER OF THE MARYLAND
JOURNAL, DATED NEAR PRINCETON, JAN. 7th, 1777.
" On the 2d instant, intelligence was received by
express that the enemy's army was advancing from
Princeton towards Trenton, where the main body of our
forces was then stationed. Two brigades, under Generals
Stephens and Fermoy, had been detached several hours
before from the main body to Maidenhead, and were
ordered to skirmish with the enemy during their march,
and retreat to Trenton as occasion should require. A
body of men under command of Colonel Hand were also
ordered to meet the enemy, by which means their march
was so much retarded as to give ample time for out

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 41
forces to form and prepare to give them a warm recep
tion upon their arrival. Two field pieces, planted upon
a hill at a small distance from the town, were managed
with great advantage, and did considerable execution
for some time ; after which they were ordered to retire
to the station occupied by our forces on the south side
of the bridge, over the little river (the Assunpink),
which divides the town into two parts, and opens at
right angles into the Delaware. In their way through,
the town the enemy suffered much by an incessant fire
of musketry from behind the houses and barns. The
army had now arrived at the northern side of the bridge,
whilst our army was drawn up in order of battle on the
southern side. Our cannon played very briskly from this
eminence, and were returned as briskly by the enemy.
In a few minutes after the cannonade began, a very heavy
discharge of musketry ensued, and continued for ten or fifteen
minutes ; during this action a party of men were detached
from our right wing to secure a part of the river which
it was imagined, from the motions of the enemy, they
intended to ford. This detachment arrived at the pass
very opportunely, and effected their purpose. After this
the enemy made a feeble and unsupported attempt to
pass the oridge, but this likewise proved abortive. It was
now near six o'clock in the evening, and night coming
on, closed the engagement.
" Our fires were built in due season, and were very
numerous ; and whilst the enemy were amused by these
appearances, preparing for a general attack the next
morning, our army marched at about one o'clock in the
morning from Trenton, on the south side of the creek,
to Princeton. When they arrived near the hill, about
6

42 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
one mile from Princeton, they found a body of the ene
my formed upon it and ready to receive them; upon
which a spirited attack was made upon them, both with
field pieces and musketry, and after an obstinate resist
ance and loss of a considerable number of their men
upon the field, those of them who could not make their
escape, surrendered prisoners of war. We immediately
marched on to the centre of the town, and there took
another part of the enemy near the College. After
tarrying a very short time in town, General Washington
marched his army from thence towards Rocky Hill, and
they are now near Morristown, in high spirits, and in
expectation of a junction with the rest of our forces,
sufficiently seasonable to make a general attack upon
the enemy and prevent at least a considerable part of'
them from reaching their asylum in New York.
" It is difficult to precisely ascertain the loss we have
sustained in the two engagements, but as near as I can
judge I think we have lost about forty men killed, and
had near double the number wounded. In the list of
the former are the brave Colonel Hazlett, Captain Ship-
pen and Captain Neal, who fell in the 'engagement upon
the hill near Princeton. Among the latter was Brigadier-
General Mercer, who received seven wounds in his body
and two on his head, and was much bruised by the
breach of a musket. His life was yesterday almost
despaired of, but this morning I found him much
relieved, and some of the most dangerous complaints
removed, so that I still have hopes of his recovery, and
of his being again restored to the arms of his grateful
country. He is now a prisoner upon parole.
"The loss sustained by the enemy was much greater

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 43
than ours, as was easily discovered by viewing the dead
upon the field after the action. We have now one hun
dred of their wounded prisoners in the town, which,
together with those who surrendered and were taken
in small parties endeavoring to make their escape, I
think must amount to the number of four hundred,
chiefly British troops. Six brass cannon have fallen
into our hands, a quantity of ammunition and several
wagons of baggage. A Captain Leslie was found among
the dead of the enemy, and was this day buried with
the honors of war. A number of other officers were
found on the field, but they were not known and were
buried with the other dead. According to the informa
tion from the inhabitants of Princeton, the number
which marched out of it to attack our army amounted
to thirteen thousand men, under command of General
Cornwallis. As soon as they discovered they were out
generaled by the march of General Washington, being
much chagrined at their disappointment (as it seems
Cornwallis intended to have cut our army to pieces,
crossed the Delaware and marched without any further
delay to Philadelphia), rushed with the greatest precipi
tation towards Princeton, where they arrived about an
hour after General Washington had left, and imagining
he would endeavor to take Brunswick in the same man
ner, proceeded briskly for that place. Our soldiers were
much fatigued, the greater part of them having been
deprived of their rest the two preceding nights, other
wise we might perhaps, have possessed ourselves of
Brunswick." " In a letter from Major General Greene, dated in
January, published in a Maryland paper, 21st January

44 ' THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
1777, addressed to T. Paine, author of the Crisis, he say's,
' The two late actions at Trenton and Princeton have
put a very different face upon affairs. Within a fork
night past we have taken or killed of Howe's army be
tween two and three thousand men. Our loss is trifling.
'We are daily picking up these parties. Yesterday we
took seven prisoners and thirty loads of baggage.' "
My sixth testimonial of the bloody attack and repulse
of Cornwallis and his army at .the Assunpink bridge is
contained in a letter lately received from A. Cuthbert
Esq., alluded to in a previous page as the son of Captain
Cuthbert, who succeeded Captain Moulder, whose bat
tery was famous for its great service in the above fight
and at Princeton. His letter is so graphic and interest
ing, I publish a large part of it, as he assures me its de
tails have never been printed before and can be relied
on. His own testimony as well as that of his brave and
distinguished father being unquestionable :
"In 1776 the company was ordered to join in two
weeks the army in Jersey. ' Moulder's boys,' consisting
of eighty-two lads, from 17 to 23, were detailed at the
' crossing of the Delaware by Washington' for boatmen's
duty, my father then 2d Lieutenant, having in charge the
boat in which Washington himself crossed,* while Captain
Moulder and the 1st Lieutenant crossed with the two
guns of the Company. Moulder's age was 60, my father
25 or 26, while all the rank and file were 23 and under,
all ' abng-shoremen.' Ship Carpenters, Mast, Block and
Sail-makers, Riggers, &c, a hardy set of youths belong
ing to the water service and amply equal to any boat
ing duty.
* The writer received this account of his father's taking charge of Wash
ington's boat from Mr. Linnard, but it may not be correct.

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 45
" At the battle of the Assunpink the British in solid'
column charged down the main street to force the pass
age at the bridge, at this point the guns, long 4-pounders,
of Moulder and others were stationed and did great dam
age to the enemy, being well placed and skillfully
manned by as hardy, fearless and energetic set of youths
as the army could produce. At each report a lane was
opened through the British ranks and so rapid and
destructive was the firing that the British troops could
only be kept up to their work by the constant use of
the flat of the sword by the British officers. So deter
mined and successful was the resistance at this point
that the enemy was held in check until too late in the
afternoon to hope for success that day and was with
drawn to await reinforcements expected in the morning.
How they were baffled and the 'tide turned' is familiar
to all. At Princeton the guns of Moulder were again
active, and while the British fired too high (over his
men) he mowed them down in rows as if they had lain
down to rest. I think the College may still bear the
ball marks of his guns used to drive out some five hun
dred British who had there sought shelter.
" While pushing his guns up toward the College the
wounded begged quarter ; Moulder's men replied, ' you
are safe enough, we are after live men ?' handed over
their canteens of whiskey and received a blessing from
the wounded enemy. Moulder was here ordered to
cover the retreat of our army towards Morristown by
holding the enemy in check as long as safe to his men,
then spike and leave his guns, and save his men by fol
lowing with all speed after the main body of the army.
The men refused to earn the name of 'grass-combers'

46 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
¦ by running away from their guns and with the aid of
ropes and forty men to each ran them up the road
after the army, pursued by a Company of British horse.
Captain Samuel Morris, of First City Troop ' Quaker
Sam,' held his Company back for the protection of
Moulder's boys, and seeing their danger galloped to
their rear and formed across the road to await the
British horse, who finding their game blocked, wheeled •
and returned to Princeton. Thus Moulder's guns were
saved and taken into camp at Mon istown, when Moulder
was called before a Court for disobedience of orders in
risking the loss of his men. On receipt of the order to
appear before Court, the Company formed and marched
in silence to headquarters, where after a formal repri
mand Moulder received his sword, and the boys after
three hearty cheers, struck up 'Yankee Doodle,' and
returned to their quarters in high glee. Soon after this
the waiter of the Company, lost at Princeton, drove into
camp with a cart-load of poultry, &c, duly frozen, and
very acceptable.
" While in camp here the time of the Company's en
listment expired ; and as they could not be spared for
very important reasons, Washington sent to ask of them
three weeks longer service until they could be replaced
by other troops. The Company was mustered, and the
request made known and they left to consider it. Soon
after the officers in Moulder's tent heard three hearty
eheers from the men, and supposed they were glad to
go and would go home, but were soon pleasantly disap
pointed by receiving for an answer : 'With our com
pliments to his Excellency, please say that "whether he
says three weeks, three months, or three years, we are

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 47
under his command and at his servicer ' After a low bow,
the officers sent returned to Washington's quarters
with the gratifying answer, the General receiving it
with the reply — ' that is all I can ask of them.'
" Subsequently 2d Lieutenant Cuthbert was promoted
to 1st Lieutenant for an act of daring under the British
guns at Amboy, and the 1st Lieutenant dismissed for a
contrary action at the time. Captain Moulder retired
at the age of 65, in 1780, when my father received the
Commission as Captain of the Company as shown to
you. Higher grade in the army was offered but
declined — he being a man of war in war only — at other
times a man of peace. His property and that of his
mother-in-law was destroyed by the enemy while here.
His expenditures for his Company and losses in various
ways footed up about $44,000, but was never claimed ;
nor would our mother receive some $6,000 or more, due
her under the law of 1838, as widow's pension. A. Cuthbert.
My six testimonials of this long ignored conflict here
terminate. In my address of 1856, 1 remarked :
"From the foregoing accounts it seems to me an un
questionable fact that there was severe fighting, and
that the lists of killed and wounded must have been
large, although the official reports of the action, both
English and American, are very curt and unsatisfactory
in their allusions to it. That it was costly to the Brit
ish and ended ingloriously for their commander, as well
as exceedingly critical in its consequences to the Ameri
cans, and invested Washington's military fame with a
note of interrogation as well as of admiration, cannot be

48 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO-
doubted. Napoleon once remarked of General Blucher,
that he never vanquished him over night that he did not;
always return to the fight the next morning. Washing
ton in this instance was not vanquished, although some
say he ought to have been; but he was certainly a vic
tor, and by his admirable strategical arrangements tp
escape out of his perplexing difficulty, both before and
after Cornwallis gave up the contest at the bridge, he
deserves imperishable renown. The guarding of the
fords above the town, as already alluded to, and the
costly repulses the British met with as they advanced
and were lured towards that fatal bridge-fight, just late
enough to cause Cornwallis to forego present advantage
and to create a blind confidence in an easy triumph
on the morrow, deserve particular consideration, and
whether few or many fell in accomplishing the repulses
of that day's work, must now be a matter of little mo
ment. Blank cartridges certainly would not have done
it ; and if cannon and musket balls could speak, enough
of them have been picked up to tell the story of a fight
at the bridge, beside what had been done on the Shab-
bakong and along the road. I have not a doubt that
our enemies, although they concealed their losses during
this day's various engagements, suffered more in killed
and wounded than they did in both the battles of Tren
ton and Princeton. We may reasonably estimate their
loss at 500 at least, besides incidentally producing, in con
nection with other losses to their cause about this time,
which were wholly incalculable, the release of thou
sands of the oppressed citizens of this State, who were
soon afterwards converted into its unfaultering defenders.
" When Cornwallis found himself so roughly handled

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 49
and repulsed on attempting to cross the Assunpink, a
fataldelusion seemed to possess his mind. He told his
officers 'he had the enemy safe enough and Could dis
pose of them next morning.' For these reasons he pro
posed that the troops should make fires, refresh them
selves, and take repose. General Grant and other offi
cers, and the troops, without doubt, coincided in this
conclusion, and thus the British army indulged in that
repose which 'knew ho waking' until the thunder of
the cannon at Princeton aroused them from their morn
ing's slumber, and the frightened Cornwallis, having
played the Lord with the then loyal ladies of Trenton,
and exchanged salutations with the tories at the splendid
new mansion on the south-west corner of Greene and
State streets, (where now stands the iron-pillared store
of independent Americans, who dare to sell hob-nails
contrary to the act of Parliament at that time,) found
himself summoned by the morning drum-beat to give
up his dream of conquest, and to admit for once that
Washington, whom Sir William Erskine styled the night
before, 'an old fox,' had disdained to be caught, even by
a lordly sportsman.
"Whilst sleep and refreshing repose were thus wear
ing away the hours of a winter's night with our enemies
at Trenton, a very different state of things— a most omi
nous and anxious apprehension of to-morrow's events —
filled the minds of every weary officer and soldier on
the other side of the Assunpink. There watched they
with patience, still ready to do and dare everything for
their country which their beloved commander should
require of them. The star-studded canopy of heaven
was the only tent they had that night ; the miry ground
7

50 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
mixed with snow, was the only place afforded them for
repose, until a rude cold wind stiffened it into seats
which they could use until their orders for the night
should be received. But the protecting hand of Provi
dence was still stretched out over them, and it is not
unreasonable to suppose that some minds among them
may have looked up to the firmament over their heads
and thanked God for giving this country no cheap inde
pendence, and for making them willing to become mar
tyrs to achieve it.
"The camp fires were soon lighted, and all was con
jecture what was to be done on the morrow. As hour
after hour passed away, there was naturally some impa
tience, but no insubordination. A council of war was
called at St. Clair's head quarters, in a small house still
standing on the south side of the road, (occupied in 1856
by Miss Douglass,) near the German Church. Wash
ington's quarters were rendered untenable by the ene
my's attack. He was surrounded by difficulties, and
never did he so much before require and receive the ad
vice and confidence of his officers. The danger seemed
to hang over and threaten to crush them all. He, how
ever, maintained his own firm hold of calm confidence in
God and the justice of his cause, and like that lofty
tower, the seeming wonder of Pisa, which ever appears
about to fall, still ever firmly stands, he inspired all
hearts with confidence.
•; Of several plans proposed at that meeting, the bold
est one was unanimously adopted, to wit: by a retro
grade movement to attack the over-confident enemy in
his rear, to beat up his quarters at Princeton, and, if
possible, capture his stores at New Brunswick. Orders

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 51
were immediately given to put the troops under march,
with the least noise and delay possible, and to send off
what guns, baggage, and stores were not wanted, to
Bordentown.* "The enemy's watch-fires were kindled only about one
hundred and fifty yards from the American camp. Wash
ington directed his sentinels to take the fences and keep
up brisk fires opposite to them until morning, and then
to retreat to Princeton. f Men were also engaged to
throw up intrenchments as near the British pickets as
possible, and to make evident preparations for the mor
row. All was now going on stilly and actively as pos
sible, and fortunately, before midnight there was, what
Washington called, a providential change in the weather.
The roads became hard enough to support the artillery,
and for the troops to march on frozen ground. Wash
ington and his officers went the rounds among them
and encouraged them to be firm and quiet.
"Then was presented a scene on the banks of our
peaceful little Assunpink which is well realized by
Shakespeare's description of Henry V., whose army, by
the way, was about the same size, and in as miserable a
condition at Agincourt, before his victory, as Washing
ton's was here.
' From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
The hum of either army stilly sounds^
That the fixed sentinels almost receive
The secret whispers of each other's watch.
Fire answers fire —
O ! now who will behold
The noble captain of this ruin'd band,
Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent,
Let him cry, praise and glory on his head !'
* See Reed's letter to Putnam, in " Spat-k's Life of Colonel J. Reed "
t Dr. Ramsay calls this a " pillar of fire to hide our army from the pursuit
of the enemy,"

"5,2 THIRTY DAY8 IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
"I need not give a detailed account of what our brave
countrymen suffered and achieved on their march to
and after they arrived at Princeton. These events have
been faithfully and graphically related by others," but
the reader will excuse what follows.
THE NIGHT MARCH AND FLANK MOVEMENT FROM TREN
TON TO PRINCETON.
This was an eventful and trying period, causing per
haps as much persevering energy and patriotic fidelity
as any during this memorable campaign, and like the
capture of the Hessians, it ushered in a dawn even
more glorious, ending in a triumph ensuring more se
curely the success of our life-struggle for our almost
abandoned Independence. In its consequences, certainly,
connected with the victory at Princeton, completing
three acts of the exciting drama, which was then being
performed, few historic events can surpass it, however
many more heroic achievements in "war's vast art," cele
brated in ancient and modern times, may eclipse it.
Mr. Howland gives his vivid description of and partici
pation in this night adventure as follows :
" The march that night from Trenton to Princeton is
well known. It was not by the direct road ; a consid
erable part of it was by a new passage, which appeared
to have been cut through the woods, as the stubs were
left from two to five inches high. We moved slow on
account of the artillery, frequently coming to a halt, or
stand still, and when ordered forward again, one, two, or
three men in each platoon, would stand, with their arms
supported, fast asleep ; a platoon next in the rear ad
vancing on them, they, in walking, or attempting to
move, would strike a stub and fall. Our proceedings at

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 53
Princeton are matters of history, except one circum
stance, which has a bearing on the present question —
that is, the Commander-in-chief took the commander of
our brigade by the hand, after the action — expressing
his high approbation of his conduct and that of the
troops under his command, and wished him to commu
nicate his thanks to his officers and men.
" Besides the prisoners taken at Princeton, there were
a number of wagons loaded with the army baggage. I
suppose it was about noon when we left Princeton with
the prize goods and prisoners ; we marched quick, as
the advance guard of the British army whom we had
left the night before at Trenton, were said to be close in
our rear, following us as they supposed to Brunswick,
the headquarters of General Howe, but in three or four
miles we turned a square corner and proceeded north,
towards Somerset Court-House. The British continued
on to Brunswick. Ten or eleven o'clock at night we
arrived at the Court House, in which the prisoners were
shut up. It will be remembered this was the third
night's march, and under arms or marching all day.
There were barely houses sufficient for the quarters of
the Generals and their attendants. The troops took up
their, abode for the rest of the night on the frozen
ground. All the fences and every thing that would
burn, was piled in different heaps and burnt, and he was
the most fortunate who could get nigh enough to smell
the fire or smoke. The next day we continued our
march towards Morristown."
I must not here repeat the oft-told narrative of the
gallant deeds and costly sacrifices performed by Wash
ington and his weary soldiers during the short, sharp

54 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
contest with the desperate Mawhood and his three regi
ments of brave and well-armed British troops.
Washington never was more heroic — never in greater
peril — never more providentially rescued from a chival-
ric self-devotion to patriotic honor and principle; and
his pass- word, "Victory or death," was signalized by
his own example,* still, all that was expected to be
gained, and all which was secured by courage and strat
egy, was at one time in imminent danger of being lost ;
but, with the aid of Moulder's battery and Hitchcock's
New England veterans, who rushed to the aid of the
halting and flying new recruits, the doubtful and bloody
triumph was soon secured, and the enemy fled in all
quarters. The pursuit after them was spirited and glo
rious — even Washington could not resist it, but com
pared it to a fox chase. Thus passed the hours from
dawn to mid-day, at Princeton, ninety years ago, with
many interesting achievements which culminated in the
eventual establishment of our country's independence,
sovereignty; and universal freedom for all her citizens.
Citizens of Princeton, ye whose county bears the name
of the great martyr who fell here with scores of his
brave officers and men, in defence of your fatherland
and your own happy homesteads, can you or your de
scendants ever fail to realize and appreciate the cause —
the motive principle — which animated the desperate
struggle that was once exhibited, like a moving pano
rama, upon your now peaceful fields? Tyranny no
longer threatens you with submission — the rambling
Stony Brook now runs cheerily on its course, as it once
* See Poem in the Appendix,

THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO. 55
did when its little bridge bore Cornwallis' proud army
on its presumptuous march to Trenton, and brought it,
crest-fallen, back again, glad to escape from the Yankee
rebels who would not believe in British valor or loyalty.
All this has passed away, but the little stream still re
mains, and its waves are moving on. The principles for
which our fathers fought too still remain, but the Ameri
can age is moving on, and its persistent force, guided by
the Omnipotent i-ight Reason, will give it perpetuity. To
a scholarly community I may be permitted to give a clas
sic quotation :
 " Immota labescunt.
Et quae perpetua sunt agitata manent."
No enemy now beleaguers Nassau Hall from without;
no Church and State creed, nor monopoly of the only
true religious doctrine, can ever again hamper free and
conscientious belief in this country although they might
have done so
" In colleges and halls in ancient days,"
but progress, an earnest intelligent progress, must germ
inate from the precious seed sown by our fathers ; and
the fields once nourished by their blood ought to give
the greatest harvest and devotion to their principles^
In closing my investigation and, as I trust, elucida
tion of these early historical events which really possess
a National and not a mere local interest, I still feel privi
leged, as an adopted son of this State, to give to New
Jersey the honor of their birth-place. If, like Old
Mortality, "I have chiseled out of illegible obscurity,"
some facts that ought to be made known, and brightened
some names dimly kept out of sight at the time, hence-

56 THIRTY DAYS IN NEW JERSEY NINETY YEARS AGO.
forth let it be your glorious duty my countrymen, to
follow Cicero's example at the tomb of Archimedes, and
keep them from being moss-covered or neglected. —
Monuments which, with tasteful and truthful eloquence,
would perpetuate a history that might be read and
admired of all men, seem not to chime in harmony
with our Republican aversion to sectional and personal
glorification. Local jealousy and meaner envy block
all avenues to the temple of Fame, leading to such dis
tinction, as have been tried here and elsewhere. The wri
ter has worked hard, and to the best of his humble ability,
to have a monument erected. But ' nil desperandum!
If the fight can be carried out on this line by an ' abler
and better soldier," let the triumph be secured. On
what better field can a National Cenotaph be erected
than at that stand-point where was the glorious resurrec
tion of our young Republic and where our heroic fathers
" Plucked up its drowned honor by the locks ?"
Upon such a Monument might appropriately be in
scribed, " Gloria majorum, poster is lumen."

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

WASHINGTON AT PRINCETON.

ET MISS C. jf. ORNE.
The Assunpink was choked with dead between us and the foe ; '
We had mowed their ranks before our guns, as ripe grain is laid low ;
But we were few, and worn and spent— many and strong were they,
And they waited but the morning dawn to fall upon their prey.
We left our camp-fires burning, that their ruddy gleaming light
Might hide from Lord Cornwallis our hurried march by night.
While fiery Erskine fretted at his loader's fond delay,
All silently and swiftly we were marching on our way.
For the British troops at Princeton our little force was bound ;
We tracked with bare and bleeding feet the rough and frozen ground ;
All night we hastened onward, and we spoke no word of plaint,
Though we were chilled with bitter cold, with toil and fasting faint ;
We hailed with joy the sunlight, as o'er the hills it streamed,
And through the sharp and frosty air on the near homesteads beamed.
We were weary, we were hungry ; before us lay good cheer,
And right gladly to the hearth-fires our eager steps drew near.
But sudden, on our startled sight, long lines of bayonets flash ;
The road's a-glow with scarlet coats ! The British on us dash !
The smoke-wreaths from our volleys meet ; then hand to hand the fight ;
Proud gallant Mercer falls ; our lines are wavering in flight !
" Press on !" cries Mawhood, " by St. George I the rebel cowards fly,
We'll sweep their ranks before our charge, as storm-winds sweep the sky.''
They burst with bold and sudden springs as a lion on the prey,
Our ranks of worn and weary men to that fierce rush gave way.
Black was that bitter moment, and well nigh all was lost,
But forth there sprang a god-like form between us and the host.
The martyr-fires of freedom in his flaming glances burned,
As his awful countenance sublime upon the foe he turned ;
And reining up his gallant steed, alone amid the fight,
, Like an angel of the Lord he stood to our astonished sight !

60 APPENDIX."
>
And instantly our wavering bands wheeled into line again,
And suddenly from either side the death-shots fell like rain.
All hearts stood still ; and horror-struck was each averted eye,
* For who could brook that moment's look ? or who could see him die ?
But when the smoke-clouds lifted, and still we saw him there,
Oh, what a mighty shout of joy filled all the startled air !
And tears fell like the summer showers from our bravest and our best,
As dashing up with fiery pace around him close they prest.
A moment's hand-grasp to his Aid, that told the tale of hours,
"Away ! bring up the troops," he cried, "the day is wholly ours."
" Now praised be God !" from grateful lips the fervent prayers uprose,
And then, as with an eagle's swoop, we burst upon our foes.
And "Long live Washington," we cried, in answer to his shout,
As still he spurred his charger on amid the flying rout.
They broke their ranks before our charge ; amain they wildly fled ;
Stiff on the slopes, at Princeton, they left their hapless dead.
No more a band of weary men we followed in his track ;
And bore with stern resistless force the British Lion back ;
Our toilsome march, our sleepless nights, cold, hunger — what were they ?
We broke the yoke of foreign power on that eventful day.
The great heart of our leader went on before us then.
And led us forth to wield the strength of more than mortal men,
The pulses of that noble heart a nation's life concealed,
But fate refused the sacrifice whose offer won the field.
From Graham's Magazine, for February, 1 856.

[Extract from the "Gentleman's Magazine," London, Feb. 1777, folio 90.]
LETTER FROM GEN. SIR WILLIAM HOWE TO LORD GEORGE
GERMAIN, DATED NEW YORK, JANUARY, 5th, 1777.
In consequence of the advantage gained by the enemy
at Trenton on the 26th of last month and the necessity
of an alteration in the cantonment, Lord Cornwallis
deferring his going to England by this opportunity,
went from thence to New Jersey on the 1st inst., arid
reached Princeton that night, to which place General
Grant had advanced with a body of troops from Bruns^

APPENDIX. 61
wick and Hillsborough. Upon gaining intelligence that
the enemy on receiving reinforcements from Virginia and
Maryland and from the militia of Pennsylvania, had
repast into Jersey. On the 2d Lord Cornwallis having
received accounts of the rebel army being posted at
Trenton advanced thither, leaving the 4th brigade under
the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Mawhood at Prince
ton, and the 2d brigade with Brigadier-General Leslie
at Maidenhead. On the approach of the British troops
the enemy's forward post was drawn back upon their
army which was formed in a strong position behind a
creek running through Trenton. During the night of
the 2d the enemy quitted its situation and marching by
Allentown and from thence to Princeton, fell in on the
morning of the 3d with the 17th and 55th Regiments
on their march to join Brigadier-General Leslie at Maid
enhead. Lieutenant-Colonel Mawhood, not being ap
prehensive of the enemy's strength, attacked and beat
back the troops that first presented themselves to him.
But finding them at length very superior to him in num
bers, he pushed forward with the 17th regiment and
joined Brigadier-General Leslie. The 55th regiment
retired by the way of Hillsborough to Brunswick, and
the enemy proceeding immediately to Princeton, the
40th Regulars retired to Brunswick. The loss on this
occasion to his Majesty's troops is seventeen kitted and
nearly two hundred wounded and missing. Captain Leslie
of the 17th was among the few killed. For further par
ticulars I beg leave to refer your Lordship to the enclosed
return. Captain Phillips of the 35th Grenadiers, return
ing from here to join his Company was on this day beset,
between Brunswick and Princeton, by some lurking vii-

62 APPENDIX.
lains, who murdered him in a most barbarous manner,
which is a mode of war the enemy seem, from several
late instances to have adopted with a degree of barbarity
that savages could not exceed.
It has not yet come to my knowledge how much the
enemy has suffered, but it is certain there were many
killed and wounded, and among the former a General
Mercer from Virginia. The bravery and conduct of
Lieutenant-Colonel Mawhood and the behavior of the
regiments under his command, particularly the 17th,
are highly commended by Lord Cornwallis. His Lord
ship finding the enemy had made this movement, and
having heard the fire made by Colonel Mawhood's
attack, returned immediately from Trenton ; but the
enemy being some hours march in front, and keeping the
advantage by an immediate departure from Princeton,
retreated by Kingston, breaking down the bridge behind
them, and crossed the Millstone river at a bridge under
Rocky Hill, to throw themselves into a strong country.
Lord Cornwallis seeing it would not answer any purpose
to continue his pursuit, returned with his whole force to
Brunswick, and the troops on his right being assembled
at Elizabethtown, Major-General Vaughn held that com
mand. It appears by the Muster-Master-General, Sir
George Osborn's return of the Hessian troops at the
affair of the 26th December at Trenton, that the prison
ers and missing amounted to about seven hundred.
N. B. Positive errors in the above statement are
noted in italics. C. C. H.

APPENDIX. 63
TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.
Pltokemin, 5 January, 1777.
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that, since the date of
my last from Trenton, I have removed with the army
under my command to this place. The difficulty of
crossing the Delaware, on account of the ice, made our
passage over it tedious, and gave the enemy an oppor
tunity of drawing in their several cantonments, and as
sembling their whole force at Princeton. Their large
pickets advanced towards Trenton, their great prepara
tions, and some intelligence I had received, added to
their knowledge that the 1st of January brought on a
dissolution of the best part of our army, gave me the
strongest reasons to conclude that an attack upon us
was meditating.
Our situation was most critical, and our force small
To remove immediately was again destroying every
dawn of hope, which had begun to revive in the breasts
of the Jersey militia ; and to bring those troops who
had first crossed the Delaware, and were lying at Cross-
wicks, under General Cadwalader, and those under Gen
eral Mifflin, at Bordentown, (amounting in the whole to
about three thousand six hundred,) to Trenton, was to
bring them to an exposed place. One or the other,
however, was unavoidable. The latter was preferred,'
and they were ordered to join us at Trenton — which
they did, by a night march, on the 1st instant. On the
2d, according to my expectation, the enemy began to
advance upon us; and, after some skirmishing, the head
of their column reached Trenton about four o'clock

64 APPENDIX.
whilst their rear was as far back as Maidenhead. They
attempted to pass Assunpink Creek, which runs through
Trenton at different places, but finding the fords guarded,
they halted and kindled their fires. We were drawn up
on the other side of the creek. In this situation we re
mained till dark — cannonading the enemy, and receiv
ing the fire of their field-pieces, which did us but little
damage. Having by this time discovered that the enemy were
greatly superior in number, and that their design was
to surround us, I ordered all our baggage to be removed
silently to Burlington soon after dark; and at twelve
o'clock, after renewing our fires, and leaving guards at
the bridge in Trenton and other passes on the same
stream above, marched by a roundabout road to Prince
ton, where I knew they could not have much force left,
and might have stores. One thing I was certain of, that
it would avoid the appearance of a retreat, (which was
of consequence, or to run the hazard of the whole army
being cut off,) whilst we might, by a fortunate stroke,
withdraw General Howe from Trenton, and give some
reputation to our arms. Happily we succeeded. We
found Princeton about sun-rise, with only three regi
ments and three troops of light>horse in it, two of which
were on their march to Trenton. These three regi
ments, especially the two first, made a gallant resist
ance, and in killed, wounded, and prisoners, must have
lost five hundred men — upwards of one hundred' of
them were left dead on the field — and, with what I
have with me, and what were taken in the pursuit and
carried across the Delaware, there are near three hun
dred prisoners, fourteen of whom are officers, all' British.

APPENDIX. 65
This piece of good fortune is counterbalanced by the
loss of the brave and worthy General Mercer, Colonels
Hazlet and Potter, Captain Neal of the artillery, Captain
Fleming, who commanded the first Virginian regiment,
and four or five other valuable officers, who, with
about twenty-five or thirty privates, were slain in the
field. Our whole loss cannot be ascertained, as many,
who were in pursuit of the enemy, (who were chased
three or four miles,) are not yet come in. /The rear of
the enemy's army lying at Maidenhead, not more than
five ot six miles from Princeton, was up with us before
our pursuit was over; but, as I had the precaution to
destroy the bridge over Stony Brook, about half a mile
from the field of action, they were so long retarded
there as to give us time to move off in good order for
this place. We took two brass field-pieces, but, for
want of horses, could not bring them away. We also
took some blankets, shoes, and a few other trifling arti
cles, burned the hay, and destroyed such other things as
the shortness of the time would admit.
My original plan, when I set out from Trenton, was,
to push on to Brunswick ; but the harassed state of our
troops — many of them having had no rest for two nights
and a day, and the danger of losing the advantage we
had gained by aiming at too much — induced me, by the
advice of my officers, to relinquish the attempt. But,
in my judgment, six or eight hundred fresh troops, upon
a forced march, would have destroyed all their stores
and magazines, taken (as we have since learned) their
military chest, containing seventy thousand pounds, and
put an end to the war. The enemy, from the best in
telligence I have been able to get, were so much

O

9

66 APPENDIX.
alarmed at the apprehension of this, that they marched
immediately to Brunswick without halting, except at the
bridges, (for I also took up those on Millstone, on the
different routes to Brunswick,) and got there before day.
From the best information I have received, General
Howe has left no men either at Trenton or Princeton.
The truth of this I am endeavoring to ascertain that I
may regulate my movements accordingly. The militia
are taking spirits, and, I am told, are coming in fast from
this State; but I fear those from Philadelphia will
scarcely submit to the hardships of a winter's campaign
much longer, especially as they very unluckily sent their
blankets with their baggage to Burlington. I must do
them the justice, however, to add that they have under
gone more fatigue and hardship than I expected militia,
especially citizens, would have done at this inclement
season. I am just moving to Morristown, where I shall
endeavor to put them under the best cover I can.
Hitherto we have been without any. and many of our
poor soldiers quite barefoot, and ill clad in other respects.
I have the honor to be, &c.
Among the letters of Washington published by Sparks,
from which the preceding is selected, (Vol. IV, page 258,)
I find one of same date to General Putnam, in which he
speaks of his difficulties and his fight at Princeton, but
says little about the affair at Trenton — only that he
"drew the army up on the south side of Mill Creek, and
continued in that position until dusk, and then marched
to Princeton." But, keeping back part of his own di
lemma, he tells Putnam "to give out your strength to be
twice as great as it is," showing that in time of war milr

APPENDIX. 67
tary men feel privileged to take great liberties in report
ing or concealing their situations.
In addition to the above, I think it well to insert here
the letter of Congress investing Washington with almost
dictatorial powers, and likewise his letter to Messrs.
Morris, Clymer, and Walton, showing his modest sense
of his own importance and fidelity to the government
and cause he had espoused. All was safe in his hands.

WASHINGTON'S DICTATORIAL POWERS.
Notwithstanding the extreme jealousy which had
hitherto prevailed with most of the members of Con
gress, in regard to the danger of a military ascendancy,
they were constrained in the present alarming aspect of
affairs to invest General Washington with very exten
sive powers. In relation to the army, these powers con
stituted him in all respects a Dictator, according to the
Roman sense of that term, as will appear by the pro
ceedings of Congress.
"December 27ih, 1776. — This Congress, having maturely
considered the present crisis, and having perfect reliance
on the wisdom, vigor and uprightness of General Wash
ington, do hereby
"Resolve, That General Washington shall be, and he is
hereby vested with full, ample, and complete powers to
raise and collect together, in the most speedy and effec
tual manner, from any or all of these United States, six
teen battalions of infantry, in addition to those already
voted by Congress ; to appoint officers for the said bat-

APPENDIX.

talions of infantry; to raise, officer, and equip three
thousand light-horse, three regiments of artillery, and a
corps of engineers, and to establish their pay; to apply
to any of the States for such aid of the militia as he,
shall judge necessary; to form such magazines of pro"
visions, and in such places, as he shall think proper; to
displace and appoint all officers under the rank of brigar
dier-general, and to fill up all vacancies in every other
department in the American army; to take, wherever
he may be, whatever he may want for the use of the
army, if the inhabitants will not sell it, allowing a rea
sonable price for the same; to arrest and confine per
sons who refuse to take the Continental currency, or are
otherwise disaffected to the American cause, and return
to the States of which they are citizens their names and
the nature of their offences, together with the witnesses
to prove them.
"That the foregoing powers be vested in General
Washington for and during the term of six months from
the date hereof, unless sooner determined by Congress."
The following letter was sent by Congress, as a circu
lar, to the Governor of each of the States, accompanied
by the above resolve : "Baltimore, 30th December, 1776.
"Sir: "Ever attentive to the security of civil liberty, Con
gress would not have consented to the vesting of such
powers in the military department, as those which the
enclosed resolves convey to the Continental Commander-
in-chief, if the situation of public affairs did not require
at this crisis a decision and vigor which distance and

APPENDIX. 69
numbers deny to assemblies far removed from each
other, and from the immediate seat of war.
" The strength and progress of the enemy, joined to
prospects of considerable reinforcements, have rendered
it not only necessary that the American forces should be
augmented beyond what Congress had heretofore de
signed, but that they should be brought into the field
with all possible expedition. These considerations in
duce Congress to request, in the most earnest manner,
that the fullest influence of your State may be exerted
to aid such levies as the General shall direct, in conse
quence of the powers now given him; and that your
quota of battalions, formally fixed, may be completed
and ordered to head-quarters with all the dispatch that
an ardent desire to secure the public happiness can
dictate. ^;I have the honor to be, &c,
f John Hancock, President."

TO ROBERT MORRIS, GEORGE CLTMER, AND GEORGE WAL
TON, A COMMITTEE OF CONGRESS.
Head-Quarters, Trenton, 1 January, 1777.
Gentlemen :
The messenger delivered to me the two parcels of
hard money, which I suppose will turn out agreeably
to the list, not having had time to count it. The sum
that is lodged at Ticonderoga shall be ordered down,
provided the commander in the northern department
finds no better use for it there than I can niake of it
here.

70 APPENDIX.
The accounts you give me of the good effects that are
likely to flow from our success at Trenton, add not a lit
tle to the satisfaction I have felt on that occasion. You
are pleased to pay me many personal compliments, as if
the merit of that affair was due solely to me; but I
assure you the other general officers, who assisted me
in the plan and execution, have full as good a right to
your encomiums as myself. We are devising such mea
sures, as I hope, if they succeed, will add as much or
more to the distress of the enemy than their defeat at
Trenton ; and I promise myself the greatest advantages
from having engaged a number of the eastern troops to
stay six weeks beyond their time of enlistment by giv
ing a bounty of ten dollars. This, I know, is a most ex
travagant price when compared with the time of service,
but the example was set by the State of Pennsylvania
with respect to their militia, and I thought it no time to
stand upon trifles, when a body of firm troops, inured to
danger, was absolutely necessary to lead on the more
raw and undisciplined. I shall know this day how man}'
of Colonel Glover's regiment are willing to continue in
the land service. I do not expect many will be prevailed
upon to stay, and I will endeavor to procure the rest for
the purpose of fitting out the frigates upon the best
terms I can.
The future and proper disposition of the Hessian pris
oners struck me in the same light in which you view it ;
for which reason I advised the Council of Safety to
separate them from their officers, and canton them in
the German counties. If proper pains are taken to con
vince them how preferable the situation of their coun
trymen, the inhabitants of those counties, is to theirs,

APPENDIX. 71
I think they may be sent back in the spring so fraught
with a love of liberty and property too, that they may
create a disgust to the service among the remainder of
the foreign troops, and widen that breach which is
already opened between them and the British.
Yours, of the 31st of last month, enclosed to me sun
dry resolves of Congress, by which I find they have clone
me the honor to entrust me with powers, in my military
capacity, of the highest nature and almost unlimited in
in 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
firmty established. I shall instantly set about making
the most necessary reforms in the army ; but it will not
be in my power to make so great a progress, as if I had
a little leisure time upon my hands. Mr. Morris has my
sincere thanks for the advice and assistance he promises
to give Commissary Wharton, and I beg he would re
mind him, that all his exertions will be necessary to sup
port an army in this exhausted country.
I have the honor to be, &c.
The resolves of Congress, conferring the above pow
ers, were transmitted to Washington by the Committee,
who remained in Philadelphia when the Congress ad
journed to Baltimore, namely : Robert Morris, Clymer,
and Walton. In their letter they said : — "We find by
these resolves, that your Excellency's hands will be
(¦strengthened with very ample powers ; and a new re
formation of the army seems to have its origin therein.

I 2 APPENDIX.
Happy it is for this country that the General of their
forces can safely be entrusted with the most unlimited
power, and neither personal security, liberty, nor pro
perty, be in the least degree endangered thereby." —
MS. Letter, December 31stf.