ANALYSI8. Subject of Chapter IV. 1. Events on the night of January. CHAPTER IV. EVENTS OF 17 77. 1. 'On the night of the first of January, Generals Mif. the first of flin and Cadwallader, with the forces which lay at Bordentown and Crosswicks,* joined Washington at Trenton, whose whole effective force did not then exceed five thou2. The after sand men. In the afternoon of the next day," the van of the army of Lord Cornwallis reached Trenton; when Washington immediately withdrew to the east side of the creek b. See Map, which runs through the town, where he drew up his army, and commenced intrenching himself. noon of the next day. a. Jan. 2. P. 364. 3. Situation can army. 2. The British attempted to cross in several places, when some skirmishing ensued, and a cannonading commenced, which continued until nightfall; but the fords being well guarded, the enemy thought it prudent to wait for the reenforcements which were near at hand, designing to advance to the assault on the following morning. 3. Washington again found himself in a very critical of the Amert situation. To remain and risk a battle, with a superior and constantly increasing force, would subject his army, in case of repulse, to certain destruction; while a retreat over the Delaware, then very much obstructed with floating ice, would, of itself, have been a difficult undertaking, and a highly dangerous one to the American troops when pursued by a victorious enemy. 'With his usual saga. and boldness city and boldness, Washington adopted another extraordiry but judicious scheme, which was accomplished with COL 'mmate skill, and followed by the happiest results. 4. Sagacity of Washing. 5. In rohat manner he enemy. 4. Kindling the fires of his camp as usual, and having elude the left a small guard and sentinels to deceive the enemy, he silently despatched his heavy baggage to Burlington; and then, by a circuitous route, unperceived, gained the rear of the enemy, and pressed on rapidly towards Princeton; designing to attack, by surprise, the British force at that place, which was about equal to his own. c Jan 3. 6. Battle of and losses 5. A part of the British, however, had already comPrinceton, menced their march, and were met by the Americans, sustained by at sunrise, a mile and a half from Princeton,† when a brisk conflict ensued, in which the American militia at each party. * Crosswicks is a small village on the south side of a creek of the same name, four miles E from Bordentown. The creek enters the Delaware just N. of Bordentown village. (See Map p. 363.) This battle was fought on the N.E. side of Stony Brook, one of the head waters of the Raritan, about a mile and a half S.W. from Princetou. (See Map, p. 363.) first gave way; but Washington soon coming up with his 1777. select corps, the battle was restored. One division of the British, however, broke through the Americans; the others, after a severe struggle, and after losing nearly four hundred men in killed and wounded, retreated towards New Brunswick. The American loss was somewhat less than that of the British, but among the killed was the highly esteemed and deeply regretted General Mercer. Cornwallis. 2 Situation at this time. of each army 6. When the dawn of day discovered to Lord Corn- 1. Course of wallis the deserted camp of the Americans, he immediately abandoned his own camp, and marched with all expedition towards New Brunswick; fearing lest the baggage and military stores collected there should fall into the hands of the enemy. As he reached Princeton almost at the same time with the American rear-guard, Washington again found himself in imminent danger. His soldiers had taken no repose for the two preceding days, and they were likewise destitute of suitable provisions and clothing; while the pursuing enemy, besides the advantage of numbers, was supplied with all the conveniences, and even the luxuries of the camp. 7. Not being in a situation to accomplish his designs 3. Movements on New Brunswick, Washington departed abruptly from Princeton, and moved with rapidity towards the upper and mountainous parts of New Jersey, and finally encamped at Morristown,* where he was able to afford shelter and repose to his suffering army. 'Cornwallis proceeded di- 4. of Corn rectly to New Brunswick, where he found the commanding officer greatly alarmed at the movements of Washington, and already engaged in the removal of the baggage and military stores. of Washing ton. wallis. 5. Successes ton. 8. In a few days Washington entered the field anew,overran the whole northern part of New Jersey, and of Washing made himself master of Newark, of Elizabethtown, and finally of Woodbridge;† so that the British army, which had lately held all New Jersey in its power, and had caused even Philadelphia to tremble for its safety, found itself now restricted to the two posts, New Brunswick and Amboy ; and compelled to lay aside all thoughts of acting offensively, and study self-defence. "The people of New Situation Jersey, who, during the ascendency of the British, had of the people been treated with harshness, insult, and cruelty, espe- of New Jer and conduct sey. Morristown is a beautiful village, situated on an eminence, thirty-five miles N.E. from Princeton, and eighteen W. from Newark. (See Map, p. 363.) ↑ Woodbridge is a village near Staten Island Sound, fourteen miles S. from Newark. (See Map, p. 363.) Amboy (now Perth Amboy) is situated at the head of Raritan Bay, at the confluence o Raritan River and Staten Island Sound, four miles S. from Woodbridge. It is opposite the southern point of Staten Island. (See Map, p. 263.) ANALYSIS. cially by the mercenary Hessian troops, now rose upon their invaders, and united in the common cause of expelling them from the country. 1. Their successes. a. Jun. 7. Jan. 20. 9. In small parties they scoured the country in every direction, cutting off stragglers and suddenly falling on the outposts of the enemy, and in several skirmishes gained considerable advantage. At Springfield,* between forty and fifty Germans were killed, wounded, or taken, by an equal number of Jersey militia; and on the 20th of January, General Dickinson, with less than five hundred men, defeated a much larger foraging party of the enemy, near Somerset Court House. As no important military Washington enterprise took place on either side during the two or for the health three months following the battle of Princeton, Washington seized the interval of repose for inoculating his whole army with the small-pox; a disease which had already commenced its dreadful ravages among his troops, but which was thus stripped of its terrors, and rendered harmless. 2. Measure taken by of his army. 3. Designs of Congress. 4. Mr. Deane's embassy to France. 5. Dr. Franklin, and others, in Europe/ 6. Course taken by 10. 'Congress in the mean time had returned to Philadelphia, where it was busily occupied with measures for enlarging and supplying the army, and for obtaining aid from foreign powers. So early as the beginning of the year 1776, Silas Deane, a member of congress from Connecticut, was sent to France, for the purpose of influenc ing the French government in favor of America. though France secretly favored the cause of the Americans, she was not yet disposed to act openly; yet Mr. Deane found means to obtain supplies from private sources, and even from the public arsenals. Al 11. After the declaration of independence, Benjamin Franklin was likewise sent to Paris; and other agents were sent to different European courts. The distinguished talents, high reputation, and great personal popularity of Dr. Franklin, were highly successful in increasing the general enthusiasm which began to be felt in behalf of the Americans. "His efforts were in the end eminently France, and successful and although France delayed, for a while, aid afforded the recognition of American independence, yet she began to act with less reserve; and by lending assistance in various ways, by loans, gifts, supplies of arms, provisions, and clothing, she materially aided the Americans, and showed a disposition not to avoid a rupture with England, 7. Lafayette, 12. The tardy action of the French court was outvolunteers. stripped, however, by the general zeal of the nation. by her. and other Springfield is a small village eight miles W. from Newark. (See Map, p. 863.) Somerset Court House was then at the village of Millstone, four miles 3. from Somerville the present county seat, and eight miles W. from New Brunswick. (See Map, p. 263.) La Numerous volunteers, the most eminent of whom was the 1777. young Marquis de Lafayette, offered to risk their fortunes and bear arms in the cause of American liberty. fayette actually fitted out a vessel at his own expense, and, in the spring of 1777, arrived in America. He at first enlisted as a volunteer in the army of Washington, declining all pay for his services; but congress soon after bestowed upon him the appointment of major-general. pedition up 13. 'Although the main operations of both armies were 1. British exsuspended until near the last of May, a few previous the Hudson. events are worthy of notice. The Americans having collected a quantity of military stores at Peekskill, on the Hudson, in March General Howe despatched a powerful armament up the river to destroy them, when the American troops, seeing defence impossible, set fire to the stores, and abandoned the place. The enemy landed-com- a. March 23. pleted the destruction, and then returned to New York. On the 13th of April, General Lincoln, then stationed at Boundbrook,* in New Jersey, was surprised 2. Surprise of by the sudden approach of Lord Cornwallis on both sides of the Raritan. With difficulty he made his retreat, with the loss of a part of his baggage, and about sixty men. April 13. Gen. Lincoln. April 25. on's expedi tion against Danbury. 14. On the 25th of April, 2000 of the enemy, under the command of General Tryon, late royal governor of New York, landed in Connecticut, between Fairfield and Norwalk. On the next day they proceeded against Danbury, and destroyed the stores collected there, b. April 26. burned the town,-and committed many atrocities on the unarmed inhabitants. During their retreat they were 4 Retreat of assailed by the militia, which had hastily assembled in the enemy. several detachments, commanded by Generals Arnold, Silliman and Wooster. Pursued and constantly harassed by the Americans, the enemy succeeded in regaining d. April 28. their shipping; having lost, during the expedition, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, nearly three hundred c. April 27. Americans. men. "The loss of the Americans was much less; but 5. Loss of the among the number was the veteran General Wooster, then in his seventieth year. • Boundbrook is a small village about a mile in length, on the N. side of the Raritan, seven mile. N.W. from New Brunswick. The northern part of the village is called Middlebrook. (See Map, p. 363.) tRaritan River, N. J., is formed by several branches, which unite in Somerset County; whence, flowing east, it enters Raritan Bay at the southern extremity of Staten Island. (See Map, p. 363.) Fairfield. See p. 211. The troops landed at Campo Point, in the western part of the town of Fairfield. Norwalk village is situated on both sides of Norwalk River, at its entrance into the Sound It is about forty-five miles N.E. from New York, and ten miles S W. from Fairfield. Danbury is twenty-one miles N. from Norwalk. ANALYSIS 1. Expedition Harbor. May 22. 15. 'Not long afterwards, a daring expedition was planned and executed by a party of Connecticut militia, against Sag against a dépôt of British stores which had been collected at Sag Harbor, a post at the eastern extremity of Long Island, and then defended by a detachment of infantry and an armed sloop. On the night of the 22d of May, Colonel Meigs crossed the Sound, and arriving before a May 23. day, surprised the enemy, destroyed the stores, burned a dozen vessels, and brought off ninety prisoners, without 2. Conduct of having a single man either killed or wounded. "Congress ordered an elegant sword to be presented to Colonel Meigs for his good conduct on this occasion. Col. Meigs rewarded 3. Situation at trine and plans of the enemy. 16. While these events were transpiring, Washington of Washing remained in his camp at Morristown, gradually increas ing in strength by the arrival of new recruits, and waiting the development of the plans of the enemy; who seemed to be hesitating, whether to march upon Philadelphia, in accordance with the plan of the previous campaign, or to seize upon the passes of the Hudson, and thus co-operate directly with a large force under General Burgoyne, then assembling in Canada, with the design of invading the states from that quarter. 4. Precau against these plans. 17. As a precaution against both of these movements, tions taken the northern forces having first been concentrated on the Hudson, and a large camp under General Arnold having been formed on the western bank of the Delaware, so that the whole could be readily assembled at either point, in the latter part of May Washington broke up his winter quarters, and advanced to Middlebrook,—a strong position within ten miles of the British camp, and affording a better opportunity for watching the enemy and impeding his movements. b. See first Note on pre vious page. 5. Movements of General Howe. c. June 12. dra Wash 18. 'General Howe soon after passed over from New York, which had been his head-quarters during the winter, and concentrated nearly his whole army at New Brunswick; but after having examined the strength of the posts which Washington occupied, he abandoned the 6. Attempts to design of assaulting him in his camp. He next, with the son from design of enticing Washington from his position, and bringhis position. ing on a general engagement, advanced with nearly his d. June 14. whole force to Somerset Court House, with the apparent design of crossing the Delaware. Failing in his object, a few days afterwards he tried another feint, and made as rapid a retreat, first to Brunswick and afterwards to Amboy, and even sent over several detachments to Staten Island, as if with the final intention of abandoning New Jersey. 19. 'Washington, in the hope of deriving some advantage from the retreat, pushed forward strong detachments e. June 19. f. June 22. Y. Advance of |