to us; our numbers, sorry I am to say, being less than I had any conception of; but necessity, dire necessity, will, nay, must, justify an attack. Prepare, and in concert with Griffin, attack as many of their posts as you possibly can with a prospect of success; the more we can attack at the same instant, the more confusion we shall spread, and the greater good will result from it." In a postscript, he added: "I have ordered our men to be provided with three days' provisions ready cooked, with which, and their blankets, they are to march; for, if we are successful, which Heaven grant, and the circumstances favor, we may push on. I shall direct every ferry and ford to be well guarded, and not a soul suffered to pass without an officer's going down with a permit. Do the same with you."

A cold storm was gathering in the heavens toward the evening of the twenty-fifth, while Washington's troops, chiefly New England battalions, 2,400 strong, with twenty pieces of artillery, were slowly marching toward McConkey's Ferry, led by General St. Clair, and followed by the chief, and Generals Greene, Sullivan, Stirling, Mercer and Stephen. Toward sunset they paraded near the banks of the Delaware, at the chosen crossing-place, with the expectation of reaching the opposite shore by midnight. But there were serious obstacles in the way. The mild weather that had prevailed for nearly a fortnight, providentially delaying the preparation of the ice-bridge for which the British were waiting, had suddenly terminated, and the severe frosts of twenty-four hours had so filled the stream with floating ice that at first a passage seemed impossible. But all misgivings were laid aside, and at sunset the embarkation in boats and batteaux commenced, under the direction of Colonel Glover and his fishermensoldiers of Marblehead-those noble patriots who so efficiently assisted in the retreat of the Americans from Long Island, nearly four months before. The wind was high and the current strong; and, as the night closed in, a storm of sleet and snow commenced, and the darkness became intense.

Nearly all night long did Glover's men battle with the ice, the current, and the tempest, in ferrying over the troops. Washington and his staff crossed before midnight, and on the

dreary eastern shore of the Delaware, with a black forest in the background, he stood for a long time watching, with intense anxiety, the perilous movement, especially of the artillery, for on that strong arm of the service he much depended in the enterprise before him. These, under the direction of Colonel Knox (whose powerful voice could be distinctly heard on both shores above the tumult of armed men, the clashing of vessels in the gloom, the grinding of the ice, and the howling of the tempest), were safely landed by three o'clock, and at four the whole army were ready for marching. Trenton, where the enemy lay, was almost nine miles distant. Daylight would come too soon for a surprise, and it would also too soon discover a retreat, that could not be made without the greatest danger. So Washington resolved to push on to the attack, and risk an open battle rather than such a

retreat.

Washington separated his troops into two divisions, one to march by the lower or river road, that entered Trenton on the west, and the other by the upper or Pennington road, that entered on the north, the distance by each being about the same. It was designed to have the two divisions fall upon the enemy simultaneously at these points. To insure this result, as far as note of time could do it, Washington gave orders that every officer's watch should be set by his, and the moment of attack was fixed. Greene led the column that took the upper road, and was accompanied by the commander-inchief and Generals Stirling, Mercer and Stephen. Sullivan led the other division along the river road, with Stark's New Hampshire regiment in advance.

Some traitorous republican had revealed Washington's secret to the enemy the day before, and General Grant, at Princeton, gave Colonel Ralle timely warning of the intended attack. The exact time was mentioned, but it was understood that the assault was to be made by a detachment under Lord Stirling. Ralle was accordingly on the alert. At dusk, the very time when the Americans were battling with storm and flood, a small company of republicans (an advance party returning from the Jerseys to Pennsylvania) emerged from the woods near Trenton, attacked a Hessian picket, and immedi

to arms.

ately retired. This firing aroused the garrison, and all flew Ralle visited the outpost that had been attacked, and found alarm and confusion prevailing, and six men wounded. With two field-pieces he traversed the woods in the vicinity, and made the rounds of the outposts; but, seeing and hearing nothing, and finding all quiet, he returned. Believing this to have been the meditated attack, and regarding the whole affair with contempt, Ralle ordered his troops back to their quarters, with assurances of safety, and all slept carelessly, without their arms, in fancied security.

Washington gave orders that the two divisions, on arriving at Trenton, should simultaneously force the outer guards and rush into the town, before the enemy could have time to form. The march was so well conducted that the advance of both divisions encountered the enemy's pickets at the same time. That of Greene was led by Captain William Washington, who afterward greatly distinguished himself as a cavalry officer in the South, seconded by Lieutenant Monroe, who, forty years later, was President of the United States. That of Sullivan was led by Colonel Stark, the gallant hero of Bennington eight months afterward.

Although it was eight o'clock in the morning, the attack was a complete surprise, for the falling snow had so deadened the noise of tramping feet and the rumbling of cannon-carriage wheels that the enemy had no warning of their approach. The storm was so severe that no one was abroad to observe or give intelligence, and the garrison were first certified of their peril by the fugitive pickets, who, closely pursued by the Americans, fled into the town, firing from behind houses, trees and fences on the way. The Hessian drums beat to arms, and the trumpets of the light-horsemen brayed out the alarm; but before Colonel Ralle, who had been supping and wine-drinking and card-playing, at the house of a tory, all night, could fly to his quarters, mount his horse and proceed to form his scattered soldiery in efficient order for battle, the Americans were driving his troops before them like chaff before the wind.

Part of Greene's division had pushed down King (now Warren) Street, and part down Queen (now Greene) Street,

while Sullivan's came in by Front and Second streets. The enemy were thus hemmed in by the Assumpink and their assailants. At the head of King Street, Captain Forest opened a six-gun battery of field-pieces, which commanded that avenue, and Washington advanced with it on the left, directing its fire. In this position he was very much exposed, but no entreaties could make him fall back. With eager eye and anxious mind he was watching and directing momentous events, and he had no thoughts of personal peril.

Very soon the enemy were seen preparing a two-gun battery in the same street, when Captain Washington and Lieutenant Monroe dashed forward with a small party, drove the artillerymen from their guns just as they were about to fire, and captured their pieces. Both officers were slightly wounded, but not disabled.

While these movements were in progress on the left, Stark was pressing on upon the right. The British light-horse and about five hundred Hessians, quartered in that section of the town, dashed across the Assumpink bridge and fled to the camp of Donop, at Bordentown. General Irvine, who was to have crossed the river below Trenton and secured this avenue of escape, was prevented by ice, or these would, doubtless, have been captured. Meanwhile, Colonel Ralle, at the head of his grenadiers, was bravely endeavoring to resist the storm that was upon him, when a musket-ball wounded him mortally, and he fell from his horse, pale and bleeding. His aids and servant bore him away to his quarters, in the house of a Quaker, and Scheffer, his next in command, took his place at the head of the troops. But all order was at an end. seeing their commander fall, the Hessians fled in dismay, the main body attempting to escape by the road to Princeton. Perceiving this, Washington sent Colonel Hand and his riflemen to intercept them, while a Virginia corps, under Colonels Scott and Lawson, gained their left.

On

Ignorant of the smallness of the force that stood in their way, and panic-stricken and bewildered, the fugitive mercenaries threw down their arms and implored mercy. For a moment, Washington, who saw them from a distance, thought they were forming for battle, and ordered a discharge of can

ister shot upon them; but when he observed their flag trailing, he spurred to the spot, followed by Captain Forest and his whole command. Colonel Ralle was there, in the arms of his attendants, and, with feeble hand, delivered his sword to the victor. Wilkinson, who had been dispatched to Washington for orders, rode up at that moment, when the commander-inchief took him by the hand, and, with countenance beaming with complacency, said: "Major Wilkinson, this is a glorious day for our country." Skirmishing had now ceased; the battle was over, and victory was with the Americans.

Although the admirable plans of Washington were not more than half carried out, owing to the state of the weather and condition of the river, yet the results of the triumph at Trenton were glorious. Cadwalader's attempt to cross the river at Bristol, like that of Irvine at Trenton Ferry, was a failure. He got over with a part of his troops, but the ice prevented the embarkation of his artillery, and he returned. Could he and Irvine have crossed in time, Donop's force at Bordentown must have been dispersed or captured, and the victory would have been more brilliant, extensive and enduring. As it was, the Americans at Trenton were in a critical situation, for Donop was only a few miles distant, with a greatly superior force, and there was a strong body of British infantry at Princeton.

Nothing but the fearful panic which the fugitive lighthorsemen and Hessians caused in their flight, by the tale that the assailants were 15,000 strong, saved Washington and his army. He clearly perceived his peril and the impossibility of maintaining his position at Trenton with all his captives; so, without giving his wearied soldiers time for rest, he recrossed the Delaware that evening, with his whole force, almost a thousand prisoners, and the spoils of victory. During thirty hours that his army had been exposed to a heavy storm, fatiguing march, and a battle, he lost only seven men. Four of these were wounded, two were killed, and one frozen to death. The trophies of victory were four stand of colors, twelve drums, six brass field-pieces, and a thousand stand of arms and accoutrements. Of the enemy, six officers, besides Colonel Ralle, and about forty men, were killed.-B. J. LOSSING.