CHAPTER XXVIII.

THE YEAR 1777.

Howe attempts to Crush Washington-Battle of Princeton-The British Confined to the Seaboard-Recovery of New Jersey-The American Army in Winter Quarters at Morristown-Effects of the American Successes-Difficulty of Procuring TroopsWashington Refuses to Exchange Prisoners-His Course Approved by CongressMeasures of Congress-Naval Affairs-Tryon Burns Danbury-Gallantry of ArnoldTroubles in the Northern Department-Congress Adopts a National Flag-"The Stars and Stripes"-Course of France towards the United States-France decides to Assist the Americans-Lafayette-His arrival in America-Capture of the British General Prescott-Howe threatens Philadelphia-Washington moves Southward-Battle of the Brandywine-Washington Retreats to the Schuylkill-Wayne's Defeat at Paoli-Philadelphia Evacuated by the Americans-It is Occupied by the British-Battle of Germantown-The British Attack the Forts on the Delaware-They are Abandoned by the Americans-Burgoyne's Army in Canada-Advance of Burgoyne into New YorkInvestment of Ticonderoga-It is Abandoned by the Americans-The Retreat to Fort Edward-Burgoyne reaches the Hudson-Murder of Miss McCrea-Siege of Fort Schuyler-Battle of Bennington-Critical Situation of Burgoyne-Gates in Command of the American Army-Battles of Behmus' Heights and Stillwater Surrender of Burgoyne's Army-Clinton in the Highlands.

REAT was the astonishment of General Howe when he learned of the battle at Trenton. He could scarcely believe that a handful of militia had captured a strong force of veteran troops led by such a commander as Colonel Rahl. He at once took prompt measures to repair the disaster. Lord Cornwallis, who was on the eve of sailing for England, was ordered to resume his command in New Jersey, and a force of seven thousand men was rapidly collected and placed under his orders. These troops rendezvoused at Princeton.

Washington was informed of these movements, and ordered Generals Mifflin and Cadwallader to join him without delay. They reached Trenton the 1st of January, with thirty-five hundred men. This increased the American force to about five thousand men fit for duty. Upon the approach of Cornwallis' army, Washington took position behind the Assunpink, and prepared to dispute the passage of that stream. The fords and bridge over the creek were carefully guarded, and were swept by the fire of the artillery placed to command them. A force under General Greene and Colonel Hand was thrown forward to hold the enemy

in check, and so retarded their movements that the British army did not arrive before Trenton until four o'clock in the afternoon of January 2d, 1777. Cornwallis made several determined efforts to force a passage of the creek, but was each time driven back by the well-directed fire of the provincials. Thinking that he could accomplish more the next day, the British commander drew off his men, resolving to renew the attack in the morning, when, he boasted, he would "bag the fox." Both armies encamped for the night in sight of each other, reddening the sky with the glow of their camp-fires.

The situation of the American army was now critical in the extreme. A retreat into Pennsylvania was impossible, as the Delaware was full of

floating ice, and could not be passed in the face of such an army as that of Cornwallis. The issue of the next day's conflict was, to say the least, doubtful, for the army of Cornwallis was composed mainly of veteran troops, and he was himself a leader of genuine ability. In this emergency Washington determined upon one of the most brilliant and well-conceived operations of the war. It was known to him that the British had their main depot of supplies at New Brunswick, and he supposed from the presence of so many troops with Cornwallis that this depot had been left unguarded. He therefore resolved to break up his camp, and march by an unfrequented road around the left flank of the enemy to Princeton,

capture the force stationed there, and then hasten to New Brunswick and secure the stores at that place. Sending his heavy baggage and stores down the river to Burlington, Washington silently withdrew his army from its position at midnight, leaving the camp-fires burning to deceive the enemy, and a small force to watch the British and destroy the bridges after the army had passed on.

A forced march brought the Americans within three miles of Princeton by daybreak on the morning of the 3d of January. The army was divided into two divisions, one under Washington, and the other under General Mercer, which approached the town by different routes. British regiments on their way to Trenton had passed the previous night

Three

at Princeton, and had resumed their march at dawn. The first of these, under Colonel Mawhood, was encountered by the division of General Mercer, about two miles from Princeton. As Mawhood supposed Mercer's force to be a party retreating from Trenton, he at once resolved to attack it. His attack was successful. The Americans were driven back, and General Mercer was wounded, bayoneted, and left on the field apparently dead. Mercer's troops fell back in confusion, and a body of Pennsylvania militia, which had been sent by Washington to their assistance, was held in check by the fire of the British artillery.

At this moment, Washington, who had been rendered anxious by the

obstinate and continued firing, arrived on the field. A glance showed him the broken and shattered regiments of Mercer falling back in confusion, and the Pennsylvania militia wavering under the heavy cannonade directed against them. Not a moment was to be lost, and putting spurs to his horse, he dashed forward in the face of the fire of Mawhood's artillery, and waving his hat, called upon the troops to rally and follow him. The effect was electrical; the fugitives rallied with a loud cheer and reformed their line, and at the same moment a Virginia regiment, which had just arrived, dashed out of a neighboring wood and opened a heavy fire upon the enemy. enemy. A little later the American artillery came up, and opened a shower of grape upon the British. Mawhood was driven back, and with great difficulty succeeded in regaining the main road, along which he retreated with all speed to Trenton.

The second British regiment, advancing from Princeton to Mawhood's assistance, was attacked by St. Clair's brigade, and was speedily driven across the country towards New Brunswick. The third regiment, seeing the fate of their comrades, became panic-stricken. A portion fled towards New Brunswick, and the remainder took refuge in the college building at Princeton. They surrendered after a few shots from the American artillery.

The Americans lost but a few men in this battle; but General Mercer, a brave and efficient commander, was mortally wounded, and died a few days after the engagement. The British lost about one hundred killed and three hundred prisoners.

Eager to secure the stores at New Brunswick, Washington pushed on with speed in that direction, but after passing a few miles beyond Princeton decided to abandon the attempt. He was sure that Cornwallis would pursue him as soon as his retreat from Trenton was discovered, and his men were too much exhausted to reach New Brunswick before the arrival of the enemy. They had been without rest for a night and a day, and some of them were barefooted. His generals sustained him in the opinion that it was injudicious to continue the movement against New Brunswick, and he reluctantly abandoned it, and withdrew in the direction of Morristown.

When Cornwallis discovered the withdrawal of the Americans on the morning of the 3d of January, he was greatly perplexed to know in what direction they had gone. In a little while the sound of the cannonade at Princeton revealed to him the route taken by them, and he at once understood the design of Washington. He must save his stores at any risk, and he broke up his camp and set out for Princeton and New Brunswick. The Americans had obstructed the Princeton road, and had

broken down the bridge over Stony creek, a few miles from the town. Without waiting to rebuild the bridge, the British commander forced his men through the icy waters, which were breast high, and hastened through Princeton with all speed. Believing that Washington had hurried on to New Brunswick, Cornwallis marched direct to that place, and did not notice the deflection of the American army from the main route. Reaching New Brunswick, he made arrangements to defend the town, which he supposed would be attacked.

In the meantime the American army retreated to a strong position at Morristown, where the troops erected huts in which to pass the winter. Finding that the enemy did not attack him, Washington ventured to extend his line. His right was at Princeton, under General Putnam, and his left, under General Heath, was in the Highlands. His own head-quarters were at Morristown. For six months neither party attempted any movement of importance. Washington was not idle, however. Though he had but the skeleton of an army at Morristown, he displayed such activity in cutting off the foraging parties of the British that they were unable to draw any supplies from the country beyond their lines, and rarely ventured without their camps. By the beginning of spring Cornwallis had abandoned every post in New Jersey save New Brunswick and Perth Amboy. From these points he could communicate with and draw his supplies from New York by water. Thus was New Jersey almost entirely redeemed from the enemy. The militia of the State recovered from their former despondency, and warmly seconded the efforts of Washington against the British.

Confidence was returning to the country; and though men felt that the struggle might yet be long and arduous, it was not as hopeless as they had feared.

Washington passed the winter in endeavoring to reorganize the army, and fit it for the work required of it in the spring. The policy of short enlistments adopted by Congress was the source of very great trouble, and the expiration of the enlistments of a large part of the army during this winter caused the commander-in-chief the greatest anxiety. He repeatedly condemned this policy, and endeavored to procure the substitution of a longer term. Great efforts were made to procure recruits, but they came in very slowly. In order to check the ravages of the small-pox in the camp, the recruits were inoculated immediately upon their arrival.

Efforts were now made to bring about an exchange of prisoners. The British objected to an exchange of man for man, on the ground that the Americans were rebels, and such an exchange would be an acknowledg