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the pay and support of the troops in the field, was to be CHAPTER a common charge. The company and battalion officers, though commissioned by Congress, were to be appointed 1776. by the states. Agents were to be sent to the camp to arrange this important matter. The Articles of War were revised, and made more strict. Besides the state establishments for that purpose, national founderies and laboratories for the manufacture of military stores were set up at Carlisle, in Pennsylvania, and Springfield, in Massachusetts. A clothier general for the army was also арpointed.

So jealous were the states of their sovereignty, and so great was the dread of military power, that it was not easy to arrange this scheme on paper. To carry it into effect was still more difficult. Amid the disasters of the campaign, recruiting had proceeded very slowly. To stimulate enlistments, Massachusetts offered an extra bounty of $66. The same policy was adopted by Mary. land and other states; and this bid for recruits was carried still higher by counties and townships. Washington and Congress protested against a practice which threatened to involve an overwhelming expense, and which, to a certain extent, defeated its own object, by inducing those inclined to enlist to stand out for still higher offers. Congress, however, promised eight dollars to every person obtaining a recruit. Several states were greatly behindhand in the appointment of officers, without whom enlistments could not begin, and of those who were appointed, a considerable number had obtained their commissions more through the influence of family and connections than by reason of qualifications.

The force agreed upon, even if promptly furnished, did not seem sufficient to Washington. Upon his earn est representations, Congress, having reassembled at Dec. 7

CHAPTER Baltimore, authorized him to enlist and officer sixteen.

XXXV. additional battalions of foot, and to raise and equip three

1776. regiments of artillery, three thousand light horse, and a

corps of engineers. Knox, who still remained at the head of the artillery, at Washington's earnest request, had been made a brigadier. As yet only a troop or two of cavalry had been attached to the army; and a body of horse, which Howe had contrived to mount-a description of force to which the American soldiers were unaccustomed—had inspired great terror during the late campaign. While these additions to the army were authorized, Congress, alarmed at the dangerous aspect of affairs invested the commander-in-chief, for the next six months, with almost dictatorial powers. He was authorized to displace all officers under the rank of brigadier; to fill up all vacancies; to take, for the use of the army, whatever he might want, allowing the owners a reasonable price; and to arrest and confine for trial, by the civil tribunals, all persons disaffected to the American cause, or refusing to take the continental paper money.

By exerting all his persuasive powers of eloquence, Mifflin, in a tour through the neighboring districts of Pennsylvania, had raised and brought into camp some additional Pennsylvania militia. By this and other accessions, Washington's army had increased to seven thousand men; but the term of most of the regulars was just about to expire. While he had yet a considerable force at his disposal, and before the end of the sixty days limited in the late British proclamation, Washington and his officers judged it highly desirable to strike some ef fectual blow at the enemy. The festivities of Christmas would be apt to relax the watchfulness of the canton. ments on the other side of the Delaware. A body of fifteen hundred Hessians, stationed at Trenton, was se

lected by Washington as the object of attack.

On the CHAPTER

evening of Christmas, with two thousand five hundred

XXXV

of his best men and six pieces of artillery, including the 1776. New York company under Alexander Hamilton, he commenced crossing the Delaware about nine miles above Trenton. Two corps of militia, one opposite Trenton, the other lower down, at Bristol, under General Cadwallader, were to have crossed at the same time; but the quantity of floating ice made the passage impossible. It was only with great difficulty, and after struggling all night, that Washington's troops got over at last. About four o'clock Dec. 26 in the morning, in the midst of a snow storm, they commenced their march for Trenton in two columns, one led by Greene, the other by Sullivan, Stark's New Hampshire regiment heading Sullivan's advance. The two columns took different roads-Sullivan's along the bank of the river, Greene's some distance inland. It was eight o'clock before they reached the town; but the Hessians, sleepy with the night's debauch, were completely surprised. Some little resistance was made by the guard of the artillery, but they were soon overpowered, and the pieces taken. Washington's artillery was planted to sweep the streets of the town. The Hessian commander, while attempting to form his troops, was mortally wounded. The light horse and a portion of the infantry, who fled on the first alarm, escaped to Bordentown. The main body attempted to retreat by the Princeton road, but found it already occupied by Colonel Hand and his regiment of Pennsylvania riflemen. Thus cut off, ignorant of the force opposed to them, and without enthusiasm for the cause, they threw down their arms and surrendered. About a thousand prisoners were taken and six cannon. The Americans had two frozen to death, two killed, and a few wounded in assaulting the

XXXV.

CHAPTER artillery, among them James Monroe, then a licutenant, afterward President of the United States. Had the mi1776. litia lower down been able to cross, the success might have been still more complete.

Washington recrossed the Delaware with his prisoners, who were sent to Philadelphia, and paraded through the streets in a sort of triumph. The British, astonished at such a stroke from an enemy whom they reckon. ed already subdued, broke up their encampments along the Delaware, and retired to Princeton. Washington thereupon reoccupied Trenton, where he was speedily joined by three thousand six hundred Pennsylvania militia, relieved, by the withdrawal of the enemy, from Dec. 31. their late duty of guarding the Delaware. At this moment the term of service of the New England regiments expired; but the persuasions of their officers, and a bounty of ten dollars, induced them to remain for six weeks longer.

Alarmed by the surprise at Trenton, and the signs of new activity in the American army, Howe detained Cornwallis, then just on the point of embarking for England, and sent him to take the command at Princeton. Re-enforcements came up from Brunswick, and Cornwallis advanced in force upon Trenton. Washington 1777. occupied the high ground on the eastern bank of a small Jan. 2. river which enters the Delaware at that town.

The

bridge and the ford above it were guarded by artillery. After a sharp cannonade, the British kindled their fires and encamped for the night.

Washington was now in a dangerous predicament. He had about five thousand men, half of them militia, but a few days in camp. Could such an army stand the attack of British regulars, equal in numbers, and far superior in discipline and equipments? To attempt

XXXV.

to cross the Delaware in the face of the enemy Would CHAPTER be more hazardous than a battle. Washington, according to his custom, called a council of war. The large 1777. force which Cornwallis evidently had with him led to the inference that the corps in the rear could not be very strong. The bold plan was adopted of gaining that rear, beating up the enemy's quarters at Princeton, and, if fortune favored, falling on his stores and baggage at Brunswick. In execution of this plan, the American baggage was silently sent off down the river to Burlington; and, after replenishing the camp fires, and leaving small parties to throw up intrenchments within hearing of the enemy's sentinels, the army marched off about midnight by a circuitous route toward Princeton. Three British regiments had spent the night in that town; and by sunrise, when the Americans entered it, two of Jan them were already on their march for Trenton. The leading regiment was attacked and broken; but it presently rallied, regained the Trenton road, and continued its march to join Cornwallis. General Mercer, who had led this attack with a column of militia, was not very well. supported; he fell mortally wounded while attempting to bring up his men to the charge, and was taken prisoner. The marching regiment in the rear, after a sharp action, gave way, and fled toward Brunswick. The regiment in the town occupied the college, and made some show of resistance; but some pieces of artillery being brought to bear upon them, they soon surrendered. Three hundred prisoners fell into the hands of the Americans, besides a severe loss to the enemy in killed and wounded. The American loss was about a hundred, including several valuable officers.

When Cornwallis heard the roar of the cannon at Princeton, he penetrated at once the whole of Wash