large cakes of ice floated fearfully down the current, and as they encountered the rocks along the shores above, broke into fragments with a noise that might be heard for many miles.

"Neither man nor beast was out that night, and the enemy on the opposite shore sought shelter in the houses of the citizens of Trenton from the howling storm. But Washington was up and doing. In the dead of the night, and amid the conflict of the mighty elements, the boats were launched on the bosom of the icy torrent, and, after incredible exertions, reached the opposite shore. Without waiting a moment to learn the fate of the other two divisions, which were to co-operate in this daring adventure, he dashed forward toward his destined prey, through a storm of hail and snow that rattled in the teeth of his brave companions in arms, and the dawn of day saw him driving in the posts of the enemy at Trenton.

The picket-guard had no time to fire, so impetuous and unexpected was the shock of the Americans; they retired back to the place where Colonel Ralle, who commanded the enemy, had drawn up his men. That officer fell mortally wounded almost at the first fire, and his troops retreated. Washington advanced rapidly upon them, throwing, at the same time, a detachment in their front, when, seeing themselves surrounded, they laid down their arms, and surrendered at discretion."

The force at Trenton amounted to fifteen * Paulding.

hundred Hessians and a troop of British light horse. A small body of the Hessians and the light horse escaped; the remainder, consisting of about a thousand men, laid down their arms. Six brass field pieces and a thousand stand of arms also fell into the hands of the Americans, who had two men killed, two frozen to death, and several wounded. Among the last was Lieut. James Monroe, who afterward rose to be president of the nation which his blood was thus spilt to defend. Had not Washington's plan been, in part, frustrated by the difficulty which one of the divisions had in crossing the river, the victory would have been complete, and not a soul of the enemy escaped.

This brilliant achievement taught the British commander that he had something still to contend against. He was now at New-York, waiting with impatience to hear of the entire defeat of the army under General Washington, and was on the point of despatching Lord Cornwallis to England with the tidings of his success, when the news of these, reverses reached him. Finding that Washington was not subdued, and that the glory of the campaign was likely soon to be lost by such unlooked-for defeats, he ordered Cornwallis, his most experienced and accomplished officer, to suspend his contemplated voyage, and march into New-Jersey with an additional force.

Washington's army now lay at Trenton; and on the second of January he learned that the enemy were advancing with a strong force.

He sent out parties, with orders to annoy them in their march as much as possible, which were faithfully obeyed, while he remained to prepare for the attack. About four o'clock in the afternoon they reached the village, and, after a brisk cannonade, encamped in full view of the Americans, intending to renew the attack the next morning.

To all appearance a general action was to be fought the next day, under circumstances altogether unfavourable to the Americans. They were inferior in numbers, inferior in discipline, and more than half of the army new recruits, who had never seen a battle; and to retreat, which was Washington's usual expedient in such extremity, was impossible on account of the ice in the river. It is said that Lord Cornwallis was urged to make sure of Washington at once, and not to wait for the uncertain prospects of another day.

To this he replied: "My troops are hungry and tired. He and his tatterdemalions are now in my power. They cannot escape to-night; for the ice of the Delaware will neither bear their weight, nor admit of the passage of boats. To-morrow, at break of day, I will attack them, and the rising sun shall see the end of the rebellion."

He was, for once, mistaken. The rising sun, indeed, looked down from his car of brightness on Washington's deserted camp; but Lord Cornwallis, when he arose to strike the last blow at his tatterdemalions, had the deep morti

fication to learn from the distant rumbling of cannon in the direction of Princeton, that it did not see the end of the rebellion.

Washington, rightly judging from the number of the troops under Cornwallis that he could not have left a very strong force in the rear, resolved to move by a concealed march to Princeton, which he hoped to take by surprise. He, therefore, left his camp with great secrecy, directing the guard to remain, in order that the fires might be kept burning, and also posting men within hearing of the enemy to dig at a trench, that the deception might be complete.

He found the enemy at Princeton stronger than he had expected; and as they were under arms and in marching orders to join Cornwallis at Trenton, they were not taken by surprise, but sustained the attack with great bravery. The action was conducted with spirit on both sides by the advanced parties, but the militia giving way, Washington came up with the main body of his troops, and, seizing a standard, led them forward with such spirit, that the British soon fled. They were hotly pursued, and about three hundred prisoners taken, but the main body escaped; some of them to Trenton, and some to Brunswick.

In the action the British lost, besides their prisoners, more than a hundred killed. The American loss was smaller; but among the number was General Mercer, an experienced and valuable officer. Lord Cornwallis, when he penetrated Washington's plan, was in great

consternation for his stores at Brunswick, and immediately broke up his camp at Trenton, and commenced a retreat. Washington retired to Morristown, where he established himself for the winter. The enemy had learned caution by a few days' experience, and looked well to their positions. In fact, they deserted every post in New-Jersey, except Brunswick and Amboy, from which they had a communication to New-York by water.

"Such were the splendid results of General Washington's operations from the time that he crossed the Delaware. When his army was thought to be on the verge of annihilation, and the whole world regarded American liberty as struggling in the last stage of its existence, he commenced and pursued an offensive warfare against a hitherto victorious army, strong in numbers and confident in its strength, and within the brief space of three weeks dislodged it from every post it had taken along the Delaware river; relieved Philadelphia from danger, and recovered almost the whole province of NewJersey. The glory of these achievements was rendered doubly conspicuous by their immediate effects. The despondency which had weighed heavily upon the minds of the people was dispelled as by a charm; the martial spirit was revived, and a new animation infused into the public councils.”

* Sparks.