New Governor

Pennsylvania sent the first troops to the national capital. New York was equally capital for its defence. Massachusetts was prompt and patriotic, and its troops soon equally ready and determined, and some of pressed forward to Washington. her troops reached the capital on the day Jersey was equally aroused. after the arrival of the Pennsylvanians. Olden, inspired by the enthusiastic loyalty Some troops were sent by Massachusetts of his people, issued a call for his State's (April 17, 1861) to Fortress Monroe, in quota two days after the President's Virginia, then in imminent danger of proclamation. The Trenton banks tendered seizure; and thirteen companies, under a loan to the State, and the authorities of General Butler, started for the city of Newark appropriated $100,000 for the Washington. Rhode Island, through which maintenance of families of volunteers, these troops passed, was in a blaze of ex- and $15,000 for the equipment of the citement. Governor Sprague had promptly soldiers. On the 30th the legislature met tendered to the government the services of and appointed Theodore Runyon com1,000 infantry and a battalion of artillery; mander of the New Jersey forces; and and the legislature, assembling on April then the movement towards Washington 17, promptly provided for the State's quota began. Pennsylvania, under the guidance and appropriated $500,000 for war pur- of her energetic governor (Curtin), had poses. The banks offered adequate loans appropriated (April 12) $500,000 for armto the State; and within a few days ing and equipping the militia of the State; Rhode Island troops were on their way and when news of the attack on Fort towards Washington-Colonel Tompkins's Sumter reached Philadelphia the exciteRhode Island Marine Artillery, with eight ment of the people was intense. guns, and the 1st Regiment of Infantry, President's call for troops increased the 1,200 strong, under Colonel Burnside. enthusiasm, and before the legislature Governor Sprague accompanied these met in extra session, April 30, thousands troops as commander-in-chief. Connecti- of Pennsylvanians were enrolled in the cut was equally excited. The patriotic Governor Buckingham issued a proclamation, on the very day of the President's call, urging the citizens of his State to volunteer their services in support of the government. So warm was the response of the banks and the people that, in a message to the legislature on May 1, the governor averred that forty-one volunteer regiments had already been accepted, and that a part of these were already in the

The

Union army, and hundreds of them were in the city of Washington. The legislature authorized a loan of $3,000,000 for war purposes. The States of the West and Northwest were equally enthusiastic, and within a few days after the President's call thousands of volunteers were on the way to Washington.

Run energetic measures
Immediately after the battle at Bull
place defences around the city of Wash-
were taken to

ington that should make it absolutely external foes. See "ON TO WASHING-
secure from attack. Gen. George B. TON!"
McClellan had been called to the chief Washington, FORT, CAPTURE OF. On
command of the forces at and near Wash- the day of the battle of White Plains in
ington. With the assistance of Majors 1776, General Knyphausen, with six Ger-
Barry and Barnard he projected a series man regiments, crossed the Harlem River
of fortifications at prominent elevated and encamped on the flat below Fort
points, and the two officers named were Washington and King's Bridge. That
detailed to construct them. Not an fort was a strong work, supported by out-
eminence near the capital was long with lying redoubts. It was on the highest
out a fortification upon it. So vigorous- point of land on Manhattan Island.
ly was the enterprise prosecuted that in When Washington heard of the peril that
the course of a few months not less than menaced it, he advised General Greene,
fifty-two of these military works were in whose charge both it and Fort Lee, on

completed. At no time afterwards dur- Congress had

the top of the palisades on the west side of the Hudson River, had been

left, to withdraw the garrison and stores, but left the matter to that officer's discretion. When he arrived there (Nov. 15) he was disappointed in not finding his wishes gratified. Greene desired to hold the fort as a protection to the river; the ordered it to be held till

ing the war did the Confederates ever the last extremity, and Col. Robert seriously attempt to assail them. At no Magaw, its commander, said he could time was the capital in danger from hold out against the whole British army

X.-K

145

Raw

until December. Washington was not militia from Mercer's Flying Camp, under satisfied of its safety, but yielded his Colonel Baxter. The lines towards New judgment, and returned to Hackensack. York were defended by Pennsylvanians, There, at sunset, he received a copy of a commanded by Col. Lambert Cadwalader. bold reply which Magaw had made to a Magaw commanded in the fort. summons to surrender sent by Howe, ac- lings and Baxter occupied redoubts on companied by a threat to put the garri- heavily wooded hills. By a simultaneous son to the sword in case of a refusal. attack at all points, the battle was very Magaw had protested against the savage severe outside of the fort. The British menace, and refused compliance. Wash and German assailants pressed hard upon ington went immediately to Fort Lee. the fort, and both Howe and KnypGreene had crossed over to the island. hausen made a peremptory demand for its Starting across the river in a small boat, surrender. Washington met Greene and Putnam returning; and being informed that the garrison were in fine spirits, and could defend themselves, he went back to Fort Lee.

Resistance to pike, ball, and bayonet, wielded by 5,000 veterans, was in vain, and Magaw yielded. At half-past one o'clock (Nov. 17) the British flag waved in triumph over Fort Washington. The Americans lost in killed and wounded not more than 100 men, while the British lost almost 1,000. The garrison that surrendered, with militia, numbered about 2,500, of whom more than 2,000 were disciplined regulars. Washington, standing on the brow of the palisades at Fort Lee, saw the surrender. The name of the fortification was changed to Fort Knyphausen. Its garrison soon filled the prisons on land and water at New York.

Early on the morning of the 16th Howe opened a severe cannonade from the heights on the Westchester shore. Under its cover the attack was made in four columns. Knyphausen, with his Germans, moved up from the flats along the rough hills nearest the Hudson. At the same time Lord Percy led a division of English and German troops to attack the lines on the south. General Mathews, supported by Lord Cornwallis, crossed the Harlem near King's Bridge, with guards, light infantry, and grenadiers; while Recent discoveries show that the fall Colonel Sterling, with Highlanders, crossed at a point a little above the present High Bridge. The outworks of the fort were defended on the north by Colonel Rawlings, with Maryland riflemen and

of Fort Washington was accomplished through the agency of treason. See Edward F. Delancey's paper on Fort Washington, read before and published by the New York Historical Society in 1878.

WASHINGTON, GEORGE

truth, integrity, and justice, was built the structure of his greatness. He was always beloved by his young companions, and was invariably chosen the leader in their military plays.

Washington, GEORGE, "Father of His Country"; born on Pope's Creek, Westmoreland co., Va., Feb. 22, 1732; was descended from an old and titled English family; and was the eldest child of his father's second wife, Mary Ball. His He had a desire, at the age of fourteen father died when George was a small child, years, to become a seaman, but was disand the task of the education and guid- suaded from embarking by his mother. ance of the future leader through the When he was seventeen years of age he dangers of youthhood devolved upon his had become one of the most accurate land mother. So judicious was her training surveyors in Virginia. He was appointthat Washington, through life, remember- ed public surveyor at the age of eighteen. ed her affectionate care with profound In pursuit of his profession, he learned gratitude. He received a common English education, and upon that foundation his naturally thoughtful and right-conditioned mind, with the cardinal virtues of

much of wood-craft and the topography of the country; also of the habits of the Indians in the camp and on the war-path. These were useful lessons, of great value