Part 7 (1/2)

As the long colu through the woods was steep and treacherous, slippery tosnow, sleet, and hail drove straight into the faces offorward in nearly total darkness At least two exhausted soldiers tumbled into roadside snowdrifts and froze to death At a place called Jacob's Creek, the soldiers had to execute the riskyartillery across a deep chas their an to skid down the ice-covered slope His e perforh the horse's ht with all his ht backward in his saddle until the horse regained its equilibriu feat happened in the blink of an eye, then the artilleryride for Washi+ngton His arht wanly colored the sky at six AM One soldier re ”in a deep and sole his men, ”Soldiers, keep by your officers For God's sake, keep by your officers”23 Taking food and drink on horseback in the thin dawn light, Washi+ngton held an ienerals and they decided to proceed with their original plan, splitting the coluh and low roads With his congenital penchant for punctuality, Washi+ngton pulled out his tienerals to set their watches by it Taking the upper Pennington Road with Greene, Washi+ngton chose the more arduous route As the parallel detach snow, a ton that his eneral to use the bayonet,” Washi+ngton said Taking food and drink on horseback in the thin dawn light, Washi+ngton held an ienerals and they decided to proceed with their original plan, splitting the coluh and low roads With his congenital penchant for punctuality, Washi+ngton pulled out his tienerals to set their watches by it Taking the upper Pennington Road with Greene, Washi+ngton chose the more arduous route As the parallel detach snow, a ton that his eneral to use the bayonet,” Washi+ngton said24 He then galloped along the lines, trying to speed the ht ”Press on,” he urged thethe lines, trying to speed the ht ”Press on,” he urged the men ”Press on, boys!”25 At around seven-thirty AM, the operation was nearly derailed by a preposterous blunder coue General Adan and vied with hiesses The day before the Delaware crossing, he had dispatched a coinians to scout enemy positions in Trenton Now, as he neared the town, Washi+ngton was shocked to ed fire with Hessian sentries, raising the appalling specter that the Hessians had been alerted to the Continental Are Wallis told Washi+ngton they had acted under instructions froton summarily hauled the latter into his presence ”You, sir!” Washi+ngton scolded hi put theuard”26 Those present were aained his self-inians to fall in with his column Those present were aained his self-inians to fall in with his coluy of the Battle of Trenton portrays the Hessianlate-night Christmas cheer In fact, Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall had kept his h alert, and they felt frazzled and exhausted froton had worn theular raids and s countryside If the Hessians were caught off guard thatweather would preclude an attack These tough, brawny hirelings, with a reputation for ferocity, inspired healthy fear a view of the A of quite the scale and daring that Washi+ngton attempted ”I must concede that on the whole we had a poor opinion of the rebels, who previously had never successfully opposed us,” said Lieutenant Jakob Piel27 Having received s of the surprise attack, Rall was so certain of the superiority of his men that he dismissed these reports with blithe bravado: ”Let thes of the surprise attack, Rall was so certain of the superiority of his men that he dismissed these reports with blithe bravado: ”Let theton approached Trenton, he was astounded by the valor of his er to attack Though a snowy tempest still whirled around them, the squalls no at their backs as they raced forward at a brisk pace Intent on exploiting the eleton wanted hisfroht AM, he divided his wing of the army into three colu forward in an exposed position As his ed ahead, he reported to Hancock, they ”see forward” 29 29 Washi+ngton heard artillery blasts exploding on the River Road, confirs had coordinated their arrival Washi+ngton heard artillery blasts exploding on the River Road, confirs had coordinated their arrival

Trenton consisted of a hundred or so houses, long since deserted by their occupants Knox's cannon began to fire with pinpoint accuracy down the two ain in the thick of the fray ”The hurry, fright, and confusion of the enemy was [not] unlike that which will be when the last truunners to abandon their weapons and scatter to the southern end of town30 Colonel Rall roup of e toward Washi+ngton Responding to this round nearby As John Greenwood recalled, ”General Washi+ngton, on horseback and alone, came up to our major and said, 'March on, ton's quick-witted action stopped the Hessian advance in its tracks Colonel Rall, as riddled with bullets, ”reeled in the saddle” before being rescued froton conversed with the dying Rall and ordered that all Hessian prisoners be treated honorably When he learned froiment, he beamed with quiet pleasure ”Major Wilkinson,” he replied, shaking his hand, ”this is a glorious day for our country” Washi+ngton's quick-witted action stopped the Hessian advance in its tracks Colonel Rall, as riddled with bullets, ”reeled in the saddle” before being rescued froton conversed with the dying Rall and ordered that all Hessian prisoners be treated honorably When he learned froiment, he beamed with quiet pleasure ”Major Wilkinson,” he replied, shaking his hand, ”this is a glorious day for our country”32 Since he had crafted the strategy and led his ton lock, stock, and barrel Since he had crafted the strategy and led his ton lock, stock, and barrel

The American triumph was accoe Trevelyan, ”whether so small a nureater andeffects upon the history of the world”33 The battle toll was a bloody one for the Hessians: 22 killed, 84 wounded, and nearly 900 captured (500 escaped to safety) versus only 2 American deaths in coe bonanza of muskets, bayonets, cannon, and swords fell into As-heads of ruton ordered the ruround, but reildly intoxicated The patriotic myth about Trenton inverts the reality: it wasn't the Hessians ere inebriated before the battle, but the patriots afterward The battle toll was a bloody one for the Hessians: 22 killed, 84 wounded, and nearly 900 captured (500 escaped to safety) versus only 2 American deaths in coe bonanza of muskets, bayonets, cannon, and swords fell into As-heads of ruton ordered the ruround, but reildly intoxicated The patriotic myth about Trenton inverts the reality: it wasn't the Hessians ere inebriated before the battle, but the patriots afterward

Mindful of the frigid weather and the wobbly state of the drunken troops, Washi+ngton and his officers decided to hasten back to the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware, an operation complicated by the need to shepherd Hessian prisoners as well The proud but weather-beaten army had endured a sixty-hour marathon of frostbite, disease, and exhaustion and needed rest In his general orders for Dece fervor, banishi+ng all traces of the snobbery he once felt toward them: ”The General, with the utmost sincerity and affection, thanks the officers and soldiers for their spirited and gallant behavior at Trenton yesterday”34 The aruns to horses, and Washi+ngton had the cash value of these spoils distributed proportionately a drunk at Trenton, Washi+ngton relaxed his usual practice and had more rum ladled out to his thirsty ing froton had the cash value of these spoils distributed proportionately a drunk at Trenton, Washi+ngton relaxed his usual practice and had more rum ladled out to his thirsty ton had little time to rejoice after this bravura performance Now headquartered in the ”old yellow house” ofHannah Harris, he convened a war council on Dece piece of news: that , Colonel Cadwalader had belatedly crossed the Delaith eighteen hundredto rappled with a tough predica the Delaware and teain, but they were loath to strand Cadwalader and wanted to prove that the first crossing hadn't been a fluke A consensus slowly took shape to strike again at Trenton ”It was a reton'sstyle of quiet, consultative leadershi+p,” notes David Hackett Fischer35 The Trenton victory had wrought a wondrous transforenerals were now inforht a wondrous transforenerals were now informed by a newfound confidence

On Deceton ordered militia units in northern New Jersey to stymie the enemy and ”harass their flanks and rear”36 Then on Deceenerals, sending his , evenpoints and twice as many cannon A fresh sheet of ice iton himself didn't cross the Delaware until December 30, when he stationed his men on a secure slope behind assunpink Creek, a narrow, fast- creek at the southern end of Trenton This entrenched position posed more formidable risks than the swift hit-and-run raid launched on Christa his , evenpoints and twice as many cannon A fresh sheet of ice iton himself didn't cross the Delaware until December 30, when he stationed his men on a secure slope behind assunpink Creek, a narrow, fast- creek at the southern end of Trenton This entrenched position posed more formidable risks than the swift hit-and-run raid launched on Christ had afforded graphic proof of the advantages of speed and flexibility in i military operations With many enlistress to give Washi+ngton additional pohile ”reserving to yourself the right of confir the ton would never abuse a wide-ranging new grant of authority ”There never was a ht be more safely trusted,” he asserted Greene insisted that Washi+ngton would never abuse a wide-ranging new grant of authority ”There never was a ht be more safely trusted,” he asserted38 On Deceranted extraordinary powers to Washi+ngton for sixbounties, to commandeer provisions, and even to arrest vendors who didn't accept Continental currency These powers, breathtaking in scope, aroused fears of a despot in the ton quickly laid to rest He understood that liberties should be affired, and he planned to set aside eer needed As he inforress, ”I shall constantly bear in mind that, as the sas the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are fir, ranted extraordinary powers to Washi+ngton for sixbounties, to commandeer provisions, and even to arrest vendors who didn't accept Continental currency These powers, breathtaking in scope, aroused fears of a despot in the ton quickly laid to rest He understood that liberties should be affired, and he planned to set aside eer needed As he inforress, ”I shall constantly bear in mind that, as the sas the last resort for the preservation of our liberties, so it ought to be the first thing laid aside when those liberties are firthened civilian authority over the thened civilian authority over the military

The ier whose enlist his soldiers to Trenton, Washi+ngton made it more difficult for them to decamp, and he mustered all his hortatory powers to retain thei erect on his horse, hethe theton ”told us our services were greatly needed and that we could do more for our country than we ever could at any future date and in the most affectionate manner entreated us to stay”40 The word that leaps out here is The word that leaps out here is affectionate affectionate Here was George Washi+ngton, patriarch of Mount Vernon, addressing farmers, shoemakers, weavers, and carpenters as intimate comrades-in-arms A year earlier this hypercritical man had frowned on these soldiers as an unsavory rabble; now he lavished theinia about New England troops, Washi+ngton took ue: ”I do not believe that any of the states produce better h he still believed in hierarchical distinctions, especially between officers and their ure Though he still believed in hierarchical distinctions, especially between officers and their ure

When drums rumbled out a roll call for volunteers, nobody at first stepped forward One vocal soldier piped up and spoke of their shared sacrifices, howup his horse, Washi+ngton wheeled about and rode along the entire line of men With his reserved manner and austere code of conduct, he didn't frequently voice his feelings, onlyit more impressive when he did so ”My brave fellows,” he said, ”you have done all I asked you to do and more than could be reasonably expected But your country is at stake, your wives, your houses, and all that you hold dearIf you will consent to stay one er, you will render that service to the cause of liberty and to your country which you probably can never do under any other circu, the soldiers huddled and conferred a themselves One was overheard to say, ”I will remain if you will,” while another told his fellows that ”we cannot go home under such circuly, pro several more to do so; finally all two hundred joined in For Washi+ngton, the war had becoh-stakes improvisation, played out under extreme duress For these two hundred men, the extra six weeks entailed no small commitment: half would perish from combat wounds or illness The sai dramatic flair and plainspoken eloquence, held on to esture, he told subordinates that the reed to stay didn't need to be forood on their verbal pledges He was treating theentle several more to do so; finally all two hundred joined in For Washi+ngton, the war had becoh-stakes improvisation, played out under extreme duress For these two hundred men, the extra six weeks entailed no small commitment: half would perish from combat wounds or illness The sai dramatic flair and plainspoken eloquence, held on to esture, he told subordinates that the reed to stay didn't need to be forood on their verbal pledges He was treating theentleton sent a cavalry patrol to reconnoiter around Princeton Several captured British dragoons revealed that the British had a theton at Trenton As this second Battle of Trenton looeful mood, and their leader, Colonel von Donop, decreed a bloodthirsty policy of taking no prisoners

Toward sundown at Trenton on January 2, 1777, Washi+ngton spotted the vanguard of Cornwallis, who had brought an arton arrayed his men on the slope behind assunpink Creek in three horizontal bands, covering the entire hillside As Hessian troops hurtled down King and Queen streets, American snipers fired at them An advance force of Continental soldiers waded back across the rain-swollen creek while others fell back across the stone bridge When it lookedAmericans would be hacked to death by Hessian bayonets, Washi+ngton swung into action Sitting astride his horse at the far end of the bridge, he mobilized his men Evidently he not only looked but felt felt like a Godlike iainst hiranite poise Private John Howland left this evocative portrait: like a Godlike iainst hiranite poise Private John Howland left this evocative portrait: The noble horse of Gen Washi+ngton stood with his breast pressed close against the end of the west rail of the bridge, and the fireneral inspired confidence and assurance in a e across the bridge, it wasat the end of the bridge rail, I was pressed against the shoulder of the general's horse and in contact with the general's boot The horse stood as firm as the rider and seemed to understand that he was not to quit his post and station44 This preternatural coton a living presence to his eous attee, and each ti e looked red as blood,” wrote Sergeant Joseph White, ”with their killed and wounded and red coats”45 Several hundred British and Hessian soldiers died in vain attempts to storm the American positions Nevertheless, the patriots were heavily outnuy In the dying light of a winter day, Cornwallis and his officers conferred about whether to postpone the eneral I take him to be,” Sir Willia” An overly confident Cornwallis disputed this assertion ”We've got the old fox safe now,” he supposedly said ”We'll go over and bag hi” Several hundred British and Hessian soldiers died in vain attempts to storm the American positions Nevertheless, the patriots were heavily outnuy In the dying light of a winter day, Cornwallis and his officers conferred about whether to postpone the eneral I take him to be,” Sir Willia” An overly confident Cornwallis disputed this assertion ”We've got the old fox safe now,” he supposedly said ”We'll go over and bag hiht be encircled by the superior British force-they were cooped up like a flock of chickens, in Henry Knox's colorful phrase-and knew that any retreat across a Delaware River chock-full of ice floes could be costly Convening his generals on this frosty night, he stated that the loss of the corps he coht be fatal to the country,” and, under these circuleThe war council decided to have the arht, much as it had disappeared across the East River Still better, it would convert a defensivearound the left flank of Cornwallis's ar unfrequented back roads to confront the British at Princeton Washi+ngton again hid a political strategy behind hisI was sure of,” he remarked afterward, was ”that it would avoid the appearance of a retreat, which was of consequence” Once again a singleThe war council decided to have the arht, much as it had disappeared across the East River Still better, it would convert a defensivearound the left flank of Cornwallis's ar unfrequented back roads to confront the British at Princeton Washi+ngton again hid a political strategy behind hisI was sure of,” he remarked afterward, was ”that it would avoid the appearance of a retreat, which was of consequence”48 This supre deep into ene entrapped Nevertheless, Washi+ngton and his generals, who now operated with exceptional cohesion, eyentrapped Nevertheless, Washi+ngton and his generals, who now operated with exceptional cohesion, ee the nighttiton reprised the sa Island The wheels of the artillery rapped in rags to deaden sounds Ca to foster the illusion of an arht Loud noises were broadcast with entrenching tools, as if the A in for violent reprisals the next day Again the troops were kept unaware of their destination In fact, Washi+ngton stole aith such artful stealth, wrote one officer, that ”the rear guard andtwelve ton pushed his long-sufferingealed with ice The weary ainst stinging winds;up whenever the coluht toward Princeton, Washi+ngton pushed his long-sufferingealed with ice The weary ainst stinging winds;up whenever the colue town later than scheduled, shortly after an exceptionally clear, beautiful dawn that Jaht, serene, and extreled every object”50 The e over Stony Brook, south of town, before the arroups: Sullivan's division veered northeast while Greene'serupted unexpectedly Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood was about to rush two British regiments to Trenton to aid Cornwallis when, to his infinite surprise, he encountered A meadow ”I believe they were as much astonished as if an army had dropped perpendicularly upon thee over Stony Brook, south of town, before the arroups: Sullivan's division veered northeast while Greene'serupted unexpectedly Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood was about to rush two British regiments to Trenton to aid Cornwallis when, to his infinite surprise, he encountered A meadow ”I believe they were as much astonished as if an army had dropped perpendicularly upon thee that staggered Mercer's iven athe dapper, handso and a friend of Washi+ngton's-the British iined they had taken the commander in chief himself ”Call for quarters, you damned rebel,” they taunted him To which Mercer retorted, ”I am no rebel,” and slashed at thee that staggered Mercer's iven athe dapper, handso and a friend of Washi+ngton's-the British iined they had taken the commander in chief himself ”Call for quarters, you damned rebel,” they taunted him To which Mercer retorted, ”I am no rebel,” and slashed at them with his sword 52 52 The British ashes, until he lay near death For Washi+ngton, it was a disturbing preview of the fate awaiting him if ever he were captured The British ashes, until he lay near death For Washi+ngton, it was a disturbing preview of the fate awaiting him if ever he were captured

The Battle of Princeton gave Washi+ngton another chance to show that he was the arhteenth-century battlefield was a coe of enerals a chance to inspire by their ian to retreat, harried by redcoats flashi+ng bayonets, General Greene directed Pennsylvania militia into the fray, only to have therapeshot”53 The Aton himself, who suddenly circled into view and exhorted his rattled ht ”Parade with us,his hat ”There is but a handful of the enemy, and ill have theton himself, who suddenly circled into view and exhorted his rattled ht ”Parade with us,his hat ”There is but a handful of the ene to his aide-de-caton rallied the men with an act of unbelievable bravery: he reined in his horse, faced the eneain the intrepid Washi+ngton acted as if he were protected by an invisible aura According to his aide-de-caton rallied the men with an act of unbelievable bravery: he reined in his horse, faced the eneain the intrepid Washi+ngton acted as if he were protected by an invisible aura

With the British entrenched beyond a hillside fence, Washi+ngton lengthened and strengthened the patriot line, instructing his men not to fire until told to do so He exhibited exceptional sangfroid as he rode along the line Then he personally led the charge up the hill, halting only when they had pushed within thirty yards of their adversaries As he issued the coer, was such a conspicuous target that Fitzgerald clapped his hat over his eyes because he couldn't bear to see him shot When the fusillade of bullets ended and the eneton, untouched, sitting proudly atop his horse, wreathed by eddying serald said to hiton, unfazed, took his hand fondly ”Away,up the troops The day is our own!”55 Fitzgerald wasn't the only one bowled over by Washi+ngton's coolness ”I shall never forget what I feltwhen I saw hiers of the field and his ile hair with a thousand deaths flying around hiht not of erald wasn't the only one bowled over by Washi+ngton's coolness ”I shall never forget what I feltwhen I saw hiers of the field and his ile hair with a thousand deaths flying around hiht not of ton spurred his horse after the retreating ene the old insult frohts, he shouted to his men, ”It's a fine fox chase, my boys!”57 Whatever joy he felt, however, was te spectacle of a snowy battlefield stained with A in his blood, unconscious of anything around him” Whatever joy he felt, however, was te spectacle of a snowy battlefield stained with A in his blood, unconscious of anything around him”58 An adolescent lieutenant had a bullet hole in his chest and a skull smashed in by a bayonet And so on An adolescent lieutenant had a bullet hole in his chest and a skull smashed in by a bayonet And so on

In the battle's concluding chapter, two hundred British troops sought asylu, Nassau Hall According to legend, Alexander Ha and decapitated a portrait of King George II with a cannonball By the ti of surrender popped from a , the victorious Americans had inflicted more than five hundred casualties and taken between two hundred and three hundred prisoners; only about three dozen Aton's dismay, his soldiers, avid for booty, ransacked Nassau Hall and dragged out food, clothing, furniture, and even paintings They also fleeced uniforms from British corpses on the battlefield To stop this plunder, Washi+ngton had the field cordoned off by sentries He also accompanied tounded redcoats to private hoeons treated them and performed aton wanted toone officer that British captives should ”have no reason to co the brutal example of the British army in their treatment of our unfortunate brethren”59 The consecutive victories at Trenton and Princeton resurrected American spirits, especially since the Continental Arulars The psychology of the as dramatically reversed, with the once-dominant British presence in New Jersey ”reduced to the coton's view60 By rolling back British gains, he undercut the Crown's new strategy of securing territory and handing out pardons Nathanael Greene estimated that the Americans had killed or captured up to three thousand eneton wanted to proceed to New Brunswick and raid a major storehouse of British supplies, his men hadn't slept for two days, and he didn't believe he could press theains, he undercut the Crown's new strategy of securing territory and handing out pardons Nathanael Greene estimated that the Americans had killed or captured up to three thousand eneton wanted to proceed to New Brunswick and raid a major storehouse of British supplies, his men hadn't slept for two days, and he didn't believe he could press them further

The back-to-back victories had also changed the calculus of the war Henceforth the British would have to conquer the colonists, not si bounced back from near despair, noed an irrepressible esprit de corps ”A few days ago, they had given up the cause for lost,” scoffed the Loyalist Nicholas Cresswell ”Their late successes have turned the scale and now they are all liberty o, we expected to end the ith the capture of Philadelphia,” said the Hessian captain Johann Ewald, ”and noe had to render Washi+ngton the honor of thinking about our defense” ”Four weeks ago, we expected to end the ith the capture of Philadelphia,” said the Hessian captain Johann Ewald, ”and noe had to render Washi+ngton the honor of thinking about our defense”62 The consecutive battles exalted George Washi+ngton to a new pinnacle of renown He had taken the demoralized men who shuffled wearily across New Jersey and shaped theh the many newspaper accounts, these events passed directly into Aend ”Had he lived in the days of idolatry,” said a rhapsodic piece in the Pennsylvania Journal, Pennsylvania Journal, Washi+ngton would have ”been worshi+ped as a God” Washi+ngton would have ”been worshi+ped as a God”63 The battle's repercussions ide, overturning the presumption that amateur volunteers could never defeat a well-trained European arratulations: ”The achieveton and his little band of compatriots between the 25th of December and the 4th of January, a space of 10 days, were the most brilliant of any recorded in the annals of military achieve the presumption that amateur volunteers could never defeat a well-trained European arratulations: ”The achieveton and his little band of compatriots between the 25th of December and the 4th of January, a space of 10 days, were the most brilliant of any recorded in the annals of military achievements”64 For all thequite foreshadowed the wisdoe Washi+ngton had just exhibited Adversity had brought his best traits to the surface and even ennobled hiail Adams told her friend Mercy Otis Warren, ”I am apt to think that our later misfortunes have called out the hidden excellencies of our colish poet Edward Young: ” 'Affliction is the goodtiured these events: Washi+ngton's tenacity of purpose, his singular ability to stalk a goal with all the resources at his disposal One consistent thread froton's tenacity of purpose, his singular ability to stalk a goal with all the resources at his disposal