The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1780-02-15 00:00:00, page 1

From the London Magazine,for Nov. 1778.
The Political History ofEurope, for 1777,
(continued from No. 784 )
TH E furprize at Trenton did not ex
cite less amazement in the British
and auxiliary quarters, than it did joy in
those of the Americans. D^me was loose
ly scattered every where. That three old
established regiments of a people, who
make war their profeffion, Should lay
down their arms to a ragged and undisci
plined militia, and that with scarcely any
loss on either fide? seemed an event of so
extraordinary a nature; that it gave full
fdope to the operation of conjecture, fulpi
cion, censure and malignity, as different
tempers were differently affe&ed.
The General was blamed for laying so
extensive a chain of cantonments : Rail
was condemned for marching out of the
town to meet the energy; and the charac
ter of the Heffiahs, in general, did hot rife
in the opinion of their allies.^ ~
As to the firft, the General had forefeen
the objection; but he depended upon the
weakness of the enemy, the good disposi
tion of the inhabitants, the considerable
force which was Rationed in the advanced
posts, and was berides influenced by a de
sire to cove? <nd protest the county of
Monmouth; where a great number of the
people wefe tfell affeded to the royal cause.
It may be added; that perhaps no line of
cantonments or posts can be contrived so
compad and secure, as not to admit the
possibility ofan impreffionin someone part,
By a force much inferior to the aggregate
power of the defen five.
With refped to Colonel RaU, if the
charge against him was well founded, his
mifcondud sprung from an error, which
was generally prevalent among the officers
and men both of the British and Hessian
forces. The fad is, that from the suc
cesses of the preceding campaign, and the
vast superiority which , they perceived in
themselves in every action, they held the
Americans in too great contempt both gs
men and Soldiers: And were too apt to
attribute those advantages to some extraor r
dinary personal virtue and excellence, which
were in reality derived from a concurrence
of a,number of other, and very different
causes ; from military Skill, experience,
and discipline; from the superior e£cel-.
fence of their small arms; artillery; and of
all other engines; furniture, and supplies,
heceffary for war ; and still more particu
larly, to a better Supply, and a more dex
terous and effective use of bayonets, which
gave them a greater superiority over the
Americans? who were poorly furnished
with this kind of arms, and were by ho
means expert in the use of them. ;
The alarm now spread, induced the Bri
tilh and auxiliary troops immediately to
TUESDAY, February 15, 1780; THE NUMBER7B6.
CONNECTICUT COURAN T,
AND THE
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HART FO RD: Printed by HUDSON and GOODWIN, near the Great-Bridge.
assemble, and General Grant,, with the
forces at Brunswick and that quarter, to
advance speedily to Princetown, whilst
Lord Cornwallis, who had gone to New-
York in his way to England, found it ne
cessary to. defer his voyage, and return post
t® the defence of the Jcrfey%„ They were
not now without an enemy to encounter,
for General Washington, encouraged by
the reinforcements he had received, had
again passed the Delaware, and was with
his whole force at Trepton; ,
T „ Lord Cornwallis marched im
' mediately to attack the enemy,
whom he foond in 2 strong po
sition, formed on th< back of Trenton-
Creek, being in pofle^on of the bridge
and other passages, which were well cover
ed with artil^y. After federal SkirmiShes
in the approach, a cannonade ensued on
both sides, which continued until night.
A brigade of the Biinfh troops lay that
night at Maidenhead,'hi miles from,Tren
ton, and another on its march from Br^nf
wick, consisting of the ffah; the 40[j and
55th regiments, und© the command of Lt.
Col. Mawhood; wer 1 at Princetown, about
the, fame distance b' 1 Maidenhead.
In this filtration o.fr^th sides, General
Washington, who was far from intending
to refque a battle, ' having taken the neces
sary precaution of keeping up the fires,
and every other appearance qf dill occu
pying his camp; and leaving small parties
to go the rounds, and guard the bridge
and the fords, withdrew the rest of his for,
ces in the dea^pf night, and with the molt
profound fifence^^Hey marched with such
expedition towards Princetown, that tho'
they took a %ge circuit by Allehftown,
partly, to get clear of the Trenton, or Af
fumpinft-Creek, and partly to avoid the
brigade, which lay at Maidenhead, their
yan fell in at funriie the next morning with
Colonel Mawhood, who h^djuft begun
his march. That, officer not having the
finalleft: idea of their force, the sogginess
of the morning, or circumstances of the
ground, prevented him from feeing its ex
tent, con fidering it only as the attempt of
some flying party to, interrupt hi, march,
and having easily dispersed those by whom
he was fi'rft attacked, pushed forwards
without, farther apprehension. But in a
little time, he not only found that the 17th
regiment which he led, was attacked ch
all sides by a superior force, but that it was
also fepetated and cut off from the rest of
the brigade, whilst ,he difcrveied, by the
continued distant. firing, that ,the 55th,
which immediately followed, was not in
better circumstances.,,
In this trying and dangerous fituatipn,
the brave commander, and his equally
brave regiment, gained immortal honour.
After a violent conflift, and the greatest re-
peated exertions of courage and discipline,
they at length, by dint of bayonets, forced
their way through thethickeft rark< of the
enemy, and pursued their march to Maid
enhead undisturbed. ,The 55^1 regiment
was little less pre ffed,and finding it impos
sible to continue its march, with gieat re
solution made good its retreat and return
ed by th§ way,of Hillfborough to Bruns
wick., . The 46th regiment, which was still
at Princetown when the action began, fuf
fered less than the others, and retired by
another road to the fame pU§f. The ene
my acknowledged that nothing could ex
ceed the gallan ^behavior of the corps un
der Mawhood.
Though the number ,killed, considering
th^ nature and rat )th ofthe engagements,
was not so corifider^ble as might have been
expected; yet; upon the whole, the three
regiments fuffered severely ; their loss in
prisoners amounting to about two hunderd;
the killed and wounded were much fewer.
The American, had many more killed,
among whom were some brave officers,
particularly General Mercer, belonging to
Virginia, who was much esteemed and
lamented. . ? .
It cannot tefcape the observation of any
person who has attended to the circum
ttances of this wgr, that the number (lain
on the fide of the Americans, has in gene
ral greatly exceeded that in the royal army.
Though every defect in military skill, ex
perience judgment, conduct, ar d mechani
cal habit, will in some degree account for
this circumstance, yet,perhaps it may be
more particularly attributed to the imper
fect loading of their pieces in the hurry of
action; than to any other cause; a defeft,
of all others, the most fatal; the most diffi
cult to be remedied in a new army; and
to which event veterans are not fufficiently
attentive. To this may also be added the
various make of their small arms, which
being procured, as chance or opportunity
favoured them, from demote and different
quarters, were eqqally different in size and
bore, which rendered their being fitted
with ball upon any general scale imprafti
cabje.,
This active and unexpeaed movement,
with its spirited consequences, immediately
recalled Lord Cornwallis from the Dela
ware; who was, not without reason, alarm
ed for the fafety of the troops and maga
zines at Brunswick. The Americans, still
avoiding a general adion, and fatisfied
with their present advantages, crossed the
Millstone river, without any further at
tempt. In a few days, however, they over
run Fast Jersey as well as the Weft, Spread
ing themselves over the Rariton, even into
Essex county, where, by Seizing Newark,
Elizabeth Town, and Woodbridge, they
became masters of the coast oppofre to