Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-05-16


"Ohi grandmother" said the maiden,
springing to the window, here comes the
Iron Greys; how splendidly they look"
1 cannot look at Them" said the mat
ron. in a trembling voice" thy grand
father was..killed by the Brunswick Greys
at Princeton"
What was his name? ~ said the old
man. fixing his dim eye steadily upon the
speakers face.
Charles Greedy" said the matron,
shedding an unexpected tear.
Charles Greedy" said the old man
springing up" why he was Life Guards
man, and died by my side-I buried him
at the hour Of twilight by the milestone.
And thou art ?" said the matron earn
estly.
sold Hugh Maxwell, corporal of
Washington's Life Guard at your SER
vice. said the stranger guest.
"Ohl well do know thee" said the
matron, weeping" it was thee who gave
me directions where to find him. and de-
livered to me his dying sigh. This is an
unhappy day to me, Hugh Maxwell. but
thy presence leads an interest to it that
had no idea Of enjoying. William and
Anne, thy grandfather died upon Hugh
Maxwell's breast in battle-let us bless
God that we are permitted to entertain
the gallant soldier upon the anniversary
of that day of glory"
And the son brought forth the old fam
lily bible, and the widow Greely prayed
after the manner of the Quakers, amid
her little congregation.
When the service was over, and the
breakfast equpage had been removed, the
son and the daughter each drew seat be-
side the old vetran, while their grand
mother carefully wiped her spectac1es
and took moderate pinch of Maccouba
Then seating herself as straight as drill
-anrana n in her cushioned seat in the corr
ner, she turned her a1ett ear toward the
old corporal and looked out of the win
dow.
Tell US about the battle of Trenton
and of Princeton, Mr.. Maxwell" said the
grand children, in one voice. The old
man looked inquiringlv at the widow
Greedy.
Thee may tell it, though it may be a
sad tale to me" said the matron, and
Hugh Maxwell, after resting his head
upon his hand for moment, began his
account of
The twenty fifth of December, 1776,
was gloomy day in the American camp.
An army of thirty thousand British sol
diers lay scattered along the opposite side
of the freezing Delaware, from Brunswick
to the environ of Philadelphia. Gen.
i Howe commanded the British cantonment,
and Lord CORVALLIS was on the march
from New York to reinforce him.
The British soldiers were flushed with
success. They had driven US through
the Jerseys. New York Island and the
North River were in their power. They
had tracked us by our bloody footprints
along the gloomy, though snow-clad hills,
and they looked eagerly forward to the
day when the head of our illustrious Wash
ington should be placed upon Temple Bar,
and the mob of London should cry out
while they pointed at it, " there rests the
head of Traitor" The banner of En-
gland hoated heavily in the wintry air.
and the fur-clad Hessian paced his rounds
on the gloomy hills, with his bayonet
cleaning in the stormy light; videttes
were seen galloping a ong the hill sides,
and the valleys echoed with the martial
airs of England. But in our camp all was
sadness. Five thousand men, alarmed,
and worse clad, without tents or even
camp utensils, sat crouching over their
lonely watch-fres.
But this was. not all. The crafty Brit
ish general had offered pardon to all
who would desert the American cause,
and many men Of property, ayel even
members of Congress, recreant to honor
and principle, pocketed their patriotism
with the proclamation, and basely betray-
ed their country in the hour Of peril
Members of Congress did | say {? Yes,
those that had been members: and let me
repeat their names, lest perchance they
may have been forgotten in the age Of
sham power and speculation. Galloway
{ and Allen deserted, and joined the enc
mics of freedom in the fall of 1776.
f Such was the state of things at this pc
; Rod. All was silence in the American
camp. The spangled banner hung droop
Z ing over our head quarters, and the sent
mel by the low doorway stood leaning ii
melancholy mood uponhi rusty and Amt
t less gun. The commander-in-chief held {
council of war. At the close Of it he CAV,
his opinion-he had heard Of the scatter
} ed cantonment of the British army
Now said he, striking his hand upo1
. an order Of battle, and pointing from tn,
: window Of the little farm house towart
/ the wild river, now is the time to CHI
8 their WINGS Itiwas master-thought
e3 the council Of war concurred with thei
j, leader, and each member retired silentl,
S to prepare for Immediate action.
The regiments were mustered-the sen
= tinels were called ina hasty meal wa
deyonred--the evening shut in with dark
e ness and storm-the word was given
p and we began our march. One part
It moved down, one remained stationary
and one passed up to a point above Trer