Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-06-07

| attack shall take place. General" he cOntinu-
ed, turning to Sullivan, Your brigade shall
march by the river road while will take that
| by PenningtOn-let us arrive as near eight
o'clock as possible But do not pause when
| you reach the outpOstS-drive them in before
| their ranks can form, and pursue them to the
very centre of the town. | shall be there TO
take them i'll the flank-thc rest we must leave
to the God of battles. And now, gentlemen,
to our posts. In five minutes we must be in
| notion"
The eagerneSs of our troops to come up to
the euemy, was never more conspicuous than
on the morning of that eventual day. We had
scarcely lost sight of Sullivan's detachment
acresS the intervening fields, before the long
threatened storm burst over U.s. The night
was intensely cold the seet and rain ratified
necessarily upon the mems knapSacks and
the wind shrieked, howlcd and roared among
thd old pine trees with terrible violence. At
times the snow fell perpendicularly downwards
then it beat horizontally into our faces with
furious lmpetuoSity, and again it was whirled
wildly on high, eddying round and round,
sweeping away on the Whstling tempest far
down in the gloom. The tramp of the men
the low orders Of the oIiicers-the occasional
rattle of muSket, were almost lost in the
shrlIl voice of the gale, or the deep sulIen roar
of the forest. Even these sounds at length
ceased, and we continued to march in profound
silence increasing as we drew near the out
posts of the enemy The redoubed violence
of the gale, though it added to the sufferings
OF our brave contlnentalS, was even hailed with
JOY, as it decreased the chances of our discove-
ry and made us once more hope for a success
full surprise. Nor were those sufferings light
Ihro' that dreadful night nothing but the lofty
patriotism Offrcemen could have sustained them
Half clothed, many without shoes whole COM
panieS without blankets they yet pressed hca-
vily on against the storm, though drenchcd to
the skin, and shiyering at every blast too Of
ten marking their footsteps with blood. Old as
| am, the recollection is still vivid in my mind
God forbid that such suffering should ever have
to be endured again.
The dawn at last came but the storm still
ragged. The trees were borne down with the
Sleet, and the SluSh was anclc deep in the roads
The fields that we passed were covered with
wet spongy snow, and the half buried houses
looked bleak and deS0late in the uncertain
morning light. 1t had been my lot to witness
but few such forebOdng scenes At this in
slant messenger dashed furously up to an
nounce that the outpoSts of the British were
being driven in.
Forward forward :" cried Washington,
himself gallOping to the head of the columns
"push on, my brave fellows on p
They started like hunters at the cry of the
pack, as their generals voice was seconded by
a heavy fire from the rihemcn ia the van and
forgetting everything but the foe marched in
silent cagcrneSS toward the sound Of the conflict
AS they emerged from the woods, the scene
/ burst upon them.
The town lay but short distance ahead,
just diScernable through the twilight, and seem
ed buried in rCpOSe. The streets were wholly
deserted, and as yet the alarm had not reach
ed the main body of the enemy. A single
horseman was seen, however, fitting a mo-
ment through the miSt-he was lost behind
clump Of trees, and then re-appeared daShng
wildly down the main street Of the village
! had no doubt that he was a messenger from
the out posts for reinforcement, and if suf
fcrcd to rally once, we knew all hope was gone
TO the forces he left, We now turncd our at
tention.
The first charge of our gallant continentals
had driven the outpoSts in like the shock of an
avalanche Just aroused from sleep, and taken
completely by surprise, they did not at first
pretend to make a stand, but retrcatcd rapidly
i'll disorder before our vanguard. \ few mo-
mentS, however, had Sul1iced to recall their
reeling faculties ; and percevng the insignif-
cant force opposed to them, they halted, hesita-
ted, rallied, poured in heavy fire and even
advanced cheering to the onset But at this
moment our main body emerged from the wood,
and when my eye first fell upon the HcsSian
grenadiers, they were beginning again to stag
ger
"On-on-puSh on, continentals of tho"
shouted the officer in command.
The men with admirable discipline still fore
bore their shouts, and steadily moved on
against the now flying outposts In another
instant the Hessians were in full retreat upon
the town.
BY heaven !" calculated an adde-camp at
my side, as a rolling fire of muSketry was all
at once heard at the distance of half mile
cross the village, there goes Sullivan's brig
ade-the day is ours"
Charge that artillery from detachment
from the eastern regiment" shouted the Gcner
al, as the battery of the enemy was seen lit
tie to the right.
The men levellcd their bayonets, marched
steadily up to the mouth of the cannon, and
before the artillery could bring their pieces to
bear, carried them with a cheer Just then
the surprised enemy were seen cndeavoring to
form in the main street, ahead, and the rapid
ly increasing fire on the side of Sullivan, told
that the day in that quarter was IierccIy main-
tanned \ few moments of indccision would
ruin all.
Press on-prcss on there" shouted the
commander inchief; charge. them before they
can form-follow me !" The effect was elec |
tric Gallant as they had been before, our
brave troops now seemed to be carried away
with perfect enthusiasm. The men burst into
a cheer at the sight of their commanders dar-
ing. and dashed into the town, carried every