Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-23
The Battle of Trenton.

tlcular and authentic yet given to the world
1t Is from No. Ii OF the series of historical ar
| ticeS published in tho State Gazette at Trenton
March II, 1943
On Wednesday, the 25th of December 1776
General Washington, with his army, was on
the west bank of the Delaware, 'encamped near
Taylorsyille, then MKonkey's ferry, miles
above Trenton The troops under Gen. Dick
inson were at Vaudeville and detachments
were encamped still farther up the river. The
boats on the river had all been secured when
Gen. Washington had crossed with his army
on the first of this month. The Pennsylvania
troops were in two bodies !; one at Bristol un-
der General Cadwalader, and the other at
Morrisyile, opposite Trenton, under General
Ewing. - e#. .s-.s..-.
At this time the British under Gen. Howe
were stationed in detachments at Mount Hol-
ly, Black Horse, Burlington, and Bordentown;
and at Trenton there were three regiments of
Hessians, amounting to about 1900 men. and
a troop of British Lighthouse. Divisions of the
army were also at PRINCETON and New Bruins
wick.
One part of the plan of Washington was to
recross the Delaware with his army at Nixon
keys ferry, in the night of the 25th of Decem-
ber, and for Gen. Ewing, with the part of tue
army under his command, to cross at or below
Trenton-thus both might fall upon the ene-
my at the same time Ewing at the south and
General Washington at the north end of the
town.
At dusk, the Continental troops, command
by General Washington in person amounting
to 240O men, with 20 pieces of artillery, began
to cross at Mkonkey's ferry. The troops at
Vaudeville and the stations above, had that
day assembled at this ferry Among the pro-
minent and active men who were employed in
ferrying over the troops Uriah Slack, William
Green and David Landing 1t was between
3 and O'Clock in the morning before all the
artillery and troops were over and ready to
march. Many of the men were very destitute
as regarded clothing. The present Mr. Geo
Muirheid, of Hopewell, informed the writer
that he noticed one man whose pantaloons were
ragged, and who had on neither stockings nor
shoes. The ground was covered with sleet and
snow, which was falling although before that
day there was no snow, or only little Sprink-
ling on the ground Gen. Washington, (who
had sat in silence on beehive, wrapped in his
cloak, while his troops were crossing,) as they
were about to march, enjoned upon all pro-
found silence during their march to Trenton,
and said to them, a hope that you ariH all fight
ike men,"
Gen Washington wished to get | 2 men who
should be mounted on horseback, without arms
or uniform, in plain farmers habit, to ride be-
fore the army, to reconnoitre and get what in
formation they could with respect to the Bri-
tish army, their ontguarcls, &c There were
but three who would volunteer for this service;
these were David Laning, Of Trenton, and John
Muirhed and John Guild, of Hopewell. The
following persons were also guides, and march
ed with the army, viz Col Joseph Phillips,
Captain Philip Phillips, and Adjutant Elias
Phillips, of Maidenhead Joseph Inslee, Edon
Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey and Henry
Simmonds, of Hopewel and Captain John
Mott, Amos Scuder and William Green, of
Trenton.
The army marched with quick step in
body from the river mp the cross-road to the
Bear Tavern about mile from the river The
whole army marched down this road to the
village of Birmingham, distant about l-2
miles There they halted examined their pri-
ming and found it all wet. Capt. Mott, who
had taken the precaution to wrap his handkcr-
chief around the lock of his gun found not
withstandng, the printing was wet. WE'LL"
says General Sullivan, eve must then fight
them with the bayonet." From Birmingham
to Trenton, the distance by the River road the
Scotch road is nearly equal being about l-2
miles.
The troops were formed in two DIVISIONS
One of them commanded by General Sullivan,
marched down by the river road The other,
commanded bv General Washington, accompa-
MED by Generals Lord Stirling, Green Mercer
and Stevens, with David Laning and others
for their guides, filed off to the left, crossed
over to the Scotch road, and went down this
road till it enters the Pennington road, about
a mile above Trenton Scarcely a word was
spoken from the time the troops left the ferry
Except what passed between the officers and
the guides) till they reached Trenton and
with such stiffness did the army move, that they
were not discovered until they came upon the
out-guard of the enemy, which was posted in
the outskirts of the town, at or near the house
of the Rev Mr.. Frazier, when one of the sem
tries called to Laning, who was little in adj
vance of the troops, and asked, "Who is there"
Laning replied, "A friend.n "a friend to
whom ?" :" A friend of Washington's" At
this the guard fired and retreated. The Ameri-
can troops Immediately returned their fire, and
rushed upon them, and drove them into town.
At the head of King street, Capt. L. Forrest
opened SIX gun battery, tne lihiheulate VI
ders of General Washington and Lieut.. James
Monroe, (afterwards President of the United
States, perceiving that the enemy were en-
endeavoring to form battery in King street,
near where the feeder crosses the street, rush
ed forward with the advance guard drove the
artillerists from their guns, and took from them
two pieces, which they were in the act OF fir
! ing. These officers were both wounded this
successful enterprise. A part of this division
marched down Queen street, and extended to
the left. SO as to cut off the retreat of the enc
my towards Princeton. .
| THE division Of the army which came down
the river road under General Sullivan fell up