The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-01-03
PRINCETON'S CENTENNIAL.
SERVICES IN coMMEMoRATIoS OF wAsHISGToN's
VICTORY JASUARY 3, 1777-sKErcH OF THE

SERVICES IN coMMEMoRATIoS OF wAsHINGToN's
VICTORY JANUARY 3, 1777-sKErcH OF THE
BRILLIANT AND DECISIVE ACTION.
PRINCETON, \. j., Jan. 2, 1877.
Tho centennial OF the battle Of Princeton will be
com me lnorated here "Wednesday. the 81 OF Jan
uary The committee OF arrangements making
great Efforts the event with success. The
principal feature Will he sham eight, Seven CON-
panies belonging to the First Third and seventh regi
ments, NG.s. Nd, have been invited 10 participates.
and IL Is probable tina they Will all be in atten dancc
The Princeton Continental Guards and other semi-mili
tary organ zatons viii also be on hand. The forces
will be divided In proportion to the number which took
part In the real battle between washingtons army and
the Fourth brigade tBrtishl The latter consisted
OF tie Seventeenth, Fortcth and Flfyhth regiments
frcdcoats) with three troops OF drogoons. under COM
,nand OF Lieutenant Colonel MANHOOD. Colonel j.
Madison Drake OF Elizabeth Is 10 represent the CON-
mander OF the Continental forces, and Colonel Allen,
OF Newark the British commander. The attack viii
be made in the forenoon, on the Trenton pike near
stony Brook on the original battle ground situated
about one mile and halt from the college. II was
here where the brave General Hugh Mercer fell and
the house which he dicd iClarks now stands there
After some lively engagements tho British VIII De
forced retreat toward Tho town, and they will uti
mately make u peaceful surrender near the college.
The aggregate number OF both armies in tho
sham light viii not exceed l,tn) In the real battle
both armies aggregated about 5000 men.
After the sham light civic celebration will take
place Dinner will be provided Tor the invited guests,
and an Grafton will DO delivered by prominent Jer
seyman In tho evening meeting will be held IN the
second Presbyterian church. where an original poem,
aupropf,a,e 10 the occasion, will be read, and quar-.
tel will sing national airs. II will be gala day for
this ancient seat Of learning College commences It's
second term also on that day. The town Will be gayy
decorated with national flags and banners, martial
music will arouse the inhabitants and the booming
OF cannon nring of musHes VIII call TO mind the
DAYS which tried mems souls IN the nrst and trying
days Of the Republic
The situation CT tue American army "'ter the action
at Assunpnk Trenton Bridge, was extremely criti-
cal. II Washington mulptaned ms posilion on sho
south side of the Assunpink, II was certain That ne
would be by superior force with the proba.
bic result OF the destruction OF his tic army FIRES
having been lighted immediately after dark council
convened. Washington, ny the aaVice OF
General ST Clair, Colonel Reed and others, formed
the bold and Judcious design OF abandoning the Della
ware and marching silently III the night, ny CIR
cuitous route, along tho lett flank OF the British
knew they could not be very strong. alter
beating them there he proposed 10 make
rapid movement TO bransw'ck, w %nsrr
u weak guard Taking the lower ROAD ny Sanotown,
across Tue Qua or Bridge, the Americans reached
stony Greek, which having crossed they came TO q
small wood south OF the Friends meeting house, IN
the vicinity Of Princeton, little before sunrise Here
the main column wheeled 70 the right. ana turning
the corner OF the marched directly tor
Princeton General Mercer, in command oil about sou
mon was detached TO take possession OF the bridge
on the old Trenton road, Tor The double pur-
pose Of intercepting iugitives from princeton
and to cover the rear oil tho army against
Lord CORVALLIS from Trenton. The morning was
bright serene and extremely cold, with boar
frost which bespan gled every object brigade oil tho
enemy under Lieutenant Colonel MawhOod, consisting
Of luc Seventeenth Forteth aud Fityhith regiments
three troops VI dragons had quatered III Prince
ton the preceding night The seventeenth regiment:
on their march JOIN Lord CORVALLIS al Trenton, had
passed the bridge over Stony Brook before they dis
covered the Americans. Colonel MANHOOD immedi.
aely repasscd tho bridge, when he hrst discovered
General Mercers detachment marching up the creek
at distance OF about 800 yards from the bridge Both
parties endeavored TO- ge possession OF sns
reached the house aud orchard OF WILL
iam Clark, Do. pcrcov,ng the British
a worm fence between them they pushed through tho
orchard, and anticipated the enemy by about forty
wn,cn the enemy returned with volley and instant y
charged The Americans, being armed only with res,
were forced after the third fire TO abandon the cnce,
On hearing the fire General Washington directed
the Pcnns yvania militia to support General Mercer,
ana IN person leo them on with Two pieces
OF artillery under Captain William Moulder, who
formed in battery on the right o: rhomaa
Cark,s house The enemy mad pursued the detach.
msns Of General Mercer as lar as the brow Of the de-
clivty when they discovered Tor tho hrst time the
American army. They 'hereupon halted aud brought
the militia they attempted 10 carry Captain Moucers
battery; but being CALLED by his grapcshot and per
celvng Hitchcock's aud another continental regiment
advancing from tue Of the American column, they
after lew long shots with the militia, retreated ovei
| the icids up the north side OF stony Brook. This
action, from the first discharge OF firearms te
! the retreat OF the enemy. did not las
! moro than nlteen twenty minutes. They lett then
artillery OH tho ground which the Americans, for wan
| oil horses could not carry Of The Fiity-hfth ant
! Fortieth regiments Of the enemy made some Stow 0
resistance at the deep ravne short distance soutf
OF the village OF Princeton and at the college, INT
which they prcciptated themselves on the approach
the Americans II was, however, soon abandoned. ant
many Of them made prisoners In this engagement up
wards of 100 OF enemy were killed, among whom
was Captain Leslie whose loss they much regretted
and nearly 800 prisoners. Tho numerical loss
the erabe, not exceeding thirty
fourteen ony being buried the field. bu, II was
great magnitude III worth and taents-Coioneis Hasic
! and Porter. Msjor Morris Captains Fleming and Nea
were officers OF much promise. General Mercer, u
excrting himself rally his men, was thrown into tn
rear and, perceivng he could not escape, he turne
| about, somewhere ncsr William Clark's house, all
| surrendered, but was instantly Knocked down an
| buyuneted thirteen times After the retreat OF IN
enemy ne was conveyed to the house of Thomas Clark
and langushed I'LL the 18th OF January, when he OK
pred