The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-02-20

AS HE WAS PAINTED BY VA
FEBRUARY %, 1882; DIED DECEMBER IA,
British general had 10 curb his pride
and refrain from attacking this latter
demalion army.
At midnight Of the 4th of November,
Howe commenced Withdrawing his
forces, ms though in retreat, and soon
they disappeared from White Plains,
but it was with the intention Of attack.
ing Fort Washington, and on the 10th
he sent a summons to surrender, accom-
panied with barbaric threat. Wash
ington FASTENED to the beleaguered fort
ress, which he reached in the cold gloom
of a November evening, but his utmost
endeavors coii,d not Withstand the force
Of numbers, and Colonel Magaw was
forced to capitulate. There were but
5000 men, only 1000 of whom could get
into the fort the rest being stationed at
the outposts Four simultaneous at
tacks were made and the assault was a
series of complicated battles, some two
miles and half distant and some with
In cannon shot The redoubts were cap
tured and the retreating troops so
crowded the fort that the men could
scarcely move about
The British could throw in a rain Of
shells and balls and capitulation could
not be avoided Washington stood upon
an eminence near and saw the American
flag fall and the British flag rise in its
place. 1t was at this occasion that he
wept over the merciless slaughter of the
young soldiers. Before this he had
recommended, though not ordered, that
the fort should be evacuated and the
men and stores be removed to a place Of
safety, but some Of his more sanguine
generals were confident that they could
hold the place Deep as was his grief
he did not reproach them The cap
tives. numbering ISIS, were marched
off at night to the awful prison hull1s Of
New York, where their fate was worse
than that Of those whose blood had dyed
the ground around Fort Washington.
Washington now removed the most
of his army across the Hudson into New
Jersey that he might seek refuge for
them among the highlands, and New
York was abandoned to the enemy
It is the fate OF the eminent to arouse
the enmity and jealousy of smaller
minds, and Washington was by nc
means exempt.
He had no money, his soldiers were il
need Of everything, ammunition was
scarce and he was, on the other hand
obliged TO represent his force rs fan
larger than it was to let the belief exist
that all his starving and freezing men
were comfortably provided for in winter
quarters, so as to mislead the enemy, and
TINS he was blamed for inactivity wheI
to act would have been to expose biz
weakness and ruin his only hopes, which
were to harass the enemy and perhaps
manage 10 gain some decisive benefit by
strategy, which he eventually did,
He kept cold impossible manner
through it all, but that tho wound wa
deep was evinced by his letters to hi
brother Augustine and others durinl
that sad period,
DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS.
When danger was the greatest ant
difficulties the most formidable tn
power Of Washington's gifts shon
brightest, and out Of what would hav
been overwhelming defeat to another h
wrested success, Hampered and eriI
pied as he was in "the Jerseys" wit
every necessity a crying one, he man
aged by his skin, courage and strong de