New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-10-15
THE BATTLE OF TRENTON.
A STATELY MEMORIAL SHAFT.
THE sropv or THAT CRUCIAL CONFLICT
TOLD BY ONE OF THE LEADERS
IN TIE FRAY.

TOLD By ONE OF TIE LEADERS
IN TIE FRAY.
A HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED LIZZIE" of 'hN'
rp,, wrrDoy TO JOHN PAGE, DEsCnB-
INC THE FAMOUS CHRISTMAS
pARry-TIIE MONUMENT TO
RE DEDICATED THIS
| WEEK.
| ,.,a,, ,sos BIZ Tn, Tribune Association.
| u,,,o oftar sunrise on the morrow OF CHRIST
mas Dav. in the first year or TINS hepuo'c' a'
the struggling riverside village OF trenton ~ d.
"vas fought glorious fight The numpers en-
| capod were inconsiderable. In many details the
| conflict. as Macaulay wrote OF the siege Vi Loi-
| donderry. would have moved the great "ariioi' D
| Of the Continent to laughter. Yet Wheh we coi-
| ,, tic moral and political and military erect,
| a rho notent influence it had on subsequent
| avonts II seems only bare justice 10 RANK II
| foremost among the conflicts OF the heVoiutioh'
| and among the great decisive battles OF the
| world II was fought when the rate Oh American
| Independence trembled in the balance silhihs
| ., mi, and despair. At one mighty
| stroke II turned the scale toWaru 'ic'oiS' ~
+, T., e,,irc that its site should be marked with a
| lofty and enduring monument anu tl"' TIC i'o''
distinguished representatives OF the Whole Na'loH
| ho,,Id oock IN the dedication thereof with pride
| and high rejoicing.
| rrenton was the first victory OF the American
| Army, IN the War for independence. That is to
cas-. u u.as IN, first victory after the signing or
| tho Declaration All that had gone before were
mcrcIv the struggles Of individual or associated
| colonies against oppression. Now, for the hrst
| time the new-made Nation was lighting Tor IN
| donendence Seldom has campaign SO impor-
| tant had n beginning so inauspicious. Washing
| ton had been made COMMENCEMENT on June
| H. 1775 and had actually assumed charge OF the
| Army on July . following. For months tfen he
| had lain in what to impatient patriots appeared
| a state Of inactivity. ON March 4. lU6 ne seiZeu
| Dorchester and compelled the British to eVacu-
| ate Boston, but then again became inactive, ana
! when a little later he moved his army to New
| York he gave no promise of great achievement
| A. the end of June two or three small but brill
| liant victories were won by other Colonial troops
in the Carolinas, serving. by contrast, TO in
| crease impatience with Washington. on July
| the Declaration was signed. And then Lord
| Howe and his brother. with powerful fleet ana
| army. struck at the centre Of the American line,
| New-York what was designed 10 be crushing
| blow.
An INAUsPTCTOrS CAMPAIGN.
| Washington had here some $1,000 motley
| troops while Howe had $4,000 veterans The lat
ter landed at Gravcscnd Bay and quickly put to
rout the division Of the American Army posted
at Flatbush and Bedford villages. Forthwith
Washington withdrew all his troops from Long
| Island and masscd them in NewYork. Howe
| followed landed on September II at kips Bay,
| and drove the Americans before him Ike chaif
| before "A hurricane The two brgades that had
| been set 10 oppose his landing ran without firing
a gun. and the utmost efforts Of Washington
| and his STAFF could not check them until they
| had fed some miles. At this dsgraceful panic.
/ Washington. writes one Of his officers who was
present. was 50 exasperated that he struck sew
craI officers in their flight three times dashed his
hat on the ground. and at last exclaimed, Good
| God, hav. got such troops as those"
And this was only the beginning of the
| trouble \ stand was made az Harlem Heights.
and then a retreat made to White Plains: an
| other stand at Chattcrton IIill, and another re-
treat 10 North Castle "A Fabian policy" ex-
paned the friends Of Washington; but his foes
grew in number day by day. and the distrust
ana Impotence Of the country waved apace.
Next. az he had already re,reated across the
East River. m" Harlem and the Bronx. Wash
ingron crossed the Hudson into New-Jersey. and
| the fall ~ the fort that bore his name left all
| Ncw-Yorl1 in British hands. Then Charles Lee
| turned traitor and deprived him of . third OF
| his forces and 80 there was nothing for him
| but hondlong hight across tho Jerseys over
IN" llackcnsack. the Passaic the Raritan In
| turn poll-mcll. happy II the rear guard could
! fire each bridge before the van Of the pursuing
hosts came upon them. Nor wer" Iiowe's L.
! gious the only pursurrs. but treason malice.
| falschood and all cnmity logged his footsteps
and sat brsid" his campfire. Never. per
| haps. was Il great general i'm more woful plight
| than he. when. on December s. 1916. h. crossed
! the Delaware and sank exhausted on the Penn
| sylvania shore with 5000 weary. disheartened
| men about him. all that were left OF the 5000
who had followed his standards four months be-
should-bc friends dscredited and dstrusted.
| what was he to do but To flee or to surrender?
| These" wrot" Thomas Paine. "arc times that
| try mems souls
TURNING AT UAY.
The situation could scarcely have been worse.
| The wreck Of Washington's Army could not
| check for moment the advance of the British,
who would doubtless soon cross the Delaware
and enter Philadelphia. practically unopposcd.
| The Congress fled in panic to Baltimore. and n
| fierce clarnor arose for the dismissal Of Wash
| ingtOn from the place he had shown himself in
across Ncw-Jerscy To Trenton and decided to
wait there a few days until the river should
freeze. Then they would cross the ice. cap