The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1897-05-22
WASHINGTON TAKING COMMAND.

England militia and spoke disparaging-
ly of them, but in the letter informing
congress that he had communicated
their vote of thanks to the army he OBJ
serves:
"They were indeed at first q band of
undisciplined husbandmen, but it is un-
der God to their bravery and attention
to duty that l am indebted for that
which has procured Inc the only reward
/ wish to receive-the affection and es-
TEEN of my countrymen."
From Boston the British sailed for
Halifax, but Washington OWNED, how
ever, that their x objective would be
New York and thither led his little
army in April, 1776. By the middle of
that month we find him established at
New York and disposing his motley
forces for the defense of that city and
its neighborhood. And on the very day
the Declaration of independence was
signed and the scattered colonies were
first designated as tho Omitted States of
America" the 4th of July, 1776, the
British began to disrmbark their troops
at Staten Island.
Westinghouse first encounter resulted
in a victory-a diplomatic one-and
was a revelation to the British Lord
Howe, inasmuch as he found the leader
Of the tatterdemaliOn Yankees possessed
of a perfect acquaintance with military
and social etiquette. He addressed an
official letter to "Mr. Washington"
which the latter refused to receive.
Then to George Washington, Esq,
Etc, which was likewise declined, for
the reason that while, as the British
claimed. the ct ceteras might mean cv.
erything they also might and did mean
anything. 1t was "a bitter pill, but the
noble Briton had to swallow it, and
Washington established his ~point-"that
q letter directed to a public character
should have an address descriptive of
that character, " etc, which was what
the British wished to avoid-a recogni-
ton of Washington's military title and
status. This may have seemed at the
time a small affair, but in reality it was
important as giving a status for further
negotiation.
But he was not so fortunate on Long
Island, when. the hireling Hessians
frightened the raw troops 10y mere ap-
pearance and perfect discipline. The
British possessed every advantage. They
had overwhelming numbers of veteran
soldiers, Injured to war and under per
feet control, and ships at their command
with which to remove their troops from
and concentrate them at any given
point they desired. Thus, while Wash
ington and his weary soldiers were pain
fully crawling across the country, rag
ged and half starved, the British were
transported without fatigue and could
fall upon the worn and harried Ameri-
cans with freshness and vigor.
New York presented different condi-
tions from Boston. Being impossible to
fortify it and foreseeing that should he
remain there his forces would be entirely
surrounded, Washington sullenly with
drew, yielding only when compelled
and at the last moment the coveted city
and island to his opponents. To his re,
luctapoe to leave the enemy in posses
sion of the east bank of the Hudson are
due the disastrous defeats of Long Island
and White Plains and the retention till
the last moment and the subsequent loss
of Fort Washington, with it's 8, 900 men
and valuable stores. That he might
have extricated his command from their
perilous positions with less loss, partio-
ularly at Fort Washington, is undeni-
able, but il was due to his reluctance to
Withdraw from territory which could
only be reclaimed after months of fight
ing. Hence he held on to the last, and
it was at the crossing of the Hudson
that his army came near to annihilatioD.
And let us note right here that Wash
iDgton had already displayed that tena-
cious quality, that cohesive force, which
made him invincible and wrung victory
from defeat after defeat, ultimately ter
minating the long struggle in favor Of
the American arms. He held his force