The evening times., 1900-04-18
IN WASHINGTON'S ABMY
Memories of Colonel Terhune Re-
told by Rev. DR.. Fisk.
A soldier Who Aided i'm FerryinE the
Father of His Country Across the
DcIaWare-Was Member OF the
DOdyeunrd of the Great American
General,

DOdyeunrd of the Great American
General.
One Of the most interesting converse
tionalists Of Greeneastle, is the Rev. Ezra
w. Fisk, D. d. Although only seventy
FIVE years old, he has probably seen and
talked to more men OF prominence in
American history than the majority OF
men ten or fifteen years older. He is
native OF New Jersey a graduate OF
Princeton University and Presbyterian
seminaries. is minister Of high standing
aac well known in this state and Ohio
by the older people.
His mind seems to have been almost
abnormally developed in the matter OF
remembering conversations. dates, faces,
and names. This, combined with his very
numerous opportunities Of talking TO and
associating with interesting persons makes
II possible for him to relate incidents
connected with the early history Of the
country which are OF historic value but
which have not. many Of them, at any
time appeared In print.
During the period he spent in Prince
ton. he was accustomed 70 take short va
cations, whenever possible, TO talk 10
those men within reach who had interest
ing things 10 tell. Some Of these men
had been associated with General Wash
ington, and Or. Fisk. I'm speaking TO the
writer recently about them, said:
The conversations / had with them have
remained indelibly stamped on my memory
as treasures too valuable to waste. One
OF these men whom 1 remember with par
ticular distinctness was Colonel Terhune.
1 was told that he lived in the neighbor-
hood OF the university, and in the sum
mer OF 1S49 I found his home, in Cherry
Valley, nine miles from the university
over a rough mountain path Although
the colonel was ninety years old. ne was
very imposing in appearance. Straight and
lean. his six feet two inches Of height
were seemingly more. His hair was white.
His wide forehead, jutted out over keen.
dark blue eyes. and he had a great curved
beak or nose, with a small but deter
mined looking mouth Sometimes. while
talking. he would leap TO his feet and
stride back and forth under the low ceiling
OF his room. He would seem 70 mentally
live over again the stirring days he saw
while serving under Washington
Crossing the Delaware.
When I asked him if he knew Wash
ington well he replied:
"'Did I know Washington? Well. l
should say l did. 7 was with him almost
/ constantly for six years. in what was
ten known as his bodyguard.'
90 How did you happen to enter the serv-
ive?' .... .......
That is not a long story he answered.
/ I was the only child Of my parents. and
7 at the beginning Of the Revolutionary war
l was living on a farm in New Jersey.
4 having been just recently married. Corn
wallis obtained control Of the State. cutting
IL in two diagonally by a chain OF posts.
3 Washington went into Pennsylvania. and I
followed him, as did most Of the patriots.
/ Joined the army and almost my first duty
/ was 10 help ferry him and the army across
the Delaware River, back into New Jersey.
on the memorable night Of December "A,
T 1875.
Was near him at that time? I was
the nearest Of all who we:e in the boat
that carried him across the river that
night. for / handled the first oar on the
I left-hand side, between General Washing
. ton and Lieutenant Brewster. Lieutenant
/ Brewster sat in the bow Of the boat. using
/ an ice pole to shove away the big pieces OF
4 ice that hindered our progress. General
/ Washington, instead Of sitting on the seat
/ provided for him. stood with one foot on Il
and the other in the bottom OF the boat
In his hand was a field glass. with which
he constantly observed the shore we were
| approaching. where his men were being
| landed as rapidly as possible. a heavy
/ claymore (sabre) hung al his side in its
( scabbard. II was from me that the artist
who painted Washington Crossing the
| Delaware obtained the details which 20 q
make up that famous picture
Attacking the Hessf,us
"Colonel Terhune described to me the
attack on the Hessians at Trenton that
Christmas morning and the experiences
the army had before CORVALLIS reach, 1
the place to wresj II again from the Amer
leans. The colonel and one other man
were sent by Washington up into the
country toward Princeton 20 raise recruits
for the army and secure as much in the
way Of supplies as possible. not knowing
that CORVALLIS was rapidly approaching
But they finally saw him and hurried bacI
to Trenton. British cavalry we're in the
advance Of the enemy's column, and they
entered the city at the same time Col
onel Terhune did. on the street which
crossed Main Street in the upper par
OF the town. Across the lower end o.
Main Street flowed the AssanDink creek
spanned by a bridge. Here Washington
with the creek between himself and tn,
British. had massed his forces. The nortl
bank OF the creek was very low. bu
the south bank on which the American
stood, was at least seventy feet high II
places. To use Colonel Terhune's words
My comrades and ! ran down MaiI
Street toward the bridge followed by IN,
British cavalry, who were hurrying 81
: as to reap a victory before the infantr1
re-enfOrcements coming up behind couI
reach the place to participate As w
neared the bridge, we saw the SUNNI
Of the south high bank crested with a lin
OF black cannon muzzles. converging ol
the north entrance to the bridge. a spo
where the British must concentrate thei
force In order 10 pass over Betweel
and behind the cannon were massed tn
foot soldiers. with the muskets and rife
at a ready, and every eye and ear read
for the command to fire. The gunner
mOtiOned US two aside and we droppe
into an alley, just as the British horse
men. cleaning with scarlet and gold an
silver. with sabres and buckles shining
swept out of the street and on tOwar
that bridge. With a slight pause for
better grip on reins and sabres the
broke into a charge.
"A command was heard among tn
Americans. and every piece. cannon an
musketry, as one gun. sent terrible stOrI