The evening times., 1900-04-18
IN WASHINGHON'S ABMY
Memories of Colonel Terhune Re-
told by Rev. DR.. Fisk.
A Soldier Who Aided i'm Ferrying the
DcIaware-Was a Member of the
Bedygunrd of the Great American
General.

DclaW8re-Nas n Member OF the
Bedygunrd of the Great American
General.
One of the most interesting conversa-
tionalists of Greencastle, 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 a
native OF New Jersey, graduate OF
Princeton University and Presbyterian
seminaries, is minister of high standing
and 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 10 and
associating with interesting persons makes
il 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 10 take short va
cations, whenever possible to talk TO
those men within reach who had interest
ing things to tell. Some of these men
had been associated with General Wash
ington, and Or. Fisk. in speaking TO the
writer recently about them, said:
The conversations | had with them have
remained indelibly stamped Oh my memory
as treasures too valuable to waste. One
Of these men whom / 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 | found his home. in Cherry
Valley, nine miles from the university,
over rough mountain path. Although
the colonel was ninety years old. he 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 OF 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 to mentally
live over again the stirring days he saw
while serving under Washington.
Crossing the Delaware.
When l asked him if he knew Wash
ington well he replied:
Did | know Washington? Well,
should say I did. l was with him almost
constantly for six years, in what was
ten known as his bodyguard'
How did you happen TO enter the serv-
i've" .......-
That is not long story. he answered.
1 was the only child OF my parents, and
at the beginning OF the Revolutionary war
was living on a farm in New Jersey
having been just recently married Corn
wallis obtained control of the State, cutting
it in two diagonally by chain of posts
Washington went into Pennsylvania, and |
followed him, as did most Of the patriots
Joined the army and almost my first duty
was TO help ferry him and the army across
the Delaware River, back into New Jersey
on the memorable night of December "a
l776
WAS near him at that time? I was
the nearest OF all who were in the boat
that carried him across the river that
night, for / handled the first oar on the
left-hdnd 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
ice that hindered our progress. General
Washington, instead of sitting on the seat
provided for him, stood with one foot on 1t
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 tsabTe) hung at his side in it's
scabbard. 1t was from me that the artist
who painted Washington Crossing the
Delaware" obtained the details which go to
make up that famous picture.
Attacking the Hessians.
"Colonel Terhune described to me the
attack on the Hessians at Trenton that
Christmas morning, and the experiences
the army had before CORVALLIS reached
the place to wrest 1t again from the Amer
leans. The colonel and one other man
were sent by Washington up into the
country toward Princeton to 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 back
to Trenton. British cavalry were 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 part
of the town. Across the lower end of
Main Street flowed the Assanpink creek.
spanned by a bridge. Here Washington,
with the creek between himself and the
British. had massed his forces The north
bank of the creek was very low, but
the south bank on which the Americans
stood, was at least seventy feet high in
places. To use Colonel Terhunes words:
My comrades and l ran down Main
Street toward the bridge. followed by the
British cavalry, who were hurrying so
as to reap a victory before the infantry
re- endorsements coming up behind could
reach the place TO participate. As we
neared the bridge, We saw the summit
of the south high bank crested with a line
OF black cannon muzzles, converging on
the north entrance to the bridge. a spot
where the British must concentrate their
force in order to pass over Between
and behind the cannon were massed the
foot soldiers, with the muskets and rifles
at a ready, and every eye and ear ready
for the command to fire. The gunners
motioned us two aside and we dropped
into an alley, just as the British horse
men, cleaning with scarlet and gold and
silver, with sabres and buckles shining,
swept out of the street and on toward
that bridge. With a slight pause for a
better grip on reins and sabres they
broke into a charge.
"'A command was heard among the
Americans. and every piece, cannon and
as one gun, sent terrible storm
Of lead and iron into those splendid horse
men. Four volleys were fired, and the
smoke was allowed to rise. Not a man or
horse of that troop moved, unless it was in
the death struggles.
" But behind the cavalry was the column