The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-10-05

| surrounded IL, lies little hamlet that will
always he associated in the history with
the battle Of Trenton. wh!oh occurred the
day after Christmas. 177s t
bit Of railroad track, o weather
beaten station, four or I'VE houses, a
stretch of canal and the old covered
bridge-.this is Wsshinstons Crossing.
CONSPICUOUS among the few dwellings
that constitute the village is the old Me
Konkey paes built before the Rsvolu-
tion aud the house In which Georgs
Washington commander-in-chief OF ths
Continental army, snstched 4 O'Clock
breakfast that memorable day when he
fought the decisive battle OF the war.
Nashingtons Cross, beautiful and
pieturesque The very name Is significant
| aud takes one back over century and
a quarter 10 the days when our countrys
fate hung In the balance. n IL were not
for the railroad with it's half dozen
trains day. and the canal, along which
move occasional bsrses. one might think
he was back In the eighteenth century
with Washington ana his band of pa
triots.
The river slips noiselessly by on its way
To the sea, under the old wooden bridge.
the last covered one 10 be met with on
going down the Delaware. There Is no
store. no church, no school house and
no postoffice. and the casual visitor Is a
mark for all eyes, as a glimpse OF the
great world beyond In which the inhsbi-
tants of this rural community have no
part.
Needless TO say the bridge Is a work
OF the DAYS since 177s but Il is hilt at
almost the exact point where the army
crossed That spot is a few yards above
the bridge, and Ia marked by a monument
on both sides OF the river erected by the
patriotic Americans who desired the
ground To remain immortal
The monument on the New Jersey shore
Is plain shaft Of native rock deeply
Embedded In the soil. On II is a bronze
tablet bearing this inscription;
THIS TABLET IS ERECTED BY THE
SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI IN
THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY TO
COMMEMoRATE THE CROSSING OF
TIC DELAWARE RIVER BY GEORGE
WASHINGTON AND THE CONT
NENTAL ARMY ON CHRISTMAS
NIGHT, SEVENTEEN HUNDRED AND
SEYENTY-sIX
The shaft on the opposite hank Is more
elaborate. being OF granite. handsomely
finished, but bears a similar inscription
These. and the old house are mute men,
orials OF that ever TO be remembered day
The house Is built I'm the substantial
Colonial style, and is the same in appear
ance now as II was In '76. A new shingle
roof was put on some years ago. but moth
ing was done that would I'm any way alter
its looks
It Is occupied at present by George H.
Burroughs, whose wife was born within
It's four walls She IL a daughter Of Ger
shoni Moore, and her grandfather, Ger
shom Moore, sr.. secured possession Of
the place sixty years or more ago
The house is oblong In shape. and con-
sists OF ground floor, reached by a
short fight OF steps, and a loft. The raf,-
ers and wainscotins. now stained and
! blackened with age remain just as they
were l,5 years ago. Both Mr.. and Mrs.
Burroughs appreciate the historic impor-
tsnce OF the old place. and would not per-
NIT anything 10 he changed for the sake
OF the past.
From the river hank one can look across
/ TO the opposite shore and in imagina tiop
see Washington and his brave men pre-
pairing for the desperate struggle. We
must denude the trees OF their foliage,
take away the covered bridge, hide the
moon and stars behind angry clouds hll
the air with hail and slest and the turbu-
lent stream with huge cakes OF hoa ting
ice TO make the picture real
We can see the noble leader his plans
all perfected. his lean. fsmished army
ready. and the boats manned for the
perilous passage across. History tells us
that for several days prior TO Christmas
day. Ire Washingtons men had been
securing the Delaware up and down for
boats. and that their efforts were reward
ed by good sized feet that was drawn
up on the Peupsylvsnia side. sal fely hid-
den from the wstchful eyes OF the Hes
sian soldiers.
The Monday and Tuesday preceding
Christmas day of that year were fair,
and the river was clear OF floating ice.
But by Wednesday, the 25th. Il Mas full,
and the current was swift. Tue weather
was cheerless and cold. and the ice struck
against the sterns OF the boats with an
angry thud.
IL Was not until midnight of Christmas
day that the 24o0 picked officers aud men
we're ready for the awful trip. and W
that time a fierce storm OF hail aud snuw
was Nv progress Carefully emharking
the first bost load nut out IL was com
para lively easy sailing while near ihc
shore but when near midstream, wher"
the full force Of the current VAS felt the
frail barges were threatened win imi"e-
date destruction.
IL was here that Mckonkev owner or
the old house. came TO the rescue. Tie
operated ferry ~ this point and VAS
tbc~oughiy familiar with the river IN All
it, moods. ~ was largely due to his ef-
forts that tho half-frozen afuls arrived
/ safely on shore. and the story soes that
II was Ia McNonkey's own hpst that
| Washington was ferried across
Daylight was almost 81 hand when the
1 last OF the frail reet was drawn No on
! the Jersey shore. and many ~ the men
/ advocated abandoning the at'ttk as thcY
had depended upon surprisins tn tos un-
Ger the cover of night The ammunition
| OF some Was wet. but. despite these dis
| couraeements Washington hads them
rest awhile and eat sntne cold rstinns.
I himself setting the example By catering
/ NcKonkey's hospital house AID lsrtak
| ing OF neht breakfast. which the 60 y
man had laid for him
4 PROM The front window ~ this house
4 Washington could see his weary men
\ bivouacked alonf the shore, ard 80 the