davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

Soon after Stephens brigade had
reached the left bank OF the river and
had formed a chain OF sentries around
the landing place, Washington, with his
lieutenants crossed to the New Jersey
shore All the officers were at the out
set gloomy, depressed by the cold and
storm, and seeing very little chance Of
future glory. Seeing this, Gen Wash
Ington broke through his customary re-
serve and INDUCED In little pleasantly
at the expense Of Col Knox, asking
him what part OF the spells he lnteded
sending as a Christmas present to a
certain maiden OF strong British senti-
ments. for whom the gallant colonel
had shown marked admiration
This little piece Of nonsense, coming
as 1t did when everything was tinged
with somber hue, scattered the gloom
Of the officers, sending their thoughts
flying TO their own sWeethearts and
bringing visions Of a warm welcome
awaiting them when they returned
after the capture of Trenton
1t was expected that before midnight
the force would be over the riyer--not
thousand feet wide at the crossing
hut for nine weary hours they struggled
resolutely with the floating ice cakes
and II was 3 o'clock before the last man
reached the other shore. Then com
menced the weary tramp in the cold
and sleet Instructions had been given
to the men to march quietly, keep good
order and bear In mind the password,
"Vctory or Death
It was a cold and cherries morning
The slippery condition Of the road re-
tarded progress very much, and the
want OF proper clothing made the con
dition Of the men pitable Indeed
Moving silently past the quiet farm
house and through forests Of hickory
and black oak on the river road, they
came 10 Birmingham, four miles from
the landing place There, without dis
mounting from his sorrel horse, Gen,
Washington stopped for a moment and
partook of the hospitality OF Benjamin
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

that was possible, and he literally cree
ated the present beautiful city Of
washington, with its wide and we'll
paved streets It's magnificent angles, its
green shades and It's monuments. He
aroused fearful antag0nism, was yio-
lenty assailed as a corruptionist and
lnay literally driven from his author
NY and home and popular government
abolished, but how many are there In
Washington today who do not point
with pride TO the achievements OF dow
ernor Shepherd? He gave up his home
In the capital that he had beautlhed,
solled In reputation and broken In for
tune, and since then he had been away
In the mountains Of Mexico When re-
Gently In the land OF the successors OF
the Aztecs. made special inquiry
about Governor Shepherd, and would
gladly have visited him had Il been pos
sible, but / found that he was away
in the mountains hundreds Of miles
distant and could be reached only bv
travelling nearly 100 miles Of noun
t0lns, without even wagon road He
has acquired fortune. and seems to
have no desire TO return 10 the city
that he 80 grandly embeIllshed as to
command the homage Of the world. |
never drive over the elegant streets OF
Washington and witness the succession
of beautiful views constantly presented
without thinking kindly OF Governor
shepherd ana feeling more than Will
ing TO forgive him for all the faults
OF which he was accused. even " the
charges had been somewhat warranted.
/ think 1t only Just to say that he was
more slnned against than SHINING, and
that his name should llnger In the
grateful memories Of every resident Of
our national capital
| recently met in the White House
and had a pleasant chat with the
President Of the United States, sitting
In the same window In which had first
met General Scott Just forty years ago,
when the thunders Of civil war appalled,
the country. The present President was
then not three years Old and In emery
Ing from the executive mansion ! met
the secretary OF state, sllvered with
age and a hating step that told the
story Of broken health ! first saw him
In the White House as o handsome and
unusually bright boy hardly out Of his
teens whose chief concern seemed TO
be the cultivation OF q then stubborn
~ hesitating mustache He has since
then taken high rank In American lit
erature honored the country az minis
ter to the first court Of Europe and
now commands the confidence Of the
country az the premier under two Pres
idents, Most Of the members Of the
cabinet We're too young to make any
record for themselves during the severe
trial IN the flame Of battle for the pre-
servation Of the Union, and only few
OF the old veterans Of field and forum
now lInger around the departments or
tell the thrilling story OF war times at
the clubs ana In social circles. The
Washington OF today Is an entirely new
city transformed from the bleak desc
lation and confusion Of 1861, and new
generation Yields the power OF gov
eminent In every department ~ au-
tharity over the most intelligent,
progressive and prosperous milton the
world has ever known
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28
= WHEN WASHINGTON CROSSED THE DELAWARE =

This night post had evidently been
withdrawn aud the day posts had re-
ported all quiet to Lieutenant Welder-
hold, He had Just stepped out Of the
house after hearing the report when he
saw the enemy approaching. 1t SEEM
ed to him that II was a party Of stray
Amerlcans--about sixty In number
The sentinels challenged the American
party and. receiving the reply that
they were friends OF Washington,
shouted IN German the alarm THE
enemy! Turn out Turn out"
The Contlnentals fred three times
but Lieutenant Welderhold thinking
that they We're stlll too far away, walt
ed until they We're nearer, and then
gave them a yolley. The pockets then
began TO retire, not by the road but
across the fields toward Colonel Rahi's
quarters They had not gone far be-
fore they observed an American bat
TALON and three regiments coming in
on their right and cutting them Off.
Lieutenant WeiderhOld and his men
placed themselves Immediately on Won
Altenbockum's right wing and pre-
pared to make a stand. They had
We're nearly surrounded and were
Obliged to retreat very hurriedly
General Greene's division forced the
upper picket station, and three minutes
later General Suliyan's troops which
had previously made a brief halt at the
cross roads leading TO Howell's Ferry,
for the purpose Of allowing the division
on the upper road to gain time, struck
the outer picket. consisting Of one Of
ficer and fifty men, at THE Hermit
age just on the outskirts Of Tren-
ton.
Like General Greene General sulli-
van and his men carried all before
them, the startled and unprepared Ger
mans fighting well and desperately but
in a most disorganl2ed manner. The
object OF the lower picket which Sulli-
vans division attacked was to com
municate with Colonel Rail. This Of
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28
WASHINGTON AT TIE OUTBREAK OF TIE WAR. q

recent visit TO our national capital,
now the most beautiful city Of the
world, lmpresslvely recalls the stride
OF magnificent improvement that has
lifted Washington out Of It's disjolnted
and generally repulsiye condition OF
forty years ago. Its grand thorough
fares of today were then often almost
impossible during unfavorable seasons.
and the capital was mob of soldiers,
contractors and adventures. / have
seen army-mule teams stalled In the
mud of Pennsylvania avenue, then, as
now, It's finest thor0ughfare. 1t then
had here and there stately hotels and
business houses, sandwiched In be-
tween rag-tag and bob-tail styles Of
structure which would now disgrace 4
Washington alley. The White House,
the treasury building, the capitol and
the interior building were then the only
imposing official edillces of the nation.
Seward began his great work as secre-
tary OF state In tumble-down brick
building attached to one end OF the
treasury, and Cameron and Wells be-
gan the huge task Of constructing an
army and navy In battered and shat
tered brick building that has since been
replaced by magnificent structure for
the same departments and the secre-
tary Of state. The city was vast mass
OF struggling buildings, with little ar
chitectural display and few signs OF
permanent business activity and
wealth The capitol then stood in its
present colossal and beautiful proper
tons, with the exception OF the DOME
that was not completed until the war
was nearly or quite ended. The Wash
ington monument, not half finished
stood during the war in the painful SOL
itude that told the story OF the nations
failure throughout nearly n century to
complete It's tribute to the Father OF the
Renublic Street railways were un-
known, and the seething mob was the
chief feature Of the citadel Of the pow
er Of the republic,
Lincoln had been inaugurated as
President only few months before the
civil war had called out hundreds of
thousands of grim reapers in the har-
vest OF death, and neither he nor any
TWO members of his cabinet had a clear
ly defined policy for the government to
maintain the unity OF the states About
the only thing on which the cabinet was
IN entire accord was In accepting Abra-
ham Lincoln as entirely unequal to his
great duties and number Of them but
I'll concealed that conviction from the
President himself Seward felt that he
was the great leader OF the Republican
party, and asserted himself TO the ex-
tent Of suggesting the provocation of
foreign war, with himself as dictator In
Its management, and the proposition
was made directly to Lincoln.
Most OF his cabinet were personal
strangers to him, and no one had sus-
talned anything like intimate relations
with him. He was without experience in
national affairs, having served only
single term In Congress without dstinc-
tton, and that was twelve years before
he became President. Every statesman
OF the party, and every military officer
OF prominence who hoped to become a
great chieftaln, had a policy of his own.
and II was difficult to find any two Of
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

as his service. condition. etc. the appli-
cation and action, If any before the pen
sion bureau, his financial condition ana
income, on set forth in a petition ana
supported by q sworn statement Inc
necessity for these rules Is shown by
the thousands Of bills introduced AT
each Congress without any information
IN guide the committees as to the right
of Inc claimant or his military service.
n is Just coincidence that Senator
Gallinqer of New Hampshire is at me
head of the pension committee OF the
Senate and Representative subway
of the same state chairman OF the m
valid pensions In the House Inc AN, ,sa
committee deals with pensions OF me
civr war. and a pension committee with
All other pension cases, including those
Of Inc spanish war and Philippine IN
surrection. -. s..ayar
My recent paragraph about speaker
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

OF those then prominent In the army,
from Scott down, who were relied upon
as the men who should become chief
tnins In the great battle for the MAIN
tenance Of the Union not one was
among the recognized heroes OF the
war when peace finally came at Appo-
matt0X. In Greeley's American Con-
iict" the first volume Of which gives
very concise history Of the causes
which produced the war, and the Sec
ond presents as correct a story In BRIEF
Of the achievements az could be given
at mat time. there are two full-page
cngraVings bearing the same title I'm
me ilrst volume the heroes of the
Union are grouped around Scott, and
the faces ave Mcclellan, Wood, Free
mont Banks and others, and In the Sec
ond volume like group Of the heroes
ol the war Is presented that does not
contain single face that is given In
the first The leading Southern gem
erals as a rule, held their positions and
emerged from the war having fulfilled
the expectations Of their people IN hero
ism, while the Union armies never had
permanent commanders who held their
positions and won advancement until
Grant and Sherman started out I'm the
memorable campaigns Of 1864 Thus
during the first three years Of the war
there was always a large element OF
distrust caused by cur military COM
manders. The army Of the Potomac,
that made the most heroic record Of
any army In any war, considering that
commander after commander failed was
led to final victory by the tanner from
Galena.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

hood attacked the main body. In the
midst Of the sharp firing he discov-
cred the commanding form OF Washing
ton passing from column to column,
and bringing order out Of confusion.
lie Immediately ceased pursuit, and,
drawing up his artillery attempted To
charge and take Moulder's battery. The
effort was vain.
Being dreadfully CALLED by the grape
shot of the patriots, and perceiying
Hitchcook's and another Continental
regiment advancing from behind the
American column, MANHOOD wheeled
and retreated toward the high ground
in the rear, leaving his artillery upon
the field, This the Americans We're un-
able TO carry off on account OF a want
Of horses
The action continued only about lf-
teen minutes, but II was very severe
Washington was exposed 10 the hottest
fire, while encouraging the militia by
voice and example. General Mercer
dismounted after the first fire. the
gray horse he was riding having been
disabled and while on foot, endeayor-
ing 10 rally his broken troops. he was
feled TO the ground by a blow from
q musket dealt by a British soldier
When his rank was discovered tina
enemy, believing II to be Washington,
raised an eXultant shout and cried;
'"rhe rebel general IL taken!"
Several rushed to the spot, exclalm-
Ing, "Call for quarter, you --- rebel"
II am no rebel cried Mercer in
dignanty while half dozen bayonets
were at his breast lnsead Of calling
for quarter, he determined % die fight
ing. He struck several blows with his
sword, when they bayoneted him and
left him for dead
The loss Of the Americans IN this en-
gagement was about thirty. but II was
on the whole glorious victory, and
Washington and his men presented to
the country the most valuable Christ
mas present ever offered to the land Of
the free,
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

cross Trenton ferry and If possible close
all avenues of escape for Rails troop,
and the third division, under Gen.
Washington, to make direct attack up
on the garrison at Trenton.
The night of Christmas was chosen
for the crossing of the Delaware river
with very good reason All were IA
miliar with the much honored obsery-
ance by the Germans and relied greatly
on the expectation that a too free use
of intoxicants might TO some extent dis.
able the effective force of the enemy
ard make the watch dull
The cold had been intense ever since
December 20, and the Delaware river
was full Of floating cakes OF ice. The
current was swift and dangerous and
the weather chcerless and cold. AS
soon as the evening shadows com
menced 20 lengthen the troops came
down TO the river. Gen. Washington,
who was on horseback, eagerly watched
the boats as they pushed off, and cheer
lily wished each vanishing craft full OF
buff coats a merry Christmas.
BATTLING WITH THE ICE,
Jagged ice hemmed the boats In on
both sides and greatly impeded their
progress. A severe storm OF mingled
snow and hail blown about by a stif
northeaster set in, drenching the SOL
ders and chilling them to the bone
IL was only with the greatest care
and labor that the horses and artillery
could be ferried Had not Col. John
Glover's regiment Of seafaring men
from Marblehead, Mass, lent skilful
assistance the expedition, no doubt
would have failed.
These sailors and fishermen, armed
with guns, clad in blue round Jackets
and trousers with large leather buttons
attached. were then, as they had been
I'm New York harbor early on the morn
ing of August 30, when the retreat was
made from Long Island the men on
whom all relied 10 see the army safely
landed.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28
Special Correspondence.


Washington. Dee. 2SY-The pension
committees OF both houses have deter
mined TO restrict the consideration OF
pensions to legitimate cases ana 80 pre-
vent a food Of bills OF no merit being
brought forward and pressed at eacn
session Of Congress, Both committees
have adopted rules to relieve the mem
bers and clerks and the pension Office
of an immense amount Of labor. Here
tofore a senator or representative sim
ply introduced a bill, and the committee
ala the rest Under the new system 10
secure prompt consideration of pen
sion bill It will be necessary to have
all facts relating to the claimant, such
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28
\ ALT LAKE students of Ameri-

!: :. !. :: :: !. !: !: !: :: !: !:
~ ALT LAKE students OF Ameri-
can history, and Salt Lake adj
mirers Of Janice Meredith,
probably did not stop TO think,
In the midst of their Christ
mas festivities, that they were
- celebrating the 125th annlver-
sary Of the glorious day when
George Washington crossed the Della
ware, won the battle Of Trenton, and
(perhaps) restored the fair Janice to
the arms OF her lover
That was a great day in our history
and right royalty did the good people
Of Trenton, New Jersey, celebrate 1t.
The event is we'll depicted in the fol-
lowing article by an eastern writer;
Christmas day in the city of Trenton
should be memorable one this year,
for 1901 marks the one hundred and
twenty-hfth anniversary of Washing
tons crossing the Delaware and OK his
subsequent victory over the Hesslans
holding Trenton, December 70 falls on
the same day OF the week TINS year as
II did then, so the date is In every sense
an anniversary.
Rolllcklng Germans and loyal Brltons
held the town and made merry on that
first Christmas day, while the con-
tinental soldiers, In their tattered uni
forms, suffered on the opposite shore
from cold and hunger. The attack upon
the village was planned on Christmas
Eve, although for some time previous
the leader of the continental troops had
been busy with charts and maps tend
ing to this end.
Gen. Washington on the evening OF
the Gath rode over to the headquarters
OF Mai. Gen. Greene and there the final
council OF war was held, The scheme
was to cross over in three different
places-one division. under Cadwalader,
TO attack Bordentown; a second TO
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

ficer had he been attending to his
duty, Instead Of enjoying a Christmas
frolic would have learned of the enc
mys approach long before he did, and
possibly Washington and his men
would not have secured their Christ
mas present.
As the Hessians fell back into the
town they fired from every point Of
shelter but were quickly driven In.
While this skirmishing was going on
between the two divisions under Gem
erals Greene and Sullivan and the Hes
slams, General Washington and his
STAFF were engaged with Colonel Rail,
who had been fast asleep when he enc
my entered the town, and who, not
being awakened by the firing had to
be aroused and routed out Of bed by
Lieutenant Piel.
GOOD VIEW or THE FIGHT,
Surrounded by his staff and by his
escort the Philadelphia troop OF light
horse General Washington giok his
position on the high ground on what is
now Princeton avenue, opposite FOun-
tain avenue, Here he was able 70
overlook the town and direct the
movements Of his troops. There is
tradition that at this spot bullet
struck his horse and so disabled IL
that another had 20 be procured
The battalion OF the Rail- regiment
which had advanced up King street as
far as the little bridge, where the Hes
slams cannon was being fred delivered
two yoleys at the Americans.
The Contlnentals we're pressing In on
every side. Shots were being fired
from houses and cellars, and from be-
hind fences and trees. and It was hard
to bring the confused Hessian battal-
Ions up 10 the work General Sulli-
vans division was rapidly taking pos
session Of the southern part Of the
town
when Bah and his troops were en-
gagged with Sullivan, Colonel Nav
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

Moore. while the column halted for
hasty meal When the order to march
was given large number Of the sol
diers were found asleep by the road
side, and It was with difficulty that they
We're reused.
The column was now broken into two
divisions, which marched toward Tren-
ton in different directions. The dis
lance thither by either route was about
equal, being between four and five
rile", with perhaps little advantage
for Gen. Sulllyan's division on the river
ROAD,
When each column had proceeded
about one-half of the required distance
the first signs Of daylight began to APP
pear, and the plan of a surprise In the
darkness was necessarily abandoned
TO retreat at this late hour would be to
draw upon them the Hessian force in
strength, and Gen. Washington ever
and anon called TO his men Press on!
Press on, bovsl'
on the Scotch road General Greene's
division was Joined by Captain Wash
ington's company which had been on.
larged by picking up men approaching
or coming from the village, and the
column then entered the Pennington
road, about a mile beyond the village
As soon as the town was seen II is said
that General Washington waved his
sword and exclaimed: There, my brave
fellows, are the enemy Of your coun-
try. Remember, now, what you are
to fight for"
WASHINGTON's WORDS,
The advance party Of the Americans
came In sight Of the Hessian pickets on
the Pennington road at about a quar-
ter 10 eight. This post was at the
house of Richard Howell and his son
Arthur, both coopers by trade, The
Germans called It an alarm house and
when the guard occupied the building
Il was their custom to stack their arms
at the door and leave few sentinels
In charge of them.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

dent called on Mrs Fremont and paid
his respects and conveyed the regards
Of Mrs, Mckinley.
HAS A GOOD RECORD.
Il was an unusual circumstance the
other day for the Senate TO meet at II
o'clock, but Il was done for the purpose
OF giving longer consideration TO the
Hay-Pauncefote treaty before the vate
was taken. quite an interesting feature
of that meeting was the fact that H.
III. Gnfry. who has been legislative
clerk for twenty-five years, was ten
minutes late lie had forgotten that the
Senate met at II o'clock instead of II
the usual hour M, Gilfry's record
since he has been an officer Is one day
absent for business. ono day for sick
ness. and once late, that occasion be-
ing the one Just referred TO. lie came
to the Senate from oregon when the
body was Democratic and the Webfoot
state had a Democratic senator.
Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-12-28

Henderson and his connection with the
Reed rules interested that gentleman,
because. as he said ! was the fest wrl-
ter to bring out the fact that he helped
10 make those rules. AS II was twelve
wears ago naturally supposed the mat
ter had been suggested before, but the
sneaker told me OF a circumstance not
generally known. After the contest for
sneaker had been settled In the Fifty
first Congress Speaker Reed called to-
gether in frequent consultation MS
competitors for the nOmlnation-Wil-
liam Mckinley, Joseph q. Cannon and
David b. Henderson. with them he
went over the subject of rules very
thoroughly. and all agreed that iilibus-
tering must cease and the house ma
iority be allowed TO do business, tut
Of these discussions were evolved the
rules now In force, with such modih-
cations as actual practice has proved
necessary. The present speaker vas Sc
lected by Mr.. Reed as his chief lieuten-
ant on the floor and senior floor member
OF the rules committee when Reed was
elected the second time.
PROPOSED A WISCONSIN MEMBER.
Representative jenkins Of Wisconsin
tells this one on himself, II was after
he had been in Congress a short time
and had made a study Of the rules. lie
Went up TO Speaker Reed and said,
"Nir Speaker. | have studied the tIles
carefully and have some amendments
here which l think will facilitate busl-
ness" Put them In the box, John,
nut them in the box" drawlsd the