Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-07-14


of every Wing. In London, Rails defeat
was viewed as a national calamity, so
much so that Lord Germaine, Colonial
Secretary of State, was forced to exclaim:
happy affair at Trenton To redeem the
loss and pacify an element among the Eng
lish Taxpayers who were firing OF the war,
the British military authorities in America,
were urged to use every endeavor to con-
quer the Reyolutionists. Once more, it,
was decided that could Philadelphia be
broken. During the long Winter of TIT,
while Washington lay in Morristown, his
5000 troops hungry and smallpox stricken,
the rival armies played war in desultory
fighting With ten thousand men Howe
held the country along the lower Raritan
valley, and with the coming of Spring
hoped to bring on a general engagement, in
which plan he was unsuccessful. Failing
in his purpose, the British commander
turned his attention to Philadelphia, and
decided upon a moye which was effective
in execution as it was misleading to Wash
ingtoD. 1t was none other than sending an
Anglo-Hessian army to Phila. by sea, and
by a feint driving Washington as far away
as possible from the vicinity OF New York
City.
1t was upon the 30th'of June 1777 that
General Howe, totally evacuated New Jer-
sey. Assembling his troops upon transports
magnificent British fleet lay off Sandy
Hook until late in July, Washington re-
naming ignorant of Howe's actual destin-
alton. It was feared by Washington that
Howe intended, by passage up the Hudson,
to effect a junction with the Kings troops
in Canada. This fear was by no means lessen
ed when it was learned that Burgoyne,
upon the 9th of July, had secured control
Of the Lake George region. That Washing
ington suspected an ulterior purpose upon
the part Of Howe Is shown by a letter
written to Governor TTumhull. Of Conn,
when the American commander observes
that his army at Norristown could aid
Peekskill or the Eastern States, adding
significantly and will be ne enough to
oppose any design on PhiladS Aia
For once Washington was utterly mis-
led in judging of the plans Of his antagon-
ist Reaching the conclusion that by NOV
ing up the Hudson, General Howe would
bsect the states, and prevent Wing COM
mnnication, Washington hurried from Nor
ristown and upon July 10Th reached the
Hudson near West Point. AS Washington
hastened toward the Northeast. Howe
sailed South, and as the Dutch farmers Of
! New Jersey and New York saw the Ameri-
can troops preparing to intercept an imag
mary foe, the fishermen upon the coasts of
old Monmouth, Gloucester and Cape May
spread the tidings of the passing of he
white sails of His Majesty's ships-of- the
line, brigs, frigates, tenders, transports,
victualers and armed gondolas, superb
Armada to capture Philadelphia
When, upon the banks of the Hudson, it
was learned that Howe's feet was off the
South Jersey coast, CONSERVATION seized
the mind Of Washington. Here was a
forced and somewhat confused march across
the portion of the States of New York and
New Jersey, lying between West Point and
Coryell's Ferry, now Lambertville, at
which latter place Washington learned
from an express sent by Congress that 228
British sail were at the Capes of the Della
ware. Generals Sterling and Sullivan had
been called from East Of the Hudson, to
join Lafayette, DeKalb, Pulaski and
Washington. With the cry of ION to
Philadelphia, the American troops reached
the Quaker City upon the last day Of July.
Upon August 1st General Washington in
spected the hastily constructed river de-
fences of Philadelphia, the most prominent
being located at Mud Island, Fort Miffiin)
Red Bank, Fort Mercer) Billingsport and
Marcus Hook incidentally, it may be
said, that this VISIT of Washington to Red
Bank and Billingsport probably marks the
only occasion when the commander of the
American forces stood upon the soil of New
Jersey, South of Camden
In Philadelphia, the first half Of the
month Of August was fortnight Of intense
anxiety. The city was torn by internal
feuds, public credit was at low ebb, the
river defenses were imperfect, and upon
Washington and his generals fell the bur
den Of patriotically stimulating their Ill
paid, ill-clothed troops. These troops were
charged with the duty of saving Philadel-
phia from the assault of Howe.
The 25th Of August found Is, 600 Anglo
Hessian soldiers at the Head Of Elk, pre-
pared to disembark for their overland