Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-07-07

Robert Morris, which Seymour and
Talbot that day had brought him, and
for their future reward he cheerfully
pledged his own vast estate, an exam
pie of self sacrifice which Greene,
Stark. Talbot, Seymour and others of
the officers who possessed Ils445perty at
once emulated. The men were put in
| good spirits by promise of $40 boun-
! ty also, and they were ready and ca
| ger for fight.
| Reed, attended by six young gentle
men Of the Philadelphia troop, had
been sent out to reconnoiter. Up to-
ward Princeton they had surprised
British outpost composed of sergeant
and twelve dragons. The sergeant
escaped, but the twelve dragons, pan
lc stricken, were captured after short
resistance, and Reed and his gallant
young cavaliers returned in triumph to
headquarters. Valuable information
was gained from this party. Cornwall
lis had Joined Grant at Princeton and,
with seven or eight thousand men, was
assembling wagons and transportation,
preparing for dash on Trenton. Con-
Hrnation Of this not unexpected news
came by student from the college
who had escaped to Cadwalader and
been sent up to General Washington.
The situation of Washington was now
critical, but he took prompt measures
to relieve 1t. Cadwalader from the
Crosswicks and Miffiin from Borden
town, with $500 men, were ordered
Forward at once. They promptly obeyed
orders and by another desperate night
march reached Trenton on the morn
Ing of the first day of the year.
There was heavy skirmishing all day
on the I'd. CORVALLIS, advancing
in hot haste from Princeton with 5000
men, was checked, and lost precious
time by hot rife fire from the wood
on the banks of the Shabbakong creek,
near the road he followed in his adj
vance. The skirmishers under Greene,
seconded by Hand, after doing gallant
service and covering themselves with
glory by delaying the advance for sew
eral hours, giving Washington ample
time to withdraw his army across the
Assunpink and post it in a strong de-
fensiye position, had retired in good
order beyond the American line. In
the akirmtsh Lieutenant Won Grothau-
sen, he who had galloped away with
the dragons at Trenton and had been
under suspicion of cowardice ever
since, had somewhat redeemed his
reputation4dn that he had boldly rid
den down upon the rifiemen and had
beenEtk1le6. IE'waH aata i'm the even
ing when the advance parties crossed
the bridge over the creek and sought
safety behind the lines. interchangeable
General Knox ned concentrated thirty
pieces OF cann0n at the bridge" A
vergpngty battexysse FEeAc called 1t,
It was dusk when~fhe eaHer Ameri-
cans saw the head tha British army
coming through ttas streets. They re-
manned silent while the enemy formed
and advanced to attack the bridge and
the fords In heavy columns at the
same time. The men came on In
solid mass for the bridge head, cheer
ing lgallantly. They were met by
Knox's artillery and steady fire from
the rthemen. Three times they crashed
on that bridge like mighty wave,
and three times like a wave broken
they fell back before an awful storm
OF fire. General Washington himself,
sitting on his white horse, gave the Or
ders at the bridge, and the brave enemy
were repulsed. The position was too
strong to be taken by direct assault
without great loss; besides, it was not
vital after also reasoned CORVALLIS.
The British soldiery were weary, they
had marched all day at hot pace and
were exhausted. They had not lived in
q chronic state Of exhaustion for so
long that they never gave 1t thought;
they were not used to 1t as were the
Continentals, and when the British
were tired they had to rest. They
would be IN better spirit on the NOR
row.
The creek was fordable in dozen
places, but Cornwallis resisted the i'm
portunities of some of his officers, who
wished to ford it and attack at once.
He sent urgent messengers off to
Princeton to bring up the 1000 men
left there with Won Donop and to hur
ry up Leslie with the rear guard, six
miles away. When they arrived they
could turn the right flank of the Amer
leans, and it would be all up with
them then He thought he had Wash
could not escape, though the small ad-
vantage Of position might enable him
to make desperate resistance even
with his inferior forces.
1--WE will wait" he said to Erskine,
"until Won Donop comes up, and Les
lie, and then we'll bag the old fox in
the morning!"
So, after brisk firing on both sides
until night closed down, the campfires
were lighted on both sides of the creek,
and the British officer went to sleep
calmly confident that he had held the
winning cards and all that was neces-
sary was that the hand should be
played out in the morning to enable
him to take the game again. He did
indeed hold the higher cards, but the
'old fox" showed himself the better
player.
On the other side Of the creek, in the
4. &I,-y