Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury [Connecticut]) 1903-1917, 1904-07-06

posed of about fifty Hessian chasseurs
and twenty English light dragons,
under command Of Lieutenant Grot-
hansen OF the chasseurs. They all fed
SO precipitately that they did not stop
to alarm the brigade which they had
been stationed to protect, but rapidly
galloped down the road and, crossing
the bridge over the Assunpink, made
good their escape toward Bordentown.
Grave suspicious OF cowa rdice attached
thereafter to their commanding officer
Had Ewing performed his part in the
plan the bridge would have been held
and they would have been captured
with the rest. Stark's men, followed
by the rest of Sullivan's division, were
now pushed on rapidly for the town,
and the cheers OF the New England
men were distinctly heard by Wash
tngton and his men on the main road.
The main guard on the upper road, al
most as completely surprised as the
other by the dashing onslaught of the
Americans, made another futile at
tempt at resistance to Greene's column,
but they soon fell back in great disor-
der upon the main body.
1t was broad daylight now, and the
violence of the storm had somewhat
abated. In the town, where the firing
had been heard, the drums Of the three
regiments were rapidly beating the as
sembly. Colonel Rail- was in bed
sleeping off the effects of his previous
nights indulgences when he heard the
commotion. Jumping from the bed and
running rapidly to the window, still
undressed he thrust out his head and
asked the acting brigade adjutant,
Bel, who was hurriedly galloping
past, what 1t was all about. There was
a total misrepresentation on all sides
even at this hour rs to the serious ma
ture Of the attack, SO the confused
colonel, satisfied with Bieps surlnise
that 1t was raid, ordered him to take
a company and go to the assistance of
the main guard in the supposition that
1t was only skirInishing party and
never dreaming of general attack
Nevertheless he then dressed rapidly
and, running down to the street,
mounted his horse, which had been
brought around The three regiments
which comprised his brigade and com
mand were already forming They
were the regiment Rail-, the regiment
Won Lossburg and the regiment Won
Knyphausen. At this moment the adj
vance party and the main guard came
running through the streets In great
confusion, crying that the whole rebel
army was down upon them. The regi-
ment RAIL and the regiment Won Loss
burg at once began retreat1ng to an
apple orchard back OF the town, firing
ineffectiveiy in their excitement, as
they ran, from behind the houses, at
the head OF the column which had now
appeared in the street, while the regi-
ment Won Knyphausen. under the com
mand Of Major Won Dechow, the sec
ond in command Of the brigade, sepa-
rated from the two others and made
for the bridge over the Assunpink.
King and Queen streets run together
at the east end of the town. There
Washington stationed himself, on the
left Of Forests battery, which was i'm
mediately unlimbered and opened up
hot fire. The generals position was
much exposed, and after his horse had
been wounded his officers repeatedly
requested him 10 fall back to safer
point, which he peremptorily refused
to do. The joy OF battle sparkled in
his eyes. He had instinctively chosen
that position on the field from whence
he could best see and direct the con-
flict, and nothing but a successful
charge Of the enemy could have moved
him to retire.
A few of the cooler headed men
among the Hessians had rallied some
of the Lossburg regiment, and two
guns had been run out into the street
and pointed up toward the place where
| Washington stood to form a battery
which might, could it have been serv-
ed, have held the American army In
| check until such time as the startled
/ Germans could recover their wits and
make a stand. General Washington
| pointed them out to the officer of the
! advance guard, which had already done
such good service, with a wave of his
sword. The little handful of men, led
| by Captain Washington and Lieutenant
Monroe, charged down upon the guns,
|, which the party had not had time to
| load. A scattering volley received
them. Captain Washington and Mon
roe and one of the men were wounded.
Another fell dead. The men hesitated.
| Talbot sprang to the head Of the coll
| umn in obedience to the generals nod,
and they rallied, advanced on the run,
| and the guns were Immediately cap
tured.
Meanwhile the fire OF Stark's rifemen
could be heard at the other end of the
town. st. Clair's brigade held the
| bridge. The regiment Won Knyphausen
lost few precious moments endeavor
ing to extricate its guns, which had
become mired in the morass near the
| bridge, and then charged upon st. Clair.
But it was too late. Won Dechow was
seriously wounded, and when the regi-
| nEent saw itself taken in the flank by
! Sargeant's brigade 1t retired in disor-
der. though some few men escaped by
| the fords.
At this tuncture Rail- reformed his
scattered troops in the apple orchard