The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-10
BArrLE 81 PRINCEroM.
4 sIonamcnt Should Commemorate Il and
Hnah Mcrcer

t. TIr Ep,rOr or Tug SUN So. A Boz
ton. MonuO-th. Trenton and YORKTOWN. scenes
OF battles iu the Revolutionary War la which
Washingto commanded in person. there
are commemorative monuments. Another Ia
nous field Nherc a critical battle was fought
and won under the personal direction Of the
Continental Commander int Chief. the battle
field OF Princeton. bears no such memorial.
although repeated eIorts have been made 10
establish one. The erection OF such a mouu-
ment would BE- rcco Cnition, as we'll meritcd
Is Il has been long delayed Of a 81 gni6caDt
event in American history, and fair though
tardy token OF tie nations appreciation Of
one Of It's most devoted defenders IN the days
ii she Revolution. Gen. Hugh Mercer. " no
died on the battlefield Of Princeton.
The Senate o. the FftietA Congress passed
hill appropriating $50. 90. 10 be- used under
The direction OF he Princeton Monument
Association and conditional Upop the ap-
pTOprlat,Cu o. $1,000 b. the New JerSey
state Legislature aud tie raising OF a like
sun by tie monument association, Cor the
erection of battle molvnieUt ia Princeton.
Tue bill died H. the House OF Representatives.
The same thing happened Ia tho Fifty-second.
the Fifty-sPyenth. and the Flfty-eighth
Congresses this bill passed the senate.
but never got beyond the committee OF the
whole House on the state Of the Union. in
the House. Senator kean and Representa-
tive Ira W. Wood OF the Fourth New Jersey
district have fought for the passage Of the
bill. Speaker Cannon. while expressing
himself as favorable 70 the Princeton project
was unwilling 70 grant It recognition in the
last session, as there we're a number OF bills
OF q similar character on the calendar Of the
House. The New Jersey Legislature has
several times passed It's appropriation OF
sij,0nO and the monument association Is
waiting.
=
local. importance The battle Of Princeton
(Jan. 5. l771l, though the forces engaged
we're small. was critical struggle. Coming
treat across New Jersey, when doubt and
despair were sapping The spirit Of the Amer
can People. when the Continental forces
the victories OF Trenton and Princeton were
u god5end TO revive the waning confidence
Of the patriots. Tie battle was fought in
three enga cements. The fret and heaviest
hghung occurred on a hin u mile outside
he town. on the road toward Trenton.
Gen. MERGERS and. Col NawhoOd,s bngades
being engaged. Mercer fell while fighting
desperately on foot in the thick Of the n elee.
and Washington, riding furiously from
the American troops. who were giving way.
Then followed a running hght through the
rayine bacG OF princeton. ana the battle
Nassau Hall. and driving thereGrdn the force
OF Hessians who had made IL their barracks.
In this cannonade a shot passing through
the central chamber OF Nassau Han carried
from its frame, which was left intact. large
portrait OF George H. Tie frame to-day
holds one Of peale's portraits OF Nashin gton.
The battle OF Princeton forced the British
out OF New Jersey. enabled the Continental
Army to pass the winter, embarrassed in Nor
rtstovn, and gave new life TO the American
cause, almost completely exhausted.
Gen. Hugh MERGERS memory cannot be
held too high by patriotic Americans. A ma
tive ScotChinau, he was -out in the Forty
five" with his Bouny Prince Charlie, and
came TO America after the failure Of the re-
bellion. lie served under Braddock in l7S5
and at the outbreak OF the Revolution he
allied himself with the American
rebels rendering important services in
rs and &c. He as made a BngadiPr and
ed a column in the attack on Trenton. He was
lighting. unhorsed and with reckless yalor
when he was mOrtally wounded at Princeton.
BE died Jan. ~. IN a farmhouse just OF the
Field fla gstah marks the SPOT where he
'eil, and an old cannon and a very humble
stone stand before the farmhouse. The
street running from the village OF Princeton
)ast the battlefield bears his name. and
monument 90 his memory. vas erected in
laurel Hin cemetery, Philadelphia, in 1870
While IL Is fitting that the Princeton monu- |
ucut as planned. should b. surmounted by |
commanding figure OF Washington. II Is |
,nly just-fcr statues Of Washin Rton we /
ave a-penty -tEat FIRST and foremost among /
ne q CURES surrounding that OF the Father Of /
lie Country should BE- one OF her faithful !
OstaT-son, Hugh Mercer. T. y. l..
PRINCETON. April :.