Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1905-04-01
hastily up to MIN and saluted.
.sWell. sir?, he said to the first.

"Did he get across
s'No sir. The ice was so heavy he
babe me say he deemed it useless to
try it."
''One piece removed from the game,
General Greene" said Washington,
smiling bitterly. Now. your news,
sir?'' to the other.
General Cadwalader got a part Of
his men across, but the ice banks so
against the east side that not single
horse or piece of artillery could be
landed, so he babe me say he has re-
crossed with his men, sir"
| "And there's the other piece gone
| too! Now what is t0SOe done"
General Sullivan, having crossed with
the last of his division, at this moment
rode up.
1.-THE troops are all across, general"
he said.
"Wel done! What time is it, some
one?"
'sHalf after II, sir" answered
voice.
''Very we'll indeed. We have now
only to wait for the guns. But, gentle
men, l have just heard that Ewing
made no attempt to cross and that
Cadwalader, having tried it, failed.
He could get his men over, but no
horses and guns, on account of the ice
on the bank, and therefore he returned,
and we are here alone. What thiEG
you is to be done now?"
There was a moments silence.
"Perhaps we would better recross
and try it again on a more favorable
night" finally, said De Fermoy in his
broken accents.
Eyes, yes; that might be WELL" said
one or two others simultaneously. The
most of them, however, said nothing.
The general waited a moment, looking
about him.
Gentlemen, it is too late to retreat
I promised myself l would not return
without a fight and I intend to keep
that promise. We will carry out the
plan ourselves, as much of it at least
as we can. trust Putnam got Griffin
off and that his skirmishes may draw
out Won Donop. But be that as it may,
we will have a dash at Trenton and
try to bag the game and get away be-
fore the enemy can fall upon us in
force. General Greene, you Of course
have sent out pickets?'
Eyes, sir; the first men who crossed
over, mile up the road, on the hill
yonder"
"Gocd. Ha, what was that? Snow
as l live, and the moons gone too
How dark it has grown! I think you
might allow the men to light fires in
those hollows and let them move about |
little. They will freeze to death
standing still. I wonder they don't |
anyway. How unfortunate is this
snow!
BEG pardon, your eXcellency," said
the first of the two messengers.
"What is it, man? Speak outv'
'Can we stay here and take part in |
your attack, sir?"
Certainly you may. Fall in with the
men there. Where are your horses r. |
eve left them on the other side, sir"
swell, they will have to stay there !
for this time, and you'll have to go on
foot with the rest.''
THANK you, SIR" said the men ca
gerly, darting off in the darkness.
'"Thats proper spirit, isn't it?
Well, to your stations gentlemen! We
have nothing to do now but wait.
Don't allow the men to lie down or
sleep on any account"
And wait they did, for four long
&hr, c,;+
and silent on his horse, wrapped in his
heavy cloak, unheeding alike the whirl-
ing snow or the cutting sleet of the
storm, which grew fercer every mo-
ment. He strained his eyes out into
the blackness of the river from time to
time or looked anxiously at the troops,
clustered about the fires or tramping
restlessly up and down in their places
to ward off the deadly attack Of the
awful winter night, while some Of
them sought shelter behind trees and
hillocks from the fury Of the storm.
Filled with his own. pregnant thoughts
and speaking to no one he waited, and
no man ventured to break his silence.
At half after 3 General Knox, whose
resolute viii and iron strength had
been exerted to the full and whose
mighty voice had been heard from time
to time above the shrek of the fierce
wind, was able to report that he had
got all the artillery over without the
loss of man, horse or a gun, and
was ready to proceed. The men were
hastily assembled, and, leaving a
strong detail to guard the boats, at
o'clock in the morning the long and
awful march to Trenton was begun,
the general and his staff, escorted by
he Philadelphia City troop, in the lead.
The storm was at it's height All hope
Of night attack and surprise had nee
essarily to be abandoned. Still the
general pressed on, determined to
abide the issue and make the attack as
soon as he reached the enemy. 1t was
the last effort of liberty, conceived in
and born in the throes of
aunger and cold! What would the
Bringing forth be?