Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1906-07-26

and other names destined to be great in their
country for deeds on other fields.
AT early twilight the troops began crossing.
They had twenty cannon with them. The night
was bitter cold: there and seet, and the
fierce river rolled full of ice. 1t was marvel the
troops got over at all, the passage SO peril
Gus, the boats so rude the night cold, the
river so rough. All that tempestuous night while
the men were getting over, Washington, who had
crossed in one of the first boats waited on the
shore, sometimes sitting on an empty beehive at
the landing, sometimes nervously walking up and
down the river bank. It must have seemed for.
to him. for every minutes delay now threat
ened disaster. Had the British surprised him in
that crossing and IL is "a marvel they did not
he would have been captured killed, and his
career finished that moment. II was three O'Clock
before the last boat came, and Trenton nine
miles away. Instantly the army was on the
march. the force divided into two colums, one
under Sullivan to follow the river road to Tren-
ton, the other under Washington himself to make
circuit and strike the town from the north All
this time the Hessians under their commander
Col Rail-, were comfortably sleeping in Trenton,
not even dreaming of foeman. Their thoughts
were of their fatherand, and Christmas trees
and far-otf homes. That Christmas night of
freedoms soldiers was spent battling with the
ering on the shore.
1t was just daylight when Washington at the
front of his column, found loyaist chopping
wood at the roadside. This man told Washing
ton that the Hessian picket was close by. A
young Captain Washington led the attack sec
onded by Lieut.. Monroe, afterwards president of
the United States. In almost less time than il
takes to tell it thousand of the Hessians were
captured and thirty or forty, including the COM
mander slain. Marvellous as ii may seem now,
not a man of Washington's little army lost his
life.
"This is glorious day for our country" ex-
claimed Washington to officer, just as the
Hessans surrendered his face beaming with Joy.
And SO it was From one end of the states to the
other, confidence in the country's cause revived.
Spring saw Washington complete master of the
Jerseys, for his affair of Christmas night raised
the enthusiasm of his soldiers to the highest
pitch. Washington with his troops and provis-
ions crossed back over the river that same night
into Pennsylvania. Two or three soldiers froze
to death on the way, and these all the Amer
lean lives lost by the taking of Trenton.
The battle after all, was only skirmish,
such skirmish as in the of the Rebellion
passed hundred times unnoticed; but the results
were of vast Importance, and the victory happen
every hope of the country, and postponed free
government on this continent for hundred years.
1t ives one of the daring picturesque, and roman
tic episodes of great war; celebrated by poet
and painter; but more, it was day that turned
tide in the affairs of our ancestors
Twelve years from the time of this Christmas
victory, George Washington is again in Trenton.
He has conducted the country through war to
peace. The independence of these states from all
European control has been achieved, and more
through him than any other single man. He has
become great, truly great. His is to rank
with Cromwell Napoleon Frederic, Caesar. He
who yesterday led his handful of ragged farm
boys through the Jerseys, he who shiVered alone
that Christmas night on the banks of the Della
ware, has, in few years, become greater than
any sceptered monarch. young Englishman
writing at this time from Europe, said, "Next to
King George the Third, name is so great in
England as that of Washington" A grateful
people have made him the first ruler Of a new ma
ton that has been born the earth. He is in
deed the noblest figure stepping across the stage
OF human history.
He Is again riding through the Jerseys. He is
riding to New York, there to take his oath as
President on the front steps OF the old Federal
Hall on Wall Street-a spot that American
passes WlLnOut looking AT In reverence. Every
where on his route he Is hailed conqueror and
benefactor. Think for one moment of the con-
trast in this ride of victory compared with that
other ride of his through the Jerseys, followed
by his barefooted and defeated soldiers.
At Trenton it is the women who most remember
the victory of that Christmas that lifted
ed them and the country out of deep despair into
the sunshine of hope. The women and girls of
Trenton met the conqueror as he approached the
village, and with thanks and tears, led him over
pathway of flowers. They erected enormous
arch of triumph made of evergreens and flowers
for him to pass under, and as he went, baskets of
roses were strewn beneath his horses feet, and
children sang songs of praise. The original de-
sign and execution of this beautiful act who'll
ly the thought and labor of the Trenton women
1t touched Washington to the very heart, and no
success in his great ife-not even his elevation to
the presidency in his breast emotions so
profound. The women and girls became rightly
the mothers of the Revolution Recently came
across an old book giving the of every
woman and girl who aided in honorng Washing
ton at Trenton. ] read them with interest and
emotion. 1t is interesting to know that the child
rem of some of them became distinguished In
American annals. The sons of two of them be-
came United States Senators, and Frelinghuysen,
the grandson of one of them, became candidate
u n lna nf fha nip lie uhn