The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-10-27

AZ sko hAoS Osf@bNoA ~ eNo
as Sir George Trevelyan points out that
sven after the battles OF Trenton and
Princeton had snatched America from
instant and utter ruin her discontinue
wa averted for months to come not by
her own strength but by the indolence
which beset and the illusions which mis-
led the British General. The fact IL re-
called that on January 9, I777. the repub-
Moan army arrived at Morristow W.T. in such
q state OF disorder and exhaustion that
"a fresh and resolute body Of five hundred
men might have demolished the whole
Not until the last group OF s~tragglers had
Aled into the village selec.ed for Washing
tons winter quarters did the regulars and
militia together amount to more than 1000
man, and at times their numbers sank
below that miserable figure. Sir William
Howe. on the other hand. the British
Com mander in Chief, had 10000 men In
she Jerseys. with as many more In New
York city. which could have spared almost
the whole of it's garrisons for active ser
vice during the winter. inasmuoh AZ Lord
Howe's battleships we're lying in the Bay
and his frigates were securing the North
and East rivers. There were also two
fine divisions of infantry drawing KIM
Georges pay in Rhode Island. with no
advantage whatever TO King Georges
interests. Why, under such circumstances,
Gen. Howe hesitated to march upon Phila-
delphia and eat up Washington's army on
the way was a source Of standing wonder
10 Washin gton himself. His wonder was
shared by the experienced Heesian soldier.
Won Donop, who insisted hat hostilities
should be pushed on continuously In jan
uary, as in July. until the army OF the
insurgents should be broken up and their
Government dissolved. The truth seems
TO be that. aside from his Characteristic
Incidence which disposed him to remain
inactive turing the cold weather. Sir
William Howe greatly overestimated the
strength of his opponent; nor was any
pains spared on Washington's part 10
prevent that mistaken impression from
being effaced prematurely.
W~ashington's principal coadjutor In his
scheme OF military reorganization was
Gen. Henry Knox. whom he sent to Boston
in the early months OF i777 to tell the State
authorities Of Massachusetts, that he relied
upon them to supply recruits for new
battalions in proportion not to the actual
population az the province but to the ex-
ceptionai numbers which they had put into
the field already. Massachusetts, had de-
spatched IL. 900 men TO the front In ITS and
$4,000 in the following year. and yet before
the peace came she sent nearly 1000 more
into the Continental ranks. II was a con-
tingent almost t~ioe a. large "a that Of any
other State in the Union.
In several other States. however. Wash
ington was able to rely on the services Of
trustworthy coadjutors animated by the
same disinterested motives as those which
guided his ow q conduct. Such an auxiliary.
for example. was George Clinton a soldier
who was descended from q long line Of
civil and military dignitaries and rural
magnates. A kinsman and an early patron
Of George Clinton was q royal Governor Of
New York State. the father Of Sir Henry
Clinton. who succeeded Gen Howe as
British Commander in Chief in America.
George Clinton himself was the first popu-
Iarly elected Governor Of New York State,
and he retained his post throughout the
war. fighting his administrative district
a. a stout captain fights his ship in battle.
After a first and orucia experience ofGeorge
Clinton as their Governor his fellow citi-
zens reelected him no fewer than six times.
When he died he had twice been chosen
Vice President OF the United States. An
other vigorous upholder of the Revolu-
tionarv cause was william Livingston. the
Governor OF New Jersey. Jonathan Trum-
bull likewise. who had achieved distinction
~ the bar and on the bench during the
Colonial epoch and was Governor Of
Connecticut when the Revolutionary Var
broke out. was extremely helpful to Wash
Ington. Although a civilian he displayed
remarkable appreciation Of military
Axsra,,,Ao and Oaa ttpoNttalloH In hiS pnaa.
tory over the art OF supplying the urgent
and manifold demands Of war. Even dur
ing the last six years OF the struggle. when
everywhere Americans were growing very
weary and the martial spirit had per-
oeptibly slackened in some leading States,
the Continental Army continued to draw
an annual average Of 100 recruits from the
townships OF Connections.
sir George Trevelyan 10 not one Of those
historians who are disposed unduly TO de-
urnci,ts tha pobticiaps uhn aat IN Conur~ss