The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-12-26
CROSSING DELAWARE
WAS or GREAT IMPORT
Victory Later At Trenton
Marked Dramatic Turning Of
Fortune for Colonists.
From the Kanaas CIV scar.

From the Kansas city Star.
Tho state OF New Jerse5sis negotiat-
ing Just at present Tor the purchase
Trenton. The farm Is that on which
Washington and his men landed that
Christmas eve In 1776 after the MEM
orable crossing of the Delawnre. TO
most or us who are past school age.
washington crossing b Delaware
t-hree-cornered hat standing In the bow
of a boat and scanning with eagle
BYE" the surrounding desolation OF wa
ter and floating cakes OF Ice. And
then we a a vague recollection that
he licked the British, and there was
AS a matter OF fact, the victory
which followed the crossing Of the
Delaware was much more than the
winning Of an engagement. il wasfa
thrilling. dramatic event that stirred
mems imaginations. raised their spir-
Its and made Il possible Tor the Reyo-
luton to- continue. And the far-see~
ing Washington realized in advance
all the dramatic possibilities and the
crying necessity for a successful
"grandstand play"
Dark for the Colonies.
The last weeks of l776 were gloomy
enough from an American standpoint.
"dStllilk lOu anu Ills aIIuy IAdu Dttn
driven but OF New York; the ports on
the Hudson had been taken, and many
British officers of Lord Howe's army
were already Boosting that the revolt
of the colonies was over. Some 5of
these officers, It Is said. had already
sent their trunks aboar ship. confl-
dent that in a little while the order
would ONE to return to England.
washington a retreated with his
army across New Jersey in December,
ind the English troops, following
leisurely, had taken possession Of the
country. The town of Trenton was
in the hands of.a garrison Of LOO Hes
SLAMS, the hired German troops who
reused SC muCA American hostility.
Beyond the Delaware lay washing
ton with q shivering army OF about
5000 poorly clad, their shoes worn out,
provisions none too plentiful Worse
n that, under the system of short
time enlistments which the continental
congress had instituted, his army after
h now year would be reduced to
about 1,6oO by the expiration OF terms
of enlistment, The residents OF Phil
adelphia were already preparing to
leave their homes; everybody felt that
the Revolution was crushed. II ever
there was q time when a dramatic
victory was needed to inspire conf
dence 1t was In December. 1875. SO
Washington resolved to fight.
It was bitter cold In December a
1776, and Christmas eve a snow began
to drive. 1t was racing In clouds pant
the soldiers when the crossing of the
Delaware was begun about IL o'clock.
The river, all afloat with drifting Ice,
with the current swift and ugly, was
no small obstacle itself In the coldneis
and the dark. One needed to be en-
the lookout against the swirling foes,
n II was not easy to look far IN
the blackness and driving
The Hessians ignored q Warming.
But finally the soldiers get acrots
and at 4 O'Clock In the morning tile
march on Trenton was begun. BY that
time the snow had turned into eleet
and the wind was driving down more
bitterly h q ever The own OF Tren-
ton lay In darkness and inside their
barracks the German m~ercenaries were
snoring heavily; sleeping on the effects
Of a Christmas eve dehauch in which
they all had taken part. There had
been abundance Of wine and punch
and singing OF songs; even the sentries
had been called In, for on such a night,
who would be likely to venture out2
Surely not the whipped and coWed
Amectcans who had been driven across
the Fate in such a dismal retreat
SomebodyTbrought a message OF an
attack planned by Washington, but mo-
body cared to heed his jests, and the
Hessian commander, Rail, laughed at
the report.
So 1t happened that when the foot
sore followers OF Washington crept
down the dark and silent streets In
the gray Of the morning, they found the
enemy totally u~nprepared. The Amer
lean forces were In two divisions, one
under Greene, one under Sullivan. Be
fore the slx-mile journey to the town
was covered Sullivan had sent word
that the muskets OF his men were use
iess-the powder was wet. And Wash
ington sent back word:
tell you men to use the bayonet,
for the town must be taken"
The bayonets were used. The Hes
SLAMS, tumbled out OF bed and half
asleep, were rolled back In confusion
before the fierce thrusting of the Con-
~tinentals; RahE rushing from his guar
tiers to carr what all this hubbub was
about, was shot and fell mortally
wounded. The stupefed Germans,
somewhat recovered from the: first
shock OF their amaZement, gathered In
ragged formation, and tried to retreat
| along the Brunswick. There they were
cut off by Hands ri1emen. In less
than. an houreit was all over. About
200 Hessians escaped; 30 We're killed
and more than 300 gave themselves up
with all their arms, ammunition and
supplies. IT was nc small blow to- the
British to lose 1000 men at one stroke:
but the moral effect OF the stroke was
vastly greater. The ragged men OK
| washington felt now that they were
the equals OF any fighters who might
be sent again them. Many OF them
who nad planned to return home made
up their minds to re-enlist az soon as
their terms OF service should expire.
The 800 Hessians We're marched up
| and down I'm triumphal procession
through the streets OF Philadelphia,
and many men who had begun to con-
slider the ~adyisability OF swearing al
legiance to the king of England were
loudest In their enthusiasm over the