The Irish standard., 1912-06-15

tort or the summer time, together
with the good news from France, had
inspired all with fresh courage. What.
ever of dissension existed was only
! among the coterie of general officers,
the men In the ranks being eager for
battle, even though the odds were
strong against us. There was no de.
lay, no hitch In the promptness Of ad.
vance. The department of the Guar.
termaster-General had every plan
worked out In detail, and, within two
/ days. the entire army had crossed the
river. and pushed forward to within a
few miles of Trenton. Morgan, with
! SIX hundred mon, was hurried forward
to the reinforcement of Maxwell, and,
relieved from my duties Mt the ferry.
l was permitted to Join his column.
know not when, during all my
army life, l wns moro deeply i'm.
pressed with the awful solemnity of
war. than as l watched these volun.
teer soldiers land on the Jersey shore,
and tramp away through the dust. In
those ranks were sick and wounded
scarcely able to keep up; occasionally
one would crawl aside but the moment
he was able would Join some new body.
and resume the march.
They .Here animated by stern pur
pose which yielded power. Such az
| these were not to be trifled with. 9th.
ers might scott at their raggedness Of
line, their carelessness Of discipline
their nondescript garments. and vari
city OF equipment, but to one who had
seen such in battle-who had been
with them at Trenton, Brandywine
and Germantown-they were warriors
not to be despised. stern. grim fight.
ers. able to hold their own against
England's best drilled battalions.
watched them file past-Wayne's Var.
NUNS, SCOTS brigades, and Jackson's
and Graysons Notwithstanding
the brown, dust-caked faces. the eager
eyes, the sturdy, tireless tread, the
we'll oiled muskets. Boys, men, gray
boards. all alike exhibited in their
faces the same expression. They were
anticipating battle against hated foe,
and counted hardship as nothing COM
pared with the Joy of conflict. Every
4 step brought them closer to the
grapple Of arms-to that supreme test
Of strength, courage, endurance, for
which they had left their homes. They
might be poorly drilled, addressed,
variously armed, yet these were fight
Ing men.
| 1t was midnight when Morgan led us
up the steep bluff, and out upon the
sandy road. We advanced silently,
and in struggling column through the
darkness, passing the embers Of
camp fires for several miles, the re.
cumbent soldiery Of other commands
sleeping on tho ground. At Hopewell.
| Washington was holding another coun.
Gil with his officers. AS we swung
past We could perceive his tall figure
standing in the glow Of fire, and
there arose from the lips Of our men
a sudden. involuntary cheer, breaking
strangely upon the solemn silence of
the night. The group about him were
startled and looked about, and he
paused moment shading his eyes.
What troops are these?" he asked,
his voice cutting across the distance.
A hundred answered him:
"Morgan's riflemen!"
Good, my lads!" and even at that
distance | could see his face brighten.
There will be work for you at dawn"
With a rolling cheer, echoing down
our ranks from front to rear, we an
swered, swinging the guns over our
heads, as we swept forward into the
dark night. There might be discus
sion, dissension about that council fire.
but there was none. in the hearts Of
those who were going out to die. Al
ready rumors were flying about re-
garding Lees unwillingness to engage
in battle. l saw him as l trudged
past, standing beside Wayne, the fire
light on his face, although his head
was bowed. L IN to our cheers he
never once glanced up, and, as we
passed beyond the radius of light, l
laid my hand upon the name of Nor.
CAMS horse.
els 1t true that Charles Lee thinks
we should let Clinton go without fight.
ing?" l asked soberly. THAT was ru.
mOred at the ferry.
"'Tis enough" he answered, his
eyes upon the dark column OF plod.
ding men. "And he seems to have
others with him. know not what has
put the coward into the fellows Of
late. Saint Andrew! the odds are no
greater than we have met before But
there1l be no fighting. lad, fear, -
less Washington takes the bit in L
teeth and orders 1t. I'm glad the boys
cheered him; twill give the man new
heart"
"You favor the Joining Of issue?"
"Why not? Were we ever in better
fettle? A retreating army is always
half whipped, and we can choose our
ground. Why, lad, tits reported Clln.
toms line stretches out full twelve
miles, with train of baggage wagons
and battery horses, and camp follow.
ers enough for division. Twill ba