The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1912-06-13
CHAPTER XIV.
Forcing Clinton 70 Ra,tl.


was left behind at Coryells Ferry.
for the purpose OF Fastening forward
any supplementary orders from Wash.
/ ington. when Maxwell. and the Jersey
militiamon. pressed forward in an ef.
fort 10 retard the march Of the enemy.
From the reports OF scouts we began
20 understand what was occurring.
Before dawn on the eighteenth u June
the British army began leaving the
city. crossing the Delaware at Glouces.
ter point. and by evening the motley
host comprising Regulars. Hessiens,
Loyalisis. and a swarm OF camp fol.
lowers. we're halted near Haddenneld,
five miles southeast OF Camden.
The moment this knowledge reached
Washington. he acted. In spite Of OPP
position from some OF his leading on.
GERS. his own purpose remained stead.
fact. and every preparation had al.
ready been carefully made for ener.
getic pursuit. Our troops NJ for serv.
ice numbered less than Eve thousand
men. many OF these hastily gathered
militia. some OF whom had never been
under IRE. but the warmth and com.
fort OF the summer time, together
with tho good news from France. had
Inspired all with fresh courage. What.
ever OF diHsension existed was only
among the coterie OF general officers.
the men in the ranks being eager for
battle. even though the odds we're
strong against US. There was no de-
lay. no hitch I'm the promptness OF ad.
vance. The department Of the Quar-.
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 men. was hurried forward
TO the reinforcement OF Maxwell, and.
relieved from my duties at the ferry.
was permitted to Join his column.
know not when. during all my
army life. ! was more deeply I'm.
pressed with the awful solemn!ty Of
war. than as | watched these yolun.
teer soldiers land on the Jersey shore.
and tramp away through the dust. In
those ranks we're 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 were animated by a stern pur.
pose which yielded power. Such as
these were not to be trifed with. 9th
ers might soon at their raggedness Of
-
their nondescript garments. and vari-
ETY. 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. l
watched them file past-Wayne's. Var.
NUNS. Scott's brigades. and Jackson's
and Grayson's misunderstanding
| 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 a hated foe.
and counted hardship as nothing COM
pared with the Joy OF conflict. Every
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.
II was midnight when Morgan led US
Nd the steep hluff. and out upon the
sandy road. We advanced silently,
and in struggling column through the
darkness, passing the embers or
camp fires for several miles. the re-
cumbent soldiery o other commands
sleeping on the ground. At Hopewell,
Washington was holding another coun'
ell with his officers. As we swung
mast we could perceive his tall figure
standing in the glow OF nre' ana
there arose from the lips OF our men
a sudden. involuntary cheer, breaking
strangely upon the solemn silence Oh
the night. The group about him were
startled and looked about, and ne
paused a moment shading his eyes
"What troops are these?" he ASKED
his voice cutting across the DISTANCE
. hundrad answered him: