The Ordway new era., 1913-09-12
InstalIment is

upon Howe's offer OF pardon; and the
British comanders deemed the rebel
lion at an end.
They did not understand the man
they were lighting.
When he had put the broad Della
ware between his dwindling regiments
and the British at his heels. he stop
ped. undaunted. to collect force and
give his opponents a taste of his
quality. Such an exigency only stiff
fened his temper, and added touch
of-daring to his spirit.
Lees Fiaseo and Capture.
Charles Lee. his second in command.
hoping to make some stroke for him
self upon the Hudson, had withheld
full half the army in safe post upon
the river, in direct disobedience to
orders. while the British drove WASH
ington southwark through New Jer-
sey; but Lee was now happily in the
hand OF the enemy. taken at an un-
guarded tavern where he lodged. and
most of the troops he had withdrawn
found their way at last to Washing
ton beyond the Delaware.
Desperate efforts at recruiting were
made. Washington strained his au-
thority to the utmost to keep and
equip his force. and excused himself
to congress very nobly. "A charac-
ter to lose,' he said. "an estate to for
felt. the inestimable blessing of lib
erty at stake. and life devoted must
be my excuse"
What he planned and did won him
a character with his foes.
Before the year was out he had
collected six thousand men. and was
ready to strike blow at the weak.
extended line-Hessian mercenaries
for the most part-which Howe had
left to hold the Delaware.
On Christmas day Washington
made his advance, and ordered
crossing to be made In three divisions,
under cover of the night. Only his
own division. twenty-five hundred
strong. effected the passage.
Twas ten hours perilous work to
cross the storn-swept river in the
pitchy darkness. amidst the hazards
Of floating ice. but not man or gun
was lost. There was a nine miles
march through driving snow and sleet
after the landing before Trenton could
he reached. the point OF attack, Apd
" men were frozen to death as they
went.
washIneton's Famous Order.
General Sullivan sent word that the
guns were wet: "Tell him to use
the bayonet." said Washington. "for
the town must be taken"
And It was taken-in the early
morning. at the point Of the bayonet.
with loss Of but two or three men.
The surprise was complete.
Colonel Rail, the commander of the
place. was mortally wounded at the
frst onset, and nine hundred Hessians
surrendered at discretion.
When he had gotten his prisoners
safe on the south side Of the river,
Washington once more advanced to
occupy the town.
Plays Z Psrlious Game.
1t was a perilous place to be, no
doubt. with the great unbridged
line was everywhere broken. now that
its center had been taken; had
been withdrawn from the river In
haste, abandoning its cannon even and
its baggage at Burlington: and Wash
inston calmly dared to play the game
he had planned.
It was not Howe who came to meet
him. but the gallant CORVALLIS, no
mean adversary. bringing eight thou
sand men. Washington let him come
all the way to Delaware without him.
self stirring. except to put a small
tributary stream between his men and
the advancing columns; and the con-
fident Englishman went to bed that
night e1claiming. "At last we have
run down the old fox, and we'll bag
him in the morning."
The Fox Escapes.
Then. while a small force kept the
camp-hres burning and worked aud
.bly at the ramparts the cold night
1hrough. the fox was up and away.
He put the whole of his force upon
the road to Princeton and New Bruins
wick. where he knew Corvallis
stores must be.
Az the mornings light broadened
into day (January 3. IT'D he met the
British detachment at Princeton In the
way, and drove It back in decisive
rout. keen ardor coming into his
blood as he saw the sharp work done.
AN old-fasbioned Virginia fox-hunt.
gentlemen" he exclaimed. shouting
the view-hailoo. Had his troops been
fresh and properly shod to outstrip
CORVALLIS at their heels, he would
have pressed on to New Brunswick
and taken the stores there; but he
had done all that could be done with
dispatch. and withdrew straight to
the heights Of Morristown.
The Patriots Winners.
CORVALLIS could only hasten back
to New York. By the end of the month
the Americans were everywhere afoot:
the British held no posts in New Jer-
rev but Paulus Hook. Amboy, and