Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-06-10

complete surprise; Washington's stern
and fateful decision to press on and
stake everything o n the issue; finally
the attack and the victory.
Brilliant as was the accomplishment,
| Washington. on the Jersey side. was
faced presently by the superior strength
of the now consolidated British forces.
At last his rival was rure of his old fox.
Then came the strategy withdrawal by
Washington at night, in secret from
his line on the Assunpink creek. the
I thanking march to Princeton and the
| second surprise and defeat of the
enemy. In the narrative of those mag
nificient winter days of marching and
fighting. surprises and victories, one
finds the truest progress Of the in
domntable spirit which sustained and,
at last, won the revolution.
THE destruction of Washington's
army would almost have snuffed out
the revolution.
Years a%fterward. Lord CORVALLIS
and the members of his staff were
| given a dinner by General Washington,
following the surrender at Yorktown.
The compliments Of the occasion were
exchanged in a manne so gracious and
amiable that, as we read of it o it
is difficult to read with small the sig
nificance. During the evening Corn
wallis made a speech in which he paid
his compliments to the military genius
of Washington. Comparing the York
town campaign with the Trenton
Princeton operation. he declared. turn
ing to General Washington and bowling
profoundly. that when history shall
have made its verdict. the fairest laurels
will be gathered for your excellency,
not from the shores of the Chesa-
ware CORVALLIS regarded the Trenton
Princeton campaign as the browning
glory of the Washington military career.
and we do not need to be reminded Of
the verdict of Frederick the Great, who
ranked the Trenton-Princeton campaign
as the most brilliant of which he had
knowledge.
Princeton Turning Point
1.-THE real story of human progress
is written elsewhere than on the
flict provided rather its punctuation
than its theme. But among the ex-
~ceptions, among the cases in which a
particular conflict has had consequences
and reverberations far greater in their
potency than could possibly be imagined
from a consideration of the numbers
engaged or the immediate results, none
stands out more distinctly than does
the Trenton-Princeton campaign. We
cannot say that the cause of indie
pendence and union would nave been
lost without it; but we must find our
selves at a loss if we attempt to pic
ture the successful conclusion of the
revolution had there been another and
different issue from the struggle of
those hard. mid-winter days.
The climax of that desperate ad-
venture came on the field Of Prince
ton. Trenton had been almost com
plete surprise, an easy victory. Prince
ton was a desperately contested en-
gagement whose immediate result in
cludd not only an e%nheartning of the
patriotic cause. but a profound dis
enlargement to those on the other side
of the Atlantic, who were responsible
for the continuation of the war.
so you have erected here at Prince
ton a fitting memorial 10 the heroes
and heroism of hat day. We bring and
lay at its foot the laurel wreaths
which gratitude and patriotic senti-
ment will always dedicate to those
who have borne the heat and burden of
the conflict. Let us believe that their
example in all the future may be, as
thus far it has been, a glorious inspira-
ton to our country"