Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1922-06-10

The hri1liancy of General Washington's
genius in action and the devotion Of his
followers of the Continental army under
great privation were extof1ed by Presi-
dent Harding Friday in an address at
the dedication of the battle monument at
Princeton. The memorial was fitting to
the heroes and heroism of that day, he
declared, adding shat I'VE bring and
| lay at its foot the laurel wreaths which
gratitude and patriotic sentiment will al
ways dedicate to those who have borne
the heat and burden of the conflict"
+ The president spoke as follows:
my Fellow Americans:
I'VE have come here to say the form
| al words of dedication and conservation
BILE. But we stand, to say those words,
| in the presence of another monument,
which is the tr1fe memorial to the events
we celebrate. The real monument to the
achievement of Washinktorl's patriotic
army in the INSTRUMENTATION campaign.
is not in workings of bronze or carvings
Of stone. It rears itself in the institu-
tons of liberty and representative gov
eminent, now big in the vision of all
mankind.
''In the presence of such a monu-
ment, we can do no better than conse-
crate ourselves to the cause in which
this place the soul Of genius and the
spirit of sacrifice shone forth with stead
fast radiance. On no other battle ground
in the presence of no other memorial
of heroism We find more assuring illun-
| nation for our hopes, our anticipations,
our confidence. Here the genius of Cen
eral Washington reached the height OF
/ It's briliancy in action Here his follow
ers wrote their highest testimony of wall
or. Here liberty seeking devotion strug-
gied through privation and unbelievable
exertion, to gain the heights The Grim
soned prints of numbed and bleeding
feet marked the route a pathway to
eternal glory. Thither they trudged
through storm and torrent; but from
here, in the hour of victory, went out
winged messengers to let all men know
that liberty was safe in the keeping oh
her sons.
Point me the field of strife, to which
have converged more roads that led
through disbursement, calamity, and
all justification for despair. And point
me, next that field from whence ratfiat-
ed so many highways of the buoyant
heart, the confident hope, the indomit-
able purpose, the will to win! Take
down the tones, thumb all the blacklist,
all the fairest pages, and tell me where
you read of nobier, finer-aye or more
fruitfuI-sacrifces of men for their fell
lows!
Here, among you to whom the ira
ditions of those events are sacred trust
is 20 plaCe for recounting the discourage
ment of the patriotic cause. the low ebb
Of continental fortunes. the seeming
that final disaster could not long be
stayed. Almost from the day, in the
preceding summer, when the great dec
laration has been issued, misfortune had
followed on misfortune's heels-Long Is
land, the loss of New York, the surrend-
} er of the Hudson forts, the retreat
across New Jerey, the refuse in Penn
sylvania. It was all leading toward the
} inevitable end. The army was cruni-
: bling. only civil authorities pretended tc
7 maintain any central organ. The enemy
t delayed to finish his task, only because
he was so certain of his quarry that
haste would be unseemly.
"And then the fash of Washington
, def1ances! The crossing of the Della
. ware in storm and ice foes; the march
5 and the delays which made 1t impossible
t to effect a night attack and complete
r surprise; Washington's stern and fate
full decision to press on and stake every
/ thing on the issue; finally, the attack
: and the victory.
!. Brilliant as was the accomplishment
Washington. on the Jersey side, wa!
faced presently by the superior strength
OF the now ConSO1ldated BRUSH forces
:, At last his rival was sure of the ole
t fox Then came the strategic withdraw
t al by Washington, at night, in secret from
T his side on the Assunpink creek, thu
a thanking march to Princeton, and TIL
J, second surprise and defeat of the enemy
S In the narrative of those magniicen
: winter days of marching and fighting
:, surprises and victories, one finds tn
: truest presentation of the indomitabl
Il spirit which sustained, and, at last, VOL
: the revolution.
+ 1t is not often that the precise import
ance and significance Of a particular mil
itary detail can be so accurately apprais
ed, as it can regarding the uid-winte
e campaign of Trenton Princeton. The
PRONUNCIATION of the Declaration of In
! dependence had moved the British au
[. thorities to especially determined effort
s for quick suppression of the revolution
g To them it was ,vitally important tina
4 the fires of revolt be smothered befor
:, the new feeling of nationality had ris
It en- to make the colonists realize tn
t. substantial unity of their cause and thei
IT interests. The strategy of the Bril-
Y, ish invasion of New Jersey has been BIZ
e, terly criticised many times, but it mus
-e always be remembered that there is a