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

intimate relationships HcAwsen poiitIcal:
conditions and military operations and
that in this casa the political situation
was certain to depend very greatly on
military deyelopmen1s. The destrac-
ton of Washington,s army wouid al
most have sruffed out the revolution. It
would have given demonstration Of
the preponderance Of British power
which even the most stout-he3rted pa
triot would have found difficult 10 deny.
On the other hand. Washington perceiv-.
ed both the military and the political
! opportunity presented to him In the dis
position of the enenny's forces There
was q Desperate chance to WIN . telling
victory, which would convert the New
Jersey carnTsaign into disaster for the
enemy; and there was also the posi-
bility OF winning political victory by
demonstrating the capacity of American
| leadership and American soldiers to
| outwit and Outright veterans Of Eurcp-
can battleaeids.
I Washington. who was at once SOL
der, politician and statesman. recogniz-
ed all these possibilities. He eAized
1.-the opportunity he turned 1t complete
by inspired his army and the country
behind him with new confidence IN
| themselves. Years afterwardkl Lord
CORVALLIS, and the members Of his
staff, we're given a dinner by General
washington, following the surrender at
Yorktown. The compliments of the oc-
Icaslon were exchanged in a manner to
realize all their Significance. Among
the rest, Lord CornYaIlis made speech
in which he paid his condiments to the
military genius Of Washington. Compar-
ing the Yorktown campaign with the
Trenton-Princeton operation. he deciar-
ed, turning to General washington, and
bowling profoundly, that when history
shall have been made up its yepdict the
fairest laurels will be gathered for your
lexceiency, not from the shores of the
Chesapeake, but from the banks of the
Delaware Cornwallis regarded the Tren-
ton-Princeton campaign as the crown
ing glory of the Washington military ca
reer; and we do not need to be reminded
of the verdict of Frederick the Great
who ranked the Trenton-Princeton cam
paign as the most brilliant of which he
had knowledge.
When We view the course of human
affairs from the detached standpoint Of
history's student. we are amazed to dis
cover how seldom a particular military
operation has determined the results OF
a campaign or the outcome of a great
war Wars are writ very big in his.
tory; very much bigger Sometimes thar
dom decided the fate of people. The
real story of human progress is writer
elsewhere than on the worlds battle
fields, and war and conflict have provid
ed rather its punctuation than its theme
But among the exceptions, among tn,
| cases in which a particular conflict hal
| had consequences and reverherations IA
greater in their potency than could pos
sibly be imagined from consideration
I -
ate results, none stands out more dis
tinctly than does the Trenton-Princetol
campaign. We cannot say that the cause
of Independence and union would havi
been lost without it; but we must I'm,
ourselves at a loss If we attempt Il
picture the successful conclusion Of tn
trevofution. had there been another am
different issue from the struggle Of thos
hard winter days.
1.-THE climax of that desperate adven
ture came on the field Of Princeton
Trenton had been an almost complet
surprise. an easy victory Princeton wa
desperately contested engagement
whose immediate result included not oni.
an enheartening of the patriotic cause
but profound discoura cement to thos
on the other side of the Atlantic. VIII
were responsible for the continuation
of the war.
$50 you have erected here at Prince
ton a fitting memorial to the heroe
and heroism of that day. We bring an
lay at its foot the laurel wreaths wllicl
gratitude and patriotic sentiment vii
always dedicate to those, who hav
borne the heat and burden of the con
fict Let use believe that their exampl
| in all the future be, as thus far II ha
been, a glorious inspiration to our coun
try