Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-30
BACKGROUND OF EVENTS
BY PAUL Y. COLLINS.

Last evening President Coolidge de-
livered an address at Trenton, n. j.,
concentrating the Battle of Tren-
ton, which perhaps IS best known to
the average citizen as the event con-
nected with Washington's crossing
the Delaware in a boat laden with
soldiers and lodging floating ice. The
picture by Emanuel Lentse is more
familiar than the battle itself, yet
but for that battle there would be
no United States of America today,
for that was the turning point Of
the Revolution.
And it all hinged upon one man
George Washington. 1t was all due
to that one mans initiative, self -reli-
ance and genius. Every other gen
eral in the Revolutionary Army de
served court-martial punishment for
fiunking and disobeying military or
ders in the most critical hour of the
struggle. Congress had long been in
chronic funk, failing to support
Gen. Washington, in spite Of his
constant appeals. Thousands of
patriots" were hurrying daily to ac-
cept the British offer of pardon, and
to swear allegiance to King George.
The Army, even under Gen. Wash
ington's immediate command (bare-
ing the snow) had fiunked in the face
of the abandonment of public support,
and hundreds were upon the eve OF
terminating service.
Washington had lost battle after
battle-had lost Manhattan and Long
Island, Hackensack. and Brunswick
and Princeton-had lost more thar
5000 soldiers, and was driven in re-
treat, with support: of only 5000,
of which he held under his imme-
date command about 2,400, while
the rest were divided and commanded
by jealous generals, who refused t.
obey his orders.
The British Army of 10000, under
CORVALLIS, was thoroughly trained
fully equipped and flushed with con
tinuous victory and were reveIing in
Christmas intoXication, as Washing
ton foresaw.
X II i: X
How Washington planned to sur
prise the Hessian detachment defend
ing Trenton Is history today, but the
story does not always relate that
Gates, who had been ordered to march
from Bristol with 1000 men, disap-
proving the plan of the commanding
general, left his headquarters and
made for Philadelphia to tell Congress
of Washington's incompetence. why
was he never court-martialed0
. Ewing was to cross the river at
Trenton, but its floating ice gave him
cold feet" and he declined Putnam
was to meet the rest of the force at
TrentOn-but he remained in Philadel-
phia. So Washington had only about
third of his force obedient to. his
orders. and his plan of battle was
thrown awry by treachery Of his own
generals When he, with 2.400 men
landed Q miles from Trenton, and
began the march, as daylight was
dawning, one Of his officers reported
that the powder Of his men was wet
and instantly came to order. Then
tell your general to use the bayonet;
for the town must be taken"
And 1t was taken, with 1000 pris-
oners.
Following that victory. Princeton
was taken. Then the Americans
walked to discover that the Cause was
not lost. for a Man had taken the
initiativei
Frederick the Great pronounced
that campaign the most brilliant of
the century.
Upon that one nights work, upon
that one mans initiative, turned the
fate of America That was one of
the worlds greatest battles, not by
reason Of its casualties, but by its
consequences.
Speaking of the impending fail
ure of the Revolution, up to that
fateful night, Senator Henry Cabot
Lodge in his biography of Washing
ton, says:
"Its fate lay in the hands or the
general and his army, and to the
strong brain growing ever keener
and quicker as the pressure became
more intense, to the iron will gath
ering a more relentless force as de-
feat thickened, to the high, unbend-
ing character and to the passionate
and fighting temper of Washington