Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-12-30

BY the Associated Press.
TRENTON, N. j., December 30
President Coolidge. addressing the SEES
Quicentennial celebration of Washing
toms crossing of the Delaware, spoke
as follows here last night.
Fellow Countrymen: The season
is now we'll advanced in the celebra
tons of the 150th anniversary of the
opening events of the American Revo-
luton. The year of 1925 marked the
passage of a century and half OF
time from the days of Lexington, Con-
cord and Bunker Hill and the assump-
ton by Washington of the post OF
commander-in-chief Of the Continental
Army at Cambridge. During the fol
lowing March of 1875 in forcing thu
British to evacuate Boston he secured
his first military success. In the fol.
lowing July the Declaration of Inde.
pendence was adopted by the Cont
mental Congress at Philadelphia.
THE early Summer saw nearly
80, 900 British, under the command of
Sir William Howe, landed at Staten
Island. Coming in contact with some
of these forces on Long Island and
again at White Plains, the Americans
fought without success. But Gen.
Washington was entitled to great
was then forced for nearly two months
to retreat through New Jersey, and
crossing the Delaware at Trenton
reached the Pennsylvania shore De
cember S, barely in time to escape
from CORVALLIS.
although the Americans were safe
for the moment, as they had posses,
sion of all the boats up and down the
river for 20 miles, their situation was
so desperate that Washington thought
it might be necessary to retreat into
Virginia. or even go beyond the Ale
ghenies. All hope of taking Canada
was gone. New York had been lost.
The British had advanced into New
Jersey. Even the Congress had fled
from Philadelphia to Baltimore. In
trenched behind the Delaware, with
ragged, starving army; poorly equip
ped. broken in morale, dwindling
through the expiration of enlistments
and daily assertions, while the pa
triotic cause was at it's lowest ebb, on
December Is Washington wrote to his
brother:
Had Faith i'm Cause.
You can form no idea OF the per-
plex1ty of my situation. No man, I be-
'ieve, ever had a greater choice of
himself from them. However, under
full persuasion of the justice of our
cause cannot entertain an idea that
1t Will finally sink, though it may re-
main for some time under a cloud.
There you have the full mea sure
of. the father of his country. He faced
the facts. He recognized the full i'm.
port of their seriousness. But he was
firm in the faith that the right would
prevail. To faith he proposed to add
works. If ever a great cause depend
ed for its success on one man, If ever
a mighty destiny was identified with
one person in these dark and despond-
ent hours, that figure was Washing
ton.
Such was the prelude to the his
torfc events which, Notwithstanding
their discouraging beginning, were
soon to eliminate in the brilliant vic
tories of the patriotic armies in the
battles of Trenton and Princeton, the
one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of
which the people of New Jersey are
now so appropriately celebrating.
After q series Of engagements and re-
treats which can only be character
lied as defeats, running from April to
late in December, Washington now
decided TO take the offensive. While
some of his generals supported this
proposal others were doubtful. Col.
Stark, who was to be heard from at
the Battle of Bennington in the fol-
lowing August, is reported to have
advised the commander-in-chief as fol-
lows:
Your men have too long been &C.
customed TO place their dependence
for safety upon spades and pickaxes.
If you ever expect to establish the
independence of these States you
must teach them to place dependence
upon their firearms and courage
Decides OH Attempt.
ut was finally decided to attempt
the crossing of the Delaware from
PENNSYLVANIA into New Jersey on
Christmas night, 1876. for the purpose
of surprise attack on the Hessians
who occupied Trenton. Orders were
issued to Col. Cadwalader, command
ing three Philadelphia battalions, 10
cross at Bristol, and to Gen. Ewing
of the Pennsylvania militia to cross at
Trenton Ferry. Washington planned
10 take his army over at Mckonkeys
Ferry The crossing has ever since
been well known history. The cold,
he Sleet, the wind, the great cakes
Of floating ice made the effort we'll
nigh impossible. But for the skill OF
q regiment of fishermen from Marble
head, Mass, under the command of
Col Glover, the effort would have
failed
THE commands of Cadwalader and
Ewing were unable to reach the New
Jersey shore Tradition relates tha-
Washington said to Gen. Knox, THE
fate of an empire depends upon this
night 1t was not until o'clock in
the morning that the little army OF
2 500 men began their march on Tren
fon. The password was Victory OF
DEATH The storm of sleet was freez'
ing as it fell, the mud was deep, the
night was dark. Being told the mus
kets were too wet to use. Washington
| continued the advance and ordered
that where gunpowder failed the bayo
| nets be used.
About 8 o'clock the Americans,
emerging through the storm. surprised
the Hessians at Trenton, then VII
lage of about 800 inhabitants, killed
their commander, Col. Rail. and cap
tured bween / 200 and 1900 men. II
| is said that. Washington personally
| directed the artillery fire. Alexander
| Hamilton commanded battery
Being unsupported and outnumbereo
| three to one, Washington recrossec
| the Delaware and again took up his
position on the Pennsylvania shore.
1T cannot be said that this ranks as
!, great battle, but II was the turning
point in the Revolutionary War, al
which defense and defeat became of
Tense and victory. From that hour
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