The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1930-12-26

ueeutu the lOHlC Vi du splflIIS
victory.
While General Howe occupied
New York in the summer of 1776,
he employed his army in i~nfficting
a series of minor defeats on the
CoIoniaIs in that vicinity. At
Long Island, White Plains, Forts
Washington and Lee on the Hud-
son, and in numerous skirmfshes.
the British had beaten and dis
couraged the Americans. AS
winter approached and the wealth
er became more disagreeable,
Howe became less inclined to
fight and gave most of his atten-
ton to preparing comfortable
quarters in which to plan the
spring campaign. To the English
leader 1t appeared that the Revol-
ution had been crushed, and he
seems to have expected what
spirit remained with the Colon
lists to wear itself out in the cold,
freezing SHOWS of winter. AT any
rate, he had apparently conquer
ed New Jersey, and by the time
Spring came he would be ready
to capture Philadelphia, the rebel
capital.
The British commander had sta
toned troops at several places in
New Jersey to prevent the Ameri-
cans from retaking that territory
should they make an attempt to
do so, although little concern was
felt in this direction. Washington
was just across the Delaware
river in Pennsylvania, but the
condition of his men was such as
to arouse but little apprehension
on the part of the British. The
entire Continental Army was suf-
fering from a lack of food, cloth
ing, guns, ammunition-in fact,
nearly everything needed to main
tain an army was lacking in the
American camp. No self-respect-
ing European soldier could enter
tain anything but contempt for
such a nondescript body of troops.
Among the soldiers which Howe
had left in the Jerseys was a regi-
ment of Hessians under the com
mand Of Colonel Rail. These
troops numbered about 1900 and
were stationed at Trenton but a
very short distance from the Della
ware. The Hessians were the
type of soldiers known as mercen-
aries, because of the fact that war
was their profession. They were
hired out by their own monarch
to fight for other rulers. Many Of
these soldiers were used in the
Revolution by Great Britain. Their
lot was not a very happy one for
they were not even respected by
their English colleagues. The
Americans themselves despised
the hirelings because they were
actuated by no principle ave that
of making money.
Washington formed his plans
with all possible secrecy and
Christmas was selected as the
day for the attack or Trenton be-
cause it was believed that the
Germans would be wholly unpre-
pared to resist an assault at that
time. These suppositions proved
to be correct, for the boisterous
celebration of the Yuletide was ut
it's height when the Americans
stormed the town in the dawn OF
that cold December morning.
Washington assembled his men
at McKonkey's Ferry on the bank
of the Delaware after a march of
nine miles through frozen snow
and biting sleet. The men were
into boats which had been
gathered and prepared for the
occasion, and the pitiful little
army was soon moving across the
stream. 1t was a perilous under
for the river was filled
great blocks of ice which
many times threatened to over
turn the crowded craft. But the
affair was so we'll planned and
executed that not a man or gun
was lost. There was some delay
n getting the artillery up, so that
BY the time Washington was
.eady to move on his objective
he night was far gone. The en-
.erprise had progressed so far,
however, that there could be no
of turning back.
From the ferry where the cross
ne had been made there remain
ID another nine miles march to
Trenton. BY this time the tenn
,arature had dropped far below
reezing and the troops were in a
orry plight, but they cheerfully
esumed the march. The cold was
o severe that two men froze to
.eath that night. The suffering
vas intensified by the lack Of suit
BILE clothing, and a messenger to
Warrington was able to find the
ieneral by following the bloody
footprints which the army left in
be O Many of the muskets
rere so clogged with ice that they
ould not be fired, but by the time
'renton was reached the Ameri-
ans, as one writer has suggested,
-ould have charged with nothing
ut broomsticks. AS it was, most
z the fighting was done with the {