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joined them; while numbers daily flocked to the British army, and took the benefit of a royal proclamation, issued at this critical time, for pardoning all who, within sixty days, would return to the condition of British subs jects.

The small force which began this retreat was daily lessening by the expiration of the term of service for which they were en gaged this terminated in November with many, and in December with nearly twothirds of the residue. No persuasions were availing, to induce their continuance, They abandoned their general when the advancing enemy was nearly in sight. The Pennsylvania militia was engaged to the 1st day of January, but so many of them deserted that it became necessary to place guards at the ferries to stop them. Two regiments had been ordered from Tirconduaga to join Washington, but their term of service expired on the 1st of December. They refused to reinlist, and went off to a man. General Lee, who commanded the eastern troops, was repeatedly ordered by Washington to cross the North river, and join the retreating army; but these orders were not obeyed." While at a distance both from his troops and the enemy, he was surprised and taken prisoner by the British.

British. This begat suspicions, that, despairing of the success of the Americans, he had chosen to abandon their service. Though these apprehensions were without foundation, they produced the same mischievous effects on the minds of the people as if they had been realities. About the same time, congress thought it expedient to leave Philadelphia, and retire to Baltimore. Under all these trying circumstances, Washington was undismayed. He did not despair of the public safety. With unconquerable firmness, and the most perfect self-possession, he was always the same, and constantly shewed himself to his soldiery with a serene and undisturbed countenance. Nothing was omitted by him that could embarrass the enemy, or animate his men and his country. He forcibly pointed out to congress the defective constitution of their army, without cavalry, without artillery and engineers, and at the same time enlarged upon the impolicy of short enlistments, and placing confidence in militia suddenly called out and frequently changed. He urged these matters with great warmth; but to prevent offence, added, "A character to lose an estate to forfeit the inestimable blessing of liberty at stake, and a life devoted, will be my excuse."

He also hinted at the propriety
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of enlarging his powers, so as to enable him to act, in cases of urgency, without constant application to congress; yet apologized for this liberty, by declaring "that he felt no lust of power, and wished with the greatest fervency for an opportunity of turning the sword into a ploughshare;" but added, "hisfeelings as an officer and a man, had been such as forced him to say, that no person ever had a greater chain of difficulties to contend with than himself."

In this very dangerous crisis, Washington made every exertion to procure reinforcements to supply the place of those who were daily leaving him. He sent generals Mislin and Armstrong to rouse the Pennsylvanians. Colonel Reid was dispatched to governor Livingston, to urge on him the necessity of calling out the Jersey militia. These exertions were in a great measure unavailing, except in Philadelphia:

500 of the inhabitants of which city associated together, and marched to the aid of Washington. Though most of these were accustomed to the habits of a city life, they slept in tents, barns, and sometimes in the open air, during the cold months of December and January. On the capture of general Lee, the command of his army devolved on general Sullivan, who, in obedience to the

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orders formerly given, joined Washington. About the same time, an addition was made to his force by the arrival of a part of the northern army. The Americans now amounted to about 7,000 men, though, during the retreat through the Jerseys, they were seldom equal to half that number. The two armies were separated from each other by the river Delaware. The British, in the security of conquest, cantoned their troops in Burling ton, Bordenton, Trenton, and other towns of New Jersey, in daily expectation of being enabled to cross into Pennsylvania by means of ice, which the climate generally forms about that time. On receiving information of their numbers and different cantonments, Washing ton observed, "Now is the time to clip their wings when they are so spread." Yielding to his native spirit of enterprise, which had hitherto been repressed, he formed the bold design of recrossing the Delaware, and attacking the British posts on its eastern banks. In the evening of Christmas-day, Wash- 1776. ington made arrangements for passing over in three divisions, but two of these divisions failed in their attempts to cross, from the quantity of ice which obstructed their passage. The main body, about 2,400 men, began to cross at M. Ronkey's ferry very early in the morning,

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morning, but were so retarded by ice, that it was nearly four o'clock before they found themselves in a condition to take up their line of march on the Jersey side. They were formed in two divisions; one was ordered to proceed on the lower or river road, the other on the upper or Pennington road. These having nearly the same distance to march, were ordered, immediately on forming the outguards, to push directly into Trenton, that they might charge the enemy before they had time to form. Though these detachments marched different roads, yet they arrived within three minutes of each other. The outguards of the Hessian troops at Trenton soon. fell back, but kept up a constant retreating fire. Their main body, being hard pressed by the Americans, who had already taken possession of half of their artillery, attempted to file off by a road leading towards Princeton, but were checked by a body of American troops thrown in their Thus surway. rounded, the Hessians laid down their arms. The number which submitted, was 23 officers, and 886 men; between 30 and 40 of the Hessians were killed and wounded. Colonel Rahl was among the former, and seven of his officers among the latter. Captain Washington of the Virginia troops, and

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