Elsie's Vacation and After Events

her wharf at Philadelphia, where her passengers found fri

st in the city, particularly such as were in one way or another connected with t

ent up the river, was largely of the revolutionary events which had taken place

Fort Washington, on the east bank of the Hudson, and near New York City, fell into the h

and men attacked Fort Lee. The garrison hastily retreated, leaving all their bag

oward the Delaware, hoping to obtain reinforcements in New Jersey and Pennsylvani

ears by Congress, causing them great inconvenience and suffering, and lack of proper food and clothing, and

se terms of enlistment had expired refusing to serve any longer, so that he had but twenty-two hundred under his command when he cr

him to lead his division into New Jersey, to reinforce his rapidly melting army. Lee paid no atte

nd while on his way was ta

r disobeying Washing

sympathy for Lee in reading of his sudden seizure by the British, who carried him off in such

was a loss to the Americ

doubt it was really for the good of the cause. General Sullivan succ

y disappointments and delays," said Lulu. "Didn't he ever g

said to have been at this time firm, calm, undaunted, holding fast to his fait

might occur at any time. Some one asked Washington what he would do were Philadelphia to be taken. He answered, 'We will retreat beyond the Susquehanna River, and thence, if

ry to be ready to defend themselves

unlimited power, to General Putnam; then appointing a committee of

etting ready for the striking of

dson to the assistance of Burgoyne, who was about to invade our country from Canada. But Cornwallis had a strong desire to c

m New Brunswick to the Delaware and down that stream to a point below Burlington. His military stores, and his stronges

he posts at Bordentown, Black Horse, Burlington, and Mount Holly. Cadwalader was to cross near Bristol, Ewing below Trenton falls, while Washington, with G

difficulty, after crossing the Delaware, since he had heard that the people there were for the king almost to a man. So sure was he

at the head of four hundred and fifty militia, across from Philadelphia to New Jersey with directions to make a diversion in favor of the

secure like Cornwallis and other of the English officers in the belief that the Americans were well nigh subdued already, and that when once Phil

in their estimate of our people, wer

convinced of that," she answered wi

knew, the habit of the Germans to celebrate that day with feasting and drinking, and such being the case, he felt that he m

the weather changed, growing very much colder, so that the water was filled with floating ice, greatly increasin

expecting to reach Trenton by midnight; but so slow and perilous was the crossin

under cover of the darkness,

be still dark at four o'clock in the

rry, which is eight miles higher up the river than is Trenton, so tha

als Greene, Mercer, and Lord Sterling accompanying him,-and giving Sullivan command

lently that the enemy was unaware of their approach till they were bu

g toward their main body, firing as they went from behin

as Washington expected, were th

he night, Rall himself feasting, drinking, and playing cards at the house of Abraham Hunt, who had invited hi

nd sent a messenger with a note to warn Rall. But a negro servant who had been stationed as ward

a warning of the approach of the Americans, so, being foiled in his purpose of seeing Rall

and interested in his game, merely thrust the

l upon his drowsy ear, and in a moment he was wide awake, the cards were dropped, he sprang to his feet, then rushed away to his quar

ck upon the outermost picket on the Pennington road, and Stark, with the van of Sullivan's party, gave three cheers and rushed upon the enemy's pickets near th

rward so rapidly, and with such zeal and determination, that the Hessians were not allow

ce, reeling in his saddle as if drunk,-as I presume he was,-received a report, then

dismounted his two cannon, accomplishing the feat without injury to themselves

Washington just then,

of six guns was opened upon two regiments of Hessians less than three hundred yards distant. Washington was then near the front, a little to t

hat America might not lose the one on whom so much depended! the father of his country, the

s a countryman of mine," excla

said Lulu. "But what more can you tell us a

in reply. "To prevent that, an American regiment was thrown in front of him. It seemed likely that he might have forced a passage thro

ack further than before; and in that movement he himself was mortally wounded b

ngton and announced, 'Sir, th

ted Walter. "Wh

ear of the war he was made an aid-de-camp to General Was

him!" excl

ose days," said Walter, "I'd have cared for no

oudly affectionate look and smil

out of the morass, and when they reached the bridge the Americans were guarding it on both sides. They tried to ford the river, but without success, and presently surrendered to

were a hundred and thirty absent, having been sent out on some expedition, and seventeen we

God helped our patriotic forefathers or they never could have succeeded

at least-have become the free and powerful nation we are to-day. Congress lavished praise upon General Washington, but he replied, 'You pay me compliments as if the merit of

," remarked Rosie, "but it s

" said Walter; "our Washingto

reedom was won. As Bancroft says, 'Until that hour the life of the United States flickered like a dying flame,' but God had appeared for their deliverance and from that time the hopes of the almost despairing p

med Walter. "What a heartless w

uffer!" sighed Lulu; "it makes m

uch the poor fellows were willing to endure in the hop

king, while Rall caroused and played cards beside his warm fire, our poor soldiers were toilin

l over, and another hour passed before they could be formed on the Jersey side. A violent northeast storm of wind, sleet, and hail set in as they began their nine miles' march to Trenton, against an enemy in the best condition to fight. The weather was te

blood on the snow from the feet of the poor fellows, who had broken shoes or none. Oh, what a shame it was that Congress an

r wind and only half clothed. Just think of it! a continuous march of fifteen miles through darkness, over such a road, the storm directly in their faces. They reached their destinat

ll the States, ma

ey, knew of the destitution of our troops but felt no fear that they would really venture to attack him; persuading himself tha

have neither shoes nor stockings nor blankets, are

ricans wouldn't dare to come

attacked was, 'Let them come; what need of int

y did come he

uarters at the house of a Quaker named Stacey Potts; and there

he was dy

hington offered such consolation as

, and I hope Rall

e historian tells us it soothed t