289. Discouragements thicken. While the patriots waited for the turn of affairs, the public heart was nearly discouraged. Washington was obliged to say, "I think the game is pretty nearly up, unless reinforcements arrive, or regiments re-enlist." Samuel Adams, with tears rolling down his cheeks, exclaimed, "O my God, must we give it up?" The British army followed Washington from Newark to New Brunswick, and from New Brunswick to Trenton. At Trenton, the Americans crossed the Delaware.

290. Lee captured. — Washington had left General Lee in command at North Castle. He sent repeated orders to Lee to join him Lee hesitated,

with all possible haste.
and at last moved his force into New
Jersey. Even then he intended to act
independently of Washington. There,
one night, when he was quartered away
from his troops, he was taken prisoner
by the British cavalry. This was a
great misfortune to the Americans, who
had a high regard for Lee's military
ability. General Sullivan took com-
mand of Lee's forces, and promptly
joined Washington's army.

291. The Situation. -Meantime, many Pennsylvania recruits joined the American force, so that it numbered six thousand or seven thousand men. The patriots had been driven from Canada, been forced to give up Crown Point, and had lost the control of Lake Champlain. Sir Peter Parker, with a British

A Bold Push. · General Lee remained a prisoner until he was exchanged for General Prescott. The capture of General Prescott was made on the night of July 9th, 1777. He was in command of the British force, stationed at Newport, and had his headquarters at a farmhouse four miles from the town, and a mile from any of his troops. Colonel William Barton, of the Rhode Island Militia, embarked with a party of forty volunteers, and rowed across Narragansett Bay. The party stole silently across the fields, surrounded Prescott's house, burst open the doors, and took the general and Lieutenant Barrington out of their beds. They hurried them to the water's edge, succeeded in rowing past the stern of the British guardship, returned to Warwick, and the next morning forwarded the prisoners to Providence. While in the boat, General Prescott remarked to Colonel Barton, "You have made a bold push to-night, colonel." "We have done what we could, general," was the reply.

squadron, had taken possession of Newport, which was the second town in New England. The little provincial fleet that was stationed in Narragansett Bay under Commodore Hopkins was forced to take shelter in Providence River.

292. Washington captures Trenton. Under these distressing circumstances, Washington resolved to strike a sudden blow, and, if possible, force a victory from the enemy. As early as December 14th, Washington had watched for an opportunity "to face about,

and meet the enemy." Lee's disobedience had postponed offensive action. Enlistments were soon to expire, and Washington's hope was that regiments would enlist, if only for a short time. The British. were stationed at New Brunswick, Princeton, Trenton, and other places in New Jersey, and felt themselves secure from attack. The Hessian troops were distributed along the Delaware as far as Burlington, with a small force at Trenton. Washington's plan was that the Delaware should be crossed simultaneously at three points, but the floating ice and other obstacles prevented the combined movement. Washington, with the left wing of twenty-four hundred men, crossed on Christmas night. The advance was made in two divisions, one taking the lower road to Trenton, and the other the upper or Pennington road. Both divisions met the enemy at eight o'clock, December 26th, 1776. The Hessian troops, concluding that they were surrounded, and must inevitably be cut to pieces, surrendered, after preliminary skirmishing, in which their loss was about thirty killed and wounded; while the Americans lost but two men, besides two or three frozen to death. The Americans took one thousand prisoners, with arms and ammunition. The following evening, Washington recrossed the Delaware with his prisoners, their artillery, and colors.

293. The British alarmed. This battle had a very depressing influence upon the British army, but, as might be expected, produced great joy throughout the American States. The several detachments of the British, stationed at different points in New Jersey, were now thoroughly alarmed. They left Mt. Holly, Bordentown, and Burlington. The troops at New Brunswick marched to Princeton. After two or three days' rest, Washington again crossed the Delaware, and took up his position at Trenton. Cornwallis, who had gone to New York with the intention of embarking for England, hastily returned, and with a large force, on the 2d of January, 1777, confronted Washington.

294. The Battle of Princeton. Washington was now cut off from retreat across the Delaware, and separated from the army of Cornwallis only by a small river. Having carefully fortified his front and guarded the bridges by earthworks and artillery, as if to accept battle on the morrow, he kept campfires burning during the night. At midnight, he left the Delaware in his rear, and early the next

morning, January 3d, 1777, attacked Cornwallis's base of supplies at Princeton. The sound of his guns was the first warning to Cornwallis that he had been outgeneralled, and he hastened in that direction. Washington had gained another brilliant victory. This result was almost altogether due to the ability and intrepidity of Washington himself. When the battle was begun, the British, under Colonel Mawhood, by an impetuous onset, threw the Americans into confusion, so that officers and men seemed seized with a panic, which spread fast and indicated a speedy defeat. Just then Washington came up. He saw that the tide must instantly be turned, or his army would be lost. He called upon the troops to rally, and rode boldly forward himself, facing the enemy, to within thirty yards of their line, and stood exposed to their fire. The British volley was immediately returned by the Americans, with their general sitting upon his horse between the two bodies, and thus so enveloped in the smoke as not to be seen by either party. When the smoke lifted, both sides expected to see him fallen, but he was unhurt. Not a bullet had touched him.

295. The Victory. The sight of their commander under such circumstances, and the thought of his intrepid bravery, so inspired the American troops that they rushed forward and fought with singular valor, defeated the enemy, and won a great battle. The British loss in this engagement, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was between three hundred and four hundred. The Americans lost one hundred, among them General Mercer who was bayoneted and died of his wounds. Washington now marched on to Morristown, from which place, as headquarters, he sent out several expeditions, and finally recovered the greater part of the State. The American troops

spent the winter at Morristown. New forces were raised in the several States, and by early spring the army was in good fighting condition.

Revolutionary

Powder Horn

CHAPTER XLIII.

BRANDYWINE AND GERMANTOWN.

296. Howe outgeneralled. - General Howe, during the summer of 1777, kept his army in the vicinity of New York manoeuvring to gain some advantage of position. Finding, however, Washington so wary and alert as to give him no opportunity, he finally decided to take the field, and force the Americans to a general engagement. At first he endeavored to march to Philadelphia. Washington's

force was too small to meet him in open fight, but he managed so to worry him and delay his movements that the British general finally returned to New York.

and set sail. His first effort was to go up the Delaware, but, finding it obstructed and fortified, he returned and sailed around through Chesapeake Bay. He landed his men at Elkton, near the head of the bay, and marched toward Philadelphia. Washington hurried south to meet him, having determined to risk a battle for the defence of Philadelphia. Washington had at this time under his command an army of about eleven thousand men ready for duty.

298. The Battle of Brandywine. He took up a position on the east side of Brandywine River, with the intention of disputing the passage of the British across the river. The advance column of the British was in command of Knyphausen, a Hessian general. He attacked the American forces at Chadd's Ford, directly in their front. While the battle was progressing at this place, Howe, with a large force, having pushed farther up the river, crossed his troops at Jeffrey's Ford, turned the flank of the American army, and struck its rear. The patriots were routed, Lafayette was wounded, and Washington was forced to retreat to Philadelphia. He and his generals had chosen a good position, and had well and skilfully resisted the advance of the largely superior force of the British.

General Lafayette, the distinguished soldier and statesman, was born at Chavagnac, France, in 1757. He died in Paris in 1834 at the age of seventyseven years. He was of a race of statesmen and soldiers. He came to this country in his own vessel, in company with Baron de Kalb, having ten other vessels, in 1777, and offered his services to Washington as a volunteer aid, being then but nineteen years of age. He was appointed major-general, and became a member of the military family of Washington. He was wounded at the battle of Brandywine while rallying the retreating Americans. He was engaged in various battles during the Revolution, and it was mainly through his efforts that the army of Rochambeau was sent to America in 1780. He assisted materially in cutting off the retreat of the British from Yorktown, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis. For his services he was publicly thanked by Washington on the day after the surrender. He visited America in 1784, and was everywhere received with great affection and respect. He again visited us, by invitation of Congress in 1824, and his progress through the country was like a continuous triumphal procession.

299. The British occupy Philadelphia.The night after the battle the American forces withdrew to Chester, and the day following to Philadelphia. During the next two weeks occurred a series of manœuvres alike creditable to the military genius of both sides. No general battle, however, took place. On the 26th of September, Lord Cornwallis entered Philadelphia with a detachment of his army. The remainder of his forces encamped at Germantown, while Washington with his army went to the northward, farther up the Schuylkill. The force of the Americans was too small in comparison with the British army to warrant