there are times in the history of every nation when “the deepest sentiments of the people are revealed.” the young american nation was passing through such a period. let us listen to thomas paine, whose writings greatly aided the american cause. he said: “these are the times that try men’s souls. the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. it is astonishing to see how suddenly a panic arises and how rapidly it spreads throughout the country. every nation is, at times, subject to such panics, but they have their good side. the panic is of short duration and the heart is then firmer and more determined. such panics are the touchstone of sincerity and hypocrisy.” and truly this period of hardship was of real advantage to the country, for the unreliable elements came to light, while the true patriots were the more clearly recognized. congress gave expression to its renewed confidence in washington’s ability by making him independent dictator of the military forces for six months. before, however, the news of this proof of confidence reached him, he had proceeded to the execution of a daring plan, by the success of which he hoped greatly to strengthen the courage of some and remove the faint-heartedness of others.
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december had set in with great severity, so that the british were not anxious to follow up their victories. howe went into winter quarters with his regiments, thinking that he could afford to wait for a more favorable season before beginning to stamp out the expiring sparks of the rebellion. in the disposition of the troops at winter quarters the same method was pursued as in the attacks. the hessians were placed at the front. washington, who had made the necessary observations of the situation of the enemy, learned that the hessians lay twelve or fifteen miles the other side of the delaware river, in and about trenton. washington’s whole army consisted of seven thousand men. these he divided into three columns, which were to cross the delaware simultaneously at three different points and attack the enemy. christmas night was chosen for the attempt. washington, at the head of the first column of twenty-four hundred men, whom he had chosen to lead himself, arrived at the river as night fell. a fierce north wind drove snow and hail into the faces of the americans and the water was full of floating ice. under these circumstances, crossing the river was not only difficult, but very dangerous. washington had counted upon reaching the other side by midnight. on such a night and against such odds of storm and ice this was impossible, and it was not until three o’clock that the last of the troops were landed. the column carried twenty field pieces with them. about four o’clock all was in order and the march on trenton began. the storm continued to rage. how was this march to end? they were to meet an enemy of ten times their strength who, in case they had learned of the plan, would doubtless have taken up favorable positions to receive them. it was uncertain whether the other two columns had been able to cross. (later it was found that they had not crossed until several hours later.) toward eight o’clock the vanguard of the first column was greeted with rifle shots which gave the alarm to the division of hessians occupying trenton. they had scarcely assembled before washington appeared before the city and began the attack. they made, at first, a gallant defence, but when their colonel fell, they laid down their arms. thus about one thousand men, among them twenty-four officers, fell into the hands of the americans. several hundred men saved themselves by flight, which would not have occurred had the other two columns of washington’s forces succeeded in crossing the river in time to occupy the bridges according to his orders.
washington crossing the delaware
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discretion led him for the present to be satisfied with the success already won. the enemy was in the neighborhood with the bulk of his forces and it was to be expected would immediately try to wipe out the disgrace it had suffered. washington recrossed the delaware. this daring feat, crossing the river and the successful battle at trenton, had magical effect upon thousands of citizens. wherever the captured hessians were taken the people turned out to see them. they had shown themselves to be the most dangerous foes of the americans in battle. they had become brutalized through war, and misery had led them into committing many deeds of violence in the towns and country. the prisoners were now in danger of having the vengeance of the people visited upon them for the outrages committed by them or their comrades. washington issued a manifesto in which he explained that these men had not voluntarily come to america to fight against the liberties of the people, but were the victims of the tyranny of a prince, who had sold them like cattle, wherefore he bespoke pity for them instead of revengeful feelings. his appeal had the desired effect.
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in the meantime washington learned that instead of pursuing him, the british had retired. he then determined to risk a second blow. four days after the first attempt he crossed the delaware again. general howe sent lord cornwallis with eight thousand men against him. washington took up a strong position and repulsed several attacks of the british. lord cornwallis was full of confidence, for, in the first place, his army was greatly in excess of the enemy’s in numbers and besides he was expecting reinforcements. so, as he expressed it, he thought he had caught the fox in his lair. he did not dream that washington had no intention of remaining at the fortified place until it should please his excellency, lord cornwallis, to attack him with his reinforced army. to be sure the campfires still blazed through the night upon the spot which had been occupied by the americans the day before; but when morning dawned and cornwallis looked upon the empty lair with astonishment and disgust, washington, who had marched around him with his troops, was in his rear at princeton, several miles away. there he fell upon the reinforcements intended for lord cornwallis, three british regiments, and a fierce encounter took place. the british defended themselves desperately and for quite a while the outcome was uncertain. the danger for the americans was growing greater every moment. the fact of finding the camp deserted in the morning, together with the distant cannonading, must long ago have enlightened cornwallis as to the enemy’s movements. suppose that he should come up and attack the americans in the rear, while they were still engaged in the struggle with his reinforcements! they must gain the victory and that right soon. the americans, who had been greatly encouraged by the victory at trenton four days previously, fought with wonderful intrepidity. they were inspired too by the ardor of their general. wherever the fight was fiercest, he was to be seen. that tall, manly figure, glowing with the fire of battle, was a magnificent sight. often the general was lost to the view of his anxious men amid the smoke of battle, and they trembled at the thought of what would become of the cause if death should overtake him now. such superhuman efforts could not fail of success. the enemy fled, leaving five hundred men dead and wounded on the battlefield and three hundred more prisoners in the power of the enemy. washington’s soldiers were wonderfully elated. one of them wrote shortly afterward: “we felt as though resurrected from the dead. recruits flocked into our lines, old soldiers re?nlisted.” another soldier wrote of washington’s conduct in the battle: “the army loves the general mightily; but one thing they criticise about him—he is too careless of his person in every battle. his personal courage and the wish to enkindle his troops by his own example makes him forget all danger.” washington now went into winter quarters in the mountainous region about morristown, took up an invulnerable position, and continued to molest the enemy by sending out marauding parties, to such an extent that they found it necessary to withdraw from the neighborhood.
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in europe also, before the crossing of the delaware, the american cause was considered lost. now confidence that america would be able to establish her independence was reawakened both at home and abroad. in france there was an enthusiastic espousal of the cause of the american people and their heroic general. even in england many gave washington the honorable title of the american fabius.
