CHAP. VIII. Over the Delaware, the passage of that river 1777. was now so difficult, being filled with ice, which, in consequence of a few mild and foggy days, was not firm enough to march upon, that a considerable loss, perhaps a total defeat, would be sustained, and, in any event, the Jerseys would once more be entirely in possession of the enemy; the public mind would again be depressed, and recruiting discouraged by his apparent inferiority; and Philadelphia would once more be in the grasp of general Howe. It was obvious that the one event or the other would deduct very greatly from the advantages promised from his late success; and, if it did not render the American cause absolutely desperate, would very essentially injure it.

In this state of things, he formed the bold and judicious design of abandoning the Delaware, and marching silently in the night by a circuitous route, along the left flank of the enemy, into their rear at Princeton, where he knew they could not be very strong. After beating them there, it was his intention to make a rapid movement to Brunswick, where their baggage and principal magazines lay under a weak guard. He had sanguine expectations that this manoeuvre would call the attention of the British general to his own defence; in which event very great objects would be accomplished; Philadelphia would be saved for the present; great part of Jersey recovered;

and, not only the appearance of a retreat CIAP. VIIL avoided, but the public mind encouraged by 777. active and offensive operations. If he should even be disappointed in this expectation, and, contrary to every calculation, lord Cornwallis should proceed to Philadelphia, nothing worse could happen in that quarter, than must happen, should the American army be driven before him; and in the mean time, he would lessen that calamity by expelling the enemy completely from Jersey, and cutting up all their parties in that state by detail.

The council of war approved the plan, and preparations were immediately made for ts execution. The baggage, as soon as it ws dark, was removed silently to Burlington; ani about one o'clock, after renewing their fires, January 3. and leaving their guards at the bridge and other passes over the creek which runs through Trenton, to go the rounds as usual, they decamped with perfect secrecy, and tooka circuitous route through Allen's town to Jrinceton. At the latter place three British regiments had encamped the preceding night, two of which commenced their march early in the morning to join the rear of their armyat Maidenhead.

About sunrise* they fell inwith the

* The march of the enemy had been reilered much more expeditious, than it could otherwise have been, by a fortunate change of weather. On the eening of the second, it became excessively cold, and th roads which had become soft, were rendered as hard a pavement.

CHAP. VII. van of the Americans conducted by general 1777. Mercer, and a very sharp action ensued, which however was not of long duration. The militia, Of Princeton of which the advanced party was principally composed, soon gave way, and the few regu lars attached to them were not strong enough to maintain their ground. General Mercer was mortally wounded while gallantly exerting himself to rally his broken troops, and the van was entirely routed. But the fortune of the day was soon changed. The main body of the army led by general Washington in person folowed close in the rear, and attacked the eremy with great spirit. Persuaded that defeat vould irretrievably ruin the affairs of America, le advanced in the very front of danger, and exposed himself to the hottest fire of the enemy. He was so well supported by the same troops who had, a few days before, saved their country at Trenton, that the British in tun were compelled to give way. Their line was broken, and the two regiments separated fom each other. Colonel Mawhood who commaded that in front, forced his way through a part of the American troops, and reached Maidenhead. The fifty-fifth regiment, which ws in the rear, retreated, by the way of Hillsboragh, to Brunswick. The vicinity of the Britis forces at Maidenhead secured colonel Mawhod from being pursued, and general Washingtą pressed forward to Princeton,

The regiment remaining in that place saved CHAP. VIII. itself without having sustained much loss, by a 1777. precipitate retreat to Brunswick.

In this action upwards of one hundred of the enemy were killed on the spot, and near three hundred were taken prisoners. The loss of the Americans in killed was somewhat less, but in this number was included general Mercer, a very valuable officer from Virginia, who had served with the commander in chief in the war against the French and Indians which terminated in 1763, and was greatly esteemed by him. Colonels Haslett and Potter, two brave and excellent officers from Delaware and Pennsylvania; captain Neal of the artillery, captain Fleming, who on that day commanded the seventh Virginia regiment, and five other valuable officers, were also among the slain.

On the appearance of day-light lord Cornwallis discovered that the American army had moved off in the night, and immediately conceived the whole plan which had been formed by Washington. He was under extreme apprehensions for Brunswick, where magazines of great value had been collected, and where, it has been understood, the military chest, containing about seventy thousand pounds, was deposited. Breaking up his camp, he commenced a rapid march to that place, for the purpose of affording it protection; and was

CHAP. VIII. close in the rear of the American army before 1777. it could leave Princeton.

General Washington now again found himself in a very perilous situation. His small army was exhausted with extreme fatigue. His troops had been without sleep, all of them one night, and some of them two. They were without blankets; many of them barefooted, and otherwise very thinly clad. He was closely pursued by an enemy, very much superior in point of numbers, well clothed, not harassed by loss of sleep, and who must necessarily come up with him before he could accomplish his designs on Brunswick, if any opposition should there be made to him. Under these circumstances, he, very wisely, determined to abandon the remaining part of his original plan; and, having broken down the bridges over Millstone creek, between Princeton and Brunswick, he took the road leading up the country to Pluckemin, where his army were permitted to refresh themselves, and to take that rest which they so greatly required. Lord Cornwallis continued his march to Brunswick which he reached in the course of that night. General Mathews, who commanded at that place, had been very greatly alarmed, and while he paraded his troops for defence against the American general whom he expected, he also used the utmost industry in guarding against the worst, by removing the military stores to a place of greater safety.