Mr. Williamson, governor of New Jersey, had assembled at Jersey city, where we landed, all his staff and a detachment of militia, by which we were escorted during all our route across New Jersey. Our journey was through Bergen, Newark, Elizabethtown, Rahway, New Brunswick, Princeton and Trenton, in each of which towns, and in all the intervening villages, Lafayette was received with the most brilliant festivities, prepared in the same spirit of enthusiasm and gratitude which had actuated all parts of New England. At Bergen a deputation of the citizens presented him with a cane, in the name of the inhabitants, made of a branch of the apple tree under which he breakfasted with Washington, when he passed through the town during the revolutionary war. This apple tree was blown down in 1821 by a terrible storm. These different circumstances were engraved on the golden head of the cane.
At Newark, a pretty small town situated upon the Passaic, the Nation’s Guest was hailed by the patriotic songs of numerous chorusses of boys and girls. Lafayette passed the night at Elizabethtown, and the next morning he entered New Brunswick amid the ringing of bells and the thundering of cannon. On the 25th he stopped for a few moments at Princeton, where the President of the College, at the head of the professors, presented him the diploma of membership of the society, which under the presidency of Dr. Witherspoon, had unanimously elected him. In the evening we arrived at Trenton, where a great concourse of people awaited Lafayette, at the head of which the magistrates expressed the sentiments of love and gratitude by which every citizen was animated towards him.
The whole line of country which we had passed through during these two days, is commonly called the garden of the United States. This name agrees admirably with this fertile part of New Jersey, which is watered by numerous streams, and adorned with the most beautiful plantations. If in this two days’ march our eyes were constantly delighted with the beautiful aspect of nature, our imagination was not less agreeably occupied by the historic recollections which every step over this soil brought to mind. It was by the same route that Washington effected his excellent retreat in 1776, after having received some checks upon the North river. It was at Trenton and at Princeton that by a bold manœuvre, he resumed the offensive against his presumptuous adversary, which inspired confidence into his troops, and recalled victory to his standards.
The details of these glorious days could not but vividly interest me; and I listened to them with avidity when I heard them related by some old members of the Cincinnati society with which we dined on the day of our arrival at Trenton. The following is the account given of the facts, which they witnessed.
“Washington having learned that an advanced corps of five hundred Hessian and English cavalry, commanded by Colonel Rahl, had taken position at Trenton, formed the project of surprising and capturing them if possible. To effect his design, he made choice of Christmas eve, thinking correctly that discipline and vigilance would be somewhat relaxed by the festival. He had not then more than 3000 men under his command: he took 2400 and formed them into two divisions, one under general Green, and the other under General Sullivan, and at their head he crossed the Delaware in boats at midnight on the 25th of December, during a tremendous storm of rain and snow. Having landed on the Jersey shore, he directed one of his columns to the left to gain the great road to Maidenhead, and the other to march directly upon Trenton, following the river. The march was so quick and secret, that the two columns arrived at the advanced posts by seven o’clock in the morning and entirely surprized them. At the first discharges of musketry the brigade ran to arms, and some men attempted to harness the artillery, which was parked in the church, but they were prevented by the quickness with which the American advanced guard came up. The Hessians and English seeing themselves altogether surrounded, soon ceased to defend themselves, Colonel Rahl and some other officers having been dangerously wounded in the commencement of the attack, the troop surrendered at discretion. This action which secured to the victors six pieces of cannon, a hundred stands of small arms, three standards, twelve hundred prisoners, and much baggage, did not at most cause them the loss of ten men. General Washington decided that the Hessians should be sent into the interior of Pennsylvania, and should have all their baggage. This generous treatment, which they were far from expecting, inspired them with great veneration for the American general, who they said was a very good and very amiable rebel.
“After this success Washington retired beyond the Delaware where, after having received considerable reinforcements from the states of Maryland and Virginia, he re-entered Jersey and encamped at Trenton: at this news Lord Cornwallis discovered himself to have been mistaken, when he supposed the war to be at an end: he soon perceived that his opponent was not a man to give up an undertaking as long as a single musket remained; in consequence he resolved to pursue him vigorously. Notwithstanding the rigors of the season, he collected his scattered troops from their winter quarters, and marched against him with considerable forces. At this approach, Washington retired behind the Assanpink, so that Trenton was placed between the two armies, which during the first evening exchanged some cannon shots, after having spent some time in reconnoitering. However Cornwallis was daily reinforced, and only waited for the arrival of the two brigades of Brunswick to attempt the passage of the brook, and attack. Washington’s situation was then very critical; provisions began to fail, and all communication with Jersey and the Western States was cut off, but he never despaired of the success of the holy cause he defended. On the 2d of January at one o’clock at night, he ordered fires to be lighted, and left a few soldiers to keep them burning while the army marching by its right to fall back subsequently upon its left, passed behind the British army, and re-entered Jersey. The movement was dangerous had it not been secret, for it was necessary to prolong it considerably upon the right in order to cross the Assanpink more easily at its sources, and then fall back upon Princeton. It was executed with rare success; about a mile from Princeton, the advanced guard of Washington in entering upon the great road, found itself face to face with the English regiment of Colonel Mawhood, which was marching in full security towards Trenton; the action immediately began; the American advanced guard was soon driven in by the vivacity of the English fire. General Mercer who commanded it, yielding to his impetuosity wished to renew the attack with the bayonet, but in leaping a ditch he fell among the English, who mercilessly put him to death, at the moment he was presenting his sword, in the belief that he was a prisoner. The Americans discouraged by the loss of their leader, concealed themselves in the woods to wait the arrival of the main body of the army, which was not long delayed. The English corps continued its march upon Maidenhead, so that when Washington arrived upon the place of action, he found only the forty-eighth English regiment, which at the sound of the first firing, had turned to the great road; this he suddenly attacked, dispersed it and took some prisoners. During this time, General Sullivan rapidly advanced, leaving the Princeton road upon his left, with the intention of turning this town and cutting off from the troops occupying it all hopes of retreat upon Brunswick. A wood through which he had to pass, was occupied by two hundred English, which were dislodged in an instant, and rapidly pursued as far as Princeton college, from which they might have maintained an obstinate resistance, but this they did not attempt, and were obliged to ground their arms almost without a combat. Washington at the head of his principal corps, after having dispersed or taken all before him, marched rapidly upon Middlebrook. He was willing to push on as far as Brunswick, which at that time he could have taken without difficulty, but his troops had marched thirty miles in a day, and were harassed with fatigue; he was therefore obliged to halt. It would be difficult to depict the astonishment of Cornwallis on hearing at twelve miles in his rear the audacious attack of an enemy, whom he thought in front, amidst the fires which still blazed upon the banks of the Assanpink. He retired precipitately upon Brunswick, and from that moment Jersey was free, and Pennsylvania secure.
“We arrived at Trenton on Saturday the 25th of September; the next morning we attended divine service in the presbyterian church, and afterwards Gen. Lafayette went in a carriage with the governor and one of his aids, without escort or parade, to Bordentown, the residence of Joseph Bonaparte. The Ex-King appeared much affected by the visit of the nation’s guest, and received him with an expression of sensibility and cordiality, which proved to General Lafayette that time had not weakened the sentiments of affection he had heretofore exhibited towards him. He detained us to dinner, and introduced us to his family, which at this time was composed only of his daughter and his son-in-law, the Prince of Musignano, son of Lucian Bonaparte. Before dinner was served, Joseph withdrew in company with Lafayette to his cabinet and remained there for more than an hour. We passed this time in conversation with his son-in-law, a man of affable manners and apparently of very cultivated intellect. He is devoted to scientific studies, and particularly to natural history, with which he is principally employed. He has continued with considerable talent the great work of American Ornithology commenced by Wilson. After dinner, of which Madame de Musignano did the honors with much amiableness, we found the gardens and yards crowded with the inhabitants of the vicinity, who brought their children to receive the benediction of the patriarch of liberty. Joseph himself with eagerness ordered the doors to be thrown open and in an instant the apartments were filled by the enthusiastic multitude. It was truly a striking picture to behold these good American villagers under the rich ceilings of such a mansion. Although their eyes were unaccustomed to all the splendor of a regal establishment, they stopped not to dwell upon the beautiful productions of the French and Italian schools, nor upon the bronzes and exquisite statuary of which these apartments are adorned with elegant profusion; it was Lafayette alone that they wished to see, and after having seen him they retired satisfied and as if incapable of noticing any thing else. When the crowd had silently left the house, Lafayette hastened to excuse himself to his host for having drawn upon him such a concourse; to this Joseph replied with much kindness that he felt very happy that his neighbours had associated their welcomes with his, and added, moreover I have long been accustomed to see them in as great numbers, as on every fourth of July we celebrate together the anniversary of American Independence.”
Time flew rapidly during this visit, and the Governor of New Jersey was obliged to remind the general that we had only time enough to reach Trenton before night. We immediately set out. Joseph and his family wished to accompany the general a part of the way, we divided the carriages which were prepared for us and slowly traversed the large and beautiful property, the peaceable possession of which appeared to me far preferable to that of the troubled kingdom of Spain. When we reached the great road, Joseph stopped the carriage and addressing Lafayette with ardor, said “permit me to halt upon my frontiers and restore you to the tenderness of the Americans, who claim the happy right of doing you the honors of their country.” He then warmly embraced the general, shook us kindly by the hand, and retired rapidly with his family.
During all this visit Joseph Bonaparte showed himself to be an amiable and intelligent man. The benevolence he displays to his neighbours, the generosity with which he receives strangers, and especially unfortunate Frenchmen, and in short the amenity of his character have gained him universal regard.
On our return to Trenton, we passed the evening with the governor, his family, and some of the principal citizens of the state; the conversation turned upon some of the principal events of the revolution, in which General Lafayette had been conspicuous. The recollection of the sacrifices of all sorts made at that glorious period, naturally led the conversation to the great benefits which have accrued to all parts of the union. One of the governor’s officers, a gentleman of cultivated mind and remarkable knowledge, rapidly sketched for us the developement of the prosperity of New Jersey, from the time it was freed from the ridiculous and absurd colonial system.