Washington the Soldier

by Henry B. Carrington

General Sullivan succeeded to the command of Lee’s Division. Gates joined from the northern army, and on the twentieth of December, the Continental Army was reorganized for active service.

General Howe had returned to New York December 20th. The British cantonments for the winter embraced Brunswick, Trenton, Burlington, Bordentown, and other places; with the Hessian, Donop, in command at Bordentown, and Rahl at Trenton.

The month had been one of great strain upon the American Commander-in-Chief. He was, practically, on trial. The next in command, who, by virtue of previous military training, largely commanded public confidence, had failed him, simply because Washington, with the modesty of a true aspirant for excellence in his profession, would not pass judgment, and enforce his own will, in disobedience of the will of Congress. But, by this time Congress itself began to realize that a deliberate civil body was not the best Commander-in-Chief for field service, and that it would have to trust the men who did the fighting. It adjourned on the twelfth of December, quite precipitately, but Resolved “That, until Congress shall otherwise order, General Washington be possessed of full power to order and direct all things relative to the department and to the operations of war.”

Repair of bridges below Trenton, by the British troops, led Washington to suspect that some move might be made against Philadelphia, from the east side of the Delaware River. He therefore divided the entire river front into divisions under competent commanders, on the day of the adjournment of Congress. Light earthworks were thrown up, opposite all ferries and places of easy landing, with small guards at frequent intervals; and constant patrols were ordered to be in motion, promptly to report any suspicious signs of British activity, or the movement of other persons than soldiers of the army. Points of rendezvous were also established, to resist any sudden attempt of persons to cross; all boats were kept in good order, and under guard; and rations for three days were distributed and required to be kept up to that standard, by night and by day. On the same day he promulged an order that affected Philadelphia itself; viz., “requiring all able-bodied men in the city, not conscientiously scrupulous as to bearing arms, to report at the State House yard the next day, with arms and equipments; that all persons who have arms and accoutrements, which they cannot, or do not mean to employ in defence of America, are hereby ordered to deliver the same to Mr. Robert Tower, who will pay for the same; and that those who are convicted of secreting any arms, or accoutrements, will be severely punished.”

On the fourteenth, he also definitely resolved to “face about and meet the enemy,”—a purpose which only the conduct of General Lee had made impracticable before. He wrote to Governor Trumbull, General Gates, and General Heath, in confidence, of his purpose, “to take the offensive.” To Congress, he wrote sternly, stating that “ten days will put an end to the existence of this army”; adding: “This is not a time to stand upon expense. A character to lose; an estate to forfeit; the inestimable blessing of liberty at stake, and a life devoted, must be my excuse.”

At this juncture, Washington definitely resolved to establish his permanent base, as against New York; and selected Morristown, which had already been made the rendezvous of the New Jersey troops. General Maxwell, who was familiar with the country, was assigned to the command of this new position. Three regiments from Ticonderoga were ordered to halt at the new post. On the twenty-third of December, Washington sent a confidential communication to Adjutant-General Reed, then with General Cadwallader, in which he designated “Christmas night, an hour before day, as the time fixed for an attack upon Trenton.” Reed had fully shared in the desire for active, offensive duty, and in one letter thus concurred in the Commander-in-Chief’s opinion, that “to repossess ourselves of New Jersey, or any part of it, would have more effect than if we had never left it.” The purpose of Washington was so to combine the movements of various divisions, including one under Putnam from Philadelphia, as practically to clear the east bank of the Delaware of all Hessian garrisons. Putnam feared that the Tory element would rise during his absence, and that order was suspended. The right wing, under Cadwallader, was to cross at Bristol (see map); but owing to ice, which prevented the landing of artillery, he returned to Bristol, and reported to Washington. After expressing regret over his failure, he thus closes: “I imagine the badness of the night must have prevented you from passing over as you intended.” Ewing was to cross over just below Trenton, to intercept any reënforcements that might approach the garrison from Bordentown; but the violence of the storm prevented that movement also. Washington took charge of the left wing, consisting of twenty-four hundred men, which was to cross at McConkey’s Ferry, nine miles above Trenton, accompanied by Sullivan and Greene as division commanders. When preparations were complete, and Washington in his saddle, Major Wilkinson, of the staff of Gates, notified him that General Gates had gone to Baltimore to visit Congress. This was a deliberate “absence, without leave,” at an hour when he knew, and in advance, that Washington intended to force a battle; but Stark, of Breed’s Hill, was there. Glover, the man of Marblehead and hero of the Long Island retreat, was there; and William Washington, and James Monroe, were there!

WASHINGTON BEFORE TRENTON.
[From Dael’s painting.]

The Hessian garrison of fifteen hundred and forty men had enjoyed a right “merry Christmas,” after the style of their own “old country” fashion; and the night, inclement without, was bright within, as dance and song with every cheery accompaniment dispelled thoughts of watchfulness of ice-bound Delaware and driving tempest. It was indeed a night for within-door relish, and the season of the year was most conducive to the abandonment of all care and worry. “Toasts were drank” with gleesome delight; and the hilarity of the happy Hessian soldiers, officers and men, only ceased when the worn-out night compelled them to seek relief in rest. The garrison were sleeping as soundly when the stormy morning broke into day, as if they had compassed a hard day’s march during the night hours. The usual detail for guard was distributed, but no other sign of life appeared on the streets of Trenton. Before Colonel Rahl’s headquarters, two guns, stationed there more as a recognition of his commanding position than for use, were partly buried in snow. A battery of four guns was in open ground, not far from the Friends’ Meeting house; but neither earthworks nor other defences had been deemed essential to the security of the British winter quarters.

General Grant had indeed written from Brunswick on the twenty-fourth: “It is perfectly certain there are no more rebel troops in New Jersey; they only send over small parties of twenty or thirty men. On last Sunday, Washington told his assembled generals that the ‘British are weak at Trenton and Princeton.’ I wish the Hessians to be on guard against sudden attack; but, at the same time, I give my opinion that nothing of the kind will be undertaken.” General Grant did, it would seem, compliment Washington’s sagacity, without comprehending his will-power to realize in action every positive conviction of possible duty. And so it was, that the garrison of Trenton on that Christmas night slept at ease, until morning dawned and Washington paid his unexpected visit.