Washington the Soldier

by Henry B. Carrington

But on the first day of January, 1777, the Commander-in-Chief did not pause in the use of the means just at hand. He realized that General Howe could not afford to remain passive under the new conditions which his own offensive movement had imposed upon the British army. Lord Cornwallis, on the eve of returning to England, was at once sent with a strong division to reoccupy Trenton. But Washington, instead of retaining his former position on the west bank of the Delaware, established himself behind the small river Assanpink, which enters the Delaware just south of Trenton, on the New Jersey side. It was a bold act. Below him, toward Philadelphia, were the forces of Cadwallader and Mifflin; and these he ordered to his support. Their arrival, thirty-six hundred strong, on the morning of January second, increased his command to about five thousand men. This little Assanpink River, swollen by the melted snow, was impassable except by a bridge near its junction with the Delaware. Along its steep and wooded banks, the American army was distributed for a distance of two miles. Watchful guards and several pieces of artillery were stationed at every available fording-place, and these were supported by some of the most reliable Continental troops. Behind the first line, and on a little higher ground, a second line was established.

In order to secure ample warning of the arrival of the enemy and delay their approach, Washington established several small posts along the road to Princeton. The first, about a mile advanced, occupied rising ground well flanked by woods and supported by two pieces of artillery. Colonel Hand’s Rifles were pushed forward as far as Five Mile Creek; and even, off the road, a small supporting party held a defensive position at Shebakonk Creek, where heavy timber and broken ground afforded a good position for skirmishers to annoy an advancing force. General Greene was placed in command of these outposts. (See map.)

So many writers have worried themselves and their readers in dealing with Washington’s movements during the first week in January, 1777, as so many revolutions of a lottery wheel of chance in which he was remarkably lucky, that it is desirable to understand his own plans, and how far he anticipated the contingencies which actually happened. His mind not only grasped possibilities which aroused confidence, at home and abroad; but embraced strategic conceptions which affected the entire war.

The Delaware was still filled with floating ice. Large masses were banked within its curves, so that retreat across the river, in the presence of a powerful adversary, would be impracticable. And yet, he had not hesitated to take position at Trenton, on the east bank of the river. To have remained on the west bank would have made it impossible for him to prevent Cornwallis from passing down the east bank to Philadelphia, or at least from driving both Cadwallader and Mifflin to that city, in disorder. To have retired his own army to Philadelphia, would have been the abandonment of New Jersey, and of all the prestige of his exploit on Christmas night. He resolved to save his army; and leave Philadelphia to the contingencies of the campaign. If compelled to fight, he would choose the ground; but he did not intend to fight under conditions that would force him to abandon the aggressive campaign which he had planned. During December, he had secured a careful reconnoissance of the roads to Brunswick, had learned the strength of its garrison, and formed an estimate of the value of the large magazines which General Howe had located at that post. He believed that a quick dash would secure their destruction or capture.

While awaiting the advance of Cornwallis, he called a council of officers, and this bold strategic movement was fully indorsed by them. But no time was to be lost. The initiative must be taken before the armies were brought to a deadly struggle for the very ground already occupied by his camp. Battle must be deferred until another day. The baggage-wagons which accompanied the commands of Cadwallader and Mifflin, now parked in the rear of the army, were moved to its extreme right, toward Princeton, and the army waited.

Washington visited the advance posts, where Greene was on the alert, and being advised by him that he could keep Cornwallis back until late in the afternoon, or until night, returned to headquarters. The advance of Cornwallis was so successively annoyed by the outposts, that he halted until additional regiments joined him. Greene opened fire with his two guns, under orders from Washington to “so check the enemy as to prevent battle until the next day”; and Cornwallis again came to a halt. He knew that the Delaware River was behind Washington, and felt sure of his prey. Already the British had made a tiresome march; and at this second halt, orders were sent back to Princeton to bring up a part of the force left at that place. Cornwallis had not been neglectful of his flanks, however, but sent skirmishers along the Assanpink, and even threw both shot and shell into the woods in the direction of the American lines.

When the day closed, and Cornwallis encamped on the north bank of the Assanpink, his pickets could see the Americans at work throwing up intrenchments behind the bridge, and at one point further up the stream. All along the American lines immense camp-fires burned, and these were abundantly replenished, during the night, by fence-rails from the country near by. The British and Hessians also maintained their camp-fires. A sudden freeze made these fires comfortable. It also hardened the ground, so that the American artillery and baggage-wagons could move more readily than on the previous day.

Washington hurried a messenger to General Putnam, at Philadelphia, advising him of his proposed movement, and instructing him to send troops to occupy Crosswicks, a short distance above Bordentown, and thus take charge of some baggage which has been sent in that direction. All this time, the army, except its wide-awake and conspicuous sentries at the bridge, and its active fire-builders along the Assanpink, was on the march for Princeton. When the vanguard reached Stony Brook, Washington re-formed his columns, and sent General Mercer, who had served with him in the Indian War of 1756–66, to the left, by the Quaker Road, intending to advance with the main army directly to the village, by a lower road, under cover of rising ground, and thus expedite his march upon Brunswick, now weakened in its garrison by the presence of Cornwallis at Trenton. But General Mercer’s small command was suddenly confronted by a part of Colonel Mawhood’s British regiment hastening to reënforce Cornwallis. This precipitated the action, known as the “Battle of Princeton.” As soon as firing was heard, Washington hastened to the scene and took part in the fight. A British bayonet charge was too much for the American advance guard. The officers in vain attempted to rally the men. Washington at once appreciated the ruin that would result from protracted battle; and, as at Kipp’s Bay, dashed into the thickest of the fight, and with bared head urged the men to rally. He passed directly across the fire of the British troops, and the Americans responded to his appeal. Stirling, St. Clair, Patterson and others promptly brought their troops into action; cut off the retreat of a portion of the enemy to Princeton, and fought them again, just south of Nassau Hall, Princeton College.

The short action was costly in precious lives. Colonel Haslet and General Mercer both fell, while endeavoring to rally their men, and the total American loss was about one hundred. The British loss was more than one hundred, besides two hundred and twenty prisoners. The part taken by Washington in the action requires no further details of its incidents than its result. But the day was not over. At early dawn, at Trenton, the “All’s well!” which had been echoed across the little Assanpink and along its banks the night before, ceased. The fires still crackled and blazed with fresh wood added to the glowing coals; but no pacing sentry, nor picketed horses, nor open-mouthed cannon were in view from the British outposts. And yet, the sullen boom of cannon far in their rear, from the direction of Princeton, caught the quick ear of Gen. Sir William Erskine. In an instant he was in the presence of Cornwallis, with the sharp cry, “Washington has escaped us!” The beat “To arms!” was immediate. There was no time even to pack supplies already unloaded for battle. The troops were resting, after hard marching at the dead of winter, but the presence of Washington’s army at the head of King Street would not have more thoroughly awakened them to duty. The distance was only ten miles; while Washington, by his circuit, had marched sixteen miles. But every moment of delay imperilled their great magazines of supply for the whole winter at Brunswick. All that had been stored in the Trenton depot passed into Washington’s possession on Christmas night. They brought with them, the day before, only sufficient for a short morning’s capture of their American adversary. Battalions marched toward Trenton singly, as formed; artillery following so soon as ready.