the enemy's quarters, conceived the hope of surprising the corps that were nearest to the river, and too remote from the others to be succored in season. In order to make his attack with more order and effect, he divided his army, which consisted almost entirely in the militia of Pennsylvania and Virginia, into three corps, the first and most considerable of which was to pass the Delaware at Mackenky's Ferry, about nine miles above Trenton. The commander in-chief, accompanied by generals Sullivan and Greene, had reserved to himself the conduct of this corps, to which a few pieces of artillery were attached. It was destined to attack Trenton. The second division, under the command of general Irwin, was directed to cross at Trenton Ferry, about a mile below the village of this name, and having reached the left bank, to seize, without loss of time, the bridge over the little river Assumpink, in order to intercept the retreat of the enemy when he should be dislodged from Trenton by the division under Washington. Finally, the third corps, commanded by general Cadwallader, was ordered to pass the river at Bristol, and proceed to take post at Burlington. The night of Christmas was appointed for the expedition. The dispositions being made according to the plan above mentioned, the Americans proceeded with admirable order and silence towards the Delaware. The chiefs exhorted their soldiers to be firm and valiant, to wash out the stains of Long Island, of New York, and of New Jersey; they represented to them the necessity, the glory, and the brilliant fruits of victory; they incessantly reminded them that this night was about to decide the fate of their country. An extreme ardor manifested itself throughout the ranks. The three columns arrived in the dusk of evening at the bank of the river. Washington had hoped that the passage of the troops, and transportation of the artillery, might have been effectuated before midnight, so as to have time to reach the destined points by break of day, and to surprise the enemy at Trenton. But the cold was so intense, and the river so obstructed with floating ice, that it was impossible to cross and to land the artillery carlier than four in the morning. All the troops having at length gained the left bank, the first corps was parted into two divisions, one of which, turning to the right, marched towards Trenton, by the road which runs along the river; the other, guided by Washington in person, took the upper or Pennington road. The distance, by their route, being nearly equal, it was hoped that the two columns might arrive at the same time. It was enjoined them to engage in combat without any delay, and after having driven in the outposts, to fall immediately upon the main body of the enemy, at Trenton, without giving him time to recover from his surprise. They ex erted all their efforts to arrive before day; but a thick fog, and a mist mingled with sleet, which rendered the road slippery, retarded their march. The two divisions, however, reached Trenton at eight a'clock. Notwithstanding so many obstacles, and the hour already so late, the Hessians of colonel Ralle had no suspicion of the approach of the enemy. The Americans having, therefore, fallen unexpectedly upon the advanced guards, routed them immediately. Colonel Ralle sent his regiment to their succor, in order to sustain the first shock, and to give time for the rest of his forces to arrange themselves for defense. But the first line involved the second in disorder, and both fell back tumultuously upon Trenton. Colonel Ralle, having hastily drawn out his Hessians, advanced to encounter the enemy in the open field; but he was mortally wounded in the first onset, and the Americans charging the Germans with great fury, the latter betook themselves to flight, leaving upon the field six pieces of light artiliery. They attempted to escape by the road of Princeton, but Washington, perceiving it, dispatched several companies to pre-occupy the way, who received the fugitives in front. Thus surrounded on every side, the three German regiments of Ralle, of Anspach, and of Knyphausen, were constrained to lay down arms and surrender at discretion. Some few, and chiefly cavalry or light infantry, in !! not exceeding five hundred men, succeeded in effecting their escape by the lower road which leads to Bordentown. Another detachment of Hessians, who were out this same morning upon a foraging excursion, at some distance from their camp, warned by the noise, and afterwards by the flight of their countrymen, retired precipitately to Princeton. General Irwin had exerted his utmost endeavors to pass the river at the time prescribed, in order to take part in the action; but the floating ice was so accumulated, in this part of the river, as to render the passage absolutely impracticable. This part of the Hessians, therefore, had the facility of retiring in safety to Bordentown. General Cadwallader was not more fortunate in the attempt he made to cross lower down, and to take post at Burlington, pursuant to the plan of attack. When a part of his infantry had reached the left bank, it was found impossible to advance with the artillery; unable, therefore, to act with any effect, and finding himself in a perilous situation, he re-passed to the right bank of the Delaware. Thus the design of the commander-in-chief was accomplished only in part; but the event demonstrated, that if the rigorous cold of this night had not prevented its entire execution, all the royal troops that were stationed in the vicinity of the river, would have been surrounded and taken The loss of the Hessians, in killed and wounded, measures. amounted only to thirty or forty, but the number of prisoners was at first upwards of nine hundred, and even exceeded a thousand, when all those were collected who had concealed themselves in the houses. After having obtained this success, Washington naused; not willing to lose by imprudence the advantages he owed to, e wisdom of his His forces were not sufficient to cope with those which the English generals could have assembled in a few hours. A strong corps of light infantry was quartered at Princeton, a town only a few miles distant from Trenton: to this might easily have been joined the brigade of Donop, and other battalions that were cantoned in the neighboring places. The Americans consequently evacuated Trenton, and passed over to the right bank of the river, with their prisoners, and the trophies of their victory. Their generals resolved to make the most of it, in order to revive the courage and confidence of the dispirited people. They caused the captive Hessians to defile, with a sort of triumphal pomp, through the streets of Philadelphia, followed by their arms and banners. And yet such was the error inspired by the very name of these Germans, that even at the noment in which they traversed the city as vanquished and prisoners, many of the inhabitants suspected it was only a stratagem of heir own leaders to animate them; so impossible it seemed to them that warriors from Germany should have been overcome by American soldiers. The English appeared to them far less formidable, because they knew them. Man is naturally disposed to fear most those objects of which he has the least knowledge; the uncouth language, the novel manners, and even the dress of the German soldiers, inspired a certain dread. But when they were satisfied that the spectacle they beheld was not an illusion, words cannot describe their exultation at so unexpected a success; having at first rated the Hessians far above the English, they now held them as much below. And, in effect, this affair of Trenton had so changed the face of things, that the public mind was rapidly elevated from despondency to an extreme confidence. The English themselves could not remark without astonishment this sudden metamorphosis in an enemy whom they considered as already vanquished and quelled. They were unable to conceive how troops of such high renown had been compelled to lay down arms before militia, hastily collected, ill provided with arms, and totally devoid of discipline. Hence, as it happens in reverses, suspicions, reproaches, and accusations arose on all parts. It was vociferated that the English general had too far extended his quarters; that colonel Ralle had committed an imprudence, finding himself the weaker, in marching out of his quarters to charge the enemy; that he had, besides, neglected his guard; and |