hero tales from american history-第5部分

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THE　BATTLE　OF　TRENTON

And　such　they　areand　such　they　will　be　found：　Not　so　Leonidas　and　Washington；　Their　every　battle…field　is　holy　ground　Which　breathes　of　nations　saved；　not　worlds　undone。　How　sweetly　on　the　ear　such　echoes　sound！　While　the　mere　victor's　may　appal　or　stun　The　servile　and　the　vain；　such　names　will　be　A　watchword　till　the　future　shall　be　free。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Byron。

THE　BATTLE　OF　TRENTON

In　December；　1776；　the　American　Revolution　was　at　its　lowest　ebb。　The　first　burst　of　enthusiasm；　which　drove　the　British　back　from　Concord　and　met　them　hand　to　hand　at　Bunker　Hill；　which　forced　them　to　abandon　Boston　and　repulsed　their　attack　at　Charleston；　had　spent　its　force。　The　undisciplined　American　forces　called　suddenly　from　the　workshop　and　the　farm　had　given　way；　under　the　strain　of　a　prolonged　contest；　and　had　been　greatly　scattered；　many　of　the　soldiers　returning　to　their　homes。　The　power　of　England；　on　the　other　hand；　with　her　disciplined　army　and　abundant　resources；　had　begun　to　tell。　Washington；　fighting　stubbornly；　had　been　driven　during　the　summer　and　autumn　from　Long　Island　up　the　Hudson；　and　New　York　had　passed　into　the　hands　of　the　British。　Then　Forts　Lee　and　Washington　had　been　lost；　and　finally　the　Continental　army　had　retreated　to　New　Jersey。　On　the　second　of　December　Washington　was　at　Princeton　with　some　three　thousand　ragged　soldiers；　and　had　escaped　destruction　only　by　the　rapidity　of　his　movements。　By　the　middle　of　the　month　General　Howe　felt　that　the　American　army；　unable　as　he　believed　either　to　fight　or　to　withstand　the　winter；　must　soon　dissolve；　and；　posting　strong　detachments　at　various　points；　he　took　up　his　winter　quarters　in　New　York。　The　British　general　had　under　his　command　in　his　various　divisions　twenty…five　thousand　well…disciplined　soldiers；　and　the　conclusion　he　had　reached　was　not　an　unreasonable　one；　everything；　in　fact；　seemed　to　confirm　his　opinion。　Thousands　of　the　colonists　were　coming　in　and　accepting　his　amnesty。　The　American　militia　had　left　the　field；　and　no　more　would　turn　out；　despite　Washington's　earnest　appeals。　All　that　remained　of　the　American　Revolution　was　the　little　Continental　army　and　the　man　who　led　it。

Yet　even　in　this　dark　hour　Washington　did　not　despair。　He　sent　in　every　direction　for　troops。　Nothing　was　forgotten。　Nothing　that　he　could　do　was　left　undone。　Unceasingly　he　urged　action　upon　Congress；　and　at　the　same　time　with　indomitable　fighting　spirit　he　planned　to　attack　the　British。　It　was　a　desperate　undertaking　in　the　face　of　such　heavy　odds；　for　in　all　his　divisions　he　had　only　some　six　thousand　men；　and　even　these　were　scattered。　The　single　hope　was　that　by　his　own　skill　and　courage　he　could　snatch　victory　from　a　situation　where　victory　seemed　impossible。　With　the　instinct　of　a　great　commander　he　saw　that　his　only　chance　was　to　fight　the　British　detachments　suddenly；　unexpectedly；　and　separately；　and　to　do　this　not　only　required　secrecy　and　perfect　judgment；　but　also　the　cool；　unwavering　courage　of　which；　under　such　circumstances；　very　few　men　have　proved　themselves　capable。　As　Christmas　approached　his　plans　were　ready。　He　determined　to　fall　upon　the　British　detachment　of　Hessians；　under　Colonel　Rahl；　at　Trenton；　and　there　strike　his　first　blow。　To　each　division　of　his　little　army　a　part　in　the　attack　was　assigned　with　careful　forethought。　Nothing　was　overlooked　and　nothing　omitted；　and　then；　for　some　reason　good　or　bad；　every　one　of　the　division　commanders　failed　to　do　his　part。　As　the　general　plan　was　arranged；　Gates　was　to　march　from　Bristol　with　two　thousand　men；　Ewing　was　to　cross　at　Trenton；　Putnam　was　to　come　up　from　Philadelphia；　and　Griffin　was　to　make　a　diversion　against　Donop。　When　the　moment　came；　Gates；　who　disapproved　the　plan；　was　on　his　way　to　Congress；　Griffin　abandoned　New　Jersey　and　fled　before　Donop；　Putnam　did　not　attempt　to　leave　Philadelphia；　and　Ewing　made　no　effort　to　cross　at　Trenton。　Cadwalader　came　down　from　Bristol；　looked　at　the　river　and　the　floating　ice；　and　then　gave　it　up　as　desperate。　Nothing　remained　except　Washington　himself　with　the　main　army；　but　he　neither　gave　up；　nor　hesitated；　nor　stopped　on　account　of　the　ice；　or　the　river；　or　the　perils　which　lay　beyond。　On　Christmas　Eve；　when　all　the　Christian　world　was　feasting　and　rejoicing；　and　while　the　British　were　enjoying　themselves　in　their　comfortable　quarters；　Washington　set　out。　With　twentyfour　hundred　men　he　crossed　the　Delaware　through　the　floating　ice；　his　boats　managed　and　rowed　by　the　sturdy　fishermen　of　Marblehead　from　Glover's　regiment。　The　crossing　was　successful；　and　he　landed　about　nine　miles　from　Trenton。　It　was　bitter　cold；　and　the　sleet　and　snow　drove　sharply　in　the　faces　of　the　troops。　Sullivan；　marching　by　the　river；　sent　word　that　the　arms　of　his　soldiers　were　wet。　〃Tell　your　general；〃　was　Washington's　reply　to　the　message；　〃to　use　the　bayonet；　for　the　town　must　be　taken。〃　When　they　reached　Trenton　it　was　broad　daylight。　Washington；　at　the　front　and　on　the　right　of　the　line；　swept　down　the　Pennington　road；　and；　as　he　drove　back　the　Hessian　pickets；　he　heard　the　shout　of　Sullivan's　men　as；　with　Stark　leading　the　van；　they　charged　in　from　the　river。　A　company　of　jaegers　and　of　light　dragoons　slipped　away。　There　was　some　fighting　in　the　streets；　but　the　attack　was　so　strong　and　well　calculated　that　resistance　was　useless。　Colonel　Rahl；　the　British　commander；　aroused　from　his　revels；　was　killed　as　he　rushed　out　to　rally　his　men；　and　in　a　few　moments　all　was　over。　A　thousand　prisoners　fell　into　Washington's　hands；　and　this　important　detachment　of　the　enemy　was　cut　off　and　destroyed。

The　news　of　Trenton　alarmed　the　British；　and　Lord　Cornwallis　with　seven　thousand　of　the　best　troops　started　at　once　from　New　York　in　hot　pursuit　of　the　American　army。　Washington；　who　had　now　rallied　some　five　thousand　men；　fell　back；　skirmishing　heavily；　behind　the　Assunpink；　and　when　Cornwallis　reached　the　river　he　found　the　American　army　awaiting　him　on　the　other　side　of　the　stream。　Night　was　falling；　and　Cornwallis；　feeling　sure　of　his　prey；　decided　that　he　would　not　risk　an　assault　until　the　next　morning。　Many　lessons　had　not　yet　taught　him　that　it　was　a　fatal　business　to　give　even　twelve　hours　to　the　great　soldier　opposed　to　him。　During　the　night　Washington；　leaving　his　fires　burning　and　taking　a　roundabout　road　which　he　had　already　reconnoitered；　marched　to　Princeton。　There　he　struck　another　British　detachment。　A　sharp　fight　ensued；　the　British　division　was　broken　and　defeated；　losing　some　five　hundred　men；　and　Washington　withdrew　after　this　second　victory　to　the　highlands　of　New　Jersey　to　rest　and　recruit。

Frederick　the　Great　is　reported　to　have　said　that　this　was　the　most　brilliant　campaign　of　the　century。　With　a　force　very　much　smaller　than　that　of　the　enemy；　Washington　had　succeeded　in　striking　the　British　at　two　places　with　superior　forces　at　each　point　of　contact。　At　Trenton　he　had　the　benefit　of　a　surprise；　but　the　second　time　he　was　between　two　hostile　armies。　He　was　ready　to　fight　Cornwallis　when　the　latter　reached　the　Assunpink；　trusting　to　the　strength　of　his　position　to　make　up　for　his　inferiority　of　numbers。　But　when　Cornwallis　gave　him　the　delay　of。　a　night；　Washington；　seeing　the　advantage　offered　by　his　enemy's　mistake；　at　once　changed　his　whole　plan；　and；　turning　in　his　tracks；　fell　upon　the　smaller　of　the　two　forces　opposed　to　him；　wrecking　and　defeating　it　before　the　outgeneraled　Cornwallis　could　get　up　with　the　main　army。　Washington　had　thus　shown　the　highest　form　of　military　skill；　for　there　is　nothing　that　requires　so　much　judgment　and　knowledge；　so　much　certainty　of　movement　and　quick　decision；　as　to　meet　a　superior　enemy　at　different　points；　force　the　fighting；　and　at　each　point　to　outnumber　and　overwhelm　him。

But　the　military　part　of　this　great　campaign　was　not　all。　Many　great　soldiers　have　not　been　statesmen；　and　have　failed　to　realize　the　political　necessities　of　the　situation。　Washington　presented　the　rare　combination　of　a　great　soldier　and　a　great　statesman　as　well。　He　aimed　not　only　to　win　battles；　but　by　his　operations　in　the　field　to　influence　the　political　situation　and　affect　public　opinion。　The　American　Revolution　was　going　to　pieces。　Unless　some　decisive　victory　could　be　won　immediately；　it　would　have　come　to　an　end　in　the　winter　of　1776…77。　This　Washington　knew；　and　it　was　this　which　nerved　his　arm。　The　results　justified　his　forethought。　The　victories　of　Trenton　and　Princeton　restored　the　failing　spirits　of　the　people；　and；　what　was　hardly　less　important；　produced　a　deep　impression　in　Europe　in　favor　of　the　colonies。　The　country；　which　had　lost　heart；　and　become　supine　and　almost　hostile；　revived。　The　militia　again　took　the　field。　Outlying　parties　of　the　British　were　attacked　and　cut　off；　and　recruits　once　more　began　to　come　in　to　the　Continental　army。　The　Revolution　was　saved。　That　the　English　colonies　in　North　America　would　have　broken　away　from　the　mother　country　sooner　or　later　cannot　be　doubted；　but　that　particular　Revolution　Of　1776　would　have　failed　within　a　year；　had　it　not　been　for　Washington。　It　is　not；　however；　merely　the　fact　that　he　was　a　great　soldier　and　statesman　which　we　should　remember。　The　most　memorable　thing　to　us；　and　to　all　men；　is　the　heroic　spirit　of　the　man；　which　rose　in　those　dreary　December　days　to　its　greatest　height；　under　conditions　so　adverse　that　they　had　crushed　the　hope　of　every　one　else。　Let　it　be　remembered；　also；　that　it　was　not　a　spirit　of　desperation　or　of　ignorance；　a　reckless　daring　which　did　not　count　the　cost。　No　one　knew　better　than　Washingtonno　one；　indeed；　so　wellthe　exact　state　of　affairs；　for　he；　conspicuously　among　great　men；　always　looked　facts　fearlessly　in　the　face；　and　never　deceived　himself。　He　was　under　no　illusions；　and　it　was　this　high　quality　of　mind　as　much　as　any　other　which　enabled　him　to　win　victories。

How　he　really　felt　we　know　from　what　he　wrote　to　Congress　on　December　20；　when　he　said：　〃It　may　be　thought　that　I　am　going　a　good　deal　out　of　the　line　of　my　duty　to　adopt　these　measures　or　to　advise　thus　freely。　A　character　to　lose；　an　estate　to　forfeit；　the　inestimable　blessing　of　liberty　at　stake；　and　a　life　devoted；　must　be　my　excuse。〃　These　were　the　t