Revolutionary Heroes, and Other Historical Papers | Page 8

Who were these
adroit and faithful Culpers? The secret seems to have died with
Washington and Tallmadge.

AN HISTORIC CHRISTMAS NIGHT
"Christmas Day, at night, one hour before day, is the time fixed upon
for our attempt upon Trenton."
In this confused way, December 23, 1776, General Washington wrote
from his camp, near Trenton Falls, to Colonel Reed, who was posted at
Bristol, a few miles further down the Delaware, guarding an important
ford.
Before crossing over to the safe side of this wide stream, about twelve
hundred feet wide at Trenton, he gave an order so important that, if he
had forgotten or omitted it, nothing could have saved Philadelphia from
being captured by the British.
He directed that all the boats and barges of the whole region, for
seventy miles, everything that could float and carry a man, should be
taken over to the western bank of the river, and there carefully
concealed, or closely watched.
All the boats and canoes in the creeks and tributaries were also secured,
and hidden where they could do an enemy no good. There were many
large barges then upon the Delaware, used for transporting hay and
other produce, some of which could have carried over half a regiment
of foot at every trip.
All of these were hidden or guarded, and as soon as General
Washington had got his own little army over, he posted a guard at
every ford, and kept trustworthy men going up and down the river, to
see that the boats were safe.
If any one desires to see General Washington when he displayed his
manhood and military genius at their best, let him study the records of
his life for the month of December, 1776. The soldier, the statesman,
the citizen, the brave, indomitable man, each in turn appears, and shines
in the trying hours of that month.
Only the River Delaware separated the hostile armies, and the enemy
waited but for the ice to form, in order to add Philadelphia to the list of
his summer conquests.
Congress had adjourned from Philadelphia to Baltimore. New Jersey
was ravaged by ruthless bands of soldiers. Disaffection was on every
side. The winter, prematurely cold, threatened to make an ice-bridge
over the stream in ten days, and within about the same time the terms

of most of General Washington's troops would expire, and he might be
left without even the semblance of an army. "Dire necessity," as he said,
compelled a movement of some kind.
Christmas had come. It was a cold, freezing day. There was already a
large amount of ice floating by, and heaped up along the shore, in many
places rendering access to the water impossible, and in all places
difficult.
About four o'clock in the afternoon, the troops were drawn up in parade
before their camp at Trenton Falls. They were about twenty-four
hundred in number. Every man carried three days' cooked rations, and
an ample supply of heavy ammunition. Few of the soldiers were
adequately clothed, and their shoes were in such bad condition that
Major Wilkinson, who rode behind them to the landing-place, reports
that "the snow on the ground was tinged here and there with blood."
The cold was increasing. The ice was forming rapidly. The wind was
high, and there were signs of a snow-storm.
Boats were in readiness, and about sunset the troops began to cross.
The passage was attended with such difficulties as would have deterred
men less resolute. The current of the river was exceedingly swift, the
cold intense, and, although it was the night of a full moon, the thick
snow- clouds made the night dark.
Colonel Knox, afterward General Knox of the Artillery and Secretary
of War, rendered efficient service on this occasion. Soldiers from
Yankee Marblehead manned many of the boats, and lent the aid of their
practiced skill and wiry muscle. Every man worked with a will, and yet
it was three o'clock in the morning before the troops were all over.
It was four o'clock before they were formed in two bodies and began to
march, one division close along the river, and the other on a parallel
road, some little distance in the country.
It had been snowing nearly all night, and about the time when the
troops were set in motion the storm increased, the wind rose, and hail
was mingled with the snow. The storm blew in the faces of the men and
they had nine miles to go before reaching Trenton, where fourteen
hundred of the Hessian troops were posted under Colonel Rahl.
Soon after, it was whispered about among the men that the fuses of the
best muskets were wet and could not be discharged. Upon this being
reported to General Sullivan, he glanced around at Captain St. Clair

and