sition did Washington take? Oct. 28.

2. What oc

York Island, and extended it along the western bank of Bronx River,* towards White Plains;† keeping his left in advance of the British right. 2On the 28th, a partial action was fought at White Plains, in which "curred at the Americans were driven back with some loss. Soon after, Washington changed his camp, and drew up his forces on the heights of North Castle, about five miles farther north.

White Pleins? a. Nov. 1. 3. What Washington then make?

change did

To what ish general his utten

did the Brit

now direct

tion? 5. What were the next

movements

30. The British general, discontinuing his pursuit, now directed his attention to the American posts on the Hudson, with the apparent design of penetrating into New Jersey. Washington, therefore, having first secured the strong positions in the vicinity of the Crotons River, and especially that of Peekskill, Wash crossed the Hudson with the main body of his army, and joined General Greene in his camp at Fort Lee; leaving a force of three thousand men on the east side, under Colonel Magaw, for the defence of Fort Washington.**

*Bronx River rises in Westchester County, near the line of Connecticut, and after a course of twenty-five miles, nearly south, enters the Sound (or East River) a little S.W. from the village of Westchester. (See Map.) † White Plains is in Westchester County, twenty-seven miles N.E. from New York. (See Map.)

The Heights of North Castle, on which Washington drew up his army, are three or four miles S.W. from the present village of North Castle. (See Map.)

The Croton River enters Hudson River from the east, in the northern part of Westchester County, thirty-five miles north from New York. (See Map.) From this stream an aqueduct has been built, thirty-eight miles in length, by which the city of New York has been supplied with excellent water. The whole cost of the aqueduct, reservoirs, pipes, &c., was about twelve millions of dollars.

Peekskill is on the E. bank of the Hudson, near the northwestern extremity of Westchester County, forty-six miles N. from New York. (See Map, p. 244.)

Fort Lee was on the west side of Hudson River, in the town of Hackensack, New Jersey, three miles southwest from Fort Washington, and ten north from New Yorz. It was built on a rocky summit, 300 feet above the river. The ruins of the fortress still exist, overgrown with low trees. (See Map.)

** Fort Washington was on the east tank of the Hudson, on Manhattan or New York Island, about eleven miles above the city. (See Map.)

ington?

WESTCHESTER COUNTY.

Miles

Hudson

of

Height Castle Sing Sing

Tarryto

R

THE SOUND

ys Pt.

FORTS LEE AND WASHINGTON.

1776.

Νον. 16.

1. What is

said of the attack on

Fort Wash

ington?

attempt

Lee, and

the result?

3. What is

Ameri

31. On the 16th, this fort was attacked by a strong force of the enemy, and after a spirited defence, in which the assailants lost nearly a thousand men, was forced to surrender. 2Lord Cornwallis crossed the Hudson at Dobbs' Ferry,* with six thousand men, a. Nov. 18. and proceeded against Fort Lee, the garrison of which 2. Of the saved itself by a hasty retreat; but all the baggage against Fort and military stores fell into the possession of the victors. 32. The Americans retreated across the Hackensaid of the Sack, and thence across the Passaic, with forces daily retreut of diminishing by the withdrawal of large numbers of cans, and the militia, who, dispirited by the late reverses, returned to their homes, as fast as their terms of enlistment expired; so that, by the last of November, scarcely three thousand troops remained in the American army; and these were exposed in an open country, without intrenching tools, and without tents to shelter them from the inclemency of the season. 33. Newark, New Brunswick,|| Princeton, and Trenton, successively fell into the hands of the enemy, the retreat as they were abandoned by the retreating army; and News Jersey, finally, on the eighth of December, Washington crossed suit by the the Delaware, then the only barrier which prevented British. the British from taking possession of Philadelphia. So

the condi

tion of the

army?

4. Give an

account of through

and the pur

*Dobbs Ferry is a well-known crossing-place on the Hudson, twenty-two miles N. from New York City. There is a sinall village of the same name or the E. side of the river. (See Map, p. 225.)

† Hackensack River rises one mile west from the Iludson, in Pockland Lake, Rock land County, thirty-three miles N. from New York. It pursues, southerly course, at a distance of from two to six miles W. from the Hudson, and falls into the N. Eastern extremity of Newark Bay, five miles west from New York. (See Map.)

The Passaic River rises in the central part of Northern New Jersey, flows an easterly course until it arrives within five miles of the Hackensack, whence its course is S.

fourteen miles, until it falls into the N. Western extremity of Newark Bay. (See Map.)

Newark, new a city, and the most popu lous in New Jersey, is situated on the W. side of Passaic River, three miles from its entrance into Newark Bay, and nine miles W. from New York. (See Map.)

New Brunswick is situated on the S. bank of Raritan River, ten miles from its entrance into Raritan Bay at Amboy, and twenty-three miles S.W. from Newark. It is the seat of Rutgers College, founded in 1770. (See Map.)

Princeton is thirty-nine miles S.W. from Newark. It is the seat of the "College of New Jersey," usually called Princeton College, founded at Elizabethtown in 1746, afterwards removed to Newark, and, in 1757, to Princeton. The Princeton Theological Seminary, founded in 1812, is also located here. (See Map.)

rapidly had the pursuit been urged, that the rear of the 1776. one army was often within sight and shot of the van of the other.

34. Congress, then in session at Philadelphia, adjourned to Baltimore,* and soon after invested Washington with almost unlimited powers, "To order and direct all things relating to the department and to the operations of war." The British general, awaiting only the freezing of the Delaware to enable him to cross and seize Philadelphia, arranged about 4000 of his German troops along the river, from Trenton to Burlington. Strong detachments occupied Princeton and New Brunswick. The rest of the troops were cantoned about in the villages of New Jersey.

1. What

a. Dec. 12 b. Dec. 20. course was congress? What dismade of the

pursued by

2.

position was

British troops?

Dec. o.

the fleet of

Hopkins

p. 112.

35. On the very day that the American army crossed the Delaware, the British squadron, under Sir 3. How was Peter Parker, took possession of the island of Rhode Commodore Island, together with the neighboring islands, Pru- blockaded‣ dence, and Conanicut; by which the American c. See Map, squadron, under Commodore Hopkins, was blocked up in Providence River, where it remained a long time useless. On the 13th, General Lee, who had been left in command of the forces stationed on the Hudson, having incautiously wandered from the main body, was surprised and taken prisoner by the enemy. His command then devolving on General Sullivan, the latter conducted his troops to join the forces of Washington, which were then increased to nearly seven thousand men.

36. In the state of gloom and despondency which had seized the public mind, owing to the late reverses of the army, Washing ton conceived the plan of suddenly crossing the Delaware, and attacking the advanced posts of the enemy, before the main body could be brought to their relief. Accordingly, on the night of the 25th of December, preparations were made for crossing the river, in three divisions. General Cadwallader was to cross at Bristol,† and carry the post at

Dec. 13.

4. What is said of Gen erals Les

and Sus

livan?

5. What bold

plan was formed by

Washing

ton?

Dec. 25. 6. In what to be car

manner was

it

ried into f fect?

* Baltimore, a city of Maryland, is situated on the N. side of the Patapsco River, fourteen miles from its entrance into Chesapeake Bay, and ninety-five miles S.W. from Philadelphia. (See Map, p. 323.)

↑ Bristol is a village on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware, two miles above Burlington. (See Map, p. 226.)

1776. Burlington;* General Ewing was to cross a little be low Trenton,† and intercept the retreat of the enemy in that direction; while the commander-in-chief, with twenty-four hundred men, was to cross nine miles above Trenton; to make the principal attack.

1. What ob

encoun

tered?

37. 'Generals Ewing and Cadwallader, after the tacles were most strenuous efforts, were unable to cross, owing to the extreme cold of the night, and the quantity of floating ice that had accumulated in this part of the river. 2Washington alone succeeded, but it was three o'clock 1. Dec. 26. in the morninga before the artillery could be carried particular over. The troops were then formed into two divisions, the enter commanded by Generals Sullivan and Greene, under battle which whom were Brigadiers Lord Stirling, Mercer, and St followed; Clair.

2. Give a

Iccount of

prise; the

and the result

38. Proceeding by different routes, they arrived at Trenton about eight o'clock in the morning, and commenced a nearly simultaneous attack upon the surprised Hessians, who, finding themselves hemmed in by the Americans on the north and west, and by a small creek and the Delaware River on the east and south, were constrained to lay down their arms, and surrender at discretion. About one thousand were made prisoners, and between thirty and forty were killed and wounded. About 600 of the enemy, who were out on a foraging party, escaped to Bordentown.‡ Among the killed was Colonel Rahl, the commanding 3. Why did Washington officer. immediately recross the Delaware? 4. How did

this bril cess affect

liant suc

the public mind?

39. As the British had a strong force at Princeton, and likewise a force yet remaining on the Delaware, superior to the American army, Washington, on the evening of the same day, recrossed into Pennsylvania with his prisoners. This unexpected and brilliant

success suddenly elevated the public mind from des- 1776. pondency to extreme confidence. About 1400 soldiers, whose terms of service were on the point of expiring, agreed to remain six weeks longer; and the militia from the neighboring provinces again began to join the army.

40. The British general, startled by this sudden reanimation of an enemy whom he had already considered vanquished, resolved, though in the depth of winter, to recommence operations. Lord Cornwallis, then in New York, and on the point of sailing for England, hastily returned to New Jersey, with additional troops, to regain the ground that had been lost. 41. Nor was Washington disposed to remain idle. On the 28th of December he boldly returned into New Jersey, and took post at Trenton, where the other divisions of the army, which had passed lower down, were ordered to join him. General Heath, stationed at Peekskill, on the Hudson, was ordered to move into New Jersey with the main body of the New England forces, while the newly raised militia were ordered to harass the flank and rear, and attack the outposts of the enemy. The British had fallen back from the Delaware, and were assembling in great force at Princeton--resolved to attack Washington in his quarters at Trenton, before he should receive new reinforce

ments.

42. Such was the situation of the opposing armies at the close of the year. Only a week before, General Howe was leisurely waiting the freezing of the Delaware, to enable him to take quiet possession of Philadelphia, or annihilate the American army at a blow, should it not previously be disbanded by the desertion of its militia. But, to the astonishment of the British general, the remnant of the American army had suddenly assumed offensive operations; and its commander, although opposed by far superior forces, now indulged the hope of recovering, during the winter, the whole, or the greater part of New Jersey.