BATTLE OF PRINCETON.

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their rifles opened a severe fire upon the enemy, who re- CHAP. turned it vigorously. Almost at the first fire Mercer's horse was shot under him, and the second officer in com- 1777. mand fell mortally wounded. The enemy took advantage of the confusion that followed the fall of the leaders, and rushed on with the bayonet. The Americans, who were without bayonets, unable to withstand the charge, gave way. As Mercer, now on foot, endeavored to rally them, he was struck down, bayoneted, and left on the field apparently dead.

As his men retreated in confusion, a body of Pennsylvania militia, which Washington had sent to their aid, *appeared in sight. Mawhood instantly checked his pursuit of the fugitives, and opened upon these fresh troops a heavy fire of artillery, which brought them to a stand.

Convinced by the continued firing that the conflict was serious, Washington spurred on in advance of his division, and just at this crisis had reached a rising ground near by, from which he witnessed the scene. He saw the scattered forces of Mercer, the hesitation of the militia; every thing was at stake. He dashed forward in the face of Mawhood's artillery, exposed both to the fire of the enemy and the random shots of his own soldiers, and waving his hat called upon the faltering and broken forces to follow him. Inspired by his voice and example, they rallied at once and returned to the charge. At this moment a Virginia regiment emerged from a neighboring wood, and with loud cheers engaged in the conflict; while the American artillery, now within range, began to shower grape-shot upon the enemy. The fight was desperate, but the field was won. Mawhood, who, a few minutes before, had felt certain of victory, now with great difficulty forced his way back to the main road, and retreated with all haste toward Trenton.

The second regiment was attacked by the brigade under St. Clair; broken and scattered, it fled across the

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CHAP. fields towards New Brunswick. Alarmed at the general rout, a part of the third regiment fled in the same direc1777. tion, while another portion took refuge in the college building. The American artillery was immediately brought to bear upon it, and they soon surrendered.

The British loss in this battle was about one hundred slain, and three hundred prisoners, while the Americans lost but few; among these was the brave Colonel Haslet. Mercer, who was left on the field for dead, was after the battle discovered by Colonel Armstrong, still alive, but suffering greatly from his wounds, and exposure to the cold. He was borne to a neighboring farm-house, where, after a few days, he expired. As a soldier, he was brave; as a man of sterling merit, he was worthy the respect of his adopted countrymen, for, like Montgomery, he was of foreign birth, and like him, he has won an honorable name among the heroes of the Revolution.

Washington, eager to secure the stores so necessary for his army, pushed on some distance toward Brunswick. A little reflection convinced him that his troops, in their exhausted condition, could not reach there before they would be overtaken. They had been a night and a day without rest; they were thinly clad, and some of them were barefoot. He stopped and held a consultation with his officers on horseback. They decided that it was inju dicious to proceed. Grieved and disappointed, that they were unable to reap the advantage of their recent success, they turned their steps toward Morristown.

When morning revealed to the enemy on the banks of the Assunpink the deserted camp of the Americans, Cornwallis was greatly at a loss to divine to what covert the "fox" had fled. Soon the booming of cannon at Princeton gave him the desired information. His thoughts turned at once to the stores at Brunswick he must save

THE BRITISH CONFINED TO THEIR CAMP.

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them from the hands of his enemy. His march back to CHAP Princeton was much impeded. The Americans had not forgotten to throw obstacles in his way. He found the 1777. bridge over Stony Creek, a few miles from the town, broken down, and the party of Americans left for that purpose still in sight. Impatient of delay he urged on his soldiers, who, although the waters were breast high, dashed across the stream. Believing that Washington was in full march for Brunswick, he halted not at Princeton, but hurried on in pursuit with so much eagerness, that he did not observe that the Americans had diverged from the road.

The American army retreated to a strong position at Morristown. There the soldiers provided themselves huts, and remained until the last of May.

For six months after the battle of Princeton no enterprise of importance was undertaken by either party.

The yeomanry of New Jersey were now thoroughly roused to preserve their State from further depredations. They warmly seconded the efforts of Washington, and greatly aided the detachments from the army, who were on the alert to cut off the foraging parties of the enemy; and so effectually did they harass them, that they scarcely ventured out of sight of their camp. Thus unable to obtain provisions for his army, Cornwallis gradually withdrew within his lines, at Brunswick and Amboy, that he might be in communication with New York by water, whence alone he could draw his supplies. Thus those who, a few weeks before, were in possession of nearly all New Jersey, were now able to retain scarcely more of her soil than was sufficient for a camp.

The success that had crowned the American arms at Trenton and Princeton cheered the hearts and revived the hopes of the patriots; but they knew well that the enemy was checked, not conquered; that the struggle must be renewed, and the result was still doubtful.

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Washington had established his head-quarters at Morristown, while the right wing of his army, under Putnam, 1777. was stationed at Princeton, and the left was in the Highlands, under General Heath. Along this extended line, at convenient distances, were established cantonments. Though weak in numbers, the army was so judiciously posted that the enemy, deceived by its apparent strength, hesitated to attack it.

Putnam, who had with him but a few hundred men, resorted to stratagem to hide his weakness. A British officer, who lay mortally wounded at Princeton, desired the presence of a military comrade in his last moments. The kind-hearted general could not deny the request; he sent a flag to Brunswick in quest of the friend, who entered Princeton after dark. Every unoccupied house was carefully lighted, lights gleamed in all the college windows, and the Old General marched and countermarched his scanty forces to such effect, that the British soldier, on his return to the camp, reported them as at least five thousand strong.

The winter at Morristown was a season of comparative quiet, during which the Commander-in-chief was engaged in earnest efforts to improve the state of his army. The evil effects of the system of short enlistments adopted by Congress, and repeatedly protested against by Washington, were severely felt at this juncture. The terms of great numbers were about to expire, and new recruits came in but slowly. To guard against the ravages of small-pox, which at times had been fatally prevalent in the army, these were inoculated as fast as they came in.

The exchange of prisoners had become a subject of negotiation. At first the British refused to exchange on equal terms, on the plea that the Americans were rebels, but Howe, who had at this time about five thousand on his hands, opened a correspondence with Washington on the subject. Now the Americans in their turn objected

SUFFERINGS OF AMERICAN PRISONERS.

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to an exchange. Their captured countrymen had been CHAP left to the tender mercies of the New York Tories, crowded into warehouses, which had been converted into prisons, 1777. or into loathsome hulks anchored in the bay; fed with impure food, and left to languish in filth and nakedness. Thrilling tales are told of the sufferings of those confined in the sugar-house, and on board the Jersey, a prisonship. More than ten thousand wretched American prisoners died during the war, and were buried without ceremony in shallow graves at Brooklyn, on Long Island. Of those who survived, scarcely one ever fully recovered from the effects of these hardships.

Washington refused to recruit the British army by an exchange of well-fed and hale Hessian and British prisoners, for emaciated and diseased Americans, whose terms of enlistment had expired, and who were scarcely able, from very weakness, to return to their homes. His policy was sanctioned by Congress-a severe policy, but authorized by the necessities of the times.

19.

To supply the want of field-officers, Congress com- Feb. missioned five major-generals: Stirling, St. Clair, Mifflin, Stephen, and Lincoln. The latter we have seen as the secretary of the first Provincial Congress of Massachu

He was afterward the efficient commander of the militia of that State, and now he was promoted over the heads of all the brigadiers. In these appointments, Arnold, whose meritorious conduct on the battle-field, as well as his seniority as a brigadier, entitled him to promotion, was entirely overlooked. He complained bitterly of this injustice; the wound rankled in his proud breast; from this hour, till he found consolation in revenge, he seems to have brooded over the disrespect shown him by his countrymen.

Eighteen brigadier-generals were also commissioned, among whom were Glover, the leader of the Marblehead fishermen ; George Clinton, of New York, the sturdy