the enemy to the lines at Brooklyn; several saved themselves in the coverts 'of the woods; but a great part of the detachment was killed or taken.

12. The left column, led by General Grant, advancing from the Narrows along the coast, to divert the attention of the Americans from the principal attack on the right, had about midnight fallen in with Lord Stirling's advanced guard, stationed at a strong pass, and compelled them to relinquish it. As they were slowly retiring, they were met on the summit of the hills about break of day by Lord Stirling, who had been directed, with the two nearest regiments, to meet the British on the road leading from the Narrows. Lord Stirling having posted his men advantageously, a furious cannonade commenced on both sides, which continued several hours.

13. The firing toward Brooklyn, where the fugitives were pursued by the British, giving notice to Lord Stirling that the enemy had gained his rear, he instantly gave orders to retreat across a creek near the Yellow Mills. The more effectually to secure the retreat of the main body of the detachment, he determined to attack in person a British corps under Lord Cornwallis, stationed at a house somewhat above the place where he proposed to cross the creek.

14. With about four hundred men, drawn out of Smallwood's regiment for that purpose, he made a very spirited attack, and brought up this small corps several times to the charge, with confident expectations of dislodging Lord Cornwallis from his post. But, the force in his front increasing, and General Grant now advancing on his rear, he was compelled to surrender himself and his brave men prisoners of war. This bold attempt, however, gave opportunity to a large part of the detachment to cross the creek, and effect an escape.

15. The enemy encamped in front of the American lines; and, on the succeeding night, broke ground within six hundred yards of a redoubt on the left. In this critical state of the American army on Long Island; in front a numerous and victorious enemy, with a formidable train of artillery; the fleet indicating an intention to force a passage into East River to make some

attempt on New York; the troops lying without shelter from heavy rains, fatigued and dispirited; it was determined to withdraw from the island; and this difficult movement was effected with great skill and judgment, and with complete success.*—Annals of America.

Retreat of Washington.—Influenced by his officers, Washington retreated to the northern part of New York Island, and then to White Plains. Here a partial engagement, to the disadvantage of the Americans, took place on the 28th of October, when they withdrew to North Castle. Instead of following, the British general turned his attention to the forts on the Hudson.

Leaving one detachment, under Lee,† at North Castle, another, under Colonel Magaw, at Fort Washington, and a third, under General Heath, at Peekskill, Washington crossed the Hudson and entered New Jersey. On the 16th of November, the British attacked Fort Washington, and, although they were successful, the victory cost them a thousand men. The loss to the Americans in the number of troops surrendered was also very heavy. To the number of six thousand, with Lord Cornwallis in command, the enemy crossed the Hudson, and took possession of Fort Lee, which the Americans had abandoned on their approach. Closely pursued by Cornwallis, Washington retreated through New Jersey, and, on the 8th of December, crossed the Delaware with his diminished and disheartened army. Congress, then in session at Philadelphia, soon after adjourned to Baltimore.

Battle of Trenton.-A feeling of despondency, occasioned by the many disasters, prevailed among the patriots. This was dispelled by a bold enterprise accomplished by Washington. On Christmas night, he crossed the Delaware, and, on the following morning, December 26th, attacked a body of Hessians stationed at Trenton. Rahl, their commander, was mortally wounded, about thirty were slain, and nearly a thousand taken prisoners. The Americans lost only four men, two of whom fell in the battle, and two were frozen to death. This victory restored confidence to the Americans, while it startled and mortified the British.

Washington recrossed the Delaware with his prisoners; but, encouraged by his success and finding his army strengthened by recent recruits, he again crossed the river, and took post at Trenton, resolved to act on the offensive. This was a bold movement, for the enemy were assembled in great force at Princeton, only ten miles distant.

*This retreat was accomplished during a thick fog, about midnight of the 29th. Washington, as far as possible, inspected everything himself. From the commencement of the action on the 27th until the troops were safely across the East River, he never closed his eyes, and was almost constantly on horseback. His wisdom and vigilance, with the interposing favor of Divine Providence, saved the army from destruction.

+ Charles Lee was born in England, in 1731. He was with Braddock in the battle of the Monongahela, and with Abercrombie in the assault on Ticonderoga. He afterward served in the Russian army. His death occurred at Philadelphia, in 1782.

Events of 1777.-Battle of Princeton.-Washington's whole force, on the 1st of January, 1777, did not exceed five thousand men. Cornwallis reached Trenton on the following afternoon, and, although baffled, with serious loss, in his attempts to cross the stream running through the town, felt sure of being able the next morning to capture the entire army of the Americans. The position of the latter was critical; but a bold expedient was adopted by Washington. Leaving his camp-fires burning, SO as to deceive Cornwallis, he marched by a circuitous route toward Princeton, intending to surprise the enemy at that place. At sunrise, January 3d, the van of his forces encountered, near Princeton, a division of the British troops already on their march to join Cornwallis. At first the American militia gave way; but Washington coming up with a select corps, turned the tide of battle and routed the enemy. The loss of the British in killed, wounded, and prisoners, was about four hundred men; that of the patriots did not exceed thirty, but General Mercer, one of their best officers,* was among the mortally

wounded.

Washington at Princeton.-Miss C. F. Orne.

THE Assunpinkt was choked with dead between us and the foe,
We had mowed their ranks before our guns, as ripe grain is laid low;
But we were few, and worn and spent-many and strong were they,
And they waited but the morning dawn to fall upon their prey.
We left our camp-fires burning, that their ruddy, gleaming light
Might hide from Lord Cornwallis our hurried march by night.
While fiery Erskine fretted at his leader's fond delay,
All silently and swiftly we were marching on our way.

For the British troops at Princeton our little force was bound,—
We tracked with bare and bleeding feet the rough and frozen ground;
All night we hastened onward, and we spoke no word of plaint,
Though we were chilled with bitter cold, with toil and fasting faint;
We hailed with joy the sunlight, as o'er the hills it streamed,
And through the sharp and frosty air on the near homesteads beamed.
We were weary, we were hungry; before us lay good cheer,
And right gladly to the hearth-fires our eager steps drew near.
But sudden, on our startled sight, long lines of bayonets flash;
The road's aglow with scarlet coats! The British on us dash!

* Hugh Mercer was born in Scotland about 1720. He studied medicine, became a physician, and was a surgeon's assistant in the Scotch army in the battle of Culloden (1746). Emigrating to America, he resided in Virginia until 1755, when he joined Braddock's expedition, and was severely wounded at the battle of the Monongahela. His funeral, which took place in Philadelphia, was attended by 30,000 persons.

The name of the stream running through the city of Trenton.

The smoke-wreaths from our volleys meet; then hand-to-hand the fight;
Proud, gallant Mercer falls; our lines are wavering in flight!
“Press on!” cries Mawhood, “by St. George! the rebel cowards fly,
We'll sweep their ranks before our charge, as storm-winds sweep the sky."

They burst with bold and sudden spring as a lion on the prey,
Our ranks of worn and weary men to that fierce rush gave way.
Black was that bitter moment, and well-nigh all was lost,
But forth there sprang a god-like form between us and the host.
The martyr-fires of freedom in his flaming glances burned,
As his awful countenance sublime upon the foe he turned;
And, reining up his gallant steed, alone amid the fight,
Like an angel of the Lord he stood to our astonished sight!
And instantly our wavering bands wheeled into line again,
And suddenly from either side the death-shots fell like rain.
All hearts stood still, and horror-struck was each averted eye;
For who could brook that moment's look, or who could see him die?
But when the smoke-clouds lifted, and still we saw him there,

Oh, what a mighty shout of joy filled all the startled air!

And tears fell like the summer showers from our bravest and our best, As dashing up with fiery pace around him close they prest.

A moment's hand-grasp to his Aid, that told the tale of hours,

Away! bring up the troops," he cried, "the day is wholly ours."

"Now, praised be God!" from grateful lips the fervent prayer uprose, And then, as with an eagle's swoop, we burst upon our foes. And "Long live Washington!" we cried, in answer to his shout,

As still he spurred his charger on amid the flying rout.

They broke their ranks before our charge; amain they wildly fled;
Stiff on the slopes, at Princeton, they left their hapless dead.

No more a band of weary men, we followed in his track,

And bore, with stern, resistless force, the British lion back.

Our toilsome march, our sleepless nights, cold, hunger—what were they? We broke the yoke of foreign power on that eventful day.

The great heart of our leader went on before us then,

And led us forth to wield the strength of more than mortal men;
The pulses of that noble heart a nation's life concealed,

But fate refused the sacrifice whose offer won the field.

C. C. Haven's Historic Manual.

Arrival of Lafayette.-Early in 1776, Congress sent Silas Deane to France to solicit aid. Deane was afterwards joined by Dr. Franklin and Arthur Lee. Though France hesitated to extend the aid solicited, the Marquis de

Lafayette (lah-fa-ett')* and other citizens of that country acted generously. At his own expense, Lafayette fitted out a vessel, and, in the spring of 1777, arrived in America. He joined the army as a volunteer without pay, but was soon after appointed a major-general.

First Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

[As celebrated in Philadelphia, July 4th, 1777. This account is extracted from the Pennsylvania Journal, one of the newspapers of the time.]

1. (July 5.)-YESTERDAY, being the first anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America, was celebrated in Philadelphia with demonstrations of joy and festivity. About noon all the armed ships and galleys in the river were drawn up before the city, dressed in the gayest manner, with the colors of the United States and streamers displayed. At one o'clock, the yards being properly manned, they began the celebration of the day by a discharge of thirteen cannon from each of the ships, and one from each of the thirteen galleys, in honor of the thirteen United States.

2. In the afternoon an elegant dinner was provided for Congress, to which were invited the President and the supreme executive council, the speaker of the Assembly of the State, the general officers and colonels of the army, and strangers of eminence, and the members of the several continental boards in town. The Hessian band of music, taken in Trenton the twenty-sixth of December last, attended and heightened the festivity with some fine performances suited to the joyous occasion; while a corps of British deserters, taken into the service of the continent by the State of Georgia, being drawn up before the door, filled up the intervals with feux de joieˇ.

3. After dinner, a number of toasts were drank, all breathing Independence and a generous love of liberty, and commemorating the memories of those brave and worthy patriots who gallantly exposed their lives, and fell gloriously in defense of freedom and the righteous cause of their country. Each toast

* The Marquis de Lafayette was born in France, of an ancient and distinguished family, in 1757. He was in the battles of Brandywine, Monmouth, and Yorktown, and was a member of the court that tried André as a spy. He died in Paris, in 1834.