USA > New Jersey > Historical collections of the state of New Jersey : containing a general collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc. relating to its history and antiquities, with geographical desciptions of every township in the state. > Part 38
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The Cottages.
Near the railroad depot, in the environs of Trenton, is the neat and beautiful row of private dwellings designated as " the cottages." They were built a few years since, under the superintendence of Messrs. Hotchkiss & Thompson ; and, while they reflect credit up- on the skill of the architects, form a pleasing exhibition of an im- proved taste in the construction of private residences.
. BATTLE OF TRENTON.
The battle of Trenton, the turning point in the American revo- lution, will ever render Trenton memorable in the annals of Ameri- can history. To present all the facts which may be deemed of in- terest respecting this important event, several accounts of the same transactions will be given. The introductory " notices of Trenton as it was at the time of the capture of the Hessians," is from one of a series of articles respecting the history of Trenton recently pub-
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lished in the State Gazette, evidently drawn up with much care and accuracy.
Queen (now Greene) street commenced at the north end of the town, and ran due south to the bridge over the Assunpink, at Trent's Mills.
Front-st. commenced in Queen, a few rods north of the Assunpink bridge, and ex- tended west to the Masonic Lodge. Here the River road commenced, and ran up Willow-st. to Potts's tanyard ; thence W. through Quarry-st., by Rutherford's and Col. Dickinson's places, in a NW. course, through Birmingham to the Bear Tavern.
Second-st. commenced at Chambers' corner, at Willow-st., and ran east through Mar- ket-st., to the old Iron Works, now Park Place, crossing King and Queen streets.
King (now Warren) street commenced at the north point of Queen, and ran in a southwesterly direction, by the old courthouse and jail, (now the Trenton Bank,) to Front-st.
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Assunpink Cr.
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to Bordentown
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Route of Sullivan
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Falls I.
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[REFERENCES .-- A. Pennington Road. B. Hessian Picket. C. Hand's Rifle Corps ._ D. Battery opened by Washington on King-st. E. Hessians, who were obliged to surrender at this spot. F. Virginia troops. King-st. H. Gen. Dickinson's house. I. Water-st. J. Ferry. K. Bloomsbury. L. Morrisville.]
From the north end of King and Queen streets, the course of the road to the village of Maidenhead (6 miles distant) is NE. ; and from the above point, the general course of the road to Pennington is about N.
One mile from Trenton, on the Pennington road, the Scotch road branches off to the left, and for about two and a quarter miles its course is NW., after which it bends to the NE. for a little distance, and thence its course is a little west of north.
The road which leads from McKonkey's ferry runs east of north; and one and a quarter miles from the river it crosses the River road, at the Bear Tavern, 8 miles from Trenton ; two miles further it crosses the Scotch road, 7 m. from Trenton ; and one and a quarter m. still further, it meets the Pennington road, about 7 m. from Trenton.
From the Bear Tavern, on the River road, to Birmingham, is three and a half miles, and from Birmingham to Trenton four and a half m. Prom Birmingham across to the . Scotch road, where it bends to the east, (as mentioned above,) is about a mile ; from this point to its junction with the Pennington road, is two and a quarter m. ; and from thence to Trenton, one m.
Gen. Washington, with the division under Gen. Greene, came this route from Bir- mingham to Trenton. Part of the division went down King-st., the remainder down
Route of Washington
TRENTON in 1776.
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Queen-st., extending into the field to the left, toward the Assunpink creek,-the course of which is from the northeast for a mile or two, until it passes the Iron Works, after which it bends to the west, and runs by Trent's mills, in Queen-st., to the Delaware.
The division under Gen. Sullivan, on the River road, entered the town by Col. Dickin- son's and Rutherford's, through Second and Front streets. So the enemy were hemmed in by the Assunpink on the south and east, and by the American army on the west and north.
The following is Washington's account of the battle of Trenton, as communicated by him to congress in a letter dated Head-quar- ters, Newtown, 27th Dec. 1776 :
I have the pleasure of congratulating you upon the success of an enter- prise which I had formed against a detachment of the enemy lying in Tren- ton, and which was executed yesterday morning.
The evening of the 25th, I ordered the troops intended for this service to parade back of McKonkey's Ferry, [now Taylorsville] that they might be- gin to pass as soon as it grew dark,-imagining that we should be able to throw them all over, with the necessary artillery, by 12 o'clock, and that we might easily arrive at Trenton by 5 in the morning, the distance being about 9 miles. But the quantity of ice made that night impeded the pas- sage of the boats so much, that it was 3 o'clock before the artillery could all be got over, and near 4 before the troops took up their line of march.
I formed my detachment into two divisions,-one to march up the lower or River road, the other by the upper or Pennington road. As the divisions had nearly the same distance to march, I ordered each of them, immediately upon forcing the out-guards, to push directly into the town, that they might charge the enemy before they had time to form. The upper division ar- rived at the enemy's advanced post exactly at 8 o'clock ; and in 3 minutes after, I found, from the fire on the lower road, that that division had also got up. The out-guards made but a small opposition ; though, for their num- bers, they behaved very well,-keeping up a constant retreating fire from behind houses.
. We presently saw their main body formed ; but, from their motions, they seemed undetermined how to act. Being hard pressed by our troops, who had already got possession of part of their artillery, they attempted to file off by a road on their right, leading to Princeton ; but, perceiving their in- tention, I threw a body of troops in their way, which immediately checked them. Finding, from our disposition, that they were surrounded, and they must inevitably be cut to pieces if they made any further resistance, they agreed to lay down their arms. The number that submitted in this man- ner, was 23 officers and 886 men. Col. Rohl, the commanding officer, and 7 others, were found wounded in the town. I do not know exactly how many they had killed ; but I fancy, not above twenty or thirty,-as they never made any regular stand. Our loss is very trifling indeed,-only two officers and one or two privates wounded.
I find that the detachment of the enemy consisted of the 3 Hessian regi- ments of Landspatch, Kniphausen, and Rohl, amounting to about 1,500 men, and a troop of British light-horse ; but immediately upon the begin- ning of the attack, all those who were not killed or taken pushed directly down the road toward Bordentown. These likewise would have fallen into our hands could my plan completely have been carried into execution. Gen. Ewing was to have crossed before day, at Trenton ferry, and taken posses- sion of the bridge leading to the town ; but the quantity of ice was so great,
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that though he did every thing in his power to effect it, he could not cross. This difficulty also hindered Gen. Cadwallader from crossing with the Penn- sylvania militia from Bristol. He got part of his foot over, but, finding it impossible to embark his artillery, he was obliged to desist. I am fully confident that, could the troops under Generals Ewing and Cadwallader have passed the river, I should have been enabled, with their assistance, to have driven the enemy from all their posts below Trenton ; but the num- bers I had with me being inferior to theirs below, and a strong battalion of light-infantry being at Princeton, above me, I thought it most prudent to return the same evening, with the prisoners and the artillery we had taken. We found no stores of any consequence in the town.
In justice to the officers and men, I must add, that their behavior upon this occasion reflects the highest honor upon them. The difficulty of pass- ing the river in a very severe night, and their march through a violent storm of hail and snow, did not in the least abate their ardor,-but, when they came to the charge, each seemed to vie with the other in pressing for- ward ; and were I to give a preference to any particular corps, I should do injustice to the other.
Col. Baylor, my first aid-de-camp, will have the honor of delivering this to you ; and from him you may be made acquainted with many other par- ticulars. His spirited behavior upon every occasion, requires me to recom- mend him to your particular notice.
The annexed account of the battle of Trenton was published by order of congress, who received it from the council of safety, as coming from " an officer of distinction in the army." It is here ex- tracted from the " Connecticut Journal," of Jan. 22, 1777.
HEAD-QUARTERS, Newtown, Bucks co., Dec. 27.
It was determined, some days ago, that our army should pass over to Jersey, at three different places, and attack the enemy. Accordingly, about 2,500 men, and 20 brass field-pieces, with his excellency Gen. Washington at their head, and Maj. Gen. Sullivan and Gen. Greene in command of two divisions, passed over, on the night of Christmas, and about three o'clock, A. M., were on their march, by two routes, towards Trenton. The night was sleety and cold, and the roads so slippery that it was daybreak when we were two miles from Trenton. But happily the enemy were not apprized of our design, and our advanced parties were on their guard, at half a mile from the town, wliere Gen. Sullivan's and Gen. Greene's divisions came into the same road. Their guard gave our advanced parties several smart fires, as we drove them ; but we soon got two field- pieces at play, and several others in a short time ; and one of our columns pushing down on the right, while the other advanced on the left into town. The enemy, consisting of about 1,500 Hessians, under Col. Rohl, formed, and made some smart fires from their musketry and six field-pieces ; but our people pressed from every quarter, and drove them from their cannon. They retired towards a field, behind a piece of woods, up the creek from Trenton, and formed in two bodies, which I expected would have brought on a smart action from the troops, who had formed very near them ; but at that instant, as I came in full view of them, from the back of the wood, with his excellency Gen. Wash- ington, an officer informed him that one party had grounded their arms, and surrendered prisoners.
The others soon followed their example, except a part which had got off, in the hazy weather, towards Princeton. A party of their lighthorse made off, on our first appear. ance. Too much praise cannot be given to our officers and men, of every regiment, who seemed to vie with each other ; and, by their active and spirited behavior, they soon put an honorable issue to this glorious day.
I was immediately sent off, with the prisoners, to McConkey's ferry, and have got about 750 safe in town, and a few miles from here, on this side of the ferry, viz : One Lieutenant-colonel, two majors, four captains, seven lieutenants, and eight ensigns. We left Col. Rohl, the commandant, wounded, on his parole, and several other officers, and
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wounded men, at Trenton. We lost but two of our men, that I can hear of-a few wounded ; and one brave officer, Capt. Washington, who assisted in securing their ar tillery, wounded in both hands.
The annexed account of the battle of Trenton is from the " Penn- sylvania Journal," of 1781 :
About eight o'clock in the morning, an attack was made on the piquet-guard of the enemy. It was commanded by a youth of eighteen, who fell in his retreat to the main body. At half-past eight the town was nearly surrounded, and all the avenues to it were seized, except the one left for Gen. Ewing to occupy. An accident here liked to have deprived the American army of the object of their enterprise. The commanding officer of one of the divisions sent word to Gen. Washington, just before they reached the town, that his ammunition had been wet by a shower of rain that had fallen that morning, and desired to know what he must do. Washington sent him word to "ad. vance with fixed bayonets." This laconic answer inspired the division with the firmness and courage of their leader. The whole body now moved onward, in sight of the ene- my. An awful silence reigned through every platoon. Each soldier stepped as if he carried the liberty of his country upon his single musket. The moment was a critical one. The attack was begun with artillery, under command of Col. (afterward Gen.) Knox. The infantry supported the artillery with firmness. The enemy were thrown into confusion, in every quarter. One regiment attempted to form, in an orchard, but were soon forced to fall back upon their main body. A company of them entered a stone house, which they defended with a field-piece, judiciously posted in the entry. Capt. (afterward Col.) Washington advanced to dislodge them, with a field-piece; but, finding his men exposed to a close and steady fire, he suddenly leaped from them, rushed into the house, seized the officer who had command of the gun, and claimed him pris- oner. His men followed him, and the whole company were made prisoners. The cap- tain received a ball in his hand, in entering the house. In the mean while, victory de- clared itself everywhere in favor of the American arms.
The Philadelphia lighthorse distinguished themselves upon this occasion by their bravery. They were the more admired for their conduct, as it was the first time they had ever been in action. An anecdote is mentioned of Capt. Samuel Morris, of this corps, which, though it discovers his inexperience of war, did honor to his humanity. In advancing toward the town, he came up to the lieutenant, who had commanded the piquet-guard. He lay mortally wounded, and weltering in his blood, in the great road. The captain was touched with the sight, and called to Gen. Greene to know if any thing could be done for him. The general bade him push on, and not notice him. The captain was as much agitated with the order as he was affected with the scene before him ; and it was not until after the fortunate events of the morning were over, that he was convinced that his sympathy for a bleeding enemy was ill-timed.
After having refreshed themselves, and rested a few hours in Trenton, the American army returned, with their prisoners and other trophies of victory, to the Pennsylvania side of the river, by the same way they came, with the loss only of three men, who per- ished by cold in recrossing the river-an event not to be wondered at, when we con- sider that many of them were half naked, and most of them barefooted.
The following interesting. account of the battle of Trenton is be- lieved to be the most particular and authentic yet given to the world. It is from No. 13 of the series of historical articles publish- ed in the State Gazette at Trenton, March 17, 1843.
On Wednesday, the 25th of December, 1776, General Washing- ton, with his army, was on the west bank of the Delaware, en- camped near Taylorsville, then McKonkey's ferry, 8 miles above Trenton. The troops under General Dickinson were at Yardley- ville ; and detachments were encamped still further up the river. The boats on the river had all been secured when Gen. Washington had crossed with his army on the first of this month. The Penn- sylvania troops were in two bodies : one at Bristol under General
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Cadwallader, and the other at Morrisville, opposite Trenton, under General Ewing .*
At this time the British under General Howe were stationed in detachments at Mount Holly, Black Horse, Burlington, and Borden- town; and at Trenton there were three regiments of Hessians, amounting to about 1,500 men, and a troop of British lighthorse. Divisions of the British army were also at Princeton and New Brunswick.
One part of the plan of Washington was to recross the Dela- ware with his army at McKonkey's ferry, in the night of the 25th of December, and for Gen. Ewing, with the part of the army under his command, to cross at or below Trenton-thus both might fall upon the enemy at the same time ; Ewing at the south, and General Washington at the north end of the town.
At dusk the continental troops, commanded by General Wash- ington in person, amounting to 2.400 men, with 20 pieces of artil- lery, began to cross at McKonkey's ferry. The troops at Yard- leyville and the stations above, had that day assembled at this ferry. Among the prominent and active men who were employed in ferry- ing over the troops, were Uriah Slack, William Green, and David Laning. It was between 3 and 4 o'clock in the morning before all the artillery and troops were over and ready to march. Many of the men were very destitute as regarded clothing. The present Mr. George Muirheid, of Hopewell, informed the writer that he noticed one man, whose pantaloons were ragged, and who had on neither stockings nor shoes. The ground was covered with sleet and snow, which was falling ; although before that day there was no snow, or only a little sprinkling on the ground. Gen. Washing- ton, (who had sat in silence on a beehive, wrapt in his cloak, while his troops were crossing,) as they were about to march, enjoined upon all profound silence during their march to Trenton, and said to them, " I hope that you will all fight like men."
General Washington wished to get twelve men who should be mounted on horseback, without arms or uniform, in plain farmers' habit, to ride before the army, to reconnoitre and get what infor- mation they could, with respect to the British army, their out- guards, &c. There were but three who would volunteer for this service ; these were David Laning, of Trenton, and John Muirheid and John Guild, of Hopewell. The following persons were also guides and marched with the army, viz : Col. Joseph Phillips, Capt. Philip Phillips, and Adjt. Elias Phillips. of Maidenhead ; Joseph Inslee, Edon Burroughs, Stephen Burroughs, Ephraim Woolsey, and Henry Simmonds, of Hopewell ; and Capt. John Mott, Amos Scud- der, and William Green, of Trenton.
The army marched with a quick step in a body from the river up the cross-road to the Bear Tavern, about a mile from the river
* In Sparks's Life of Washington this officer is called Ewing; in Marshall, Irvine ; and in Wilkinson, Irwing.
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The whole army marched down this road to the village of Bir- mingham, distant about 31 miles. There they halted, examined their priming, and found it all wet. Capt. Mott, who had taken the precaution to wrap his handkerchief around the lock of his gun, found, notwithstanding, the priming was wet. " Well," says Gene- ral Sullivan, " we must then fight them with the bayonet." From Birmingham to Trenton, the distance by the River road and the Scotch road is nearly equal, being about 41 miles.
The troops were formed in two divisions. One of them, com- manded by General Sullivan, marched down the River road. The other, commanded by General Washington, accompanied by Gene- rals Lord Stirling, Greene, Mercer, and Stevens, (with David Lan- ing and others for their guides,) fired off to the left, crossed over to the Scotch road, and went down this road till it enters the Penning- ton road, about a mile above Trenton. Scarcely a word was spoken from the time the troops left the ferry (except what passed between the officers and the guides) till they reached Trenton; and with such stillness did the army move, that they were not discovered un- til they came upon the out-guard of the enemy, which was posted in the outskirt of the town, at or near the house of the Rev. Mr. Frazer,* when one of the sentries called to Laning,t who was a little in advance of the troops, and asked, Who is there ? Laning replied, A friend. " A friend to whom?" " A friend to Gen. Washing- ton." At this the guard fired and retreated .¿ The American troops immediately returned their fire, and rushed upon them, and drove them into town. At the head of King-street, Captain T. Forrest opened a six-gun battery, under the immediate orders of General Washington, which commanded the street. Captain William Wash- ington, and Lieut. James Monroe, (afterward President of the Uni- ted States,) perceiving that the enemy were endeavoring to form a battery in King-street, near where the feeder crosses the street, rushed forward with the advance guard, drove the artillerists from their guns, and took from them two pieces, which they were in the act of firing. These officers were both wounded in this successful enterprise. A part of this division marched down Queen-street, and extended to the left so as to cut off' the retreat of the enemy to- ward Princeton.
* This was just after daybreak, according to the testimony of several persons who lived in the town, or in the neighborhood, at the time.
t This Laning had, a few days before, been taken prisoner in the Scudder neighborhood, near the Delaware river, by a scouting party, and carried to Trenton, and confined in the house on Tucker's corner. Watching his opportunity, when there was a little commo- tion among the guard, he slipped out of the back door, sprang over a high board fence, and escaped to the house of Stacy Potts, who took him in and concealed him that night. The next morning Laning, dressed in an old ragged coat, and flapped hat, put an axe under his arm, and went with his head down, limping along, and so passed in safety the enemy's sentries in the character of a wood-chopper ; but when he got where the Pen- nington and Scotch roads meet, looking in every direction, and seeing no person, he threw down his axe, and took to Dickinson's swamp, and so escaped from the enemy.
# It is said that at the commencement of the engagement, when Washington, with his sword raised, was giving his orders, a musket-ball passed between his fingers, slight- ly grazing them. He only said, " That has passed by."
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The division of the army which came down the River road under Gen. Sullivan, fell upon the advanced guard of the British at Ruth- erford's place, adjoining Col. Dickinson's, near the southwest part of the town, about the same time that Washington entered it at the north.
Both divisions pushed forward, keeping up a running fire with light-arms,* meeting with but little opposition until the enemy were driven eastward in Second-st., near the Presbyterian church, where there was some fighting, the enemy having made a momentary - stand; but finding themselves hemmed in and overpowered, they laid down their arms on the field, between the Presbyterian church and Park-place, then called the old Iron Works.
Gen. Rahl, who commanded the Hessians, and had his head- quarters at the house of Stacy Potts, opposite Perry-st., on the west side of Warren, (occupied for many years as a tavern,) was mor- tally wounded early in the engagement, being shot from his horse while exerting himself to form his dismayed and disordered troops, but where or by whom is not at present known by the writer. He has heard several statements on these subjects, but no two of them agree. When, supported by a file of sergeants, he presented his sword to Gen. Washington, (whose countenance beamed with com- placency at the success of the day,) he was pale, bleeding, and covered with blood; and, in broken accents, he seemed to implore those attentions which the victor was well-disposed to bestow upon him. He was taken to his head-quarters, (Stacy Potts',) where he died of his wounds.
"The number of prisoners was 23 officers and 886 privates ; 4 stand of colors, 12 drums, 6 brass field-pieces, and 1,000 stand of arms and accoutrements, were the trophies of victory. The Brit- ish lighthorse, and 400 or 500 Hessians, escaped at the beginning of the battle, over the bridge across the Assunpink, at Trent's Mills, and fled to Bordentown. If Gen. Ewing, whose division of the army was opposite Trenton, had been able to cross the Delaware as contemplated, and take possession of the bridge on the Assun- pink, all the enemy that were in Trenton would have been cap- tured ; but there was so much ice on the shores of the river, that it was impossible to get the artillery over." The Hessians lost 7 officers, and 20 or 30 men killed; 24 of these were buried in one pit, in the Presbyterian burying-ground, by the American troops.t
Immediately after the victory, which greatly revived the droop- ing spirits of the army, Gen. Washington commenced marching
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* A daughter of Mr. Stacy Potts was this morning at Miss Coxe's, opposite the Epis- copal church, when the firing commenced ; and as she was running to her father's house a musket-ball struck her comb from her head, and slightly injured her head.
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