American Leaders and Heroes Part 20

[Ill.u.s.tration: Map Ill.u.s.trating the Struggle for the Hudson River and the Middle States.]

Such an opportunity shortly came to him. The British General had carelessly separated his army into several divisions and scattered them at various points in New Jersey. One of these divisions, consisting of Hessians, was stationed at Trenton. Was.h.i.+ngton's quick eye noted this blunder of the British General, and he resolved to take advantage of it by attacking the Hessians at Trenton on Christmas night. Having been re-enforced, he now had an army of 6,000 and was therefore in a better condition to risk a battle. With 2,400 picked men he got ready to cross the Delaware River at a point nine miles above Trenton. There was snow on the ground, and the weather was bitterly cold. As the soldiers marched to the place of crossing, some of them with feet almost bare left b.l.o.o.d.y footprints along the route.

At sunset the troops began to cross. It was a terrible night for such an undertaking. Angry gusts of wind, and great blocks of ice swept along by the swift current, threatened every moment to dash in pieces the frail boats. From the Trenton side of the river, General Knox, who had been sent ahead by Was.h.i.+ngton, loudly shouted to let the struggling boatmen know where to land. Ten hours were consumed in the crossing. Much longer must the time have seemed to Was.h.i.+ngton, as he stood in the midst of the wild storm, his heart full of mingled anxiety and hope.

It was not until four o'clock in the morning that the troops were ready to march upon Trenton, nine miles away. As they advanced, a fearful storm of snow and sleet beat upon the already weary men. But they pushed forward, and surprised the Hessians at Trenton soon after sunrise, easily capturing them after a short struggle.

Was.h.i.+ngton had brought hope to every patriot heart. The British were amazed at the daring feat, and Cornwallis decided to make a longer stay in America. He soon advanced with a superior force against Was.h.i.+ngton, and at nightfall, January 2, 1777, took his stand on the farther side of a small creek. "At last," said Cornwallis, "we have run down the old fox, and we will bag him in the morning."

But Was.h.i.+ngton was too sly a fox for Cornwallis to bag. During the night he led his army around Cornwallis's camp, and pus.h.i.+ng on to Princeton defeated the rear-guard, which had not yet joined the main body. He then retired in safety to his winter quarters among the hills about Morristown. During this fateful campaign Was.h.i.+ngton had handled his army in a masterly way. He had begun with defeat and had ended with victory.

In 1777 the British planned to get control of the Hudson River, and thus cut off New England from the other States. In this way they hoped so to weaken the Americans as to make their defeat easy. Burgoyne was to march from Canada, by way of Lake Champlain and Fort Edward, to Albany, where he was to meet not only a small force of British under St. Leger from the Mohawk Valley, but also the main army of 18,000 men, under General Howe, which was expected to sail up the Hudson from New York. The British believed that this plan would be easily carried out and would soon bring the war to a close.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE.

The Relief.]

And this might have happened if General Howe had not failed to do his part. Instead of going up to meet and help Burgoyne, however, he tried first to march across New Jersey and capture Philadelphia. But when he reached Morristown, he found Was.h.i.+ngton in a stronghold where he dared not attack him. As Was.h.i.+ngton would not come out and risk an encounter in the open field, and as Howe was unwilling to continue his advance with the American army threatening his rear, he returned to New York.

Still desirous of reaching Philadelphia, however, he sailed a little later, with his army, to Chesapeake Bay. The voyage took him two months.

When at length he advanced toward Philadelphia, he found Was.h.i.+ngton ready to dispute his progress at Brandywine Creek. There a battle was fought, resulting in the defeat of the Americans. But Was.h.i.+ngton handled his army with such skill that Howe spent two weeks in reaching Philadelphia, only twenty-six miles away.

When Howe arrived at the city he found out that it was too late to send aid to Burgoyne, who was now in desperate straits. Was.h.i.+ngton had spoiled the English plan, and Burgoyne, failing to get the much-needed help from Howe, had to surrender at Saratoga (October 17, 1777) his entire army of 6,000 regular troops. This was a great blow to England, and resulted in a treaty between France and America. After this treaty, France sent over both land and naval forces, which were of much service to the American cause.

At the close of 1777 Was.h.i.+ngton retired to a strong position among the hills at Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill River, about twenty miles northwest of Philadelphia. Here his army spent a winter of terrible suffering. Most of the soldiers were in rags, only a few had bed-clothing, and many had not even straw to lie upon at night. Nearly 3,000 were barefoot. More than this, they were often for days at a time without bread. It makes one heartsick to read about the sufferings of these patriotic men during this miserable winter. But despite all the bitter trials of these distressing times, Was.h.i.+ngton never lost faith in the final success of the American cause.

A beautiful story is told of this masterful man at Valley Forge. When "Friend Potts" was near the camp one day, he heard an earnest voice. On approaching he saw Was.h.i.+ngton on his knees, his cheeks wet with tears, praying to G.o.d for help and guidance. When the farmer returned to his home he said to his wife: "George Was.h.i.+ngton will succeed! George Was.h.i.+ngton will succeed! The Americans will secure their independence!"

"What makes thee think so, Isaac?" inquired his wife. "I have heard him pray, Hannah, out in the woods to-day, and the Lord will surely hear his prayer. He will, Hannah; thee may rest a.s.sured He will."

We may pa.s.s over without comment here the events between the winter at Valley Forge and the Yorktown campaign, which resulted in the surrender of Cornwallis with all his army. Even when not engaged in fighting battles, Was.h.i.+ngton was the soul of the American cause, which could scarcely have succeeded without his inspiring leaders.h.i.+p. But there is yet one more military event--the hemming in of Cornwallis at Yorktown,--for us to notice briefly before we take leave of Was.h.i.+ngton.

When at the close of his fighting with General Greene in the South, Cornwallis marched northward to Yorktown, Was.h.i.+ngton, with an army of French and American troops, was encamped on the Hudson River. He was waiting for the coming of a French fleet to New York. On its arrival he expected to attack the British army there by land, while the fleet attacked it by sea.

Upon hearing that the French fleet was on its way to the Chesapeake, Was.h.i.+ngton thought out a brilliant scheme. This was to march his army as quickly and as secretly as possible to Yorktown, a distance of 400 miles, there to join Lafayette and to co-operate with the French fleet in the capture of Cornwallis. The scheme succeeded so well that Cornwallis surrendered his entire army of 8,000 men on October 19, 1781.

This was the last battle of the war, although the treaty of peace was not signed until 1783. By that treaty the Americans won their independence from England. The country which they could now call their own extended from Canada to Florida, and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River.

Was.h.i.+ngton, tired of war, was glad to become a Virginia planter once more. But he was not permitted to live in quiet. After his retirement from the army his home became, as he himself said, a well-resorted tavern. Two years after the close of the Revolution he wrote in his diary: "Dined with only Mrs. Was.h.i.+ngton, which I believe is the first instance of it since my retirement from public life."

When, on the formation of the Const.i.tution of the United States, the American people looked about for a President, all eyes naturally turned to George Was.h.i.+ngton. He was elected without opposition and was inaugurated at New York, then the capital of the United States, on April 30, 1789.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Was.h.i.+ngton's Home--Mount Vernon.]

His life as President was one of dignity and elegance. It was his custom to pay no calls and accept no invitations, but between three and four o'clock on every Tuesday afternoon he held a public reception. On such occasions he appeared in court-dress, with powdered hair, yellow gloves in his hand, a long sword in a scabbard of white polished leather at his side, and a c.o.c.ked hat under his arm. Standing with his right hand behind him, he bowed formally as each guest was presented to him.

After serving two terms as President with great success he again retired in 1797 to private life at Mount Vernon. Here he died on December 14, 1799, at the age of sixty-seven, loved and honored by the American people.

REVIEW OUTLINE

WAs.h.i.+NGTON AT MOUNT VERNON.

THE PLANTATION IN VIRGINIA.

THE PLANTER'S MANSION AND ITS SURROUNDINGS.

VIRGINIA HOSPITALITY.

MODES OF TRAVEL.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S WORKING HABITS.

APPOINTED COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE AMERICAN TROOPS.

GENERAL WAs.h.i.+NGTON AND HIS ARMY.

THE BRITISH DRIVEN FROM BOSTON.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON GOES TO NEW YORK.

BATTLE OF LONG ISLAND.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON'S ESCAPE FROM LONG ISLAND.

THE TRAITOR LEE DISOBEYS WAs.h.i.+NGTON.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON RETREATS ACROSS NEW JERSEY.

A GLOOMY OUTLOOK.

A TERRIBLE NIGHT FOLLOWED BY A GLORIOUS VICTORY.

THE BRITISH PLANS IN 1777.

GENERAL HOWE FAILS TO DO HIS PART.

BURGOYNE'S SURRENDER; AID FROM FRANCE.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON AT VALLEY FORGE.

THE SURRENDER OF CORNWALLIS; TREATY OF PEACE.

WAs.h.i.+NGTON AS PRESIDENT.

TO THE PUPIL

1. By all means make constant use of your map.

2. Write on the following topics: the plantation, the planter's mansion, Virginia hospitality, modes of travel.

3. What was Was.h.i.+ngton's favorite motto? What were his working habits?

4. Describe Was.h.i.+ngton at the time when he took command of the army. What was the condition of this army?

5. Tell about Was.h.i.+ngton's troubles and his retreat across New Jersey?

6. Imagine yourself one of Was.h.i.+ngton's soldiers on the night of the march against the Hessians at Trenton, and relate your experiences. Try to form vivid pictures before you tell the story.

7. What were the British plans for 1777, and in what way did General Howe blunder in carrying out his part?

8. Describe the sufferings of the soldiers at Valley Forge.

9. Give a short account of Was.h.i.+ngton.

10. What were the leading causes of the Revolution? Its most striking result?