| Citation |
NHG-P.777.001
14 Jan 1777:41 (34)
The several Accounts of the remarkable defeat, of the
Hessian Army, by General Washington.
Boston, January 4, 1776. At half past one o'clock this day
arrived an express from Gov. Trumbull, of Connecticut, to
the Council of this State, with the following most agreeable
and important intelligence, viz. Head-Quarters, Peek's Kill,
December 30, 1776.
By Colonel Chester, this moment arrived from his Excellency
General Washington, who was at Newtown, I have the pleasure
to acquaint you, that early in the morning of Thursday last
his Excellency in person, at the head of about three
thousand of our brave troops crossed the Delaware, attacked
the enemy at Trenton, consisting of about 1600 men,--and
after a brisk action of thirty five minutes, entirely routed
them, taking one colonel, two lieutenant colonels, three
majors, four captains, eight lieutenants, twelve ensigns,
one judge advocate, two surgeon's mates, ninety two
serjeants, twenty drummers, nine musicians, twenty five
officers servants, seven hundred and forty rank and file,
total nine hundred and nineteen. Exclusive of killed and
wounded. Together with six brass pieces, two of which were
twelve pounders, twelve hundred small arms, four standards,
twelve drums (brass barrels) a number of trumpets,
clarionets, &c: six wagons with swords, caps, &c. A number
of horses (say thirty or forty.)--A quantity of rum (all
stove.)--Our loss only four killed, and eight wounded.--All
the prisoners, except one, were Hessians. Our troops
behaved with the greatest bravery. This signal victory, at
this time will be productive of the best consequence.
Ardour glows in every face: and I hope we shall soon
retrieve all our losses.
. . . [47 lines of description of the same battle from other
sources]
N.B. The above accounts in general agree, except in one
mention is made of 40 Hessians being kill'd and 80 wounded,
and two kettle-drums, hautboys, &c. &c. and we stove 40
hogsheads of rum we could not carry off.
2. And also to inform the public, that about the time the
prophetic egg was laid in the town of Plymouth, with this
wonderful prediction wrote on its shell, "Oh, Oh, America
Howe shall be thy conqueror," an hermit resembling the
genius of America, who had resided in a certain forest from
the first settlement of the country, found the following
lines inscribed on a fragment of marble near his cave,
visited by the curious from all parts of Europe, for the
remarkable echo which oft reverberated in loud peals, heard
beyond the Atlantic,
Britannia--sinks beneath her crime
She dies--she--cries--let empire rise,
And freedom cheer the Western skies.
When every art and menace fails,
And Tory lies and Tory tales
Are universally abhor'd,
They now pretend to fear the Lord.
Instead of virtue, a long face;
Instead of piety, grimace;
Pretend strange revelation giv'n,
And intimations sent from heav'n.
. . . [26 more lines, signed] America.
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