rican army throughout its series of perils and
disasters; for there was no concealing the impending danger. But what
must have been the feelings of the commander-in-chief as he anxiously
patrolled his camp and considered his desperate position? A small
stream, fordable in several places, was all that separated his raw,
inexperienced army from an enemy vastly superior in numbers and
discipline, and stung to action by the mortification of a late defeat.
In this darkest of moments a gleam of hope flashed upon his mind: a
bold expedient suggested itself. Almost the whole of the enemy's force
must by this time be drawn out of Princeton and advancing by
detachments toward Trenton, while their baggage and principal stores
must remain weakly guarded at Brunswick. Was it not possible by a
rapid night-march along the Quaker road, a different road from that on
which General Leslie with the rear-guard was resting, to get past that
force undiscovered, come by surprise upon those left at Princeton,
capture or destroy what stores were left there, and then push on to
Brunswick? This would save the army from being cut off; would avoid
the appearance of a defeat; and might draw the enemy away from
Trenton, while some fortunate stroke might give additional reputation
to the American arms.

Such was the plan which Washington revolved in his mind on the gloomy
banks of the Assunpink, and which he laid before his officers in a
council of war, held after nightfall, at the quarters of General
Mercer. It met with instant concurrence. One formidable difficulty
presented itself. The weather was unusually mild; there was a thaw, by
which the roads might be rendered deep and miry, and almost
impassable. Fortunately, the wind veered to the north in the course of
the evening; the weather became intensely cold, and in two hours the
roads were once more hard and frost-bound. In the meantime, the
baggage of the army was silently removed to Burlington, and every
other preparation was made for a rapid march. To deceive the enemy,
men were employed to dig trenches near the bridge within hearing of
the British sentries, with orders to continue noisily at work until
daybreak; others were to go the rounds, relieve guards at the bridge
and fords, keep up the camp fires, and maintain all the appearance of
a regular encampment. At daybreak they were to hasten after the army.

In the dead of the night the army drew quietly out of the encampment
and began its ma