eving any speedy success in that quarter, and on the 3d
of November he started back for Canada. This retreat relieved General
Schuyler at Albany of immediate cause for anxiety, and presently he
detached seven regiments to go southward to Washington's assistance.

[Sidenote: Charles Lee is captured by British dragoons,
Dec. 13, 1776.]

On the 2d of December Lee crossed the Hudson with 4000 men, and
proceeded slowly to Morristown. Just what he designed to do was never
known, but clearly he had no intention of going beyond the Delaware to
assist Washington, whom he believed to be ruined. Perhaps he thought
Morristown a desirable position to hold, as it certainly was. Whatever
his plans may have been, they were nipped in the bud. For some unknown
reason he passed the night of the 12th at an unguarded tavern, about
four miles from his army; and there he was captured next morning by a
party of British dragoons, who carried him off to their camp at
Princeton. The dragoons were very gleeful over this unexpected exploit,
but really they could not have done the Americans a greater service than
to rid them of such a worthless creature. The capture of Lee came in the
nick of time, for it set free his men to go to the aid of Washington.
Even after this force and that sent by Schuyler had reached the
commander-in-chief, he found he had only 6000 men fit for duty.

[Sidenote: Battle of Trenton, Dec. 26, 1776.]

[Illustration: Washington's Campaigns IN NEW JERSEY & PENNSYLVANIA.]

With this little force Washington instantly took the offensive. It was
the turning-point in his career and in the history of the Revolutionary
War. On Christmas, 1776, and the following nine days, all Washington's
most brilliant powers were displayed. The British centre, 10,000 strong,
lay at Princeton. The principal generals, thinking the serious business
of the war ended, had gone to New York. An advanced party of Hessians,
1000 strong, was posted on the bank of the Delaware at Trenton, and
another one lower down, at Burlington. Washington decided to attack both
these outposts, and arranged his troops accordingly, but when Christmas
night arrived, the river was filled with great blocks of floating ice,
and the only division which succeeded in crossing was the one that
Washington led in person. It was less than 2500 in number, but the
moment had come when the boldest course was the safest. By daybreak
Washington had surprised the Hessians at