here being few amongst us to whom
the profession was not entirely new. But, I confess, it would give me
infinite pain, if, by "a strange inattention of mine to the tide and state
of the river," and the not arriving "one hour" sooner at Dunk's Ferry, we
had lost the opportunity of striking a blow at Mount Holly, of equal glory
with that at Trenton. When you insinuated, in the former part of your
address, a superior knowledge in military matters, by saying you had more
"experience," I gave up the point, and left you the happiness of thinking
so; for why should I have contended a point with a man who, throughout his
pamphlet, assumes to himself the merit of all those brilliant successes, so
highly commended even by our enemies, and which determined the fate of
American independence. And if I was sensible that the charge you now make
was true, or could be thought so, by competent judges, I would scorn to
defend my error.

My orders were, to make the attack one hour before day, and to effect a
surprise, if possible. The impropriety, therefore, of sending the boats
from Bristol to Dunk's Ferry, and marching the troops from the same place
in open day, is evident, as such a movement must have been observed, and
communicated to the enemy. And now, tell me the instance, where even
continental troops have arrived at the point of attack at the given time?
It was General Washington's intention to have made his attack on Trenton
before day; yet, from unavoidable delays, he did not arrive there till
after eight o'clock in the morning. We reached Dunk's Ferry a little before
low water, and can any person believe, that if we had arrived "one hour
sooner," we could have passed over near twenty-five hundred men, four
pieces of cannon, ammunition wagons and horses, and all the horses
belonging to officers, in that time, in the night too, and the river full
of ice, with only five large batteauxs and two or three scows; when it took
us at least six hours, (a day or two afterwards,) to cross above Bristol,
in open day and the river almost clear of ice. Strange "inattention,"
unhappy commander! That "_a single hour_, which we might have enjoyed with
equal convenience and equal risk," should be the only obstacle to a scene
of equal glory with that of Trenton, and yet you have represented to
General Washington, as appears by his letter,[K] dated six o'clock, P. M.,
25th December, 1776, to me, _being the very same night_, and before we
marched to