left in his
jaded battalions, and perhaps delay pursuit, which was all that could be
hoped for with his small force. Instead, however, of the expected
reenforcement, the departure of the New Jersey and Maryland brigades,
still so called by courtesy alone, since they were but the shadows of
what they had been, put this purpose out of the question. Again
Washington reluctantly turned his back to his enemy.

Lee's troops were now the chief resource. What few militia joined the
army one day melted away on the next. In Washington's opinion the
crisis had come. He therefore wrote to his laggard lieutenant, "Hasten
your march as much as possible or your arrival may be too late."

[Sidenote: December 7.]

Fortunately Cornwallis had orders not to advance beyond New Brunswick.
He therefore halted there until he could receive new instructions, which
caused a delay of six days before the pursuit was renewed.[3] On the 7th
Cornwallis moved on to Princeton, arriving there on the same day that
Washington left it. This was getting dangerously near, with a wide river
to cross, at only one short march beyond.

In view of the actual state of things, this retreat must stand in
history as a masterpiece of calculated temerity. Keeping only one day's
march ahead of his enemy, Washington's rear-guard only moved off when
the enemy's van came in sight. There is nowhere any hint of a disorderly
retreat, or any serious infraction of discipline, or any deviation from
the strict letter of obedience to orders, such as usually follows in the
wake of a beaten and retreating army. Washington simply let himself be
pushed along when he found resistance altogether hopeless. In this firm
hold on his soldiers, at such an hour, we recognize the leader.

Footnotes:

[1] Captain Graydon (_Memoirs_) and Ethan Allen (_Narrative_), both
prisoners at this time, fix the responsibility where it belongs.

[2] Cornwallis (Lord Brome) was squint-eyed from effects of a blow in
the eye received while playing hockey at Eton. His playmate who caused
the accident was Shute Barrington, afterwards Bishop of Durham. He
entered the army as an ensign in the Foot Guards. His first commission
is dated Dec. 8, 1756.

[3] This delay is chargeable to Howe, who kept the troops halted until
he could consult with Cornwallis in person as to future operations. The
question was, Should or should not the British army cross the Delaware?

VII

LEE'S MARCH AND CAPTURE