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sack, but he himself went to Fort Lee, as his chief anxiety at present was the fate of Fort Washington. He had been mistaken about the intention of General (or as he was by this time entitled) Sir William Howe, who had camped at King's Bridge, for the purpose of taking Fort Washington. This was accomplished on the 16th, "but it was attacked from four different points, by an overpowering force. It was manned altogether by about 3,000 men. Washington, from the opposite side of the Hudson, saw the fight without being able to join it. He saw that there was brave fighting among his men, and for some time was hopeful of their success. Then he saw Colonel Cadwalader's men assailed in flank, the line broken, and overpowered by numbers, and he gave up all for lost. The worst sight of all was to behold his men cut down and bayoneted by the Hessians while begging quarter. It is said so completely to have overcome him that he wept like a child." Shortly afterwards he saw the American flag of stars and stripes taken down, and the British flag flying in its place; and then he heard of the surrender which had taken place. In writing to his brother Augustine afterwards of the event, he says, "This is a most unfortunate affair, and has given me great mortification, as we have lost not only 2,000 men that were there, but a good deal of artillery, and some of the best arms we had; and what adds to my mortification is that this post, after the last ships went past it, was held contrary to my wishes and opinion, as I conceived it to be a very hazardous one."

When General Lee heard of it, he said, "Oh, general, why would you be persuaded by men of inferior judgment to your own ?”

CHAPTER XIII.

Now that Fort Washington was taken, there was no need for retaining a garrison in Fort Lee, which had been chiefly useful as a guard for the former. Washington, therefore, gave orders for the removal of the men and ammunition to be effected as soon as possible, and himself went back to the camp at Havensack. Here he was soon greeted by the news that the enemy had crossed the Hudson, 6,000 strong, under Lord Cornwallis, and were approaching the American quarters.

There was nothing left for it but for Washington to beat a retreat, which he did, falling back successively on Brunswick, upon Princeton, and then on Trenton, which was close to the Delaware River, the boundary between New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile he sent urgent letters to Lee, who was in command of the forces at Northcastle, to bring him reinforcements as soon as possible, for he had only about 3,000 available troops with him, and they were dispirited and uncertain.

Lee's conduct at this time seems to have been almost insulting to his commander. He delayed in sending the men required, or in coming himself, and a correspondence which he held with Adjutant-General Reed, of a most unfriendly character to the general, fell by accident into Washington's hands. Lee's former successes had made him vain, and Washington's want of success had moved him to contempt. He seemed to feel himself a greater man than

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his chief, and was not inclined to obey his orders. What the consequences of this neglect proved to him, and who was the wiser man remains to be shown by the sequel.

Washington's great fear was that the British troops would reach Philadelphia, and occupy the city before he could save it. He therefore more earnestly urged that General Lee would join him, and sent most of the stores and the baggage across the Delaware River. News reaching him that Lord Cornwallis was rapidly gaining on him, he took his troops also over the Delaware River, and then destroyed all the boats which he had used, and caused all other boats to be destroyed for seventy miles up the river. When Lord Cornwallis came to the water's edge there were no boats for him. He made an attempt to cross the river higher up, but the American troops had been so effectually posted along the opposite bank that he found this was impossible; and so he took the main part of his army back to New Brunswick, caused the left flank of the river to be guarded by some German soldiers, and made up his mind to wait until the Delaware was frozen, and he could cross on the ice.

"Do come on," wrote Washington again to Lee; and by this time Lee had slowly begun to move. He had no idea of being hurried. He wrote back to Washington: "I heard you were strongly reinforced; can't I do more good by attacking the British troops in the rear? I cannot persuade myself Philadelphia is their object." Again Washington wrote: "I have so frequently mentioned our situation, and the necessity of your aid, that it is painful for me to add a word on the subject."

Lee came leisurely on, halting at Morristown, then marching to Vealtown, about eight miles distant, leaving his troops there, and going with a small guard to a tavern at

Baskingridge, three miles off. Here he was joined by a Major Wilkinson, who had brought a letter from General Gates. "About four o'clock in the morning Wilkinson arrived at the general's quarters. He was presented to him as he lay in bed, and delivered to him the letter of General Gates. Lee, naturally indolent, lingered in bed until eight o'clock. He then came down in his usual slovenly style, half-dressed, in slippers and blanket coat, his collar open, and his linen apparently of some days wear. After some inquiries about the campaign in the North, he gave Wilkinson a brief account of the operations of the main army, which he condemned in strong terms, and in his usual sarcastic way. He wasted the morning in altercation with some of the militia, particularly the Connecticut light horse, "several of whom," says Wilkinson, "appeared in large. full-bottomed wigs, and were treated very irreverently. One wanted forage, another his horse shod, another his pay, a fourth provisions, &c., to which the general replied, 'Your wants are numerous; but you have not mentioned the lastyou want to go home, and shall be indulged, for you do no good here.' They did not sit down to breakfast till ten o'clock. After breakfast Lee sat writing a reply to General Gates, in which, as usual, he indulged in sarcastic comments on the commander-in-chief. While Lee was writing, Wilkinson was looking out of a window down a lane, about a hundred yards in length, leading from the house to the main road. Suddenly a party of British dragoons turned a corner of the avenue at a full charge. 'Here, sir, are the British cavalry!' exclaimed Wilkinson. 'Where?' replied Lee, who had just signed his letter. 'Around the house!' for they had opened fire, and surrounded it.

"Where is the guard? The guard, why don't they fire?'

Then, after a momentary pause, 'Do, sir, see what has become of the guard.'

"The guards, alas! unwary as their general, and chilled by the air of a frosty morning, had stacked their arms, and repaired to the south side of a house on the opposite side of the road, to screen themselves, and were now chased by the dragoons in different directions. In fact, a man who had visited the general the evening before, to complain of the loss of a horse taken by the army, having found where Lee was to lodge and breakfast, had ridden eighteen miles in the night to Brunswick to give the information, and had piloted back Colonel Harcourt with his dragoons.

"The women of the house would fain have concealed Lee in a bed, but he rejected the proposition with disdain. Wilkinson heard a voice declare, 'If the general does not surrender in five minutes, I will set fire to the house. After a short pause, the threat was repeated with a solemn oath. Within two minutes he heard it proclaimed, 'Here is the general; he has surrendered.'

"There was a shout of triumph; but a great hurry to make sure of the prize before the army should arrive to the rescue. A trumpet sounded the recall to the dragoons, who were chasing the scattered guards. The general, bareheaded, and in his slippers and blanket coat, was mounted on Wilkinson's horse, which stood at the door, and the troop clattered off with their prisoner to Brunswick. In three hours the booming of cannon in that direction told the exultation of the enemy."

Wilkinson rode off with the news to General Sullivan, who was at Pluckamin; and the general on hearing what he had to say, determined to join the commander-in-chief as soon as possible.