Trumbull Gallery of Paintings in Yale College. 229 
most impassable by drifting ice, and thus the elements conspired 
to remove from the minds of the devoted Germans all apprehen- 
sions of an attack. The division under the immediate command 
of Washington, crossed the river with great difficulty, marched 
down on the east shore, and were not discovered until they pre- 
sented themselves at the northern extremity of the town, a little 
before sunrise. ‘The Germans, particularly the regiment of Rahl, 
flew to arms, and for a few minutes made a very spirited but 
ineffectual resistance. The attack was completely successful ; 
and the principal part of the three German regiments, of Rahl, 
Lossberg, and Knyphausen, to the number of 918, were made 
prisoners: in killed and wounded they lost 30 or 40 men; the 
remainder escaped across the creek down the river, and joined 
their comrades at Bordentown,—the meditated attack on that post 
having been prevented by the impossibility of crossing the river. 
Six light battalion brass cannon also fell into the hands of the 
victor, whose loss was trifling. 'Two officers were wounded,— 
Mr. Monroe, late president of the United States, then a captain in 
the Virginia troops, dangerously, and Wm. Washington, then a 
lieutenant, afterwards the celebrated cavalry officer, slightly. 
When the conflict was ended, General Washington walked his 
horse over the field, to see that the wounded were properly at- 
tended to. Among them he observed an officer richly dressed in 
the hostile uniform, and upon inquiry, found that this was Col. 
Rahl, commanding officer of the enemy. He immediately called 
one of his aids-du-camp, Col. William Smith, and gave this mem- 
orable order: “Smith, take charge of this gentleman; see him 
carefully and kindly conveyed to a house ; call our best surgeons 
to his assistance, and let us save his life if possible.” Col. Rahl 
died in the afternoon, but the memory of this act should never 
die. git 
The magnanimous kindness displayed by Washington, on this 
occasion, offers a sublime example of true heroism, and well de- 
serves to be imitated by all military men. The artist chose this 
subject, and composed the picture for the express purpose of giv- 
ing a lesson to all living and future soldiers in the service of his 
country, to show mercy and ‘kindness to a fallen enemy ,—their 
enemy no longer when wounded and in their power. 
In the afternoon the army re-crossed the Delaware, with the 
trophies of their victory, and the next day the prisoners and artil< 
Vol. xxxrx, No. 2.—July-September, 1940. 30 
