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 ofiicexs were wounded, — • 

 Mr. Monroe, late president of the United States, then a captain ia 

 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. 



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. XXXIX, No. 2.— July-September, 1840. .- 30 



