Trumbull Gallery of Paintings in Yale College. 233 



and obstinate straggle followed, in which the ITth British regi- 

 ment was nearly annihilated; the 55th was not much less severely 

 cut up, and with difficulty effected a retreat on Brunswick ; to 

 which place the 40th also escaped by a circuitous road, and with 

 less loss. 



The loss of lives was considerable on both sides ; 200 priso- 

 ners remained in the hands of the Americans, who immediately 

 continued their march, with the intention of pushing on to Bruns- 

 wick, and there burning the enemy's magazines ; but upon ex- 

 amining the condition of the troops during a short halt at Kings- 

 ton, it was found, that although they were in high spirits, yet 

 their physical force was too far exhausted by cold, fatigue, and 

 hunger. Their march might be traced upon the frozen ground 

 by the blood from their lacerated feet ; their shoes, as well as oth- 

 er clothing, being utterly inadequate to the extreme rigor of the 

 season ; in addition to which, their ammunition was found to be 

 nearly exhausted. Under these circumstances, the attempt upon 

 Brunswick was reluctantly abandoned, and the army filed off to 

 the north by an obscure road opposite to the stage-house in Kings- 

 ton, and took up a strong position in the hilly country towards 

 Morristown. 



In the mean time. Lord Cornwallis, secure of his prey, waited 

 with impatience for morning, when he was astonished by a heavy 

 firing far in his rear; and upon examination found that his ene- 

 my was gone, and that nothing remained of the hostile camp 

 but the ashes of the fires by which he had been deluded. He 

 instantly comprehended the nature and extent of the evil, — that 

 Princeton and Brunswick were exposed to imminent danger, and 

 without one moment of unnecessary delay, he commenced his 

 retrograde march for their relief. In a few days, the British ar- 

 my, lately so triumphant, was reduced to the very narrow limits 

 of Brunswick and Amboy, owing their security even in them, 

 principally to the open communication with New York by sea; 

 while the Americans occupied all other points of East as well as 

 of West Jersey, and often insulted their enemy within their nar- 

 row quarters. 



Thus, in the short space of nine days, an extensive country, 

 an entire State, was wrested from the hands of a victorious ene- 

 my, superior in numbers, in arms, and in discipline, by the wis- 

 ^m, activity, and energy of one great mind. 



