From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 165
"Our retreat to Brunswick must be hastened, or the enemy will be upon us," added Greene.
The retreat was precipitated; and when the rear-guard of Washington's command was leaving one end of
Newark, the vanguard of the British army was entering at the other.
On reaching Brunswick, Washington wrote at once to Governor Livingston, instructing him to collect all the
boats and river craft on the Delaware for seventy miles, remove them to the western bank of the river, away
from the enemy, and guard them.
He was doomed to additional disappointment at Brunswick. Colonel Reed raised no troops in New Jersey, and
many of those raised by General Mifflin in Pennsylvania were deserting. The term of enlistment of General
Mercer's command had expired, and no inducement or entreaties could prevail upon them to remain. He could
not muster over four thousand men.
Still worse, a letter from General Lee to Colonel Reed disclosed the fact that the former had not given heed to
the orders of his chief, and he was still at Northcastle. Moreover, the letter revealed that General Lee was
plotting against him. Colonel Reed was absent when the letter arrived, and, according to his custom,
Washington opened the letter, supposing it related to military business. What was his surprise to find that the
letter contained insinuations against himself, and also implicated Colonel Reed, his old friend, in a plot to
make Lee commander-in-chief.
We will say here, once for all, that, while General Lee was an able military officer, he was an ambitious,
arrogant, and deceitful man. On his return from the South, his fame had reached the zenith, and some thought
he ought to lead the American army. Washington's continued retreats increased this feeling, until General Lee
evidently thought there was a fair prospect of the removal of Washington, and his own promotion to
commander-in-chief. Even Colonel Reed entertained this opinion, though afterwards he saw his mistake, and
made suitable amends. This explains Lee's conduct before and after Washington retired from Brunswick.
Judge Jay related the following incident: "A short time before the death of John Adams, I was conversing with
my father about the American Revolution. Suddenly he remarked:
"'Ah, William! The history of that Revolution will never be known. Nobody now alive knows it but John
Adams and myself.'
"'You surprise me, father; to what can you refer?'
"'The proceedings of the old Congress.'
"'What proceedings?'
"'Those against Washington; from first to last there was a bitter party against him.'"
The "old Congress" sat with closed doors, so that the public learned only what it was wise to disclose.
Washington waited for recruits at Brunswick until the 1st of December. On that day the vanguard of the
British army appeared on the opposite side of the Raritan. Washington destroyed the end of the bridge next to
the village, to intercept the pursuit of the enemy, and retreated. Stopping at Princeton temporarily, he left
twelve hundred troops there, under Lord Stirling and General Stephens, to keep an eye on the foe, and
continued his retreat to Trenton.
While the American army decreased from week to week, the British army in pursuit was augmented; for,
through the Jerseys, General Howe impressed men, horses, and wagons, and at the same time many Tories