From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library
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<strong>Farm</strong> <strong>House</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>White</strong> <strong>House</strong>, by William M. Thayer 169<br />
word on <strong>the</strong> subject," he wrote on <strong>the</strong> same day.<br />
At Veal<strong>to</strong>wn Lee left his troops in command of General Sullivan, and <strong>to</strong>ok up his own quarters at a "tavern"<br />
in Baskingridge, three miles off. He was very partial <strong>to</strong> "taverns" especially if well s<strong>to</strong>cked with certain<br />
articles <strong>to</strong> please his palate.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> next morning, about 11 o'clock, General Lee was writing at <strong>the</strong> table, and Major Wilkinson was<br />
looking out of <strong>the</strong> window. The latter arrived early in <strong>the</strong> morning with a letter from his commander, General<br />
Gates, and General Lee was replying <strong>to</strong> it.<br />
"The British cavalry are upon us!" shouted Wilkinson in consternation.<br />
"Where?" exclaimed Lee, springing from his chair.<br />
"Right here, around <strong>the</strong> house," answered Wilkinson, who beheld a detachment of British cavalry surrounding<br />
<strong>the</strong> tavern.<br />
"Where are <strong>the</strong> guards?" cried out Lee, in his surprise and horror. "Why don't <strong>the</strong>y fire?"<br />
It was a cold morning, and <strong>the</strong> guards had stacked <strong>the</strong>ir arms, and passed around <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> south side of <strong>the</strong> house<br />
<strong>to</strong> sun <strong>the</strong>mselves. They scarcely observed <strong>the</strong> enemy's presence until <strong>the</strong>y heard <strong>the</strong> demand <strong>to</strong> surrender.<br />
"If General Lee does not surrender in five minutes I will set fire <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> house!"<br />
At <strong>the</strong> same time <strong>the</strong> guards were chased in different directions. The demand for Lee <strong>to</strong> surrender was<br />
repeated, and he did surrender. Hastily he was put upon Wilkinson's horse, which s<strong>to</strong>od at <strong>the</strong> door, and<br />
within three hours <strong>the</strong> enemy were exulting over him at Brunswick.<br />
"No one <strong>to</strong> blame but himself," remarked Heath.<br />
"Good enough for him," said many Americans.<br />
General Sullivan was now in command, and he joined <strong>the</strong> commander-in-chief as soon as possible.<br />
In Wilkinson's memoir it is said that Lee delayed so strangely in order <strong>to</strong> intercept <strong>the</strong> enemy in pursuit of<br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n; and it is added:<br />
"If General Lee had anticipated General Washing<strong>to</strong>n in cutting <strong>the</strong> cordon of <strong>the</strong> enemy between New York<br />
and <strong>the</strong> Delaware, <strong>the</strong> commander-in-chief would probably have been superseded. In this case Lee would<br />
have succeeded him."<br />
Washing<strong>to</strong>n was <strong>to</strong>o magnanimous <strong>to</strong> exult over <strong>the</strong> fall of Lee. Notwithstanding his knowledge of Lee's plans<br />
<strong>to</strong> supersede him, he wrote <strong>to</strong> his bro<strong>the</strong>r:<br />
"Before you receive this letter, you will undoubtedly have heard of <strong>the</strong> capture of General Lee. This is an<br />
additional misfortune; and <strong>the</strong> more vexatious, as it was by his own folly and imprudence, and without a view<br />
<strong>to</strong> effect any good, that he was taken. As he went <strong>to</strong> lodge three miles out of his own camp, and within twenty<br />
miles of <strong>the</strong> enemy, a rascally Tory rode in <strong>the</strong> night <strong>to</strong> give notice of it <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> enemy, who sent a party of<br />
light-horse, who seized him, and carried him off with every mark of triumph and indignity."<br />
XX.