From Farm House to the White House - 912 Freedom Library

Farm House to the White House, by William M. Thayer 172
The battle was short and decisive. Many Hessians were killed, and their brave commander, Colonel Rahl, fell
mortally wounded. He was conveyed carefully to the house of a Quaker lady, where General Washington paid
him a visit before leaving town.
"The misfortunes of war are to be deplored," remarked Washington, taking the dying man by the hand, and
expressing his sympathy for him.
"Death is preferable to life with this dishonor," answered Rahl.
Washington spoke in praise of the bravery of his men, to which Rahl replied, though he was really suffering
the agony of death:
"I entreat you, General Washington, not to take anything from my men but their arms."
"I will not," answered Washington; and he kept the promise.
Washington took about a thousand prisoners in this battle, including thirty-two officers. His seizure of
artillery and stores, also, was quite large. With prisoners and stores he recrossed the Delaware to his camp.
The fame of this brilliant exploit spread from town to town, reviving the despondent hopes of the many in
sympathy with the American cause.
Despatches from Cadwalader and Reed assured Washington that the British army, fleeing from Trenton, had
spread consternation everywhere among the enemy. Trenton, Bordentown, and other places were deserted by
the foe, who, panic-stricken by the victory of Washington, fled in confusion.
Washington saw that now was his time to drive the British from the Jerseys. He sent to Generals McDougall
and Maxwell at Morristown, ordering them to collect as large a force of militia as possible, and harass the
retreating enemy in the rear. He wrote to General Heath, also, to come down at once from the Highlands, with
the eastern militia; and he despatched gentlemen of influence in different directions, to arouse the militia to
revenge the wrongs inflicted upon the people by the Hessians. He said:
"If what they have suffered does not rouse their resentment, they must not possess the feelings of humanity."
On the 29th of December, Washington crossed the Delaware again with a portion of his troops, though two
days were consumed in the passage of all of them, on account of the ice and boisterous weather. A portion of
his troops were expecting to go home at the end of the month, as the term of their enlistment expired; but
Washington drew them up in line, and addressed them, appealing to their patriotism, inviting them to re-enlist,
and offering them ten dollars bounty for six weeks' service. Most of them remained.
Taking advantage of the power vested in him, the commander-in-chief wrote to Robert Morris, "the patriot
financier at Philadelphia," pleading for hard money to meet the emergency.
"If you could possibly collect a sum, if it were but one hundred or one hundred and fifty pounds, it would be
of service."
Scarce as hard money was, Morris obtained the amount of a wealthy Quaker, and forwarded it to Washington
by express the next morning.
After the victory at Trenton, Congress, in session at Baltimore, took additional action to invest Washington
with all necessary powers; and that body said, in their communication to him: