Departure from New York: journey from New York to Trenton: battles of
Trenton and Princeton: visit to Joseph Bonaparte: state of New
Jersey.
On the 22d of September we left New York for the third time. The
profound silence of the crowd which filled the streets, and the sadness
impressed upon all countenances, indicated that this third absence of
Lafayette was to be prolonged. How much this departure contrasted with
our arrival. At present not one cry of joy, not one acclamation; but how
much of expression in the very silence of the people and soldiers, who
stood in double ranks from our hotel to the shore where the steam-boat
awaited us. The general wished to go on foot through the long space we
had to traverse, and sent away the carriages which had been provided;
but when he appeared at the door he was so much crowded by those who
wished still to see him once more, that it was impossible for some
moments to disengage him, and open him a passage by which he might move
onwards. At every step he was retarded by the most touching farewells;
persons threw themselves before him, took his hand and squeezed it with
tenderness, and then abruptly quitted him with averted countenances, to
conceal the tears they could not restrain.
Accompanied by a large deputation from the city, we went on board the
steam-boat _Kent_, which was to convey us to the state of Jersey, from
which we were only separated by the North river, which at this place is
of prodigious width. At the moment we pushed off, the cannon thundered
forth farewell! but its sounds appeared to us to be mournful! it
appeared to be harmonious with the adieus of the crowd which stood sadly
on the shore. We participated in this sadness, and perhaps we should
have yielded to our feelings, had we not suddenly been struck by a
contrast, which soon changed the nature of our sensation. On the left
bank of the river we had left a bereaved family mourning the departure
of a father; while on the right bank we heard shouts of joy from men who
were waiting to receive their liberator. We were soon among them, and
their frank and cordial reception lessened the pain of our recent
separation.
Mr. Williamson, governor of New Jersey, had assembled at Jersey city,
where we landed, all his staff and a detachment of militia, by which we
were escorted during all our route across New Jersey. Our journey was
through Bergen, Newark, Elizabethtown, Rahway, New Brunswick, Princeton
and Trenton, in each of which towns, and in all the intervening
villages, Lafayette was received with the most brilliant festivities,
prepared in the same spirit of enthusiasm and gratitude which had
actuated all parts of New England. At Bergen a deputation of the
citizens presented him with a cane, in the name of the inhabitants, made
of a branch of the apple tree under which he breakfasted with
Washington, when he passed through the town during the revolutionary
war. This apple tree was blown down in 1821 by a terrible storm. These
different circumstances were engraved on the golden head of the cane.
At Newark, a pretty small town situated upon the Passaic, the Nation’s
Guest was hailed by the patriotic songs of numerous chorusses of boys
and girls. Lafayette passed the night at Elizabethtown, and the next
morning he entered New Brunswick amid the ringing of bells and the
thundering of cannon. On the 25th he stopped for a few moments at
Princeton, where the President of the College, at the head of the
professors, presented him the diploma of membership of the society,
which under the presidency of Dr. Witherspoon, had unanimously elected
him. In the evening we arrived at Trenton, where a great concourse of
people awaited Lafayette, at the head of which the magistrates expressed
the sentiments of love and gratitude by which every citizen was animated
towards him.
The whole line of country which we had passed through during these two
days, is commonly called the garden of the United States. This name
agrees admirably with this fertile part of New Jersey, which is watered
by numerous streams, and adorned with the most beautiful plantations. If
in this two days’ march our eyes were constantly delighted with the
beautiful aspect of nature, our imagination was not less agreeably
occupied by the historic recollections which every step over this soil
brought to mind. It was by the same route that Washington effected his
excellent retreat in 1776, after having received some checks upon the
North river. It was at Trenton and at Princeton that by a bold manœuvre,
he resumed the offensive against his presumptuous adversary, which
inspired confidence into his troops, and recalled victory to his
standards.
The details of these glorious days could not but vividly interest me;
and I listened to them with avidity when I heard them related by some
old members of the Cincinnati society with which we dined on the day of
our arrival at Trenton. The following is the account given of the facts,
which they witnessed.
“Washington having learned that an advanced corps of five hundred
Hessian and English cavalry, commanded by Colonel Rahl, had taken
position at Trenton, formed the project of surprising and capturing them
if possible. To effect his design, he made choice of Christmas eve,
thinking correctly that discipline and vigilance would be somewhat
relaxed by the festival. He had not then more than 3000 men under his
command: he took 2400 and formed them into two divisions, one under
general Green, and the other under General Sullivan, and at their head
he crossed the Delaware in boats at midnight on the 25th of December,
during a tremendous storm of rain and snow. Having landed on the Jersey
shore, he directed one of his columns to the left to gain the great road
to Maidenhead, and the other to march directly upon Trenton, following
the river. The march was so quick and secret, that the two columns
arrived at the advanced posts by seven o’clock in the morning and
entirely surprized them. At the first discharges of musketry the brigade
ran to arms, and some men attempted to harness the artillery, which was
parked in the church, but they were prevented by the quickness with
which the American advanced guard came up. The Hessians and English
seeing themselves altogether surrounded, soon ceased to defend
themselves, Colonel Rahl and some other officers having been dangerously
wounded in the commencement of the attack, the troop surrendered at
discretion. This action which secured to the victors six pieces of
cannon, a hundred stands of small arms, three standards, twelve hundred
prisoners, and much baggage, did not at most cause them the loss of ten
men. General Washington decided that the Hessians should be sent into
the interior of Pennsylvania, and should have all their baggage. This
generous treatment, which they were far from expecting, inspired them
with great veneration for the American general, who they said was _a
very good and very amiable rebel_.
“After this success Washington retired beyond the Delaware where, after
having received considerable reinforcements from the states of Maryland
and Virginia, he re-entered Jersey and encamped at Trenton: at this news
Lord Cornwallis discovered himself to have been mistaken, when he
supposed the war to be at an end: he soon perceived that his opponent
was not a man to give up an undertaking as long as a single musket
remained; in consequence he resolved to pursue him vigorously.
Notwithstanding the rigors of the season, he collected his scattered
troops from their winter quarters, and marched against him with
considerable forces. At this approach, Washington retired behind the
Assanpink, so that Trenton was placed between the two armies, which
during the first evening exchanged some cannon shots, after having spent
some time in reconnoitering. However Cornwallis was daily reinforced,
and only waited for the arrival of the two brigades of Brunswick to
attempt the passage of the brook, and attack. Washington’s situation was
then very critical; provisions began to fail, and all communication with
Jersey and the Western States was cut off, but he never despaired of the
success of the holy cause he defended. On the 2d of January at one
o’clock at night, he ordered fires to be lighted, and left a few
soldiers to keep them burning while the army marching by its right to
fall back subsequently upon its left, passed behind the British army,
and re-entered Jersey. The movement was dangerous had it not been
secret, for it was necessary to prolong it considerably upon the right
in order to cross the Assanpink more easily at its sources, and then
fall back upon Princeton. It was executed with rare success; about a
mile from Princeton, the advanced guard of Washington in entering upon
the great road, found itself face to face with the English regiment of
Colonel Mawhood, which was marching in full security towards Trenton;
the action immediately began; the American advanced guard was soon
driven in by the vivacity of the English fire. General Mercer who
commanded it, yielding to his impetuosity wished to renew the attack
with the bayonet, but in leaping a ditch he fell among the English, who
mercilessly put him to death, at the moment he was presenting his sword,
in the belief that he was a prisoner. The Americans discouraged by the
loss of their leader, concealed themselves in the woods to wait the
arrival of the main body of the army, which was not long delayed. The
English corps continued its march upon Maidenhead, so that when
Washington arrived upon the place of action, he found only the
forty-eighth English regiment, which at the sound of the first firing,
had turned to the great road; this he suddenly attacked, dispersed it
and took some prisoners. During this time, General Sullivan rapidly
advanced, leaving the Princeton road upon his left, with the intention
of turning this town and cutting off from the troops occupying it all
hopes of retreat upon Brunswick. A wood through which he had to pass,
was occupied by two hundred English, which were dislodged in an instant,
and rapidly pursued as far as Princeton college, from which they might
have maintained an obstinate resistance, but this they did not attempt,
and were obliged to ground their arms almost without a combat.
Washington at the head of his principal corps, after having dispersed or
taken all before him, marched rapidly upon Middlebrook. He was willing
to push on as far as Brunswick, which at that time he could have taken
without difficulty, but his troops had marched thirty miles in a day,
and were harassed with fatigue; he was therefore obliged to halt. It
would be difficult to depict the astonishment of Cornwallis on hearing
at twelve miles in his rear the audacious attack of an enemy, whom he
thought in front, amidst the fires which still blazed upon the banks of
the Assanpink. He retired precipitately upon Brunswick, and from that
moment Jersey was free, and Pennsylvania secure.
“We arrived at Trenton on Saturday the 25th of September; the next
morning we attended divine service in the presbyterian church, and
afterwards Gen. Lafayette went in a carriage with the governor and one
of his aids, without escort or parade, to Bordentown, the residence of
Joseph Bonaparte. The Ex-King appeared much affected by the visit of the
nation’s guest, and received him with an expression of sensibility and
cordiality, which proved to General Lafayette that time had not weakened
the sentiments of affection he had heretofore exhibited towards him. He
detained us to dinner, and introduced us to his family, which at this
time was composed only of his daughter and his son-in-law, the Prince of
Musignano, son of Lucian Bonaparte. Before dinner was served, Joseph
withdrew in company with Lafayette to his cabinet and remained there for
more than an hour. We passed this time in conversation with his
son-in-law, a man of affable manners and apparently of very cultivated
intellect. He is devoted to scientific studies, and particularly to
natural history, with which he is principally employed. He has continued
with considerable talent the great work of American Ornithology
commenced by WILSON. After dinner, of which Madame de Musignano did the
honors with much amiableness, we found the gardens and yards crowded
with the inhabitants of the vicinity, who brought their children to
receive the benediction of the patriarch of liberty. Joseph himself with
eagerness ordered the doors to be thrown open and in an instant the
apartments were filled by the enthusiastic multitude. It was truly a
striking picture to behold these good American villagers under the rich
ceilings of such a mansion. Although their eyes were unaccustomed to all
the splendor of a regal establishment, they stopped not to dwell upon
the beautiful productions of the French and Italian schools, nor upon
the bronzes and exquisite statuary of which these apartments are adorned
with elegant profusion; it was Lafayette alone that they wished to see,
and after having seen him they retired satisfied and as if incapable of
noticing any thing else. When the crowd had silently left the house,
Lafayette hastened to excuse himself to his host for having drawn upon
him such a concourse; to this Joseph replied with much kindness that he
felt very happy that his neighbours had associated their welcomes with
his, and added, moreover I have long been accustomed to see them in as
great numbers, as on every fourth of July we celebrate together the
anniversary of American Independence.”
Time flew rapidly during this visit, and the Governor of New Jersey was
obliged to remind the general that we had only time enough to reach
Trenton before night. We immediately set out. Joseph and his family
wished to accompany the general a part of the way, we divided the
carriages which were prepared for us and slowly traversed the large and
beautiful property, the peaceable possession of which appeared to me far
preferable to that of the troubled kingdom of Spain. When we reached the
great road, Joseph stopped the carriage and addressing Lafayette with
ardor, said “permit me to halt upon my frontiers and restore you to the
tenderness of the Americans, who claim the happy right of doing you the
honors of their country.” He then warmly embraced the general, shook us
kindly by the hand, and retired rapidly with his family.
During all this visit Joseph Bonaparte showed himself to be an amiable
and intelligent man. The benevolence he displays to his neighbours, the
generosity with which he receives strangers, and especially unfortunate
Frenchmen, and in short the amenity of his character have gained him
universal regard.
On our return to Trenton, we passed the evening with the governor, his
family, and some of the principal citizens of the state; the
conversation turned upon some of the principal events of the revolution,
in which General Lafayette had been conspicuous. The recollection of the
sacrifices of all sorts made at that glorious period, naturally led the
conversation to the great benefits which have accrued to all parts of
the union. One of the governor’s officers, a gentleman of cultivated
mind and remarkable knowledge, rapidly sketched for us the developement
of the prosperity of New Jersey, from the time it was freed from the
ridiculous and absurd colonial system.
This province was first settled in 1628, by a Swedish company, and after
passing through the hands of the Dutch and English, changed masters at
least ten times in seventy-two years, scarcely contained twenty thousand
inhabitants a century after its commencement, and but 100,000 at most
when it was first called to participate in the advantages of
independence. At present it contains, at least, 280,000. Although the
state of New Jersey was constantly the theatre of the revolutionary war,
and its losses consequently considerable, its prosperity at this time
equals that of the most flourishing states; protected by forty years of
peace and liberty, its industry has created it a fruitful source of
wealth.
The constitution of New Jersey was discussed and adopted by the
continental Congress, held at Burlington on the 2nd of July, 1776. This
constitution was preceded by a declaration supporting the following
principle.
“All constitutional authority, hitherto possessed by the kings of Great
Britain over these colonies, or their other possessions, only existed by
virtue of contract by the people, granted it for the common interest of
all society. Fidelity and protection being in the nature of things,
reciprocal ties, depending equally upon each other, the contract is
susceptible of dissolution by the people, when these advantages are
withdrawn or refused, and seeing that George the third, has refused his
protection to the good people of these colonies; has sought by divers
acts to give them up to the absolute power of the parliament, and has
himself made war upon them in the most cruel and unheard of manner, for
the sole reason that they wished to maintain their just rights, all
authority exercised by the king of England is necessarily at an end.”
The constitution of New Jersey also establishes three powers, the
legislative, executive, and judiciary, but with this difference, that in
this state the governor is always a member of the legislative assembly,
and chancellor of the state. He is annually elected by the council and
general assembly. He has the right of pardoning, even in cases of
treason; is commander-in-chief of the military forces, but has no
influence in the appointment of captains and subalterns, which are
always elected by the companies of each county. None but the generals
and officers of the staff are elected by the council and assembly.
The military force is composed of about forty thousand men, of every
description of arms. The militia regulations are very similar to those
of Massachusetts.