‚o4 
HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES 
gloomy time for the Americans when Washington lay with his 
little arıny of 3000 men opposite Trenton. ‘Ten days more,” he 
wrote (December 20, 1776) to Congress, “will put an end to the 
existence of our army.” Yet before ten days had passed he had 
struck the British a fearful blow. On Christmas night, when the 
river was full of floating ice, he recrossed the Delaware and the 
next day surprised the enemy in their camp and took a thousand 
prisoners. The British general, Cornwallis, rushed to the scene 
with a large force. Reaching Trenton at night, he waited until 
the next day for battle. But he was sure Washington was at his 
mercy. “At last,” he said, “we have run down the old fox and 
will bag him in the morning.” But in the morning Washington 
Where Washington made his famous crossing of the Delaware. 
T’he cavered bridge is modern 
was gone, A few days later he met Cornwallis in battle at 
Princeton, and the British were put to flight. Washington now 
moved northward to Morristown, where he found a safe retreat 
and where he passed the winter. There had been a hard chase 
for six months, but the hare had not been caught. 
102. The British Capture the American Capital City, Phila- 
delphia.— Washington’s plan now was to watch Howe closely, 
annoy him in every way possible, and prevent him from joining 
the army that was about to märch into northern New York from 
Canada. In June, 1777, Howe started across New Jersey with 
a large army to take Philadelphia, the home of Congress and