The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

AET. 44.] LIFE OF WASHINGTON. 229
The ice had formed so fast in the river below Trenton,
that it was impracticable for the troops under Cadwalader
and Ewing to pass over at the times agreed upon.
Cadwalader succeeded in landing a battalion of infantry;
but the ice on the margin of the stream was in such a
condition, as to render it impossible to land the artillery, and they all returned. If Ewing had crossed, as
was proposed, and taken possession of the bridge on the
south side of the town, the party that fled would have
been intercepted and captured. And there was the
fairest prospect that Cadwalader would have been
equally fortunate against the detachments below, or
have driven them towards Trenton, where they would
have met a victorious army. This part of the plan
having failed, and the enemy being in force at Princeton
and Brunswic, it was thought advisable by General
Washington not to hazard any thing further, especially
as his men were exhausted with fatigue. -He recrossed
the Delaware with his prisoners the same day, and
gained his encampment on the other side.
The British and Hessian troops posted at Bordentown, and in the vicinity of that place, immediately
retreated to Princeton, so that the whole line of the
enemy's cantonments along the Delaware was broken up
and driven back. As soon as his troops were refreshed,
General Washington again passed over the Delaware,
and took up his quarters at Trenton, resolved to pursue the enemy, or adopt such other measures as his
situation would justify. Meanwhile General Cadwalader succeeded in crossing over with eighteen hundred
Pennsylvania militia, who were followed by as many
more under General Mifflin, all of whom formed a junction with the main army at Trenton.
At this critical moment the term of service of several regiments expired, the dissolution of the old army
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