Read Online The General's Christmas by C. Metzinger - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: C. Metzinger
Tags: Christmas, battle, george washington, american revolution, battle of trenton, crossing the delaware, war for independence
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until they came closer.
Finally seeing that they were from his own regiment, he trotted
ahead to meet them.
"General Washington!" one of
the men exclaimed in surprise, "Captain George Wallis,
sir!"
Washington was puzzled, "Are you part of the
scouting party?"
"No, sir. We're just
returning from Trenton."
"Trenton!" Washington exclaimed, "Why were
you there?"
"Well, sir," Captain Wallis
began proudly, "A few days ago, one of our men was in a boat going
by Trenton and one of them Hessians shot him. Our Brigadier General
Stephen wanted to teach them Hessians a lesson, so he sent us out
to raid one of the outposts. We killed at least four, I think, and
wounded almost a dozen more. They chased us, but we got clean away
in this storm!"
Washington's face turned beet red and his
knuckles strangled the reins in his hands.
"I gave no such order!" he shouted, "General
Stephen should have informed me of this action! This completely
ruins all my plans for a surprise attack! Now they're on their
guard!"
"Sir, I'm sorry, I was just
obeying orders-" Captain Wallis began.
"Yes! Yes, you did as you were told. I shall
take this matter up with your commanding officer. Please go to him
and tell him I want to see him immediately! And send General Greene
as well."
"Yes, sir!" Wallis replied
and rode quickly along the column of marching men.
Washington heaved a sigh of
frustration. Another setback. Now the Hessians would be armed and
ready to fight, perhaps even on this road. The advantage of
surprise was now lost. His men would have to face a full scale
attack against battle-ready troops. This realization dawned with
disappointment, and he shook his head in dismay.
The two riders pulled up beside him.
Brigadier General Stephen asked,
"You wanted to see me,
sir?"
"Did you send out a party to Trenton without
informing me or making a request to take such an action?"
Stephen's face darkened as he drew himself
up.
"Yes, sir! I joined the army
to fight these devils! They killed one of my men, and I ain't
letting them get away with that! We taught them a
lesson!"
"I have taken great pains to keep this march
on Trenton as quiet as possible," raged Washington, "and you have
sent out a party to announce our presence! Our advantage of
surprise has been compromised, thanks to you!"
Stephen sat up straight in
his saddle and squinted his eyes defiantly. General Greene
anxiously awaited the man's reply. They had clashed on prior
occasions, and he expected a similar row.
"I took action," Stephen rebutted, "Something
this army should've been doin' long ago!"
"But you are not the Commander in
Chief! I am! And
until you are Commander, you will follow my orders and you will
take no actions without my permission! Is that
understood?"
Stephen screwed his face up against the wind
and hesitated before delivering a sarcastic reply.
"Understood.....Sir!"
In defiance, Stephen hurled a spit of brown
tobacco onto the snow beside Washington's horse.
"That is all. You may rejoin your regiment,"
Washington replied. Stephen's mouth twisted angrily as he turned
his horse and rode away.
As he witnessed the scene,
General Greene was worried. He had spent a great deal of time with
Washington and had rarely seen him as angry as he was
now.
Greene ventured to ask,
"Sir, if the outposts have been warned of our attack, what should
we do?"
Washington heaved a sigh of
frustration and replied, "We press on, General. We just press
on."
Chapter 10
The light of dawn was muted
under heavy clouds and snow. As they marched, sharp winds tore
through their clothes, and efforts to hide exposed skin were
futile. The regiment made good time across the snowfield towards
Trenton with only one delay, a wagon stuck in deep snow. Once it
was freed, they marched on.
Washington’s scouts
returned. The leader wore a three-day old beard, and his tan
buckskin jacket was white with snow.
“The nearest outpost is just
over this ridge, sir. The land slopes downward there.
Finally seeing that they were from his own regiment, he trotted
ahead to meet them.
"General Washington!" one of
the men exclaimed in surprise, "Captain George Wallis,
sir!"
Washington was puzzled, "Are you part of the
scouting party?"
"No, sir. We're just
returning from Trenton."
"Trenton!" Washington exclaimed, "Why were
you there?"
"Well, sir," Captain Wallis
began proudly, "A few days ago, one of our men was in a boat going
by Trenton and one of them Hessians shot him. Our Brigadier General
Stephen wanted to teach them Hessians a lesson, so he sent us out
to raid one of the outposts. We killed at least four, I think, and
wounded almost a dozen more. They chased us, but we got clean away
in this storm!"
Washington's face turned beet red and his
knuckles strangled the reins in his hands.
"I gave no such order!" he shouted, "General
Stephen should have informed me of this action! This completely
ruins all my plans for a surprise attack! Now they're on their
guard!"
"Sir, I'm sorry, I was just
obeying orders-" Captain Wallis began.
"Yes! Yes, you did as you were told. I shall
take this matter up with your commanding officer. Please go to him
and tell him I want to see him immediately! And send General Greene
as well."
"Yes, sir!" Wallis replied
and rode quickly along the column of marching men.
Washington heaved a sigh of
frustration. Another setback. Now the Hessians would be armed and
ready to fight, perhaps even on this road. The advantage of
surprise was now lost. His men would have to face a full scale
attack against battle-ready troops. This realization dawned with
disappointment, and he shook his head in dismay.
The two riders pulled up beside him.
Brigadier General Stephen asked,
"You wanted to see me,
sir?"
"Did you send out a party to Trenton without
informing me or making a request to take such an action?"
Stephen's face darkened as he drew himself
up.
"Yes, sir! I joined the army
to fight these devils! They killed one of my men, and I ain't
letting them get away with that! We taught them a
lesson!"
"I have taken great pains to keep this march
on Trenton as quiet as possible," raged Washington, "and you have
sent out a party to announce our presence! Our advantage of
surprise has been compromised, thanks to you!"
Stephen sat up straight in
his saddle and squinted his eyes defiantly. General Greene
anxiously awaited the man's reply. They had clashed on prior
occasions, and he expected a similar row.
"I took action," Stephen rebutted, "Something
this army should've been doin' long ago!"
"But you are not the Commander in
Chief! I am! And
until you are Commander, you will follow my orders and you will
take no actions without my permission! Is that
understood?"
Stephen screwed his face up against the wind
and hesitated before delivering a sarcastic reply.
"Understood.....Sir!"
In defiance, Stephen hurled a spit of brown
tobacco onto the snow beside Washington's horse.
"That is all. You may rejoin your regiment,"
Washington replied. Stephen's mouth twisted angrily as he turned
his horse and rode away.
As he witnessed the scene,
General Greene was worried. He had spent a great deal of time with
Washington and had rarely seen him as angry as he was
now.
Greene ventured to ask,
"Sir, if the outposts have been warned of our attack, what should
we do?"
Washington heaved a sigh of
frustration and replied, "We press on, General. We just press
on."
Chapter 10
The light of dawn was muted
under heavy clouds and snow. As they marched, sharp winds tore
through their clothes, and efforts to hide exposed skin were
futile. The regiment made good time across the snowfield towards
Trenton with only one delay, a wagon stuck in deep snow. Once it
was freed, they marched on.
Washington’s scouts
returned. The leader wore a three-day old beard, and his tan
buckskin jacket was white with snow.
“The nearest outpost is just
over this ridge, sir. The land slopes downward there.
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