This is the fifth in a series.
December 1776 was in many ways the darkest month of the American Revolution. George Washington had been driven out of New York and across New Jersey, crossing the Delaware River into Pennsylvania, taking every available boat with him to prevent the British from crossing.
He wrote his cousin on Dec. 10 saying, “I wish to heaven it was in my power to give you a more favorable account of our situation than it is. Our numbers, quite inadequate to the task of opposing that part of the army under the command of General Howe, being reduced by sickness desertion and political deaths. … I have no idea of being able to make a stand, as my numbers, till joined by the Philadelphia militia, did not exceed 3,000 men fit for duty. Now we may be about 5,000 to oppose Howe’s whole army.”
Washington had only one hope for reinforcements,
“Nothing, in my opinion, but General Lee’s speedy arrival, who has long (been) expected, though still at a distance can save it. We have brought over and destroyed all the boats we could lay our hands on upon the Jersey shore for many miles above and below this place with less than half the enemy’s numbers but it is next to impossible to guard a shore for 60 miles, with less than half the enemy’s numbers.”
What Washington didn’t know that his second in command, Gen. Charles Lee, a former officer in the British Army, was actively trying to undermine him with the hope of taking over command of all Continental troops. Washington had written to Lee, “My former letters are so full and explicit, as to the necessity of your marching, as early as possible, that it is unnecessary to add more on that head. I confess I expected you would have been sooner in motion. The force here, when joined by yours, will not be adequate to any great opposition, at present it is weak, and it has been more owing to the badness of the weather, that the enemy’s progress has been checked, than any resistance we could make.”
Lee still didn’t move to Washington’s aid. His troops were camped near Basking Ridge, and he had decided to stay in the comfort of a tavern several miles away from the encampment.
On the morning of Dec. 13, he wrote to fellow officer Horatio Gates criticizing Washington.
“A certain great man is most damnable deficient. He has thrown me into a situation where I have my choice of difficulties. If I stay in this Province, I risk myself and army, and if I do not stay the Province is lost forever. I must act circumspectly. Tories are in my front, rear and on my flanks. The mass of the people is strangely contaminated. In short unless something which I do not expect turns up, we are lost.”
As Lee finished his letter, one of those events that would change the course of history was about to take place. A young British cavalry officer, Banastre Tarleton, wrote to his mother, “We marched two miles forward, then Colonel Harcourt found by some people that General Lee was not above four or five miles distance from the detachment, and at the same time heard that our retreat was cut off by the road we had come. He detached Captain Nash with four dragoons back to prove the truth of the last information. Colonel Harcourt then ordered me to advance. We trotted on about three miles, then my advance guard seized two sentrys without firing a gun. The dread of instant death obliged these fellows to inform me, to the best of my knowledge, of the situation of General Lee.”
Carlton did not hesitate.
“Without further consultation I was ordered to lead my advance guard which consisted of only five men on as quick as possible. I went on at full speed, then perceiving two sentrys at a door and a loaded wagon I pushed at them, making all the noise I could. The sentrys were struck with a panic, dropped their arms and fled. I ordered my men to fire into the house through every window and door and cut up as many of the guard as they could. An old woman upon her knees begged for life and told me General Lee was in the house.
“This assurance gave me pleasure. I carried on my attack with all possible spirit and surrounded the house, though fired upon in front, flank and rear. I fired twice through the door of the house and then addressed myself to this effect, I knew General Lee was in the house, that if he would surrender himself, he and his attendants, they would be safe, but if my summons was not complied with immediately, the house should be burnt and every person without exception should be put to the sword.
“At this instant I was called by one of my men to the back door, my attention being directly engaged by his saying that General Lee was escaping that way and I galloped to the spot. General Lee surrendered himself to the sentry I had placed at the front door. … This is a most miraculous event, it appears like a dream.”
Capt. James Wilkinson was inside the tavern with Lee. He later wrote of the incident in his memoirs.
“I had risen from the table, and was looking out of an open end window, down a lane about 100 yards in length, which led to the house from the main Rd. when I discovered a party of British dragoons turn a corner of the Ave. at a full charge. Startled at this unexpected spectacle, I exclaimed, ‘Here, Sir, are the British cavalry.’ ‘Where?’ replied the General. ‘Around the house for they open fire, and encompass the building.’ General Lee appeared alarmed, yet collected, and his second observation marked to self-possession, ‘Where is the guard? Damn the guard, why don’t they fire?’”
Wilkinson claimed he was ready to fight.
“I believe it to be a wanton murdering party, and determined not to die without company. I accordingly sought a position where I could not be approached by more than one person at a time, and with a pistol in each hand I awaited the expected search, resolved to shoot the first and the second who might appear, and then appealed to my sword. I did not remain long in this unpleasant situation, but was appraised of the object of the incursion by the very audible declaration ‘if the General does not surrender in five minutes, I will set fire to the house,’ which after a short pause was repeated with a solemn oath and within two minutes I heard it proclaimed, ‘Here is the General, he has surrendered.’ A general shout ensued, the triumph surrounded the assembly and the unfortunate Lee mounted on my horse, which stood ready at the door, was hurried off in triumph, bareheaded, in his slippers and blanket coat, his collar open, and his shirt very much soiled from several days’ use.”
With Lee gone, the second in command wrote to Washington that he would bring the troops across the Delaware River to reinforce him.
Gen. Lee was captured, the danger of his replacing Washington had been lifted, and Washington now had enough men to think about taking some type of action that would turn the darkest days of December into something worth remembering.
Next Week: Thomas Paine Speaks.
