Young folks' history of the United States . n knew the ways of the Germans. Hewas quite sure that on Christmas Day (1776), theywould have a great celebration, and would be particu-larly off their guard. So he waited until the eveningof that day, crossed the Delaware, and marched allnight through storm and sleet, taking them by surpriseat daylight. Some loyalist had written a note to theGerman commander, warning him ; but he had paid noattention to it. He was killed in the fight, while all hissoldiers were taken prisoners. 204 YOUNG FOLKS UNITED STATES. Battle ofPrinceton. Soon after this, Wash
Young folks' history of the United States . n knew the ways of the Germans. Hewas quite sure that on Christmas Day (1776), theywould have a great celebration, and would be particu-larly off their guard. So he waited until the eveningof that day, crossed the Delaware, and marched allnight through storm and sleet, taking them by surpriseat daylight. Some loyalist had written a note to theGerman commander, warning him ; but he had paid noattention to it. He was killed in the fight, while all hissoldiers were taken prisoners. 204 YOUNG FOLKS UNITED STATES. Battle ofPrinceton. Soon after this, Washington gained a victory atPrinceton, through a surprise. These successes en-couraged the Americans very much ; and, though theyhad now nearly fifty thousand soldiers against them,they all wished to persevere. Additional troops wereraised. Washington fought the battle of Brandywine(^Sept. II, 1777) in the effort to save Philadelphia, buthe was defeated by Howe, who entered that city Sept. 27. At Germantown (Oct. 4) Washington attacked Howes. WASHINGTON CROSSING THE DELAWARE. Winter atValley-Forge. army and was nearly successful. He finally went intowinter quarters (1777-78) with his army at Valley we could see in imagination the camp of Wash-ington at Valley Forge, we should understand betterthe sacrifice made to secure our liberty. The Americanarmy had diminished one-half, through desertion andillness. From forty-five thousand men it had shrunkto twenty thousand. At Valley Forge the soldiersslept without blankets ; and many had to sit up all THE REMAINDER OF THE WAR. 20^ night by their fires. At one time there were more than athousand without shoes; and you might track them inthe snow by their bleeding feet. Even the sick often hadto lie on the bare ground for want of straw. They hadscarcely any horses; and the soldiers made little cartsto draw their wood and provisions to their huts. Offi-cers on parade sometimes wore old blankets or fadedbedquilts to cover them. The
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