im the delay of a
night, Washington, seeing the advantage offered by his enemy's mistake,
at once changed his whole plan, and, turning in his tracks, fell upon
the smaller of the two forces opposed to him, wrecking and defeating
it before the outgeneraled Cornwallis could get up with the main army.
Washington had thus shown the highest form of military skill, for
there is nothing that requires so much judgment and knowledge, so much
certainty of movement and quick decision, as to meet a superior enemy at
different points, force the fighting, and at each point to outnumber and
overwhelm him.

But the military part of this great campaign was not all. Many great
soldiers have not been statesmen, and have failed to realize the
political necessities of the situation. Washington presented the rare
combination of a great soldier and a great statesman as well. He aimed
not only to win battles, but by his operations in the field to influence
the political situation and affect public opinion. The American
Revolution was going to pieces. Unless some decisive victory could be
won immediately, it would have come to an end in the winter of 1776-77.
This Washington knew, and it was this which nerved his arm. The results
justified his forethought. The victories of Trenton and Princeton
restored the failing spirits of the people, and, what was hardly
less important, produced a deep impression in Europe in favor of the
colonies. The country, which had lost heart, and become supine and
almost hostile, revived. The militia again took the field. Outlying
parties of the British were attacked and cut off, and recruits once more
began to come in to the Continental army. The Revolution was saved. That
the English colonies in North America would have broken away from the
mother country sooner or later cannot be doubted, but that particular
Revolution Of 1776 would have failed within a year, had it not been
for Washington. It is not, however, merely the fact that he was a great
soldier and statesman which we should remember. The most memorable thing
to us, and to all men, is the heroic spirit of the man, which rose in
those dreary December days to its greatest height, under conditions
so adverse that they had crushed the hope of every one else. Let it
be remembered, also, that it was not a spirit of desperation or of
ignorance, a reckless daring which did not count the cost. No one knew
better than Washington--no one, indeed, so well--the exact s