Washington's military reputation. Could he even have cut the enemy's
line so as to throw it into confusion, his conduct might have escaped
censure. With this end in view he designed holding a position on the
enemy's flank,[4] arguing, perhaps, that Washington would be compelled
to reenforce him rather than see him defeated, with the troops now
beyond the Delaware. Washington saw through Lee's schemes, refused to be
driven into doing what his judgment did not approve, and the tension
between the two generals was suddenly snapped by the imprudence or worse
of Lee himself.

Captain Harris,[5] who saw Lee brought to Brunswick a prisoner, has this
to say of him: "He was taken by a party of ours under Colonel Harcourt,
who surrounded the house in which this arch-traitor was residing. Lee
behaved as cowardly in this transaction as he had dishonorably in every
other. After firing one or two shots from the house, he came out and
entreated our troops to spare his life. Had he behaved with proper
spirit I should have pitied him. I could hardly refrain from tears when
I first saw him, and thought of the miserable fate in which his
obstinacy has involved him. He says he has been mistaken in three
things: first, that the New England men would fight; second, that
America was unanimous; and third, that she could afford two men for our
one."[6]

Footnotes:

[1] Lee had expected the first place and had been given the second. His
successes while acting in a separate command (at Charleston) told
heavily against Washington's reverses in this campaign; and his
outspoken criticisms, frequently just, as the event proved, had produced
their due impression on the minds of many, who believed Lee the better
general of the two. Events had so shaped themselves, in consequence, as
to raise up two parties in the army. And here was laid the foundation of
all those personal jealousies which culminated in Lee's dismissal from
the army. While his abilities won respect, his insufferable egotism made
him disliked, and it is to be remarked of the divisions Lee's ambition
was promoting, that the best officers stood firmly by the
commander-in-chief.

[2] Cornwallis took no boats with him, as he might have done, from
Brunswick. A small number would have answered his purpose.

[3] Ticonderoga being out of danger for the present, Washington had
ordered Gates down with all troops that could be spared.

[4] As Washington had been urged to do, instead of