The news of Trenton alarmed the British, and Lord Cornwallis with
seven thousand of the best troops started at once from New York
in hot pursuit of the American army. Washington, who had now
rallied some five thousand men, fell back, skirmishing heavily,
behind the Assunpink, and when Cornwallis reached the river he
found the American army awaiting him on the other side of the
stream. Night was falling, and Cornwallis, feeling sure of his
prey, decided that he would not risk an assault until the next
morning. Many lessons had not yet taught him that it was a fatal
business to give even twelve hours to the great soldier opposed
to him. During the night Washington, leaving his fires burning
and taking a roundabout road which he had already reconnoitered,
marched to Princeton. There he struck another British detachment.
A sharp fight ensued, the British division was broken and
defeated, losing some five hundred men, and Washington withdrew
after this second victory to the highlands of New Jersey to rest
and recruit.

Frederick the Great is reported to have said that this was the
most brilliant campaign of the century. With a force very much
smaller than that of the enemy, Washington had succeeded in
striking the British at two places with superior forces at each
point of contact. At Trenton he had the benefit of a surprise,
but the second time he was between two hostile armies. He was
ready to fight Cornwallis when the latter reached the Assunpink,
trusting to the strength of his position to make up for his
inferiority of numbers. But when Cornwallis gave him 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