A reprint of the Reed and Cadwalader pamphlets

26 December 1776

Battle of Trenton

JOHN NIXON.

A FEW days before the battle of Trenton, on the 2 6th of December 1776, I rode with Mr. Reed from Briftol to Head-Quarters near New- Town. — In the courfe of our ride our converfation turned upon public affairs, when Mr. Reed expreffed himfelf in the manner following.

JOHN NIXON.

Upon my going to Baltimore to take my feat in Congrefs, the latter end of January, I mentioned the above converfation to my brother. I likewife mentioned it to the hon. John Adams, Efq. with whom I then lived in intimacy, a day or two after his return from Bofton to Congrefs. I did not mention it with a view of injuring Mr. Reed, for I flill refpect- ed him, efpecially as I then believed that the victory at Trenton had re- ftored the tone of his mind, and diffipated his fears, but to mew Mr. Adams an inftance of a man poflefling and exercifmg a military fpirit and activity and yet deficient in political fortitude. To which I well remem ber Mr. Adams replied in the following words, " The powers of the human mind are combined together in an infinite variety of ways."

APPENDIX

JANUARY 4, 1777. We were told by a woman who lodged in the ^j fame room where General Reed and Colonel Coxe* took flielter, when the battle of Trenton difperfed the Americans, that they (Reed and Coxe) had laid awake all night confulting together about the bell means of fccuring themfelves, and that they came to the determination of letting off" next day as foon as it was light to the Britifh camp, and joining them with all the men under their command. But when the morning came an exprefs arrived with an account that the Americans had gained a great victory. The Englifh made to flee before the ragged American regi ments. This report put the rebel General and Colonel in high fpirits, and they concluded to remain firm to the caufe of America. They paid me a viiit, and though in my heart I defpifed them — treated them civilly, and was on the point of telling them their converfation the preceding night had been conveyed to me on the wings of the wind, but on fecond thought, gave it up — though perhaps the time may come when they may hear more about it.

JOSEPH REED.

The " after event," that was productive of fo much enlightenment to Gen. Reed, and which doubtlefs caufed him to "grieve" over his " mif- take," was Wafhington's fuccefs at the battle of Trenton. Had the refult of that battle been otherwife, it is well afcertained that Reed's " generous and intelligent nature " would not have prevented his going over to the ' enemy. The " profpective note " concludes with the ftatement that " a letter in the following year, in which Reed fought to convince Wafhing- ton of his fincere and devoted attachment,'7 we are happy to add, appears to have been fuccefsful, " and to have reftored, in a great meafure, their relations of friendly confidence." Does not this feem as though Mr. Irving was endeavoring to take the " back track," or to " carry water on both moulders ?" If Wafhington's " affectionate confidence in Reed, as a fympathizing friend, had received an incurable wound," how could their " relations of friendly confidence " have been fo foon reftored ? And if it was " fortunate " for Reed that Wafhington never faw the letter to Lee; that there were paffages in it beyond the reach of foftening explanation (though the author of the Life of Reed calls it a " natural and very mo derate complaint "), how can Mr Irving be " happy to add " that Reed's fubfequent attempts to throw duft in the eyes of Gen. Wafhington " ap pear to have been fuccefsful." Should it not rather have awakened his honeft indignation at fuch duplicity ?

4 October 1777

Battle of Germantown

BRUTUS.

After the fuccefles of the winter and fpring, I had the honour of being appointed a general officer, with a view to the command of the cavalry. Par ticular reafons, not neceflary here to enumerate, prevented my acceptance of this command. How ever, I ftill attended the army, where my fervices were chearfully given, and favourably received. From the entrance of the Britim army into Penn- fylvania, till the clofe of the campaign in 1777, I was feldom abfent. In this period, and fome fliort time before the battle of Germantown, general Cadwallader joined the army as a volunteer : A fimilarity of circumftances, (he having alfo declined the above command) together with common dan ger and mutual fervice, formed a new attachment between us ; we went on the fame duty together, and were frequently confulted by the commander in chief in his operations. At the battle of German- town, we fought by each other's fide ; at White- marfli we affifted general Potter in drawing up the militia, though we did not on that day partake of equal danger. The intercourfe ariling from thefe

DEAR SIR,

The reafons I have affigned for the diffolution of our intimacy, ante cedent to the war, will afford a better proof of your ingenuity than your integrity ; and further, (with refpeft to your veracity) if any other in- ftance is neceflary, let me add one which happened at camp (at head quarters) in the year 1777, foon after the battle of Germantown, when, in my hearing, and in the prefence of three officers of the firft rank in the army, you were charged to your face with a falfehood, and which was fully proved the next day by the general officer who made the charge.

28 June 1778

Battle of Monmouth

GEO. WASHINGTON.

[N. B. This was an anfwer to a letter urging him to accept a military appointment under the ftate, and intimating a wifh to have fome compen- fation made for a valuable horfe mot under me in the action a little time before — This was the fecond, at the battle of Monmouth was a third, but no compenfation was ever made for either.

PHILADELPHIA:

From thefe principles, General Reed has deduced thofe arguments and conclufions, which he vainly affects to think will juftify him in afferting, that my conduct has been influenced by motives of hatred, refentment, and difappointed ambition. But when it (hall appear, from the teftimony I have inierted in the following meets, that the converfation alluded to, was fpoken of by me, in confidence, at a time when he afferts that all former perfonal diflike was removed, and that " we united in confidence and danger at the battle of Monmouth," at a time too when he admits, that " no party or prejudices ex- ifted (at leaft as to him) ;" the premiies, from which he has drawn his conclufions, muft be removed, and, confequently, his arguments fall with them.