Our authorities, rather than seem to favour one
side, sent a committee to New Jersey to meet the rebel commander and
escort him through the town, and immediately thereafter paid a similar
attention to the royal governor. One of those who had what they
considered the honour of riding behind Mr. Washington a part of his
way (he came accompanied by a troop of horse from Philadelphia, and
made a fine, commanding figure, I grant) was Philip Winwood. When he
returned from Kingsbridge, I, pretending I had not gone out of my way
to see the rebel generalissimo pass, met him with a smile, as if to
make a joke of all the rebel preparations:
"Well," says I, "what manner of hero is your illustrious chief? A very
Julius Caesar, I make no doubt."
"A grave and modest gentleman," says Phil, "and worthy of all the
admiration you used to have for him when we would talk of the French
War. I remember you would say he was equal to all the regular English
officers together; and how you declared Governor Shirley was a fool
for not giving him a king's commission."
"Well," said I, "'tis a thousand to one, that if Colonel Washington
hadn't been disappointed of a king's commission, he wouldn't now be
leader of the king's enemies." I knew I had no warrant the slightest
for attributing Mr. Washington's patriotism to such a petty motive as
a long-cherished resentment of royal neglect; and years afterward, in
London, I was to chastise an equally reckless speaker for a similar
slander; but I was young and partisan, and being nettled by the
reminder of my inconsistency, spoke to irritate.
Pages:
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131