The Americans took what is known as the Quaker road, which was new and full of stumps of trees. These impeded their progress so much that it was about sunrise before they reached the upper bridge over Stony Brook, near Princeton, and formed in column near Friends’ Meeting-house. Here they came on a brigade of the enemy, under Mawhood, two regiments of which were on their way to join Cornwallis. The latter discovered the Americans, who now emerged from the woods south of the meeting-house. Mawhood by a quick movement brought two of his regiments to the bridge at Worth’s Mills, and crossed just as Mercer, who had been detached there with a small party, reached it. Both parties tried to get possession of the high grounds. Mercer reached Clark’s orchard, and finding the enemy approaching from the heights, sheltered his riflemen behind a hedge, from which they poured a destructive fire. The enemy returned the fire and charged, driving the Americans with the bayonet. They pursued, and when they came to the brow of the heights, discovered the American force, under Washington, approaching. The fugitives were re-formed, and a battery, under Moulder, began to play on Mawhood’s men. An attempt to take this failed, and Mawhood, seeing a Connecticut regiment advancing, retreated, leaving his artillery. It was during this affair that General Mercer received his death-wound. The broken British managed to escape and joined Cornwallis, now on the advance. The Americans, pushing on to Princeton, met the 55th regiment, which they routed, and that and the 40th fled to New Brunswick. A few companies remained in the college, but these, under a cannonade, surrendered. The bridge over Stony Brook was now destroyed, just as the van of the British appeared. They forded the stream, but when at the town were brought up by a single discharge from a 32-pounder which the British had before left on a temporary breastwork. This gave them the idea that the Americans intended to make a stand, and they prepared for battle. After some delay they threw out reconnoitring parties, and felt their way cautiously, to discover that Washington was far away on the road to Millstone with his prisoners and spoils. He destroyed the bridge at Kingston, and filed off to the left, arriving at Pluckemin that night. Cornwallis, after repairing the bridge, supposed Washington had gone to New Brunswick, and pushed on in that direction, to be disappointed. _ASSUNPINK AND PRINCETON_ Glorious the day when in arms at Assunpink, And after at Princeton the Briton we met; Few in both armies—they’d skirmishes call them, Now hundreds of thousands in battle are set. But for the numbers engaged, let me tell you, Smart brushes they were, and two battles that told; There ’twas I first drew a bead on a foeman— I, a mere stripling, not twenty years old.