wrote to Washington informing him of an attack upon Williamsburg by some seamen from a British vessel, and of their removal of the powder from the magazine, by order of the Governor. He also said that the volunteer company of Fredericksburg intended to march in a few days to Williamsburg to secure the military stores yet remaining there. In June of the same year Washington was appointed Commander-in-chief, and on June 5th 1776, at the instance of Washington himself, Mercer was created Brigadier-General of the American troops.

The army was at New York when Mercer joined, and he remained with it constantly. The projected attack on Staten Island was confided to him-he was with the forces at White Plains during the retreat through New Jersey, and in short he continued in active service until his death.

The Americans had at last retired across the Delaware, but the gloomy appearance of their prospects increased. In Philadelphia "all able bodied men who were not conscientiously scrupulous about bearing arms," were ordered by General Putnam to " appear in the State House yard with their arms and accoutrements,"

that they might be sent to reinforce General Washington. With the assistance of these militia, it was resolved by the Commander-inchief, and the design was warmly seconded by Greene, Reed, and Mercer,-to attack the Hessian troops at Trenton. The result of this plan need not be here given; it is too well known to every reader of American history. General Washington immediately after the action recrossed the Delaware with his prisoners, and remained in his former position until the 29th of December, when he again entered New Jersey, and on the 2d of January met the main body of the British troops. The approach of darkness deferred the action, and during the night a council of the American officers was held to consider the means of rescuing themselves from the difficulties which surrounded them. In this state of affairs Mercer proposed the brilliant plan of ordering up the Philadelphia militia, and making a night march upon Princeton and Brunswick. It was agreed to without dissent and the troops were set in motion. General Mercer commanded the advanced party, and as day broke he observed a large body of British troops marching towards Trenton. He immediately proposed to the

Commander-in-chief to throw himself between

this

corps, and their reserve at Princeton, and thus bring on a general action,-and upon the consent of Washington he executed the movement. The Americans were however thrown into confusion at the death of Colonel Hazlet, and fell back. Mercer's horse was killed, but notwithstanding that he was alone, he refused to surrender and fought single handed with a British detachment which advanced towards him. The combat was too unequal, however, and he was beaten down by the butts of muskets and mortally wounded by bayonets. After the American troops had gained the day he was removed to a neighbouring house, and there expired, January 12th, 1777.

"On the 14th of January the remains of Mercer were brought to Philadelphia, and on the next day but one were interred in the grave from which they were removed to Laurel Hill November 26th 1840.

"There are aged men yet amongst us-so aged that before the brief remnant of this year expires the generation may cease to live-who remember the solemnity of that funeral. It was the Nation mourning for her first child. It was a people in sad amazement that a

gallant citizen had indeed died for them. And when the ancient inhabitants of this city thus gathered in throngs to bear the soldier's mangled corpse to its place of rest, it was committed to the ground with the sacred service which bade them look to the promised day when "the earth and the sea shall give up their dead." The grave thus solemnly closed has been unsealed-affectionately, reverently, piously. But yet upon the solemnities of this day, the reproach of a vain and profane pageant may fasten, if the mouldering remains of the dead can be placed in the midst of the living without stirring every heart to its very centre."*

* Reed's eulogy. Delivered at Philadelphia November 26th, 1840, when the remains of Mercer were disinterred and again buried at Laurel Hill.

ETHAN ALLEN,

BRIGADIER-GENERAL IN THE AMERICAN ARMY.

GENERAL ALLEN was born in Salisbury, Connecticut, from whence, while he was yet young, his parents emigrated to Vermont. By this circumstance he was deprived of the advantages of an early education. But, although he never felt its genial influence, nature had endowed him with strong powers of mind; and when called to take the field, he showed himself an able leader, and an intrepid soldier.

At the commencement of the disturbances in Vermont, about the year 1770, he took a most active part in favour of the Green Mountain Boys, as the first settlers were then called, in opposition to the government of New York. Bold, enterprising, and ambitious, he undertook to direct the proceedings of the inhabitants, and wrote several pamphlets to display the supposed injustice and oppressive designs of the New York proceedings. The uncultivated roughness of his own temper and manners seems to have assisted him in giving a just description of the views and proceedings of speculating land