Desperate for a victory, and aware that the term of enlistment for many of his soldiers expired at the end of December, General George Washington and his officers devised a daring plan to restore morale among his troops and his countrymen, and save his army. His plan: to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night, surround the 1,500 Hessian soldiers garrisoned the town of Trenton, New Jersey, and end the year on a positive note.
Retreat From the British
At the outbreak of war, General Washington had gambled heavily on defeating the British and their Hessian allies on Long Island. His strategy failed and as a result, the Continentals suffered a humiliating defeat. Not only was Washington forced to abandon New York City to the British, he had to flee south across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. By the time he arrived on the western banks of the Delaware River, not much of his army remained. Ninety percent of his command on Long Island was gone, either killed or wounded in battle, or from desertions, men simply walking away, believing the cause of independence was lost.
Crossing the Delaware
On Christmas night, 1776, Washington led his army of 2,400 soldiers across the Delaware. It was snowing and bitter cold. Cakes of ice floated on the river. Colonel John Glover, in overall command of the crossing, tried to have everyone on the east bank by midnight, thus to allow a pre-dawn attack on Trenton. Inclement weather slowed operations and it was not until 3 AM that all soldiers had been rowed across.
At 4:00 the Continentals began the nine-mile march south to Trenton. Unbeknownst to Washington and his officers, Colonel Johann Rall, commander of Hessians in Trenton, had been informed by Loyalists that the Continentals were planning an attack. Rall held Americans in such contempt he dismissed such reports out of hand. Further, he refused to fortify the town of Trenton, despite being ordered to do so by British headquarters in Princeton.
Due to the severe weather on Christmas night, the Hessians did not send out patrols. Still, it was a cruel march for the Americans. Many soldiers had no boots, only rags tied around their feet. Two soldiers died on the march.
The Battle of Trenton
Washington's strategy was to surround Trenton and attack from three directions. Major General Nathaniel Green took position to the northeast while Major General Sullivan took position to the south, both generals responsible for cutting off a Hessian escape. The main body of the American army, meanwhile, made ready to attack from the west.
The Hessians may not have been caught unaware by the American, but they were caught unprepared. Out-manned and out-maneuvered, they nonetheless put up a brave fight. They engaged the Americans on all three sides, retreating slowly, drawing in from their outer defenses to the center of town and maintaining a continuous fire. The odds were stacked against them, however, especially after the Continental seized their cannon and citizens of Trenton joined the fray, sniping at Hessians in the streets. With their escape route blocked by General Sullivan's men, and with their leader Colonel Rall mortally wounded, they finally gave up the fight. A hundred Hessians had been killed or wounded, another 900 taken prisoner.
Aftermath
The Battle of Trenton was a minor battle that nonetheless had a profound effect on the American psyche. For the first time, the Continental Army had taken on an elite European force and had prevailed. The disaster at New York was, in part, avenged. Most importantly, the victory at Trenton provided a much needed boost to army morale. After the battle, many Continentals re-upped for another tour of duty, and many other Americans added their numbers and muskets to the cause. The revolution was, at least for the moment, saved.
Sources:
The Winter Soldiers: The Battles for Trenton and Princeton by Richard M. Ketchum, Holt Paperbacks, May 1999
A Guide to the Battles of the American Revolution by Theodore P. Savas and J. David Dameron, Savas Beatie, August 2006
