On December 25th, 1776, General George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River in a late-night surprise attack on Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey.
A bold strike on Christmas night, Washington’s Crossing was a source of desperately needed momentum and a major morale boost for a Continental Army that had endured a brutal year and was on the brink of defeat.
With enlistment contracts due to expire at the end of the year, Washington knew he would soon lose much of his army and possibly the war. He needed a decisive victory that would not only be of strategic importance but, maybe, more importantly, that would also be a morale booster that would help convince war-weary soldiers to stay.
He decided on a nighttime raid on Christmas evening, surprising the Hessian forces aligned with the British stationed at Trenton, New Jersey. Among the troops to make the treacherous crossing were James Monroe, John Marshall, and Alexander Hamilton, who were young officers in the Continental Army.
The surprise attack was ultimately a resounding success, with the army able to successfully attack Trenton on the morning of December 26th. They captured over 1,000 soldiers, as well as much-needed supplies, with low casualties.
This tidbit of Revolutionary history is brought to you by Fraunces Tavern Museum, 54 Pearl Street, New York, NY. Visit them online at www.frauncestavernmuseum.org
Painting: Washington Crossing the Delaware by Emanuel Leutze, MMA-NYC, 1851.
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