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About the author
Edward A. St. Germain created AmericanRevolution.org in 1996. He was an avid historian with a keen interest in the Revolutionary War and American culture and society in the 18th century. On this website, he created and collated a huge collection of articles, images, and other media pertaining to the American Revolution. Edward was also a Vietnam veteran, and his investigative skills led to a career as a private detective in later life.
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The Battle of Trenton was fought between the Continental Army and German Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey on December 26, 1776.
Though a relatively small battle, Trenton was a decisive American victory that provided a much-needed boost in morale for the colonial forces.
Summary
Leadup
In late 1776, the Continental Army under the command of George Washington was in a difficult position.
The Patriots had just suffered a series of defeats at the hands of the British, and were forced to retreat to Pennsylvania.
Desertions were increasing, and the Continental Army was suffering from supply shortages, especially food and ammunition. Many of the soldiers’ uniforms were in tatters, and some no longer had shoes.
Though the British pushed the Patriots back a significant distance under the command of General William Howe, some historians argue that they did not press their advantage hard enough in the second half of 1776.
As Washington’s men reached Pennsylvania, Howe decided to retire for the winter, and left the town of Trenton guarded by approximately 1,500 Hessian mercenaries (German soldiers hired by the British Army).
Washington decided to launch a surprise attack on Trenton, crossing the icy Delaware River on the night of 25-26 December 1776 with his men.
Though treacherous, Washington successfully crossed the Delaware, with 2,400 troops making the journey, arriving around first light on the morning of the 26th.
Two columns of soldiers, totalling about an extra 3,000 men, were forced to return to base due to ice and strong winds.
The battle
Due to the weather conditions at the time, and the perceived impossibility of safely crossing the Delaware, the Hessians, under the command of General Johann Rall, were not expecting an attack.
As a result, the Germans had no patrols watching for enemy movements, and Washington’s men were able to catch the Hessians almost completely by surprise.
Initially believing the attack was a small raid, the Germans attempted to repel the American forces using muskets. Upon realizing the size of the invading force, the Hessians prepared their artillery and put up a short resistance, before quickly being overwhelmed.
The Continental Army moved up quickly in the pouring sleet and snow, suffering only a few wounded as casualties, and capturing enemy soldiers as they went.
After about two hours of fighting, Washington and his men had won the Battle of Trenton, suffering only five wounded and two dead from weather exposure.
The Hessian forces suffered approximately 100 casualties, with 900 soldiers captured – the remaining 500-600 men managed to escape Trenton before it was captured.
Colonel Rall was among the Germans mortally wounded. He officially surrendered to Washington before his death.
Significance
The Battle of Trenton provided a strong boost to colonial morale at a time when it was desperately needed.
Washington was able to capture a wealth of valuable supplies from the Hessians at Trenton, giving his troops the weapons, clothing, food, and ammunition they needed to continue fighting.
The decisiveness of their victory proved to Continental Army soldiers that their struggle was not a lost cause, helping inspire many to re-enlist soon after.
Without Washington’s decision to cross the Delaware River and launch a surprise attack on Trenton, many historians argue that the Continental Army would have soon begun falling apart, and the Revolutionary War would have likely been lost to the British in 1777.
Today, Washington’s crossing of the Delaware is considered a symbol of American resolve and determination, and is known as a key event in American history.
The crossing has been immortalized in numerous paintings in the years since the American Revolution.
Facts
- Just before the Battle of Trenton, Washington expressed doubts that his forces could continue fighting, writing “I think the game is pretty near up.”
- Washington had planned to strike while it was still dark, but his men arrived about three hours late due to the weather conditions on the river, instead launching their attack in the early morning.
- It is rumored that the Hessian forces’ lack of resistance at Trenton was because many soldiers were drunk, having celebrated Christmas the night before. However, this is in fact untrue – eyewitness accounts on both sides of the conflict state that the Jäger forces were sober during the battle.
- The Continental Army’s code phrase for the crossing was “Victory or Death”, demonstrating the high-stakes nature of Washington’s strategy.
- Continental Army soldiers read Thomas Paine‘s pamphlet The American Crisis to motivate them in the days before the crossing.
- Generals Nathanael Greene and John Sullivan made the crossing along with Washington, and played a key role in combat during the Battle of Trenton.
