FACTS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF TRENTON

If I may get personal here, the Battle of Trenton occurred 244 years ago today.  It is one of my favorite battles.  Hell, I named my son after it.  It is an example of what drew me to History and the teaching of it.  The tale is stranger than fiction.  There are two of my favorite anecdotes in this list.  More importantly, it proves that one event and/or one man can change history.  

1. The Battle took place at the darkest moment of the war for the Continental Army. New York City had been lost in a series of defeats, Forts Lee and Washington had fallen in embarrassing performances, the army had been forced to retreat across New Jersey with the British in pursuit, and  it had crossed the Delaware to refuge in Pennsylvania.  His small army was exhausted, dispirited, hungry, and disease-ridden.  The enlistments of many were coming up and they were planning on going home in the new year.  Washington wrote in a letter to his cousin “I think the game is nearly up.”  He decided desperate times require desperate actions.
2. Washington was not a great general, but he was an inspiring leader. His plans tended to be too complicated and he did have a tendency to take big risks, most of which resulted in near disaster.  This plan was to cross the river with three forces and converge on the Hessian garrison at Trenton.  Considering the state of his army and the fearsome reputation of the Hessians (who had kicked his ass in the past), his subordinates thought the plan was insane.  Washington convinced them it was the only hope to restore morale and keep the men from going home.  He was right.
3. The Hessians were commanded by Col. Johann Rall. Rall had a low opinion of the Continentals.  He refused to fortify the town and disregarded warnings of a possible attack.  Besides, no one fought in wintertime in 18^th Century warfare.  One of Washington’s strengths was his spy network.  John Honeyman, a butcher and bartender, masqueraded as a Tory to interact with the British.  He convinced them that Washington’s army was in bad shape and incapable of going on the offensive.  He allowed himself to be captured and brought before Washington.  He confirmed that Trenton was ripe for the taking.
4. Before the crossing, the men were inspired by the recently published “The Crisis” by Thomas Paine. The lines that most resonated were:  “These are the times that try men’s souls;  the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.” 
5. The crossing was made in big Durham boats manned by Col. John Glover’s Marbleheaders. The water had ice cakes in it.  2,400 men were brought across and no one was lost in the crossing.  18 cannons and several horses were also transported.  The artillery was commanded by Gen. Henry Knox.  He went over in the same boat as his good friend Washington.  In one of the few jokes Washington ever told, he loudly told Knox: “Shift your fat ass Henry, but slowly or you’ll swamp the boat.”  He knew how to break the tension.
6. The crossing was efficiently done, but took three hours longer than Washington had planned. It was now impossible to make a night attack, but Washington would not back down.  The password was “Victory or Death”.
7. The army had to march 19 miles. Many of the men did not have proper shoes.  Two men froze to death on the march.  The soldiers had 60 rounds of ammunition and three days rations. 
8. In spite of the broad daylight, the Hessians were taken totally by surprise. And they shouldn’t have been.  Although it is a myth that they were drunk from Christmas celebrating, they were definitely not on guard.  Rall had not taken the warnings of an attack seriously, but an unrelated attack on an outpost by a militia group the night before was deemed to be the forewarned attack.
9. Christmas night, as Rall was playing cards with some of his officers, a spy knocked on the door with important information. Rall told the soldier at the door to take a message.  The message warned that Washington was on the march and would attack in the morning.  When the note was brought to him, Rall was dealing cards and he put it in his pocket, unread.  It was found there when his body was prepared for burial.  Still unread.  Such is the role of luck in history.
10. The battle lasted about an hour. The Hessians attempted to put up a fight, but mainly due to cannon fire by Knox’s men and the overwhelming number of enraged rebels (2,400 versus 1,400), the fight was hopeless.  All resistance collapsed after the mortal wounding of Rall.  The Hessians had 22 killed, 83 wounded, and 918 captured.  Washington lost the two frozen and five wounded.  One of the wounded was future President James Monroe who came close to death from a shoulder wound.

In conclusion, Washington’s plan was insane, but necessary.  However, it should have resulted in the end of the Revolution.  If Rall had read the note and the Hessians had been ready for an attack, it is highly likely that the Continental Army would have suffered another defeat.  Very likely, its last defeat.

https://www.american-revolutionary-war-facts.com/American-Revolutionary-War-Battle-Facts/Battle-of-Trenton-Facts.html

https://www.battlefields.org/learn/revolutionary-war/battles/trenton

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/battles-of-trenton-and-princeton

https://learnodo-newtonic.com/battle-of-trenton-facts

        Washington accepts the surrender of the mortally wounded Rall