The Battle of Trenton

I know I said in my last blog post that I was going to go into more detail about Tinker Dave Beaty, but with Christmas coming up Sunday, I decided to change to this subject.


The Battle of Trenton was one of the deciding battles of the American Revolution. It occurred the day after Christmas 1776. The events leading up to the battle however made George Washington famous, and led to a renewed energy among the patriots. Washington's plan was to make a surprise attack against the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. The plan was to launch three coordinated attacks, from three different directions, against the Hessians. Washington and his men had to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night in order to reach Trenton. Each soldier was equipped with sixty rounds of ammunition, and three days worth of rations. The code word for the attack was "Victory or Death." During the crossing, it began to rain, as the temperature decreased, the rain turned to sleet, and eventually snow. During the crossing however, no one died, and no ammunition was damaged. The troops made it to Trenton by 3:00 in the morning, beginning their march an hour later at 4:00. As they marched, various townspeople joined them. The men marched for over two miles before they finally reached the battlefield. Just after 8:00 the Americans attacked. The Hessians, not ready for the attack, were caught off guard, and any attempt to stop the American advance, failed. The Patriots forced the Hessians to retreat into a nearby orchard, where they were surrounded. The Hessians were forced to surrender, ending the battle. The Hessians lost twenty-two killed, and another 83 wounded. The Americans took the other 896 of them captive. The Patriots only lost two men, and they died during the march to battle, of frostbite. Only five men were wounded during the battle. The Battle of Trenton led to a renewed confidence throughout all thirteen colonies. Washington called the victory "A glorious day for our country." This battle gave the Patriots, the increase in confidence needed to press on and win their independence. The Battle of Trenton can be considered a Christmas Miracle.

General George Washington crossing the Delaware River on Christmas night.

Battle of Trenton battle map.

The battlefield as it appears today, complete with a monument to honor the bravery displayed by the Patriots that day.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about tales from Tennessee and beyond. Be sure to check out the Moore Historical Consulting section of the blog. I want to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas.