Today in History: The Battle of Trenton

On this day (December 26) in 1776 George Washington and the Continental Army defeated the British at Trenton after a night crossing of the Delaware River. The offensive was a desperation attack on the part of Washington as his own army threatened to fall apart through a combination of desertions, ends of enlistment terms and incredibly low morale after the defeats in New York and being chased by the British across New Jersey. Washington’s forces surrounded Trenton and its garrison of 1500 Hessian mercenaries. The Hessians were totally unprepared for the attack. (It was Christmas night, after all.) Washington captured approximately two-thirds of them at the cost of five wounded soldiers and two dead (both died of exposure due to the weather and crossing).

Not only did the Battle of Trenton restore morale in the army and encourage many soldiers to reenlist, but it gave the Continental Congress new confidence that the young United States could win the revolution.