In December of 1776, things looked bad for the Continental Army. A series of defeats at the hands of the British had driven the Americans out of New York and then New Jersey and forced Washington to retreat with his army across the Delaware river into Pennsylvania. Furthermore, Washington faced the possibility of losing many of his men within the month when their enlistments were due to expire. Washington realized that if he did not attack soon, he would find himself without an army when the British left their winter quarters in the Spring. Therefore, he decided to attack the British at Trenton, New Jersey. His gamble paid off and proved a turning point in the war.
On Christmas Day, 1776, General Washington ordered his men to get as many boats as they could find and ready them for a crossing that night. Washington planned to cross nine miles north of Trenton, New Jersey which he planned to attack. The weather was bitterly cold and the river was swollen with ice, so the crossing was quite dangerous. Despite the danger, all of the 2,500 or so men who crossed the Delaware with Washington on that fateful march arrived at the other side uninjured.
The next morning, Washington marched his men south (many of them without shoes) and attacked the Hessian (German mercenaries) garrison at Trenton. The Hessians were caught completely by surprise and many of them were hung-over from their Christmas revelries the day before. The Hessians resisted, but surrendered after losing their commander. The Americans lost four men killed and eight wounded to the 900 Hessians killed, wounded, or captured, making the attack on Trenton one of the most successful operations of the American Revolution.
Ill weather forced Washington to retreat back across the Delaware to Pennsylvania without attacking Princeton, but he returned to Trenton on December 30th and defeated another British Force. On January 3rd, the Americans moved on to Princeton where they won again. For an army that had been demoralized and on the verge of collapse, these three solid victories provided needed confidence. They were instrumental in maintaining the integrity of Washington’s army during that perilous time and were ultimately responsible for the American victory in the war.
Washington’s gamble paid off and proved the turning point in the war. As news of the victory spread, it renewed the confidence of many patriots that they could and would defeat the British. The success convinced many of Washington’s soldiers to stay after their enlistments expired and demonstrated to potential European allies that the American colonies could win against the British. This was essential in securing vital French support late in the war. Although many factors contributed to the birth of the United States, Washington’s gamble on that Christmas day in 1776 was one of the most important. Without it, America might not have one its independence from Great Britain.
