A first-person narrated account of the Continental Army’s Christmas-night crossing of the Delaware River and the subsequent Battle of Trenton. The speaker describes harsh winter conditions, low morale and dwindling enlistments, Washington’s risky decision to attack despite reduced forces, and the tactical victory over Hessian forces that renewed American morale and encouraged reenlistment.
Questions this video answers
About 2,600 fewer men.
Nine miles (described as 'nine hard miles').
About 1,500 Hessians.
Two men froze to death.
About 22 killed, more than 80 wounded, and nearly 900 captured.
Chapters
You know this painting? Iconic, hopeful, bright. But I remember a much darker night. We were Continental soldiers crossing in storm and darkness. Hell of a way to spend Christmas. No families, no feast, no cheer. Just river ice and our orders. We were to hit the Hessians, German mercenaries, as they rested in their quarters in Trenton. Jilt the enemy as well as our men's morale before enlistments were set to expire. Within days, New York was gone. Fort Washington and Fort Lee too. On the road through New Jersey and whispered the general was outmatched. We hung by a thread, underfed, underpaid, underclothed. With hope this low, who would want to reenlist? We'd later learn that two of our three brigades failed to cross, leaving Washington with 2600 less men. He pushed on anyway. Victory or death. All together now. Crossing the Delaware was only the beginning. Nine hard miles in the nor' easter to reach Trenton by night, where 1500 well rested Hessians awaited us. I saw rags where boot should be. Sometimes I hear of blood in the snow. Two men froze to death on the march. Press on, lad, we mustn't tarry. The storm continued to grow worse. Our gunpowder was soaked and we were hours before behind schedule. We're set to find the Hessians wide awake with no cover of darkness to provide any element of surprise. The general marches us to our graves. Washington had a tough choice. Push on, a turn back. Some of us plan on going home when our time had out. If we survived until then, we had to push on. We were split into two columns hoping to flank Trenton, One from north, the other from the river road. The storm that had beaten us for the past nine miles became the COVID we needed. Push through the snow. We posted guns at the crossings. The Hessian Colonel Raal tried to form, but it was too late. The Hessians buckled. They lost by the hundreds. About 22 killed, more than 80 wounded, nearly 900 captured. We lost little in the streets. For the first time in months, we could breathe on a night of ice and doubt. Our questioned commander chose risk, turning caution into daring and despair into hope. That choice didn't just win Trenton. It invigorated men to re enlist, which saved the revolution, then turned truths into legend.
