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Battles of Trenton and Princeton

Battles of Trenton and Princeton. 1776 - 1777 12/25/76 and 01/03/77. The Plot + more. GW is depressed and badly in need of a victory defecting soldiers soldiers are either fresh, but untrained; or experienced but exhausted hasn’t won battles since Boston last June

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Battles of Trenton and Princeton

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  1. Battles of Trenton and Princeton 1776 - 177712/25/76 and 01/03/77

  2. The Plot + more • GW is depressed and badly in need of a victory • defecting soldiers • soldiers are either fresh, but untrained; or experienced but exhausted • hasn’t won battles since Boston last June • term for enlistment is up 12/31/76—if they all go, numbers will fall from 20,000 to 3,000 • Washington and his army retreat from losses (in Canada, in NY—where the Brits would maintain control for the next 7 years) • GW writes to his brother “I think the game is pretty near up” but still has courage and dedication “I will not ask any man go further than I do. I will fight so long as I have a leg or an arm.” • GW pushes on, hoping for a victory before the end of Dec

  3. Plot (con’t.) At Trenton: • GW crosses the Delaware River in the middle of the night. Get to Trenton 8 am, the morning after Christmas. • Hessians are hung over from celebrating the day before. Colonel Rahl had received a warning note from a Tory but hadn’t read it. • Cont soldiers surrounded their camp, and Hessians surrendered. • 900 prisoners taken, 100 Brits killed. Only 2 Americans die from the cold.

  4. Plot (con’t.) At Princeton: • GW took the soldiers out on what could be their last night with him Dec 30 • Cornwallis had been pursuing GW. Stops on one side of the river, decided to “bag the old fox in the morning” • Cont were camped across a river from the Brits • GW left some soldiers in camp to make noises, stoke the fires, etc. • The rest of the Cont soldiers snuck around them in the night and attacked in the morning

  5. Key People and Groups Colonists • Gen. George Wash.: commander of the continental army • Thomas Paine: author of “The Crisis” which is ordered read to the troops. "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 their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.“ British • General Howe: had NY victory & ordered Cornwallis down to stop Americans • Gen. Lord Cornwallis: commander of Brit soldiers at Princeton • Hessians: professional German soldiers hired by English to help them fight. 1200 of them protected Trenton.

  6. Historical Importance/Significance • Up to this point, the British are winning the war. • The victories bolster American confidence, morale, and hope. • Term for enlistment was coming up and this encouraged people to re-enlist • French are starting to believe that the Colonists might win • They occupy all of New Jersey as “recruiting” ground.

  7. Washington crossing the Delaware River

  8. Outcome • Trenton: 12/26/76 • Battle lasted about an hour • 900 prisoners taken, about 100 killed • Only 2 Americans die from cold • Valuable supplies taken • Almost pursued Hessians, but bad weather and casks of rum prevailed

  9. Outcome • Princeton: 01/03/77 • 200 British soldiers taken prisoner, 86 killed • 40 Americans killed • Transformed George Washington into a legend

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