General Washington moved his army out of his camp near Hackensack on 21 November, 1776. The evacuation of Fort Lee was prompted by word received from a patrol with General Nathaniel Greene's army that an army of British troops were making their way toward the fort. That British force was commanded by Major General Lord Charles Cornwallis, who had crossed the Hudson River during the night of 19/20 November. Cornwallis lost little time in marching his force of 4,000 British and Hessians toward Fort Lee. He hoped to cut off any escape route for the Americans, but in that he failed.
Washington and his army of about 3,000 men headed southward through the Jerseys, leaving the British in control of New York. Some 3,200 men were left at Peekskill under the command of Brigadier General William Heath. He also left between 5,000 and 6,000 men at North Castle under the command of General Charles Lee. Lee, who felt that the Continental Congress should have named himself to the position of commander of the American Army instead of Washington, balked at taking orders from Washington. Despite the urgings of Washington for him to move his force to the New Jersey side of the river, Lee dallied in New York, and did not cross the Hudson to rejoin the main army until 02 December.
On 21 November, General Washington wrote a letter to William Livingston, governor of the Jerseys, in which he noted:
"Sir: I have this Moment arrived at this Place with Genl. Beall's and Genl. Heard's Brigades from Maryland and Jerƒey, and part of General Ewing's from Pennƒylvania; Three other Regiments, left to guard the Paƒses upon Hackenƒack River, and to ƒerve as covering Parties, are expected up this Evening. After the unfortunate Loƒs of Fort Waƒhington, it was determined to evacuate Fort Lee, in a great Meaƒure; as it was in a Manner uƒeleƒs in obƒtructing the Paƒsage of the North River, without the aƒsiƒtance of Fort Waƒhington. The Ammunition and ƒome other Stores were accordingly removed; but, before we could effect our purpoƒe, the Enemy landed yeƒterday Morning, in very conƒiderable numbers, about Six Miles above the Fort; Their intent evidently was to form aline acroƒs, from the place of their landing to Hackenƒack Bridge, and thereby hem in the whole Garriƒon between the North and Hackenƒack Rivers. However, we were lucky enough to gain the Bridge before them; by which means we ƒaved all our men, but were obliged to leave ƒome hundred Barrels of Flour, moƒt of our Cannon, and a conƒiderable parcel of Tents and Baggage. Finding we were in the ƒame danger of being pent up between Hackenƒack and Paƒsaic Rivers, that we had been between the North and Hackenƒack; and alƒo finding the Country, from its levelneƒs and openeƒs, unfit for making a ƒtand; it was determined to draw the whole of our Force over this ƒide of the River, where we can watch the operations of the Enemy, without danger of their ƒurrounding us, or making a Lodgement in our Rear. But, as our numbers are ƒtill very inadequate to that of the Enemy, I imagine I ƒhall be obliged to fall down toward Brunƒwick, and form a juntion with the Troops, already in that Quarter, under the Command of Lord Stirling. As the term of the Inliƒtment of the flying Camp, belonging to Jerƒey, Pennƒylvania, and Maryland, is near expiring; it will occaƒion ƒo great a diminution of my Army, that I ƒubmit it to your judgement, whether it would not be proper for you to call together ƒuch a number of Militia, as, in Conjunction with the Troops I ƒhall have left, will ƒerve to cover the Country and ƒtop the Progreƒs of the Enemy, if they ƒhould ƒtill attempt to penetrate. If the weather continues favorable, I am apprehenƒive they will attempt to make amends for the Slowneƒs of their Operations the begining of the Campaign."
With Cornwallis at his heels, General Washington moved his army on to Newark, arriving there on the 23rd. On the 25th, Washington received news of resolves of the Congress that troops from Pennsylvania and the Jerseys, who were in the northern army under General Philip Schuyler, should rendezvous with Washington’s main body. Seven regiments responded to those resolves; four joined General Lee’s army and three joined Washington.
Washington rested his men for five days, leaving on the 28th for Brunswick, and arriving there the next day. The van of Cornwallis’ army entered Brunswick just as the rear of Washington’s army was leaving.
One thousand and two hundred Patriots under Lord Stirling intercepted the American army on the 29th of November. Despite that increase, the army shrank in size the following day when the enlistment period of some two thousand men was up and they started leaving for their homes.
As if the dwindling number of troops due to their enlistments ending was not enough, the Patriot cause was threatened by a proclamation issued by the Howes in New York City on the 30th of November.
By Richard Viƒcount Howe, of the Kingdom of Ireland, and William Howe, Eƒq; General of his Majeƒty’s Forces in America, the King’s Commiƒsioners for reƒtoring Peace to his Majeƒty’s Colonies and Plantations in North America, &c. PROCLAMATION.
Whereas by our declarations of the 20th if June and 19th of September laƒt, in purƒuance of his majeƒty’s moƒt gracious intentions towards his ƒubjects in the colonies or provinces of New Hampƒhire, Maƒsachuƒett’s-Bay, Rhode-Iƒland, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennƒylvania, the three Lower Counties on Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North-Carolina, South-Carolina, and Georgia, all perƒons ƒpeedily returning to their juƒt allegiance were promiƒed a free and general pardon, and were invited to accept, not only the bleƒsings of peace, but a ƒecure enjoyment of their liberties abd properties, upon the true principles of the conƒtitution:
And whereas, notwithƒtanding the ƒaid declarations, and the example of many who have availed themƒelves of the aƒsurances therein made, ƒeveral bodies of armed men, in open contempt of his majeƒty’s proffered clemency, do ƒtill continue their oppoƒition to the eƒtabliƒhment of legal government and peace; and divers other ill diƒpoƒed perƒons, purƒuing their own ambitious purpoƒes in the exerciƒe of a lawleƒs influence and power, are uƒing freƒh endeavors, by various arts and miƒrepreƒentations, to alienate the confidence and affection of his majeƒty’s ƒubjects; to defeat every plan of reconciliation, and to prolong the unnatural war between Great Britain and her colonies:
Now, in order to the more effectual accompliƒhment of his majeƒty’s moƒt gracious intentions, and the ƒpeedy reƒtoration of the public tranquility; and duly conƒidering the limiting the time within which ƒuch pardon as aforeƒaid ƒhall be granted, and of ƒpecifying the terms upon which only the ƒame ƒhall and may be obtained, We do, in his majeƒty’s name, and by virtue of the powers committed to us, hereby charge and command all perƒons whatƒoever, who are aƒsembled together in arms againƒt his majeƒty’s government, to diƒband themƒelves, and return to their dwelling, there to remain in a peaceable and quiet manner; And we alƒo charge and command all ƒuch other perƒons as are aƒsembled together under the name of the General or Provincial Congreƒses, committees, conventions, or other aƒsociations, by whatever name or names known and diƒtinguiƒhed, or who, under the colour of any authority from any ƒuch Congreƒs, committee, convention, and other aƒsociation, take upon them to iƒsue or execute any orders for levying money, raiƒing troops, fitting out armed ƒhips and veƒsels, impriƒoning, or otherwiƒe moleƒting his majeƒty’s ƒubjects, to deƒiƒt and ceaƒe from all ƒuch treaƒonable actings and doings, and to relinquiƒh all ƒuch uƒurped power and authority, ƒo that peace may be reƒtored, a ƒpeedy remiƒsion of paƒt offences quiet the apprehenƒions of the guilty, and all the inhabitants of the ƒaid colonies be enabled to reap the benefit of his majeƒty’s paternal goodneƒs in the preƒervation of their property, the reƒtoration of their commerce, and the ƒecurity of their moƒt valuable rights, under the juƒt and moderate authority of the crown and parliament of Great Britain: And we do hereby declare, and make known to all men, that every perƒon, who within ƒixty days from the day of the date hereof ƒhall appear before the governor, or lieutenant-governor, or commander in chief, in any of his majeƒty’s colonies or provinces aforeƒaid, or before the general or commanding officer of his majeƒty’s forces in America, or any other officer in his majeƒty’s ƒervice, having the command of any detachment or parties of his majeƒty’s forces there, or before the admiral or commander in chief of his majeƒty’s fleets, or any other officer commanding any of his majeƒty’s ƒhips of war, or any armed veƒsel in his majeƒty’s ƒervice, within any of the ports, havens, creeks, or upon the coaƒt of America, and ƒhall claim the benefit of this proclamation, and at the ƒame time teƒtify his obedience to the laws, by ƒubƒcribing a declaration in the words, following:
"I, A.B. do promiƒe and declare, that I will remain in a peaceable obedience to his majeƒty, and will not take up arms, nor encourage others to take up arms, in oppoƒition to his authority,"
ƒhall and may obtain a full and free pardon of all treaƒons, and miƒpriƒions of treaƒons, by him heretofore committed or done, and of all forfeitures, attainders, and penalties for the ƒame; and upon producing to us, or to either of us, a certificate of ƒuch, his appearance and declaration, ƒhall and may have and receive ƒuch pardon made and paƒsed to him in due form.
Given at New York, this thirtieth day of November, 1776. Howe. W. Howe.
The proclamation, timed to coincide with the eminent departure of many men whose terms of enlistment were soon to be completed, was troublesome to General Washington. He knew that not everyone agreed with the revolution that was taking place. According to the Annual Register, 1777, published in England, within a month after the British secured control of the city of New York, a petition stating their allegiance, and praying for the restoration of English government in the colonies, was submitted to the Howes. The petition contained the signatures of 948 inhabitants. In response, General Washington issued his own proclamation:
Whereas ƒeveral perƒons, inhabitants of the united ƒtates of America, influenced by inimical motives, intimidated by the threats of the enemy, or deluded by a proclamation iƒsued the 30th of November laƒt, by Lord and General Howe, ƒtiled the king’s commiƒsioners for granting pardons, &c. (now at open war, and invading theƒe ƒtates) have been ƒo loƒt to the intereƒt and welfare of their country, as to repair to the enemy, ƒign a declaration of fidelity, and in ƒome inƒtances have been compelled to take the oaths of allegiance, and engaged not to take up arms, or encourage others ƒo to do, againƒt the King of Great Britain. And whereas it has become neceƒsary to diƒtinguiƒh between the friends of America and thoƒe of Great Britain, inhabitants of theƒe States; and that every man who receives protection from, and as a ƒubject of, and State (not being conƒcientiouƒly ƒcrupulous againƒt bearing arms) ƒhould ƒtand ready to defend the ƒame againƒt hoƒtile invaƒion; I do, therefore, in behalf of the United States, by virtue of the powers committed to me by Congreƒs, hereby ƒtrictly comand and require every perƒon, having ƒubƒcribed ƒuch declaration, taken ƒuch oaths, and accepted ƒuch protection and certificate, to repair to head quarters, or to the quarters of the neareƒt general officer of the Continental army, or militia, (until further proviƒion can be made by civil authority) and there deliver up ƒuch protection, certificate and paƒsports, and take the oath of allegiance to the United States of America: Nevertheleƒs hereby granting full liberty to all ƒuch as prefer the intereƒt and protection of Great Britain to the freedom and happineƒs of their country, forthwith to withdraw themƒelves and families within the enemy’s lines. And I do hereby declare, that all and every perƒon who may neglect or refuƒe to comply with this order, within thirty days from the date hereof, will be deemed adherents to the King of Great Britain, and treated as common enemies to theƒe American ƒtates.
Given at Head Quarters, Morris Town.
By the 1st of December, Cornwallis nearly overtook the American army just north of the Raritan River. But Washington deftly manuevered his troops out of harms way. After crossing the Raritan River, the Patriots destroyed the bridge’s timber supports, thereby causing a delay for the British.
General Howe sent orders for Cornwallis to halt his army at Brunswick. Howe was not pleased with Cornwallis’ failure to subdue the Americans. He decided to lead a detachment from New York, join with Cornwallis, and then complete the job himself. Buoyed by the response of hundreds of Pennsylvania and New Jersey residents who made the decision to take him up on his offer of pardon, Howe changed his plans for his northern campaign (i.e. against Albany) and chose to divert troops toward a possible capture of Philadelphia. Howe’s army arrived at Brunswick on the 6th of December.
The American army had arrived in the vicinity of Trenton on the 3rd of December, and was strengthened a bit on the 5th of December with the arrival of a detachment of Pennsylvania Associators that included the German Regiment under Colonel Nicholas Haussegger.
Reinforced, and believing that it would now be possible to confront Cornwallis, and unaware that Howe had recently reinforced Cornwallis, General Washington headed with 1,200 men back northeastward toward Brunswick on the 7th of December. At Princeton, about halfway between Trenton and Brunswick, Washington intercepted the Americans under the command of Lord Stirling. Stirling was in retreat before the combined forces of Cornwallis and Howe. Realizing that once more he would be outnumbered, Washington changed his mind about starting a confrontation, and headed back toward Trenton.
The British army arrived at Trenton on December 8, but the Americans had already ferried across the Delaware to the Pennsylvania side. In order to make their escape across the river quickly, the Americans had commandeered all the available boats up and down the river for some seventy-five miles. The British would have to construct boats before they could make the crossing. Howe had assumed that he would crush the American army, which was estimated to number only half of his own British army, and end the rebel uprising once and for all. Whether he wanted to or not, Howe would have to establish a camp and be patient until enough boats could be constructed if he wished to engage the Americans. Instead, with the prospects of undertaking a winter campaign or nothing, Howe chose the latter and, on the 14th, ordered his army into winter quarters at outposts stretching from New York to Trenton. Not inclined to be uncomfortable, Howe headed back for the warmth and comforts of New York while Cornwallis made preparations to travel to England for the winter.
Washington deployed his troops along a twenty-five mile front along the west bank of the Delaware River, and planned his next move.
The delegates assembled in the Continental Congress at Philadelphia had been receiving dispatches from Washington. The reports of Howe’s troops reinforcing Cornwallis’ army, and thereby making the army that was traveling southward roughly 10,000 strong, arrived at Philadelphia around the 10th of December. The news threw the delegates and the inhabitants of the city into a panic.
To deal with the threat of being taken by the British, the Congress passed a number of resolutions during their session of 12 December. According to the Journals Of The Continental Congress:
Reƒolved, That the Marine Committee be directed to employ one or more faƒt ƒailing veƒsels, to proceed on a cruiƒe immediately off the Capes of Delaware, to give notice to all ƒhips or veƒsels inward bound of the ƒtate of this port, in order that they may proceed to ƒome other place or places of ƒafety.
Reƒolved, That General Putnam, or the commanding officer in Philadelphia, be deƒired to appoint ƒuitable perƒons to make proper proviƒion of combuƒtibles, for burning ƒuch of the frigates and other continental veƒsels as may be in imminent danger of falling into the enemie’s poƒseƒsion ƒhould this city come into their hands.
Reƒolved, That the continental general commanding in Philadelphia, be directed to defend the ƒame to the utmoƒt extremity, againƒt the attempts of the enemy to get poƒseƒsion of it; and that, for this end, he apply, from time to time, to the council of ƒafety of Penƒylvania for their aid and aƒsiƒtance.
Reƒolved, That the arms, ammunition, and cloathing, in or near the city of Philadelphia, be put under the direction of General Putnam; and that Mr. J. Meaƒe, Mr. Towers, and all other perƒons having continental ƒtores in care, make immediate return of the ƒame to General Putnam, of the quantities and kinds of each, and where the ƒame are placed, that the general may take proper order therein, whether for ƒaftey or uƒe, as he ƒhall judge proper.
General Putnam and Brigadier General Mifflin being called to a conference, and having, by ƒtrong arguments, urged the neceƒsity of the Congreƒs retiring, it was, therefore, Reƒolved, That Mr. Wilƒon be deƒired to inform the aƒsembly and council of ƒafety of Penƒylvania of the (propoƒed) adjournment of Congreƒs, and the place to which they have reƒolved to adjourn; and to inform them, that Congreƒs will, at all times, on their application, be ready to comply with their requiƒitions for the ƒecurity of this city and ƒtate againƒt the common enemy.
Whereas the movements of the enemy have now rendered the neighborhood of this city the ƒeat of war, which will prevent that quiet and uninterrupted attention to the public buƒineƒs, which ƒhould ever prevail in the great continental council:
Reƒolved, That this Congreƒs be, for the preƒent, adjourned to the town of Baltimore, in the ƒtate of Maryland, to meet on the 20th inƒtant, unleƒs a ƒufficient number to make a Congreƒs ƒhall be there ƒooner aƒsembled; and that, until the Congreƒs ƒhall otherwiƒe order, General Waƒhington be poƒseƒsed of full power to order and direct all things relative to the department, and to the operations of war.
General Charles Lee, who had postponed his rendezvous with the Washington, holding his large detachment in northern New Jersey under the artifice that he planned to attack the British from the rear should they follow Washington, was surprised and taken captive. While lodging at White’s Tavern in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, about three miles from Morristown where his troops were encamped, on 13 December, Lee and a number his staff officers were hailed to surrender by a patrol of the Queen’s Light Dragoons led by, then, subaltern Banastre Tarleton. Lee refused, and instead attempted to escape. Lee was taken prisoner and all of his officers were either killed or wounded.
Lee’s command was assumed by Major General John Sullivan. Sullivan lost no time in heading to join the rest of the American army; arriving on 20 December at Newtown, Pennsylvania where Washington had made his encampment. Sullivan brought approximately two thousand men into Washington’s army. Also arriving at about the same time were 500 men, under the command of General Gates, previously attached to General Schuyler. Washington’s army now stood at roughly 5,000; his original 3,000 reduced by 2,000 who left because their enlistments were up, but reinforced with the 1,200 troops under Stirling; the 2,000 troops under Sullivan; and the 1,000 Philadelphia Associators and Germans under Colonel Haussegger.
Some historians claim that Washington formulated his plan to attack Trenton because of a strong belief that the Patriot Cause might not survive through the winter. Perhaps he saw the movement of the British army into winter quarters as an opportunity to strike at a portion of it without having take on the entire army. Regardless of the underlying motivation, General Washington held a council of war with his staff officers at his headquarters at Newtown on the 24th of December. Plans were made to attack the Hessians under Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rall holding Trenton the following day, Christmas.
The plan of attack called for Brigadier General James Ewing to take a division of 700 men across the river at Trenton Ferry to take posession of and hold the bridge over the Assunpink River. That would seal off any escape route for the Germans. Lieutenant Colonel John Cadwalader was to lead two divisions, about 1,900 men, across near Bristol; from there they would march on the Hessian garrison at Bordentown under the command of General Carl von Donop. General Washington would take the main body of nearly 2,400 men across the river some nine miles upstream from Trenton at McKonkey’s Ferry.
The plan sounded good, but the elements did not come together as they were supposed to. To start with, Cadwalader’s march on Bordentown was intended to serve as a decoy, but after getting his men across the river it was proving too arduous to transport the artillery across. Without the artillery, it would be difficult to engage the enemy. So, Cadwalader took his men back to the Pennsylvania side of the river. Ewing didn’t even attempt a crossing of the river; he felt it would be too hazardous. Only General Washington’s own division made the crossing successfully, including the transport of their artillery. It would be 3:00am on the morning of the 26th before all the troops and artillery succeeded in crossing the river. They were formed into two columns; the right, following the River Road in order to come upon the town from the south, was led by Sullivan while the left, which took the Pennington Road to enter the town from the north, was commanded by Greene.
According to General Washington, in a letter to the Congress dated 27 December, the division under General Greene:
"arrived at the Enemys advanced poƒt, exactly at Eight O’Clock, and in three Minutes after, I found, from the fire on the lower Road that, that Diviƒion had alƒo got up."
Legend has it that the Hessians were sleeping off hangovers from their Christmas Day partying. But that is now generally believed to have been a wrong assumption because the pickets delivered news of the advance of the Americans to Colonel Rall in time for him to begin to assemble his men into formation.
An account of the battle that followed was included in the Annual Register for the year 1777, published at London:
Colonel Rall, a brave and experienced officer, was ƒtationed with a brigade of Heƒsians, conƒiƒting of three battalions, with a few British light-horƒe, and 50 chaƒseurs, amounting in the whole to 14 or 1500 men, at Trenton on the Delaware, being the higheƒt poƒt which the royal army accupied upon that river. Colonel Donop, with another brigade, lay at Bordentown, a few miles lower the river; and at Burlington ƒtill lower, and within twenty miles of Philadelphia, a third body was poƒted. The corps at Trenton, as well as the others, partly from the knowledge had of the weakneƒs of the enemy, and partly from the contempt in which they held him, conƒidered themƒelves in as perfect a ƒtate of ƒecurity, as if they had been garriƒon duty in their own country, in a time of the profoundeƒt peace. It is ƒaid, and ƒeems probable, that this ƒuppoƒed ƒecurity increaƒed that licence and laxity of diƒcipline, of which we have before taken notice, and produced attention to the poƒƒibility of a ƒurprize, which no ƒucceƒs of ƒituation can juƒtify in the vicinity of an enemy, however weak or contemptible.
The circumƒtances, if really exiƒted, ƒeem not to eƒcaped the vigilance of General Waƒhington. But, excluƒive of theƒe, he fully ƒaw and comprehended the danger to which Philadelphia and the whole province would be inevitably expoƒed, as ƒoon as the Delaware was thoroughly covered with ice, if the enemy, by retaining poƒseƒsion of the oppoƒite ƒhore, were at hand to profit of that circumƒtance, whilƒt he was utterly incapable of oppoƒing them in the field.
To ward off this danger, he with equal boldneƒs and ability formed a deƒign to prevent the enemy, by beating up their quarters; intending to remedy the deficieny of force by the manner of applying it; by bringing it nearly to a point; and by attacking unexpectedly and ƒeparately thoƒe bodies which he could not venture to encounter if united. If the deƒign ƒucceeded only in part, it might, however, induce the enemy to contract their cantonments, and to quit the vicinity of the river, when they found it was not a ƒufficient barrier to cover their quarters from inƒult and danger; thus obtaining that ƒecurity for Philadelphia, which, at preƒent, was the princlipal object of his attention.
For this purpoƒe, General Waƒhington took the neceƒsary meaƒures for aƒsembling his forces (which conƒiƒted moƒtly of drafts from the militia of Penƒylvania and Virginia) in three diviƒions, each of which was to arrive at its appointed ƒtation on the Delaware, as ƒoon after dark, and with as little noiƒe, as poƒsible, on the night of Chriƒtmas day. Two of theƒe diviƒions were under the command of the Generals Erwing and Cadwallader, the firƒt of,which was to paƒs the river at Trenton Ferry, about a mile below the town, and the other ƒtill lower towards Bordentown. The principal body was commanded by Mr. Waƒhington in perƒon, aƒsiƒted by the Generals Sullivan and Green, and conƒiƒted of about 2500 men, provided with a train of 20 ƒmall braƒs field pieces.
With this body he arrived at M’Kenky’s Ferry, about nine miles above Trenton, at the time appointed, hoping to be able to paƒs the diviƒion and artillery over by midnight, and that it would then be no difficulty to reach that place long before daylight, and effectually to ƒurprize Rall’s brigade. The river was, however, ƒo incumbred with ice, that it was with great difficulty the boats could make their way through, which, with the extreme ƒeverity of the weather, retarded their paƒƒage ƒo much, that it was near four o’clock before it was compleated. They were ƒtill equally delayed and incommoded in the march by a violent ƒtorm of ƒnow and hail, which rendered the way ƒo ƒlippery that it was with difficulty they reached the place of deƒtination by eight o’clock.
The detachment had been formed in two diviƒions immediately upon paƒsing the river, one of which, turning to the right, took the lower road to Trenton, whilƒt the other, with General Waƒhington, proceeded along the upper, or Pennington road. Notwithƒtanding the delays they met, and the advanced ƒtate of daylight, the Heƒsians had no knowledge of their approach, until an advanced poƒt at ƒome diƒtance from the town, was attacked by the upper diviƒion, the lower, about the ƒame time, driving in the outguards on their ƒide. The regiment of Rall, having been detached to ƒupport the picket which was firƒt attacked, was thrown into diƒorder by the retreat of that party, and obliged to rejoin the main body. Colonel Rall now bravely charged the enemy but being ƒoon mortally wounded, the troops were thrown into diƒorder after a ƒhort engagement, and driven from their artillery, which conƒiƒted only of ƒix battalion braƒs field pieces. Thus overpowered, and nearly ƒurrounded, after an ineffectual attempt to retreat to Princetown, the three regiments of Rall, Loƒsberg, and Knyphauƒen, found themƒelves under the unfortunate neceƒsity of ƒurrendering priƒoners of war.
As the road along the river ƒide to Bordentown led from that part of Trenton moƒt remote from the enemy, the light horƒe, chaƒseurs, a conƒiderable number of the private men, with ƒome few officers, made their eƒcape that way. It is alƒo ƒaid, that a number of the Heƒsians who had been out marauding in the country, and accordingly abƒent from their duty that morning, found the ƒame refuge, whilƒt their crime was covered under the common miƒfortune.
The loƒs of the Heƒsians in killed and wounded was very inconƒiderable, not exceeding 30 or 40 at the moƒt; that on the other ƒide was too trifling to be mentioned; the whole nurnber of priƒoners amounted to 918. Thus was one part of General Waƒhington’s project crowned with ƒucceƒs; but the two others failed in the execution, the quantity of ice being ƒo great, that the diviƒions under Erwing and Cadwallader, found the river, where they directed their attempts, impaƒsable. If this had not been the caƒe, and that the firƒt, in purƒuance of his inƒtructions, had been able to have poƒseƒsed the bridge over Trenton Creek, not one of thoƒe who made their way to Bordentown could have eƒcaped. But if the deƒign had taken effect in all its parts, and the three diviƒions had joined after the affair at Trenton, it ƒeems probable that they would have ƒwept all the poƒts on the river before them.
As things were, General Waƒhington could not proceed any further in the proƒecution of his deƒign. The force he had with him was far from being able even to maintain its ground at Trenton, there being a ƒtrong body of light infantry within a few miles a Princetown, which by the junction of Donop’s brigade, or other bodies from the neareƒt cantonments, would have ƒoon overwhelmed his little army. He accordingly repaƒsed the Delaware the ƒame evening, carrying with him the priƒoners, who, with their artillery and colours, afforded a day of new and joyful triumph at Philadelphia.
Although only alluded to briefly in the account above, Colonel Rall attempted to repulse the Americans by making a bayonet charge up King Street. Colonel Henry Knox had positioned his artillery at the head of King and Queen Streets, and effectively kept the Germans at bay. As they retreated back down King Street, Rall’s troops were fired upon from the left by the men under General Hugh Mercer. The Hessians were driven back to an orchard at the southeast end of the town where Colonel Rall attempted to rally them. But he received a mortal wound. The troops saw the futility of their situation, and surrendered.
According to most estimates, the Americans losses included four killed and eight wounded, while the Hessians sustained twenty-two deaths and ninety-two wounded, along with the capture of the 918. It is believed that another four or five hundred Hessians escaped to Bordentown by crossing over the Assunpink River.
General Washington wrote to Robert Morris from his camp at Newton on 27 December and stated that he regretted that the ice in the Delaware River had prevented Cadwallader and Ewing from making the crossing. He said that:
"I am perƒuaded we ƒhould have been crowned with much succeƒs...not a Heƒsian would have eƒcaped from thence."
Despite his regrets that the victory was not bigger than what it was, he underestimated the enormous value it had in terms of bolstering the public spirit. It was a much needed victory for the Patriot Cause.
