From todays Writers Almanac: It was on this day in 1776 that George Washington led the Continental Army across the Delaware River in a surprise attack on Hessian mercenaries. Over the past several months, the Continental Army had suffered several defeats and no significant victories, and morale was low. Men were sick, wounded, and dressed in rags even in the cold of winter. They were deserting at high rates, and the replacements were poorly trained. Washington knew that a victory was necessary in order to restore the faith of both soldiers and regular Americans. He also knew that a surprise attack was probably necessary in order to defeat the Hessians. The Hessians were German mercenaries hired by the British army - they made up about a quarter of the British forces, and they were skilled, effective soldiers. Washington planned the attack in secret. The weather was terrible: snow, sleet, and gale-force winds. Washington decided the weather would work in their favor, because no one would imagine that the Continental Army would attack during a blizzard. A few hours before attempting the mission, Washington read aloud to his soldiers from Thomas Paines The American Crisis. The army was divided into three groups to cross the Delaware, each with a different destination point around Trenton; Washington led one group and put commanders in charge of the other two groups. The river was moving quickly, carrying huge chunks of ice, and they were traveling through a blinding snowstorm. Throughout Christmas night, a couple of thousand men, 18 cannons, and some horses crossed the river in small boats. Only Washingtons group persevered through the brutal weather - the other two commanders turned their troops around. Then they marched 10 miles to Trenton, many of the soldiers with frostbitten feet. Early in the morning on December 26th, the Continental Army attacked Trenton, surprising the unprepared and hungover Hessians. They took 1,000 captors, and then retreated to Pennsylvania with the prisoners. The victory didnt do much for Washingtons strategic position, but it restored everyones faith in the Continental Armys abilities.
Posted on: Thu, 25 Dec 2014 16:34:09 +0000
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