silent night holy night all is calm all
is not calm okay nothing's call it's
Christmas and George Washington and the
Continental Army are on their way I'm
talking about the battles of Trenton and
Princeton the Christmas time conflicts
that may have saved the American
Revolution in the late fall of 1776
things were not going George
Washington's way his Continental Army
had suffered setback after setback the
British had driven the Americans out of
Manhattan taking 2,000 Patriots prisoner
Washington himself had narrowly avoided
capture morale was low and the American
colonists doubted the ability of the
Continental Army to fend off the British
perhaps this revolution thing wasn't
such a good idea after all some American
troops deserted and as their year-long
enlistments expired more and more of
them were leaving the army let's face it
he wants to play for the losing team
Washington knew he had to do something
where the Revolution would be over so he
decided to attack Trenton New Jersey
after their defeat New York the
Americans had fled across the Hudson
River in New Jersey then further south
across the Delaware River into
Pennsylvania Trenton was held by 1,400
Hessians German soldiers for hire on
England's payroll Washington planned a
three-pronged assault on the Hessians
General James Ewing's men would prevent
the Hessians from escaping Colonel John
Cod Walters militia would prevent
reinforcements from arriving and
Washington's 2,400 troops would attack
and a head-on assault on Christmas night
of 1776 Washington's troops crossed the
Delaware you know that famous painting
of GW standing in the middle of a boat
in the middle of a snowstorm
it didn't happen exactly like that
because it would have fallen over the
side
Washington's Crossing was a pivotal
moment in a pivotal fight
thanks to bad winter weather only
Washington's forces made it through but
the Americans pressed forward as he
approached the town Washington split his
troops in two they flank the enemy
positions while American cannonballs
bring down the Hessians were totally
surprised they weren't expecting an
attack on Christmas of all days I mean
come on guys it's Christmas
the Americans routed the Hessians
killing their commander Colonel Johann
Rall and capturing over 900 of his
troops only two Americans died in the
attack from exposure despite the victory
in Trenton Washington knew he didn't
have enough troops to hold the town so
he withdrew back across the Delaware
then word came that a large British
force under generals Cornwallis and
grant was marching south towards Trenton
from Princeton New Jersey Oh
think fast Rhodes Washington George
convinced his soldiers to stay on for
six more weeks
don't quit yet guys the general took his
troops back across the Delaware and into
Trenton on December 29 On January 2nd
Cornwallis's army arrived the Americans
were on the other side of a little creek
called the acid pink do not laugh at
that name that is a real name it's acid
pink okay
Cornwallis tried three times to cross
the bridge over Assam pink was repelled
each time but he figured he had
Washington's are entrapped he could even
see the campfires of the American army
but uh-uh
sneaky George the campfires were a trick
a decoy Washington had left a few
hundred men to tend the fires and make
noise with picks and shovels the rest of
his force hiked at 12 miles up to
Princeton in the middle of the night
when Cornwallis's forces awoke On
January 3rd surprised no Continental
Army Washington's troops were almost to
Princeton but they weren't there yet
the Americans encountered British units
south of Princeton and fierce fighting
the dead American General Hugh Mercer
was killed and the American forces
starting to give way when but that
enraged tricky George Washington right
now think of it bullets flying
everywhere
you kidding me with this guy the British
fled and Washington took prisoners from
the small British force still in town
the Americans had won the Battle of
Princeton the victories at Trenton and
Princeton have robbed the British of
troops and supplies and slowed their
plans to quash the revolution but most
importantly they provided a huge morale
boost for the young would-be nation the
Americans proved to themselves that they
could mix it up with the British and
that George Washington was the one to
lead
you