Okla-homey
12/26/2007, 07:50 AM
December 26, 1776: Washington wins first major U.S. victory at Trenton
Exactly 231 years ago, at approximately 8 a.m. on the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington's Continental troops reach the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey, and descends upon the unsuspecting Hessian force guarding the city.
http://aycu11.webshots.com/image/39410/2000275961871520407_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000275961871520407)
During the American Revolutionary War, Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel (a principality in northern Hesse) and other German leaders had hired out thousands of draftees to Great Britain to fight against the American revolutionaries.
http://aycu28.webshots.com/image/36507/2000290572389538984_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000290572389538984)
Hessian troops enjoying a little down time
About 30,000 of these soldiers were sold into service, and they came to be called Hessians, because 16,992 of the total 30,067 men came from Hesse-Kassel. Some were direct subjects of King George III (ethnically German himself); he ruled them as the Elector of Hanover.
Thus, they weren't mercenaries in the ordinary sense. Instead, they were mostly farm boys themselves who had been drafted in their homeland, then sent to fight for Britain by their prince -- who was paid handsome fee from London for doing so.
http://aycu08.webshots.com/image/38567/2006120882528201986_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2006120882528201986)
Hessians. The tall brass caps were designed to make the soldier seem taller and thus more intimidating.
Trenton's 1,400 German defenders were still groggy from the previous evening's Christmas festivities. No doubt many were hung over as well. The Germans felt free to party it up in a combat zone because they had underestimated the Patriot threat after months of decisive British victories throughout New York.
http://aycu14.webshots.com/image/37533/2000243862068466288_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000243862068466288)
Washington and his force had crossed the ice-choked Delaware river on Christmas night in small boats. The troops of the Continental Army quickly overwhelmed the German defenses, and by 9:30 a.m.Trenton was completely surrounded.
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/37100/2000223241586510740_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000223241586510740)
After disembarking from the boats, Washington's men faced a tough slog through snowy roads to surround Trenton.
http://aycu17.webshots.com/image/38376/2000299715820942543_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000299715820942543)
Although several hundred Hessians escaped, nearly 1,000 were captured at the cost of only four American lives.
However, because most of Washington's army had failed to cross the Delaware the previous day, he was without adequate artillery or men to hold the town against a British counter-attack and was forced to withdraw from the town.
Although the victory was minor from a strategic perspective, it bore tremendous significance for the future of the Continental Army. Washington needed a success before his solders’ enlistments expired on December 31--without a dramatic upswing in morale, he was likely to lose the soldiers under his command and be unable to recruit new men to replace them.
The victories at Trenton and a few days later at Princeton proved to the American public that their army was indeed capable of victory and worthy of support.
The image of ragged farm-boy Patriots defeating drunken foreign mercenaries has become ingrained in the American imagination. Then as now, Washington’s crossing and the Battle of Trenton were emblematic of the American Patriots’ surprising ability to overcome the tremendous odds they faced in challenging the wealthy and powerful British empire.
http://aycu28.webshots.com/image/36507/2000229561967244972_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000229561967244972)
Exactly 231 years ago, at approximately 8 a.m. on the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington's Continental troops reach the outskirts of Trenton, New Jersey, and descends upon the unsuspecting Hessian force guarding the city.
http://aycu11.webshots.com/image/39410/2000275961871520407_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000275961871520407)
During the American Revolutionary War, Landgrave Frederick II of Hesse-Kassel (a principality in northern Hesse) and other German leaders had hired out thousands of draftees to Great Britain to fight against the American revolutionaries.
http://aycu28.webshots.com/image/36507/2000290572389538984_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000290572389538984)
Hessian troops enjoying a little down time
About 30,000 of these soldiers were sold into service, and they came to be called Hessians, because 16,992 of the total 30,067 men came from Hesse-Kassel. Some were direct subjects of King George III (ethnically German himself); he ruled them as the Elector of Hanover.
Thus, they weren't mercenaries in the ordinary sense. Instead, they were mostly farm boys themselves who had been drafted in their homeland, then sent to fight for Britain by their prince -- who was paid handsome fee from London for doing so.
http://aycu08.webshots.com/image/38567/2006120882528201986_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2006120882528201986)
Hessians. The tall brass caps were designed to make the soldier seem taller and thus more intimidating.
Trenton's 1,400 German defenders were still groggy from the previous evening's Christmas festivities. No doubt many were hung over as well. The Germans felt free to party it up in a combat zone because they had underestimated the Patriot threat after months of decisive British victories throughout New York.
http://aycu14.webshots.com/image/37533/2000243862068466288_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000243862068466288)
Washington and his force had crossed the ice-choked Delaware river on Christmas night in small boats. The troops of the Continental Army quickly overwhelmed the German defenses, and by 9:30 a.m.Trenton was completely surrounded.
http://aycu21.webshots.com/image/37100/2000223241586510740_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000223241586510740)
After disembarking from the boats, Washington's men faced a tough slog through snowy roads to surround Trenton.
http://aycu17.webshots.com/image/38376/2000299715820942543_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000299715820942543)
Although several hundred Hessians escaped, nearly 1,000 were captured at the cost of only four American lives.
However, because most of Washington's army had failed to cross the Delaware the previous day, he was without adequate artillery or men to hold the town against a British counter-attack and was forced to withdraw from the town.
Although the victory was minor from a strategic perspective, it bore tremendous significance for the future of the Continental Army. Washington needed a success before his solders’ enlistments expired on December 31--without a dramatic upswing in morale, he was likely to lose the soldiers under his command and be unable to recruit new men to replace them.
The victories at Trenton and a few days later at Princeton proved to the American public that their army was indeed capable of victory and worthy of support.
The image of ragged farm-boy Patriots defeating drunken foreign mercenaries has become ingrained in the American imagination. Then as now, Washington’s crossing and the Battle of Trenton were emblematic of the American Patriots’ surprising ability to overcome the tremendous odds they faced in challenging the wealthy and powerful British empire.
http://aycu28.webshots.com/image/36507/2000229561967244972_rs.jpg (http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2000229561967244972)