HISTORY WASHINGTON'S CROSSING

A look at Gen. George Washington’s Christmas crossing of the Delaware River and the art that it inspired

High stakes in the war

It was the winter of 1776. With the War of Independence failing, Gen. George Washington and his army had low morale and few new recruits.

Washington's campaign in New York had not gone well. On Dec. 2, he was forced to retreat across the Delaware River to Pennsylvania. It took five days for the Continental Army to cross. Washington ordered various boats along the river to be seized and gathered on the Pennsylvania side as a defensive measure.

As a harsh winter set in, soldiers were forced to deal with a lack food and warm clothing. The army shrunk due to desertions and expiring enlistments. Desperate for a victory, Washington decided to attempt crossing the Delaware River once again to attack Hessian troops at Trenton, N.J.

The Hessians were a group of German troops fighting for the British. Germany had about 300 city states at the time and the hiring of foreign armies was common in Europe. About 30,000 Hessians fought in the war.

Typically used to carry pig iron down the Delaware River, the large Durham boats were used for the crossing. Fully expecting to be supported by two brigades south of Trenton, Washington assembled his troops near Mcconkey's Ferry in preparation for the crossing. On Dec. 25, by 6 p.m., 2,400 troops began to cross the icy river. The weather forced the men to fight their way through sleet and a blinding snowstorm.

Not everyone came across

The weather obstacles proved to be too much for the supporting brigades led by Col. John Cadwalader and Gen. Thomas Ewing. Their attempts to cross at southern points along the Delaware River failed. Washington and his men successfully completed their crossing and marched into Trenton on the morning of Dec. 26, 1776. The army achieved a resounding victory over the Hessians. Gen. George Washington's strategy gave new life to the American Revolution.