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89-1141: Washington Crossing or Washington's Crossing may refer to: Historical event [ edit ] George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River , event during the American Revolutionary War before the Battle of Trenton on December 26, 1776 Places [ edit ] Washington's Crossing , National Historic Landmark for the event in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania Washington Crossing State Park , New Jersey Washington Crossing Historic Park , Pennsylvania Washington Crossing, New Jersey Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania Washington Crossing Bridge , between Washington Crossing, New Jersey and Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania Washington Crossing Bridge (Pittsburgh) , Pennsylvania Washington Crossing National Cemetery , Pennsylvania Art and literature [ edit ] Washington's Crossing (book) , by David Hackett Fischer Washington Crossing

178-551: A bounty to be paid immediately from Congressional coffers in Philadelphia did a significant number of men agree to stay with the army another six weeks. Washington then adopted a fortified position just south of the Assunpink Creek, across the creek from Trenton. In this position, he beat back one assault on January 2, 1777, which he followed up with a decisive victory at Princeton the next day, although General Hugh Mercer

267-589: A celebrated location and development in the ultimately victorious Revolutionary War, the unincorporated communities of Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania and Washington Crossing, New Jersey are both presently named in honor of Washington and the logistically complicated covert crossing of Delaware River. Although 1776 started well for Washington and the Continental Army with the evacuation of British troops from Boston in March, attempts to defend New York City from

356-861: A corps in Eugene of Savoy's army in Italy before moving to the Spanish Netherlands in 1708. In 1714, 6,000 Hessians were rented to Sweden for its war with Russia whilst 12,000 Hessians were hired by George I of Great Britain in 1715 to combat the Jacobite Rebellion . ... In the midst of the War of the Austrian Succession in 1744, 6,000 Hessians were fighting with the British army in Flanders, whilst another 6,000 were in

445-509: A few of the Hessian soldiers who deserted the British forces after being returned in exchange for American prisoners of war. These men were both hunted by the British for being deserters and by many of the colonists as a foreign enemy. Throughout the Revolutionary War, Americans tried to entice Hessians to desert the British, emphasizing the large and prosperous German-American community in

534-474: A foreign party by their own government, to which they remained in service. Auxiliaries were a major source of income for many small and relatively poor German states, typically serving in wars in which their governments were neutral. Like most auxiliaries of this period, Hessians were attached to foreign armies as entire units, fighting under their own flags, commanded by their usual officers, and wearing their existing uniforms. Hessians played an essential role in

623-429: A heavy toll on Washington and the Continental Army. When they evacuated their forts, they were forced to leave behind critical supplies and munitions. Many troops were killed or taken prisoner, and the morale of the remaining troops suffered even further. Few believed that Washington and the Continental Army could win the war and gain independence. On December 19, 1776, just a week prior to Washington's covert crossing of

712-594: A large number of Durham boats were used to transport soldiers across the river. These boats were designed to carry heavy loads from the Durham Iron Works, featured high sides and a shallow draft, and could be poled across the river. The boats were operated by experienced watermen, including John Glover 's Marblehead Regiment , a company of experienced seamen from Marblehead, Massachusetts . These men were joined by seamen, dockworkers, and shipbuilders from Philadelphia and local ferry operators and boatsmen who knew

801-494: A little English." Apparently, this was a prerequisite for the English to show them any affection. Numerous other incidents strained the relationship between the British and Hessians. In August 1779, Saxon nobleman Johann Philip von Krafft wrote that a group of "English soldiers" attacked and robbed a Hessian grenadier, fatally wounding him in the process; historian Steven Schwamenfeld noted that these soldiers were most likely members of

890-456: A military operation. Preparations for the attack began immediately, on December 23. The following day, on December 24, boats were used to begin bringing the Continental Army across the Delaware from New Jersey were brought down from Malta Island near present-day New Hope, Pennsylvania . The boats were hidden behind Taylor Island at McConkey's Ferry, Washington's planned crossing site, and security

979-652: A parallel route that lay a few miles inland from the Delaware River . Meanwhile, the Hessians were held up at Trenton. In the days approaching Christmas , they experienced numerous skirmishes around Trenton, and were subjected to frequent gunfire at night, along with repeated false alarms. By Christmas Eve, the Hessians were tired and weary. As a storm and heavy snowfall began Christmas night, Colonel Rall assumed there would be no attack of any consequence to worry about. While Rall

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1068-419: A public welfare system, and encouraged education. American historian Edward Jackson Lowell lauded Friedrich II for spending British money wisely, describing him as "one of the least disreputable of the princes who sent mercenaries to America". Prior to the American Revolutionary War, Hessian soldiers were familiar in battlefields across 18th century Europe. Between 1706 and 1707, 10,000 Hessians served as

1157-668: A raw, untrained militia force from Vermont , New Hampshire , and Massachusetts . General John Burgoyne lost 1,000 of his 8,000 soldiers at Bennington, and the loss of so many Hessians doomed his army later. An assortment of Hessians fought in the battles and campaigns in the southern states during 1778–1780, including at the Guilford Court House , and two regiments fought at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781. Hessians also served in Nova Scotia for five years (1778–1783), where they protected

1246-675: A standing army was costly. When military conflict broke out, German states provided a ready supply of trained troops prepared to enter military action immediately. The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel soon emerged as the most prominent source of German soldiers to foreign armies. To field a large professional army with a relatively small population, Hesse-Kassel became the most militarized state in Europe: All Hessian males registered for military service at age seven, and from age 16 until 30 were required to present themselves annually to an official for possible recruitment. Only those whose occupation

1335-419: A third crossing for December 29. On December 28 it snowed, but the weather cleared that night, although its remained bitter cold. As this effort involved most of the army, eight crossing points were used. At some of crossing points, the ice had frozen two to three inches (4 to 7 cm) thick and was capable of supporting soldiers, who crossed the ice on foot. At other crossings, the conditions were so bad that

1424-468: A three-day event called Operation RAW . 40°18′0″N 74°52′24″W  /  40.30000°N 74.87333°W  / 40.30000; -74.87333  ( Washington's Crossing ) Hessian (soldier) While regarded both contemporaneously and historiographically as mercenaries , Hessians were legally distinguished as auxiliaries : whereas mercenaries served a foreign government on their own accord, auxiliaries were soldiers hired out to

1513-489: A year after hostilities broke out, condemned King George III for "transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to [complete] the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation." Throughout the war, reports of plundering by Hessians were said to have galvanized neutral colonists to join

1602-640: Is located in the Mill Hill neighborhood of Trenton. He is shown standing on a boat, symbolically representing the crossing. An image of Washington Crossing the Delaware has also appeared on the 1999 New Jersey State Quarter and on the reverse of the 2021 Quarter. In 1970, the Vietnam Veterans Against the War invoked the crossing when they marched from Morristown to Valley Forge , performing guerilla theatre , holding press conferences, and passing out flyers in

1691-642: The Battle of Iron Works Hill the next day, drawing the Hessians at Bordentown far enough south that they would be unable to come to the assistance of the Trenton garrison. The intelligence gathered by Reed and others led Washington to abandon the idea of attacking at Mount Holly, and he began focusing instead on targeting the Hessian garrison in Trenton. On December 23, Washington announced to his staff that he had decided to attack Trenton just prior to sunrise on December 26. Washington told Reed that "dire necessity" justified

1780-570: The British . Washington and his troops successfully attacked the Hessian forces in the Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26, 1776. The military campaign was organized in great secrecy by Washington, who led a column of Continental Army troops from today's Bucks County, Pennsylvania across the icy Delaware River to today's Mercer County, New Jersey in what was one of the Revolutionary War's most logistically challenging and dangerous clandestine operations. Other planned crossings in support of

1869-600: The Büchse , a short, large-caliber rifle well-suited to woodland combat. Initially, the typical regiment was made up of 500 to 600 men. Later in the war, due to death in battle, death by disease, and general desertion to settle in the Colonies, the regiments may have been reduced to only around 300 to 400 men. The first Hessian troops to arrive in British America landed at Staten Island on August 15, 1776, and their first engagement

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1958-564: The Continental Army . After the Revolutionary War, many Hessian prisoners of war never returned to Germany and instead chose to accept American offers of religious freedom and free land, becoming permanent settlers. By contrast, British prisoners were also held in Lancaster, but these men did not respond favorably to good treatment and often tried to escape. After the war ended in 1783, some 17,313 German soldiers returned to their homelands. Of

2047-617: The Geneva Convention defines a mercenary as "any person who ... has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces." Hessian troops served in America on official duty from the armed forces of Hesse-Cassel and Hesse-Hanau. Protocol I also requires a mercenary to be "promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in

2136-632: The Pennsylvania Navy . Captain Daniel Bray , along with Captain Jacob Gearhart and Captain Jacob Ten Eyck, were chosen by Washington to take charge of the boats used in the crossing, supervising the transport of infantry, cavalry, and cannon. In addition to the large ferry vessels, which were big enough to carry large coaches, and likely served for carrying horses and artillery during the crossing,

2225-656: The Thirteen Colonies of the challenging conditions confronting the Continental Army but arguing that victory was possible and necessary. On December 20, General Lee's division of 2,000 troops arrived in Washington's camp under the command of General John Sullivan . Lee was captured by the British on December 12, when he ventured too far outside the protection of his troops in search of more comfortable lodgings. Later that day, Gates' division arrived in camp, which by then included only 600 Continental Army forces following

2314-529: The Volunteers of Ireland , a Loyalist military unit mostly consisting of deserters from the Continental Army. Another incident occurred on August 20, 1780, between British soldiers from the 54th Regiment of Foot and Hessian troops from the Anhalt-Zerbst Regiment. The 54th Regiment of Foot, which had cultivated several vegetable gardens, were relieved by the Hessians, who refused British demands to pay for

2403-539: The Washington Crossing Bridge . In 1851, the artist Emmanuel Leutze painted Washington Crossing the Delaware , an idealized and inspirational portrait of the crossing. Fictional portrayals in film of the crossing have also been made, with perhaps the most notable recent one being The Crossing , a 2000 television movie starring Jeff Daniels as George Washington. A marble statue of George Washington, sculpted by Mahlon Dickerson Eyre around 1876,

2492-534: The Bavarian army. By 1762, 24,000 Hessians were serving with Ferdinand of Brunswick 's army in Germany. In most of these wars, Hesse-Hanau was never formally a belligerent. While its troops remained members of the Hessian military, and even fought in their national uniform, they were hired out for service in other armies, without their government having any stake in the conflict. Thus, Hessians could serve on opposing sides of

2581-551: The British House of Hanover and were comfortable placing their troops under British command. A total of 29,875 German troops fought alongside British troops in the Revolutionary War, of which 16,992 came from Hesse-Kassel and 2,422 from Hesse-Hanau. Other contingents came from Brunswick (4,300), Ansbach-Bayreuth (2,353), Anhalt-Zerbst (1,119), and Waldeck (1,225). As the majority of the German troops came from Hesse, Americans use

2670-422: The British flank near Morristown . Other problems hampered Washington's forces. Many of his troop's enlistments were due to expire at the end of 1776, then only a week away, and many of them were inclined to leave the Continental Army when their commission ended. Several Continental Army troops deserted prior to expiration of their enlistment commitment. The pending loss of forces, the series of lost battles,

2759-465: The British service not as individuals, but in entire units, with their usual uniforms, flags, equipment, and officers. Methods of recruitment varied according to the state of origin. The contingent from Waldeck was drawn from an army based on universal conscription, from which only students were exempt. Other German princes relied on long-service voluntary enlistment supplemented by conscription when numbers fell short. Many princes were closely related to

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2848-645: The British were unsuccessful. British General William Howe and his troops landed on Long Island in August and pushed Washington's Continental Army completely out of New York by mid-November, when he captured the remaining troops on Manhattan . The main force of British troops returned to New York for the winter season, and they left their allied Hessian troops in New Jersey under the command of Colonels Rall and Von Donop. Both colonels were ordered to form small outposts in and around Trenton . Howe then sent troops under

2937-576: The Colonies. The Continental Congress authorized the offer of land of up to 50 acres (roughly 20 hectares) to individual Hessian soldiers who switched sides. British soldiers were offered 50 to 800 acres, depending on rank. Many Hessian prisoners were held in camps at the interior city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania , home to a large German community known as the Pennsylvania Dutch . German prisoners were treated well, with some volunteering for extra work assignments, helping to replace local men serving in

3026-467: The Delaware (1851 painting) , by Emanuel Leutze Washington Crossing the Delaware (1953 painting) , by Larry Rivers "Washington Crossing the Delaware" (sonnet) , a 1936 sonnet by David Schulman The Crossing (2000 film) , an A&E television movie See also [ edit ] Washington Crossing the Delaware (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with

3115-584: The Delaware River George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River , which occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War , was the first move in a complex and surprise military maneuver organized by George Washington , the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army , which culminated in their attack on Hessian forces garrisoned at Trenton . The Hessians were German mercenaries hired by

3204-474: The Delaware River well, including Kirby Francis Kane from Rhode Island. On the morning of December 25, Washington ordered his Continental Army troops to prepare three days' food and issued orders that every soldier be outfitted with fresh flints for their muskets. Washington was somewhat worried by intelligence reports that the British were planning their own crossing once the Delaware was frozen over. At 4 pm on December 25, Washington's army arrived to begin

3293-430: The Delaware River, the morale of the Continental Army was lifted by the publication of The American Crisis , a pamphlet authored by Thomas Paine , the author of Common Sense . In The American Crisis , Paine wrote the famed phrase: These are the times that try men's souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves

3382-487: The Delaware River. This left Washington with about 2,400 men able to take offensive action against the Hessian and British troops in and around Trenton. The Continental Army's morale was boosted further by the arrival of some provisions, including much-needed blankets, on December 24. Washington was considering some form of bold maneuver since arriving in Pennsylvania. With the arrival of Sullivan's and Gates' forces and

3471-503: The Revolutionary War, particularly in the northern theater . They served with distinction in many battles, most notably at White Plains and Fort Washington . The added manpower and skill of German troops greatly sustained the British war effort—at some points accounting for up to one-third of British strength—but also outraged colonists and increased support for the Revolutionary cause. The use of "large armies of foreign mercenaries"

3560-473: The Revolutionary side. General Washington 's Continental Army had crossed the Delaware River to make a surprise attack on the Hessians in the early morning of December 26, 1776. In the Battle of Trenton , the Hessian force of 1,400 was quickly overwhelmed by the Continentals, with only about 20 killed and 100 wounded, but 1,000 captured. Hessians captured in the Battle of Trenton were paraded through

3649-710: The United States John Marshall , Alexander Hamilton , the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury , Arthur St. Clair , who later served as President of the Continental Congress and Governor of the Northwest Territory , and John Gano , a brigade chaplain and friend of George Washington , who later served as the first chaplain in the Kentucky state legislature . Both sides of the Delaware River where

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3738-456: The armed forces of that Party." While not formally incorporated into the British military, Hessian troops were paid the same wages as British soldiers. Great Britain maintained a relatively small standing army , so it found itself in great need of troops at the outset of the American Revolutionary War. Several German princes saw an opportunity to earn extra income by hiring out their regular army units for service in America. Their troops entered

3827-433: The attempts were abandoned for the day. It was New Year's Eve before the army and all of its baggage was back in New Jersey. This was somewhat fortunate, as the enlistment period of John Glover's regiment, along with a significant number of others, was expiring at the end of the year, and many of these men, including most of Glover's, wanted to go home, where a lucrative privateering trade awaited them. Only by offering

3916-485: The battle. Washington's army then crossed the Delaware River a third time at the end of 1776 under difficult circumstances by the uncertain thickness of the ice on the river. They defeated British reinforcements under Lord Cornwallis at Trenton on January 2, 1777, and were also triumphant over his rear guard at Princeton the following day prior to retreating to his winter quarters in Morristown, New Jersey . As

4005-408: The battle. Only three Americans were killed and six wounded, while 22 Hessians were killed, with 98 wounded. During the battle Colonel Rall was mortally wounded, and died the next day. The Americans captured nearly 1,000 prisoners, and seized muskets, gunpowder, artillery pieces, and drums . Following the battle, Washington had to execute a second crossing that was in some ways more difficult than

4094-462: The colony from American privateers, such as during the 1782 Raid on Lunenburg . Notwithstanding their reputation as skilled and disciplined fighters, many British soldiers shared the American distrust of Hessians, who often spoke little or no English and were perceived as crude and barbaric. The chaplain then recounts the case of a Jaeger subaltern who was assailed "by an Englishman in his cups" with

4183-534: The command of Charles Cornwallis across the Hudson River , where they chased Washington and his troops across New Jersey . Washington's army was shrinking because of expiring enlistments and desertions. The remaining troops were suffering from poor morale because of the defeats in the New York area. Most of Washington's army crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania north of Trenton , and destroyed or moved to

4272-461: The crossing and attack. Horatio Gates was in the Hudson River Valley . Charles Lee was in western New Jersey, where he had 2,000 Continental Army troops under his command. Washington ordered both generals to join him, but Gates was delayed by heavy snows in transit to McConkey's Ferry, and Lee, who did not have a high opinion of Washington, delayed following repeated orders, and remained on

4361-426: The crossing of the river. The troops were issued ammunition, and even the officers and musicians were ordered to carry muskets. They were told that they were departing on a secret mission. Marching eight abreast in close formations and ordered to be as quiet as possible, they left the camp for McConkey's Ferry. Washington's plan required the crossing to begin as soon as it was dark enough to conceal their movements on

4450-620: The crossing took place have been preserved, in an area designated as the Washington's Crossing National Historic Landmark . In this district, Washington Crossing Historic Park in Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania , preserves the area in Pennsylvania , and Washington Crossing State Park in Washington Crossing, New Jersey preserves the area in New Jersey . The two areas are connected by

4539-628: The declaration: "God damn you, Frenchy, you take our pay!" The outraged Hessian replied: "I am a German and you are a shit." This was followed by an impromptu duel with hangers, in which the Englishman received a fatal wound. The chaplain records that General Howe pardoned the Jaeger officer and issued an order that "the English should treat the Germans as brothers." This order began to have influence only when "our Germans, teachable as they are" had learned to "stammer

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4628-416: The end of many enlistments, to secure the northern frontier. Soon after, another 1,000 Continental Army troops arrived from Philadelphia under Colonel John Cadwalader 's command to support Washington and the existing troops he then was commanding. With these reinforcements and a smaller number of local volunteers who joined his forces, Washington's forces totaled about 6,000 troops fit for duty. This total

4717-431: The first of the troops to cross, going with Virginia troops led by General Adam Stephen . These troops formed a sentry line around the landing area in New Jersey, with strict instructions that no one was to pass through. The password was "Victory or Death". The rest of the army crossed without significant incident, although a few men, including Delaware's Colonel John Haslet , fell into the water. The amount of ice on

4806-431: The first. In the aftermath of the battle, the Hessian supplies had been plundered, and, in spite of Washington's explicit orders for its destruction, casks of captured rum were opened, so some of the celebrating troops got drunk, probably contributing to the larger number of troops that had to be pulled from the icy Delaware River waters on the return crossing. They also had to transport the large numbers of prisoners across

4895-580: The influx of militia companies, he felt the time was finally right for some sort of action. Washington first considered an attack on the southernmost British positions near Mount Holly , where a Continental Army militia force had gathered. He sent his adjutant Joseph Reed to meet with Samuel Griffin , the militia's commander. Reed arrived in Mount Holly on December 22, and found Griffin to be ill and his men in relatively poor condition, but willing to undertake some form of military diversion. They did this at

4984-495: The intention of forcing Hessian troops to withdraw from the war. Hessian and allied forces attempted to liberate their homeland but were repulsed at the Battle of Sandershausen on 23 July. Following two sieges in 1761 and 1762 , Cassel was retaken, which constituted the last military action of the war. The characterization of Hessian troops as "mercenaries" remains controversial. American history textbooks refer to them as "mercenaries", and they are still widely perceived as such in

5073-512: The land", or native men. Hessian military service was notably strict and demanding, emphasizing iron discipline through draconian punishment. Deserters were summarily executed or beaten by an entire company. Morale was generally high, and soldiers were said to take pride in their service. Officers were usually well-educated, and unlike most European armies, promoted on the basis of merit. Soldiers were paid relatively high wages, and their families were exempt from certain taxes. Although plunder

5162-653: The loss of New York, and the resulting flight of the Continental Army and many New Yorkers from the British, led some in the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia to begin doubting the war's direction under Washington's leadership. But Washington persisted, successfully procuring supplies and dispatching men to recruit new members for the Continental Army, which was successful partly because of British and Hessian soldiers' drunken behavior while in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The losses at Fort Lee placed

5251-452: The love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. The day following its publication in Philadelphia , Washington ordered all his troops to read it. In The American Crisis , Paine encouraged the soldiers to look more optimistically at their prospects for victory. The pamphlet also enhanced public understanding across

5340-404: The operation were either called off or ineffective, but this did not prevent Washington from surprising and defeating the Hessian troops encamped in Trenton under the command of Johann Rall . After prevailing in the Battle of Trenton, Washington and his Continental Army troops crossed the Delaware River again, returning to Pennsylvania west-bound with Hessian prisoners and military stores taken in

5429-471: The popular imagination of the United States. American historian Charles Ingrao describes Hesse as a "mercenary state" whose prince rented out his regiments to fund his governmental expenditures. By contrast, British historian Stephen Conway referred to them as " auxiliaries ". Military historians Dennis Showalter and Rodney Atwood note that Hessians would not have been legally considered mercenaries at

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5518-520: The practice of lending out auxiliaries did sometimes draw Hesse-Kassel into war. In July 1758, during the course of the Seven Years' War, most of the country, including its capital of Cassel, was occupied by a French army under Charles de Rohan, Prince of Soubise , which easily overcame the home defence force of 6,000 Hessian militiamen . Soubise ordered his troops to live off the land, take high-ranking hostages, and extort payments of cash and produce, with

5607-421: The privilege of harvesting crops they had sown. In response, a number of British soldiers began pulling up the vegetables and carrying them off, which led to a skirmish breaking out before British and Hessian officers broke it up. Americans, both Revolutionaries and Loyalists, often feared the Hessians, believing them to be rapacious and brutal mercenaries. The American Declaration of Independence, written roughly

5696-398: The risky assault, which included the logistically complicated task of crossing the Delaware River. Washington's final plan included plans for three crossings of the river, with his troops, the largest contingent, to lead the attack on Trenton. A second column under Cadwalader was to cross at Dunk's Ferry and create a diversion to the south. A third column under Brigadier General James Ewing

5785-556: The river he recalled his men from New Jersey. When he received word about Washington's victory, he crossed his men over again but retreated when he found out that Washington had not stayed in New Jersey. On the morning of December 26, as soon as the Continental Army was ready, Washington ordered it split into two columns, one Washington personally commanded with General Greene, and a second led by General Sullivan. The Sullivan column would take River Road from Bear Tavern to Trenton while Washington's column would follow Pennington Road ,

5874-438: The river prevented the artillery from finishing the crossing until 3 am on December 26. The troops were ready to march around 4 am. The two other crossings fared less well. The treacherous weather and ice jams on the river stopped General Ewing from even attempting a crossing below Trenton. Colonel Cadwalader crossed a significant portion of his men to New Jersey, but when he found that he could not get his artillery across

5963-409: The river while keeping them under guard. One American acting as a guard on one of the crossings observed that the Hessians, who were standing in knee-deep ice water, were "so cold that their underjaws quivered like an aspen leaf." The victory had a marked effect on the troops' morale. Soldiers celebrated the victory, Washington's role as a leader was secured, and Congress gained renewed enthusiasm for

6052-537: The river, but most of the troops did not reach the crossing point until about 6 pm, about ninety minutes after sunset. As the evening progressed, the weather became progressively worse, turning from drizzle to rain and then to sleet and snow. "It blew a hurricane," one soldier recalled. Washington had given charge of the crossing to his chief of artillery, Henry Knox . In addition to the crossing of large numbers of troops (most of whom could not swim), he had to safely transport horses and eighteen pieces of artillery over

6141-463: The river. Knox wrote that the crossing was accomplished "with almost infinite difficulty", and that its most significant danger was floating ice in the river. One observer noted that the whole operation might well have failed "but for the stentorian lungs of Colonel Knox". The unusually cold weather of the 1770s and the icy river were likely related to the Little Ice Age . Washington was among

6230-667: The same conflict. In the War of the Austrian Succession , both Britain and Bavaria employed Hessian soldiers against one another. In the Seven Years' War , the forces of Hesse-Kassel served with both the Anglo-Hanoverian and the Prussian armies against the French; although Hesse-Kassel was technically allied to Britain and Prussia, her troops were actually leased by the British. Notwithstanding its formal neutrality in many of these conflicts,

6319-412: The streets of Philadelphia to raise American morale; anger at their presence helped the Continental Army recruit new soldiers. Most of the prisoners were sent to work as farmhands. By early 1778, negotiations for the exchange of prisoners between Washington and the British had begun in earnest. These included Nicholas Bahner(t), Jacob Trobe, George Geisler, and Conrad Grein (Konrad Krain), who were

6408-417: The term "Hessians" to refer to all German troops fighting on the British side . Hessian troops included Jägers , hussars , three artillery companies, and four battalions of grenadiers . Most infantrymen were chasseurs , including sharpshooters , musketeers , and fusiliers . Line infantry was armed with muskets, while the Hessian artillery used the three-pound cannon. The elite Jäger battalions used

6497-574: The time, but rather auxiliaries. Whereas mercenaries served a foreign ruler in an individual capacity, auxiliaries forces were controlled by a state, and their foreign service was in direct competition to professional mercenaries. Similarly, in the twentieth century, the Moroccan Goumiers were attached as auxiliaries to the French Army of Africa . Hessians would not be categorized as mercenaries under modern international law. Protocol I (1977) to

6586-488: The title Washington Crossing . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Washington_Crossing&oldid=1104855952 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages George Washington%27s crossing of

6675-415: The war. In a war council on December 27, Washington learned that all of the British and Hessian forces had withdrawn as far north as Princeton, something Cadwalader had learned when his militia company crossed the river that morning. In his letter, Cadwalader proposed that the British could be driven entirely from the area, magnifying the victory. After much debate, the council decided on action and planned

6764-446: The western shore all boats for miles in both directions. Rather than attempting to immediately chase Washington further, Cornwallis, under Howe's orders, established a chain of New Jersey outposts from New Brunswick to Burlington , including one at Bordentown and one at Trenton, and ordered his troops to bunker there in winter quarters. The British were happy to end the campaign season when they were ordered to winter quarters. This

6853-450: Was a time for the generals to regroup, resupply, and strategize for the upcoming campaign season the following spring. Washington encamped his Continental Army near McConkey's Ferry in present-day Upper Makefield Township , not far from the crossing site. Washington at first took quarters across the river from Trenton, but on December 15 he moved his headquarters to the home of William Keith in present-day Upper Makefield Township so he

6942-431: Was closer to his forces. When Washington's army first arrived at McConkey's Ferry, the Continental Army had between 4,000 and 6,000 men, but approximately 1,700 were unfit for duty and needed hospital care. In the retreat across New Jersey, Washington lost precious supplies and also lost contact with two important divisions of the Continental Army. Two of Washington's top generals were potentially poised to aid Washington in

7031-529: Was considered vital to the country were exempted; those deemed expendable, such as vagrants and the unemployed, could be conscripted at any time. During the 18th century, approximately 5.2% to 14.2% of Hesse-Kassel's population were under arms in the 18th century, with one in four households having someone serving in the army—a larger proportion than even heavily militarized Prussia . Whereas Prussia relied partly on mercenaries from other German states, Hesse-Kassel employed only Landeskinder —literally "children of

7120-514: Was in Trenton, he and some of his top officers spent Christmas evening at the home of Abraham Hunt , Trenton's postmaster, where Hunt played the role of a Loyalist and placated Rall and his officers with food and plenty of drink into the late hours of the evening and morning, which, by many accounts, compromised Rall's ability to respond to Washington's surprise attack at daybreak. Washington attacked an unsuspecting Rall and his troops and in little time had scattered and divided them and ultimately won

7209-635: Was in high demand. Germany was not yet a unified nation, but a collection of several hundred states loosely organized under the Holy Roman Empire . Conflict between and among these states led to the creation of professional armies, which were consequently experienced and well trained. Many German societies became militarized, with most men undergoing annual training from adolescence well into adulthood, often serving for life or until they were too old. Several poorer German states came to rely on their troops as an economic resource, especially since sustaining

7298-477: Was killed in the battle. In the following days, the British withdrew to New Brunswick, and the Continental Army entered winter quarters in Morristown, New Jersey . At the time of the crossing, Washington's army included a significant number of people who played important roles in the formation of what ultimately became the United States , including future U.S. president James Monroe , future Chief Justice of

7387-474: Was less than two weeks later in the Battle of Long Island . Hessians proved decisive to the British victory, and they subsequently fought in almost every battle that year. By 1777, the British used them mainly as garrison and patrol troops. Hessians fought at the Battle of Bennington , the turning point of the Saratoga campaign . At Saratoga, approximately 1,000 Hessians were defeated; being killed or captured by

7476-403: Was officially forbidden, it remained common practice—as in most military forces at the time—offering another incentive for service. Overall, Hessian troops were considered superb fighters, even by their opponents. The Hessian military became a major source of economic strength and was the dominant force in society. Hesse-Kassel manufactured its own weapons and uniforms, and its textile industry

7565-537: Was one of the 27 colonial grievances against King George III in the Declaration of Independence , and the Patriots cited the deployment of Hessians as proof of British violations of the colonists' rights. The use of foreign soldiers was common in 18th-century Europe. In the two centuries leading up to the American Revolutionary War , the continent saw frequent, though often small-scale, warfare, and military manpower

7654-451: Was so prosperous from supplying the military that workers could afford to buy meat and wine every day. The revenue from renting the army to the British equaled roughly 13 years' worth of taxes, allowing the Landgrave of Hesse-Kassel, Friedrich II , to reduce taxes by one-third between the 1760s and 1784. A self-styled enlightened despot , he also oversaw public-works projects, administered

7743-459: Was then reduced by a large portion because some forces were detailed to guard the ferries at Dunk's Ferry, currently bordered by present-day Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem Township, Pennsylvania and New Hope, Pennsylvania . Another group was sent to protect supplies at Newtown, Pennsylvania , and to guard the sick and wounded who had to remain behind as the Continental Army began crossing

7832-478: Was tightened at and around the crossing. A final planning meeting took place that day, with all of the general officers present. Washington outlined the details plans for the crossing of the river and planned attacks on the Hessians in Trenton on December 25, 1776 A wide variety of watercraft were assembled for the crossing of the Delaware River , primarily through the work of militia men from surrounding counties in New Jersey and Pennsylvania with assistance from

7921-571: Was to cross at Trenton Ferry and hold the bridge across the Assunpink Creek , just south of Trenton, in order to prevent the enemy's escape by that route. Once Trenton was secure, the combined Continental Army would move against the British posts in Princeton and New Brunswick . A planned fourth crossing, by men provided by General Israel Putnam to assist Cadwalader, was aborted after Putnam indicated that he did not feel he had enough men fit for such

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