Washington Crossing the Delaware, by Emanuel Leutze, 1851, Metropolitan Museum

Washington's crossing of the Delaware, occurring on December 25, 1776 during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack against the Hessian forces at Trenton, New Jersey in the Battle of Trenton. Download high resolution version (950x558, 918 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: American Revolutionary War Emanuel Leutze George Washington Delaware River Washington Crossing the Delaware Categories: U.S. history images ... Download high resolution version (950x558, 918 KB) File links The following pages link to this file: American Revolutionary War Emanuel Leutze George Washington Delaware River Washington Crossing the Delaware Categories: U.S. history images ... As of 2004, it is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ... Washington Crossing the Delaware Westward the Course of Empire Takes its Way Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze (May 24, 1816 – July 18, 1868) was a German-born American painter. ... Metropolitan Museum of Art New York Elevation The Metropolitan Museum of Art, often referred to simply as The Met, is one of the worlds largest and most important art museums. ... December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining for the year. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants American Revolutionaries, France, Dutch Republic, Spain, American Indians Kingdom of Great Britain, German mercenaries, Loyalists, American Indians Commanders George Washington, Comte de Rochambeau, Nathanael Greene, Bernardo de Gálvez Sir William Howe, Sir Henry Clinton, Lord Cornwallis (more commanders) The American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), also known as the... In mathematics, the Hessian matrix of a function of several real variables is the (symmetric) matrix of all second partial derivatives. ... Nickname: Trent, T-Town Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area    - City 21. ... Combatants Continental Army a Hessian Brigade Commanders George Washington Johann Rall† Strength 6,000 1,400 Casualties 5 dead 2 wounded 23 dead, 92 wounded 913 captured This article is about the Battle of Trenton which took place on December 26, 1776. ...

Crossing the Delaware

Background

On December 25, 1776, General George Washington and a small army of 2,400 men crossed the Delaware River at McKonkey's Ferry, Pennsylvania on their way to attack a Hessian Garrison of 1,500 in Trenton, New Jersey. The crossing, made during a time when morale was at its lowest point during the American Revolution, renewed hope among the Continental Army, Congress and the general population. Washington's troop movements across the Delaware River were of great strategic and historic significance to the United States' national beginning, and the resources associated with Washington's Crossing are eligible for listing as a National Historic Landmark. Washington and his army had fallen back to McKonkey's Ferry for two reasons. The first was that the American troops had been defeated in their attempts to keep the British forces out of New York City. The British occupation of the city and the heavy losses that the Americans suffered in men and material caused Washington to withdraw from the city and retreat across New Jersey, with British forces in close pursuit. His aim was to prevent another battle between the two armies and provide a resting place for his troops. Placing the Delaware River between himself and the British provided just enough protection. There were few ferries across the river, and those that existed could be watched and defended without much difficulty. December 25 is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 6 days remaining for the year. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... The Delaware River is a river on the Atlantic coast of the United States. ... Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania is a small village located in Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. ... The term Hessian refers to the inhabitants of the German state of Hesse. ... Nickname: Trent, T-Town Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area    - City 21. ... John Trumbulls Declaration of Independence, showing the five-man committee in charge of drafting the Declaration in 1776 as it presents its work to the Second Continental Congress The American Revolution was a political movement during the last half of the 18th century that ended British control of the... Illustration depicting uniforms and weapons used during the 1779 to 1783 period of the American Revolution by showing four soldiers standing in an informal group General George Washington, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army on June 15, 1775. ... The Continental Congress is the label given to two successive bodies of representatives of the inhabitants of the Thirteen Colonies in 18th century British North America: The First Continental Congress met from September 5, 1774, to October 26, 1774. ... USS Constitution. ... Nickname: Big Apple, Gotham Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1613 Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area    - City 1,214. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  Ranked 47th  - Total 8,729 sq mi (22,608 km²)  - Width 70 miles (110 km)  - Length 150 miles (240 km)  - % water 14. ...

The second reason to fall back to this Bucks County, Pennsylvania location was strategy. Washington's retreat allowed and forced the British to fill the void between New York and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in doing so the British extended their forward lines and placed their outposts at too great a distance to be reinforced from New York. Thus, the garrisons in central New Jersey, such as in Trenton, were vulnerable to an attack. Washington was also in a better position to defend Philadelphia from an overland attack from New York. The British plan of attack, known to Washington, was to march across New Jersey, sweep the American army aside and occupy Philadelphia, the capital city. Because of the possibility of this attack, Congress abandoned Philadelphia. This article does not cite its references or sources. ... Nickname: City of Brotherly Love, Philly, the Quaker City Motto: Philadelphia maneto (Let brotherly love continue) Location in Pennsylvania Coordinates: Country United States State Pennsylvania County Philadelphia Founded October 27, 1682 Incorporated October 25, 1701 Mayor John F. Street (D) Area    - City 369. ...

While it was most likely true that Washington did not plan his exact movements to a fine detail, his overall strategy of a rearward march to Philadelphia created a perfect situation for a bold commander to take advantage of his enemy's carelessness. It was also an opportunity for the British General Sir William Howe to defeat the American army. Howe had planned to move against Washington when the Delaware River froze to a sufficient depth so as to allow his army to cross over and attack the Americans. Sir William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe PC (August 10, 1729 – July 12, 1814) was an English General who was Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American Revolutionary War, one of the three Howe brothers. ...

The events that led up to the famous crossing of the Delaware began on 22 August 1776, when the American Army was defeated at Brooklyn Heights. Almost a week later on 27 August 1776, the American Army was again defeated by the British at the Battle of Long Island. After these defeats Washington kept his troops close to New York City, but a final defeat on 16 November 1776 at Fort Washington on Manhattan Island signalled the loss of New York City. With the capture of over 2,600 men and the earlier loss of an equal number of deserters, Washington's army was reduced to the point that it could no longer effectively operate against the British forces. August 22 is the 234th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (235th in leap years), with 131 days remaining. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... View of Brooklyn Heights from Manhattan Brooklyn Heights is a neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. ... August 27 is the 239th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (240th in leap years), with 126 days remaining. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Combatants United States Kingdom of Great Britain Commanders George Washington, Israel Putnam William Howe, Charles Cornwallis, Henry Clinton Strength 11,000-13,000 (about 10,000 of which were militia ) 22,000 (including 9,000 Hessians) Casualties 1,807 total (400 dead, 1,407 wounded, captured or missing) 377 total... November 16 is the 320th day of the year (321st in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 45 days remaining. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Fort Washington (New York) was a fortified position near the north end of Manhattan Island and was located at the highest point on the island. ... For other uses, see Manhattan (disambiguation). ...

The American army's retreat through New Jersey brought it to the shores of the Delaware River at McKonkey's Ferry on 7 December 1776. By this time, Washington had about 6,000 men under his command. In order to get his men across the river, he ordered Colonel John Glover of Marblehead, Massachuetts and his regiment of Marblehead fishermen to gather all the large ore-carrying Durham Boats that they could find. They were also ordered to destroy every boat of any size for 30 miles above and 30 miles below McKonkey's Ferry. Glover was able to gather about 20 or 30 boats and these were used to carry the army across the river to safety in Pennsylvania. December 7 is the 341st day (342nd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... John Glover (November 5, 1732–January 30, 1797) was an American fisherman and military leader from Marblehead, Massachusetts who served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army. ... The Durham Boat was a large wooden boat produced by the Durham Boat Company of Durham, Pennsylvania. ...

Preparation

With the army safely in Pennsylvania, Washington's next task was to feed and house them and to plan his next move. He occupied a house at Morrisville (Summerseat) across from Trenton, New Jersey while his men were quartered near McKonkey's Ferry. Because of the temporary nature of the camp the exact location of the troops is uncertain, but local tradition places them near the Thompson-Neely House. The entire area was farmland at that time and given the time of year there would have been much available open space for an encampment. From a military standpoint, the main camp near the Thompson-Neely House would have made perfect sense. It is about midway between McKonkey's Ferry and Coryell's Ferry (New Hope). It was at Coryell's Ferry that the main road from Philadelphia to New York passed. Morrisville is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. ... Nickname: Trent, T-Town Location of Trenton inside of Mercer County Coordinates: Country United States State New Jersey County Mercer County Founded circa 1719 Mayor Douglas H. Palmer Area    - City 21. ... New Hope, formerly Coryells Ferry, is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, USA. The population was 2,252 at the 2000 census. ...

The exact location of the General's headquarters is known but not that of any lesser officers, and it is likely that they camped with their men in tents. General Nathanael Greene was quartered at Merrick House, General John Sullivan at Hayhurst House, General William Alexander (Lord Stirling) at the Thompson-Neely House and Colonel Henry Knox at the Chapman House. While Knox was not a General Officer, he was in command of the continental artillery. Charles Willson Peale painted a portrait of General Greene from life in 1783, which was then copied several times by C.W. Peale and his son, Rembrandt Peale. ... General John Sullivan John Sullivan (February 17, 1740 – January 23, 1795) was an American general in the Revolutionary War and a delegate in the Continental Congress. ... William Alexander (born 1726 in New York, died 1783 in Albany, New York) was an American major general during the American Revolutionary War. ... For others with similar names, see: William Alexander (disambiguation). ... Henry Knox (July 25, 1750 – October 25, 1806) was an American bookseller from Boston who became the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army and later the nations first United States Secretary of War. ...

Washington did not immediately move to the McKonkey's Ferry area. Instead, he remained at Trenton Falls (Morrisville) until December 15, 1776, when he moved into the Keith House. It was here and at meetings in the other officers' quarters that the daring plan to cross the river was created and the logistical details worked out. December 15 is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Washington's final plan was for a three pronged attack on Trenton with his troops at the center. A second column under Lieutenant Colonel John Cadwalader was to cross near Bristol, Pennsylvania and engage the Hessian outpost at Mount Holly, New Jersey. A third column under Brigadier General James Ewing was to cross at Trenton Ferry and hold a position just south of Trenton in order to prevent the escape of the Hessian force in Trenton. Once Trenton was secure, the combined army would move against the British posts in Princeton and New Brunswick. John Cadwalader (1742-1786) was a merchant and soldier from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. ... Bristol is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, 23 miles (37 km) northeast of Philadelphia opposite Burlington, N.J. on the Delaware River. ... Mount Holly Township highlighted in Burlington County. ...

When Washington's army first arrived at McKonkey's Ferry he had about 5,000 - 6,000 men, although 1,700 soldiers were unfit for duty and needed hospital care. In the retreat across New Jersey Washington had lost precious supplies as well as losing contact with two important divisions of his army. General Horatio Gates was in the Hudson River Valley and General Charles Lee was in western New Jersey with 2,000 men. Both Generals were ordered to join Washington in Pennsylvania, but both ignored their instructions in order to carry out campaigns that they believed benefited their own goals. Both were former British Army officers who felt that they would have been a better choice for Commander-in-Chief than Washington. Horatio Gates Horatio Gates (Full name: Horatio Lloyd Gates) (1726 – 1806) was an American general during the Revolutionary War. ... Image of the Hudson River taken by NASA. View of the Hudson River in 1880s showing Jersey City View of the Hudson River from Battery Park, New York The Goldman Sachs Tower looms above the skyline of downtown Jersey City, New Jersey, overlooking the Hudson River. ... Charles Lee Charles Lee (1732–1782) was a British soldier turned Virginia planter who was a Major General of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ...

Washington had additional problems, including the fact that the enlistments of his men would expire on December 31, 1776. A series of lost battles and retreats had left morale dangerously low among the soldiers. Many of them were inclined to leave the army once their commission was finished and several had taken the opportunity to desert the army before their enlistments were up. Orders were issued to bring supplies to the camp and men were dispatched to recruit new soldiers, who did slowly begin to arrive at the camp. December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ...

Morale was given a boost on December 19 by the publication of a new pamphlet by Thomas Paine. Common Sense had served to increase support for the Revolution in its early days, and Paine's new pamphlet, titled The American Crisis, began with these well known words: Thomas Paine Thomas Paine (January 29, 1737, Thetford, Norfolk, England – June 8, 1809, New York City) was a pamphleteer, revolutionary, radical intellectual, and deist. ... Look up Common sense in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Wikisource has original text related to this article: The American Crisis The American Crisis was a series of pamphlets published in London in 1793, by revolutionary author Thomas Paine, focusing on the American colonies increasing difficulties with Great Britain -- difficulties which ultimately led to an open breach in the form...

"These are 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 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."

While Paine's writing could not feed or shelter the troops it did serve to increase morale and help them feel a little more tolerant of their current conditions. Morale was also improved by the fact that most soldiers knew they could leave the army within the next few weeks, with their time of duty legally fulfilled and with the knowledge that they had stayed throughout the "dark days of war".

On the next day an event took place that was to have an even better effect on morale. General Lee's division of 2,000 arrived in camp under the command of General John Sullivan. General Lee had been captured by the British on December 12 when he had ventured several miles away from his troops in search of more comfortable lodgings. Later that day General Gates's division, now numbering just 500, arrived in camp. Soon after, another 1,000 men from Philadelphia under Colonel John Cadwalader joined Washington. As a result of these reinforcements and smaller numbers of volunteers from the local area, Washington now had 6,000 listed as "fit-for-duty." Of this number, a large portion were detailed to guard the ferries between Bristol and New Hope. Another group was placed to protect supplies at Newtown, Pennsylvania and to guard the sick and wounded who would remain behind when the army crossed the Delaware River. This left Washington with about 2,400 men able to take offensive action against the Hessian and British troops in Central New Jersey. December 12 is the 346th day (347th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 19 days remaining. ... Newtown is a borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. ...

Final preparation for the attack was begun on December 23. Washington ordered that each man be provided with three days rations and that they keep their blankets handy. He also ordered that security be tightened at each river crossing. The boats used to bring the army across the Delaware from New Jersey were brought down from Malta Island near New Hope and hidden behind Taylor Island at McKonkey's Ferry. A final planning meeting took place on December 24, with all of the General Officers present. December 23 is the 357th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (358th in leap years). ...

Operation

On Christmas Day 1776 the troops assembled at the ferry landing and were given the password for the day, "Victory or Death". All of the men were gathered at the point of embarkment by 3:00 p.m. and the loading of the boats began at nightfall. Washington and a party of Virginia troops crossed over first to secure a landing site. The original plan called for the entire army to be disembarked on the New Jersey side of the Delaware by midnight, but it was not until 3:00 a.m. on December 26 that the army completed the crossing and it took another hour to get the troops organized for an attack. A hail and sleet storm had broken out early in the crossing, winds were strong and the river was full of ice floes. The treacherous weather conditions stopped General Ewing from even attempting his crossing. Colonel Cadwalader crossed a significant portion of his men to New Jersey, but when he found that he could not get his artillery across 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. Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday that marks the traditional birthdate of Jesus of Nazareth. ... Year 1776 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  Ranked 35th  - Total 42,793 sq mi (110,862 km²)  - Width 200 miles (320 km)  - Length 430 miles (690 km)  - % water 7. ... December 26 is the 360th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, 361st in leap years. ... Historically, artillery (from French artillerie) refers to any engine used for the discharge of projectiles during war. ...

Attack

Main article: Battles of Trenton and Princeton

As soon as the army was ready, Washington ordered it split into two columns, one under the command of himself and General Greene, the second under General Sullivan. The Sullivan column would take River Road from Bear Tavern to Trenton while Washington's column would follow Pennington Road, a parallel route that lay a few miles inland from the river. The battles of Trenton and Princeton were two related engagements of the American Revolutionary War. ... Route 29 is a state highway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. ... Route 31 is a 48. ...

Famous people in Washington's Crossing of the Delaware

Two future Presidents: The presidential seal was used by President Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii. ...

• James Monroe
• George Washington

One future Vice-President James Monroe (April 28, 1758 – July 4, 1831) was the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825). ... George Washington (February 22, 1732–December 14, 1799)[1] led Americas Continental Army to victory over Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and was later elected the first President of the United States. ... Federal courts Supreme Court Chief Justice Associate Justices Elections Presidential elections Midterm elections Political Parties Democratic Republican Third parties State & Local government Governors Legislatures State Courts Counties, Cities, and Towns Other countries â€¢ Politics Portal      The Vice President of the United States is the first in the presidential line of succession...

• Aaron Burr

Future Chief Justice of the United States: This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Chief Justice of the United States is the head of the judicial branch of the government of the United States, and presides over the Supreme Court of the United States. ...

• John Marshall

Others: John Marshall (September 24, 1755 – July 6, 1835) was an American statesman and jurist who more than anyone else shaped American constitutional law and made the Supreme Court a center of power. ...

• Alexander Hamilton - future Secretary of the Treasury
• Prince Whipple, alleged by some sources but not proven
• John Glover (general), was responsible for ferrying Washington's men

Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 — July 12, 1804) was an American politician, leading statesman, financier, intellectual, military officer, and one of the founders of the Federalist party. ... The United States Secretary of the Treasury is the finance minister of the Federal Government of the United States. ... Prince Whipple, a black patriot of the American Revolution, is a minor legend in the Revolution. ... John Glover (November 5, 1732–January 30, 1797) was an American fisherman and military leader from Marblehead, Massachusetts who served as a Brigadier General in the Continental Army. ...

References

• Fisher, David Hackett. Washington's Crossing. Oxford University Press USA, 2004, 576 pages. ISBN 0195170342
• Ketchum, Richard. The Winter Soldiers: The Battles for Trenton and Princeton. Owl Books, 1999, 448 pages. ISBN 0805060987

David Hackett Fisher is an American political/economic author and a Professor of History at Brandeis University. ... Washingtons Crossing is a book written by David Hackett Fischer and part of the Pivotal Moments in American History series. ...

See also

• Washington Crossing the Delaware
• Washington Crossing State Park
• Washington Crossing Historic Park
• Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania
• The Crossing, a 2000 television movie starring Jeff Daniels as George Washington

As of 2004, it is part of the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. ... Sign marking the location of Washingtons crossing Reenactment of Washingtons crossing of the Delaware Washington Crossing State Park is an 841 acre (3. ... Washington Crossing Historic Park is a 500 acre (2 km²) site operated by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. ... Washington Crossing, Pennsylvania is a small village located in Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. ... The Crossing (film) was an A&E movie starring Jeff Daniels. ... Daniels and Patricia Heaton in a scene from the TNT cable network remake of The Goodbye Girl Jeff Daniels (born February 19, 1955) is an American actor. ...

External links

• Annual Reenactment website
• Reenactment Photo detail
• Sierra Activist article on the reenactment

New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War
1776 -Fort Lee - Washington's crossing of the Delaware - First Trenton - 1777 - Second Trenton - Princeton - Millstone - Short Hills - Forage War - Bound Brook - Middlebrook encampment - 1778 - Monmouth - Molly Pitcher - Baylor Massacre - Little Egg Harbor massacre - Chestnut Neck - 1779 - Paulus Hook - 1780 - Connecticut Farms - Springfield - 1783 - U.S. Capital at Princeton