The Battle of Trenton

And the Victory at Princeton

The Declaration of Independence

• The Declaration of Independence was signed and adopted on July 4th, 1776

• This represented an official declaration of war against the British Government

Early Battles• Most early battles involved few

troops– Bunker Hill

• 2,200 British• 1,200 Americans

• The British had not won a decisive battle over the Patriots

• Summer of 1776– British sent 32,000 troops to

New York– General Howe hoped that the

huge army would convince the Patriots to give up

Fighting in New York• Long Island

– Washington had fewer than 20,000 troops• But they were determined to fight

– Continental Army was outnumbered• They suffered heavy losses

– Americans ran short on supplies

• Casualties– British – 400– American - 1500

• Washington retreats to Manhattan then to New Jersey and on to Pennsylvania

Nathan Hale

• Hero at Long Island– Teacher from Connecticut– Disquised as a Dutch

Schoolteacher– Wanted to spy on British

• Hale was discovered and hanged– “I only regret that I have

but one life to lose for my country.”

– Nathan Hale

A Low Point

• Winter of 1776 – 1777– Continental Army dwindles– Soldiers went home or

deserted

• Washington wrote his brother– If new soldiers were not

recruited soon, “I think the game is pretty near up.”

• Washington could not believe that the fight for liberty would truly fail.

African Americans Join the Fight

• Continental Army needed soldiers– Estimated 5,000 African-

American joined the Patriots

– Enslaved Africans who had run away

– Fought to earn their freedom

• By wars end, all colonies except South Carolina had enlisted African Americans

The Winter of 1776-1777

• General Howe took his troops to New York for the Winter– He left New Jersey in the

hands of the Hessians

• Howe’s delay allowed Washington to gather reinforcements– Thomas Paine said, “These

are the times that try men’s souls.”

– He urged Patriots to remain loyal to their cause

The Battle of Trenton• Washington plans a surprise attack on the Hessians• December 25, 1776

– Washington and his men cross the Delaware River into Trenton• 2,500 Men

• Lasted less than 1 hour– Patriots captured more than 900 Hessians– Only 5 American Cassualties

• The victory boosted American Spirits

On to Princeton• Washington was not satisfied

– Patriots march toward Princeton

• January 2, 1777– Patriots keep campfires burning– Left camp under the cover of

night– The encircled the British Troops

• Princeton was another victory for the Patriots– “It is a fine fox chase, my boys!”

– George Washington