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 AfricanAmerican 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