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The '''Battle of Trenton''' occurred in the second year of the [[American Revolution]], [[1776]], when an overwhelming force of British soldiers routed the Patriots from [[New York]] and through [[New Jersey]] into [[Pennsylvania]].  The demoralized force suffered attrition from death, injury, and desertion.  Infantry enlistments of the early war had a single year duration, and thus many troops, defeated, were going home.  After the summer-long chain of defeats and hundred miles of retreat, new enlistees were unlikely.  The Continental Congress even fled Philadelphia for [[Baltimore]], leaving everything in the hands of General [[George Washington]].

The '''Battle of Trenton''' occurred in the second year of the [[American Revolution]], [[1776]], and is widely touted as one of the greatest American victories of the war. It followed several months of calamity for the Patriot cause, after an overwhelming force of British soldiers routed the Continental Army under General [[George Washington]] from [[New York]] and through [[New Jersey]] into [[Pennsylvania]].  The demoralized force suffered attrition from death, injury, and desertion.  Infantry enlistments of the early war had a single year duration, and thus many troops, defeated, were going home.  After the months-long chain of defeats and hundred miles of retreat, new enlistees were unlikely.  The Continental Congress even fled Philadelphia for [[Baltimore]], leaving everything in the hands of Washington.

 

Though Washington's victory at Trenton did not in itself turn the tide of the war in favor of the Americans, it did at least force the British onto the defensive and breathe new life into the American cause, at a time when yet another defeat might have been fatal.  

==The Battle==

==The Battle==

After several hours of marching through a severe winter storm, Washington's troops arrived on the northwest outskirts of Trenton at about 7:30 a.m. and launched their attack. Though the storm had delayed the American march and forced them to attack in daylight, rather than the predawn darkness Washington had initially hoped for, it had also led the Hessian garrison to let its guard down, believing there could be no major action in such weather. Therefore, the American assault caught the enemy by surprise. After some stubborn fighting along the edge of town, the Hessians were overwhelmed by the converging attack, launched from several directions, and by the close-up support of Washington's artillery; they fell back through the streets before being rallied by Colonel Rahl, who had by now arrived to take personal command of the defense, and launched a counterattack north up King Street. Once more, intense close-quarters combat resulted; [[Henry Knox]] later described it as "a scene of war of which I had often conceived but never saw before. The hurry, fright, and confusion of the enemy was [not] unlike that which will be when the last trump shall sound."<ref>William Stryker, ''Battles of Trenton and Princeton'' (Boston, 1898), 371.</ref>  

After several hours of marching through a severe winter storm, Washington's troops arrived on the northwest outskirts of Trenton at about 7:30 a.m. and launched their attack. Though the storm had delayed the American march and forced them to attack in daylight, rather than the predawn darkness Washington had initially hoped for, it had also led the Hessian garrison to let its guard down, believing there could be no major action in such weather. Therefore, the American assault caught the enemy by surprise. After some stubborn fighting along the edge of town, the Hessians were overwhelmed by the converging attack, launched from several directions, and by the close-up support of Washington's artillery; they fell back through the streets before being rallied by Colonel Rahl, who had by now arrived to take personal command of the defense, and launched a counterattack north up King Street. Once more, intense close-quarters combat resulted; [[Henry Knox]] later described it as "a scene of war of which I had often conceived but never saw before. The hurry, fright, and confusion of the enemy was [not] unlike that which will be when the last trump shall sound."<ref>William Stryker, ''Battles of Trenton and Princeton'' (Boston, 1898), 371.</ref>  

Eventually, the Hessian counterattack broke, especially after Rahl himself fell, hit by two bullets and mortally wounded. Driven back into an apple orchard east of town, and without any senior leadership, two of the three Hessian regiments quickly surrendered. The third regiment tried to escape to the southeast, in the direction of other Hessian units at Mount Holly and elsewhere, but were cut off and likewise forced to surrender.  

Eventually, the Hessian counterattack broke, especially after Rahl himself fell, hit by two bullets and mortally wounded. Driven back into an apple orchard east of town, and without any senior leadership, two of the three Hessian regiments quickly surrendered. The third regiment tried to escape to the southeast, in the direction of other Hessian units at Mount Holly and elsewhere, but was cut off and likewise forced to surrender.  

Trenton was a huge victory for the Americans, with the main body of the Hessian garrison completely wiped out (apart from a handful of soldiers and a larger number of noncombatants). Historian David Hackett Fischer records the losses as 22 killed, 83 wounded, and 896 captured, for a total of 918 casualties.  There were some casualties on the American side, including the wounding of future president [[James Monroe]], but few deaths.<ref>David Hackett Fischer, ''Washington's Crossing'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 254-55.</ref>  

Trenton was a huge victory for the Americans, with the main body of the Hessian garrison completely wiped out (apart from a handful of soldiers and a larger number of noncombatants). Historian David Hackett Fischer records the losses as 22 killed, 83 wounded, and 896 captured, for a total of 918 casualties.  There were some casualties on the American side, including the wounding of future president [[James Monroe]], but few deaths.<ref>David Hackett Fischer, ''Washington's Crossing'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 254-55.</ref>  

Two battles of Trenton are considered among the most decisive battles in the annals of military history.<ref>[http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/history/the_battle_of_trenton.html The Battle of Trenton]</ref>

The battles of Trenton are considered among the most decisive battles in the annals of military history.<ref>[http://njmonthly.com/articles/towns_and_schools/history/the_battle_of_trenton.html The Battle of Trenton]</ref>

==Aftermath==

==Aftermath==