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In the first six months of the [[American Revolution]] in late 1776, British soldiers routed the Patriots from [[New York]] and [[New Jersey]] into [[Pennsylvania]].  The Continental Army fell from 20,000 to only 2,000 soldiers.  The Continental Congress even fled Philadelphia, leaving everything in the hands of General [[George Washington]].

In the second year of the [[American Revolution]], 1776, 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, leaving everything in the hands of General [[George Washington]].

He decided to attack the much-feared Hessian troops at daybreak on December 26, 1776.  In a very risky move having the code name "Victory or Death," Washington led his men across the ice-filled Delaware River at midnight [[Christmas]] Day.  

The General, in a last-ditch maneuver to provide the army a victory on which to recruit, decided to attack the 1560-man Hessian force in Trenton, under the command of Colonel [[Johann Gottlieb Rahl]].  An attack was coordinated to surround the city of Trenton, crossing both north and south of the city, at daybreak on December 26, 1776, coordinating with a 600-man unit of New Jersey Militia intended to mount a diversion to distract the German force.  In a very risky move having the code name "Victory or Death," Washington began leading his men across the ice-filled Delaware River at five o'clock in the evening on [[Christmas]] Day.  

In the morning, Washington's troops caught the enemy by surprise and won a huge victory, quickly capturing nearly a thousand enemy troops.  There were some casualties, including the wounding of future president [[James Monroe]].

In the morning, Washington's troops caught the enemy by surprise and won a huge victory, quickly capturing nearly a thousand enemy troops.  There were some casualties, including the wounding of future president [[James Monroe]].