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