Second Battle of Trenton
Encyclopedia
The Battle of the Assunpink Creek, also known as the Second Battle of Trenton, was a battle between American and British
troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey
, on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War
, and resulted in an American victory.
Following a surprise victory at the Battle of Trenton
early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington
of the Continental Army
and his council of war expected a strong British counter-attack. Washington and his council decided to meet this attack in Trenton, and established a defensive position south of the Assunpink Creek
.
Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis
led the British forces southward in the aftermath of the December 26 battle. Leaving 1,400 men under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood
in Princeton
, Cornwallis advanced on Trenton with about 5,000 men on January 2. His advance was significantly slowed due to defensive skirmishing by American riflemen under the command of Edward Hand
, and the advance guard did not reach Trenton until twilight. After assaulting the American positions three times, and being repulsed each time, Cornwallis decided to wait and finish the battle the next day. Washington moved his army around Cornwallis's camp that night and attacked Mawhood at Princeton
the next day. That defeat prompted the British to withdraw from most of New Jersey for the winter.
, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
crossed
the Delaware River
with his army, and attacked
the Hessian garrison at Trenton
. The Hessian garrison was surrounded and quickly defeated. Washington crossed the river again and went back to his camp in Pennsylvania
. On December 30, Washington moved his army to Trenton and stationed his men on the south side of the Assunpink Creek
.
. Washington decided that he would stand and fight at Trenton, and ordered General John Cadwalader
, who was at Crosswicks
with 1,800 militia, to join him in Trenton. On December 31 Washington learned that an army of 8,000 men under the command of General Charles Cornwallis
was moving to attack him at Trenton.
Washington ordered his men to build earthworks that were parallel to the south bank of the Assunpink Creek. The lines extended about three miles (4.8 km) down the south end of the stream. However, one of Washington's aides, Joseph Reed
, pointed out that there were fords up stream that the British could cross, and then they would be in position to drive in Washington's right flank. Washington could not escape across the Delaware because all of his boats were a few miles upstream. Washington told his officers that he planned to move the army and that their current position was only temporary.
to attack Trenton with their combined forces.
By January 1, 1777, Cornwallis and his army had reached Princeton. On January 2, Cornwallis left part of his force there under the command of Charles Mawhood
, and with 5,500 men, set off down the road to Trenton, 11 miles (17.7 km) away. Cornwallis's army had 28 cannon and marched in three columns. When Cornwallis reached Maidenhead
, he detached Colonel Alexander Leslie with 1,500 men and ordered them to remain there until the following morning.
and British light infantry
. Two days before, Washington had troops under the command of Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy
place an outer defensive line halfway between Trenton and Princeton, with the goal of delaying the British advance. As the British approached, Fermoy returned to Trenton, drunk. Colonel Edward Hand
took over his command.
As the British came within range, the American riflemen opened fire. The American riflemen took cover in the woods, ravines and even in bends in the road, and each time the British would line up in a battle line, the riflemen would fall back and fire from cover. After Hand was forced to abandon the American position along Five Mile Run, he took up a new position, a heavily wooded area on the south bank of Shabbakonk Creek. Hand deployed his men in the trees where they were so well protected from view that the British could not see them as they crossed the bridge over the stream. The riflemen fired at them from point-blank range. The intense fire confused the British into thinking that the entire American army was up against them and they formed into battle lines, bringing up their cannon. The British searched the woods for a half an hour looking for the Americans, but Hand had already withdrawn to a new position.
By three in the afternoon, the British had reached a ravine known as Stockton Hollow, about a half a mile (0.8 km) from Trenton where the Americans were forming another line of defense. Washington wanted to hold the British off until nightfall, when darkness would prevent the British from attacking his defenses on the south side of Assunpink Creek. The British, with artillery in position, attacked Hand's new position, and he gave way, slowly falling back into Trenton. Along the way, Hand had his troops fire from behind houses. As Hand's troops came to the creek, the Hessians charged at them with bayonets fixed, causing chaos among the Americans. Washington, seeing the chaos, rode out through the crowd of men crossing the bridge, and shouted that Hand's rear guard pull back and regroup under the cover of the American artillery.
this time, and the British lines were raked with fire. One soldier said, "The bridge looked red as blood, with their killed and wounded and their red coats."
, occasionally fired shells into Trenton to keep the British on edge. As Cornwallis had, Washington also called for a council of war. Washington knew that there was a road that would lead to Princeton, and his council of war agreed to make an attempt against the British garrison at Princeton. By 2 am the army was on its way to Princeton. Washington left behind 500 men and two cannons to keep the fires burning and to make noise with picks and shovels to make the British think they were digging in. By morning, these men too had evacuated, and when the British came to attack, all of the American troops were gone.
says that they had 100 killed and wounded.
Peckham gives the British losses at Five Mile Run as 1 Hessian killed and those for Stockton Hollow as "at least" 10 killed, 20 wounded and 25 captured. Edward J. Lowell gives the Hessian losses on January 2 as 4 killed and 11 wounded. David Hackett Fischer gives the British casualties as 365 killed, wounded or captured.
, the British there were decisively defeated and most of the garrison under command of Mawhood was captured. With their third defeat in ten days, Cornwallis' superior, General William Howe
ordered the army to withdraw from southern New Jersey and most of the way back to New York. This they did, leaving forward positions at New Brunswick
. Washington moved his army to Morristown
for winter quarters.
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
troops that took place in and around Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, on January 2, 1777, during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, and resulted in an American victory.
Following a surprise victory at the Battle of Trenton
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
early in the morning of December 26, 1776, General George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
and his council of war expected a strong British counter-attack. Washington and his council decided to meet this attack in Trenton, and established a defensive position south of the Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in western New Jersey in the United States.Assunpink Creek is born in rural Monmouth County, about a mile north of Clarksburg. Flowing westwards, it soon enters the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, where it has been dammed to form Rising Sun...
.
Lieutenant General Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
led the British forces southward in the aftermath of the December 26 battle. Leaving 1,400 men under Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood
Charles Mawhood
Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood was the British commander at the Battle of Princeton.His military service began with purchase of a cornetcy in 1st Dragoon Guards . He served in the Seven Years' War , initially as a Captain in the 15th Light Dragoons, then transferred to 18th Light Dragoons...
in Princeton
Princeton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
, Cornwallis advanced on Trenton with about 5,000 men on January 2. His advance was significantly slowed due to defensive skirmishing by American riflemen under the command of Edward Hand
Edward Hand
-Early life and career:Hand was born in Clyduff, King's County, Ireland January 10, 1742, and was baptised in Shinrone. His father was John Hand. Among his immediate neighbours were the Kearney family, ancestors of U.S. President Barack Obamba [1]...
, and the advance guard did not reach Trenton until twilight. After assaulting the American positions three times, and being repulsed each time, Cornwallis decided to wait and finish the battle the next day. Washington moved his army around Cornwallis's camp that night and attacked Mawhood at Princeton
Battle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
the next day. That defeat prompted the British to withdraw from most of New Jersey for the winter.
Background
On December 25, 1776, George WashingtonGeorge Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
crossed
Washington's crossing of the Delaware
Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on December 25, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey...
the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
with his army, and attacked
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
the Hessian garrison at Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
. The Hessian garrison was surrounded and quickly defeated. Washington crossed the river again and went back to his camp in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. On December 30, Washington moved his army to Trenton and stationed his men on the south side of the Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek
Assunpink Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in western New Jersey in the United States.Assunpink Creek is born in rural Monmouth County, about a mile north of Clarksburg. Flowing westwards, it soon enters the Assunpink Wildlife Management Area, where it has been dammed to form Rising Sun...
.
Washington's appeal
At Trenton Washington faced a dilemma. All but a handful of his men's enlistments were expiring on December 31, and he knew that the army would collapse unless he convinced them to stay. So, on the 30th, Washington appealed to his men to stay one month longer for a bounty of ten dollars. He asked any men who wanted to volunteer to poise their firelocks, but not a man turned out. Washington then wheeled his horse around and rode in front of the troops, saying "My brave fellows, you have done all I asked you to do, and more than could be reasonably expected; but your country is at stake, your wives, your houses and all that you hold dear. You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you. If you will consent to stay only one month longer, you will render that service to the cause of liberty and to your country which you probably never can do under any other circumstances." At first no one stepped forward, but then one soldier stepped forward, and he was followed by most of the others, leaving only a few in the original line.Preparations
On January 1, money from Congress arrived in Trenton and the men were paid. Washington also received a series of resolves from Congress including one that gave Washington powers similar to those of a military dictatorMilitary dictatorship
A military dictatorship is a form of government where in the political power resides with the military. It is similar but not identical to a stratocracy, a state ruled directly by the military....
. Washington decided that he would stand and fight at Trenton, and ordered General John Cadwalader
John Cadwalader (general)
John Cadwalader was a commander of Pennsylvania troops during the American Revolutionary War.-Early life:...
, who was at Crosswicks
Crosswicks, New Jersey
Crosswicks Village is an unincorporated area within Chesterfield Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP code 08515....
with 1,800 militia, to join him in Trenton. On December 31 Washington learned that an army of 8,000 men under the command of General Charles Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis
Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis KG , styled Viscount Brome between 1753 and 1762 and known as The Earl Cornwallis between 1762 and 1792, was a British Army officer and colonial administrator...
was moving to attack him at Trenton.
Washington ordered his men to build earthworks that were parallel to the south bank of the Assunpink Creek. The lines extended about three miles (4.8 km) down the south end of the stream. However, one of Washington's aides, Joseph Reed
Joseph Reed (jurist)
Joseph Reed was a Pennsylvania lawyer, military officer, and statesman of the Revolutionary Era. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and, while in Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation...
, pointed out that there were fords up stream that the British could cross, and then they would be in position to drive in Washington's right flank. Washington could not escape across the Delaware because all of his boats were a few miles upstream. Washington told his officers that he planned to move the army and that their current position was only temporary.
British movement
Cornwallis, who had been planning to return to Britain, had his leave canceled. He rode to Princeton to catch up with General James Grant, who had moved with 1,000 troops to reinforce Princeton. Cornwallis arrived, and was convinced by Grant and Carl von DonopCarl von Donop
Count Carl Emilius von Donop was a Hessian colonel who fought in the American Revolutionary War.-Origins and ambitions:...
to attack Trenton with their combined forces.
By January 1, 1777, Cornwallis and his army had reached Princeton. On January 2, Cornwallis left part of his force there under the command of Charles Mawhood
Charles Mawhood
Lt. Col. Charles Mawhood was the British commander at the Battle of Princeton.His military service began with purchase of a cornetcy in 1st Dragoon Guards . He served in the Seven Years' War , initially as a Captain in the 15th Light Dragoons, then transferred to 18th Light Dragoons...
, and with 5,500 men, set off down the road to Trenton, 11 miles (17.7 km) away. Cornwallis's army had 28 cannon and marched in three columns. When Cornwallis reached Maidenhead
Lawrenceville, New Jersey
Lawrenceville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township in Mercer County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the CDP population was 3,887...
, he detached Colonel Alexander Leslie with 1,500 men and ordered them to remain there until the following morning.
Delaying actions
Out in front of his army, Cornwallis placed a skirmish line of Hessian jägersJäger (military)
Jäger is a term that was adopted in the Enlightenment era in German-speaking states and others influenced by German military practice to describe a kind of light infantry, and it has continued in that use since then....
and British light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
. Two days before, Washington had troops under the command of Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy
Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy
Matthias Alexis Roche de Fermoy was a French soldier of fortune who served as a brigadier general in the Continental Army. Born in the West Indies, he was one of several foreigners given command positions in the army in 1776 . Fermoy's tenure as a brigadier general was marked by disgrace...
place an outer defensive line halfway between Trenton and Princeton, with the goal of delaying the British advance. As the British approached, Fermoy returned to Trenton, drunk. Colonel Edward Hand
Edward Hand
-Early life and career:Hand was born in Clyduff, King's County, Ireland January 10, 1742, and was baptised in Shinrone. His father was John Hand. Among his immediate neighbours were the Kearney family, ancestors of U.S. President Barack Obamba [1]...
took over his command.
As the British came within range, the American riflemen opened fire. The American riflemen took cover in the woods, ravines and even in bends in the road, and each time the British would line up in a battle line, the riflemen would fall back and fire from cover. After Hand was forced to abandon the American position along Five Mile Run, he took up a new position, a heavily wooded area on the south bank of Shabbakonk Creek. Hand deployed his men in the trees where they were so well protected from view that the British could not see them as they crossed the bridge over the stream. The riflemen fired at them from point-blank range. The intense fire confused the British into thinking that the entire American army was up against them and they formed into battle lines, bringing up their cannon. The British searched the woods for a half an hour looking for the Americans, but Hand had already withdrawn to a new position.
By three in the afternoon, the British had reached a ravine known as Stockton Hollow, about a half a mile (0.8 km) from Trenton where the Americans were forming another line of defense. Washington wanted to hold the British off until nightfall, when darkness would prevent the British from attacking his defenses on the south side of Assunpink Creek. The British, with artillery in position, attacked Hand's new position, and he gave way, slowly falling back into Trenton. Along the way, Hand had his troops fire from behind houses. As Hand's troops came to the creek, the Hessians charged at them with bayonets fixed, causing chaos among the Americans. Washington, seeing the chaos, rode out through the crowd of men crossing the bridge, and shouted that Hand's rear guard pull back and regroup under the cover of the American artillery.
British assault
As the British prepared to attack the American defenses, cannon and musket fire was exchanged between the opposing sides. The British moved across the bridge, advancing in solid columns, and the Americans all fired together. The British fell back, but only for a moment. The British charged the bridge again, but were driven back by cannon fire. The British charged one final time, but the Americans fired canister shotCanister shot
Canister shot is a kind of anti-personnel ammunition used in cannons. It was similar to the naval grapeshot, but fired smaller and more numerous balls, which did not have to punch through the wooden hull of a ship...
this time, and the British lines were raked with fire. One soldier said, "The bridge looked red as blood, with their killed and wounded and their red coats."
Cornwallis' decision
When Cornwallis arrived in Trenton with the main army, he called a council of war as to whether or not he should continue to attack. Cornwallis' quartermaster general, William Erskine, urged Cornwallis to strike right away, saying "If Washington is the General I take him to be, his army will not be found there in the morning." But James Grant disagreed, and argued that there was no way for the Americans to retreat, and that the British troops were worn out, and that it would be better for them to attack in the morning after they had rested. Cornwallis did not want to wait until morning, but he decided that it would be better than sending his troops out to attack in the dark. Cornwallis said, "We've got the old fox safe now. We'll go over and bag him in the morning." Cornwallis then moved his army to a hill north of Trenton for the night.Washington's decision
During the night, the American artillery, under the command of Henry KnoxHenry Knox
Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army and later the United States Army, and also served as the first United States Secretary of War....
, occasionally fired shells into Trenton to keep the British on edge. As Cornwallis had, Washington also called for a council of war. Washington knew that there was a road that would lead to Princeton, and his council of war agreed to make an attempt against the British garrison at Princeton. By 2 am the army was on its way to Princeton. Washington left behind 500 men and two cannons to keep the fires burning and to make noise with picks and shovels to make the British think they were digging in. By morning, these men too had evacuated, and when the British came to attack, all of the American troops were gone.
Casualties
Howard Peckham records the fighting on January 2 as two separate engagements, both of which he categorizes as "skirmishes". In the first, at Five Mile Run, he gives no American losses. In the second, at Stockton Hollow, he gives the American casualties as 6 killed, 10 wounded and 1 deserted. William S. Stryker, on the other hand, gives the entire American loss on January 2 as 1 killed and 6 wounded, while David Hackett FischerDavid Hackett Fischer
David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Earl Warren Professor of History at Brandeis University. Fischer's major works have tackled everything from large macroeconomic and cultural trends to narrative histories of significant events to explorations of...
says that they had 100 killed and wounded.
Peckham gives the British losses at Five Mile Run as 1 Hessian killed and those for Stockton Hollow as "at least" 10 killed, 20 wounded and 25 captured. Edward J. Lowell gives the Hessian losses on January 2 as 4 killed and 11 wounded. David Hackett Fischer gives the British casualties as 365 killed, wounded or captured.
Aftermath
By morning, Washington had reached Princeton. After a brief battleBattle of Princeton
The Battle of Princeton was a battle in which General George Washington's revolutionary forces defeated British forces near Princeton, New Jersey....
, the British there were decisively defeated and most of the garrison under command of Mawhood was captured. With their third defeat in ten days, Cornwallis' superior, General William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
ordered the army to withdraw from southern New Jersey and most of the way back to New York. This they did, leaving forward positions at New Brunswick
New Brunswick, New Jersey
New Brunswick is a city in Middlesex County, New Jersey, USA. It is the county seat and the home of Rutgers University. The city is located on the Northeast Corridor rail line, southwest of Manhattan, on the southern bank of the Raritan River. At the 2010 United States Census, the population of...
. Washington moved his army to Morristown
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
for winter quarters.