George Washington Crosses the Delaware / Battle of Trenton

“Providence seemed to have smiled on every part of this enterprise.” -Henry Knox

George Washington's daring Christmas night crossing of the Delaware and the subsequent Battle of Trenton, (December 25-26, 1773), is one of the most compelling examples of divine providence and becomes the turning point in the Revolutionary War.  

The famous painting "Washington Crossing the Delaware" (1851) by Emanuel LeutzeAbout the Artwork

This amazing account takes place shortly after the evacuation from Brooklyn Heights during the Battle of Long Island. 

NATHAN HALE

In September 1776, after the British forces under General William Howe captured New York City following the Battle of Long Island, Washington desperately needed intelligence on British troop movements and fortifications. No one volunteered for the dangerous spying mission behind enemy lines—until the 21-year-old Nathan Hale stepped forward.  Captured on September 21, 1776, he was executed without trial the following day. His final words, enshrined in American history, are:
“I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Learn more about this extraordinary young man here.

By Alexander Hay Ritchie - Yale University Art Gallery [1], Public Domain

LOWEST POINT OF THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR

After the Battle of Long Island in August and the loss of Fort Washington in November, George Washington evacuated his forces from New York City and Manhattan. This triggered a harrowing retreat through New Jersey, harried by British forces. 

To prevent further pursuit, Washington crossed the Delaware River into Pennsylvania on December 7-8, 1776, removing or securing all boats to deny the British an easy crossing.

This retreat brought the Patriot cause to a low point. The Continental Army shrank due to desertions, expiring enlistments, and losses, dwindling from 20,000 to 5,000 by December.  With the Continental Army battered and morale at rock bottom, the Continental Congress, panicked and fled Philadelphia out of fear, giving their last instructions: "...until Congress shall otherwise order, General George Washington shall be possessed of full power to order and direct all things."  

George Washington ordered Thomas Paine's pamphlet, The American Crisis, published just days earlier, to be read aloud to his troops on December 23, 1776:

These are the times that try men's souls.  The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country ...  Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph ... Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated ... 

THE CROSSING OF THE DELAWARE

George Washington planned a daring surprise attack on Hessian forces garrisoned in Trenton, New Jersey.

To keep the operation secret and maintain security during the nighttime crossing of the ice-choked Delaware River on Christmas night (December 25–26, 1776), Washington issued a password (or more precisely, a challenge and countersign) to his troops: "Victory or Death."

The crossing took place on Christmas night amid a violent nor'easter—described by soldiers as a mix of driving rain, hail, sleet, and snow—with ice chunks clogging the river. This made the operation incredibly perilous: the army was delayed by hours, and many expected failure or heavy losses. Yet, remarkably, no soldiers died during the crossing, and all artillery made it across intact despite the treacherous conditions.

The same storm proved providential by masking the Americans' movements. It discouraged Hessian patrols (one early morning patrol was even canceled due to the weather), kept guards from venturing far, and contributed to the element of surprise. The Hessians, professional mercenaries, were caught off guard—many still asleep or unprepared—leading to a swift American victory that captured nearly 1,000 prisoners with minimal Continental losses.

Battle of Trenton, a 1975 portrait of the battle by H. Charles McBarron Jr.

Contemporary accounts, including those from artillery officer Henry Knox, noted that “Providence seemed to have smiled on every part of this enterprise.” Colonists widely viewed the success as a divine sign affirming their cause, boosting morale at a low point when the Revolution hung in the balance.

With the success of the ongoing revolution in doubt a week earlier, the army had seemed on the verge of collapse. The dramatic victory inspired soldiers to believe the war was not a lost cause and serve longer. It also attracted new recruits to the ranks.

These events turned the tide of the war.

10 Facts about Washington's Crossing of the Delaware River