![]() These stout craft with their high side walls were robust enough to survive the ice-choked Delaware. Much of Washington’s force crossed the river in shallow draft Durham boats – strongly built cargo vessels, most between 40 and 60 feet in length, designed to move iron ore and bulk goods down the river to markets in and around Philadelphia. Thanks to the foresight of General Washington and the actions of the New Jersey militia, the American forces had brought all available watercraft on the Delaware to the southern bank, thus denying the British the use of these crafts, while making them available for an American recrossing. Washington’s force used a collection of cargo boats and ferries to transport his men across the Delaware. How might history have changed if the Hessians responded differently to all this intelligence? So why wasn’t Rall more active in opposing the crossing or better prepared to defend the town? History records that a series of false alarms and the growing storm had given the Hessian defenders a sense that no attack was likely this night. Other loyalists informed the Hessians that an attack was imminent. The day before, Rall had received two American deserters who had crossed the river and told the Hessians that the American army was ready to move. With typical Hessian bravado, Rall dismissed or even welcomed the threat stating “Let them come… Why defenses? We will go at them with the bayonet.” Rall acknowledged receipt of this important intelligence at about the same time that Washington was beginning his crossing. And while Grant stated that he did not think Washington would attack, he did command Rall to be vigilant. Von Donop who then passed it along to Col. ![]() Grant passed along this information to General Leslie and Col. This spy was privy to the early deliberations of Washington’s war council and correctly passed along to British Major General James Grant that Washington’s army was looking to attack north of the river. Lurking within Washington’s headquarters was a British spy who has never been identified. Spies and deserters had informed the British and Hessians that Trenton was likely to be attacked. And Washington’s main force managed a crossing, but was more than three hours delayed.ģ. Both Cadwalader and Ewing’s forces were unable to cross the ice-choked river. This was an ambitious plan, one that even well rested and experienced troops would have had difficulty in executing. And Washington and his 2,400 soldiers would cross at McConkey’s and Johnson’s ferries, roughly 10 miles north of Trenton and would then march down to Trenton to surprise the garrison at dawn. Ewing’s soldiers would work to prevent the Hessians from retreating from Trenton. James Ewing’s force of 800 Pennsylvania militia was to cross the river at Trenton and take up defensive positions along the Assunpink River and bridge. His role was to harass and prevent the British and Hessian units near the town from racing north to support the Hessians at Trenton. Cadwalader was to lead his force of 1,200 Philadelphia militia and 600 Continentals across the river near Burlington, New Jersey. George Washington’s plan of attack included three different crossings of the Delaware River on Christmas night. Washington’s attack plan included three separate river crossings, but only one made it across. After several councils of war, General George Washington set the date for the river crossing for Christmas night 1776. Washington hoped that a quick victory at Trenton would bolster sagging morale in his army and encourage more men to join the ranks of the Continentals come the new year. Washington’s aim was to conduct a surprise attack upon a Hessian garrison of roughly 1,400 soldiers located in and around Trenton, New Jersey. So why were Washington and his bedraggled Continental Army trying to cross an ice-choked Delaware River on a cold winter’s night? It wasn’t just to get to the other side. Washington crossed the Delaware River so that his army could attack an isolated garrison of Hessian troops located at Trenton, New Jersey.
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