The Battle of Monmouth Courthouse

28th June, 1778.

American and British troops clash at Monmouth New Jersey in what would be one of the largest single battles of the American Revolution.

With news of the Franco/American alliance reaching North America in May of 1778, the British high command concluded that they did not have the strength to hold both New York and Philadelphia while at the same time protecting their interests in the Caribbean. On paper the British still outnumbered the Americans by a wide margin, but with a French Fleet sailing towards Boston to bolster the American forces in New England, and with a newly trained and well equipped Continental Army marching out of Valley Forge, it was understood by the Crown that Philadelphia, which was the young nation’s Capital, would have to be abandoned.

General Washington, who was shadowing the British army, decided that the ideal place to strike the British would be Monmouth New Jersey. Though the Continentals had only marched out of Valley Forge 9 days before, Washington wanted to test the Army, which for the first time since its formation had received a comprehensive training regimen in the style of professional European forces. This battle would determine the American’s ability to fight the British on even footing on that day and for the duration of the conflict.

To lead the assault, Washington chose Charles Henry Lee. Lee, a veteran officer who had served with the British and various European nations, was likely the most experienced officer in the American Army. He was also a controversial figure. He had expected to be named Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, but was passed over in favor of Washington. Some of his colleagues loved him, and some despised him. He felt Washington inferior to him as a soldier, and did not hesitate to make this known to his political connections in Congress as well as some of his fellow officers. And he often showed open disdain to Washington among the rank and file troops. In fact, Lee initially declined the command, but when it was then offered to the Marquis de Lafayette he immediately changed his mind rather than allowing a Frenchman to receive the glory.

Washington gave Lee command of more than 4000 troops. Those troops were among the most experienced in the Continental Army, and were the first to receive Von Steuben’s training. With the large British baggage train strung out on nearly 12 miles of road, this attack on the rear guard would stall the British advance as well as give the bulk of the American forces scattered throughout the region time to form up.

Lee’s battle plan was sketchy from the start. He failed to provide details for the mass assault his men had been trained for, rather, he devised a series of small scale attacks that would not take advantage of his troop’s new training. With his men spread apart too far to provide effective fire, scattered volleys were fired and Lee ordered a general retreat.

In the meanwhile, Lafayette reported the situation to Washington, who personally brought the remainder of his forces into the fray. Washington came upon Lee’s retreating troops and reformed them immediately under the command of Lafayette. He then came upon Lee himself, publicly dressed him down, and relieved him of his command. On the British side, Lord Cornwallis, who was commanding the rear guard, concluded that he could rout the retreating American forces with a counter attack. What he did not expect to find was Washington himself personally leading more than 5000 reinforcements. With temperatures reaching more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the heat of the day began to take its toll. Hundreds on both sides suffered heat stroke, and Washington’s horse died from exhaustion. But, for the first time since Bunker Hill, the Americans stood toe to toe with the British, not giving an inch. For once American artillery had been placed in optimal firing positions, and the large scale British attacks they were famous for were repeatedly turned away by precise fire from the American lines. Just as at Bunker Hill, the British were turned back 3 times, with a 4th attack finally breaking through, but this time, instead of a wild retreat, the now disciplined Americans fell back in a orderly fashion, were quickly reinforced, and held their ground, forcing the British to stop their assault.

During the heat of the battle, the legend of Molly Pitcher was born. “Molly Pitcher” was the nickname given to women who would bring pitchers of water to the field artillerymen not just to keep the thirsty men from dehydration, but also to keep the cannons clean and operational. One such woman, Mary Hays, was attending to her husband’s cannon when he was badly wounded. She tended to his wounds, found that he could no longer fight, and immediately took his place among the cannon crew as if she had been doing it her entire life. She was nearly killed several times with musket balls, and reportedly a cannon ball passed through her clothing without scratching her. After the battle General Washington, having heard of her bravery under fire, made Hays a non-commissioned officer, and forever after she was known as Sergeant Molly.29th June, 1778 General Washington and his staff awake prepared to continue the fight. Throughout the night there had been sporadic fire, but little fighting. Washington’s scouts report back that most of the British army had retreated to New York during the night. The American Army had taken the field.

Monmouth would be the last large-scale battle of the Northern Campaign. The newly trained American forces were now too disciplined to fight in a head to head encounter, and the British could ill afford another disaster such as Bunker Hill again. The British high command would make the fateful decision to take the fight south.

Charles Henry Lee would tried under court-martial and found guilty of insubordination and cowardice in the face of the enemy. Lee would never hold command again, and nearly 100 years later his legacy would be further tarnished when several letters were discovered which detailed his plans to turn over his command to the British. General Nathanael Greene, one of the standouts at Monmouth, would be given command of the Southern Forces of the Continental Army. It would be his duty to keep the British at bay in the South until the French arrived. History would prove that he was more than up to the task…

‘Molly Pitcher’ Library of Congress

The Battle of Brandywine

September 11th, 1777..The Continental Army clashed with the British at Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania in what we be the largest single day battle in the American Revolution.

The British, headquartered in New York and unable to break the American lines in northern, New Jersey, sent an Armada south to the Chesapeake Bay in the hopes of taking the American capital city of Philadelphia and outflanking the Continental Army. Dozens of warships and nearly 17,000 British troops landed in Maryland and began the march into Pennsylvania. Gen. Washington, whose scouts on the coastlines of New Jersey spotted the British armada sailing south, immediately marched his troops south into Pennsylvania to stop the invasion.

The two armies met at Brandywine Creek. Lord Cornwallis led the main British force, while General Howe, the overall British commander, took command of the second column. At approximately 4pm the main forces of the armies clashed. For several hours the armies battled with little advance. But Washington made a fatal error, he left his right flank open.

General Washington and his staff were unfamiliar with southern Pennsylvania, and poor scouting and intelligence magnified the problem. Washington thought the Brandywine Creek to be unpassable at a key spot on the battlefield, and left the area undefended, instead using those troops to strengthen his front lines. Gen. Howe, whose column had broken off from the main force before the battle commenced, marched his troops for more than 8 hours during the heat of the day in a wide flanking maneuver around Washington’s army. Guided by the many British loyalists in the area, Gen. Howe’s army was able to cross the Brandywine creek at several key points along the undefended Continental right flank.

The lightly defended American flank began to crumble, leaving the bulk of the American forces in imminent danger of being surrounded. Gen. Washington, seeing that his army would soon collapse, ordered a retreat, and sent Gen. Nathanael Greene along with Polish volunteer Casimir Pulaski to lead a counter attack which would allow the retreating Continentals to safely escape. Greene and Pulaski’s troops rushed to the center, stopping the British advance and inflicting heavy casualties. But many of their men were also wounded, including a young Marquis De Lafayette, who had been with the army for only a month. Lafayette in particular exhibited great bravery, rallying the rearguard and keeping the British at bay long enough for the American army to retreat to safety.

With Washington’s army in full retreat, the British were able to take the Capital city of Philadelphia without a fight. The Continental Congress retreated to York, Pennsylvania, and Washington’s army retreated Germantown, a suburb of Philadelphia. And though the Continentals lost Philadelphia, they once again defied logic and managed to regroup in good spirits with their army almost completely intact. And while the British had achieved their goal of capturing the young nation’s new capital, the victory turned into anything but, and the redcoats would discover that they did not hold Philadelphia, Philadelphia held them. Just a few weeks later Washington and his men would press the attack again, and by November news from a little town called Saratoga in upstate New York would turn the tide of the American Revolution and forever change world history…

The Battle of King’s Mountain

10/07/1780

On this date in 1780 the Battle of King’s Mountain is fought in South Carolina between Patriot Militia and British Loyalists and regulars.

In order to bolster his forces, Lord Cornwallis began organizing southerners still loyal to the King into combat units. The British hoped that these “tories” would supplement British regulars in the region and give them an overwhelming numerical advantage. Recruiting began and soon a sizable force of nearly 2000 loyalists were equipped and organized into several regiments which they hoped could harass the vulnerable flanks of the American Army. When Britain demanded that all patriot militia in the region surrender, threatening to destroy their homesteads “With Fire and Sword!”, a patriot militia force known as the Overmountain Men rallied to take them on. The Overmountain Men, known as such because they had settled in the wilderness beyond the Appalachian Mountains, were a ragtag group of rugged farmers, frontiersmen, and homesteaders battle-hardened after years of conflict with natives, the British, and each other. Reports that Tarleton’s legion had massacred hundreds of militia even after they had surrendered at the Battle of Waxhaws galvanized the force. Crying “no quarter!”, they marched to King’s Mountain, the sight of the British encampment, with payback on their minds.

The loyalist force, nearly 1200 strong and led by veteran British Captain Patrick Ferguson, fortified the mountaintop counting on the traditional notion that the army holding the high ground held the advantage. The Overmountain Men, however, were not traditional. Their guerilla style tactics and superb marksmanship were perfectly suited to the wilderness terrain. Marching through the night in a steady downpour, a 900 strong group of Overmountain Men came upon the British base camp at dawn, achieving complete surprise.

The Patriots, attacking in seemingly unorganized groups, charged up the mountainside in several waves, screaming and hollering as they came. The British Army relied on tight, disciplined formations and the bayonet charge rather than the inaccurate musket to win battles, but the steep hills and thick woods of the region would not allow such formations. Using cover and concealment, and relying on their excellent marksmanship, the Overmountain Men turned back three counterattacks. and heavy British casualties began to mount. With hundreds already fallen, and their captain mortally wounded, the loyalist force attempted to surrender several times, but no quarter was given. More fell, and a massacre almost ensued. But, cooler heads prevailed, and American officers ordered their men to stop firing and to accept the surrender of the enemy.

In just over an hour, half the loyalist force was dead or dying, with the remainder taken prisoner.

The Overmountain men marched the prisoners to the nearest Continental Army unit and promptly returned to their frontier homesteads.

Though a relatively small battle in terms of numbers, the importance of King’s Mountain can not be overstated. Lord Cornwallis had hoped to organize an entire division of loyalist troops, which would split the South in two and allow him to keep his regular troops close to their costal supply lines and to focus his efforts on the Continental Army. Instead, half of his loyalist force was destroyed in one morning and the rest scattered and/or killed in smaller engagements over the next few days. The flank of the Continental Army was secured, and the British were forced into an inland pursuit which would soon prove to be their undoing…

‘The Battle of King’s Mountain 1780’ by Chris Collingwood

The Battle of Saratoga

10/17/1777

On this date in 1777 the British formally surrendered their army at Saratoga, New York.

The Saratoga campaign was a series of battles fought in and around Saratoga county in northeast New York State in September and October of 1777. The first large scale action took place on September 19th, when 7200 British troops under General John “Gentleman Johhny” Burgoyne clashed with 9000 Continentals under the command of General Horatio Gates and General Benedict Arnold at Freeman’s Farm.

Before the first battle commenced, American Colonel Dan Morgan, a skilled marksman, led his picked company of 500 marksmen close to the wooded regions in proximity to the British lines. General Gates, a stubborn traditionalist, was against such an expedition, but was talked into by Morgan. The men in Morgan’s company, all skilled woodsman as well, crept close to the British advance, and opened fire on the British vanguard, specifically targeting the officers and artillery crewmen. The British officer and artillery corps were decimated by the sharpshooters, who having fired their weapons quickly retreated into the countryside. The battle then began in earnest, with both sides nearly breaking the other’s line. The British, as per their usual tactics, marched a company of 500 far around the line and came into the American right flank, forcing them to retreat, leaving the British to take the field.

Like at Bunker Hill, the British claimed the victory, but at a terrible cost. More than 600 dead or dying, including the bulk of their officers and skilled artillery crews. The Americans suffered less than half the casualties and actually came away from the battle with more troops than at the onset as militia reinforcements poured into the ranks after learning of the fighting.

The two sides clashed again on an almost daily basis for the next few weeks as scouting parties from each camp continually engaged in brief but fierce firefights. On October 7th the second large scale battle took place. Though the British staff was in favor of retreating, Burgoyne felt that the American lines were still vulnerable, and led a concentrated attack on their left flank. Colonel Morgan’s men were once again waiting in ambush, and his marksmen turned away several British assaults. The British then attempted to turn the tide with their bread and butter, the bayonet charge. But, with the terrain uneven and Morgan’s marksmen waiting, the bayonet charge was broken up and routed. In less than an hour the British lost 400 of their best troops.

The rest of the British attacked fared no better, and their lines were broken and they were forced to retreat. Benedict Arnold, who had been removed from command likely for being drunk, suddenly appeared on the battlefield and led the American counterattack by horseback. The Continentals pushed the redcoats back to their lines, taking their defensive fortifications. Only nightfall kept the British army from being destroyed. Arnold, who was still intoxicated, was recklessly travelling between positions when both he and his horse were shot. The musket ball went through Arnold’s leg, and the falling horse shattered it, leaving Arnold severely wounded.The second battle cost the British more than 500 irreplaceable troops. Once again the Americans suffered less than half the casualties, and once again more reinforcements in the region swelled the American ranks. With his army now outnumbered more than 3 to 1, and with his lines virtually surrounded, Burgoyne entered in to negotiations with General Gates to surrender his embattled troops. On October 17th the British formally surrender. General Gates afforded the British the honor of marching away from their lines with their bands playing and flags flying. News of the stunning defeat reached France in November. In less than a month the Americans not only counterattacked the large British army at Germantown, they defeated and captured more than 6000 at Saratoga. King Louis immediately authorized a treaty with the Americans, pledging to send not only men and material, but also the all important French Fleet to help keep the powerful British fleet at bay. Strange fates would befall the American Commanders.

Horatio Gates would be implicated in a plot to remove General Washington from command. He somehow escaped court martial, and in 1780 was given command of the American Southern Army. At the battle of Camden nearly his entire army was killed or captured in one of the worst defeats in American military history. Gates retreated in shame, never to hold command again.

Benedict Arnold’s wounds at Saratoga nearly killed him. When the British abandoned Philadelphia in June of 1778 he was sent there to serve as the city’s military governor as well as to convalesce. He met and fell in love with a beautiful young socialite named Peggy Shippen. Shippen was the youngest child in a family of loyalists, she was also well acquainted with British Major John Andre, a dashing young officer, poet, playwright, and the commanding officer of the British spy network in North America. After corresponding with Andre on several occasions, Benedict Arnold, bitter and in debt, agreed to turn over the American Fort of West Point, New York, to the British. The plot was revealed when American sentries arrested Andre as he infiltrated their lines, carrying with him documents which would implicate both himself and Arnold in the treacherous plot. Andre would be hanged as a spy, partly in revenge for Nathan Hale, and Benedict Arnold would barely escape with his life, spending the rest of the war serving in the British Army, his name forever associated with the word ‘Traitor’.

‘The Surrender of General Burgoyne’ by John Trumbull

The Death of George Washington

12/14/1799

“First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen…”On this date in 1799, George Washington, our first President, died at his home in Mt Vernon Virginia at the age of 67.

Gen. Washington, even at the age of 67, was a tireless worker. Two days before his death he spent more than 10 hours on horseback, surveilling his property, and marking land for future development. The weather that day had been harsh, with snow and freezing rain falling for much of the morning and afternoon. Washington, punctual as ever, returned to his house to greet guests, refusing to take time in removing his soaked clothing rather than make his guests wait. Within hours his throat was sore.

The following morning he woke with his throat swollen and a fever. Still, he was in good spirits, but as the day progressed his condition worsened and doctors were called. Treatments likely hurt more than they helped, as several pints of blood were removed. Washington knew that his condition was dire, so he called for his will, made some final revisions, and presented it to his secretary. His doctors worked frantically, but could not improve his condition. He assured his personal physician “Doctor, I die hard, but I am not afraid to go.” And when told that there was nothing more that could be done, he spoke his final words “Tis well.” and passed away peacefully soon after. Though in great discomfort, Washington did not once complain.

When news of General Washington’s death spread, the country and the world mourned his passing. Governments the world over sent emmisaries with their condolences. His friend and fellow soldier Harry “Light Horse” Lee famously Eulogized Washington as “First in War, First in Peace, and First in the Hearts of his Countrymen…” Commemorating his life spent as the leader of the American struggle for Independence, and his leadership as the new nation’s first President. Despite what any revisionists will tell you, Washington was one of the bravest people to have ever lived, perhaps the finest commander of men the world has seen in a millenium, one of our greatest Presidents, and a staunch believer in freedom for ALL Americans no matter their sex, skin color, nationality, or religious beliefs.

Today, George Washington is memorialized by monuments, hundreds of statues and works of art, and in the namesake of thousands of roads, parks, towns, and cities. He is still known to this day by a title given to him while he still lived: The Father of His Country

‘Life of George Washington The Christian death’  by Junius Brutus Stearns.

The Battle of Trenton

12/26/1776

The ragtag Continental Army crossed the Delaware River over night to attack the Hessians at Trenton.

1776 had started out with much promise. The Continental Army had won its first major victory when it drove the British from Boston, and in July the colonies had formally declared Independence, creating the new United States of America.

However, Great Britain was not about to take this humiliation lying down. To restore rule, they soon sent what was at the time the largest expeditionary force ever fielded in British history: More than 100 warships, 35,000 redcoats, and more than 15,000 Hessian mercenaries, some of the best trained and most disciplined soldiers in the world, to deal with the American upstarts.

Washington’s army of 22,000 was encamped in and around New York City, one of America’s largest cities, and located strategically between Boston and Philadelphia. The full might of the British Empire attacked New York in force, and Washington’s untrained army suffered defeat after defeat, being chased out of the city, nearly completely destroyed, and then chased throughout New Jersey, desperately retreating from town to town. Thomas Paine, travelling with the army, famously wrote “These are the times that try men’s souls..”

In early December, Washington’s army limped into Pennsylvania, crossing the Delaware river in confiscated boats. With casualties and desertions, his army was down to 3000 troops. The Revolution seemed lost.

If the disastrous New York campaign wasn’t enough to bear, Washington’s army was critically low on supplies, and the General also had to deal with the soon approaching expiration of enlistments, as nearly every soldier he had left would be discharged on New Year’s Day. In a private letter to his family in Virginia, Washington wrote: “I think the game is pretty near up.”

Washington was desperate, desperate to keep his army together, desperate to feed and supply them, and desperate for a victory.

The British knew the sad state of Washington’s Army, and with winter fast approaching, a garrison of 1500 Hessian troops were stationed at nearby Trenton, New Jersey to keep a close watch on them and to guard the important road network leading to and from town. Washington ordered every soldier he had left in the region: 800 men under Horatio Gates, and 2000 with Charles Lee, to his position in one last attempt to keep the cause alive. Lee was captured (or allowed himself to be), but the bulk of the men arrived at camp on December 20th.The decision was made to cross the Delaware River on Christmas night, march 9 miles to Trenton, and attack the Hessian garrison at daybreak. 2400 men would cross, separate into two columns, and attack on the New Jersey side. An additional 2000 would shell Trenton with artillery from the Pennsylvania side and provide covering fire. The password to commence attack: “Victory or Death”

The Hessians at Trenton were commanded by Col Johann Rall, an experienced combat veteran whose merciless tactics during the New York Campaign were well known to the Americans. Rall was no fool, and understood that the desperate Americans were likely to try something before the winter set in. His spies continued to report on American movements in the region. But General Washington was no fool either, and several captured loyalist spies were allowed to escape, reporting on the weakened condition of the American Army. On such Loyalist was actually a double agent, who after “escaping” told Rall that the American’s enlistments would be up in less than 2 weeks, and the men were already leaving camp. Rall relaxed his guard slightly. On Christmas night the army began the crossing. Though the weather had been unseasonably warm the prior week, anybody who lives in southeast PA will tell you that this can change overnight. A cold front had moved in just days before, and the Delaware River became choked with ice. Col. John Glover, the most experienced boatman in the Continental Army, was placed in command of the crossing. With the weather conditions worsening, the crossing commenced. Soon, it was snowing heavily, and the ice in the river became treacherous. Col Glover warned Washington that it would be impossible to get 2400 men, along with horses and cannon, across the river in time to march them 9 miles in a blizzard to attack before dawn. But Washington was resolved to take Trenton or die in the attempt.

It was not until 4 am that the army began its march. With snow and ice continuing to fall, the Continental Army, more than half of them barefoot, began the trek towards Trenton. Two miles into the march the Army separated into columns, the point of no return. More bad news came when Washington learned that most of his troops on the Pennsylvania side would not be in position in time, the snowstorm hindering their march. He would have to win with only his men in New Jersey.

Just after dawn the Americans finally caught a break. Washington’s column marched straight into a company of New Jersey militia, who were completely unaware of Washington’s plan to attack Trenton, and earlier in the morning had taken it upon themselves to raid the Hessian supply stores. At first Washington was furious, believing that the militia had put the Hessians on alert. But the raid was a blessing in disguise, as the Hessians had relaxed their guard after the skirmish, thinking it was the attack they had been warned about.At 8am the American columns were positioned north and south of Trenton, and the attacked commenced.

Hessian outposts were quickly overrun. The bulk of the Hessian garrison had returned to their barracks after the early morning fighting with the militia, and were slow to react to the surprise attack. American artillery, placed at the town crossroads, poured into the Hessians as they tried to form. The Southern American column then attacked the retreating enemy. Hessian Col Rall tried to rally his men, but he was mortally wounded. An American bayonet charge led by the fiery John Stark further threw the Hessians into disarray, and with the appearance of some American reinforcements across the river, Hessian resistance soon collapsed.

Hessian casualties were more than 100 killed or wounded, and 900 captured, with the rest of the Hessian garrison scattered throughout the countryside. Amazingly, the Americans would suffer only 7 casualties: 5 wounded in combat, one of them being future President James Monroe, and two dead, both of whom froze to death during the march.

The Americans were able to confiscate much needed supplies and weapons from the Hessian camp. Most importantly, they achieved a much needed victory against a foe whom many believed to be invincible. News of the victory would reignite the flame of Independence, and enlistments surged as the word spread.

Though the battle was a relatively small engagement in terms of numbers, its historical importance is unmatched. Washington Crossing the Delaware is now an iconic moment in American History, immortalized by artist Emanuel Leutze. Everything we are, and everything we know, we owe to 2400 brave men who stayed with Washington though all hope seemed lost, though they had little to eat, no pay, or even shoes on their feet. They marched 9 miles in a blizzard to fight for what they believed in, and it is fitting that today we should remember, and honor, their courage and sacrifice.

‘Washington Crossing the Delaware’. By Emanuel Leutze.

An American’s Creed

“I do not choose to be a common man. It is my right to be uncommon — if I can. I seek opportunity — not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me. I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed. I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia. I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat. It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations, and to face the world boldly and say, this I have done.”

Dean Alfrange

The Bill of Responsibilities

The Bill of Responsibilities To be fully responsible for our own actions and for the consequences of those actions. Freedom to choose carries with it the responsibility for our choices.

To respect the rights and beliefs of others. In a free society, diversity flourishes. Courtesy and consideration toward others are measures of a civilized society.

To give sympathy, understanding, and help to others. As we hope others will help us when we are in need, we should help others when they are in need.

To do our best to meet our own and our families’ needs. There is no personal freedom without economic freedom. By helping ourselves and those closest to us to become productive members of society, we contribute to the strength of the nation.

To respect and obey the laws. Laws are mutually accepted rules by which, together, we maintain a free society. Liberty itself is built on the foundation of law. That foundation provides an orderly process for changing laws. It also depends on our obeying laws once they have been freely adopted.

To respect the property of others, both private and public. No one has a right to what is not his or hers. The right to enjoy what is ours depends on our respecting the right of others to enjoy what is theirs.

To share with others our appreciation of the benefits and obligations of freedom. Freedom shared is freedom strengthened.

To participate constructively in the nation’s political life. Democracy depends on an active citizenry. It depends equally on an informed citizenry.

To help freedom survive by assuming personal responsibility for its defense. Our nation cannot survive unless we defend it. Its security rests on the individual determination of each of us to help preserve it.

To respect the rights and to meet the responsibilities on which our liberty rests and our democracy depends. This is the essence of freedom. Maintaining it requires our common effort, all together and each individually.

The Battle of Princeton

1/03/1777

The Continental Army, commanded by George Washington, defeat the British at Princeton, New Jersey.

On December 26th the Continentals had surprised and defeated the Hessian garrison at Trenton, killing or capturing nearly the entire 1500 strong regiment. Though the victory was stunning and unexpected, the British still had a 7000 strong force stationed at Princeton, and most of the American army were set to be discharged on New Year’s Day as their enlistments would expire. In a famous speech, the usually stoic Washington addressed his beleaguered troops with an impassioned plea, “You have worn yourselves out with fatigues and hardships, but we know not how to spare you..” convincing his men to stay and even paying the salaries of the entire army for a month from his own pocket, as Congress had not authorized payment.

On January 2nd, a 5500 strong force, led by Lord Cornwallis, counterattacked Trenton, but were thrown back by the Continentals at Assunpink Creek, suffering more than 300 casualties. Still, Cornwallis was confident; he had the Americans in front of him and still held a numerical advantage in troops and cannon. Though several of his subordinates warned him to not underestimate Washington, Cornwallis remained unfazed, claiming, “we’ll bag the old fox in the morning.” Washington, however, had no plans to remain at Trenton. He stationed a small garrison in and around town to keep fires lit and make enough racket to fool the British into believing that the Americans were digging in for a fight. Meanwhile, the bulk of the Continental army had slipped around Cornwallis and his army in a brilliant tactical night march.

On the morning of January 3rd Cornwallis found the Americans had gone, and that Princeton was under attack.At Princeton, the British garrison, though outnumbered 2 to 1, was well prepared. Beloved General Hugh Mercer, a close friend of Washington, was chosen to lead the assault.

Mercer’s vanguard of 350 troops met a large contingent of redcoats outside of town. The outnumbered company was quickly beaten back. General Mercer, whose horse had been shot out from under him, was surrounded by a large squad of British troops who demanded he surrender. Mercer drew his sword and fought the redcoats singlehanded, but was soon overcome, being bayoneted nearly ten times and struck repeatedly in the head with musket butts. The British left him for dead. The few American troops who had stayed managed to fight off Mercer’s attackers. The mortally wounded Mercer refused to leave the battlefield, so he was placed against an oak tree to rest as the battle raged around him.

Meanwhile, General Washington himself came upon Mercer’s retreating forces, rallied them, and personally led the counter attack, charging across the field on his horse. The redcoats were pushed back, taking refuge in several of Princeton University’s buildings. Surrounded by artillery batteries, the remainder of the British surrendered or retreated back to Trenton where Cornwallis still remained. Princeton, and it’s much needed supplies and munitions, had been captured.

In a span of 10 days the Continentals won three stunning victories against British forces. Though the pretense of the campaign was the capture of supplies and to push the British out of southern New Jersey and away from Philadelphia, in reality Washington was desperate for a victory after suffering through six months of constant defeat. When word of the victories spread, the ranks of the flagging Continental Army swelled with new enlistments where just a month before it had nearly collapsed. The brilliant tactical maneuvers of Washington and his troops did not go unnoticed by the European powers, including Frederick the Great of Prussia, who became an open supporter of Washington, and King Louis of France, who would authorize the secret shipments of supplies to the Americans, and later enter into a formal alliance.

The “Mercer Oak” where the mortally wounded General rested, became the official symbol of Mercer County, New Jersey and can still be seen depicted on the County Seal. That mighty tree stood for centuries, and its scions, planted by thoughtful park rangers, historians, and patriots, grow throughout the Princeton Battlefield to this very day.

‘Washington at Princeton’ by Don Troiani

The Death of General Mercer

1/12/1777

On this date, General Hugh Mercer died from wounds he sustained at the Battle of Princeton 9 days prior. General Mercer led the Continental Army vanguard during the battle, and when he and his small squad were surrounded by a platoon of British soldiers he refused to surrender. In the ensuing melee Mercer was bayonetted at least 7 times and received numerous blows to the head and body by musket and club. As the attackers were beaten back Mercer famously refused to leave the battlefield, and was placed against what would later be known as the “Mercer Oak” tree to rest.

Mercer’s sacrifice galvanized the Continentals, and General Washington himself personally led the counter attack that defeated the British. Mercer was treated by the Surgeon General of the Continental Army, Benjamin Rush, and though he held on bravely for more than a week, his wounds were too much to overcome.

When word spread that Mercer would soon die, British General Lord Cornwallis, commander of the British forces in New Jersey, called for a cessation of all hostilities to allow Washington and the other officers of the Continental Army to pay their respects to General Mercer. Mercer was buried in Princeton, New Jersey, with full honors, and later his body was removed to its final resting place, the Laurel Hill cemetery located in the East Falls section of Philadelphia. Mercer County New Jersey, as well as several other towns, schools, and roads, are named in honor of General Mercer and his sacrifice to the cause of Liberty.