Trenton and Princeton 1776-77 by David Bonk

Author:David Bonk
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Trenton and Princeton 1776–77: Washington Crosses the Delaware
ISBN: 9781782008712
Publisher: Osprey Publishing

McKonkey’s Ferry Inn provided some shelter for officers of the American Army as they began to cross the Delaware. Local tradition suggests that Washington and his staff ate dinner at the inn early on the evening of December 26, 1776. (Author’s collection)

Rall received the note on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day further information seemed to confirm Grant’s warning. Two American deserters told their captors that the American Army was preparing to march.

Major-General Israel Putnam commanded American troops on Long Island and in the battles around New York in the summer and early fall of 1776. Putnam was given command of Philadelphia after the American retreat in November and organized militia units to serve with the main army. Putnam failed to cross the Delaware River on the night of December 25, 1776, as Washington had hoped.

Rall took what precautions he could. He established six picket outposts, on the Maidenhead, Pennington and River roads, along the road to the Trenton Ferry, at the Assunpink Creek bridge and at the Crosswicks Creek drawbridge. The Crosswicks Creek detachment, positioned four miles south of Trenton, consisted of over 100 men. In case of attack it was instructed to retreat two miles to Bordentown. Within Trenton itself the main picket of 73 men was stationed at the Fox Chase Tavern on the Maidenhead Road. Every night an entire regiment was ordered to remain under arms and all the outposts manned. On Christmas Eve a patrol of over 100 men was sent up the Delaware to Pennington and on Christmas Day the outposts were strengthened. Two hours before daylight a reinforced patrol with two cannon were sent down to the river. Hit and run militia attacks resulted in the entire garrison being called out on December 22, 23 and 25. Despite the increasing activity of the Americans, Rall again rejected the advice of Donop to construct redoubts on the high ground at the head of King and Queen streets and at the Trenton Ferry. In frustration Major von Dechow and Lieutenant-Colonel Scheffer sent a joint letter to General Heister in New York, complaining of Rall’s ineptitude.

On Christmas Eve Washington called another council meeting at Greene’s headquarters at the Merrick House in Buckingham to work out the details of the attack. Major-generals Greene and Sullivan were joined by brigadier-generals Sterling, Fermoy, Mercer, Stephen and St. Clair. Also attending were colonels Sargent, Stark, Knox and Glover. It was Glover’s 14th Massachusetts Continental Regiment that was expected to maneuver the boats taking the army across the Delaware.

One thousand five hundred militia, under Brig. Gen. John Cadwalader and Col. Joseph Reed were ordered to cross the Delaware at Bristol, 12 miles south of Trenton and move toward Burlington. Joining Cadawalader was Hitchcock’s Brigade, consisting of roughly 900 men in two Massachusetts and two Rhode Island regiments, assisted by a Rhode Island Militia unit. Major-General Israel Putnam was also expected to bring forward the militia units he had been organizing in Philadelphia to cross the river and act as a reserve.

Seven hundred Pennsylvania Militia, under Brig.

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