11. The Garrison That Was Royally Screwed Because Its Commander Failed to Read a Warning
The Patriots’ bid for independence was not going well as 1776 drew to a close. They had been outgeneraled, outfought, and soundly beaten, most notably in New York City, where only a near-miraculous escape had saved them from annihilation. Morale was low, so George Washington planned a surprise raid to score a quick victory and restore some confidence. From Pennsylvania, Washington sought to cross the Delaware River, to suddenly descend upon and destroy Hessian mercenaries in Trenton, New Jersey. On the night of December 25th – 26th, cold, hungry, and demoralized Americans got into boats on a freezing winter night, made even more miserable by driving sleet. Bad weather and icy river conditions prevented two detachments from crossing, so Washington made it to the far bank with only 2400 men – 3000 fewer than planned for.
Fortunately, they were unopposed as they marched 9 miles to Trenton without alerting the enemy, who had lowered their guard. Early on December 26th, 1776, the Patriots surprised the Hessians. In a swift victory, the Americans killed, wounded, and captured about a thousand foes, for the loss of only two dead and five wounded. The Hessian commander, Johann Rall, was mortally wounded. In his pocket was discovered a note from a Loyalist farmer, who had spotted the approaching Patriots and sent a warning. Fortunately for the Americans, Rall had not bothered to read the warning, and the note was still unopened when it was recovered. Trenton was a small battle, but one with far-reaching consequences. It inspired the Patriots when they needed a morale boost, saved their army from disintegration by attracting new recruits, and stemmed the tide of desertions by convincing many veterans to stick around.