Road to Liberty: Battle of Trenton | The White House Founders Museum | PragerU

On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington and his Continental Army crossed the icy Delaware River into Trenton, New Jersey. This was a daring maneuver that culminated in the Battle of Trenton and would be historically remembered as a turning point in the American Revolution. This crossing was a critical strategic decision that boosted American morale and led to a series of victories. The next morning, on the dawn of St. Stephen’s Day, American troops attacked Hessian soldiers—German mercenaries hired by the British—and captured almost a thousand from their ranks. After the army’s demoralizing defeat at Brooklyn earlier that year, the overwhelming victory at Trenton, which was obtained in just about an hour, gave the American troops the confidence they needed to keep fighting. A couple of days before Christmas, Benjamin Rush, a fellow signatory of the Declaration of Independence, recalled visiting Washington: “While I was talking to him, I observed him to play with his pen and ink upon several small pieces of paper. One of them by accident fell upon the floor near my feet. I was struck with the inscription upon it.” This inscription read "Victory or Death," reflecting Washington's determination and resolve during a critical period of the American Revolution. Death he evaded, victory he gained, and the momentum Washington inspired the troops he led to Princeton for another unexpected triumph.

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