John Blackshoe Sends: Serendipity History - Motivation matters - The Battle of Trenton 26 December 1776 - A bold, desperate Christmas gamble that changed history (Part 2 of 2)

Last time we discussed events leading up to General Washington’s decision to take his shrinking, tired and battle weary army across the Delaware River into New Jersey to attack the Hessian forces settle in for a long winter’s nap in Trenton. Let’s row!

A German immigrant, Emmanuel Leutze, painted this artistic masterpiece in 1851. He actually painted three nearly identical versions. The first went to a museum in Bremen, German, where allied bombings destroyed it in 1942. This is the second, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The third was slightly smaller and hung in the White House 1979-2014, and is now in the Minnesota Marine Art Museum in Winona, MN. (Which looks like a very nice museum!)

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It is great art, but lousy history. The river here is less than 300 yards wide. Washington’s army crossed at night, not daylight, the “Betsy Ross flag” was not adopted until a year later, the boat is too small and vastly different from the “Durham boats” used, and too crowded, and the weather is far too nice. But, the symbolism is wonderful. Again, great art, lousy history and too many people learn their history from movies or pretty pictures, not facts.

A more accurate depiction is probably this one by Mort Kunstler, an excellent modern military artist, depicting the flat ferry boats used to transport mostly artillery and horses, but not the Durham boats used by most troops.

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Okay, so they crossed an icy river on a bunch of boats, in rain and snow and wind, so then what?

Pennsylvania artist Harrington Fitzgerald (1847-1930) painted this version Washington’s crossing about 100 years after the Revolutionary War. Instead of showing the actual crossing, Fitzgerald shows the Continental Army on the New Jersey side of the river regrouping and preparing to march on Trenton. Fitzgerald spent much of his life working for a family-owned newspaper, but studied painting under several notable American artists, including Thomas Eakins and John Singer Sargent. Fitzgerald is best known for his works depicting the landscape of Valley Forge.
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Now, this is starting to look COLD, wet, windy. Even an unopposed landing is complex, especially getting units formed up from different boats. Dang, the weather sucks.

Trenton was about 10 miles from the crossing site, in the cold, wet, freezing weather. The troops had been up all night waiting to cross. Thanks to Murphy’s usual contributions, they were running several hours late. Time to move out! 

Washington’s army marches to Trenton.
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Don Troiani is one of the best contemporary American military artists (my other favorite is COL Donna J. Neary, USMCR, (Ret)) with superb attention to detail, and thoroughly researched arms, equipment, uniforms, and the geography and tactical situations depicted.

(The landing and march paintings above are both from the Museum of the American Revolution, which is truly outstanding if you ever visit Philadelphia. Troiani is also a serious collector of military antiques, enhancing his painting details. He discusses his collecting, paintings and work with the museum in this 62 minute video.)

As Washington’s men hurried towards Trenton, the chill wind was at their backs. The artillery unit in the foreground had been lucky enough to get some new clothing issues from Philadelphia, so are better dressed than many. Captain Alexander Hamilton (age 19 at the time) leaning back in the saddle at left, commanded 30 New Yorkers with their two gleaming bronze six pounder howitzers which were among the 18 artillery pieces brought across the river to play a key role in the battle.

Hessian commander, Colonel Johan Rall [sometimes Rahl] was competent, experienced, and senior, but his Hessian superiors and peers hated him for those factors and also his not being of their higher social status, so cooperation was nil. Pennsylvania and New Jersey militia had been pestering the Hessians with nightly harassing fire, so the Hessians were already tired and jumpy, and used to their outposts being attacked. Thus the first shots on 26 December were not considered significant until they realized it was a major assault. The 2,400 Continental soldiers were split to surround the town on both sides while the main body moved through Trenton. This became a running battle as the 1,500 Hessians tried to form up under direct artillery fire with shot and canister from multiple directions, directed by Henry Knox, along with infantry support. Colonel Rall was mortally wounded, living barely long enough to surrender his force to Washington, with a plea that they be treated humanely. (They were. It’s usually the American way.) Hessian losses were 22 dead, 86 wounded and nearly 900 captured (some of whom later escaped). American losses were miraculously only FIVE WOUNDED, and zero dead. One of the wounded was future president, James Monroe in the final attack to seize the Hessian artillery.

Don Troiani’s rendition of Colonel Rall being hit while trying to form up his troops.
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American military historian and artist H. Charles McBarron (1902-1992) provided his interpretation of the battle, depicting the attack on Hessian artillery in which James Monroe was wounded.

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The results were decisive. The victory was significant not only for the immediate morale boost, but for the fact that 1,200 muskets, six cannons, and large supplies of uniforms and food were captured when the Colonials needed all they could get.

I very much like artist Don Troiani’s comment:

“And for the Holiday Season we have the most important American history Christmas of them all, the Battle of Trenton in 1776 which certainly could be described at the battle that saved American Independence. Here is depicted the death of Colonel Rall commanding the Hessian Brigade defending the town. Following the this up with another victory at Princeton , the crumbling rebellion was given new hope and General Washington's bold move assured his place as one of the greatest Americans of all time.”

The victories at Trenton and a week later at Princeton were unbelievably bold, and fortunately for our freedom today, they were successful. Perhaps today we can smugly make memes about the Battle of Trenton, but at the time it was a deadly serious opportunity upon which our ultimate victory rested.

Thomas Paine’s contribution to the focus on independence, and his motivational words right before the Trenton campaign were major contributions, but he did much more. Paine went on to write a total of 13 installments of “The American Crisis” by 1780; worked with Congress to execute the war; continued his (then considered radical) advocacy leading to the Northwest Ordinance; writing on “The Rights of Man,” and “The Age of Reason.” He became involved with the French Revolution, narrowly escaped the guillotine, and was finally released from French prison with help from James Monroe, one of the victors at Trenton, who perhaps recalled the effects of Paine’s writing which made that possible.

“At the time of his death, most American newspapers reprinted the obituary notice from the New York Evening Post that was in turn quoting from The American Citizen, which read in part: ‘He had lived long, did some good, and much harm.’ Only six mourners came to his funeral, two of whom were black, most likely freedmen.” (Source)

I’d show a photo of his grave, but he was denied burial in a Quaker cemetery near his home, so buried instead on his farm. Ten years later, an admiring radical exhumed the skeletal remains and took them to England for “a heroic reburial on his native soil.” But after 15 years that had not taken place, and eventually the remains were lost, although there were unconfirmed claims by some that they possessed his skull or right hand. (Source)

For a much better account of the entire Revolution up through Trenton and Princeton, I MOST STRONGLY recommend Rick Atkinson’s superbly researched and incredibly well written “The British Are Coming!” (Available via ABEbooks.com for under $10.00 - Best money you will spend this month!)

For a U.S. Army professional analysis of the Trenton operation go here.

NOTE: As an American I see this as a huge win for the good guys. However, the losers sometimes have very different view on these events. For those wishing to see what the Brits think check out their analysis at here. That site is excellent for virtually every significant battle in British history.

Merry Christmas, 1776, indeed!

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