Battle+of+Trenton

= __** T HE B ATTLE O F T RENTON**__ by David Gensheimer = "Chester" - a Revolutionary War hymn media type="file" key="chester[1].mid" width="300" height="50"
 * **Contents:**
 * The Commanders
 * George Washington
 * Johann Rall
 * The Battle ||

**// The Commanders: //**
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George Washington:
**G** eorge Washington was one of the most significant commanders of the American Revolutionary Army. He began [|his career in the British Army in the French and Indian War] as a Major and Ambassador. Washington would soon leave the British Army at the end of the war, after not receiving the promotion he believed he deserved. By leaving the British Army, he would gain knowledge of British [|tactics] and strategies, and would later use this knowledge against England in the [|Revolutionary War]. Washington's earliest success in the Revolutionary War was leading the [|Siege of Boston]to its victory. His victories then went to a down-low after losing New York and almost New Jersey, giving him a poor record in the beginning of the war. The **Battle of Trenton** and the [|Battle of Princeton] is when things started turning around for Washington, being victorious in these two consecutive battles. Washington was one to care for his troops, paying to support them through struggles with food in the winter with money out of his own pockets. He was also known to use the surprise tactic on the Hessian army when going in to attack in the **Battle of Trenton**.

Johann Gottlieb Rall:
**C** olonel Johann Gottlieb Rall was known as the commander of the [|Hessian troops] in the **Battle of Trenton**. Rall had been in previous wars in Europe, such as [|War of the Austrian Succession], the [|Seven Years' War], and the Fourth Russo-Turkish War. Later on his career, he was sent overseas to fight for England, leading the Hessian army in the [|Battle of Brooklyn] at Flatbush, the [|Battle of White Plains], [|Battle of Long Island]. However, the battle he is most significantly known for is the **Battle of Trenton**. As a total, he had commanded approximately 1,200 men for the British Army in this war. His loss at Trenton was caused when he and his troops were caught off guard by American fighters after having a long night of partying Christmas night. Later on, Rall was shot by a musketball when leading his troops in the battle, and later died that day from this injury. A note was later found in Rall's pocket, a note with knowledge of the fact that there would be an attack, which turned out to be the attack that just happened.

//The Battle:// [[image:http://www.britishbattles.com/images/trenton/trenton-map-l.jpg width="467" height="331" align="right" caption="Map of the Battle"]]
**W** ith a negative past in his battles, Washington began to withdraw his army across New Jersey, and towards Pennsylvania in November. Troops retreated to safety behind the Delaware, where the cold winter started to affect the well-being of Washington's troops. The troops soon grew ill and hungry, leading Washington to feed his troops with money out of his own pocket. [|The army would soon become demoralized from all of the negativity in the war], and the situation they were in. This would soon be fixed after, by Washington's orders, Thomas Paine's //[|The Crisis]// was read to the troops; Paine's words being true morale-boosters. On Christmas Night, suspecting the Hessians would be distracted from celebrating Christmas, [|Washington thought this would be the perfect opportunity to catch the enemy off guard]. **T** he battle all started on December 26, 1776 at approximately 8 AM after [|crossing the Delaware River]. With most of the Hessians exhausted from celebrating the holiday the previous night, Washington was at an advantage. In front of all his soldiers, Washington led all of his troops into [|Trenton, New Jersey]. The first shot was at Lieutenant Andreas von Wiederholdt, leading him to yell "//Der Fiend!"//calling out all the other Hessians. The Americans shot three volleys, while the Hessians only returned one, and Washington ordered his troops to block the road leading to Princeton and attack the Hessians. Due to the suddenness of the American attack, the Hessians are unable to form properly, and are captured before they can get to their cannons. Orders are misunderstood by the Hessians on top of being closed in on, and having all exits blocked off. Also, the [|von Knyphausen] regiment is separated from media type="youtube" key="hJdu_ortw0k" width="425" height="350" align="right" the Rall and von Lossberg regiments, who were forced out of town by the Americans and [|reformed in an apple orchard]. Rall ordered these regiments back into town, forcing the Hessians to deal with their wet guns from a storm. The Americans keep up their game, being joined by some civilians firing from all different locations, leaving the Hessians in confusion. Soon enough, [|Rall is wounded], causing Hessians to retreat back to the orchard, but the Americans have them surrounded. This only gives the Hessians one choice: Surrender. **R** egardless of the fact that about 600 Hessians were able to escape in their own small groups, [|868 are captured by Washington and his army, while 106 were killed or wounded from battle]. The American army wound up only having four men wounded, and two or three having frozen to death. On top of capturing the enemy, Washington also is able to take their arms, cannons, and ammunition. The captured troops were [|sent to Pennsylvania], followed by Washington's army. Enemy forces soon learned of the battle from the escaped Hessians, with an exaggerated estimate of Washington's force. Rumors began to spread regarding where Washington would attack next, worrying the British. Washington would soon chase the British forces from the Delaware River, leaving them on their defense. Washington would later write about this in a letter called [|The First American Christmas].
 * The Battle of Trenton would then live on to be known as the first American victory in the Revolutionary War, turning things around for the patriots, and boosting their morale.**