What Battle occurred on Christmas Day 1776?

What Battle occurred on Christmas Day 1776?

The Battle of Trenton
“Washington at the Battle of Trenton,” engraving by Illman Brothers, from painting by E.L. Henry, 1870. Christmas of 1776 marked the first major victory for the Continental Army.

What happened at Christmastime 1776 and why was the timing important?

At about 11 p.m. on Christmas, Washington’s army commenced its crossing of the half-frozen river at three locations. The 2,400 soldiers led by Washington successfully braved the icy and freezing river and reached the New Jersey side of the Delaware just before dawn.

What happened December 24th 1776?

On the morning of Dec. 24, 1776, Gen. George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, held a meeting in Pennsylvania to discuss a raid on Trenton he would be conducting the following night. Washington paced the room, greatly agitated by recent events.

Which historic event happened on Christmas Day?

On Christmas Day 800 AD, Pope Leo III crowned the Frankish king Charlemagne the ‘Emperor of the Romans’, reviving the title some 300 hundred years after the fall of the ancient Western Roman Empire. His thirteen-year reign ushered in a period of Christian expansion and cultural revival across Europe.

Which war ended on Xmas Eve?

World War I
Christmas Truce, (December 24–25, 1914), unofficial and impromptu cease-fire that occurred along the Western Front during World War I.

Why did George Washington cross the Potomac?

Washington crossed the Delaware River so that his army could attack an isolated garrison of Hessian troops located at Trenton, New Jersey. After several councils of war, General George Washington set the date for the river crossing for Christmas night 1776.

What happened in the Christmas night raid of 1776?

December 25, 1776: George Washington’s Christmas night raid. Two of Washington’s other commanders, Generals John Cadwalader and James Ewing, were also directed to cross: Cadwalader’s force was to cross and attack a second garrison near Bordentown. Ewing’s force was to cross and block the enemy’s escape at Trenton.

What happened in December of 1776?

Indeed it was in December of 1776, just as it is in December of 2006 [or 2012]. Washington held his little army together. Many of the continentals renewed their enlistments. They then capitalized on their Trenton victory with wins over the British at Trenton (the second go ‘round) on January 2, and Princeton on January 3.

Why did Washington cross the Delaware on Christmas Day 1776?

On this day in history, December 25, 1776, George Washington crosses the Delaware River on Christmas Day with the Continental Army on their way to attack the Hessians at Trenton, New Jersey. The attack had been planned in secret and was a “Hail Mary pass” from Washington to save the failing American Revolution.

How were Hessian soldiers celebrating Christmas in 1776?

The Hessian soldiers were celebrating Christmas in a traditional German style, never expecting an attack on the morning of December 26. The Continental Army’s overwhelming victory at Trenton had several important consequences.