Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - The Battle of Trenton (Encore)

Starting point is 00:00:00 The following is an encore presentation of Everything Everywhere Daily. In the winter of 1776, things did not look good for the Continental Army. Everything got off to a great start in 1775, but this year saw a series of defeats at the hands of the British. Things were looking so bad that many Americans thought that the revolution was effectually over. If Washington was to keep the revolution going, he needed a miracle. He needed a Christmas miracle. Learn more about the Battle of Trenton and the World of Trenton. and the Christmas attack that kept the revolution alive on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily.

Starting point is 00:00:51 Fear is the virus is trending on TikTok. Vaccines are poison. Then your yoga teacher says that sex traffic children are being sacrificed by satanic liberals, but it's all okay. The Great Awakening is coming. What is happening? Every week on Conspiratuality Podcast, we explore the fever dreams that suck friends, family, and wellness gurus down the

Starting point is 00:01:16 right-wing cult spiral in a search for salvation. While many Americans like to think of the revolution as a glorious victory, it was anything but. If you could go back and run the revolution again ten times, there's a good chance the Americans might lose nine of them. That's because the Americans were outgunned and outclassed. The British Army was more experienced, better equipped, better trained, and had a much larger population to pull from.

Starting point is 00:01:48 And on top of all that, the British Navy was the greatest on earth. The revolution got off to a good start in 1775. The colonists performed well at Concord and Lexington and then successfully laid siege to Boston. During the winter of 1775 and 1776, the Green Mountain Boys, led by Ethan Allen and Colonel Benedict Arnold, captured the British held Fort Ticonderoga in northern New York. They brought back British cannons to Boston, which was a huge win. Realizing their position was untenable, British General William Howe evacuated the city on March 7th,000. 17, 1776, marking an early and significant American victory in the War of Independence.

Starting point is 00:02:28 Enthusiasm amongst the colonists for the war was high in light of their success, resulting in the Declaration of Independence in July. One of the reasons why the Americans were victorious so early was because the British simply weren't prepared and weren't ready for a full-blown revolution. However, after Boston, the British were able to regroup and get their act together. The Continental Army marched south to New York to meet the British, and that was when things started to go south. The Battle of Long Island, which took place on August 27th, was the first major engagement after the Declaration of Independence, and the largest battle of the Revolutionary War. Following the British evacuation of Boston, General William Howe launched a massive campaign to seize New York City a strategically vital location.

Starting point is 00:03:13 The British landed on Staten Island, and then attacked American defenses on Long Island with a proximity. approximately 32,000 troops and naval support. General George Washington, with about 10,000 continental troops, defended Brooklyn Heights, but was outmaneuvered when the British executed a flanking maneuver. The battle ended in a disastrous defeat for the Continental Army, with heavy losses, including over a thousand captured. However, Washington successfully evacuated his remaining forces across the East River to Manhattan, under the cover of night and fog, avoiding complete destruction. After retreating from Long Island, Washington established defensive positions in northern Manhattan. Following skirmishes on September 16th, British forces attempt to provoke and intimidate the

Starting point is 00:03:57 Continental Army into a route. The Battle of Harlem Heights began when an American scouting party engaged British troops near present-day Morningside Heights. Washington counterattacked with disciplined resistance, eventually forcing the British to retreat. In late October, as the British continued their campaign to secure New York, Washington's forces withdrew north to White Plains to avoid encirclement once again. General Howe pursued with his army and October 28th, the Battle of White Plains occurred when British forces attacked a key American defensive position on Chatterton Hill. Despite a valiant defense, the Americans were

Starting point is 00:04:32 ultimately driven off the hill by superior British numbers and firepower. November 16th, 1776 was another devastating defeat for the Continental Army during the New York campaign. Located on Manhattan's northern tip, Fort Washington was a key American stronghold intended to block British access up the Hudson River. Despite General Washington's hesitation, the fort's commander, Colonel Robert McGaw, was ordered to hold the position against advancing British and Heshen forces under General William Howe. The British launched a coordinated assault on Fort Washington from multiple directions, overwhelming the fort's defenses. After intense fighting, Maga surrendered and approximately 2,800 American troops were captured, a significant loss of both manpower and morale.

Starting point is 00:05:18 This defeat, coupled with the subsequent fall of nearby Fort Lee, forced Washington's army into a retreat across New Jersey and then across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. So by December 1776, the Continental Army was in dire straits. The soldiers were demoralized, supplies were scarce, enlistments were nearing their end, and some soldiers were deserted. The British, for their part, believed the American resistance was collapsing. General Howe did not pursue the Americans and didn't feel particularly rushed given it was winter. Traditionally, armies didn't fight in winter because it was too difficult. Given the Continental's lack of supplies,

Starting point is 00:06:00 the winter would probably reduce their numbers even further without the British having to fire a shot. Howe had stationed a group of Hessian mercenaries in Trent, the capital of New Jersey, to hold the town for the winter. Heshen mercenaries were German soldiers hired by the British Crown to fight against the American colonists during the Revolutionary War. They primarily came from the German state of Hessa Castle, which was known for its professional and disciplined military. The term Heschen became a general label for all German troops in British service, although they hailed from several different regions. They were especially disliked by the colonists. At this point, Washington needed to do something. not only was the morale of the army low, but the colonists were also starting to lose faith.

Starting point is 00:06:48 Washington devised a daring plan to cross the icy Delaware River on Christmas night, March 10 miles to Trenton, and attacked the Hessian garrison at dawn. His goal was to catch the Hessians off guard, as they were expected to be in a relaxed state after Christmas celebrations. Also, Washington had heard rumors that the British were preparing a crossing of their own as soon as the the river froze over. On the night of December 25th, Washington led approximately 2,400 troops across the Delaware River in freezing conditions. The crossing was arduous, delayed by icy waters and a snowstorm. However, the main force successfully reached New Jersey before dawn. The artist Emmanuel Loitza immortalized this crossing in his 1851 painting, Washington

Starting point is 00:07:37 crossing the Delaware. The plan was for Washington's force to march to Trenton from the north. Two other detachments under General's Ewing and Cadwallader were to block potential British reinforcements and provide support. However, they could not cross due to the weather, leaving Washington's force as the only one across the river. After crossing the river, the soldiers embarked on a nine-mile march south to Trenton in the early hours of December 26. Despite the freezing weather and snowstorms, which soaked their clothing and equipment, the army maintained discipline and cohesion. Along the way, Washington's forces were bolstered by the leadership of officers such as General John Sullivan and General Nathaniel Green. The difficulty with crossing and the march

Starting point is 00:08:22 delayed Washington's forces, eliminating the possibility of a pre-dawn attack. Despite these hardships, the Continental Army arrived outside Trenton and launched their attack around 8 a.m. The harsh weather actually worked to their advantage, as it discouraged Heshen patrols and heightened the element of surprise. Washington divided his forces into two columns. One led by Green approached Trenton from the north, while Sullivan's column moved along the river to block escape routes from the south. The Continental Army entered town, catching all the Hessian troops completely off guard. Under Colonel Johann Raw, the Hessians were unprepared for an attack, having been lulled into complacency by a period of relative calm from both the storm and the holiday. And it should be noted that

Starting point is 00:09:08 Rawl was concerned about an attack. Local loyalists and some deserters had warned him that the Continental Army was preparing to attack Trenton. Publicly, Rall dismissed the concerns, but privately he was asking the British for reinforcements, as he said Trenton wasn't defensible. The British denied his request, but many Hessian officers had the same concerns as Rall by Christmas. The Americans advanced rapidly, their movements aided by fog and the element of surprise. Heshen sentries were quickly overwhelmed, and the streets of Trenton erupted into chaos as the Continental Army surged into the town. The initial charge was led by Washington himself, who was at the front of his troops. The Hesians, numbering about 1,400 troops, were caught off guard.

Starting point is 00:09:55 Many were still waking up or assembling in their barracks when the attack began. Colonel Rall attempted to organize a defense, rallying his troops and leading a counterattack, but the Americans' disciplined assault and effective use of artillery quickly broke the Heshen resistance. The Continental Artillery, positioned strategically to dominate key streets and intersections in Trenton, played a crucial role in suppressing Heshen movements and forcing them into confined areas. As the battle progressed, Sullivan's forces secured the southern bridge over a Sunpink Creek, cutting off the Hesians' primary route of retreat. Encircled and outgunned, the Hesian troops began to falter. Colonel Rall was morally wounded during the fighting, further demoralizing his men and

Starting point is 00:10:36 disorganizing their efforts. By mid-morning, with no hope of reinforcement or escape, the Hessian surrendered. The engagement lasted less than two hours and ended in a decisive American victory. Washington's forces captured more than 900 Hessian soldiers along with their weapons, ammunition, and supplies. They also suffered another 22 killed and 83 wounded. The Americans suffered minimal casualties, with only two soldiers dying from exposure during the March and a a handful of wounded in combat. The defeat damaged the reputation of the Heshen forces, which were previously considered near invincible and highlighted the vulnerability of British Allied troops.

Starting point is 00:11:18 Trenton marked the beginning of an American counteroffensive. Recognizing the psychological advantage, Washington planned a follow-up attack to capitalize on the British and Heshen disarray. Washington's forces held Trenton against British counterattacks in the second Battle of Trenton on January 2nd, 1777. That night, Washington executed another bold maneuver, slipping his army past the British and attacking their rear at the Battle of Princeton on January 3, 1777. The victory at Princeton further solidified the American resurgence, forcing the British to withdraw from much of New Jersey and giving the Continental Army

Starting point is 00:11:56 control of this key territory. To put it simply, everybody loves a winner, and Washington really needed a win, and that is exactly what he got in Trenton. The victory at Trenton revitalized the spirits of the Continental Army and the American public after the series of crushing defeats earlier in 1776, including the loss of New York City and the capture of Fort Washington. Soldiers, many of whom were on the verge of leaving the army as their enlistments expired, were now inspired to re-enlist. Washington leveraged the victory to persuade both soldiers and new recruits to continue supporting the revolutionary cause. These battles prove that the Americans could defeat professional European forces, giving hope to those previously discouraged by setbacks.

Starting point is 00:12:43 The defeats at Trenton and Princeton force the British commanders to reevaluate their strategy in the colonies. The British shifted focus to consolidating their hold on key cities and maintaining defensive positions rather than pursuing aggressive campaigns to try to crush the rebellion. Although it would be over a year before France formally entered the war, the American victories in late 1776 and early 1777 showed that the revolution had staying power. These successes helped convince foreign powers that the Americans were capable of sustaining the fight for independence. There were still more than four years of fighting that had to be fought until the Battle of Yorktown, but those years of struggle might never have happened if it wasn't for one brilliant

Starting point is 00:13:28 attack on Christmas night in 1776. The executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Otkin and Cameron Kiefer. As I mentioned in a previous episode, we are quickly approaching the third millennium of the podcast with episode 2001. In celebration of this milestone, I'm going to be turning the episode over to you. I've set up a tool that allows you to leave a short message that can be played on the show. Just go to everything-everywhere.com, and you'll see a link right at the top of the page to click on to leave your audio message.

Starting point is 00:14:06 Let me know who you are, where you're from, maybe how you discovered the podcast, or if you're in the completionist club. And do try to keep it short, given the time limits of the show. I've also published the links on the Discord server, the Facebook group, and on Patreon. This episode will be recorded on December 27th, so you have to get your submissions in by then. Once again, that is Everything- Everywhere.com and click on the big link at the top of the page. And there's also a link to the website

Starting point is 00:14:34 in the show notes for every single episode.

Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography & More - The Battle of Trenton (Encore)

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.