The Battle of Trenton: A Battle Analysis
The American victory in the battle of Trenton could not have come at a better time for Colonial forces. The fledgling army of the United States and seen multiple defeats and was on the verge of collapse. The quick victory over the professional fighting force of German Hessians did much to boost morale and solidify General George Washington’s command. The battle also taught General Washington a valuable lesson about intelligence. While a relatively small engagement compared to many other major historical battles, a Battle Analysis will show the impact was far reaching and had intelligence assets not worked out, could have easily been a disastrous defeat for the Americans.
Defining the Subject
On 26 December, 1776 American forces under the leadership of their commander-in-chief, General George …show more content…
They had very little respect for the uprising in their colonies. They assumed that there was simply no way that some rebellious colonials would be able to stand toe-to-toe with their military might. With little exception, prior to the winter of 1776, they were right.
The British military had successfully routed the Americans in New York and New Jersey. Losing Manhattan and Long Island had been a disastrous setback for the Americans and they had suffered defeat after defeat until they were pushed across the Delaware River into Pennsylvania. The British had no intention of pushing the fight past the Delaware in December 1776. The Royal Army was content to wait the winter out believing they had a solid upper hand and that the American Army was in no position to attack.
Conversely, General Washington had envisioned a prolonged winter campaign to retake New Jersey. The surprise attack at Trenton was meant to be the first of multiple battles. While to some extent this was true, terrain, weather, and poor leadership from subordinate generals largely hindered his