Battle+of+Princeton

=**Battle of Princeton **= ==**On December 25 General Washington led 2,400 troops across the Delaware River after a 9 mile hike, they attacked the Hessians occupying Trenton. The Continental Army killed and wounded over 100 Hessians and captured about 900. In response to this loss General Lord Cornwallis left New York and gathered 9000 troops to oppose Washington. 1,200 men where left at Princeton under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Mawhood. Cornwallis left Princeton with 8000 men to attack Washington's 6000 men. Washington sent some troops to delay the advancing British army. After three failed attempts by the british to cross the Assunpink bridge a.General Lord Cornwallis called the battle until the next day. During the night washington called a war council to decide what they would do next. Washington decided to plan a surprise attack on Princeton.** Washington gathered his troops and led them to princeton to flank the British. Washington left 400-500 men behind to keep the fires burning and twon cannons to patrol. before dawn these men will meet up with the army. Washington made a wide arc around Cornwallis's sleeping men.==

==By 2:00 A.M the entire army was ready to move. Mawhood was told to meet up with Cornwallis' army in the morning. Once morning came Mawhood left a small army to watch Princeton, then he regrouped with Cornwallis. On his way there Mawhood ran into American forces under the command of Brigadier General Hugh Mercer, who Washington had ordered to secure Stony Creek bridge to isolate Princeton. Mercer's troops ran to hide in a nearby orchard, while the British pursued them with bayonets. Luckily Washington and the main army heard the shoots fired and in an act of courage Washington led his troops directly into the British. Washington was able to turn the tide of the battle and had the British runing, as they chased them Washington said "It;s a fine fox hunt boys"! The British retreated into [|Nassau Hall], which is now known as Princeton Unversity. The American's fired Altilary at the building, then some troops rushed the entrance. Then a white flag was hung outside one of the windows. The Americans had won the battle thinks to George Washington's brilliant military tactics.==

==After the Americans had entered Princeton they began to loot the city for abandoned British goods. Washington got word that Cornwallis was coming back to Princeton, and he know he had to leave Princeton. Washington wanted to push onto New Brunswick and capture a British pay chest of 70,000 pounds, but his Major General and others talked him out of it. Washington moved his troops to Morristown arriving on January 6. Cornwallis later abandoned his posts in New Jersey and fell back to New Brunswick. The British believed that the Trenton and Princeton victories where minor in the war, but these wins gave the Americans confidence in winning the war aganist the British Empire. Historians believed that these victories had a great impact on the war and where very substantial to the American's gaining there freedom.== __//**Links**//__ [] [] [] l[]



==George Washington lived from 1732-1799. Washington was the commader and chief of the Contenintal Army, which he lead to victory over the British Empire. Washington had many major victories in the war and without his amazing military tactics we might have not been able to gain our freedom from the British. In The Battle of Princeton Washington had tricked General Lord Cornwallis he was still camped outside of Princeton by keeping the fires going and digging trenches. Then in the middle of the night he circled his troops around Cornwallis' men and took over princeton. The war ending battle was at Yorktown where 5000 troops where forced to surrender and the british could not afford to resupply with new troops. Later Washington would become the first president of the United States of America.== [] []

==**Charles Cornwallis lived from 1738-1805. In American History General Charles Cornwallis is manily known for his loss to George Washoington is the Revlotionary War. Cornwallis' biggest defeat was at Yorktown where the American forces along with the French surrunded the British forcing them to surrender. Cornwallis was so ashamed of this defeat that he refused to meet with Washington after surrendering. Even though Cornwallis was known as a sour loser. He many victories before and after the American Revolution.**==