Battle of Trenton
1776 CE · New Jersey, USA
The Battle of Trenton was fought in 1776 CE in New Jersey, USA between United States vs Hessian troops in British service; decisive American victory that revived the Revolution after a year of defeats.
Battle of Trenton: quick facts
- Date
- 1776 CE
- Location
- New Jersey, USA
- Belligerents
- United States vs Hessian troops in British service
- Commanders
- George Washington vs Johann Rall
- Result
- decisive American victory that revived the Revolution after a year of defeats.
- Era
- 🦅 American Wars
- Quiz difficulty
- medium
What happened at the Battle of Trenton?
On Christmas night 1776, George Washington led 2,400 soldiers across the ice-choked Delaware River in a desperate bid to revive the faltering Revolution. At dawn, they surprised the Hessian garrison at Trenton, capturing nearly 1,000 enemy soldiers in under two hours with minimal American losses. The stunning victory restored American morale after a string of devastating defeats and convinced many soldiers to reenlist, keeping the Continental Army alive.
Did you know?
Washington's crossing of the Delaware on Christmas night 1776 was so dangerous that two soldiers froze to death during the crossing, but the surprise attack captured nearly 1,000 Hessians with almost no American casualties.
Sources and further reading
- Battle of Trenton on Wikipedia for the full account, historiography and primary sources.
- How BattleGuess compiles and checks battle facts: see the About page.
Entry last reviewed 26 September 2026.