Most of us know the story of the days and months preceding the Battle of Trenton. What we may not know is how quickly the plan for that battle was pulled together.
By December of 1776, General George Washington's Continental Army was on the verge of dissolution. Three months before, they were driven out of New York City in a disastrous, bloody campaign. Subsequently chased out New Jersey in a week and a half, the American army looked finished. Most enlistments expired at the end of the year, which meant that most of the American patriots who hadn’t already deserted were literally packing their bags. General Washington knew that if the army dissolved, so would the “glorious cause” that he had labeled only months before. He had to act. If he didn't, he would become nothing but a footnote in history as the traitor who led a hopelessly vain effort for independence from the most powerful nation on the face of the Earth.
Of course, looking back, we can just count down the days until Washington crosses the Delaware River and saves the day. Breathing a sigh of relief and exclaiming what a close call it was, we move on with our daily lives, not grasping just how quickly this complicated plan came together before it was set in motion on that momentous Christmas night.
By December of 1776, General George Washington's Continental Army was on the verge of dissolution. Three months before, they were driven out of New York City in a disastrous, bloody campaign. Subsequently chased out New Jersey in a week and a half, the American army looked finished. Most enlistments expired at the end of the year, which meant that most of the American patriots who hadn’t already deserted were literally packing their bags. General Washington knew that if the army dissolved, so would the “glorious cause” that he had labeled only months before. He had to act. If he didn't, he would become nothing but a footnote in history as the traitor who led a hopelessly vain effort for independence from the most powerful nation on the face of the Earth.
Of course, looking back, we can just count down the days until Washington crosses the Delaware River and saves the day. Breathing a sigh of relief and exclaiming what a close call it was, we move on with our daily lives, not grasping just how quickly this complicated plan came together before it was set in motion on that momentous Christmas night.
On December 22, Colonel Joseph Reed, a Massachusetts militia commander, wrote Washington about the dire situation, imploring him to retake the initiative and take back at least part of New Jersey. He proposed a series of offensive actions across the Delaware to achieve these objectives and at the same time, raise morale. He suggested:
"We are all of Opinion my dear General that something must be attempted to revive our expiring Credit give our Cause some Degree of Reputation & prevent a total Depreciation of the Continental Money which is coming on very fast....In a little Time the Continental Army is dissolved the Militia must be taken before their Spirits & Patience are exhausted & the scattered divided State of the Enemy affords us a fair Oppy of trying what our Men will do when called to an offensive Attack—Will it not be possible my dear Genl for your Troops or such Part of them as can act with Advantage to make a Diversion or something more at or about Trenton—the greater the Alarm the more likely Success will attend the Attacks—If we could possess ourselves again of New Jersey or any considerable Part of it the Effects would be greater than if we had never left it—Allow me to hope that you will consult your own good Judgment & Spirit, & not let the Goodness of your Heart subject you to the Influence of Opinions from Men in every Respect your Inferiours."
Reed's tone of voice could have gotten him in big trouble with a lesser man, and remember, he's writing to the Commander-in-Chief. Closing his letter, he explained himself:
"We are all of Opinion my dear General that something must be attempted to revive our expiring Credit give our Cause some Degree of Reputation & prevent a total Depreciation of the Continental Money which is coming on very fast....In a little Time the Continental Army is dissolved the Militia must be taken before their Spirits & Patience are exhausted & the scattered divided State of the Enemy affords us a fair Oppy of trying what our Men will do when called to an offensive Attack—Will it not be possible my dear Genl for your Troops or such Part of them as can act with Advantage to make a Diversion or something more at or about Trenton—the greater the Alarm the more likely Success will attend the Attacks—If we could possess ourselves again of New Jersey or any considerable Part of it the Effects would be greater than if we had never left it—Allow me to hope that you will consult your own good Judgment & Spirit, & not let the Goodness of your Heart subject you to the Influence of Opinions from Men in every Respect your Inferiours."
Reed's tone of voice could have gotten him in big trouble with a lesser man, and remember, he's writing to the Commander-in-Chief. Closing his letter, he explained himself:
"Pardon the Freedom I have used, the Love of my Country, a Wife & 4 Children in the Enemys Hands, the Respect & Attachment I have to you—the Ruin & Poverty that must attend me & thousands of others will plead my Excuse for so much Freedom."
The next day, Washington replied with a daring plan to cross the ice-choked Delaware River to launch a dawn surprise attack on the 1500 strong Hessian garrison at Trenton. While we don't know what plans Washington already had in mind before Reed's letter, this correspondence would lead us to believe that Colonel Joseph Reed set in motion one of the most crucial actions in American history, a move that had to be pulled together in a mere 48 hours.
No comments:
Post a Comment