Moreover in the highlands of northern New Jersey, with headquarters at Morristown, General Sullivan, recently exchanged, and General Gates now had Lee's army and also the remnants of the force driven from Canada.But in retreating across New Jersey Washington had been forsaken by thousands of men, beguiled in part by the Tory population, discouraged by defeat, and in many cases with the right to go home, since their term of service had expired.All that remained of Washington's army after the forces of Sullivan and Gates joined him across the Delaware in Pennsylvania, was about four thousand men.
Howe was determined to have Philadelphia as well as New York and could place some reliance on Tory help in Pennsylvania.He had pursued Washington to the Delaware and would have pushed on across that river had not his alert foe taken care that all the boats should be on the wrong shore.As it was, Howe occupied the left bank of the Delaware with his chief post at Trenton.If he made sure of New Jersey he could go on to Philadelphia when the river was frozen over or indeed when he liked.Even the Congress had fled to Baltimore.There were British successes in other quarters.Early in December Lord Howe took the fleet to Newport.
Soon he controlled the whole of Rhode Island and checked the American privateers who had made it their base.The brothers issued proclamations offering protection to all who should within sixty days return to their British allegiance and many people of high standing in New York and New Jersey accepted the offer.Howe wrote home to England the glad news of victory.Philadelphia would probably fall before spring and it looked as if the war was really over.
In this darkest hour Washington struck a blow which changed the whole situation.We associate with him the thought of calm deliberation.Now, however, was he to show his strongest quality as a general to be audacity.At the Battle of the Marne, in 1914, the French General Foch sent the despatch: "My center is giving way; my right is retreating; the situation is excellent: I am attacking." Washington's position seemed as nearly hopeless and he, too, had need of some striking action.A campaign marked by his own blundering and by the treachery of a trusted general had ended in seeming ruin.Pennsylvania at his back and New Jersey before him across the Delaware were less than half loyal to the American cause and probably willing to accept peace on almost any terms.Never was a general in a position where greater risks must be taken for salvation.As Washington pondered what was going on among the British across the Delaware, a bold plan outlined itself in his mind.Howe, he knew, had gone to New York to celebrate a triumphant Christmas.His absence from the front was certain to involve slackness.It was Germans who held the line of the Delaware, some thirteen hundred of them under Colonel Rahl at Trenton, two thousand under Von Donop farther down the river at Bordentown; and with Germans perhaps more than any other people Christmas is a season of elaborate festivity.On this their first Christmas away from home many of the Germans would be likely to be off their guard either through homesickness or dissipation.
They cared nothing for either side.There had been much plundering in New Jersey and discipline was relaxed.
Howe had been guilty of the folly of making strong the posts farthest from the enemy and weak those nearest to him.He had, indeed, ordered Rahl to throw up redoubts for the defense of Trenton, but this, as Washington well knew, had not been done for Rahl despised his enemy and spoke of the American army as already lost.Washington's bold plan was to recross the Delaware and attack Trenton.There were to be three crossings.One was to be against Von Donop at Bordentown below Trenton, the second at Trenton itself.These two attacks were designed to prevent aid to Trenton.The third force with which Washington himself went was to cross the river some nine miles above the town.
