On what date did the Battle of Trenton, a turning point in the American Revolution, take place?

The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War.

George Washington led Continental Army forces across the ice-filled Delaware River during the night of December 25–26. At dawn, his troops attacked Hessian soldiers stationed in Trenton, New Jersey. The Hessians were German auxiliaries serving Britain, and most surrendered after a brief battle.

The victory was militarily limited but politically important. The Continental Army had suffered serious defeats around New York and was retreating through New Jersey. Trenton boosted morale, encouraged soldiers to reenlist, and helped preserve the Patriot army during a difficult stage of the war.

The action is often connected with Washington’s later victory at Princeton on January 3, 1777. Those victories did not end the war, but they prevented the Continental cause from collapsing at the end of 1776. The famous crossing scene was later dramatized in Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware.