George Washington’s Delaware River crossing occurred on the night of December 25–26, 1776, a Revolutionary War event associated with America250.
Washington led Continental Army troops across the river from Pennsylvania toward New Jersey in a surprise maneuver. The crossing began on Christmas night and continued into the early hours of December 26.
The operation led to the Battle of Trenton on the morning of December 26, when American forces attacked Hessian troops. The victory helped restore morale after a difficult period for the Continental Army.
The event is often represented by Emanuel Leutze’s 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. The painting is an artistic interpretation, not a literal record of the crossing’s conditions or boat arrangement.