Which river did George Washington cross before the 1776 Battle of Trenton?

George Washington crossed the Delaware River before the 1776 Battle of Trenton. The Continental Army began the dangerous crossing on the night of December 25–26, 1776, moving from Pennsylvania toward New Jersey.

Washington’s force faced darkness, snow, sleet, strong wind, and floating ice. Henry Knox supervised the movement of troops, horses, and eighteen artillery pieces across the river. The operation was part of a secret plan to attack Hessian troops stationed at Trenton.

The Continental Army reached New Jersey and attacked on the morning of December 26. The Americans captured nearly 1,000 prisoners and seized military supplies. The victory strengthened morale at a critical point in the war, when enlistments were expiring and the revolutionary army had suffered several defeats.

The famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware was created by Emanuel Leutze in 1851. It is an artistic interpretation rather than a literal record of the crossing’s boats, weather, and formation.