Which river did George Washington cross before the Continental Army attacked Trenton in 1776?

George Washington crossed the Delaware River before the Continental Army attacked Trenton in 1776.

Washington’s troops crossed during the night of December 25–26, 1776, in a surprise maneuver against Hessian forces stationed at Trenton, New Jersey. The army moved from Pennsylvania across the icy river under difficult winter conditions.

The operation was intended to restore confidence after a series of American defeats and desertions. Washington’s troops reached New Jersey and attacked the Hessian garrison on the morning of December 26. The Continental Army won the Battle of Trenton, capturing prisoners and military supplies.

The crossing is closely associated with Emanuel Leutze’s dramatic 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. The painting is an artistic interpretation rather than a precise record of the event, but the historical crossing itself was a carefully planned military operation that helped revive the American cause.