Which river did George Washington cross during his surprise attack on December 26, 1776?

George Washington crossed the Delaware River during his surprise attack on December 26, 1776.

Washington led Continental Army troops across the river from Pennsylvania into New Jersey on the night of December 25–26. The army then attacked Hessian forces at Trenton, winning a strategically important victory for the American cause.

The crossing took place during a severe winter campaign. Washington's army had suffered defeats around New York and was losing soldiers as enlistments expired. The success at Trenton boosted morale and helped encourage continued enlistments.

The famous event is often represented by Emanuel Leutze's 1851 painting Washington Crossing the Delaware. The painting is a dramatic artistic interpretation rather than a precise visual record: the boat, weather, and people shown do not exactly reproduce the historical crossing. Washington crossed again days later as the army withdrew from Trenton.