- General George Washington crossed the Delaware River on Christmas night in 1776 to launch a surprise attack on British soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey.
- The river was icy and cold, and Washington’s troops were poorly equipped, but they successfully boarded small boats and crossed under cover of darkness.
- The attack resulted in the capture of nearly 900 British soldiers, with minimal American casualties, boosting morale for the Continental Army.
- This victory at the Battle of Trenton became a major turning point in the American Revolutionary War, revitalizing support for the revolutionary cause.
- The event was later immortalized in Emanuel Leutze’s famous 1851 painting, which depicts Washington and his men crossing the river.
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