FORT INDIANTOWN GAP, Pa. –
December 1776: The Continental Army is on the verge of collapse, and with it, potentially, the American Revolution.
After suffering a string of battlefield defeats, the Army retreated through New Jersey to Pennsylvania. Along the way, thousands of Soldiers either deserted or returned to their homes as their contracts expired. Of those that remained, morale was low, and many were unfit for combat.
In an effort to boost confidence and morale, Gen. George Washington, commander-in-chief of the Continental Army, decided to attack the British and their Hessian auxiliaries in New Jersey.
Over the course of 10 days, Washington and his army, augmented by militia units, would string together three battlefield victories that turned the tide of the war and reinvigorated the Army and the general public. Those 10 days are now known as the “Ten Crucial Days” that helped save the Revolution.
Among the militia units that joined Washington and the Army over those 10 days were the Philadelphia Associators, a unit founded by Benjamin Franklin in December 1747 to defend the city, and First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry, a volunteer cavalry unit founded in November 1774.
The Associators are alive today in the Pennsylvania National Guard as the 1st Battalion, 111th Infantry Regiment and the 103rd Brigade Engineer Battalion, both part of the 56th Stryker Brigade Combat Team. First Troop is alive as Alpha Troop, 1st Squadron, 104th Cavalry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
The Associators’ and First Troop’s service during the Ten Crucial Days highlights the role the Pennsylvania National Guard has played in its centuries of service to the nation, said Aaron Heft, a historian at the U.S. Center for Military History at Fort McNair, D.C.
“When Washington’s army was in need of aid, the Pennsylvania militia mobilized and joined the Continentals, providing the critical reinforcement needed to win in one of our nation’s most perilous moments,” said Heft, a former Pennsylvania National Guard Soldier. “We continue this same tradition today, as units across the state mobilize to support active-duty Army operations at home and abroad.”
Crossing the Delaware
The Ten Crucial Days began on Christmas night, 1776, when Washington led the Army and militia units across the Delaware River north of Philadelphia to mount a surprise attack on Hessian soldiers in Trenton, New Jersey.
Not only was the crossing logistically challenging – it called for moving thousands of soldiers as well as horses and artillery pieces across the river – it was also extremely dangerous. The river’s water was icy cold, with fast moving currents and large chunks of ice.
And, it was all to be done at night during a winter storm with strong winds, sleet and snow.
The plan initially called for crossings at three different points, but two of the crossings were aborted, leaving just Washington’s force – the largest of the three – to actually complete the crossing.
They used a variety of boats, including ferries and Durham boats – large, wooden flat-bottomed boats used by Durham Ironworks to haul freight on the river.
While everyone made it across safely, the crossing was not without incident.
“The craft in which (First) Troop embarked could not reach shore and the cavalrymen were forced to take to the water and make their way with their horses through the darkness and floating ice,” according to a history of the FTPCC published in 1991.
The force began its crossing shortly after sundown on Christmas night and were across the river and ready to march before the sun came up the next day.
The Associators, meanwhile, were supposed to cross the river south of Washington’s main body and advance toward Burlington with New England Continentals to prevent reinforcements from moving to assist the Hessians at Trenton.
However, that crossing was unsuccessful, as river conditions were too rough at their primary route, and their secondary crossing point was too frozen over to move wagons and artillery.
“Though infantry made it across the Delaware River, they were unable to take part in Washington’s attack,” Heft said.
Caught by surprise
After landing in New Jersey, Washington and his force marched south about 9 miles to Trenton, where Hessian soldiers were garrisoned. The Hessians were caught by surprise and were quickly defeated.
According to popular legend, many Hessians were still sleeping after celebrating Christmas with alcohol the night before, but that story is disputed.
Troopers from First Troop rode alongside Washington from the river to Trenton then provided security for him as he directed movements from the high ground, according to the FTPCC history.
“During the fighting, a detachment of the Troop was dispatched to dislodge a body of Hessians who had taken position in a barn from which they kept up a steady fire,” the FTPCC history states. "The Hessians, believing themselves outnumbered, were all captured."
The Americans suffered just a handful of casualties, while over 120 Hessians were killed or wounded and nearly 1,000 more were taken prisoner.
Washington and his army crossed the Delaware back into Pennsylvania on Dec. 28, bringing the Hessian prisoners with them as well as captured weapons, ammunition and much-needed provisions such as food, clothing and shoes.
The FTPCC served as the rear guard as the Americans crossed the Delaware back into Pennsylvania.
Not knowing Washington had withdrawn from Trenton following his successful attack, the Associators crossed the river into New Jersey on Dec. 27 in an attempt to join their commands. They found many of the British and Hessian positions abandoned, but their reconnaissance helped convince Washington to later re-occupy Trenton.
“The Associators and First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry provided critical reconnaissance for Washington as they prepared to defend Trenton,” Heft said.
‘Parade with us, my brave fellows!’
Looking to capitalize on the first attack’s success, Washington decided to re-cross the Delaware River back into New Jersey on Dec. 30 and established defensive positions at Trenton.
Meanwhile, British Gen. Lord Charles Cornwallis, having heard of the Hessian defeat at Trenton, assembled more than 9,000 troops at Princeton, New Jersey.
On Jan. 2, Cornwallis and his troops left Princeton to attack Washington’s Army. That evening, the two sides clashed at a bridge over the Assunpink Creek outside Trenton, and the Americans held off the much larger British force.
Rather than stay and fight the British the next day, Washington decided to quietly withdraw his army that night and march north to Princeton under the cover of darkness. He left a small force to keep campfires burning so the British would not know they departed.
Early the next morning, Washington and his men encountered a British column just outside Princeton marching toward Trenton, and the two sides attacked each other.
As the British took the upper hand and the Americans began to retreat, Washington rallied the troops and personally led a counterattack that eventually drove off the British. The Pennsylvania Associators and FTPCC were among those who followed Washington during the counterattack.
“Washington himself led the advance of the Associators, calling for the Pennsylvanians to ‘Parade with us, my brave fellows! There is but a handful of the enemy and we shall have them directly,’” Heft said.
The counterattack was successful, with Washington and his army defeating the British column. Afterwards, the Americans attacked other British troops in the town of Princeton, eventually capturing the garrison there.
In addition to participating in the counterattack against the British, FTPCC performed reconnaissance, and at the end of the battle served as the rear guard as Washington withdrew the army to Morristown where it quartered for the winter.
“This dramatic victory which helped preserve the American Army and reinvigorate the patriot cause could never have occurred without the valuable assistance of the Associators and First Troop, Philadelphia City Cavalry,” Heft said.
The victories at Trenton, Assunpink Creek and Princeton over the Ten Crucial Days restored confidence and morale within the Continental Army and helped secure re-enlistments and attract new recruits, allowing the American Revolution to continue.