Battle Of Trenton Analysis

1601 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Army analysis of battle of trenton

One of the few bright spots for Washington’s army was its ability to use cross the Delaware. The wide river served as a buffer between them and their foes in New Jersey. General Washington had also had the foresight to take every boat from the eastern shore and move it to the western one for 75 miles up and down the bank (Wood, 1990, p. 58). In addition to the supplies and morale, the commanders of the two foes at the Battle of Trenton were quite different. Washington did not display the same arrogance as his Hessian counterpart. Washington was in real fear of losing his army and the war. General Washington wrote his brothers on December 18th, 1776 saying that “our Affairs are in a very bad situation” and “the game is pretty near up” (Kilmeade & Yaeger, 2013, p. 28). Washington was well aware that attacking the Hessians and losing could very well bring …show more content…

The outer pickets had retreated towards the town where a small building was used as a guard shack. With the weather in their faces, the men sought shelter (Lowell, 1970, p. 90). The lack of outer perimeter pickets allowed the American army to get very close to the town completely undetected. The Phases of the Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton officially began when the officer in charge of the Hessians guards saw the first American column approaching. He fired and alerted his men. The guards quickly realized they would be little match for the size of the force approaching. They gave the Americans “several smart fires” (Contemporaneous Account of the Battle of Trenton, 1886) before retreating. As the Hessians retreated the Americans pressed forward. The Hessians attempted to form up into proper columns. The Americans however, had their artillery in place very quickly and aimed down King and Queen Streets (Wood, 1990, p. 69); the two main streets of Trenton. With their artillery in place, the Hessians were never able to form up

Show More
Related

  • Washington's Crossing Sparknotes

    547 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Washington's Crossing, the book states that soon after England came with their 33,000 soldiers in New York in summer during the year of 1776, the much smaller army that made up the American military was close on their heels. Sadly, the American military was pushed from Long Island, Manhattan, and after that continued on to lose a lot of New Jersey and Rhode Island. Large numbers of Americans also proceeded to start signing their loyalty over to the English crown, and Washington's military began to be faced with a shortage of manpower. The remainder of Washington's army retreated to the Western shore of the Hudson River.

    Read More

  • Road to Valley Forge

    916 Words  | 2 Pages

    It could be said that if Howe and the British continued the attack, this rebellion could have been put down right away. This will not be the first time that Howe fails to do this, and it will lead to him being replaced later in the war by Sir Henry Clinton. Even though his army was thoroughly defeated, Washington is able to get his troops off of Long Island back to Manhattan in the middle of the night, this will also not be the last time that Washington is able to get his              &n The author briefly discusses the troubles at Kip’s Bay and Fort Washington. The next subject that Buchanan goes into is Washington’s retreat through the state of New Jersey. The key part of this retreat is when Washington crosses the Potomac River he collects all boats from both shores of the river.

    Read More

  • Book report

    1152 Words  | 3 Pages

    In 1776, David McCullough gives a vivid portrayal of the Continental Army from October 1775 through January 1777, with sharp focus on the leadership of America’s greatest hero, George Washington. McCullough’s thesis is that had not the right man (George Washington) been leading the Continental Army in 1776, the American Revolution would have resulted in a vastly different outcome. He supports his argument with a critical analysis of Washington’s leadership during the period from the Siege of Boston, through the disastrous defense of New York City, the desperate yet, well ordered retreat through New Jersey against overwhelming odds, and concludes with the inspiring victories of Trenton and Princeton. By keeping his army intact and persevering through 1776, Washington demonstrated to the British Army that the Continental Army was not simply a gang of rabble, but a viable fighting force. Additionally, Mr. McCullough supports his premise that the key to the survival of the American Revolution was not in the defense of Boston, New York City, or any other vital terrain, but rather the survival of the Continental Army itself. A masterful piece of history, 1776 is not a dry retelling of the Revolutionary War, but a compelling character study of George Washington, as well as his key lieutenants, and his British adversaries, the most powerful Army in the 18th Century world. When I read this book, I went from a casual understanding of the hero George Washington to a more specific understanding of why Washington was quite literally the exact right man at the exact right place and time to enable the birth of the United States.

    Read More

  • Battle Of Gettysburg DBQ

    456 Words  | 1 Pages

    The famous Battle of Gettysburg was a major part of the Civil War. Before the Battle of Gettysburg, the Confederate army had the advantage: however, the events occurring in the months following the historic battle are what truly gave the Union Troops the greatest advantage leading to their victoryThe Turning Point of the Civil War

    Read More

  • Revolutionary War: The Battles of Lexington and Concord

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    The first shot fired at this battle was the famous "Shot heard around the world. " It was called that because it affected the history of the world greatly. Although when this battle happened, it wasn’t an official battle. It was mainly just like David and Goliath. It wasn’t fair: 800 seasoned soldiers against 70 colonial men.

    Read More

  • George Washington Commander In Chief

    1390 Words  | 3 Pages

    Washington knew the Ohio Valley well because he was hired by the wealthy Fairfax family, as a land surveyor. This knowledge was valuable to General Braddock, because he was unfamiliar with the American territory. Braddock was appointed by King George III to lead an army against the French. Washington tried to convince Braddock that they would lose if they fought using the standard British field tactics that Braddock was accustomed to. Washington realized that since there were no open fields in the Ohio Valley this style of battle would be unsuccessful. The Indians, who sided with the French, because they thought that the British would lose the war, fought using guerilla warfare. Braddock did not listen to Washington and the English were badly defeated. Braddock was shot off his horse and Washington had to lead the army back to Virginia. Washington's bravery and courage helped get the remaining troops back to safety.

    Read More

  • Air Defense Artillery (ADA)

    1470 Words  | 3 Pages

    The positions that were held by the Americans were enviable, the line between the two Axis forces; von Arnim’s army in the north and Rommel’s in the south-central, were stretched thin and weak. The center of the Allied Forces with a significant strike would be able to pierce the defenses on the coastlines and separate them all the way to Sfax. The joint forces manned the line from the northern parts of the country to the south, with the British military undoubtedly the most prepared of the joint forces. The American military marched along with the joint forces all the way through the country of Algeria to gain control and hold strategic battle positions on the eastern part of Tunisia Dorsal Mountains. The American Army had never before engaged in any major encounters with the Germans, who would later be nicknamed “the first team”. The lack of experience will prevail once Von Angrnim’s army in the north attacks the center of the Allied Forces. A line that was enforced by the French and the American Forces failed to come to the aid of the French. The Joint Forces were not impressed by the lack of actions and effort the American Forces had shown, which created doubts within the British and French forces about their Allies of the New World. The lack of training on the maneuver and tactical side of the operations, not only left the American Forces

    Read More

  • 1776 Book Review

    1084 Words  | 3 Pages

    Washington understood that what lies ahead would be difficult, considering he would be facing the most powerful country in the world. But he probably didn't expect his worst problems to come from his own army, which was an undisciplined and untrained group that would eventually tamper with his great patience. Through it all, he would stay determined and always try to stay one step ahead of the enemy. In the summer of 1775, the Americans prepared to attack the British in Boston. But Washington was informed that they were shorthanded on gunpowder.

    Read More

  • The Shot Heard 'Round the World

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    As soon as the militia heard that the British troops were on their way, it removed its stockpiles of ammunition from their hiding places and relocated them to a new shelter. When the British arrived at Lexington, they found the militia in position, ready to defend itself. The British stopped and prepared to face the militia. Both sides remained silent, standing their ground until a shot rang out.

    Read More

  • Battle Of 73 Eastings Battle Analysis

    1918 Words  | 4 Pages

    In this paper, I will provide a Battle Analysis and outline the events leading up to and surrounding the Battle of 73 Eastings (refers to a north-south grid line). In addition, I will describe how the United States Army’s (USA) 2nd Armored Calvary Regiment (ACR) defeated forces from the Iraqi Republican Guard (IRG) using speed, technology and superior combat power. Although some consider the Battle of 73 Eastings extremely successful, some consider it a failure due to the large amount of Iraqi forces that retreated towards Bagdad. Lastly, I will analyze how each side used their intelligence assets and what they could have used to change the outcome.

    Read More

  • The Battle of Yorktown

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    The plans for Yorktown actually started up in May of 1781 when General Washington joined up with French General Rochambeau. The American forces at this time were stationed in the area of New York City closely watching British General Clinton’s forces. Washington knew that General Cornwallis who had been dominating in the south would soon be moving northward to rendezvous with Clinton’s and General Nathaniel Green’s forces. He also knew that if this happened it would be near impossible of defeating the British. As Cornwallis continued his northern track he ran into trouble at the Battle of Cowpens. In fact he lost much of his light infantry and cavalry in the Carolinas. He did score a victory at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, but this would prove to not help him much as he took severe losses and consumed a lot of time.

    Read More

  • American History : The Revolutionary War

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    Despite the low expectations for the American colonies, they amazed the world as they rose to the occasion by taking advantage of their military assets, even those they did not know they had. For instance, George Washington proved to be a valuable asset for the American colonies. Washington was already held in high esteem prior to the Revolution for his few, but impactful, military accomplishments prior to the Revolution and for his praise-worthy character. (Schweikart and Allen 74) Because of his lack of experience commanding, he learned to excel in familiarizing himself with new tactics and responsibilities very quickly. (Mount Vernon) He used strategy to make up for what he lacked in supplies or force. In 1776, he valiantly crossed the Delaware river for a successful surprise attack on Trenton and days later successfully took Princeton, two undertakings which contributed significantly to the American victory along with Washington defeating Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1...

    Read More

  • Analysis of 1776, by David McCullough

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...e gun, it seemed, the greater the owner‘s pride in it.” (McCullough 33) The Continental army certainly did not look like an army yet these people were brought together in this fight for freedom and prevailed even winning the support of Americans who had no hope the British would be defeated.” Merchant Erving had sided with the Loyalists primarily because he thought the rebellion would fail. But the success of Washington‘s army at Boston had changed his mind as it had for many” (McCullough 108). The reader must comprehend the power of this accomplishment for the rag-tag army. “Especially for those who had been with Washington and who knew what a close call it was at the beginning-how often circumstance, storms, contrary winds, the oddities or strengths of individual character had made the difference- the outcome seemed little short of a miracle.” (McCullough 294).

    Read More

  • Rhetorical Analysis of George Washington's Newburgh Conspiracy Speech

    1955 Words  | 4 Pages

    "His mind was great and powerful, without being of the very first order; his penetration strong . . . Perhaps the strongest feature in his character was prudence, never acting until every circumstance, every consideration, was maturely weighed; refraining if he saw a doubt, but, when once decided, going through with his purpose, whatever obstacles opposed." (Thomas Jefferson, as cited in "George Washington," 2006, para.19) George Washington is one of the most recognized and famous leaders in all history of the United States of America. He contributed greatly to the establishment of this prosperous country, from leading the Revolutionary armies into battle, to running the country as the first president, Washington has set precedence and example for all who have and are yet to follow. He was a noble man who demonstrated characteristics one would expect from a hero figure. He was not power-hungry, but did things and played his role for the good of the country, for patriotic purposes, to help America become the success it is today. In March of 1783, the soldiers of the American military were restless, bored and in a terrible state of doubt and distrust concerning the newly formed congress of the country. When these soldiers joined the army, they were promised a certain amount of money according to their service, but by the war's end, congress was nearly broke and not in a position to pay them all they had earned. The soldiers planned a rebellion against congress for their unjust treatment, and attempted to hold an unauthorized meeting of the officers on the matter. Washington forbade the meeting, but called for one a few days later, in which he gave his speech concerning the Newburgh Conspiracy ("The Rise and Fall," 2006, para.2). General Washington was a highly respected man among his peers, soldiers, and fellow men. His opinions, approval, and presence alone were enough to validate many plans, documents, and meetings throughout his life, so it is no wonder that even simple words or acts performed by General Washington were respected, and more often than not, taken to heart by his audience; perhaps this is why it may seem surprising that one of the most important speeches he ever gave fell on relatively deaf ears, leaving the audience hesitant, confused, seemingly unaffected by his powerful use of diction, and emotional appeal.

    Read More

  • Battle of New Orleans

    1691 Words  | 4 Pages

    After the burning of the White House and the Capitol building in Washington D.C., American forces successfully fought off a major offensive by British forces in Baltimore at Hampstead Hill and Fort McHenry (Hugh, 2012). The British then set their sights on America's access point to the west: New Orleans and the Mississippi River. The British forces planne...

    Read More

More about Battle Of Trenton Analysis

Open Document