On November 19, 1776, British and Hessian forces invaded New Jersey. At the time, General George Washington and the Continental Army were in nearby Fort Lee, having just sustained multiple defeats in New York City. With the arrival of the enemy troops, the American militia began a retreat across New Jersey that ended when they crossed over the Delaware River into Pennsylvania on December 2nd.
While the Continental Army was on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River, British and Hessian forces occupied a number of towns throughout New Jersey, including Bordentown and Trenton. The Hessian army at Bordentown moved south towards Mount Holly to engage with a small group of American soldiers. They fought the Battle of Iron Works Hill on December 23rd.
Following the Battle of Iron Works Hill, the Hessians commander kept his men in Mount Holly for several days, rather than returning to Bordentown. This placed them eighteen miles away from Trenton, rather than six miles if they had returned to Bordentown. As a result, they were too far away from Trenton to be of any assistance to the Hessians there when Washington’s troops attacked Trenton after their famous crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night. (Click here for He’s No Chicken But He Crossed The River To Get To The Other Side.) The American victory at the Battle of Trenton helped to change the course of the war.
A difference of twelve miles. Distance matters.
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