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On Christmas night, 1776, George Washington and his Continental Army crossed the icy Delaware River into Trenton, New Jersey. This was a daring maneuver that culminated in the Battle of Trenton and would be historically remembered as a turning point in the American Revolution. This crossing was a critical strategic decision that boosted American morale and led to a series of victories. The next morning, on the dawn of St. Stephen’s Day, American troops attacked Hessian soldiers—German mercenaries hired by the British—and captured almost 1,000 from their ranks. After the army’s demoralizing defeat at Brooklyn earlier that year, the overwhelming victory at Trenton, which was obtained in just about an hour, gave the American troops the confidence they needed to keep fighting. |