The Battle of Trenton - Essay Example

November The Battle of Trenton The Battle of Trenton was one of the revolutionary battles fought in the American history. The battle derives its name from the place where it was fought i.e. Trenton, New Jersey. The battle was instigated by Americans upon the British troops and the Hessians. The British troops had exiled the Americans from the New York. In 1776, the Americans had been limited to the Western bank of Delaware. In addition to that, expiry of the enlistment duration of the Continental Army put Washington into severe crisis.

Before disperse of the army, Washington decided to challenge the Hessian position at Trenton. General George Washington represented the Americans whereas Colonel Rahl led the British troops in the battle. The American force included a total of 2400 troops that had 18 guns with them. On the other hand, the Hessians’ population was no more than 1400 and they had only 6 light guns with them. The British troops wore leather crested helmets along with red coats. The Americans also wore the best dresses they could arrange.

The German troops were dressed in blue overalls. Combatants on both the sides were equipped with guns and muskets. Regiments from Pennsylvania had rifled weapons. After a deadly battle, the American troops won over the British troops. There were a total of four casualties among the Americans. Around a 100 Hessians were wounded and 20 of them were assassinated in the battle. After the battle, 1000 Hessians were captured by the Americans (“The Battle of Trenton”). Works Cited: “The Battle of Trenton.” 2010. Web. 1 Nov. 2011. .