battle creek battle creek known second battle battle american british troops took place new_jersey january american revolutionary war resulted american victory following surprise victory battle early morning december general george_washington continental_army council war expected strong british counter attack washington council decided meet attack established defensive position south creek lieutenant general led british forces southward aftermath december battle leaving men lieutenant colonel princeton advanced men january advance significantly slowed defensive american command advance guard reach twilight assaulting american positions times repulsed time decided wait finish battle day washington moved army camp night attacked princeton day defeat prompted british withdraw new_jersey winter background night december george_washington commander chief continental_army crossed army attacked garrison morning december garrison surrounded quickly defeated washington crossed river returned camp pennsylvania afternoon december washington moved army stationed men south prelude washington appeal faced dilemma handful men december knew army collapse convinced stay 30th washington appealed men stay month longer bounty dollars asked men wanted volunteer man turned washington wheeled horse rode troops saying brave asked reasonably expected country stake wives houses hold dear worn hardships know spare consent stay month longer render service cause liberty country probably circumstances stepped forward soldier stepped forward followed leaving original line preparations january money congress arrived men paid washington received series resolves congress including gave washington powers similar military dictator washington decided stand fight ordered general militia join december washington learned army men command general moving attack washington ordered men build earthworks parallel south bank creek lines extended miles south end stream washington aides pointed stream british cross position drive washington right flank washington escape delaware boats miles upstream washington told officers planned army current position temporary british movement planning return britain leave canceled rode princeton catch general moved troops reinforce princeton arrived convinced grant attack combined forces january army reached princeton january left force command men set road miles away army cannon marched columns reached detached colonel men ordered remain following morning battle delaying actions army placed skirmish line british light infantry days washington troops command place outer defensive line halfway princeton goal delaying british advance british approached returned drunk colonel took command british came range american opened fire american took cover woods bends road time british line battle line fall fire cover hand forced abandon american position mile run took new position heavily wooded area south bank hand deployed men trees protected view british crossed bridge stream fired point blank range intense fire confused british thinking entire american army formed battle lines bringing cannon british searched woods half hour looking americans hand withdrawn new position afternoon british reached known half mile americans forming line defense washington wanted hold british nightfall darkness prevent british attacking defenses south british artillery position attacked hand new position gave way slowly falling way hand troops fire houses hand troops came creek charged fixed causing chaos americans washington seeing chaos rode crowd men crossing bridge shouted hand rear guard pull cover american artillery british assault british prepared attack american defenses cannon musket fire exchanged opposing sides british moved bridge advancing solid columns americans fired british fell moment british charged bridge driven cannon fire british charged final time americans fired shot time british lines fire soldier said bridge looked red blood killed wounded red coats american withdrawal decision arrived main army called council war continue attack general urged strike right away saying washington general army found morning disagreed argued way americans retreat british troops worn better attack morning rested want wait morning decided better sending troops attack dark said got old fox safe bag morning moved army hill north night washington decision night american artillery command occasionally fired shells british edge washington called council war road leading princeton council war agreed attempt british garrison army way princeton washington left men cannons fires burning noise picks british think digging morning men evacuated british came attack american troops gone casualties casualty estimates widely records fighting january separate engagements skirmishes gives american losses second gives american casualties killed wounded deserted hand gives entire american loss january killed wounded says killed wounded gives british losses killed killed wounded captured gives losses january killed wounded gives british casualties killed wounded captured aftermath morning washington reached princeton brief battle british decisively defeated substantial number garrison command captured defeat days superior general ordered army withdraw southern new_jersey way new_york leaving forward positions new_brunswick washington moved army winter quarters
Battle of the Assunpink Creek